Nettle Seed

Bear_Medicine · Posted: Sun Jul 15, 2007 2:51 pm Post subject: Nettle Seed

From Crabapple:

crabapple · Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2007 3:40 pm Post subject:

Interesting that Ryan Drum describes a strong stimulant effect from green nettle seeds, and specifically the Western variety. I have only used dried seeds from the Eastern variety, and I haven't found them to be so directly stimulating.

I'll have to go find some green seeds and try them out!
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Rebecca Hartman
Crabapple Herbs: http://crabappleherbs.com/
The Herbwife's Kitchen: http://crabappleherbs.com/blog/

Bear_Medicine · Posted: Sat Jul 21, 2007 1:18 pm Post subject:

So, I have noticed that the green seeds seems to be more stimulating and mind-altering, the dried seeds definitely give me noticeable energy but without the buzz... which is kind of saving my life right now, since I'm exhausted, have a toothache (and no dentist for a long ways), people to take care of, a broken truck (i get to walk out of the canyon, a lovely journey but tiring in the heat) and an event coming up... without the Nettle seed I"m an exhausted, shaky, heart palpitating, brain-fogged mess, with the Nettle Seeds I'm tired but functional.... after this next weekend I'm going to take a little rest and try to recuperate...

the Nettle seeds feel super nourishing and restorative to me, I keep looking at them and going "where have you been my whole life??!!" I've just been eating them straight a pinch at a time, I want to grind some up in honey soon, and also tincture but can't figure out whether I should tincture fresh or dried...

I love Nettle Seeds!
_________________
~*~ Kiva Rose
Anima Lifeways & Herbal School http://animacenter.org
Anima Healing Arts Health & Herbal Clinic:
http://animahealingarts.org
Traditions in Western Herbalism Conference: http://traditionsinwesternherbalism.org

crabapple · Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2007 12:38 pm Post subject:

Yay!

(I still haven't gotten out to find any green ones... living in a new place, I don't know where all the plants are yet.)
_________________
Rebecca Hartman
Crabapple Herbs: http://crabappleherbs.com/
The Herbwife's Kitchen: http://crabappleherbs.com/blog/

Henriette · Joined: 16 Mar 2007 Posts: 325 Location: Helsinki

Bear_Medicine · Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2007 4:06 pm Post subject:

So does anyone have any knowledge of long term results in adrenal burnout with nettle seed?

As in, are people like the horses the Henriette mentioned in her post, do they revert to their old exhausted ways as soon as you take away the nettle seeds or do they progressively heal as long as they're getting proper nutrition etc?
_________________
~*~ Kiva Rose
Anima Lifeways & Herbal School http://animacenter.org
Anima Healing Arts Health & Herbal Clinic:
http://animahealingarts.org
Traditions in Western Herbalism Conference: http://traditionsinwesternherbalism.org

jim mcdonald · Joined: 08 Feb 2007 Posts: 398 Location: michigan

don't know, though I do know david winston considers nettle seed to b a trophorestorative to the kidneys and the kidneys and adrenals are closely connected. Of course, david uses a tincture of the fully ripe, brown seed and henriette collects hers while still green and has folks eat it...
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jim mcdonald
~herbalist~
www.herbcraft.org

Henriette · Joined: 16 Mar 2007 Posts: 325 Location: Helsinki

People stop needing nettle seeds after a few weeks / months.
That's when they stop calling me to get more, after they've run out.

Some people (those with ongoing kidney problems, or people on cortisones) love their nettle seed year round, for years on end.
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http://www.henriettesherbal.com - Henriette, herbalist, Helsinki

Bear_Medicine · Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2007 9:33 am Post subject:

ooooh, thank you Henriette, I was so hoping for that kind of answer, I suspected it, but am glad to have it confirmed....

How much do you usually give someone at a time?

I want to tincture the fresh seeds and the dried seeds, but I've been using them dried and eating them and they work great, and it's great to have a dried plant you can just eat!
_________________
~*~ Kiva Rose
Anima Lifeways & Herbal School http://animacenter.org
Anima Healing Arts Health & Herbal Clinic:
http://animahealingarts.org
Traditions in Western Herbalism Conference: http://traditionsinwesternherbalism.org

Angieg · Joined: 09 Feb 2007 Posts: 37

Thanks for all this info! I am going to gather some tomorrow, I want to try to tincture some as well. can't wait!
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Angie Goodloe LMT, Herbalist
http://herbalistpath.blogspot.com/

Henriette · Joined: 16 Mar 2007 Posts: 325 Location: Helsinki

cory su · Joined: 12 Dec 2007 Posts: 107 Location: Central Florida

I started taking nettle seed a few months ago daily and my cycles went from 24-25 days to 28-29 days (as they had been in previous years). Quite pleased w/ that result.

GrannySam · Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2007 11:56 am Post subject:

Great topic!

I have used nettle seeds in tincture form (dried seed, 1:5 w/v, 50% alcohol. I percolate it mostly) for kidney issues, specifically renal failure, both chronic and accute with most excellent results.

My dog Sonny was diagnosed with renal adenocarcinoma almost three years ago. After surgery to remove the effected kidney his other kidney did not step to to take over the job, and he was in renal failure. His Creatinine was 4.9 (normal is 0.3-1.4) and his BUN was at 60 (normal is 7-25). Urine Specific Gravity was 1.003 (normal is 1.020-1.030)

I managed to get the values down a bit with strict changes to his diet as we waited and hoped the remaining kidney would hypertrophy and take over, but after several months we knew this wasn't happening. He leveled out at about 3.0 on the Creatinine and about 35-40 on the BUN. The USG never improved.

I found an article about using nettle seed and also some info on David Winston's site. So I ordered some seed from Jean's Greens and made a tincture. I dosed Sonny (100#) at a rate of three drops a day a la Matt Wood. He began to respond immediately. We were doing bloodwork and urinalysis every two weeks, so could see the changes take place. In a couple of months all his values returned to normal limits, and remained there until his death a few weeks ago. He simply was not in renal failure any more. When his values were back in normal range, I stopped the nettle seed tincture, AND put him back on his regular diet and he stayed normal.

My Vet was ecstatic, as was I. I gave her an ounce to try on one of her senior beagles who was in chronic renal failure and she came right back into normal limits as well. She used low doses too. So she started using it on all her renal patients, both dogs and cats, with excellent results. It didn't help everyone, but enough dogs and cats showed great improvement that we knew it was helping.

Eventually the other two Vets in the practice began to use it, and followups showed the same kinds of improvement in many patients. Now it has become their standard protocol with renal patients. I'm hoping they will write a paper on their success.

I read your post about adrenal support Kiva, and am sending my friend Linda some seed to try. She's in a high pressure job (drug company clinical trials researcher) and has burnout. I'll let y'all know how it works for her.

Blessings,

Sam

GrannySam · Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 2:49 pm Post subject:

Whoa Nellie!!

I've been eating just a pinch of nettle seed daily for the past couple of weeks, and I have to say they have increased my energy level significantly! I just add a little to my smoothie in the morning. After about two hours I get this surge of energy. I can't sit still. My mind is alert and I find myself looking for things to do.

I do feel ever so slightly "speedy" on them. I have found myself with a tense jaw and have to keep reminding myself to relax. I don't shake, or get nervous, I just have all this energy and I feel compelled to get up and out and do.

I'm having no trouble sleeping at night, and am getting a good restful sleep with no daytime napping.

I'm using the dried seed.

Blessings,

Bear_Medicine · Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 2:53 pm Post subject:

that's pretty consistent with my experience as well, maybe you should cut back by a tiny bit though? I get that just slightly speedy feeling too if I do too many, but no symptoms like that if I stay at the right dosage.

I really like that "looking for things to do" feeling... most adaptogens or even stimulants don't make me feel that way, they just make feel buzzed and scattered.

Are you using wild harvested seed or did you buy it from somewhere?

And would you elaborate on your percolated tincture of seeds, standard percolation or something different?
_________________
~*~ Kiva Rose
Anima Lifeways & Herbal School http://animacenter.org
Anima Healing Arts Health & Herbal Clinic:
http://animahealingarts.org
Traditions in Western Herbalism Conference: http://traditionsinwesternherbalism.org