28/03/2023
Todays tea/medicine is hidden right beneath my feet & yours too. It is the wonderful Purple Dead-nettle 💜🌱 & it can be found almost anywhere probably, within your own garden. It isn’t a nettle, it is from the mint family so it doesn’t sting.
As you can see it is only a little plant that is classed as a w**d & is available all year round, flowering now.
The whole head including the flowers are beneficial for us in many ways. They are packed full of iron, fibre & vitamin C.
They can be taken as a tea or infusion to flush toxins from the kidneys, reduce seasonal allergies & is great taken at bedtime to promote a restful sleep.
It is antibacterial, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory & an antioxidant.
It is used as a diaphoretic, diuretic, purgative & also as an astringent.
It is easy to identify. The stem is square (as is all the mint family). It has tiny pinkish/purple leaves that are triangular that look like nettle, hence its name & ‘dead’ because as I said it doesn’t sting.
A very useful ally to keep in the garden that makes a lovely tea. Simply stoop two whole flower heads, leaves & stems included, after rinsing thoroughly & place them into a cup of just boiled water for 10 minutes & drink.
Medicine is all around us & it is completely free for us to use wisely.
Please forage responsibly in an area without pesticide use, heavy traffic pollution & all dog walking areas 💩😉.
I wish you well x