I am amazed what an effect drinking nettle leaf tea is having on my allergies. The sneezing, runny nose, itchy throat, and itchy eyes symptoms subside for 2 to 3 hours after drinking a cup. I looked on the web today to find how this could be.
Histamines, which occur naturally in the body, are the culprits behind allergic reactions, says Stanley W. Beyrle, N.D., a naturopathic doctor at the Kansas Clinic of Traditional Medicine in Wichita. When you are exposed to allergens — substances that cause allergic reactions — your body releases histamines, which in turn cause hives, constrict bronchial vessels, and inflame the skin.
The histamines in nettle attach to histamine receptor sites in your cells and keep your body’s histamines from attaching to those cells during an allergic reaction. Nettle’s action is very similar to that of pharmaceutical antihistamine drugs, says Dr. Beyrle.
My Nettle Tea
Fill a big 2" tea ball with as much nettle leaf as possible and put it in a 3 quart pot. Add about 3 lemon zinger tea bags and fill it almost full of filtered water. Bring it all just barely to a boil, turn off the heat and cover, letting it steep for about 15 minutes. Take out the tea ball and tea bags and transfer the liquid to a pitcher. Drink a cup right away, either warm or over ice and sweeten with honey or agave syrup. Keep the remaining tea chilled until needed. Drink as needed for the remainder of the day.
Thank you - I am experimenting with Nettle Tea for fall allergies as we speak, and I sure hope it helps!
I hope it does, too! ~Wardeh