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Over 20 million Americans are currently diagnosed with some form of thyroid disease, a health problem that impacts every cell in the body and can cause severe weight gain or weight loss, mood disturbances and even infertility in both men and women. While thyroid problems are most common in women, affecting approximately 1 in 8 women between the ages of 35 and 65, men are not immune to thyroid disorders. Common symptoms in men, such as reduced libido, difficulty achieving erection and breast tenderness or enlargement, may be too embarrassing for men to seek medical help and could contribute to the lower instances of thyroid disease recorded in men. The thyroid gland is located at the base of the neck directly below the Adam’s apple. This tiny little gland shaped like a butterfly is responsible for regulating the body’s metabolism which is the rate at which the body uses energy by releasing the thyroid hormone T4 (tetraiodide) into the bloodstream. T4 makes its way to every cell in the body where it is converted to T3 (triiodothyronine), a hormone that controls the rate of cellular metabolism activity. The pituitary gland works in concert with the thyroid by regulating the levels of T3 in the body. When more T3 is needed the pituitary gland sends Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) to the thyroid gland to stimulate the release of T4 into the bloodstream. When too much thyroid hormone is present the pituitary gland stops sending out TSH and the thyroid stops the production of T4. The process is a delicate balance and if either the pituitary or the thyroid gland is failing to function properly the result will be a body that is not functioning properly. When the thyroid gland becomes overactive, releasing more hormones than are necessary, the result is hyperthyroidism or Graves Disease which is an autoimmune disease that causes over-activity of the thyroid gland. Hyperthyroidism is most common between the ages of 20 and 40 and affects roughly 1 million Americans today. With hyperthyroid, everything in the body speeds up. When the rate of cellular activity increases, more calories must be consumed to maintain normal energy levels. If the incoming calories fail to be enough then weight loss will occur. Generally, the more severe the hyperthyroid, the more weight loss will result. It is not uncommon, however, for a person with hyperthyroid to gain weight if more calories than necessary are being consumed. Patients with hyperthyroidism may also experience fatigue, trouble sleeping, increased appetite, trembling hands, irregular heartbeat, irritability and reduced libido. In severe cases, muscle weakness, shortness of breath and chest pain may result. Often however, the symptoms of hyperthyroidism are mild and may occur gradually over a long period of time. Foods that naturally suppress thyroid hormone production are cruciferous vegetables, soybeans, peaches and pears. Have two servings of these foods daily. Carrots, celery, onion and almonds are also beneficial. Hypothyroidism is a far more common problem, affecting approximately 11 million Americans. The disease can affect both men and women but it is mostly diagnosed in middle-aged women. Hypothyroid is the complete opposite of hyperthyroid. In a patient with hypothyroid the entire metabolism moves at a slower speed and requires less calories than usual to maintain normal energy levels. As a result, the excess calories consumed become stored as fat and weight gain ensues. Weight gain, while the most common problem associated with hypothyroid, is not the only symptom of an underactive thyroid gland. Other symptoms include low energy levels, depression, irritability, intolerance to heat or cold, decreased heart rate, dry skin and frequent infections, along with decreased sex drive, infertility, hair loss, dry hair and shortness of breath. As with hyperthyroid, it is not uncommon to experience few to no symptoms of this disease. To combat hypothyroidism, consume foods that contain iodine such as kelp, radish, parsley, potatoes, fish, oatmeal and bananas or look for a supplement that has 150 mg of Iodine. Iodine is needed by the body to form thyroid hormone. Also, copper, iron, selenium and zinc are essential in the production of T3 and T4. Exercise 15-20 minutes per day—enough to raise the heartbeat. Diseases of the thyroid can be diagnosed with a simple blood test which evaluates levels of free T3 and free AT4 (TSH) in the bloodstream. Another way to measure is by taking and recording the basal body temperature under the arm as soon as you wake up for ten minutes, five mornings in a row. The normal axillary temperature is 97.8 – 98.2 degrees F. If the temperature averages 97.4 or less see your physician. Once a diagnosis of either hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism has been ascertained, treatment is aimed at restoring proper levels of the thyroid hormones. With hyperthyroidism this might require surgery or the use of medication. Hypothyroid is usually treated with hormone replacement therapy. In my practice I have found that natural thyroid hormone can be a safe and very successful means of restoring the appropriate levels. For both diseases, restoring proper levels of the thyroid hormone can result in a reversal of symptoms, including a return to pre-thyroid disease weight. If you suspect that you might be suffering from a thyroid disorder, see your doctor immediately for an evaluation. Thyroid disease is a serious health problem and one that can be easily treated if properly diagnosed. Call your health care provider today and regain control over your metabolism once and for all! penile enlargement before and after free penis enlarement truth about pnis enlargement pills top penis enargement pills magna rx results vimax penis pills natural pnis enlargement exercise guide to penis enlagement

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Prostate gland ailments are common among men of all ages. Inflammation of the prostate gland leads to various disorders in the urinary system of men. Prostate is a nut shaped sex gland in men. It lies beneath the urinary bladder. Any swelling or disorders in functioning of the gland cause many diseases. Enlargement of prostate gland is BPH or benign prostatic hyperplasia. This disease is common among more than fifty percent of men in the age group of forty-sixty. Incidence of the disease increases in men over the age of eighty. Prostate gland encircles the urethra and disrupts flow of urine from the bladder to the penis. Enlargement of the gland will stop normal flow of urine. The best way to avoid any prostate gland ailments is to consume large quantities of water. Reduce cholesterol levels through lower intake of fatty substances. Increase intake of essential fats present in mackerel, flaxseed, haddock, salmon, and cod. Consume more of vitamin C and zinc through natural dietary supplements. Benefits of Prostate Supplements If you develop prostate gland problems, you can take suitable prostate supplements, easily available at various medical stores. Some of them include Pumpkin seeds, Saw palmetto, Nettle leaves and roots, Alisma rhizome, Pygeum bark, Cornus fruit, Dioscorea root, Prepared rehmannia root, Cinnamon bark, and Poria Fruit. • Saw Palmetto is among the leading prostate supplements. This fat-soluble extract of the saw palmetto berry contains essential biological chemicals to check your prostate problems. Urologists in Italy, German, and France profess many successful prostate treatments using saw palmetto. • Pumpkin seed is rich in zinc. It nourishes and heals all prostate disorders as those in the urinary tract too. It increases urine flow and reduce problems of irritating bladder. • Consumption of nettle roots and leaves increases urine flow. It yields best results in combination with pygeum bark and saw palmetto. It is very rich in chlorophyll and contains many alkaloids. These alkaloids neutralize uric acid, the main cause for all prostate problems. The anti-inflammatory properties of nettle roots and leaves can help you from any symptoms of enlarged prostate. • Pygeum Bark decreases urination at night, increases, and regulates urinary flow during daytime. Many herbal remedies for prostate gland ailments use pygeum bark with saw palmetto. You can also use it as a preventive against any prostate ailments. • Alisma Rhizome helps improve bladder functioning. Cornus Fruit improves health of liver and kidneys thereby improving the health of your prostate gland. Prepared rehmannia root purifies blood and is a kidney stimulant. Better kidney functioning means lower incidence of any prostate ailments. • Dioscorea root is a nutritional supplement to treat your kidneys and lungs. It reduces incidence of frequent urination and other seminal fluids. Cinnamon bark increases body warmth and boosts digestion of fatty substances. Therefore, it improves functioning of kidneys and circulatory system of your body. Overall, all prostate supplements promote healthy functioning of bladder, kidney, and other prostate organs. These prevent enlargement and swelling of prostate gland. They improve and promote healthy flow of urine without any burning sensation or pain while urinating. Prevention is better than Cure Various preventive measures for reducing occurrence of any prostate problems are to have a balanced diet with higher consumption of fruits and vegetables. Reduce intake of fatty substances and increase intake of vitamins and minerals. Regular exercises can also do the trick. Additionally, consumption of green tea is very beneficial for all your prostate problems. For more information on this topic, you may visit http://www.BioRelief.com BioRelief.com provides detailed info and comprehensive reviews on the best prostate supplements available. prosolution penile enlargment pills herbal penis enargement penis enhancement review free exercise tip for penile enlargement vimax penis enlargement before and after picture vimax best penis enlargement does penis enargement work penis enhancement review free exercise tip for penile enlargment

There are three different types of muscle tissue in the human body: cardiac muscle, which is only in the heart; smooth muscle, which is found in organs & blood vessels; and of course skeletal muscle, which is found all over the body and is responsible for movement. All three of these muscle types have distinctly different anatomical structure and function in the body. We know that muscles get bigger and stronger when put under stress, which is called adaption. Which simply means that the muscle is preparing itself in case it’s put under the same type of stress again. An analogy is calluses on your hand, if you rub your hand on a course surface causing enough friction eventually the skin adapts by building up calluses, thus protecting it self from future happenings. Muscle reacts much the same way, if you train them or put them under enough stress they will adapt to this stress by growing bigger and stronger. So the next time you train them they will be capable of handling this new level of stress. Now obviously that is a very basic explanation, but hang on to your dumbbells we’ll get more in depth! Inside a muscle there are groups of motor units separated by membranes. Each motor unit consists of a single neuron and all of the muscle fibers it stimulates. In muscles such as the hand where fine motor control is necessary the ratio of nerves to fibers will be much higher than that of a muscle such as the calf. Muscle fiber consists of myofibrils, a myofibril is a small bundle of myofilaments. Myofilaments are mainly comprised of two types of proteins called actin and myosin. The myofilament is the part of the muscle that actually shortens upon contraction where the actin and myosin filaments slide over each other, which is called the sliding filament theory. Basically by the way of chemical bonds and receptor sites located on the myofilaments the actin and myosin attract each other thereby causing a contraction. A contraction can be held until fatigue sets in, and the strength of a contraction is determined by the number of motor units that are recruited. Inevitably, the more force that is necessary for muscle contraction requires an increased number of motor units to allow the muscle to contract. Within skeletal muscle there are three types of muscle fibers: Type I, Type IIa and Type IIb. Everyone has their own unique distribution of these fibers, some people are predominately Type I, and some Type IIa, however the “average person” has an even amount of red and white fiber. Type I muscle fiber often referred to as slow-twitch or red fiber and is highly resistant to fatigue and has a high oxidative capacity, This muscle fiber is responsible for aerobic exercises and activities, such as running. Type IIa muscle fiber often referred to as fast-twitch or white fiber is an intermediate fiber and they’re larger in size and much stronger than Type I fibers. Type IIb muscle fiber, which are also fast twitch & white fiber, are capable of producing more force than Type IIa, but they’re low in oxidative capacity, and fatigue very quickly. Fast twitch fibers have thicker nerves that give them an increased contractile impulse, which is measured by the number of twitches per second, hence the name fast twitch fiber. Slow twitch fibers have smaller nerves, thereby twitch much slower, however they have a higher number of mitochondria, which increases their oxidative capacity. Mitochondria are the cells in a muscle that synthesize ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate), often referred to as the cell’s “powerhouse”. Okay, so now you have a basic understanding of muscle physiology, let’s talk about how we make them grow! The enlargement of a muscle fiber is called hypertrophy. As I mentioned earlier muscle growth or hypertrophy is a result of adaption to a new stress placed upon the muscle. So, what is the best form of stress? Well, there really is no single best principle that will work for every person. This is where the muscle fiber type distribution that you posses becomes important. If you train using appropriate methods based on your individual body type you will ultimately get faster results. First I would like to define the 7 Laws (adapted from the writings of Fredrick C. Hatfield) that should be adhered to regardless of the type of training system you employ: Law I – The Principle Of Individual Differences We must recognize and accept that we are all different based on genetics. We all have different body types, often referred to as the somatotypes: ectomorph, mesomorph & endomorph (most people are a combination of all 3 body types). The somatotypes is a very general classification that can help you determine the best type of training for you, but it’s a very basic tool and there is much more involved in one’s genetic make-up and musculature. Somatotypes are defined as follows: - Ectomorph: Thin, light bone structure, difficult to gain mass. - Mesomorph: Muscular, lean, gains muscle mass relatively easy. - Endomorph: Heavy, large bone structure, propensity to weight gain. Law II – The Overcompensation Principle The body overcompensates in defense to the stress placed upon it. A muscle grows bigger and stronger when trained with heavy weights, just as your hand will develop calluses when friction is applied. If you do not change the form of stress the muscles will have no reason to further adapt. Law III – The Overload Principle Relates to Law II, in that to gain further size & strength, endurance, etc., you must use training that is greater than what the body would normally encounter. If you train with the same amount of weight and/or repetitions every workout your muscles will not continue to adapt. Thus, you must overload in some way to cause further adaption. Law IV – The SAID Principle Specific Adaption to Imposed Demands, basically this law states that in order to meet your training objectives, e.g. increase explosiveness, you must you use specific training methods that will increase explosiveness. Or, if your goal is to increase limit strength, you must train with heavy weights. Law V – The Use/Disuse Principle Very simply put: “use it, or lose it”! If you increase a muscle via weight training you must continue to place the same or more stress upon the muscle or it will inevitably return to it’s normal size, which is called atrophy. Law VI – The Specificity Principle This law states that you must progress from foundational training to specific training to meet your final objective, whether it be a competition or improving your game of golf. An example would be to increase your maximum squat you need to use squats in your training rather than leg presses. Law VII – The GAS Principle General Adaption Syndrome, there are three stages: the alarm stage (intense training), the resistance stage (adaption) and the exhaustion stage (over training). If one is not careful in their training regimen they will over train according to this law. To avoid over training you must use periods of high intensity training, followed by periods of low intensity training and/or rest. So, no matter what method of training you utilize, the 7 Laws should be adhered to as closely as possible to facilitate maximum gains and to avoid a state of over training. The two most common questions are how much weight and how many reps? Unfortunately there is no magic number; it will vary from individual to individual. An “ectomorph” who is predominantly red fiber will respond better to higher repetition training, whereas a “mesomorph” who is predominantly white fiber will respond better to lower repetitions and heavier weights. However, no one is any single somatotype, most of us are a combination of all three, so there is no canned program that will yield the best results. For overall size gains, the goal of a bodybuilder, using a multitude of rep ranges, poundage’s and varying intensity will be most beneficial as well as staying in your 55-85 percent maximum range. If your max on bench press were 200lbs, using varying weights of 110lbs up to 170lbs would be your “training zone”. That does not mean you should never go above or below those poundage’s, it just means that the majority of training you do should be within that range. Typically, for hypertrophy to take place your reps should be in the 4-8 range. There is no need to ever use a weight that you cannot perform at least 4 reps with, unless your goal is pure strength. There are a few reasons that I say this, one is that when you train at 90 percent or higher of your maximum weight Type IIb muscle fibers are doing the majority of the work, and this will not do much for hypertrophy. In fact, even power lifters and Olympic lifters do the majority of their training at around 85% of their max. You may be thinking that 55-85 percent is quite a difference in poundage, well it is. This is where periodization comes into play. Periodization is a concept where you use cycles to break up your training. Regardless of your ultimate goal you should have a plan, and this plan needs to be broken up into your daily, weekly, and monthly workouts. So, you may have a week of heavy intense training, then a maintenance week of lighter training, the light week allows the muscles to recuperate, yet because they’re still being trained atrophy will not occur from disuse. In order to avoid a state of over training, and continue to grow, we need to recover. Remember your muscles do not grow in the gym, they grow when at rest. Many factors contribute to over training, including inadequate rest, continued heavy training, and deficiencies in diet & nutrition. By using periodization to map out your training you will avoid over training and keep your muscles in a state of continued adaption. Principles that can be used when planning your training cycles: Cycle Training: this is where you break up your training into bulk cycles, strength cycles and cutting cycles; which will help keep your muscles in a responsive state. Split Training: this is breaking up your training into separate body parts each work-out which allows for shorter and more intense sessions. Muscle Confusion: your muscles adapt to stress, and ultimately you can reach a plateau. By constantly varying the exercises, weights, sets and reps you can ensure continued adaption. Progressive Overload: continue to increase different parameters in your training, whether it be more weight, increasing sets and reps, etc. Eclectic Training: using a variety of methods in your training, combining numerous techniques such as compound and isolation exercises. Principles that can assist you in arranging each workout: Supersets: alternating two opposing muscle groups with little rest in between sets. Giant Sets: performing several exercises for a single muscle group with little rest in between sets. Muscle Priority: training a weaker body part first in your work out. Pre-Exhaustion: this is where you perform an isolation exercise preceding a compound exercise, e.g. leg extensions before squats. Pyramiding: beginning with a lighter weight, gradually increasing weight and lowering reps, then work backwards, decreasing weight and increasing reps. Stripping: going from a heavy weight, and stripping off weight each set as fatigue sets in. Principles that can be used with each exercise: Forced reps: once failure has been reached on a set, your partner assists you in performing additional reps that could not be performed alone. Continuous tension: maintaining slow continuous tension thru out the rep, which will maximize red muscle fiber recruitment. Cheating: once failure is reached the weight is swung past your sticking point to complete the movement. (useful when you do not have a spotter) Partial reps: as the name implies only part of the full movement is performed, e.g. only curling a barbell half way up, which can be effective due to the varying points of leverage. Peak contraction: at the completion of a set holding the weight fully contracted for a few seconds. Super speed: using a lighter weight, reps are performed explosively yet controlled, called “compensatory acceleration”, which can help with white fiber recruitment. Another very important component of your training and growth is nutrition. Unfortunately, the scope of this article is not diet and nutrition, but I want to emphasize its importance. Since protein is required for anabolism, it’s crucial that your protein intake be adequate. The general rule of thumb for protein requirements is 1 to 1.5 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight. This means that a 200lb bodybuilder should be consuming 200-300 grams of protein per day spread across 5-6 meals each day (33 to 50 grams per meal). You should consume protein from a variety of sources, including red meat, chicken, eggs, milk, fish, cheese and whey to name a few. Many times people will say they just cannot gain weight; well the answer is simple “eat more calories”. In order to gain weight, including muscle mass, you must be consuming more calories than you’re burning, period. So, if you feel that you’re doing everything correctly in regards to training, and you’re not gaining weight, try increasing your calories by 200-300 per day. I am not saying the answer is that simple, although often times it is, I am just making the point that you cannot gain weight without adequate calories. For more detailed information on diet and nutrition please see the section on this site where you will find several articles on the subject. penis enargement drug result review vigrx top rated penile enlargment pills penis enhancement system penile enlargement before and after picture pnis enlargement photo pennis enlargement drug penis enlagement information free exercise tip for penile enlargment

Problems of achieving a satisfactory erection are fairly common. If the problem does not originate from lack of lust and is great enough to make normal intercourse impossible, the condition is called erectile dysfunction (impotence). Erection problems are caused by combined physical and psychological factors. THE ERECTION MECHANISM The penis has three bodies containing a dense network of blood vessels along all its length. During erection blood is filled into the vessels of these bodies. The bodies then engorge, make the penis hard and rise it up. The filling of these bodies occur when the vessels leading blood to the penis relax and vessels draining the penis constrict their volume. Before and during erection nerves lead impulses to the genitals. The nerve ends in this area then releases the substance nitrogen oxide. Nitrogen oxide will diffuse through the genital area and the penis and stimulate the reaction of the blood vessels in the penis. PHYSICAL CAUSES OF ERECTION PROBLEMS Erection problems can occur because of disorders in the nervous system sending impulses to the genital area, problems with the blood supply to the penis and anatomical problems in the penis or genital area. Specific causes can be: - Accidents, stroke, surgery or tumours hurting brain areas or areas in the spinal cord responsible for erection impulses. - Multiple sclerosis, a disease hurting the isolating sheets around the neural fibres in the brain and spinal cord, can give erection problems. - Accidents or diseases hurting nerves from the spinal cord to the genital region. - Atherosclerosis caused by age or an unhealthy lifestyle, giving narrowing and hardening of blood vessels to the genital region. - Injury to the erectile bodies caused by inflammation, accidents or diseases. - Congenital malformations in the penis or genital region, for example hypospadias and epispadias. - Peyronie's disease, a common inflammatory disease causing abnormal bending or twisting of the penis, and sometimes also hinder the filling of blood into the erectile bodies, sometimes gives problems for the erections. - Circumcision causing the penile skin to be too tight, or causing extensive inelastic scars. - Side effects of medicines, such as medications taken for high blood pressure or depression. - Zinc deficiency. - Heart disease. - Diabetes causing injury to the nerves and blood vessels to the penis. - High blood pressure (hypertension). - Liver or kidney disease. - Alcohol or drug abuse impairing psychological and neural functions. PSYCHOLOGICAL CAUSES OF ERECTION PROBLEMS Psychological causes can interfere with the erection process by distracting a man from stimuli that normally would give him sexual arousal. Psychological issues account for about 40% of erection problems. Erection problems in men under age 50 are most likely to be caused by psychological factors. Psychological causes of erection problems include: - Anxiety for not being able to perform sexually as well as the partner demands. - Prolonged emotional upset, such as worrying, anxiety or anger due to a man's economical, professional or social situation. - Relationship problems, for example when the woman has different preferences of sexual practice than the man. - A man who loses sexual desire for his partner may develop erection problems. - Recently widowed men can get erection problems. - Some men have difficulty having sexual intercourse with their partner after she has given birth because he does not like the changes that the birth process has caused to the woman's body. CAUSATIVE TREATMENT When a specific organic and psychological condition causes problems for the erections, this problem should be treated with appropriate methods that will vary according to the actual disease. If the cause is heart disease or atherosclerosis, lifestyle changes and training adapted to the medical situation can often improve the general health situation and improve the erectile abilities. If the cause of the erection problems is a problematic penile shape, for example curved or twisted penis by Peyronie's disease, using a mechanical penis reaction device for some time may help. On the marked you can also find herbal products to treat injured or diseased blood vessels in the genital area. These products typically contain herbal elements that experience has proven to stimulate tissue repair in blood vessels. POSSIBLE FUNCTIONAL TREATMENT It is not always possible to cure the condition causing erectile problems. Still the problems can be overcome by medication that stimulates the vessels leading blood to the penis to relax and the vessels draining the penis to constrict. These drugs typically achieve this task by stimulating the release of nitrogen oxide in the genital area or by mimicing nitrogen oxide. Viagra and Cialis are the best known pharmacological treatment for erection problems. In spite of what people often think, these drugs do not increase the sexual drive. If the sexual excitement is there, Viagra can help to achieve erection, if the drive and excitement lack in the first place, Viagra will not help. There are also herbal products on the market that stimulate the erection mechanism. Erection oils give an instant erection response, but the response only last 2-3 hours. Erection or potency pills take a longer time to give effect, but the effect lasts for many hours. The herbal product will often contain components that increase the sexual excitement in addition to improving the pure erection mechanism. If it is not possible at all to achieve erection with any treatment, surgical implants can help to make the penis stiff and raised up enough to perform an intercourse. One type of implant is partly rigid bodies that make the penis permanently partially erected. Another type of implant is inflatable bodies that can make the penis fully erected when the need rises. pnis enlargement penis enlarement before and after penis enhancement secret penis enlargement surgery cost do penis elargement pills really work vimax pill penis enlargment system penis enlargement surgery cost free exercise tip for penile enlargment

Tender-handed stroke a nettle, And it stings you for your pains; Grasp it like a man of mettle, And it soft as silk remains. The common stinging nettle has long been used as a protective herb. A vase of freshly cut nettles under a sickbed is supposed to help the patient recover from whatever is ailing him or her. Nettles sprinkled around the house will ward off evil. Nettles tossed on to a fire will avert danger and carried by hand will fend off ghosts. When carried with yarrow, nettles will bestow courage. In ancient Ireland, nettles were known as “The Devil’s Apron”. Legend maintains that Roman soldiers, who used nettles for “urtification,” brought the plant to Britain. That is, they beat themselves with the herb to encourage surface blood circulation in an effort to keep warm in the dismal, damp climate to which they had been banished. The name nettle may originate with the Anglo-Saxon word netel, which in turn is derived from noedl, meaning needle. Another possibility is simply that the herb – since the Bronze Age – has been spun into fibre to make cloth, paper and fishnet, and the name originated with this usage. The botanical name, urtica, is from the Latin, urere, meaning “to sting”. At one time, nettles were actually cultivated in northern Europe to make linen, coarse sailcloth and fishnets. To make the cloth, nettles were cut, dried and soaked in water. The fibres were then separated and spun into yarn. Eventually, flax superceded nettles. But they were still being used in Scotland in the 19th century to make a crude household cloth known as “scotchcloth”. In the Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale, The Princess and the Eleven Swans, the coats the princess made for her brothers were woven from nettles. It is to be hoped in this enlightened age that gardeners will invite this wonderful herb into their garden and not regard it as a weed. Recent tests in organic gardening have confirmed that nettles make excellent companion plants, helping to produce healthy vegetables such as broccoli and conferring keeping qualities on tomatoes by impeding the fermentation process in the plant’s juices. Nettles will increase the production of essential oil in peppermint and boost the potency of all nearby herbs. Nettles in your compost heap will not only add nutrients, but also accelerate the breakdown of matter into robust humus. Nettles are a perennial to zone 2 with a germination period of 10-14 days. They prefer full sun to partial shade and like a slightly damp soil rich in nitrogen. The herb may be propagated by seed, cuttings or root division. As a vegetable, nettles are best when they’re young and tender, but for medicinal purposes the herb should be collected when the flowers are in bloom, anytime from June to September. The aerial parts of the plant are rich in chlorophyll, indoles such as histamine and serotonin, acetylcholine, glucoquinones, minerals (iron, silica, potassium, manganese and sulfur), tannins and vitamins A and C. The herb is also a good source of protein and dietary fibre. The disagreeable sting of the nettle is caused by formic acid. The herb is astringent, diuretic, tonic and hypotensive (reduces blood pressure). Nettles strengthen and support the whole body. Throughout Europe they are used as a spring tonic and general detoxifying remedy. In some cases of rheumatism and arthritis they can be astoundingly successful. They are a specific in cases of childhood eczema and beneficial in all the varieties of this condition, especially in nervous eczema. As an astringent they may be used for nosebleeds or to relieve the symptoms wherever there is hemorrhage in the body, for example in uterine hemorrhage. Research into the therapeutic properties of nettle root in the US, Germany and Japan show promise for its use in the treatment of benign prostate hypertrophy (enlargement). According to Master Herbalist, David L. Hoffmann, B.Sc.; M.N.I.M.H., conditions that benefit from the use of nettles include: diarrhea, dysentery, hemorrhoids, hemorrhages, fevers, gravel, inflammation of the kidneys, chronic diseases of the colon, eczema and cystitis. Nettles will combine well with figwort and burdock in the treatment of eczema. As an infusion, pour a cup of boiling water over one to two teaspoonfuls of the dried herb or herbs and leave to infuse for l0-l5 minutes. This should be drunk three times a day. As a tincture, take one to four millilitres of the tincture three times a day. Nettles are also antiallergenic. The herb is effective for hay fever, asthma, and skin problems due to allergies and insect bites. Ironically, nettle juice is a very good antidote for nettle stings. Nettles make good feed for livestock. In northern Europe nettles are mowed and fed to cattle, chicken and horses. For horses the herb supplies albuminoid, an excellent conditioning protein that gives the animals a sleek coat. Also a dye plant, nettles make an attractive permanent green dye. The roots boiled with alum produce yellow, which was once used to dye yarns. Because of their infamous sting, nettles require gloved hands and a long-sleeved shirt for harvesting. When cooked or dried nettles lose their sting. Steamed, they taste very much like spinach and the convention is that it is best to pick them when young. However, we made the following Nettle and Basil Soup with mature nettle leaves and it was delicious. Nettle and Basil Soup · 2 packed cups of fresh nettle leaves · 1 onion, chopped · 1 Tbsp. of butter (or a healthy cooking oil such as coconut oil) · 1 cup of milk (or milk substitute such as nut milk) · 1/3 cup of Romano cheese, grated · 2 cups of vegetable or herb bouillon · Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste · 4 small-medium potatoes, peeled and chopped · 2 Tbsp. fresh basil · Sour cream or yogurt (optional) · Chopped chives and fresh parsley for garnish Sauté the onion gently in the butter in a large saucepan until translucent. After rinsing the nettle leaves, add to the pan along with the stock and the potatoes. Cook for about 20 minutes until the potatoes are soft. Add the basil, milk and Romano cheese. Allow to cool then blend in batches. Return to the saucepan and reheat. Check for seasoning, adding the salt and fresh ground black pepper as needed. Serve hot garnished with the fresh chives and parsley. Add a blob of sour cream or yogurt to the soup when serving if desired.