Tea Stories

Stinging Nettle in Spring

Posted on by Holistichealthcarewx

Simple. Powerful. Right on your doorstep.

By Dr Catherine W. Dunne, MSc.D., RGN (GPN), M.H.I.T.
Holistic Healthcare Wexford

There’s a short window in spring when stinging nettle is at its best.

The young shoots are tender, vibrant, and full of life.
They haven’t toughened yet, and interestingly, they’re far less “stingy” to handle when picked correctly.

This is when nettle shifts from being a nuisance in the garden…
to one of the most useful plants you can bring into your daily routine.

Why Spring Nettles Are Different

Young nettle leaves are rich in:

  • Natural enzymes
  • Vitamin C
  • Iron
  • Magnesium
  • Calcium
  • Chlorophyll
  • Plant compounds that help reduce oxidative stress

At this stage, the plant is in active growth.
Everything is moving, building, and regenerating.

And that’s exactly what it offers the body.

WHAT NETTLE TEA SUPPORTS

A simple cup of nettle tea, taken regularly, can do far more than most people expect.
It works quietly in the background, supporting the body where it needs it most.

Antioxidant support

Nettle helps reduce free radical activity in the body.

This matters more than people realise. Oxidative stress is linked to fatigue, inflammation, skin issues, and slower recovery.

A daily nettle tea is a quiet way of supporting the body at that level.

Support for heavy periods (young girls & women)

This is one of the old uses and still one of the most relevant.

Nettle:

  • Supports iron levels
  • Helps maintain energy
  • Provides minerals needed during blood loss

Nettle provides natural support for iron levels, helping maintain energy during heavier menstrual cycles.
It also supplies key minerals the body draws on during blood loss.

Taken as a tea, it offers gentle support without complication.

Skin support – especially teenagers

When skin is flaring, spots, congestion, breakouts, the body is often:

  • Under pressure
  • Slightly inflamed
  • Not clearing waste efficiently

The body often reflects internal imbalance rather than just surface issues.

Nettle supports the body by helping reduce inflammatory load, improving nutrient availability, and encouraging natural internal “clearing.”

It’s not a quick fix, but taken daily and over time, it brings a steadiness the skin responds well in a noticeable way, too.

Bladder and urinary support

Even as a simple tea, nettle supports normal kidney and urinary function.

It gently encourages fluid movement through the body without being harsh or depleting.
This makes it particularly useful when the system feels sluggish or under strain.

It’s not harsh.
It doesn’t deplete.

It supports the body in doing what it’s meant to do anyway.

How to Use It

Nettle doesn’t need complicated preparation.
In fact, its strength lies in its simplicity.

A teaspoon or two of dried nettle steeped in hot water for 10–15 minutes is enough to create a mineral-rich infusion.

Taken once or twice daily, it becomes a steady support rather than a quick intervention.

Fresh young nettle in spring can also be used in soups or lightly steamed, offering the same benefits in a more food-based form.

With nettle, consistency matters far more than quantity.

RECAP:

✔️ Fresh nettle (spring)

  • Pick young tops (gloves recommended)
  • Use in soups, broths, or lightly steamed
  • Can also be used fresh for tea

✔️ Tea

  • 1–2 teaspoons dried nettle per cup
  • Steep 10–15 minutes
  • Drink 1–3 cups daily

Consistency matters more than quantity.

A few practical notes

  • Avoid picking near roadsides or sprayed areas
  • If on diuretics or blood pressure medication, just be mindful
  • Pick young leaves in spring, when the plant is at its most vibrant
  • Avoid roadside or sprayed areas
  • Use gloves when harvesting fresh nettle
  • In most cases, nettle as a tea is safe and well tolerated

Final Thought

Nettle isn’t exotic.
It’s not expensive.
It doesn’t come in a glossy package.

And yet, every spring, it shows up offering exactly what the body often needs:

👉 nourishment
👉 support
👉 balance

Sometimes the simplest plants are the ones worth paying attention to.

I hope you feel inspired. Look after your body, and it will keep you healthy.

Catherine

CWD 03 April 2026/Ireland

Holistic Healthcare Wexford
Integrative · Mindful · Patient-Centred

About the Author

Dr Catherine W. Dunne is a Registered General Nurse with over 37 years of clinical experience in primary care in Ireland. Alongside her work in General Practice Nursing, she is the founder of Holistic Healthcare Wexford and co-founder of Aumvedas Academy.

With a background that bridges conventional medicine and holistic practice, Catherine has a particular interest in the area where patients are often told “everything is normal,” yet still feel unwell. Her work focuses on helping people understand what their body is communicating, especially in relation to energy, stress, metabolic function, and recovery.

Through a combination of clinical knowledge and holistic support, she works with individuals to restore balance, improve resilience, and support long-term wellbeing.

Based in Wexford, Ireland.

Disclaimer
The information provided in this article is for general educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. While every effort is made to ensure accuracy, individual health needs can vary. Always consult your GP or a qualified healthcare professional before making changes to your health routine, especially if you have an existing condition, are taking medication, or are pregnant.

Learning Patience in Childhood — Has It Gone?

Posted on by Holistichealthcarewx

By Dr. Catherine W. Dunne | Holistic HealthCare Wexford & Aumvedas Academy

ABOUT CATHERINE: Dr Catherine W Dunne MSc. D., RGN, Reiki Master (RGMT), M.H.I.T: Master Acupressure, Practitioner of Reflexology, Aromatherapy, Deep Tissue/Myo-fascia Massages, Infrared Treatments, Vibrational Sound and Colour Therapist, Tissue Salt Advisor, Pendulum Healing Dowser, Chakra Practitioner , Tao Cosmic Healing Practitioner, Practitioner of Plant and Herb Medicine and Nurse.
“Patience, like tea, tastes better when it’s been given time to brew.”

I would like to share a story, as story that reflects the generational differences.
I recently had three young ladies for treatment – friends and I believe them to be in their mid to late twenties.

Before I started the individual treatments, we sat in the living room, fire burning gently. I offered them tea from home-grown plants – my own relaxing, detoxing tea blend – served in a quaint Asian-style tea set.

One of the ladies commented on the hexagon-shaped tea cups. They are small, each just about holding 125 ml. They are tiny compared to the mugs we all use today.

I smiled and began to tell them the story of how I came to own this little set.

The Tea Shop Story

In Germany, we have Tea and Coffee shops. Not the kind, where you sit down for a cup. No. Not cafés. These coffee shops sell loose coffee beans from various countries. They get grounded to your desired strength of taste or sold as the whole bean.
The tea shops were magical places, filled with the scent of faraway lands. You could buy loose teas from every corner of the globe, or even have your own blend created for you.

Now I am 59 years young.


In 1979 or 1980 when I was 13, I saw the most beautiful Asian tea service set in one of those shops. Six hexagon shaped cups, a rectangular shaped tea pot with a bamboo handle, and a small tealight stove. White porcelain with delicate pale blue motifs.


Price tag: 150 Deutsch Marks — about £220 Irish Pounds at the time.
 

The three ladies gasped when I said that.

A Lesson in Patience

I wanted that tea set so badly. I went into the shop and asked if I could pay it off weekly. The owner smiled but declined.

Every week I went back. Every week it was still there. Every week I asked again. This went on for about four weeks.

During that time, I did extra chores at home, bumping up my pocket money. When I had saved 20 Marks, I returned to the shop once more, clutching my little bundle of notes.
I asked the same question and this time I showed her that I had managed to save DM20. Was chuffed with myself. This time, the shop owner must have seen the determination in my eyes. She agreed.

I had my first “account”.

At weekends, I worked at the local garden centre, and every Monday after school, I walked to the tea shop to pay off a little more.

It took me a total of ten weeks to buy my set. I was the proudest kid in town!


When I collected it, the shop owner gifted me a small tin of Japan’s prized Sencha Green Tea … I still have the tin to this day.

That year, I learned something that has stayed with me all my life: intention and focus, the willingness to work hard, and most of all, patience with oneself — they always pay off in the long run.

Old School vs. New School

The three young women looked at me, stunned.: “What????? You had to work for it????”

“No”, I said. “I didn’t have to. But I wanted it badly enough, so I had to go the extra mile. And yes, I still have that whole set — and I’m still proud of it.”

Watching their faces, it suddenly dawned on me that they had been raised in a different world. A world where things often appear with a click or a swipe. We had to earn what we wanted: one coin, one chore, one small triumph at a time. Patience wasn’t something we were taught; it was something we lived.

“You see”, I said, “this generation (pointing at myself) … in our day we had to work for what we wanted. If we wanted ice cream, go to the cinema, buy that teenager magazine Bravo…. We had to work for our pocket money by completing certain chores around the home.”

The Reflection

I was now the one with a stunned look on the face, when I observed their reactions.

I suppose there’s “Old School” and “New School” in everything. But I can’t help thinking that patience, like tea, tastes better when it’s been given time to brew.

And now, I’m feeling old… giggle.

The little tea set that taught me patience and still reminds me of it every time I pour a cup.

What’s something you had to work hard for as a child that something that made you proud every time you saw it?

Share your story in the comments below. I’d love to hear it.

I hope you feel inspired. Look after your body, and it will keep you healthy.

Catherine

CWD 15 November 2025/Ireland