Is it possible to steam with a nettle broom in a bathhouse, is it useful to whip with it?
When dried and scalded, the herb loses its ability to burn the skin to the point of blistering. You can steam it without fear, but you most likely won’t be able to whip it. When steamed, the leaves and stems of the plant soften. A “clean” nettle broom is of little use for a bath; you will have to use it more like a washcloth. But if you add a few tree branches to the bunch, the situation will change. This improved nettle broom can already be used for a Russian bath. Tree branches will give it rigidity.
You can whip with such a prefabricated broom in the same way as with an ordinary branch broom. But its “service life” will be a little shorter due to the fact that the soft nettle stems will quickly become unusable. Because of this, you shouldn’t expect much benefit from a nettle broom for a bath, but it won’t do any harm either. At best, you will get an analogue of a compress with a herbal decoction, at worst – a placebo effect.
Dry nettle will definitely not do any harm
What are the benefits of a nettle broom for a bath?
The opinion about the beneficial properties of nettle brooms for a bath is based on the rich chemical composition of the herb. Although from this point of view it is better to drink decoctions. Dried and then steamed nettle bunch is actually ineffective. Protective needles lose their ability to pierce the skin during the drying process. After steaming, the nettle leaves become limp, leaving only the stems as the relatively hard part.
But the grass is good for children with still thin skin. Tree rods can damage it, but nettle stems cannot.
Much more benefits come from fresh nettle stems. When steamed, the herb loses its pungency, but there are more active elements in it than in the dry plant.
The maximum effect is obtained from treatment with a broom of fresh nettle. But this is for extreme sports enthusiasts, since freshly picked grass strongly burns steamed skin.
In the steam room, nettle is used for certain types of diseases:
- rheumatism;
- arthritis;
- gout;
- diseases of the upper pulmonary tract;
- ORZ.
When there is a metabolic disorder in the bones, scalding nettle juice does not heal as much as it distracts the brain from the source of the lesion with additional pain. Lung and colds are treated by warming up in a steam room. This is especially true for viral “colds”, the causative agent of which dies if the body temperature exceeds 40 °C. Achieving such indications naturally can lead to CV complications. A short-term increase in body temperature in the steam room is less harmful, but also effectively kills viruses.
Comment! Nettle does not help with diseases such as tuberculosis, anemia or alopecia, even if you steam it in a bathhouse.
Freshly picked nettle stems are best for treating rheumatism.
What are the benefits of nettle
It is not without reason that this plant is considered one of the most useful.
What are the benefits of nettle
Nettle is used in cooking, cosmetology, folk and traditional medicine. Many dishes and decoctions are prepared from it; ointments, creams, shampoos and lotions are made from nettle.
People started knitting bath brooms from it a long time ago, appreciating its medicinal properties when used externally. Due to the presence of beneficial acids, especially formic acid, nettle has an antiseptic, healing and tonic effect. Formic acid is contained in the burning hairs of the plant, so it easily penetrates steamed skin even with light touches of a broom. Tannins, mineral salts and vitamins, which nettle is also rich in, help improve blood circulation, normalize blood pressure and strengthen the entire body.
Nettle
The use of nettle broom is recommended for the following diseases:
- rheumatism;
- gout;
- arthritis;
- bronchitis;
- tuberculosis;
- anemia;
- cold;
- acne and boils;
- eczema;
- baldness.
Nettle treats eczema and burns
When you have aching bones or muscles, you don’t just use a broom to steam yourself, but rub the sore spots. After this procedure, pain disappears, the nervous system calms down, and a feeling of lightness appears in the body. Periodic use of a nettle broom is an excellent prevention of colds; in addition, the appearance improves: the hair acquires a healthy shine and softness, the skin becomes firmer and more elastic. Nettle also copes well with chronic fatigue, stress and insomnia. Of course, you won’t be able to get rid of all ailments at once; for this you need to visit the bathhouse regularly. At the same time, you shouldn’t steam too often, everything should be within reasonable limits.
Nettle bath broom
When to collect nettles and prepare brooms for a bath
Nettle brooms for a bath are made in that short period of time when the plant has already gained full growth, but has not yet formed buds. The condition is almost impossible, since the weeds tend to bloom as early as possible. Preparation of nettle brooms for a bath can be carried out during flowering and fruiting, but when dried, these small particles will begin to crumble. There will be a lot of garbage that attracts insects.
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In the bath, flowers and seeds will stick to the body. Most of them will be washed away with water when rinsing, but some will remain and irritate the skin.
Sufficiently tall, fully formed stems are selected for use in the bath. They are cut off almost to the root. Whether to wear gloves for this purpose or receive a portion of medicinal juice during the preparation process, everyone decides for himself. The cut plants are laid out in a thin layer in the shade in the open air.
How to prepare and make a nettle broom for a bath
Further actions depend on immediate plans. If you need to make a bath broom from fresh nettles, some of the stems can be tied immediately after harvesting.
The lower parts of the stems, 15-20 cm long, are cleared of leaves and tied. A fresh nettle broom is ready for use in the bath. But you can’t store it, so you’ll have to steam on the same day. If harvesting is done for the winter, then the grass must be completely dried in the shade and only then formed into bunches. Next, the grass is hung in a ventilated area.
Attention! Under-dried nettles will rot in the middle of the bunch.
You need to avoid some mistakes when preparing:
- wrong collection location: you cannot collect grass near roads and railways, as well as in other contaminated areas;
- selection of old stems that have already begun to wither;
- sun drying;
- using a dry broom in a steam room without preparatory steps to restore its elasticity.
Except for the last one, all other rules apply to collecting any herb.
Plants hung to dry should not be kept in large bunches or close to the wall.
Procurement rules
Nettles for brooms should be collected correctly, otherwise there will be no therapeutic effect. The optimal time for collection is considered to be May-June, when the stems and leaves are the juiciest. You need to choose young plants without inflorescences and seeds; To avoid burning your hands, you need to wear thick gloves when cutting nettles. You cannot collect raw materials along roads, in production areas, near landfills and similar places. It is best to cut plants in the morning, in dry weather. After rain, nettle becomes watery, dries poorly, and its medicinal properties are noticeably reduced. In the heat, the quality of raw materials also deteriorates, especially for nettles growing in open areas.
- take with you protective gloves, garden shears and a piece of thick fabric or burlap;
- choose young, strong stems without inflorescences and dry leaves;
- cut the plants at a height of 7-10 cm from the ground and carefully place them on burlap.
When the required amount of nettles is collected, the edges of the burlap are folded up, trying not to break the stems, and carried to dry.
Drying and storage
Nettle can be used fresh or on the second day after collection, but for winter you will have to stock up on a broom of well-dried plants. For drying, you need a clean, dark and cool room, always with good ventilation. Spread clean paper or thick cloth on a flat surface and lay out the cut plant stems in one layer.
After 2-3 days, when the nettle loses its juiciness, brooms are knitted from the stems:
- The lower part of each stem is cleared of leaves to a height of 15-20 cm;
- put 8-10 stems together and carefully level the nettles at the top so that the leaves are at the same level;
- the lower part is tied with twine just under the leaves and at a distance of 5 cm from the edge, the ends are leveled with pruning shears. The twine should not be pulled too tight to avoid breaking the stems. When they are completely dry, the broom handle can be tightened tighter.
Since nettle is quite soft, it is recommended to add 2-3 branches of currant or birch to give the broom more bite. They are cut to the required length and woven between the nettle stems. After this, the brooms are hung or laid out on a flat, dry surface for further drying.
They are stored for 2 years, and each broom can only be used once. When steamed and subsequently used, nettle gives up all its medicinal properties, the stems become frayed and the fibers break off. And even if the broom remains intact after such a procedure, the second time the effect will not be so strong.
How to properly steam a nettle broom for a bath
Traditional twig brooms must be soaked before the steam room so that they become sufficiently soft and flexible. The grass is too tender for such a procedure. There is no need to even steam a fresh nettle broom. It is enough to dip it in hot water, take it out, shake it off and let it “breathe” with steam.
For dry nettle broom, the rules are slightly different, since its stems and leaves are fragile. First you need to soften them and achieve elasticity. There is also no need to brew dry nettle broom in boiling water.
A dried nettle broom must be prepared for the steam room according to certain rules:
- take two buckets of water, cold and hot, but not more than 75 ° C;
- place the broom in hot water and keep it there for five minutes;
- remove and place in a bucket of cold water for the same time;
- repeat the procedure until the nettle stems become elastic.
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Next, a nettle broom is used in the same way as a “traditional” one made from tree branches.
Comment! After the steam room, you can brew a nettle broom with boiling water and make a foot bath.
Varieties of nettles
Nettle has many varieties, but the most common are stinging nettle and stinging nettle. Stinging nettle is an annual plant up to half a meter high, with thin stems and small, finely toothed leaves. Even with a light touch, blisters instantly appear on the skin and severe itching occurs. The medicinal properties of such nettle are very high, but it is not suitable for making a bath broom.
Stinging nettle is a perennial; it grows up to 1.5 meters tall, and sometimes up to 2 meters. Its stem is strong, tetrahedral, the leaves are quite large and covered with stinging hairs. Its healing qualities are no less high, and it does not burn as much, which is why bath brooms are knitted from stinging nettle.
stinging nettle
There are plants that look very similar to nettles, but do not have stinging hairs. They are popularly called dead nettles, but do not have any medicinal properties. It is very easy to confuse them with real nettles, and therefore before collecting plants you should check them for stinging properties.
White nettle (Deaf nettle)
Dead nettle (white nettle)
Prices for nettle brooms
nettle broom
How to properly steam with a nettle broom in a bathhouse
It is not enough to properly prepare a nettle broom for a bath. When using herbs, you need to follow other rules to get the maximum effect from the steam room. Especially if fresh nettle is supposed to be used in the bath.
To avoid “traditional” nettle burns, the body also needs to be prepared:
- on the first visit, warm up on the shelf;
- come out to cool for 2-3 minutes;
- You can start steaming the second time, when the body becomes hot and the skin is elastic;
- Before leaving, douse yourself with warm water.
The skin after a steam room always turns red from the rush of blood. Nettle makes this color more saturated. There is no need to be afraid. In an hour everything will be over.
Comment! If you soak a used nettle broom in warm water in a basin, you can make a foot bath.
How to properly store nettle brooms
After drying, the nettle brooms stored for the winter still need to be preserved. The herb is usually placed in paper or linen bags and placed in a dark place.
But you have to handle the broom differently. It is also protected from direct sunlight. The easiest way to do this is to hang the bunches from the ceiling in a well-ventilated area.
Important point! The brooms should not touch each other. Too close placement interferes with air circulation, but creates a good shelter for insects.
There should be no sources of water in the storage facility, including full buckets. The large amount of nutrients in nettles provokes the rapid development of mold on it. If the air humidity is too high.
Since dry grass easily ignites, there should be no flammable devices or source of open flame in the room. You cannot “dry” the air using a gas gun or a heater with an open spiral. Let's just say an oil heater. But you can’t put nettles on it or hang brooms directly above it either.
Placing nettle bunches too tightly leads to mold due to lack of air circulation
Contraindications
Contraindications related to the use of nettle brooms in the bath are the same as for any others. The prohibitions apply directly to the steam room. Not every person benefits from a Russian bath.
You should not take a steam bath if you have the following diseases:
- hypertension;
- CVD diseases;
- kidney diseases;
- pregnancy, especially the first trimester, as there is a high probability of miscarriage;
- open wounds;
- furunculosis;
- varicose veins;
- tendency to thrombosis;
- obesity;
- epilepsy;
- various mental disorders;
- cancerous tumors;
- high body temperature with any disease.
Visiting the steam room with these diseases is undesirable even without the use of bath brooms.
Contraindications to the use of nettle
Any plant has both its beneficial qualities and contraindications for use. Thus, nettle is prohibited for use in case of individual intolerance and a number of others:
- if the woman is in the first trimester of pregnancy;
- if a person is undergoing treatment using antidepressants, drugs for insomnia;
- the presence of thrombophlebitis, varicose veins, atherosclerosis;
- Humans are characterized by increased blood clotting;
- the person has hypertension;
- bleeding is observed as a result of cysts, irrigation, and other uterine tumors;
- presence of severe kidney disease.
