Tea
Artichoke-nettle tea
Two bitter plants working from different directions. Artichoke gets the bile moving, so the liver gets help clearing what it has been working on. Nettle pushes from the kidney side.
It tastes bitter. That is not a flaw, it is the mechanism: the bitterness is what makes the body respond. Sweetening it would take the effect away.
Drink it in the morning, it moves water.
Ingredients
- 1 tsp dried artichoke leaves
- 1 tsp dried nettle leaves
- 250 ml boiling water
Equipment
- Strainer or tea infuser
- Cup
- Plate to cover with
Method
- 1
Mix equal parts dried artichoke leaves and nettle, pour 250 ml boiling water over 2 tsp.
Dosage
1-2 cups daily before 4 pm, for 4-6 weeks. Then take a month off.
Shelf life
Dried leaves keep 1 year, dark and airtight.
Safety
Do not drink it if you have gallstones or narrowing of the bile ducts. Artichoke increases bile production, and that can set a stone moving. It hurts, and it can become acute.
Artichoke is in the daisy family. With allergy to mugwort, ragweed or chamomile, try a small cup first.
Nettle is diuretic and can lower both blood sugar and blood pressure. If you take water tablets, blood pressure or diabetes medication, ask your doctor.
Nettle contains vitamin K and can work against blood thinners.
Not during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
Yellowing of skin or eyes, persistent pain under the right ribs, or dark urine belong with a doctor immediately, not in a teacup.
How the herbs work
Artichoke contains cynarin, which increases bile production. Bile is the body''s way of clearing waste from the liver, so more bile means faster clearance.
Nettle moves water through the kidneys and contributes iron, potassium and silica. Together the two plants cover both routes the body uses to clear itself.
The content here is general knowledge and folk herbal lore, not medical treatment. In illness, pregnancy, breastfeeding or alongside medication: always talk to your doctor first.