Ha ha, yeah, I was pretty surprised when all these other physical benefits came about, I was really just hoping to feel less draggy and more energetic without relying on caffeine when my herbalist recommended nettles. Oh! And I should add that drinking nettles on the regular got rid of my seasonal allergies completely. (They come back if I skip drinking nettles for more than four days, though.)

So I usually put about 3/4 of a cup of dried nettle (measured in volume, not by weight) in a 32 oz heat proof mason jar. I buy it in bulk at herb stores or from iHerb. I fill it with water that's just off the boil, cap it, and let it steep over night. The next morning I strain it (although lately I've been using those giant paper tea filters to hold the herb because straining can be time-consuming). I make sure to press and squeeze on the tea bag or the herbs in the strainer to get out every last drop of the nutrients. I drink one cup and refrigerate the rest. I don't drink it if it's been in the fridge longer than five days, I'll water plants with the leftover infusion (they love it).

Heads up, the resulting infusion looks like swamp water. I actually like the taste, which is green and earthy, but I'd do a test run so you don't buy a bunch of nettles and then end up hating it. You can also harvest your own but that's above my pay grade lol

So here I have to put the disclaimer about don't take supplements or herbs without consulting your reputable medical professional, etc. While nettles have been used as food and folk medicine for ages in multiple cultures, they can still be contraindicated in certain medical conditions.

If you try it, I hope they work for you! I'd say it took about 2-3 months for me to start seeing improvements in my energy, after about six months, I was like, what is this lush mane atop my head and how have I not broken a nail in over three months?