From The Forest

This species of Horsetail is a small fern-like perennial with a rhizome that resembles a string of beads. It appears in two different stages, the first being fertile and the second, sterile. During the first stage, there is a spore-bearing spike atop the stalk. The plant reaches four to eight inches high. During the second stage, whorls of needle-like leaves appear. The plant may reach eighteen inches at the second stage. The aerial stems of the second stage plants are the ones gathered. Since they contain a large quantity of silica, they dry quickly in open air. Equisetum arvense has established itself in all parts of the world with the exception of Antarctica, New Zealand and Australia.

Orthopedic aid – Bone growth involves the process of adding calcium for hardness, plus increasing collagen. Silicon is essential for both of these processes. An important study conducted at the School of Public Health at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) shows that silicon-supplemented bones have a one hundred percent increase in collagen when compared with low-silicon bones.

Silicon works by chemically binding the structures of surface tissues and those that connect the bones. Silicon not only promotes growth, bone, and tooth formation, but also has inhibitory effects on coronary heart disease and arteriosclerosis. Silicon is found in mother's milk, in the fiber faction of brown rice, in leafy greens and bell peppers, and Equisetum arvense.

Horsetail's predominant element, silicon, is no doubt responsible for the majority of its curative properties. Horsetail tea has been recommended for years for the regeneration of fingernails. Organic silicon should be distinguished from nonorganic silicon. Organic silicon will recalcify; inorganic silicon will not. In many cases Horsetail has also been found to ease the pain of rheumatism and to stimulate the healing of torn ligaments.

Horsetail Constituents: Horsetail contains up to 70% silicon (silica). Other constituents include alkaloids, including nicotine, palustrine and palustrinine; flavonoids such as isoquercitrin, campesterol, a saponin equisitonin, dimethylsulphone, thiaminase and aconitic acid.

Stinging Nettles have square substantial stems covered with little hairs. The leaves are luxuriant, green and with subdued but pronounced veins. The green colored inconspicuous flowers, which mature into small green seeds, droop from the upper leaf pairs at the stem, in close clusters. Stinging Nettles prefer moist, rich soil and range at sea level to elevations over 9,000 feet.

Tonic: In this combination, Stinging Nettles, being is a very high source of digestible iron, works with the Horsetail to improve overall health. Nettles also stimulates hair growth as well as strengthens the hair shaft.

Stinging Nettle Constituents: Two-methylhepten-(two)-on-(six), five-hydroxytryptamine, acetic-acid, acetophenone, acetylcholine, apha-tocopherol, beta-carotene, betaine, bromine, butyric-acid, caffeic-acid, calcium, chlorophylls, choline, chromium, ferulic-acid, fluorine, folacin, formic-acid, glycerol, histamine, koproporphyrin, lecithin, mucilage, p-coumaric-acid, protoporphyrin, scopoletin, serotonin, SFA, silicon, sitosterol, sitosterol-glucoside, violaxanthin, and xanthophyllepoxide.