Wild forager Jack says common stinging nettles possess an ‘underestimated’ healing power, and has filmed himself filling his socks with them before putting them on
A wild foraging expert who bizarrely fills his socks with stinging nettles has advised we should “never underestimate” the power of the common plant.
Jack shares health advice based on the natural ingredients he comes across in his adventures in the British wild, and recently hailed the healing properties of nettles via his TikTok account (@wildforageruk).
His latest video began with him sitting barefoot in the woods, rubbing his feet across stinging nettles before picking several and placing them inside his socks. “You may be wondering why I’m doing this,” he admitted. “What if I told you how good these are for you?”
Jack said: “They’re so good for arthritis and blocking the enzymes and getting the blood to flow through the areas and joints where you’re suffering with pain.”
Braving the stinging sensation, Jack put his socks back on and declared: “This is critical. This is free medicine. If you are suffering with arthritis, I really do recommend you come out and try this – I have so many people now doing this and benefitting from a nettle sting and living a comfier life.”
Emphasising his point, Jack even rubbed nettles on his arms and face, adding that the plant is “amazing for our skin, for our joints, and for our everyday living”. He closed: “Also, if you suffer from hay fever, it’s absolutely amazing as a natural antihistamine.”
Charity Versus Arthritis backs up Jack’s advice, explaining on its website: “Nettle leaves are covered in tiny hairs which have a high silicon content, meaning they’re extremely brittle. When the leaf touches your skin, the round tips of the hairs break off.
“The sharp point of the hair then enters your skin and several chemicals, including histamine and serotonin, are produced. These chemicals can help to reduce pain by stimulating pain neurons, so the skin irritation overrides musculoskeletal pain.”
Responding to Jack’s suggestion, one TikTok user highlighted: “I was suffering from knee pains last week when I went to Richmond Park. I just rubbed my knees to the nettle plant and I was wondering all pain has gone, this is magic mate absolutely worked for me.”
A second hailed: “That’s old knowledge and it’s true facts… my grandmother and mother told me about benefits of rubbing it on your skin.” And a third spoke from experience: “I’ve done that and it works!”
