When it's cold and damp outside, we no longer have to resort to methods the Romans used in order to keep warm when they invaded England some 2000 years ago.

Then the freezing soldiers rubbed stinging nettles all over their arms and legs.

The nettle stings made their skin itch and burn but improved their circulation and warmed them up.

Unsurprisingly, this practice didn't catch on and the weed found in woods and neglected gardens is universally disliked for the savage sting caused by its hairy leaves.

Dock leaves may be the preferred antidote against nettle stings but did you know that the juice of nettle leaves themselves provides rapid relief?

The nettle is a hugely versatile plant and from the Bronze Age until the early-20th Century, its long, fibrous stems were used for making fishing nets, cloth and paper.

Nettle leaves have long been valued as a food source as they are rich in chlorophyll, vitamins A and C and the minerals calcium, potassium and iron. Cooked with carrots and onions, then pureed, young nettle leaves make a very nutritious soup.

Nettle beer and nettle wine were popular in the British countryside and nettle pudding was a traditional Scottish dish, made from plant tops, leeks, onions, oats, sprouts and seasoning.

For centuries, nettle has been prized for its medicinal properties, mainly as a diuretic, detoxifying and anti-inflammatory herb. It has been used by different cultures around the world to support respiratory, urinary and reproductive health.

In the First Century AD, the Greek physician Dioscorides noted the fresh, chopped leaves served as a plaster for septic wounds.

The Aztecs recommended sniffing a mixture of crushed nettles in milk to stop nosebleeds and Native Americans used it to treat catarrhal congestion.

Nettle infusions have since been applied as skin and hair remedies and to treat water retention, anaemia and menstrual problems.

Bizarrely, nettle leaves were also used topically to relieve arthritis, despite the painful rash they caused.

Today, nettle tea made from the dried leaves is popular for treating allergic conditions such as urticaria, eczema and rhinitis.

Men should take particular note of the root of this herb. Nettle root extract has been shown to improve the clinical symptoms of an enlarged prostate gland - or Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH).

Research indicates nettle may block the hormone-related processes which leads to the development of BPH and it is often found in combination with Saw Palmetto. As with any herb, please consult a health practitioner to determine if nettle is suitable for your needs.

In Les Miserables, author Victor Hugo wrote: "When the nettle is young, its leaf forms an excellent vegetable. When it matures, it has filaments and fibres like hemp and flax. And what does the nettle require? Little earth, no attention, no cultivation.

"With a little trouble, the nettle would be useful; it is neglected and becomes hurtful. How many men resemble the nettle. Remember this, my friends: There are no such things as bad plants or bad men. There are only bad cultivators."

Martina Watts is a qualified Nutritional Therapist at the Crescent Clinic of Complementary Medicine, Brighton (call 01273 202221), and the Dolphin House Clinic, Brighton. Call 01273 324790), or visit www.thehealthbank.co.uk