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Health Notes
By Edna Shoemaker
Features Reporter
Wild Yam
Latin Name: Dioscorea Villosa
Other Names: China Root, Colic Root, Devil's Bones, Rheumatism Root, Yuma.
Remedy for....High Cholesterol
An extract of wild yam has been shown to lower triglycerides and raise
levels of HDL "good" cholesterol that combats build-up of plaque in the
arteries. Wild yam is also considered a remedy for Rheumatism, gallbladder
problems, cramps, nerve pains, painful menstruation, upset stomach and
morning sickness, but its effectiveness for these problems remains to be
confirmed.
What it is....
Wild yams calms muscular spasms and seems to have anti-inflammatory
properties. It also stimulates the flow of bile and promotes perspiration.
It does not, as some believe, serve as a natural source of the female
hormone progesterone. It is used in the production of artificial
progesterone, but it will not yield the hormone in the absence of a chemical
conversion process that the body can't supply.
Wild yam is a member of the huge Dioscorea family which includes the common
potato. It is named for Dioscorides, the 1st century Greek physician, whose
botanical writings were the standard for more than a thousand years. Native
of North America, the plant is now cultivated in tropical, subtropical and
temperate regions worldwide. The dried root is the medicinal part of the
plant.
Ancient Chinese Use of Wild Yam....
To cure chronic diarrhea, cough, diabetes, seminal emission, vaginal
discharge and frequent urination.
