For our Herb of the Month for December, we present a plant native to the American Southwest, Yerba Mansa (Anemopsis californica).
Botany, growth and habitat
Yerba Mansa is a member of the Saururaceae or Lizard’s Tail plant family. This perennial plant has waxy, green basal leaves that lie low to the ground. The woolly stem can vary in height from 10 to 50 cm and has a small white flower on top that has its own unique, spicy aroma.
It prefers to grow in wet, alkaline soils such as marshes and marshes, and can easily be mistaken for ground cover due to the nature of its growth habit. Due to the decline of its native habitat, United Plant Savers has placed Yerba Mansa on its watch list. The ability of the plant’s roots to penetrate thick, stagnant soil improves the movement of water in these environments. Furthermore, the ability of these plants to thrive in distressed environments stimulates the production of plant compounds, allowing the plants to better adapt to various stressors in the soil.
History and tradition
Southwest peoples and Native Americans have used this plant throughout history for a variety of ailments and ailments, many of which involve a condition in which the body or various systems become stagnant or have reduced functioning. In the Chinese medical system, this is often called stagnation or dampness, where the qi (energy) and/or fluids of the body cannot ‘flow’ or be transported properly.
Modern applications
Some may recognize forms of stagnation in the body, such as indigestion in the stomach, blocked sinuses, thick mucus in the throat, or in some people even large, bulging veins in the back of the legs. However, there are other, less obvious ways that stagnation affects the body.
Yerba Mansa can help clear out the body, releasing stagnation, allowing fluids to flow through us more effectively, and relieving stress to the tissues so they can function optimally. Energetically, this herb is said to be bitter, pungent, aromatic, warm and drying. These aspects would all help in dealing with thick, stagnant fluids and congested tissue conditions.
This is especially important in the respiratory tract, during seasonal changes and the challenges they bring from the external environment to the internal environment of the body. Think of thick phlegm or phlegm in the throat in the bronchioles, forcing deep coughing in an attempt to rid the body of it. Or further into the airways in the nasal passages and sinuses, when they become “bogged up” with mucus and pressure, causing pain and breathing difficulties. In addition to effectively supporting our natural immune responses, this herb can help break through this congestion, allowing your body to recover faster and optimally.
Stagnation in the digestive tract is also problematic. In addition to the feeling of stomach upset or digestive discomfort, this stuck state can disrupt the balance of the microbial environment throughout the digestive tract, which can cause or contribute to a host of other ailments locally or elsewhere in the body. Science shows us how important the health and balance of the microbes in our gastrointestinal tract is to the overall functioning of the body, so we want to ensure that this area is functioning properly and that we support it.
Skin conditions can also be an indicator of a slow metabolism, poor gut health and stagnation. The use of Yerba Mansa can be supportive for skin conditions. By supporting the lymphatic and liver functions of the transformation and elimination of waste and toxins, we avoid the accumulation of the materials so that they do not “bog up” the skin and cause problems.
In a world where more and more people are sedentary and inactive, do not breathe fresh air and eat a lot of processed, convenient and nutritionally inferior food, these are the conditions that lead to stagnation in the body and contribute to disease. It’s great to know that we have a wide range of herbal allies in the plant world to support us and realign us. Yerba Mansa is an herb of tremendous value if you or your body are feeling sluggish or stuck and ‘stuck’.
Preparation
It is the root of this herb that is traditionally used and will be most effective, often in the form of an infusion, tea or tincture.
WishGarden Herbs formulas contain Yerba Mansa
Dr. Shawn Manske attended the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine, one of seven accredited four-year, postgraduate naturopathic medical schools in North America, and received his Doctorate of Naturopathic Medicine. He practiced as an ND in Ontario, Canada, for five years before moving to Colorado. He is currently a Territory Accounts Manager and Senior Educator at WishGarden Herbs.
For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, or to sell any product.
Read more