As fall is getting closer, we think about yams. Yam is delicious, but it is rich in vitamins and flavor as well. But, when we talk about the wild yam, then it is not for what you have been thinking. Early Americans and Native Americans have been using the wild yam for centuries due to its many health benefits, such as estrogen therapy and natural progesterone, treatment of gallbladder pain, rheumatoid arthritis, diverticulosis, and many others. Also, it has been used by women to reduce hot flashes and colic in infants.
The wild yam has a chemical called diosgenin which provides the relief of these health problems. This makes the phytoestrogen food, which means it comes from plants that could produce estrogen therapy and menopausal relief. Usually, wild yams cannot be found in the produce section. You can find it in the supplement section as a dried root powder, capsule or liquid, or dried root.
There are not enough studies done on wild yam, so you need to talk with a doctor or herbalist first before you add it to your diet. This especially should be done by women who are nursing, pregnant women, or people who are taking medicine for any kind of disease.
Here are some health benefits of wild yam:
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May help reduce photoaging:
There are some studies in which it found that a disogeninfound in wild yam can have a dipegmenting effect. This means that the wild yam can help with problems, such as sun lentigo, melanodermatitis and melisma. These problems ultimately result in hyperpigmentation. Hyperpigmentation is harmless and not so common condition. But, it can be frustrating, because it is a skin condition which develops, rather than noticeably, as darker patches of skin.
Offers diverticulosis relief:
The wild yam can help in the treatment of disorder of intestines, known as diverticulosis. It is happening when small pouches form on the colon wall. If they get inflamed, then they are known as diverticulosis and it can be very painful. This is resulting in constipation and diarrhea and even fever at times. There are some studies in which are found that this condition is taking about 30 – 40% of people who are over the age of 50 and usually, it is caused by highly refined low – fiber diet.
It is known that the wild yam is good anti – inflammatory and anti – spasmodic. The wild yam due to its anti – spasmodic properties can help to reduce the pain that is caused by the abdominal cramping around the inflamed area. Usually, it is recommended a tincture of wild yam, peppermint, cramps bark and valerian to be used as a home remedy for diverticulosis, because it gives a relief from the pain.
Improves cholesterol levels:
In some studies are found that diosgenin in the wild yam can help to raise the good cholesterol (high density lipoprotein cholesterol) and lower the bad cholesterol (low density lipoprotein cholesterol). In one study the wild yams was given to rats in a period of seven days to determine if the diosgenin is suppressing the cholesterol absorption and it was found that rats had better HDL to LDL ration. In another study which was done on mice and rats was suggested that supplementing with wild yam can be beneficial in controlling hypercholesterolemia.
May fight cancer:
One study done in Japan has studied the effects of wild yam in the reduction of risk for cancer. This study was done due to the extensive use for wellness benefits in Japan. There need to be done a lot more studies in the future, but it was noticed that the rhizome found in the wild yam (it is producing the major compound dioscin) is possessing antiproliferative effects n leukemia cells. It is often used as a supplement in the northern part of Japan but the wild yam has shown that it has the ability to be cancer – fighting food, not only health food.
Potentially regulates blood sugar:
There are some studies in which are said that the wild yam can help to regulate the blood sugar. This is believed to be possible due to the substance called discretize and it has been shown to have positive effects.