Include Wild Yam into Your Diet to Ward Off ConstipationThe Chinese wild yam root "huai shan", sometimes recommended by Chinese physicians for constipation, is a palatable substitute for potato in our family diet. I remember one TV show about how a man stock up food in his kitchen: He had lots of meat of course, and a cupboard labeled "vegetable". When he opened that cupboard, only potatoes rolled out. That is an accurate portrayal of all the menfolk in my family who avoid green vegetables like plague. Since huai shan is not green, our menfolk would eat it simmered with meat. Huai shan gives more water soluable fiber than boiled potatoes. 100 g of boiled potatoes contain 1.1 g of water soluble fiber whereas for the same mass of huai shan the water soluable fiber is 1.8 g. Hey, this is more fiber than spinach ( 0.6 g) and carrots ( 1 g ). Huai shan is a very versatile food. It can be eaten raw. Please take care to wear gloves when cutting it, otherwise your hands would suffer from itchiness. Remember, huai shan is a kind of yam. Oh, the Japanese grate raw huai shan into their noodles. It can be blended with fruits to make juices. I throw it into the rice cooker and eat it plain with rice. It can be deep-fried to make fritters. It can even be candied. The only annoying aspect is, raw huai shan roots is becoming more expensive and not often available. Most of the time, I buy them in the form of dried slices. Before choosing huai shan as one of your constipation remedies, you should know one fact: Huai shan is used to treat irritable bowel syndrome. I would think this is because it can help to stop diarrhea, so if your IBS is more prone to diarrhea, it could be helpful. If you are passing hard dry stools though, it is not a good idea to take huai shan. I imagine you would produce rocks consequently. ( chuckles ) As a herb, huai shan should not be taken with radix kansui and alkaline medication. __________________________________________________ We are talking about Dioscorea opposita here. Among its common names are: cinnamon yam, medicinal yam, mexican yam, and tokoro Dioscorea means the yam genus which is divided into many types. I would like to highlight on one characteristic of yam species. Our huai shan belongs to the species with vines that twine to the right in clockwise direction when view from the ground upwards. Most yams of economically important value falls under this category. Where other species have vines that twine to the left. Among the specific health benefits of the Chinese wild yam are: 1. Reduce blood sugar levels -In one study, alcohol extracts of wild yam reduced blood sugar levels by 50 per cent in both diabetic and normal test animals. It also reduces blood sugar levels in type I diabetes in human. 2.Female reproductive-tract disorders - In North and Central America, huai shan is a traditional remedy for menstruation and ovarian pain. The action of the herb is not related to estrogen balance, but rather to its anti-inflammatory action. Extract of wild yam synthesized into a hormone identical to progesterone in the human body called natural progesterone is gaining popularity as a treatment option for endometriosis. 3.High cholesterol - Hawaiian doctors report that huai shan raises levels of high-density lipoprotein ( HDL ) , or "good" cholesterol. Although how it does this has not been scientifically explained, it is known that the water-soluble saponins in it cause cholesterol to form inert complexes while food is still in the stomach. This undigested mass of cholesterol is never absorbed by the bloodstream. As an ingredient for wild yam extracts selling like hot cakes, no wonder huai shan is becoming more and more economically important i.e. expensive$$$
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