What is Yerba Santa (Eriodictyon Californicum)?
It is an herb which is commonly known as “Yerba Santa, mountain balm, bear weed, and consumptive weed. The herb belongs to Boraginaceae family. The herb contains many health benefits such as its decoction is best for respiratory disorders such as a cough, cold, fever, asthma, chronic bronchitis, tuberculosis, insect bite, joints pain, wound healing and use as a tonic. Yerba Santa which means holy weeds is a famous domestic or Ayurvedic remedy for chronic respiratory disorders.
The herb has very interesting taste property, it starts out bitter but slowly gets sweeter. It teaches us how to find sweetness in the bitter experiences of life by bringing responsiveness to the initiatory power of trauma.
The herb found in central to northern California, where it grows in different types of habitat. It is a shrubby plant grows up to the height of 1-3 meters. The leaves are sticky, yellow-green and lanced shaped, 2-6 inch long. The leaves are usually hairless. The flowers are 1/3 –to 2/3 inch long tubular and may vary in color from white to pink to purple. The size of the leaves are up to 15cm and they have an unpleasant and bitter odor. The seeds of Eriodictyon Californium can lay dormant for decades and germinates in late summer. The leaves of the Eriodictyon Californium mainly used in Ayurveda for the treatment of health issues associated with respiratory disorders.
Classification:
- Kingdom: Plantae
- Subkingdom: Tracheobionta
- Superdivision: Spermatophyta
- Division: Magnoliophyta
- Class: Magnoliopsida
- Subclass: Asteridae
- Order: Solanales
- Family: Hydrophyllaceae
- Genus: Eriodictyon
- Species: E. californium
What are the Uses of Yerba Santa?
- Cold
- A cough
- Aches
- Bronchitis infection
- A sore throat
- Rheumatism
- Asthma
- Other infection
What are the Health Benefits of Yerba Santa?
Treats Asthma
Asthma is the condition in which your airways narrow and swell. During the asthma problem, the excessive release of mucus makes breathing difficult. The leaves of the Yerba Santa has a great stimulating expectorant property which provides relief from asthma symptoms. A tonic and tea made from the leaves of Yerba Santa helpful in treating chronic asthma problem.
Treats Bronchitis
Some of the researches and scientific evidence have been shown that Yerba Santa is an important herb which helps to treat lungs condition s such as bronchitis. The leaves of the Yerba Santa is very effective in relieving the tightness in the chest.
Promotes Healthy Digestion
When you chew the leaves of Yerba Santa then it helps to promote the saliva production. This saliva contains the various digestive enzymes which ease the digestion problem by improving the upset stomach and digestive function. The herb also reduces the gas and bloating problem in the stomach by maintaining the proper bowel movement. It acts as a digestive stimulant and increases the bile production which promotes the healthy digestion.
Prevents and treat allergies
Yerba Santa is very effective for the treatment of congested sinus, it helps in clear out the mucus caused by allergies. The herb also increases the flow of urine and by doing this it helps to flush out the allergens from the body. The herbal tea of Yerba Santa leaves also cure the allergy problem and along with this prevent the dry and irritated nose.
Treats Cough
Yerba Santa herb’s pure extract can prevent the dryness of mucosal membrane of the upper and lower respiratory tract. By doing so it can prevent your lungs from irritation caused by bacteria and reduce the cough problem. The herb is very effective to reduce the production of phlegm in the lungs and also prevent the inflammation of mucus-producing tissues.
Treats Dry Mouth
The production of excessive saliva when you chewed the Yerba Santa leaves can help in the treatment of chronic dry mouth. Aside from chewing the raw leaves and oral spray made from the Yerba Santa prevent the foul smell, and oral dryness.
Treats Arthritis
The tea of dried leaves of Yerba Santa is useful for the treatment of arthritis pain. Due to anti-inflammatory property, the herb reduces the inflammation and swelling in the joints and muscles.
Diuretic Action
Eriodictyon Californicum has a great diuretic property which helps to increase the flow of urine and flush out the harmful chemicals from the body.
Along with leaves, the whole plant of Eriodictyon Californicum is useful for a cough, cold, asthma, and other respiratory disorders.
