mexican wild yam

Mexican Wild Yam is a species of the Wild Yam plant (Dioscorea villosa). It is rich in steroidal saponins, & has served a key role in the making of hormones and the development of the birth control pill.

What is Mexican wild yam used for?

Diosgenin or wild yam is often promoted as a “natural alterative” to estrogen therapy, so you will see it used for estrogen replacement therapy, vaginal dryness in older women, PMS (premenstrual syndrome), menstrual cramps, weak bones (osteoporosis), increasing energy and sexual drive in men and women, and breast ...

What are the side effects of wild yam?

When taken by mouth: Wild yam is POSSIBLY SAFE when taken by mouth. Large amounts may cause vomiting, upset stomach, and headache. When applied to the skin: Wild yam is POSSIBLY SAFE when applied to the skin.

Does wild yam increase estrogen or progesterone?

Several studies have found that it has no effect at all. That is because the body cannot change diosgenin into progesterone; it has to be done in a lab. Wild yam, by itself, does not contain progesterone.

Is Wild Yam safe to take?

Small amounts of wild yam root supplements appear safe to ingest, but larger doses could cause vomiting (22). Due to potential hormone interactions, individuals with conditions like endometriosis, uterine fibroids, or certain forms of cancer should avoid wild yam root products.

Does wild yam help balance hormones?

Some traditional medicine practitioners suggest using wild yam as an alternative to estrogen replacement therapy for treating symptoms of menopause. The theory is that wild yam may increase or stabilize estrogen levels in the body to help relieve a person's symptoms.

What does Yam do to the body?

Yams are nutrient-dense tuber vegetables that come in many colors. They're a great source of fiber, potassium, manganese, copper, and antioxidants. Yams are linked to various health benefits and may boost brain health, reduce inflammation, and improve blood sugar control.

Does eating yams help menopause?

Taiwanese investigators fed postmenopausal women yams (Dioscorea alata) for 30 days. There were improvements in hormone and cholesterol levels. The investigators concluded that yams “might reduce the risk of breast cancer and cardiovascular disease in postmenopausal women.”

Is wild yam and sweet potato the same?

So are sweet potatoes and yams really all the same? No. Yams are not just varieties of sweet potatoes. True yams are actually a completely different category of vegetable and have no relation to potatoes or sweet potatoes.

Is Wild Yam a natural progesterone?

Although wild yam cream is marketed as a source of natural progesterone, it does not contain progesterone, and the body cannot convert it into progesterone. Progesterone creams. Some women use "natural" progesterone creams to correct low progesterone levels.

How can I increase my progesterone levels naturally?

Other ways to naturally increase natural progesterone

Maintain a healthy body weight. Excess weight causes a woman's body to produce more estrogen. ...
Reduce stress. Stress triggers the production of stress hormones and can cause the kidneys to convert hormones like progesterone to cortisol. ...
Refrain from overexercising.

Can I use progesterone cream every day?

APPLIED TO THE SKIN:

For hot flashes and other symptoms of menopause: 20 mg progesterone cream (equivalent to 1/4 teaspoon Progest cream) is typically applied daily to rotating places on the body including upper arms, thighs, or breasts.

What is the best natural remedy for perimenopause?

Keep reading to find out about home remedies for perimenopause.

Ginseng. Ground ginseng root can be consumed as a tea or taken in a capsule form. ...
Black cohosh. Black cohosh is an herb that is native to North America. ...
Soy. ...
Vitamin D. ...
Wild yam. ...
Yoga. ...
French maritime pine bark extract. ...
Dong quai.

What is the safest hormone replacement therapy?

"Estrogen alone for breast cancer is highly protective, and if it is taken for women less than age 60 and that's the age when hormone replacement therapy with estrogen should begin it's very safe. It actually reduces heart attacks and does not increase any stroke or clotting.

How long does Yam take to cook?

Fill the pot with just enough salted water to cover the yams and add a dash of salt. Bring to a boil and cook, covered for 20 to 25 minutes or until tender. If you can pierce the flesh with a fork or knife, they're ready!

How do you grow wild yams?

It prefers a site in open woodlands or at the edge of the forest, where there is partial sun exposure, and where there are small trees and brush for the vines to climb. Propagation is either by seed (difficult) or by root cutting (easy). Seeds develop only on female plants, as wild yam is dioecious.

Does wild yam help breast growth?

Wild yam (Dioscorea villosa) contains potent plant estrogens (phytoestrogens). Estrogen causes fluid retention and stimulates growth in breast tissue, which is why many women who take estrogen-based birth control pills report weight gain and breast-swelling.

What is black cohosh good for?

Today, black cohosh is most commonly used for menopausal symptoms, including hot flashes (also called hot flushes) and night sweats (together known as vasomotor symptoms), vaginal dryness, heart palpitations, tinnitus, vertigo, sleep disturbances, nervousness, and irritability [5,6].

What helps with hot flashes?

If your hot flashes are mild, try managing them with these lifestyle changes:

Keep cool. Slight increases in your body's core temperature can trigger hot flashes. ...
Watch what you eat and drink. Hot and spicy foods, caffeinated beverages and alcohol can trigger hot flashes. ...
Relax. ...
Don't smoke. ...
Lose weight.

Is Yam healthier than potato?

Sweet potatoes are more nutritious than yams. Sweet potatoes and yams are both healthy foods, and they look similar. Sweet potatoes, however, have higher concentrations of most nutrients and more fiber.

Are yams anti inflammatory?

Yam is a perennial trailing rhizome plant of the Dioscorea genus (Dioscoreaceae family), that has long been used as health food and oriental folk medicine because of its nutritional fortification, tonic, antidiarrheal, anti-inflammatory, antitussive, and expectorant effects (14).

Is Yam high in carbs?

Sweet potato/yam (1 medium): 24 grams of carbs, 4 of which are fiber. Beets, cooked (1 cup / 150 grams): 16 grams of carbs, 4 of which are fiber.