White yam is classified as a nourishing medicinal substance in traditional Chinese medicine and is listed as one of the warming tonics. It has a sweet and mild nature, enters the spleen, stomach, lungs, and kidneys meridians, and has the effects of tonifying qi, nourishing yin, tonifying spleen, tonifying lungs, and tonifying kidneys. The medicinal part of white yam is its tuber, which has a soft and delicate fleshy texture, and it is as white and smooth as jade, hence the name “white yam.”
Firstly, the nourishing effect of white yam mainly manifests in tonifying the spleen. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that the spleen governs transformation and is an important organ for our digestion, absorption, and metabolism. Spleen deficiency can lead to symptoms such as lack of energy and poor appetite. White yam has the function of tonifying the spleen and invigorating the stomach, which can enhance the spleen and stomach functions, promote appetite, strengthen digestion, help the body better absorb nutrients, and improve physical fitness.
Secondly, white yam also has the function of nourishing the lungs. The lungs govern respiration, and lung deficiency refers to insufficient lung function, leading to issues like difficulty in breathing, coughing, and shortness of breath. White yam can nourish the lungs and moisten dryness, nourishing the lungs and moistening the respiratory tract, especially suitable for symptoms of cough, dry cough, scanty sputum, and dry mouth caused by lung dryness.
Additionally, white yam has the effect of tonifying the kidneys and nourishing yin. The kidneys store essence, govern reproduction, and control the lower back. Kidney deficiency can result in a range of problems related to kidney function, such as sore and weak lower back and knees, steaming bones and heat sensation, and premature ejaculation. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that white yam can tonify the kidneys, nourish yin, strengthen the lower back, enhance reproductive ability, and improve sexual function.
In clinical practice of traditional Chinese medicine, white yam is often used in combination with other herbs to enhance the therapeutic effects. For example, when cooked in soup with astragalus, it not only tonifies qi and nourishes yin but also enhances immunity; when combined with dang gui, bai zhu, and fu ling, it can be used to treat post-illness weakness and irregular menstruation; when matched with cooked rehmannia and goji berries, it can serve as an effective formula for nourishing yin and tonifying the kidneys, suitable for symptoms of kidney yang deficiency and sore and weak lower back and knees.
In conclusion, white yam is a treasure in the treasure trove of traditional Chinese medicinal materials, and its nourishing effects have been widely recognized, especially in tonifying the spleen, lungs, and kidneys, and nourishing qi and yin. For symptoms such as weak spleen and stomach, lung deficiency with dry cough, and kidney deficiency leading to infertility, appropriate consumption of white yam can not only achieve therapeutic effects but also improve overall health.
#Health#
Reference:
Zhang YP, et al. Diosgenin ameliorates oxidative damage in the liver via activating estradiol receptor β. Biochem Biophys Res Commun, 2017,490(4):1254-1260.
