Yellow Dock Root

The yellow dock plant (Rumex crispus) is a herb that grows perennially throughout Europe, Asia and North America in the form of a common weed. It is a small shrub that grows approximately four feet above the ground. The yellow dock has willowy leaves that are marked by twisted edges. The leaves of this plant are used in moderation as a salad green, but it is the dark brownish-yellow roots of the yellow dock, that are the most useful and prove to hold the highest beneficial values.

The yellow dock root is yellowish brown in color, which is where it gets the name yellow dock. The roots are a thick and fleshy mask, that are about 10-12'' long and 0.7'' thick. This root contains several mineral nutrients which include tannins, rumoquin, oxalates, glycosides and anthraquinone. The dock root is usually consumed in the form of capsules, tea and as a dried herb.

Yellow Dock Benefits

The yellow dock herb is touted to be one of the best blood purifiers and a general health tonic. Let us look at some of the other herbal remedies that this herb provides:

Promotes Digestion
It helps to promote overall digestive health by producing bile that breaks down fatty acids. It also helps in treating constipation. Along with that, it also reduces inflammation and irritation of the intestinal lining and helps in normalizing slow moving bowels. Its diuretic properties leads to the effective formation of urine. Drinking the extracts aids in digestion and improves one's appetite tremendously.

Liver Health
It has laxative and diuretic properties which helps in flushing out the toxins from the body and is therefore responsible for not taxing the liver. It also aids in the smooth functioning of the bladder and kidney.

Treats Skin Ailments
It has been found that people who are suffering from skin ailments like itching, flaking and the like can use the juice of this root and rub it over the skin. This brings about instant relief. It also treats ailments and disorders like eczema, psoriasis, boils and rashes.

Promotes Women's Health
The extracts of this root especially help women since they promote effective women's health. It helps in regularizing menstruation, period pain and the treatment of fibroids. It also treats anemia in women.

Other Benefits

• It is used for improving the quality of poor hair, skin and fingernails.
• It helps in providing relief from small bites and wounds.
• The yellow dock root is a powerful astringent and de-toxifier.
• It is used for treatment of nasal and lung congestion.
• It is used for improving the immune system of the body and promoting general strength.
• The root is frequently used in the treatment of headaches, depression, irritability, mental stupor and convalescence.

Yellow Dock Tea

Here is a simple way in which yellow dock tea can be made for internal consumption:

1. Boil a quart of water.
2. Then add the sliced or dehydrated root to the water and reduce the heat.
3. Then cover the container and let it simmer on a low flame for about 15 minutes.
4. After that turn off the heat and let this concoction sit for 2 hours.
5. Strain the liquid and add honey or vanilla for taste.

The yellow dock grows on the sides of the road or even garbage dumps as a common weed, that is the reason why many people do not know of its health benefits. Now that you know what the yellow dock root can do for our health, try and include it in your diet and see the difference for yourself!