牛人，在人的眼裏，應該是個牛牝的形象；但牛人在牛的眼裏到底是個什麽形象，你可能從來沒有想過，我也沒有想過，直到今晨，我才開始琢磨這個有趣的問題。

今天是我們加拿大的感恩節。

昨晚和鎮上的美眉們一起吃感恩節大餐，她們的野漢子賠我喝了不少伏特加，有點飄飄然，所以，早早就睡了。今晨醒來，覺得外麵特別冷，他爹的cold，他娘的chilly，而我的衣服帶的特別少，於是，從農場的衣櫃裏胡亂找了一件棉襖穿上，乘著露水，趕緊開車去一個Valley采藥。

今天我要采的野生草藥是——羊蹄；也就是《詩經.小雅.我行其野》中提到的“蓫”。羊蹄的英文名字叫Yellow dock，學名是Rumex japonicus Houtt. ，屬於蓼科酸模屬。古人又稱“牛頹”。現代也有人稱它“土大黃”的。羊蹄根是一種清熱涼血、滋陰美膚、治癬療瘡、通便補鐵的天然良藥。

羊蹄的嫩葉可以吃，但味道很苦，而且吃多了還會拉肚子，隻有荒年餓極了才用它充饑。它的成熟種子磨成細粉後，也可以當飯吃，煉丹家還把它用作煉製鉛汞的添加劑。（大家先認識一下羊蹄的野生形狀）

由於今年我們草原地區特別幹旱，我又因為太忙，錯過了最佳采藥期，所以，如今隻能到河穀濕地和鄉村公路邊上才能采挖到羊蹄，別的地方都沒有了。

我把車子停在沙石路的邊上，從車裏拿出園林叉和修枝剪，冒著凜冽的寒風，乘著晦暗的晨色，一個人撅著屁股吭哧吭哧地幹起了活來。哎呀，糧農苦，菜農累，藥農簡直活受罪。

正忙活得起勁，忽然，見遠處的山坡上走下一群黃牛，為首的竟是一頭白牛。它們既不像猛虎下山一樣奮勇，也不像餓狗撲食一樣急促，晃晃悠悠地衝著我走過來，而且一直走到地界鐵絲橫欄的邊上，齊齊地站在那裏端詳我。

我一開始覺得很納悶：爾等非我族類，又幫不上忙，幹嘛前呼後擁、你追我趕地衝著我來？你們是大清早凍傻了，還是閑的蛋疼想找個獸醫給你們看看？後來一想，它們站在那裏圍觀我的陣勢，酷似人類在動物園的鐵柵欄外觀看珍稀動物的樣子，這讓我恍然小悟——哦，西洋牛沒有領略過東方主的尊容，今番頭一回見著，故而覺得稀奇，爭相一睹。如此看來，中國人真的要統治世界啦。

再後來一想，不對，它們那萬裏奔聚的樣子，分明是紅衛兵衝向天安門城樓，爭著要瞻仰偉大領袖有毛氏嘛。哈哈，我趕緊衝著它們揮揮手，學著毛萬歲的動作，肆意豪邁了一回。

其實啊，牛們急著奔過來，是誤把我當成牧場主了。

野外氣溫太低，它們受不了，無心吃草，隻盼著主人早點來把它們接回牛棚。我開著一輛箱型車，又是一個人，可能跟它們的牧場主平時接它們時的行頭差不多，所以，很容易被它們認錯主人，會錯來意。

牛人，在牛的眼裏，原來就是一個牧場主的牧人形象，僅此而已。

2017.10.9

7 Health Benefits of Yellow Dock Root

羊蹄根的七大健康紅利

Yellow dock is a fabulous herb for modern life. Not only does it support stage-2 detoxification of the liver – which most of us need because it’s not practical to live in a bubble – it also promotes healthy digestion, a diverse microbiome, and more.

羊蹄是一種很好的草藥，多多有益於現代生命。羊蹄不僅能解肝毒——我們大多數人都需要，因為肝毒實際上並非生活在真空裏，而且它還能促進健康地消化，一種不一樣的細菌群，以及更多。

Yellow dock contains a unique combination of constituents such as anthraquinones, tannins, minerals, and inulin that together synergistically to support overall health. Here are just some of the benefits:

羊蹄含有多種有效成分，如蒽醌、丹寧、菊粉、礦物質等，它們聯合起來，協調對人類的總體健康發揮支持作用。下麵僅列舉部分益處：

Yellow dock is a digestive bitter

羊蹄是一種消化良藥

When taken about twenty minutes before a meal, the bitter components of certain herbs can stimulate an increase of digestive enzymes and bile flow from the liver.

若飯前二十分鍾吃藥，某些草藥的有益成份，便會刺激消化酶和膽汁從肝髒分泌出來。

Yellow dock is considered a bitter herb due to the presence of tannins, and like other bitters it makes digestion and absorption of nutrients more efficient. The bitter flavor also regulates blood sugar by decreasing sugar cravings and increasing feelings of fullness. 

羊蹄之所以被認為是一種良藥，乃是因為丹寧的顯現會使消化和營養的吸收更有效，就象別的良藥一樣。該藥通過降低對糖的渴望和增加對糖的飽足感來規律血糖，使人體血糖趨於穩定。

Yellow dock supports liver detoxification

羊蹄有助於肝髒解毒

Perhaps even more amazing is the benefit consuming bitters has on stimulating liver detoxification. Adding detox-supportive herbs like yellow dock can assist an under-functioning liver get rid of toxins, waste products, and excess hormones.

也許更誘人的紅利是，消費羊蹄良藥可以刺激肝髒排毒。增加促進排毒草藥如羊蹄的劑量，可以幫助一個功能低下的肝髒擺脫毒素、垃圾和多餘的荷爾蒙。

Yellow dock supports hormone balance and clear skin

羊蹄促進荷爾蒙平衡並能澄清皮膚

The bitter components in yellow dock can also be a very useful ally for naturally balancing hormones by supporting the elimination of excess estrogen during the luteal and menstrual phases of our monthly cycles. Because many skin issues originate from sluggish detox of hormones and waste products, the benefits of consuming bitters can also result in clearer skin!

包含在羊蹄裏的活性成分，有助於消除我們每月例行的黃體期和月經期產生的過剩雌激素，因而使羊蹄成為平衡荷爾蒙的天然良藥。因為許多皮膚問題都是源於淤積的荷爾蒙毒素和垃圾毒素，所以，使用羊蹄良藥也可以澄清皮膚，讓皮膚更加透明。

Yellow dock helps with diarrhea

羊蹄有助於治療拉肚子

Yellow dock is considered helpful for nudging the body back toward balance in cases of both constipation and diarrhea (as discussed in the next section). The tannins in yellow dock are astringent, which is an herbal term for drying, healing, and toning to tissues – this is the quality which is thought to be helpful for diarrhea.

羊蹄被認為有助於輕輕觸碰身體，使其在便秘和拉稀的情況下趨於平衡（正如下節討論的那樣）。羊蹄中的丹寧是苦澀的，這是草藥用於幹燥、愈合、以及調和組織的東西——這就是羊蹄被認為有助於拉肚子的本錢。

Yellow dock helps with constipation

羊蹄猶如便秘糖果

The anthraquinones in yellow dock stimulate peristalsis of the intestines, which increases bowel transit time.  Usually, people tend to use harsh, addictive laxatives to address constipation.  Even naturally-occurring strong herbal laxatives can result in dependency and damage to the mucosal lining of the intestines. Because yellow dock has a smaller percentage of peristalsis stimulating ingredients, it can be used for a longer period of time with more gentle, yet still effective, benefits to digestive transit time.

羊蹄中的蒽醌能刺激腸蠕動，因而能增加腸道運輸的次數。通常情況下，人們傾向於用粗糙的、容易上癮的通便劑來處理便秘。即使純自然藥物，服用太強的草藥通便劑也會導致藥物依賴和腸粘膜損傷。而因為羊蹄裏含有非常小的蠕動刺激成份，所以可以長期、小劑量使用，但卻很有效。

Yellow dock is a prebiotic

羊蹄是一種益生菌

Most people have heard by now that including probiotics in the diet is just the first step to supporting a healthy microbiome微生物群.  We must also include prebiotics, the food for the probiotics.  The inulin in yellow dock is a prebiotic, feeding the beneficial bacteria that are essential for digestive health.

大多數人都聽說過，現在減肥食品中包含益生菌隻是善養健康微生物群的第一步。其實，我們還必須包含益菌生/益菌源，即益生菌的食物。羊蹄中的菊粉便是益菌生，喂養那些有益的細菌，一種確保消化健康的基本微生物。

Yellow dock is high in minerals

羊蹄富含礦物質

Yellow dock is believed to accumulate beneficial minerals from the soil into its roots and leaves. These minerals are then passed on to the lucky consumers of yellow dock!  Knowing the prevalence of mineral deficiency in our country due to modern farming practices impact on soil quality, this nutritive aspect is just one more reason to make yellow dock your herbal companion.  It’s high in iron and is considered a useful herbal companion during menstruation and pregnancy. It is also sometimes used to improve iron status when needed.

人們相信，很多來自土壤的有益健康的礦物質累積在羊蹄的根部和葉子上。這些礦物質又會通過消費傳遞給那些幸運的羊蹄消費者。周所周知，我們國家礦物質的缺乏，是由於現代農業生產實踐對土壤質量的影響，而這些營養方麵，恰好成為羊蹄是你的草藥良友的又一個理由。羊蹄富含鐵，被認為是一種婦女經期和妊娠期的草藥伴侶。羊蹄，有時候也在任何人有需要時用作補鐵良藥。