牛人，在人的眼里，应该是个牛牝的形象；但牛人在牛的眼里到底是个什么形象，你可能从来没有想过，我也没有想过，直到今晨，我才开始琢磨这个有趣的问题。

今天是我们加拿大的感恩节。

昨晚和镇上的美眉们一起吃感恩节大餐，她们的野汉子赔我喝了不少伏特加，有点飘飘然，所以，早早就睡了。今晨醒来，觉得外面特别冷，他爹的cold，他娘的chilly，而我的衣服带的特别少，于是，从农场的衣柜里胡乱找了一件棉袄穿上，乘着露水，赶紧开车去一个Valley采药。

今天我要采的野生草药是——羊蹄；也就是《诗经.小雅.我行其野》中提到的“蓫”。羊蹄的英文名字叫Yellow dock，学名是Rumex japonicus Houtt. ，属于蓼科酸模属。古人又称“牛颓”。现代也有人称它“土大黄”的。羊蹄根是一种清热凉血、滋阴美肤、治癣疗疮、通便补铁的天然良药。

羊蹄的嫩叶可以吃，但味道很苦，而且吃多了还会拉肚子，只有荒年饿极了才用它充饥。它的成熟种子磨成细粉后，也可以当饭吃，炼丹家还把它用作炼制铅汞的添加剂。（大家先认识一下羊蹄的野生形状）

由于今年我们草原地区特别干旱，我又因为太忙，错过了最佳采药期，所以，如今只能到河谷湿地和乡村公路边上才能采挖到羊蹄，别的地方都没有了。

我把车子停在沙石路的边上，从车里拿出园林叉和修枝剪，冒着凛冽的寒风，乘着晦暗的晨色，一个人撅着屁股吭哧吭哧地干起了活来。哎呀，粮农苦，菜农累，药农简直活受罪。

正忙活得起劲，忽然，见远处的山坡上走下一群黄牛，为首的竟是一头白牛。它们既不像猛虎下山一样奋勇，也不像饿狗扑食一样急促，晃晃悠悠地冲着我走过来，而且一直走到地界铁丝横栏的边上，齐齐地站在那里端详我。

我一开始觉得很纳闷：尔等非我族类，又帮不上忙，干嘛前呼后拥、你追我赶地冲着我来？你们是大清早冻傻了，还是闲的蛋疼想找个兽医给你们看看？后来一想，它们站在那里围观我的阵势，酷似人类在动物园的铁栅栏外观看珍稀动物的样子，这让我恍然小悟——哦，西洋牛没有领略过东方主的尊容，今番头一回见着，故而觉得稀奇，争相一睹。如此看来，中国人真的要统治世界啦。

再后来一想，不对，它们那万里奔聚的样子，分明是红卫兵冲向天安门城楼，争着要瞻仰伟大领袖有毛氏嘛。哈哈，我赶紧冲着它们挥挥手，学着毛万岁的动作，肆意豪迈了一回。

其实啊，牛们急着奔过来，是误把我当成牧场主了。

野外气温太低，它们受不了，无心吃草，只盼着主人早点来把它们接回牛棚。我开着一辆箱型车，又是一个人，可能跟它们的牧场主平时接它们时的行头差不多，所以，很容易被它们认错主人，会错来意。

牛人，在牛的眼里，原来就是一个牧场主的牧人形象，仅此而已。

2017.10.9

7 Health Benefits of Yellow Dock Root

羊蹄根的七大健康红利

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.

羊蹄是一种很好的草药，多多有益于现代生命。羊蹄不仅能解肝毒——我们大多数人都需要，因为肝毒实际上并非生活在真空里，而且它还能促进健康地消化，一种不一样的细菌群，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:

羊蹄含有多种有效成分，如蒽醌、丹宁、菊粉、矿物质等，它们联合起来，协调对人类的总体健康发挥支持作用。下面仅列举部分益处：

Yellow dock is a digestive bitter

羊蹄是一种消化良药

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.

若饭前二十分钟吃药，某些草药的有益成份，便会刺激消化酶和胆汁从肝脏分泌出来。

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. 

羊蹄之所以被认为是一种良药，乃是因为丹宁的显现会使消化和营养的吸收更有效，就象别的良药一样。该药通过降低对糖的渴望和增加对糖的饱足感来规律血糖，使人体血糖趋于稳定。

Yellow dock supports liver detoxification

羊蹄有助于肝脏解毒

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.

也许更诱人的红利是，消费羊蹄良药可以刺激肝脏排毒。增加促进排毒草药如羊蹄的剂量，可以帮助一个功能低下的肝脏摆脱毒素、垃圾和多余的荷尔蒙。

Yellow dock supports hormone balance and clear skin

羊蹄促进荷尔蒙平衡并能澄清皮肤

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!

包含在羊蹄里的活性成分，有助于消除我们每月例行的黄体期和月经期产生的过剩雌激素，因而使羊蹄成为平衡荷尔蒙的天然良药。因为许多皮肤问题都是源于淤积的荷尔蒙毒素和垃圾毒素，所以，使用羊蹄良药也可以澄清皮肤，让皮肤更加透明。

Yellow dock helps with diarrhea

羊蹄有助于治疗拉肚子

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.

羊蹄被认为有助于轻轻触碰身体，使其在便秘和拉稀的情况下趋于平衡（正如下节讨论的那样）。羊蹄中的丹宁是苦涩的，这是草药用于干燥、愈合、以及调和组织的东西——这就是羊蹄被认为有助于拉肚子的本钱。

Yellow dock helps with constipation

羊蹄犹如便秘糖果

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肠蠕动，因而能增加肠道运输的次数。通常情况下，人们倾向于用粗糙的、容易上瘾的通便剂来处理便秘。即使纯自然药物，服用太强的草药通便剂也会导致药物依赖和肠粘膜损伤。而因为羊蹄里含有非常小的蠕动刺激成份，所以可以长期、小剂量使用，但却很有效。

Yellow dock is a prebiotic

羊蹄是一种益生菌

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.

大多数人都听说过，现在减肥食品中包含益生菌只是善养健康微生物群的第一步。其实，我们还必须包含益菌生/益菌源，即益生菌的食物。羊蹄中的菊粉便是益菌生，喂养那些有益的细菌，一种确保消化健康的基本微生物。

Yellow dock is high in minerals

羊蹄富含矿物质

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.

人们相信，很多来自土壤的有益健康的矿物质累积在羊蹄的根部和叶子上。这些矿物质又会通过消费传递给那些幸运的羊蹄消费者。周所周知，我们国家矿物质的缺乏，是由于现代农业生产实践对土壤质量的影响，而这些营养方面，恰好成为羊蹄是你的草药良友的又一个理由。羊蹄富含铁，被认为是一种妇女经期和妊娠期的草药伴侣。羊蹄，有时候也在任何人有需要时用作补铁良药。