Herb Spotlight: Damiana

Have you checked out my Specialteas page? Right now, I’m featuring An Austen Afternoon. It’s a wonderful black tea and herb blend to bring the sense of Austen’s time to your tea cup.

It has a few herbs that may be new to you. One being Damiana.

It’s relatively new to me too!

Yet I’ve been enjoying it both in this tea blend as well as in a tincture. It’s taste is pretty flowery to me in tincture form. Yet infused, this adds so much into An Austen Afternoon!

This is a small shrub that grows in the Southern part of the U.S. It is also native to all the subtropic regions of Mexico, Central and South America, and Africa. I’m tempted to find out how well it would grow in a container as I enjoy the herb.

Some of my research has shown that it’s a great herb for women and men in terms of sex hormone imbalances (PMS, low libido and other concerns). It is an aphrodisiac after all. But, like so many things, this isn’t a miracle herb that would solve any desire issues. Damiana is a tonic herb, meaning it can bring balance. Most of the situations in which Damiana is useful is when things are just worn out, physically and mentally. In terms of these imbalances, most of its usefulness is that it helps to bring more flow to the pelvis area. This can be more circulation of blood, such as a stimulation to start menses when they are delayed. The one contraindication (a situation when it is advised to not use the herb) I have found refers to this action of the herb. It is advised to avoid during pregnancy because of its ability to encourage menses and flow in the pelvic region.

While the hormone balances above receive a lot of attention, Damiana is also great for the nervous, respiratory and digestive systems too.

The nervous system benefits are what I want to focus on.

Damiana can be useful when feeling depleted. This is that feeling of exhaustion where one gets to the point of wanting to “check out”. I see this situation as one where there’s no energy, lots of irritability and frustration, body just feels heavy and weak, and yet sleep is not as restful as it needs to be.

Damiana is a tonic herb. Often included in blends- whether teas, elixirs, or tinctures- that can help bring balance and reconnect you with yourself and the world around you. This is what speaks to me about the herb. I see working with Damiana as creating and opening the space for other restorative and supportive practices to be implemented.

Head over to the Specialteas page and pick up An Austen Afternoon and give Damiana a try!