Essay: Damiana herb – turnera diffusa

NB: THIS IS AN ESSAY, NOT MEDICAL ADVICE
Have you ever had any problems with your sexual health? Have you ever heard of an herb called damiana?
Have you ever tried or thought of using it?
Not sure about using it because you are not familiar with its uses or benefits?
This is the best one time destination where you will find answers to all your questions.
First we go about with the history of damiana, where it is produced and the secret behind its name.
Damiana is also called as turnera diffusa. It is also referred to as old women’s broom. In simple words and for your better understanding damiana is a shrub usually found with yellow flowers and fragrant leaves mainly in the sub-tropical climates of Mexico. It is also found in other places like Texas, central and South America and the Caribbean. It was used by a lot of Mexican folks in tea for love making long before it was discovered by others. Even the Mayan Indians used it as an aphrodisiac and for the treatment of giddiness and loss of balance long before the Spanish missionaries crossed the Atlantic.
So as you’ve read the use of damiana dates back to many centuries. It was also used by the Aztecs as a tonic to improve health. In the 1870s i.e. after the arrival of the Spanish, damiana was sold as a commercial product and it was also imported to the USA. It lost its importance in 1916. In 1960 it was rediscovered again as a medicinal herb by herbalists and physiotherapists.
Now the name damiana? Do you know that damiana was the name of an ancient Central American goddess of love? Well now the name seems to be romantic and exotic enough isnt it? And well in the same way the plant has bunch of romantic uses. As I have already discussed damiana was used by the ancient Mexican Indians as a drink for love making properties.
Let’s now get on with the benefits of damiana.
Benefits of Damiana:
As you know damiana leaves were once used as an aphrosidiac to boost the sexual potency of both men and women. It was also used as a supplement  for asthma, depression, menstrusl problems and impotence.
For your information damiana has also been used to relieve nervousness, anxiety and mild depression especially if these symptoms had a sexual component. There are two species which are mainly used for herbal healing, they are turnera diffusa and turnera aphrodisiac, both of which are called as damiana.
This is now used as a general tonic to improve wellness in you. Traditionally it has been used for better digestion and to treat constipation. In southwestern cultures damiana is more well known as a sexuality tonic and you can see that it is recommended by all the top herbalists.
It increases the energy levels in your body which in turn restore desire and libido. It usually restores the ability to achieve orgasm if used by a women. Damiana has a dual effect on your body. It works very quickly and stimulates the genital area by enriching oxygen supply and the longer term use of this supplement can improve your sexual performance and fitness.
Damiana is always used as a flavoring agent in beverages like tea and liquor. As we discussed earlier damiana is good aphrosidiac for both men and women. You would also like to know as to what it actually does in your body. It usually increases the blood flow to the penis and the clitoris. It has always been more effective for women than men. In men it is used as a remedy to treat impotence. It also increases the blood flow to the genitals during sexual desire. In simple words it restores the lost sexual desire which was lost somewhere in the fast track living.
Few more benefits of using damiana are discussed below.
• In women it reduces vaginal dryness and increases orgasm frequency.
• It acts as a stimulator which boosts your mental focus.
• It acts as an aid for all the respiratory ailments you are going through.
• Hormonal system can be very well balanced in your body.
• Always been effective againt breast cancer.
• Another important point is that it helps reduce weight in your body and also prevents obesity.
• It improves your body digestion and also avoids any nervous disorders in your body.
• It relieves you from anxiety, stress and depression and serves as a mood enhancer.
• Relieves you easily from stomach ache and headache.
• It has always been an effective herbal cure for bed wetting.
• If you are having dizziness then damiana can help.
Now that you have known all the benefits of having damiana you would like to prepare it for yourself. And every method of  preparation serves its own purpose.
How to make it?
The first method of preparation is for you to consume i.e. it is for internal use. For your convenience an easy method of preparation is told.
Make a tea decoction then put damiana in a cup of water and boil it for few minutes. Later simmer it for 10 minutes. There it goes your supplement is ready. For effectiveness drink it three times a day.
Uses and dosage:
Now damiana is not only for your internal but also for external use. Applying it externally on any of the affected areas can help you cure a disease. So here are few of the methods of preparations and the dosage to be used for various diseases you might be facing at any point of life.
For dental diseases: Make a fine paste of the seeds from damiana. Applying it on the affected teeth can help cure the dental problems faster.
For Ulcers: Add 2 g of copper sulphate in coconut oil and boil the leaves of damiana. Apply it over ulcers for best results.
For piles: Applying grind seeds of damiana with milk externally on your pile mass can help cure the disease faster.
For Arthritis: Warm the leaves of damiana gently and use it as a poultice over inflames joints or swelling on your body.
For difficult menses: Fomenting the boiled leaves of damiana over the naval region can help reduce the pain you are facing.
For hair problems: the damiana fruit juice can be extracted. After extracting gently apply it on your scalp and wash after 2 or 3 hours.
For premature ejaculation: Mix the ingredients damiana, cloves and anacyclus in equal quantity. Take 2 tbsp. twice a day with a cup of milk.
For elephantiasis: grind all the ingredients like damiana, horseradish, castor and mustard together and form a paste. Apply it on the affected area.
Side effects:
Like any other herb even damiana has its own set of side effects all of which will be discussed here.
Quiet rarely do we hear anything about the side effects of damiana as they have never been reported. Although damiana might cause insomnia, headaches, weight loss, irritation of urethral mucosa or any other gastrointestinal problems if you take it in excess amount. The herb of damiana has laxative properties because of which sometimes conditions like diarrhoea, indigestion, vomiting or nausea may be experienced. The hydroquinone compound extract might cause tinnitus (hearing a sound when there is no other external noise).
Overdose of this supplement might cause some of the following serious side effects in your body.
• Numbness
• Tingling
• Low grade fever
• Drooling
• Convulsions
• Difficulty in swallowing and
• Restlessness
• Reduced muscle function
Damiana is not usually recommended for people with anaemia because of its impairment with the absorption of iron. Although damiana is considered, smoking it for any of the recreational purposes may cause side effects such as irritation of lung tissues, seizures or hallucinations in you.
The allergic reaction of this herb might manifest conditions like skin rashes, hives, and difficulty in breathing, swelling of tongue, lips and face and wheezing. For your safety it is better to avoid this herb during breastfeeding or pregnancy.
When to consult a physician:
It is always better to consult your physician before you use this herb, especially if you have the following conditions.
• Diabetes
• Breast cancer
• Parkinson’s disease
• Alzheimer’s disease and
• Any psychiatric disorder