Yerba Buena = Uber Bueno

The first plant I've researched is the Yerba buena plant (Clinopodium douglasii). The great thing about this plant is that, although it is incredibly abundant on the California coast, it grows naturally world-wide.

Yerba buena is a perennial plant of the mint family. The flowers are often a light blue or light purple and hairy. It is often used in cooking for its minty flavor.


The Yerba buena plant has an incredibly wide scope of medicinal uses, including:

• Pain Relief: YB contains menthol which has the ability to stimulate the cold-sensitive receptors in the skin. This essentially is the chemical equivalent of icing a sore muscle. YB can relieve headaches, stomachaches, toothaches, and soreness related to rheumatism and arthritis.
• For headaches, stomachaches and toothaches, any store-bought Yerba buena tea is very effective.
• For rheumatism or arthritis, it may be better to crush up the leaves and massage the pulp and sap onto the areas in pain.
• Stomachaches: YB, like other mints, stimulates the flow of bile and soothes internal organs. In this way it will also help gas pains.
• Use a Yerba buena tea to soothe stomachaches.
• Cold and Cough Relief:  YB acts as an expectorant which means is helps drain mucus from the lungs. This mucus also lubricates the throat to soothe coughs.
• Again, a brewed Yerba buena tea is the most effective way to use the plant for coughs or colds.
• Toothaches: YB can soothe pain in the mouth the same way it soothes muscle pains.
• For sore gums or toothaches, boil yerba buena leaves in water for about 20-30 minutes and gargle the solution after it cools.
• If you do not have the plant, put a few lightly soak a cotton ball in YB extract and place on the part of your mouth that hurts.

Thank you for reading!!
              ~  Emily