Stress Management

Astringent, styptic, tonic.

As an astringent, bennet is useful for diarrhea; and it also makes a good gargle for gum problems and halitosis. It promotes appetite and acts as a tonic during convalescence. A wine extract of the root promotes digestion in older people and can also be used for chronic bronchial catarrh and for intermittent fever.

Bennet is a perennial plant that grows around hedges, fences, walls, and in deciduous forests, preferring shady places. The rootstock is 1 to 3 inches long, finger-thick, yellow to brown outside, pinkish or pink-violet inside.

The erect, hairy stem is red at the bottom and grows to a height of 1 to 2 feet The lower leaves are lyrate and pinnate, the upper ternate or trifid; the leaflets broadly ovate and serrate. From June to August, the plant bears bright yellow, star-shaped, drooping flowers.

Decoction: Use 1 tsp. dried root or herb with 1 cup water. Take 1 cup a day.

Tincture (from root): Take 10 drops, 3 times a day.

Powder: Take 1/4 to 1/2 tsp., 3 times a day.