Ashwagandha is a medicinal herb often referred to as ‘Indian ginseng’. With a long list of potential health benefits, ashwagandha has a history of promoting holistic wellness practices spanning thousands of years. Learning about ashwagandha empowers informed directions about incorporating this potent medicinal herb into wellness routines.
What is Ashwagandha, Exactly?
Ashwagandha is a plant that originated in India and North Africa and has been used in herbalism and traditional medicine for centuries. Known for its strong scent, ashwagandha is a bush that blooms red berries that look a little like tomatillos. Ashwagandha is in the Solanaceae family, which is the same family where tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers reside.
The 4 Health Benefits of Ashwagandha
1. Better Sleep
Ashwagandha can help induce sleep and increase the quality of sleep in those individuals who have trouble staying asleep. While ashwagandha isn’t a sleeping pill, it works more similarly to melatonin—meaning it is a sleep vitamin and not a magic cure for lack of sleep.
2. Lowers Stress
Ashwagandha can help lower stress and anxiety in the same way it helps induce sleep—by lowering the output of the adrenal system. It does this by lowering the hormone, serum cortisol, which leads to stress and nervous feelings.
3. Improves Digestion
Ashwagandha is a bitter herb that can help improve digestive function. When ashwagandha is consumed, the blood flow to the stomach is increased and the neural response is mitigated, assisting with digestive issues which are aggravated by neural response, such as IBS.
4. Improves Immune Function
Consuming ashwagandha also improves immune function by increasing blood flow and lowering the stress hormone. This allows the immune system to build itself up.
Is Ashwagandha Safe?
Ashwagandha is a plant and safe to take in most instances, as long as you aren’t allergic to tomatoes, eggplants, or peppers. However, ashwagandha can interact with some medications, so it is a good idea to check with a medical professional before consuming it. The studies on ashwagandha are fairly new, and therefore, it is additionally recommended that pregnant women avoid taking it as it may lead to miscarriage.
How to Eat Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha is quite bitter in taste, and thus, it is best consumed in a pill form. There are also powder and tea forms. The powder form can be mixed into a fruit smoothie for those who desire to obscure the bitter taste.
Leave a Reply