At Healthy Holistic Living we search the web for great health content to share with you. This article is shared with permission from our friends at FitLife.tv.
By Kavata Kithome
As the avid health blog reader that I am, I came across a very interesting word – ashwagandha. Aside from not knowing how to pronounce it, I had never heard anything about this herb before, so I went hunting.
I learned that ashwagandha is one of the most powerful herbs found in India, North Africa and the Middle East, but is also now grown in the United States. It has been used for ages for its restorative benefits and belongs to the same family as the tomato.
Why use ashwagandha?
If you suffer from stress, fatigue, lack of energy or difficulty concentrating, ashwagandha can help alleviate these symptoms and, even better, support an energetic and rejuvenating sense of well being.
Benefits Of This Powerful Herb
Ashwagandha has many useful medicinal chemicals, including steroidal lactones, alkaloids, choline, fatty acids, amino acids and a variety of natural sugars. This plant/herb has many valuable therapeutic properties and has been used in medical research for years.
Here are some of the effects of ashwagandha:
- Protects the immune system
- Helps combat the effects of stress
- Improves learning, memory and reaction time
- Reduces anxiety and depression without causing drowsiness
- Helps reduce brain-cell degeneration
- Stabilizes blood sugar
- Helps lower cholesterol
- Anti-inflammatory benefits
- Contains anti-malarial properties
- Bonus: enhances sexual potency for both women and men
What makes this herb an even bigger superstar is that it has adaptogenic benefits. An adaptogen is something that literally adapts where it’s needed within the body to correct imbalance and create homeostasis. Adaptogens are a combination of amino acids, vitamins and herbs that help the body cope with external stresses such as toxins and internal stress like anxiety and insomnia.
Now that we know what ashwagandha is, the health benefits it offers and that it is an adaptogen, the only question that remains is, how do you add it to your diet?
Ashwagandha is available in powder and tablet form. It is traditionally used as a powder mixed with milk and honey and taken before bed. This encourages healthy sleep patterns and fosters the reproductive system and strength. But the most convenient way to take ashwagandha is in the tablet form. If you can stand the taste, you can also take it as a tea.
Fitlife’s very own organic superfood mix – Organifi – includes ashwagandha!
What’s your experience with ashwagandha? Share your experiences with ashwagandha in the comments below.
