By Harriet Mallinson | Published on June 2, 2017
Ashwagandha: a herb that’s pretty much unpronounceable and translates in Sanskrit to “the smell of a horse†– worth steering clear of, right?
Well, this plant, which belongs to the same family as the tomato, has actually been used for hundreds of years in India to manage stress-related conditions and help with chronic fatigue, insomnia and adrenal fatigue.
Ashwagandha is one of the most powerful herbs in Ayurvedic healing, a 3000-year-old Indian healing practice. It is also known as the Indian ginseng due to its rejuvenating properties, despite it being botanically unrelated to ginseng.
The herb’s original Sanskrit name is due its ability to boost the immune system and impart the strength and vigor of stallion. Phwoar.
Ashwagandha is typically ingested in capsules but can also be sprinkled into smoothies – as famously advertised by Gwyneth Paltrow on her website, Goop. The typical recommended dose is 600 to 1,000 mg. twice daily.
Classed as a modern-day “adaptogen,†ashwagandha adapts to the needs of the body, helping to support it and reduce negative changes during times of emotional and physical stress.
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A recent study published in the Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine found that ashwagandha safely and effectively improved chronic stress levels in adults taking it daily for 60 days. This is because it acts as a depressant to the central nervous system, exchanging feelings of anxiety for feelings of calmness.
Stress normally causes a surge in the adrenal hormones – adrenaline and cortisol – that increase alertness. Ashwagandha tackles the problem at the root as it acts directly on the trigger of stress by regulating the imbalanced cortisol level and nourishing the adrenal glands.
It can also help with insomnia as it nourishes and strengthens a weakened and over-anxious nervous system, helping the body respond better to stress. Try drinking a cup of hot milk that contains a teaspoon of powdered ashwagandha before bedtime.
A big added bonus of taking ashwagandha capsules is its ability to protect your skin. Stress can play a large role in skin damage by producing high levels of the stress hormone, cortisol, which in turn, blocks the production of important proteins that are necessary for healthy skin.
One of these proteins is collagen, which helps to keep skin firm and elastic. Research has shown that taking ashwagandha capsules reduces cortisol levels and thus, allows collagen production to work as it’s supposed to – by helping to keep you looking and feeling good.
If that wasn’t enough it’s also been shown to improve muscle strength as well as libido in women and testosterone and stamina in men.
When we are stressed we produce a lot more adrenaline and place pressure on our adrenal glands and organs such as our kidneys. Ashwagandha regulates the amount of adrenalin produced and strengthens organs; improving stamina as well as increasing sperm count and motility in men, and improving libido and ability to achieve orgasm in women.
Let’s face it, what’s in a name, Ashwagandha sounds marvelous.
Harriet is Editor of MACROS and perfectly capable of eating an entire log of goat’s cheese in one sitting.
