Rejuvenate your body with yet another herb Ashwagandha

“The plants have enough spirit to transform our limited vision”

-Rosemary Gladstar

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is commonly known as “Indian Winter cherry” or “Indian Ginseng”. It is one of the most important herbs of Ayurveda (the traditional system of medicine in India) used for millennia as a Rasayana for its wide ranging health benefits. Rasayana is described as an herbal or metallic preparation that promotes a youthful state of physical and mental health and expands happiness. These types of remedies are given to small children as tonics, and are also taken by the middle-aged and elderly to increase longevity. Among the ayurvedic Rasayana herbs, Ashwagandha holds the most prominent place.Ashwagandha is an evergreen shrub that grows in India, the Middle East, and parts of Africa. It has a long history of use in traditional medicine.For hundreds of years, people have used the roots and orange-red fruit of ashwagandha for medicinal purposes.

Managing Weight Gain Related to Chronic Stress

Weight gain associated with chronic stress is a growing health concern, with over 70% of the adult population now in the overweight and obesity BMI categories. Because of Ashwagandha’s anxiolytic effects and ability to improve serum cortisol levels, researchers conducted a study to assess whether it could also reduce hunger and stress-eating behaviors.Small studies suggest Ashwagandha may also help improve upper and lower-body strength and support a favorable body composition, and is associated with significant increases in muscle mass and when used in conjunction with a resistance training program in young, recreationally active men over a period of 8 to 12 weeks. A higher proportion of lean muscle mass in turn helps to maintain a healthy metabolic rate.

How is Ashwagandha used as medicine?

Did you know that this famous Ashwagandha churna (also used as paste by combining with water, ghee or honey) is prepared from the roots of the shrub?The list of benefits of this powder is endless. The most common uses of the powder are for relieving the conditions such as leucoderma, constipation, insomnia, rheumatism, nervous breakdown, goitre etc. The paste prepared from the powder is also applied to the joints to get relief from inflammation and pain.

Although there are various different types of Ashwagandha, the Nagori Ashwagandha is the supreme among all Ashwagandha varieties.The other parts of the shrub are also extremely useful.

For instance, Ashwagandha leaves, though bitter in taste, are rich in iron and can be consumed as herbal tea. They help in relieving conditions like anemia and blood loss due to heavy periods. Herbal tea prepared from Ashwagandha leaves also serves as an energy tonic and relieves fever and painful swellings.

The flowers are astringent, depurative, diuretic and aphrodisiac. The seeds are anthelmintic (helps in destroying parasitic worms) and combined with astringent and rock salt to remove white spots from the cornea. Ashwagandharishta (an Ashwagandha health tonic) prepared from its seeds is used to treat hysteria, anxiety, memory loss, syncope, etc.Isn’t it interesting to know how a single shrub can be so useful.

Health benefits of Ashwagandha

1. For Anxiety - Ashwagandha is classified as an adaptogen which means that it helps the body to adapt to stress. It can boost brain function and help fight symptoms of anxiety and depression.

2. For Inflammation - Inflammation is the body’s normal response to conditions such as infection, toxins, and trauma. Under normal conditions, the body will produce an anti-inflammatory response to restore balance.

3. For preventing and healing acne - Ashwagandha root has both antibacterial and antimicrobial properties which protect the skin from infections or acne.

4. For Heart health - Ashwagandha has a variety of benefits to the heart, including providing treatment to high cholesterol, high blood pressure, chest pain and various other heart diseases.

5. For fighting infections and boosting immunity - Did you know that Ashawagandha is one of the 15 ingredients of the famous Lakshadi Thailam that is popular for fighting infections, healing fever and boosting immunity.

6. For Alzheimer's treatment - Researchers have found that Ashwagandha inhibits the production of beta-amyloid plaques. These plaques, considered lethal to brain cells, grow in the brains of people with neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s.

7. Battling diabetes - Ashwagandha works by regulating the body’s production of insulin. It stimulates the secretion of insulin in the bloodstream by improving the breakdown of sugars in the blood.