Ashwagandha

Ayurvedic Herb: Ashwagandha

Rasa (Taste Energy): Bitter, astringent and sweet

Virya (Action) : Heating

Dosha (Constitution): Balancing for Vata and Kapha cconstitutional doshas, with a potential to aggravate Pitta in those with excess Pitta energy

Benefits and Healing Effects

Ashwagandha contains many useful medicinal chemicals, including withanolides (steroidal lactones), alkaloids, choline, fatty acids, amino acids, and a variety of sugars. While the leaves and fruit have valuable therapeutic properties, the root of the Ashwagandha plant is the part most commonly used in Western herbal remedies.

Medical researchers have been studying Ashwagandha for years with great interest and have completed more than 200 studies on the healing benefits of this botanical. Some key examples of the healing effects of Ashwagandha are:

There have been over 200 studies on Ashwagandha’s ability to:

• Improve thyroid function
• Treat adrenal fatigue
• Increase stamina and endurance
• Prevent and treat cancer
• 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
• Offers anti-inflammatory benefits
• Contains anti-malarial properties
• Enhances sexual potency for both men and women

Ashwagandha as an Adaptogenic Herb

In Ayurveda, there are specific herbs with adaptogenic benefits, Ashwagandha is one of them. Adaptogens are substances (a combination of amino acids, vitamins, and herbs) that modulate your response to stress or a changing environment. Adaptogens help the body cope with external stresses such as toxins in the environment and internal stresses such as anxiety and insomnia.