Amazing Ashwagandha is something my husband and I consume almost every morning. It is one of the herbs I tincture by the quart every few months. You might wonder why I want to do that. Read on to find out about Ashwagandha and its amazing benefits for adults and children. 

Amazing Ashwagandha, the Herb 

Ashwagandha, Ashwagandha somnifera, is an herb from arid regions of India, and its range extends as far west as Israel. It is an evergreen shrub that looks like a very large potato plant. In fact, it belongs to the same Solanaceae family that the potato plant belongs to. 

The Ashwagandha plant has an unpleasant smell, as you might guess from the Latin name of the plant which means “sweat of the horse.” Are you surprised?

We use the root of the Ashwagandha medicinally. Let’s see what this amazing plant does when we support our bodies with it.

Benefits of Ashwagandha for Adults

Ashwagandha is an adaptogen, an herb that promotes that may help counteract the harmful effects of stress on the body. It helps the body to adapt to the stresses that come our way.

In fact, Ashwagandha may be the best adaptogen for calming nervine effects, which makes it very effective for fatigue, anxiety, brain fog, stress-induced insomnia, and neurasthenia (nervous exhaustion). 

Here are some other amazing benefits of Ashwagandha:

• According to a year-long study of 101 healthy males, Ashwagandha also promotes hair melanin and hemoglobin levels.
• It may help compensate for damaged neuronal circuits in people who have brain for or dementia, so it is a good choice for the elderly who are suffering from various degrees of dementia.
• Stimulate thyroid function. It is often used to balance the thyroid.
• Increases physical endurance.
•  It has strong liver- and renal-protective effects.
• Cardioprotective, which means it protects the heart.
• It is anti-inflammatory and it helps ease muscle spasms and soothe s overactive nerve endings. 
• It also is helpful for perimenopausal muscle pain. 
• It is useful as we age, especially when there is a sexual debility or loss of libido involved. 
• It may support sperm count (sometimes when it is mixed with gee and honey).
• Ashwagandha has been combined with other herbs and has been used for reducing pain and disability for patients in a study for people with osteoarthritis. In another study, it proved superior to a placebo in people with arthritis of the knee. It appears to be a good choice for people with arthritis.
• Ashwagandha is an antioxidant, which means that it can help protect the body from damage caused by free radicles.
• It is immunomodulating, meaning that Ashwagandha helps regulate the immune system so that it can fight infectious diseases that could lead to autoimmune disorders. 
• Restless leg syndrome sufferers may be helped by regular Ashwagandha use, because it works by reducing chronic inflammation and balancing the nervous system. It also combats stress, which improves overall sleep quality. 
• Ashwagandha seems to be able to offset the side effects of some medicines.
• When combined with Shatavari and Amla fruit, the formula becomes a good choice for anemia.
• Ashwagandha may be considered as an immunomodulating botanical for cancer support. 
• An herbalist named Winston uses a combination of Ashwagandha, Kudzu, Cyperus root (Cyperus rotundifolia) and Black Cohosh for fibromyalgia muscle pain.
• It is sometimes combined with Echinacea, Yarrow, and Burdock for chronic bronchitis immune and lung support. 
• Ashwagandha has sometimes been combined with Rehmannia, Astragalus, and Valerian to provide support for asthma with a high anxiety component.

Benefits of Ashwagandha for Children

Ashwagandha promotes growth in children. It appears to help healthy children to increase body weight, and their hemoglobin, too. 

Caution: Ashwagandha can potentiate effects of barbiturates. Herbalists have differing opinions on using ashwagandha during pregnancy, due to possible abortifacient effects. One prominent herbalist speculates that the discrepancy in safety information might be due to the use of different plant parts. If you are pregnant, please check with your health care professional before use. 

Action Step

Once cleared by your health care professional, you might want to put a little Ashwagandha power or tincture into some warm milk or herbal tea before bed and see how amazing Ashwagandha works for you.

May God bless you on your wellness journey!

Joni

P.S. What experience do you have using Ashwagandha?