The last few years have been stressful. Our modern society adds other varieties of stress like environmental toxins, emotional setbacks, poor nutrition, and physical trauma. All of these issues deplete our bodies of important nutrients and create the oxidation of various cellular elements.
Ashwagandha is an adaptogenic herb that helps your body adapt to stressful conditions. Let’s take a deeper look at the health benefits of ashwagandha.
Ashwagandha is also known as winter cherry, Indian ginseng, and Withania Somnifer. It grows in North America and Africa, although it is commonly linked with the Ayurvedic traditions of the east.
Ayurveda is an ancient philosophy and application of natural health common in India and the Far East. This tradition uses the roots of the Withania Somnifera plant to prepare Ashwagandha. This herb has been used for many health conditions for centuries by Ayurvedic medicine men.
Ashwagandha protects your brain
Ashwagandha has powerful antioxidant properties that help protect the nervous system and brain. Premature aging due to chronic stress on the nervous system is related to higher levels of oxidative stress. This stress increases lipid peroxidation while decreasing critical antioxidant enzymes catalase and glutathione peroxidase.
One animal study showed how successfully ashwagandha is at reducing stress and tension on the nervous system. Animals exposed to chronic stress had 85% of their cells showing signs of chronic degeneration. When ashwagandha was administered to another group of chronically stressed animals the number of damaged cells decreased by 80%.
Protecting the brain and improving nervous system function is one of the major life changing health benefits of ashwagandha.
Ashwagandha is potent cancer prevention
Ashwagandha has been shown to disrupt a cancer cell’s ability to effectively reproduce. This is due to the anti-angiogenic activity that ashwagandha contains in which it prevents cancer cells from forming new blood vessels that support its growth.
One study showed that ashwagandha produced a marked increase in life span and a decrease in overall tumor weight in animals with cancer of the lymphatic system. Reducing cancer growth and improving the immune system is one of the health benefits of ashwagandha.
Ashwagandha has also been shown to decrease the formation and potentiation of certain oncogene characteristics. These include inhibiting the formation of nuclear factor Kappa Beta, & intracellular tumor necrosis factor. Additionally, this herb has been shown to increase the sensitivity of the apoptotic signaling that allows for the natural regulation of cancer cells in the body (10, 11, 12).
Ashwagandha lowers cortisol levels
In the largest human trial using ashwagandha the herb was shown to reduce cortisol levels up to 26%. Chronically elevated cortisol increases inflammatory and degenerative processes in the body. The participants also experienced decreased fasting blood sugar levels and improved lipid profile patterns.
This herb has been shown in studies to have as strong an anti-anxiety and anti-depressant effect as leading name-brand medications. Ashwagandha has been shown to support the regeneration and reconstruction of nerve cells and synapses.
This suggests that ashwagandha could help reverse states of brain and nervous system degeneration making it a powerful defense against Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, and other neurodegenerative disorders.
How to take ashwagandha
Using Ashwagandha along with an anti-inflammatory diet and lifestyle helps improve the body’s ability to adapt to stress. This herb has been used around the world for thousands of years. It has been found it to improve immunity, memory, & promote overall wellness.
Ashwagandha can be found in supplement capsules, in the dried root form, or as a natural growing plant. You may also grow it in your backyard. This plant loves the hot sun and sandy soil. It is very good to use dried or fresh ground roots.
This can be put into different types of tea, smoothies, salads or green drinks. Another convenient way to ingest Ashwagandha is to buy organic teas that contain the herb. Typically, these teas are marketed for their immune, memory, and relaxation benefits.