Do you ever wish there was a single treatment for all of your symptoms, whether it's to improve thyroid function or to reduce memory loss? Fortunately for us, the ancient Ayurvedic herb Ashwagandha is highly useful to a variety of bodily systems, including the thyroid, brain, immune system, and much more. Including this herb in your daily diet will energize your body and make you feel ready to take on the day!
What Is Ashwagandha and What Does It Do?
Ashwagandha is an adaptogenic plant that has been used for centuries in Ayurvedic medicine to improve the body's physiology and homeostasis. This implies that ashwagandha effectively balances imbalances in your body, lowering cortisol and boosting thyroid function during stressful times.
Ayurvedic medicine is a type of Indian medicine that focuses on discovering natural ways to heal the body rather than utilizing prescriptions or external medicines. This approach to medicine considers disease in one part of the body to impact the entire system, which is why ashwagandha is utilized as a multifunctional herb.
Ashwagandha, also known as “rasayana” in Ayurvedic terminology, is used to protect your body from toxins in your environment or food in order to maintain good physical and mental health. Anti-inflammatory, anti-anxiety, and anti-depressant qualities make this ancient plant highly beneficial to human health. Not only is ashwagandha rich in iron, but it also includes anti-tumoral alkaloids or chemical compounds. It's also strong in antioxidants, which are chemicals that protect your body from chemical harm from the outside world.
Ashwagandha has integrated health, which combines Western medicine with Ayurvedic, Chinese, and other traditional knowledge systems. It's not only a natural stress reliever, but it also works to improve your immune system and prevent degenerative illnesses.
Health Benefits of Ashwagandha's
1. Immune system stimulation
Finally, as an adaptogen, ashwagandha can aid in the reduction of inflammation and the normal functioning of your immune system. Ashwagandha has been shown to boost white blood cell count as well as increase immunoglobulin synthesis in studies. Immunoglobulins are antibodies that assist your immune system fight disease, and ashwagandha helps your body produce more of them naturally to maintain your health.
2. Removes toxins from the body
The herb ashwagandha has anti-tumour effects. Its antioxidant and purifying qualities may also help to protect the body from illnesses.
3. It improves thyroid function.
One of the most important properties of ashwagandha is its ability to stimulate the thyroid and aid in its proper functioning. Even better, ashwagandha has been shown to help with both hyperactive and underactive thyroid conditions. Ashwagandha proved helpful in regulating the thyroid in hypothyroidism patients, according to research published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine (Sharma et. al, 2018). Though the little study has been done on the benefits of ashwagandha on hyperthyroidism, the herb has been found to help the thyroid system stay in balance.
4. Assists in the reduction of stress and anxiety
This is ashwagandha's most well-known benefit, but it also helps you regulate cortisol and stay calm throughout the day. According to a 2012 research published in the Indian Journal of Medicine, ashwagandha can help you stay cool in high-pressure situations by “improving an individual's resistance to the effects of stress” (Kapoor et. al, 2012).
5. Enhances memory and cell function in the brain
Because stress causes harm to our bodies and our neurological systems over time, having an ashwagandha at hand as a natural stress reliever is quite useful. But, even more importantly, the potent detoxifying enzymes included in ashwagandha aid in the prevention of free radicals, which accelerate the age and wear of the body.
How to use Ashwagandha effectively?
We usually only take ashwagandha root extract, therefore any supplement containing root extract will be useful. The plant is available in two forms: capsules and powder, both of which are suitable for usage. Because of the herb's distinct odour, several patients prefer the pill. But I prefer to start my day with a scoop of ashwagandha root extract powder in my tea or smoothie to keep my stress levels down as the day goes on. Begin with 500mg and gradually increase to 1-2 grams each day.
