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Writer's pictureMelissa Lainn

Ashwagandha – The Miracle Adaptogen



In places like China and India, soldiers have been using adaptogens for centuries to handle the stress of combat, recover faster, and increase their energy. They help your body adapt to biological and psychological stress by making it easier for you to balance your hormonal systems.


Adaptogens help you cope with common symptoms of living in the modern world, including fatigue, impotence, and infertility. They make you more resilient in all facets of life, giving you energy, focus, strength and a better overall mood.


Ashwagandha, the miracle herb that has taken the medical world by storm, is one such adaptogen.


To be an adaptogen:

  • People must tolerate it well, even with long-term use

  • It must act on the body’s stress response

  • There must be a range of other benefits, too — lots of them


Ashwagandha passes this test with flying colors.


The ashwagandha plant (aka Indian ginseng) is abundant in antioxidant, immune-boosting, anti-inflammatory, sleep-inducing, anti-stress and antibacterial properties. Ashwagandha also helps bring down cortisol levels, reducing the harmful impact that stress has on your body.


Many people only use Ashwagandha to reduce anxiety and stress but it has been found to have a positive effect on white blood cell count and platelet counts in animals with suppressed immune systems. Animal studies also showed that ashwagandha showed a positive effect on cancerous lung, colon, brain, mammary, prostate and ovarian tumors. More human studies are still needed to help solidify the evidence, but since most people are known to tolerate it well, it might be worth talking to your health care professional about it as it could help to boost immunity long term.


* People with overactive thyroid, blood pressure issues and cancer patients should consult their doctor before trying ashwagandha, as it can increase thyroid activity and interact with common blood pressure and cancer medications. Please remember to consult your health care practitioner before adding any supplements or herbs to your diet.


Another great thing about ashwagandha is that it shows a lot of promise in improving memory formation. This could be important in research for treating Alzheimer’s patients. More large human studies are needed, but there is research to suggest that ashwagandha could reverse the effects of neurological toxins associated with diseases such as Alzheimerz and Dementia.


This miracle adaptogen is still best for:

  • reducing stress and anxiety

  • decreasing inflammation in the body

  • lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease

  • lowering the stress-hormone cortisol

  • improving memory formation

  • aiding with neurodegenerative diseases

  • may reduce symptoms of depression

  • can boost testosterone and increase fertility in men

  • may increase muscle mass and strength


With benefits on stress, immunity, brain and more, ashwagandha seems like a good one to add to most people’s daily supplements. Everyone’s individual constitution is different, so as with everything, you have to experience it for yourself to see how you feel. When used in conjunction with a healthy lifestyle, ashwagandha can begin to impact the body beneficially within two weeks.


So what are you waiting for? Try this miracle adaptogen today!





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