Ashwagandha and It's Miraculous Benefits
Ashwagandha is a prominent herb in Ayurveda and is popularly being used as alternate medicine in the Indian Ayurveda for years. The scientific name of Ashwagandha is Withaniasomnifera, which is an evergreen shrub. Commonly known as Indian winter cherry on Indian ginseng, Ashwagandha is a natural supplement that is easily available in various forms in the market.
The roots of Ashwagandha are the most useful part of the plant. Moreover, it is the extracts or powder from the plants roots or leaves that we use in supplements. However, since this medicine smells like a horse (ashwa), hence it has got its name, Ashwagandha. In this article, we will discuss about the medicinal benefits of Ashwagandha which has been tested in human clinical trials.
Benefits of Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha is a medicinal herb that has powerful effects on the body and brain. While the leaves of Ashwagandha plant have analgesic and antioxidant properties, it helps in reducing symptoms like common cold, cough, and light fever. On the other hand, being rich in many qualities, the roots of the Ashwagandha plant acts as an antidepressant, antidiabetic, Rasayana and Vajikarana.
Ashwagandha is a very useful medicinal herb in Ayurveda and improves the overall health in both males and females. It helps in managing insulin secretion in diabetic patients, and also reduces the risk factors of heart disease.It is helpful in tumour and cancerous conditions like lung, colon, breast and ovarian cancer. It also helps in thyroid-related problems. Not only that, it also helps in improving testosterone levels and fertility in males. In addition, it promotes the sexual health in males and benefits their reproductive organs.
Talking about the therapeutic uses of Ashwagandha, it helps in nausea, vomiting, cough, cold and fever. It can be taken as a memory booster, insomnia reliever and stressed reliever. Moreover, it can also be used for external conditions like muscle pain, joint pain and swelling.
Stress Reliever
Ashwagandha is classified as an adaptogen, which means it can help your body to manage stress. Cortisol is the stress hormone that your adrenal glands release in response to stress and when your blood sugar levels get too low. Unfortunately, in some cases cortisol levels may become chronically elevated which can lead to high blood sugar levels and increased fat storage in the abdomen. Reducing cortisol levels can be very beneficial for health, and as per the studies, Ashwagandha works like magic for the same.
Reduces Anxiety & Insomnia
As per other studies, Ashwagandha reduces anxiety and insomnia to some extent. It also reduces stress, depression and other mental problems. Moreover, its anti-depressive effects experienced by the stressed people after proper dosage of Ashwagandha, are worth noting.
Increases Muscle Mass and Strength
Shifting gears a bit, but the benefits of Ashwagandha are not limited to just mental health. Research has shown that Ashwagandha increases strength and power output. Generally, men who take a high dose of Ashwagandha supplement, experience significant increase in their muscle strength. Also, theirmuscle size, testosterone levelsand muscle recovery get improved using Ashwagandha.
Reduces Blood Sugar Level
Several studies have found Ashwagandha has benefits for metabolic health. A number of studies have found that it increases insulin secretion and improves insulin sensitivity in muscle cells. This may help explain its potential benefits on blood sugar levels. Interestingly, proper dosage of Ashwagandha in diabetic people assisted in lowered fasting blood sugar levels as effectively as oral diabetes medication.
Maintains Cholesterol and Lowers Triglycerides
Ashwagandha may help to improve heart health particularly in those who already have heart problems. A high dosage of Ashwagandha results in a decrease in LDL control and triglycerides. On the other hand, HDL cholesterol also gets increased after consumption of this herb.
How should Ashwagandha be consumed?
Ashwagandha is available as tablet, capsule and powder in the market. Ashwagandha powder can be taken with warm milk, water, and honey, to get quality sleep and improve your reproductive system. If you eat Ashwagandha powder with ghee and honey, it nourishes and rejuvenates the body. Moreover, it can be also consumed in the form of tea, shrikhand and laddoo.