Ashwagandha, also known as the king of Ayurvedic medicines, is the magical herb that can cure and relieve you from various health problems. Have you heard about the astonishing and rejuvenating effects of Ashwagandha?
If not, you will find several health and beauty benefits of Ashwagandha that would provide you solutions for multiple health problems. But before that, do you know what this nature's gift to mankind is?
What is Ashwagandha (Withania Somnifera)?
It is commonly known as " Indian Ginseng" or " Indian Winter cherry" and the Sanskrit word means 'smell of a horse'. It is believed traditionally that this Ayurvedic herb can provide you the strength and power of a horse.
Ashwagandha is a small shrub from the nightshade family bearing yellow flowers and red fruits. They are the native of India, the Middle East, and North Africa. In Ayurvedic medicine, the extract is mostly taken from the berries and roots of the herb.
Strengthening and nourishing properties of Ashwagandha
The therapeutic attributes of the Ashwagandha powder are immensely useful to lengthen the lifespan. It helps in longevity, regaining youth, and helps the mind to tackle stress and anxiety. The finely sieved powder, also known as 'churna', can be consumed with water, honey, or ghee.
Ashwagandha is gaining fast-paced popularity in traditional medicines because of its endless benefits. This powder commonly used to treat several medical conditions like leukoderma, insomnia, anxiety, depression, memory loss, hysteria, constipation, rheumatism, nervous problems, heart problems, joint pains, etc. and many more.
Plants contain some special compounds called phytochemicals that help in dealing with various conditions for the plants. When it is consumed by people, these phytochemicals act in a very meaningful way on different aspects of the human body.
So, the large quantity of phytochemicals present in Ashwagandha helps in providing positive effects. Now, you will get to know about the 15 most crucial benefits of the magical plant.
14 Mighty Ashwagandha benefits for treating these concerns:
1. Ashwagandha for Stress, anxiety, and depression
Ashwagandha is considered an effective adaptogen that can make your body adapt to stress scenarios. It can boost the functioning of your brain so that you can adjust to various emotional and physical stress levels and have a positive effect on mood.
People with stress and anxiety disorder may gain beneficial results using Ayurvedic oils having Ashwagandha as the main ingredient. It helps to reduce body ache, insomnia, rapid breathing, sweating, and exhaustion. It has also been seen in various studies that major depressive disorders can be minimized.
2. Ashwagandha for Cancer
Although, there is no scientific proof given that Ashwagandha can cure cancer, but it has some cancer-fighting potential. Several experiments are in process that showcased that Ashwagandha can reduce cancer-producing cells and kill the existing cancer cells. The anti-cancer properties help in delaying the production of new cancer cells.
3. Ashwagandha for Blood Sugar
Ashwagandha is known to play a key role in the production of insulin in the body. For diabetes control, it helps to stimulate the secretion of insulin in the blood. It improves the activity of breaking the sugar in the blood thus, helps to keep the blood sugar level low in the body.
It is more effective on Type 2 diabetic patients. Ashwagandha also improves metabolism and enables better removal of wastes from the body.
4. Ashwagandha for Thyroid
The butterfly-shaped gland thyroid, if not functioning properly, would produce a different amount of thyroxine for different people. The improper functioning of the gland results in hair loss, weight gain, brain fog, and physical conditions. Ashwagandha can stimulate the T3 and T4 levels in a person.
So, consuming Ashwagandha can be beneficial for hypothyroidism whereas it will be harmful to hyperthyroidism patients. It recommended consulting your doctor before thinking of Ashwagandha to treat your thyroid problems.
5. Ashwagandha for Cognitive function
For older individuals, cognitive function has become a real health concern. For example, Alzheimer's disease is a fatal brain functioning disorder. Ashwagandha works wonder for the general cognitive function by producing beta-amyloid plaques that are lethal to brain cells responsible for neurodegenerative diseases.
It has a positive effect on memory loss, feeling overwhelmed, and helps to improve focus. There are other benefits like the increased feeling of calm, increased information processing speed, and the attention span.
6. Ashwagandha for Immunity
Ashwagandha is one of the major Ayurvedic ingredients used to make medicines that can fight infections, heal fever, and boost immunity. In the present stressful scenario, immunity is at stack due to a lack of sleep, tension, and inflammation.
Add Ashwagandha in your diet to improve your physical strength and stamina. It also improves the activity of the natural killer cells present in the body, thus increasing immunity to fight against all diseases.
7. Ashwagandha for Stamina
The unhealthy lifestyle and the unbalanced diet play a major role in draining you out and make you feel exhausted. Ashwagandha is your go-to-solution to replenish your lack of stamina.
Ashwagandha has positive effects on the sexual stamina for both men and women. It also supports the reproductive health of men by allowing soothing effects on stress. The herb provides cardiovascular endurance for athletes by increasing muscle strength and mass.
8. Ashwagandha for Joint pains or Arthritis
From ancient Ayurveda, Ashwagandha is used as a topical application for joint pains and arthritis. The wound healing properties present in it also helps to cure skin sores and reduce swelling. It has a long-standing remedy on arthritis without the harmful effects of the steroidal medicines used for the treatment of this disease.
9. Ashwagandha for Heart health
When it comes to heart health, Ashwagandha is highly beneficial for the reduction of cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood. The reduced levels of cholesterol would automatically improve the overall heart health of humans. It helps in providing relief from high blood pressure, chest pain, and other heart diseases.
10. Ashwagandha for Fertility
Ashwagandha ensures the key ingredients that are required to maintain the fertility of a person. It helps to improve the semen quality and sperm count in men. Ashwagandha has therapeutic properties towards male fertility and endocrine system.
11. Ashwagandha for Skin issues like Acne
The anti-microbial and anti-bacterial properties present in Ashwagandha provide a layer of protection to your skin from acne and other infections. It has anti-aging properties as it can boost the collagen in the skin. You can try Ayurvedic face packs that contain Ashwagandha powder to prevent acne, pimples, blackheads, and scars.
12. Ashwagandha for Strengthening muscles for new mothers
Ayurvedic oil containing Ashwagandha is used for pregnant women and new mothers to strengthen muscles and toning skin to avoid stretch marks. It also relieves pain and fatigue for expecting mothers.
13. Ashwagandha for Insomnia
If you lie on your bed and stay awake for long hours at night without sleep, then try drinking a cup of warm milk mixed with Ashwagandha powder before going to bed. This will help you to combat your insomnia. It has sleep-inducing properties that will relax your mind and have sound sleep.
14. Ashwagandha for Respiratory diseases
Ashwagandha roots are given to cure several respiratory diseases including Asthma. It provides relief from coughing, sneezing, chest congestion, and shortness of breath.
Apart from all these 14 mighty benefits of Ashwagandha, it has useful effects on various other conditions like ulcer, vitiligo, and weight loss. If you are thinking of including Ashwagandha in your diet routine, it is advised to have a consultation with an Ayurvedic doctor.
Although it is safe for consumption when you are taking low to medium dosages, it can create a moderate level of side effects like stomach upset and headache. Topical usage of ashwagandha in the form of face pack and oil would be great for your skin.
