The Adaptogen Herb: Ashwagandha for Whole-Person Resilience
Ashwagandha is an extract of the herb also known as Withania somnifera, the king of the tonic – or vitality increasing herbs – in Ayurvedic or traditional Indian Medicine. This herb is native to India and the Mediterranean. In Sanskrit, ashwagandha has the meaning, horse smell. This not only refers to the smell of the herb, but also its ability to give you the strength and vitality of a horse or “herb with the strength of 10 horses.”
It’s an incredible herb that helps us meet the demands of modern life.”
– Michael Gaeta
Somnifera in its botanical name, Withania somnifera, refers to its ability to improve sleep. It’s one of the few herbs that increase your energy, stamina, and endurance all the while helping you to relax and calm your mind, overall improving your sleep. We can think of ashwagandha as a calming tonic and as an adrenal strengthening herb (the adrenal glands are the stress glands that help you meet the demands of stress or change); it also significant restorative properties for the brain, immune system, and sleep regulation.
Ashwagandha is a great example of how herbs can have many different effects in a balanced way. This powerful herb has been used for over 2,000 years as a strengthening herb helpful to improve and restore vitality helping those who are overworked and exhausted, and clear and calm the mind, improving sleep. Consequently, ashwagandha has an amazing benefit as what we call an adaptogenic tonic which means it increases our ability to handle stress.
Traditionally it has been used as an aphrodisiac – an herb to improve sexual desire and performance. Along these lines it is also an excellent fertility tonic for both men and women. But it can be used for all ages. I have found in my own practice and well as in traditional practice, it can help children insure proper development; and in later years, it’s helpful to improve mental and cognitive function and overall quality of life. It is great to help people improve their ability to retain new information, enhance memory and concentration.
Exemplary Immune System Benefits
Ashwagandha is known for reducing inflammation within the body. There’s even great evidence of its ability to help people with inflammatory problems like arthritis, asthma and inflammatory skin conditions like psoriasis. Along with its antioxidant and medicinal compounds the power herb is a great source of iron, too. It works hard to improve the strength of the immune system; and is a blood tonic – strengthening vitality and potency of the blood.
How I recommend Ashwagandha with Mediherb
As a liquid herb, I will usually blend Ashwagandha with other herbs. I can say that I include Ashwagandha in almost all of the liquid blends that I put together for people, using the Mediherb liquids. And, there are other herbs and nutritional support that work really well in combination with the Ashwagandha liquid. So ask your practitioner what Mediherb herbs and Standard Process nutritional formulas would be most appropriate for you in conjunction with the Ashwagandha liquid, so you can get the most benefit and results from this wonderful herb!