ashwagandha, stress and anxiety herb

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Page 1: Ashwagandha, Stress and Anxiety Herb

Ashwagandha, Stress and Anxiety HerbBillie J. Sahley, Ph.D., C.N.C.

Herbs have various salutary effects forpromoting health and well being. Such herbs arecalled "tonics" for its ability to strengthen, toneand regulate.

There are many such special tonic herbs usedin Oriental medicine that build energy, increaseadaptability, strengthen immunity and help retardthe aging process. India also has venerableancient tradition of herbal medicine and naturalhealing called Ayurveda, "science of life."Ayurveda contains many wonder herbs.

Of the ayurvedic energy tonics none is asimportant as a subtropical bush calledAshwagandha, whose root possesses a broadrange of important healing powers rare in theplant kingdom. It belongs to the nightshadefamily like the common garden tomato. It is easyto grow in warm climates and there is no need forexpenses in producing it.

Ashwagandha, Withania somnifera, whichmeans "the smell of a horse," is an importanttonic, energy builder and rejuvenating herb usedin ayurvedic medicine. It is famous for impartingto its users the vigor and vitality of a fast runningstallion.

Its qualities have been proven throughcenturies and even millennia of experience.Ashwagandha is commonly used in manyayurvedic formulas as well as by itself for healthenhancement and for the treatment of disease.The herb strengthens the deeper tissues of thebody - muscle, bone, nerve and reproductive -including the connective tissue.

Ashwagandha increases quality body weightby building high quality tissues, particularlymuscle. It is also useful in wasting diseases anddebilitated conditions such as poor growth inchildren and poor vitality in the elderly.Ashwagandha is good for restoring energy inconvalescence from disease or for people who

have chronic low energy. Plus, it is an excellentherb for chronic fatigue syndrome.

Without unduly stimulating the sex drive,ashwagandha increases sexual energy. It is usedprimarily for male conditions like impotence,sterility and premature ejaculation. Modemstudies in India show that it actually works toincrease the sperm count. But it is also used forwomen and treats female sterility and infertility.

As an energy tonic ashwagandha occupies aplace in ayurvedic medicine similar to the role ofginseng in traditional Chinese medicine.Ashwagandha has many of the same propertiesthat ginseng is famous for and is less expensive.However, ashwagandha has no botanicalrelationship with ginseng and should not beconfused with ginseng as a plant.

In some respects, ashwagandha may be betterthan ginseng. Ashwagandha is used as a primarysex tonic in ayurvedic medicine, while ginseng isnot so used in traditional Chinese medicinebecause ginseng is thought to work more on thedigestive than the reproductive system. Ginsengis a stimulant that may cause insomnia, ifoverused. However, ashwagandha tends to calmthe entire system.

India has long been a land wherevegetarianism has predominated. Ashwagandhais regarded as an ideal energy tonic forvegetarians, providing the stamina that peopleoften associate with meat. For vegetarianssuffering from low energy or fatigue, it is an herbto consider taking.

Allopathic doctors in India often prescribeashwagandha along with antibiotics to helpcounter the tendency of these drugs to weaken theimmune system. Ashwagandha strengthens theimmune system and counters chronic fevers andinfections. It aids in the healing process,particularly of chronic, slow healing sores. It can

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1Copyright © 2006 - Pain & Stress Publications

May NOT be reproduced by any means without the written consent of the author.

Page 2: Ashwagandha, Stress and Anxiety Herb

help counter the effects of too many antibiotics.With such properties, ashwagandha is useful forconditions like Epstein Barr virus and A.I.D.S.

hi the United States ashwagandha is mainlyused for weakness of debility conditions, or forpeople who work so hard they need additionalenergy. It is not for acute disease, particularlythose involving high fever. Therefore,ashwagandha should generally not be used duringcolds, flu or acute fevers.

Traditionally, ashwagandha is taken in apowder form. A level teaspoon of the powder ofthe herb can be boiled in a cup of milk for tenminutes over a low flame and then taken with ateaspoon of a natural sugar (like honey) and aquarter-teaspoon of a spice like cirmamon orginger. A half-teaspoon of clarified butter (ghee)can be added to enhance the herb's effect. It canbe taken moming and evening for a period of oneto three months.

The entire herb can also be purchased.However, the herb does taste bitter. For thosewho don't like the taste, tablets, capsules andextracts of ashwagandha are convenient to useand are available in health food stores.

The general amount of the herb used is one tothree grains twice a day for a period of one to

three months, generally in the late fall and earlywinter when our vitality is at its natural low point.With so many important uses, why isashwagandha not used more in America today?Lack of knowledge and availability are the mainreasons. However, with such importantproperties ashwagandha is likely to become oneof the most important herbs this decade,particularly as modem medicine comes torecognize the need for energy tonics and immunesystem boosters.

Caution: Ashwagandha (Mellow Mind) is notrecommended with antidepressant or SSRI medications.

Note: Ashwagandha (Mellow Mind) may act as anaphrodisiac.

REFERENCESNaguib, Yousry. "Inflammation Control Options Nature."

Vitamin Retailer. July 2003, p. 40Rogers, Sherry A. Pain Free in 6 Weeks. Sarasota, FL: Sand

Key Company, Inc., 2001Rotblatt, Michael. Evidence-Based Herbal Medicine.

Philadelphia, PA: Hanley & Belfus, Inc., 2002Therapeutic Applications of Ashwagandha. Natural Medicine,

1998, pages 6-19

This article is not intended to give medical advice orreplace the services of a physician. It is for educational

purposes only.

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Copyright © 2006 - Pain & Stress PublicationsMay NOT be reproduced by any means without the written consent of the author.

Page 3: Ashwagandha, Stress and Anxiety Herb