These days it sure seems like nearly everyone is dealing with some kind of stress—often multiple sources. Here’s how ashwagandha and its benefits can offer some support.
Whether it’s relationships, work, health issues, or family life, stress and anxiety abound. The crazy thing is that we often don’t even notice our lives are getting more stressful. As our stress levels change over time, often increasing, we think our higher stress levels are normal. But they’re not!
Here’s why this adaptogen is such a powerful natural supplement to have around.
Stress relief
Taking care of ourselves physically is important for fighting stress—things like getting enough sleep, cozying up in warm baths, meditation, hiking, and eating right. These all play really important parts in reducing our daily stress levels. Another tool in my kit is ashwagandha, an Indian adaptogenic herb that’s been recognized for its health benefits for thousands of years, most noticeably for its ability to relieve stress and anxiety.
If you’ve ever heard of ginseng or know of its benefits, you can put ashwagandha in that same universe. It’s an adaptogen, which means it has a rather unique ability to almost fine-tune itself to our individual bodies and needs. Pretty cool, huh?
Research has found ashwagandha to be particularly beneficial in balancing stress and anxiety levels. It’s also been found to help promote better quality and more consistent sleep versus a placebo. And a good night’s sleep has absolutely everything to do with the next day’s stress levels.
Other benefits of ashwagandha
While the stress-relieving benefits of ashwagandha are so helpful these days, stress is just one of the reasons I love ashwagandha. It has a host of other benefits that may be useful. Here are a few with science to back them up!
Lowers blood sugar
There’s still not a ton of data on this but it’s worth noting that several studies have linked ashwagandha to reducing blood glucose levels. It may perform similar to medications for type-2 diabetes to lower blood sugar levels. (But it’s not a replacement for medication if you currently are taking any, so discuss first with your physician.)
Improves sexual function, pleasure, and fertility
According to one study, women who took ashwagandha found improvements in sexual satisfaction as well as reduced distress around their sexuality. This may have to do with the anti-anxiety benefits but still a great finding.
Taking ashwagandha may also help support male fertility. One study found improved sperm quality as well as a 14 percent increase in pregnancy amongst the men’s partners after taking the supplement. Another study on men also found ashwagandha increased testosterone levels that led to improved muscle gains when coupled with weight lifting. The men also saw more fat loss than the control group.
Improves brain function and memory
More research is needed but ashwagandha may also help support brain function, focus, and memory. Double-blind studies have seen ashwagandha outperform placebo when testing for cognitive reaction time as well as improved attention spans
Is all ashwagandha the same?
The short answer? No! I’m biased, of course, but for good reason. Our team at myKind does so much work in sourcing and formulating. All of our products are made with certified organic, Non-GMO Project verified ingredients that are guaranteed to be grown without the use of toxic pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides. We also use a clean, organic extraction method instead of harsh chemical solvents so that all you get is a pure, natural, and effective ashwagandha. All of the other ashwagandha products on the market use hexane gas and GMO corn in extraction.
We’ve got Ashwagandha tablets as well as an adrenal daily balance formula. And we add ashwagandha to our Golden Milk Powder which is so, so delicious and full of healthy ingredients including turmeric, cinnamon, and cardamom.
Is ashwagandha safe?
Ashwagandha is generally regarded as safe, but it may not be suitable during pregnancy or breastfeeding or for people with allergies to nightshade vegetables or certain grasses.
Quality matters, too, so be sure to source your ashwagandha from brands with strong reputations and commitments to clean ingredients to ensure it’s free from contaminants. As with any supplement, you should speak with your doctor before adding ashwagandha to your diet, especially if you’re currently taking other medications or have any pre-existing health conditions.
