Tagged with 'ashwagandha'

There is a good chance improving your diet, becoming more active, more effectively dealing with stress, or just taking a vacation will help your odds of getting pregnant.

7 fantastically natural supplements for supporting better sleep. Don't miss these ideas!

Curious about adaptogens? Here are some of my favorite adaptogens with an easy to understand overview.

Coping with stress, fatigue, or anxiety? Ashwagandha can help!

Ashwagandha is prized for its stimulating effects on fertility. Here are four ways ashwagandha contributes to male fertility.

Let ashwagandha shuttle you to dreamland. This root is a common ingredient in moon milk and is used by chefs all around the globe.

It's Raw. It's Vegan. It's bursting with health-promoting properties. Most of all, it's Delicious! This refreshing, chocolat-ey dessert contains ashwagandha, maca, raw chocolate and other healthy ingredients. 

When it comes to conceiving a baby, diet and lifestyle are just as important for men as for women. About one-third of fertility problems are related to the male partner, so use the following information to guide you in making healthy choices.

If work, kids, travel, social obligations, and more have you feeling overwhelmed, anxious, and stressed, take a deep breath and relax. Stress has a negative impact on our body, and is one of the biggest immune zappers. It’s true your state of mind effects your state of health. With stress of any significant duration, from a few days to a few months, all aspects of your body’s immune-fighting ability decrease.

There are many causes for stress and anxiety – nutritional, dietary, and lifestyle, which is a lot to tackle in one blog. As far as dietary goes, I have a couple big suggestions:

• Limit your ingestion of sugar and refined carbohydrates. They don't give your body the fuel it needs to fight through the stress. Choose more brightly colored foods, such as fruits and vegetables. If you're struggling to get a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables throughout the day, try a green juice or superfood smoothie. 

• Eat smaller but more frequent meals with some protein at each meal. The protein is absolutely critical! Imbalanced blood sugar is a common cause of anxiety and causes cravings for alcohol and sugar.

Also consider these nutrients to help reduce stress and anxiety from the inside-out.

Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha is an herb used for anxiety and stress-related conditions. Traditionally, ashwagandha is used in Ayurvedic medicine for a wide variety of ailments. This plant-based medicine is classified as an adaptogen, meaning it provides the body with support to adapt to physical and psychological stressors. To read more about ashwagandha, check out this blog, "Supplements 101: What is Ashwagandha?" 

A typical dose of ashwagandha is about 300-500 mg of standardized root extract per day. Consider taking 1 capsule of ashwagandha thirty minutes before sleep. This amount has been clinically shown to improve sleep. For those with more serious insomnia, stress or anxiety, consider taking 2 capsules three times a day. Start low and work up in the dose of Ashwagandha. Do not exceed 6 capsules a day. Ashwagandha is also available in powder form, and dissolves easily. It has a bitter taste, but when combined with hot milk or other ingredients in a smoothie, it tastes fine. I like this Ashwagandha hot chocolate recipe. 

Pantothenic acid

Pantothenic acid is a B-vitamin that also supports your adrenal glands, and deficiencies may lead to shrinking adrenal glands. Consider taking 2 capsules of pantothenic acid in the morning to help with adrenal support. Adrenal health is crucial to balancing anxiety. I also really like Uckele's Adreno-Lift, which provides a variety of nutrients to support your adrenal glands. 

Multivitamin

If you don't want to take individual vitamins, consider a broad-spectrum mutlivitamin. Look for one that contains chelated minerals and active B vitamins because it's easier to absorb. Low amounts of B-vitamins and minerals are commonly found in those with anxiety and stress. Consider taking 3 capsules in the AM with breakfast and three capsules at lunch. Avoid taking after 2-3pm or the potent B-vitamins will keep you awake at night. 

Magnesium

If you have any anxiety, magnesium is good fore relieving it. Magnesium is critical for numerous enzymatic pathways and neurotransmitter support - along with vitamin B6. Magnesium is needed to relax the central nervous system.  Consider taking 2 capsules of Magnesium Plus in the morning and two in the evening before bed. After one month at 2 capsules twice a day, try reducing to one capsule before bed. Magnesium can also be applied transdermally. 

Vitamin C

Vitamin C helps your body deal with stress in a couple important ways. First, it's critical for adrenal function, and your adrenal glands and brain tissues contain a higher concentration of vitamin C than most other parts of the body. Excess stress can lead to adrenal exhaustion, so make sure you have enough vitamin C to support your adrenal glands.

Also, cortisol is the stress hormone, and those with anxiety and stress more than likely have high cortisol levels. When someone has low vitamin C levels, cortisol levels stay elevated. Vitamin C helps blunt the cortisol response thereby reducing the effects of stressful situations. Consider taking 1/2 scoop vitamin C in a glass of filtered water on an as needed basis - at least once per day. 

Fish Oil

Not necessarily an 'anti-anxiety' nutrient per se but definitely needed for general health, nerve protection and cell membrane support. Anxiety and stress is a 'catabolic' situation in the body, meaning it breaks down your health vs. building it. Fish Oil helps reverse this. Consider taking 2 tsps. once a day with a meal any time of day. 

Of course, this is only a piece of the puzzle when it comes to decreasing stress and anxiety. Remember to incorporate daily exercise, get adequate sleep, find something to do that relaxes you (ie: massage, meditation, yoga, etc.), and eat clean, healthy foods. Support your health to keep your immune system fuctioning well.

In Health and Happiness,

Kelly Harrington, MS, RDN

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist for Healthy Goods

Ashwagandha has been used for over 6,000 years in Ayurveda medicine, which originated in India.

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is an herb commonly used in ayurveda, the traditional medicine of India. Although it's not botanically related to ginseng, ashwagandha is often called "Indian ginseng" due to its supposedly rejuvenating effects.

Ashwagandha is regarded as an adaptogen (a type of herb said to strengthen your resistance to stress while enhancing your energy). Often used to boost the immune system after an illness, ashwagandha is also included in formulations that aim to treat these conditions:

• rheumatoid arthritis
• pain
• fatigue
• gastrointestinal disorders
• skin infections
• epilepsy

Ashwagandha Benefits

Research on ashwagandha is limited, but several studies have shown ashwagandha may be useful in addressing the following health problems:

1) Osteoarthritis

For a 2008 study, scientists tested ashwagandha's effects on human cartilage and found the herb may help protect against inflammation and cartilage damage associated with osteoarthritis.

2) Anxiety

In an animal-based study published in 2000, researchers found ashwagandha had an anti-anxiety effect similar to that of lorazepam (a medication used to treat anxiety disorders). The herb also appeared to ease depression.

3) Type 2 Diabetes

Ashwagandha may help normalize high blood sugar and improve insulin sensitivity, according to preliminary, animal-based research published in 2008.

4) Cancer

In a 2003 study, tests on human tumor cell lines revealed that ashwagandha may slow the growth of lung, breast, and colon cancer cells. Published in 2007, another study on human cells shows ashwagandha may inhibit tumor growth without harming normal cells.

How to Use Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha is available in capsules, powders, and tinctures, all of which can be found on our website. The herb is also commonly featured in adaptogen formulas, which may also contain other adaptogenic herbs like ginseng and rhodiola.

Is Ashwagandha Safe?

Although ashwagandha is generally considered safe, the herb may induce abortion when taken in very large doses. Therefore, pregnant women should avoid the use of ashwagandha.

Ashwagandha may also increase the potency of barbiturates (a class of drugs that depresses the central nervous system).

Article courtesy of Cathy Wong, writing for About.com's Alternative Medicine, found with sources, here.