{"id":920,"date":"2017-01-17T07:56:56","date_gmt":"2017-01-17T07:56:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vserver3.auroville.com\/?p=920"},"modified":"2020-12-10T09:43:18","modified_gmt":"2020-12-10T05:13:18","slug":"health-supplement-ashwagandha","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adventure.auroville.com\/index.php\/2017\/01\/17\/health-supplement-ashwagandha\/","title":{"rendered":"Ayurveda for Health: Ashwagandha"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A Royal Plant<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Ashwagandha, also known as Indian ginseng, is a herb used in the system of Indian traditional medicine, Ayurveda. For Ayurvedic doctors, Ashwaghanda is a go-to remedy, known for its use in total rejuvenation of the body and for its capacity to relieve stress. It is with good reason that this little plant is known as \u201cthe Queen Herb of Ayurveda.\u201d The powder that we take as a supplement is made out of the root of the short tender shrub, growing between 35-75 cm tall in drier regions of India, Nepal, China and Yemen. In Europe one probably has seen the fruits sold as a type of gooseberry in the supermarket.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So what does Ashwagandha do? Medical researchers have been studying Ashwagandha for years with great interest and have completed more than 200 studies on the healing benefits of this botanical. While large-scale studies have not been done, there is definitely some interesting work that points to Ashwaghanda\u2019s positive effects on the body. In one study among athletes<\/a>, regular supplementation with Ashwaghanda improved the heart-lung functioning, increasing aerobic capacity significantly when compared to a test group. Several studies done on rats support the idea that Ashwaghanda reduces stress, and in some studies<\/a>, it has even been shown to help in the fight against cancer. While we always have to remember that supplements cannot replace other treatments, this natural powerhouse can definitely support the body when it is going through a stressful time \u2013 be it physical, emotional, or mental stress. For the healthy among us, taking Ashwaghanda can be a good preventative measure to keep the body fit and well-functioning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other health benefits of Ashwaghanda that are supported by small-scale studies are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n