Ashwagandha – Introduction
The Sanskrit word Ashwagandha is made up of 2 words “Ashwa” meaning horse, and “Gandha” meaning the smell. Ashwagandha is a herb native to the Indian subcontinent. It is one of the wonder herbs of Ayurveda. It is a great tonic for the male reproductive system and is compared to Chinese Ginseng for its ability to improve potency.
Sanskrit names: Ashwagandha
English names: Indian Ginseng, Winter Cherry
Scientific name: Withania somnifera,
Family- Solanaceae
Part of Plant used: Roots, in dried or powdered form.
Benefits of Ashwagandha
According to Ayurveda, Ashwagandha is a Rasayana. The term “Rasayana” means a herb that is able to make an overall improvement in the functioning of the body. The newly coined modern term for the word Rasayan is Adaptogen. Adaptogen is a substance which has the potential to normalize the entire physiology of the body. Therefore Ashwagandha is not good for a single purpose, but great for multiple health purposes. Some of the amazing health benefits of Ashwagandha, which are scientifically proven now are –
Antioxidant –
Ashwagandha is a has a huge store of multiple types of anti-oxidants like superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, catalase. These anti-oxidants prevent early death of the body cells and help to prevent early aging in an individual.
Immunity Booster
Ashwagandha has an incredible capacity to boost immunity. It helps the body cells to develop resistance towards pathogens and rapidly changing external environment. It has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties.
Memory Booster
Ashwagandha is one of the best nervine tonics. It helps to protect the nerves from early degeneration. It helps to improve memory by increasing the health and functioning of the neurons.
Antipyretic
Ashwagandha is a natural antipyretic. It helps to control the fever and any kind of inflammation in the body.
Enhances Fertility
Ashwagandha is known best for its fertility improvement properties, esp for the male reproductive system. It improves both the quality and the quantity of semen. It is also very beneficial for the female reproductive system. It also helps to balance the reproductive hormones.
Natural Body Building Supplement
Ashwagandha helps to build the muscle mass, esp in men by enhancing the effects of male hormones and regulating the digestion.
Prevents Female Reproductive Problems
Ashwagandha helps to normalize the hormone function in females and is extensively used in Ayurvedic medicines for menstrual disorders, infertility, and uterine problems.
Prevents Arthritis
Ashwagandha significantly helps to prevent arthritis because of its anti-inflammatory properties. It helps to prevent the autoimmune response in the joints. Thus it helps to delay the degeneration and debility in the joints due to arthritis. This property of Ashwagandha is esp. relevant in the case of Rheumatoid Arthritis.
Prevents Auto-Immune Disorders
Ashwagandha helps to prevent autoimmune response in the body through its anti-inflammatory action. It can effectively prevent and manage diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, celiac disease, type 1 diabetes, psoriasis, multiple sclerosis and many more.
Prevents Diabetes
Ashwagandha acts on the pancreas and helps to normalize the insulin secretion. It also helps to regulate the blood sugar by enhancing the rate of metabolism.
Prevents Hypertension
Ashwagandha exerts cardioprotective action. It helps to prevent injury to heart and blood vessels due to stress or the wrong diet. It helps to reverse the process of atherosclerosis, thereby preventing stroke in the long run.
Prevents Cancer
Ashwagandha has exhibited significant anti-cancer activity in recent scientific experiments. It can help to bring down the rate of growth in breast cancer by reducing the rate of cell division. Ashwagandha is now actively used as a rejuvenation therapy alongside with allopathic cancer therapy.
Prevents Asthma
Ashwagandha is an excellent Ayurvedic decongestant. It is widely used in respiratory disorders like Asthma, bronchitis, chronic cough, and other upper respiratory tract infections.
Prevents Depression and Stress
Ashwagandha has sedative properties and can be used very effectively in the prevention and treatment of Depression, anxiety, stress etc. Apart from curing psychological disorders, Ashwagandha provides the added benefit of reversing the ill effects of negative emotions on the body metabolism.
There are many more medicinal uses of Ashwagandha. Ashwagandha is good for bone health, body strength, depression, stress. It has excellent hepato-protective and neuroprotective properties. It helps to prevent constipation and boost the rate of overall metabolism.
Ashwagandha is one of the few Ayurvedic herbs that offer such wide-ranging benefits to the human body. It is good for almost each and every part of the body. Ashwagandha can be used as a health supplement, a preventive remedy and as well as a proper medicine. Besides, it causes no side effects even after a long-term usage. Therefore using Ashwagandha every day is a better health option than using unnatural chemical-based extracts of vitamins, minerals or proteins.
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