Use Of Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha is a terrific curative shrub that comes from India and is a part of the pepper family of plants. This shrub has been used in traditional Eastern remedies to enhance immune capabilities and to minimize the inflammation associated with arthritis. As well as being used directly as a remedy through the roots or dried seeds of the bush, in India it is also incorporated into food preparation. One popular use is when it is included with milk to thicken it.

Withanolide is the major compound in ashwagandha that gives it its remedial abilities. This natural chemical is recognized as steroidal and its effects closely mirror the remedial benefits of ginseng. This close comparison has earned the plant the label of Indian ginseng; other aliases are kanaje hindi, winter cherry and ajagandha. There are no identified drug interactions that happen when taking this natural treatment. Though extensive studies have not been carried out, this plant based treatment is considered safe for use by children, the elderly and pregnant women.

The flavonoids in the plant offer it antioxidant like properties, which gives it its immune boosting capabilities. The plant has been consumed for millennia to treat the memory deficiency that accompany old age. New studies by universities world wide have verified that the shrub both encourages the growth of and helps enhance the connections in the brain. Substantiation also exists that this bush helps combat cancer and stimulates the metabolism.

Ashwagandha improves the immune system, diminishes inflammation and studies are revealing that it promotes brain activities in animals. Common ways to take the plant are either via the dried powder of the roots, often in a pill form or via a tea-like brew. The tea is brewed by putting a chunk of the root in water and boiling it for fifteen minutes. Three glasses of the tea are recommended to get the total effectiveness from the plant.

The plant itself is a shrub that becomes about 5 and a half feet tall. It has orangish flowers and produces a berry like fruit. This bush grows wild in the areas of Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal. This plant is classified in the solanaceae, or nightshade, family of plants. This family of plants has played a considerable part in human history. Plants in the nightshade family all contain varying quantities of a toxin with some plants being lethal to humans while others, such as potatoes and tomatoes, are vastly popular eating vegetables.

By both improving wellbeing and preventing disease, ashwagandha is an all around great herbal remedy. It is very remarkable that its reputation has not taken hold in Western cultures like ginseng or gingko biloba have. Supplement forms of this plant can be found in some natural food stores though most people just order it online. In the U.S. it is offered in the form of pills, tinctures and teas. It is possible to plant one of these shrubs in your own yard as long as you don’t live in a region that is excessively rainy or gets cold enough to snow.