Ashwagandha: The Super Herb for Stress, Anxiety, and Depression

ashwagandha for stress, anxiety, depression, colorado natural medicine and acupuncture, 80104

Do you ever wonder if there are “super herbs” like there are “super foods”?

Well, if we could name one, it would be Ashwagandha!

This Ayurvedic herb from east Asia can do so much for us that it’s a wonder that we don’t all take it to combat daily stressors in our western culture. With stress being one of the major factors in so many diseases and conditions, this herb may be the one new thing you want to add to your daily regimen.

 

What is Ashwagandha?
You’ve probably heard it’s name or read about it in a health food store or magazine. It’s an adaptogen herb that has been used for thousands of years in traditional medicine in India and is now catching on in our western society.

This herb is a plant that grows in east Asia in which the root is ground up and produced into pills, powders, and teas. It can be taken on it’s own, or used in a synergistic way with other adaptogen herbs for full effect.

Adaptogen herbs are simply a variety of herbs that support the body and mind in coping with stress. Sound like you need to try some?!

You're not alone! We encourage many of our clients to take adaptogen herbs, including Ashwangandha.

Why? Here are 5 ways it can help you!

1.  It helps the body and mind manage stress.
When stress comes on, the body releases cortisol to cope with it. Stress signals are sent to the brain and the body morphs into high alert. Ashwagandha can reduce cortisol levels when we get stressed and blocks stress pathways to the brain.

This results in a much calmer emotional and physical reaction to stress.

2. It helps fight anxiety and depression.
Because stress in our lives can lead to anxiety and depression, Ashwagandha can be a powerful way to treat these conditions.

We sometimes find that depression can be a symptom of exhaustion. When we feel burned out, our systems can feel fatigued and depressed. It may be easy to reach for an anti-depressant, but trying an adaptogen herb, such as Ashwagandha first, may be the perfect solution.

Once taking adaptogen herbs, including Ashwagandha, those dealing with anxiety and depression can see:

– improvement in mood

– regulated emotions

– better sleep

– more energy

– reduced feelings of stress

What’s more, is that we hear how clients become more adaptable to stress. In the past, many clients dealt with stress in an anxious, fearful, and upset way. When on adaptogens, including Ashwagandha, they tell us they are able process stress much more rationally and calmly.

It simply…takes the edge off!

3. It supports thyroid function.
Remember when we mentioned that stress creates cortisol? Well, too much cortisol can be detrimental to our thyroid.

ashwagandha, stress, thyroid, cortisol, Colorado Natural Medicine and Acupuncture

Too low of thyroid function can lead to disease or be a major contributing factor in developing illness or conditions.

Now, you may have had your thyroid tested through a lab to ensure you are within normal levels. But did you know that you can be within “normal functioning thyroid levels” without being within “optimal thyroid functioning levels”?

Normal TSH levels are 4.5. Optimal TSH levels are below 2.5.

Of course, it can be different for each person and some people function perfectly within normal range, but not optimal range. That’s ok! However, if you are still feeling stress and symptoms, it may be worth reaching for optimal levels.

In addition, optimal thyroid levels for Free T3 and Free T4 are on the mid-high range of normal.

4. It helps support adrenals.
You know that stress we’ve been talking about? Well, too much of it fatigues our adrenal glands.

We can either develop too little of cortisol being produced (feeling sluggish, fatigued, or depression) or too much (feeling wired, can’t relax, anxious).

For adrenal support, we recommend:

Adrenal Response® – a calming blend of herbs to help bring cortisol levels down

AdrenoMend™ – a slightly stimulating array of herbs to fight the feeling of fatigue

Overall, Ashwagandha can help regulate cortisol levels so the “fight or flight response” becomes more balanced.

5. It can support hormones.
Ashwagandha is known to increase testosterone hormones in the body which increases fertility and muscle mass.

This can be an added supplement to fertility treatments (if approved by doctors) and can help with the stress of the treatments and experience as a whole.

Ashwangadha and other adaptogen herbs can be a dynamic way to cope with stress in a natural and healthy way. This herb can be taken daily and for a lifetime. This is important to note considering the stress we are under in our western culture!

If you live in Castle Rock, Castle Pines, Lone Tree, Parker, Highlands Ranch, Centennial, Larkspur, Monument, Colorado Springs, or the greater Denver Metro area and have questions regarding Ashwagandha, adaptogen herbs, and where to purchase them, please don’t hesitate to contact our offices at (303) 688-6698.

It’s not just hype! Find out how herbs can help you live a calmer, more balanced, and well- rested life!

If you are searching for help in creating the most beneficial supplement regimen and live in Castle Rock, Castle Pines, Lone Tree, Highlands Ranch, Centennial, Parker, Monument, Larkspur, Colorado Springs, or the greater Denver Metro Area, please contact our offices for a free 15 minute consultation with Dr. Graves.

Don’t fear herbal supplements you may not know enough about. We’re here to help you learn and feel your best!

Posted in Anxiety, blog, Depression, Functional Medicine, Herbal Supplements, Natural Medicine, Natural Remedies, Stress & Adrenal Health Tagged with: , , , ,

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

ten − 4 =