I have recently discovered the powers of ashwagandha, an Ayurvedic herbal supplement, firsthand. As an adaptogen, it has the ability to assist the body to counteract physical and mental effects of stress. Strong evidence suggests ashwagandha can help notably decrease anxiety (especially related to chronic stress) while also relieving insomnia (whoa, where have you been all my life?!). One of its main mechanisms of action is reducing cortisol. Other notable benefits, particularly for women with PCOS, include its anti-inflammatory effects (research demonstrates a reduction in C-reactive protein) and its ability to reduce total cholesterol and blood glucose levels (minorly).
Important: Some people should take caution when using herbs such as ashwagandha, so always confirm with your healthcare provider.
Another mood-boosting, anti-inflammatory herb in this soothing elixir is turmeric. If you have seen my golden milk recipe you’ll know why I am a huge fan of this beautiful yellow spice. Check out my article for information on turmeric’s many health benefits. PS. the addition of black pepper is important to enhance turmeric’s bioavailability.
When I drink this elixir before bed I find that my sleep is less disrupted and I wake up more easily in the morning. What have you experienced when taking ashwagandha?
Ingredients:
- 1 tsp turmeric root
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ashwagandha
- 1 tsp coconut oil
- 1 cup nut milk
- pinch of black pepper
How to:
1. Heat nut milk (or water) on medium heat with the turmeric root for 2-3 minutes.
2. Turn heat down to low and let simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Whisk in remaining ingredients and drink immediately.
This post was sponsored by Finlandia Pharmacy & Natural Health Centre. I do not receive affiliate commissions on products purchased from Finlandia Pharmacy & Natural Health Centre online or at their location in Vancouver, B.C.
Disclaimer: The information is not intended as medical advice. Nutritional and supplemental choices should always be made in consultation with your current healthcare provider. This blog is intended to inspire and encourage readers to educate themselves on how nutrition and lifestyle are important and often overlooked aspects of health. Therefore, please use the information at your own risk. Occasional links may be provided leading to third-party websites. The existence of these links does not infer a responsibility or an endorsement of the linked site, its operator, or its contents.
I used to work managing a medicinal herb garden here in Florida, and we had ashwagondha growing as part of the collection. I didn’ t know then it had cortisol lowering properties, interesting!
Ooh how interesting. I’ve never seen it growing so I’d be interested in learning more about that.
Holy crap- why have I never heard of this? I wonder if you can take this just as an herb as well? Would be interesting to try… I have tried so many herbs and actual medications and nothing has noticeably helped. I will definitely look into this- thank you for sharing!
Haha, that was my reaction too! And yes! You can take it as a herb in several different forms. Definitely look into the dosage! ?
What an awesome idea! Definitely pinning this to my mental health and food boards on Pinterest!
Nice! I hope you enjoy the flavor and health benefits ?
Thank you for haring this! I have never heard of ashwagandha, I will be looking it up to learn more!
Wonderful! It makes me very happy to hear that I’m sharing new information!
Great blog! Never heard of Ashwagandha, but now I know. Very informative. Thanks for sharing ♥️ ♥️ By any chance you are interested on doing collaborations, you can connect with amazing brands and fellow bloggers through the influencer directory of Phlanx.com!
Xoxo,
Tiffany
Thanks for the offer! Glad you learned something from my post. Take care ?
Great post…..