Ashwagandha the ideal coffee upgrade
More and more products are appearing on the market that are supposed to improve your mood and help you develop your lifestyle. The question is always what works and what doesn't. You want to be the best you can be, and supplements can help with that. But which one should you choose? You first have to consider what you want to achieve. Do you want more energy or more peace? If you're looking for more peace and a stress-reducing effect, ashwagandha might be right for you.
What is it?
Ashwagandha is a plant species from Ayurveda. It literally means "the science of longevity." The plant grows primarily in India, Central and South Asia, and parts of Africa, and is not yet widely known in Western countries. It has beautiful purple or green flowers and a red fruit. It is an important herb in Ayurvedic medicine and has been used for thousands of years. It will therefore not be long before it becomes more widely known in Western countries as well.
What does it do?
What makes ashwagandha unique is that it's an adaptogen . Adaptogens offer many benefits for both physical and emotional well-being. They boost resistance and balance energy, the nervous system, and the immune system. They help you relax during physical stress, support energy levels and endurance, promote muscle growth, and contribute to good mental balance. Ashwagandha offers numerous physical and mental benefits and can assist and support you during exercise. All these benefits can also help improve fertility in both men and women. Because it helps you achieve physical and mental balance, you may experience less stress, which has a positive effect on fertility. Ashwagandha can also help lower blood pressure . However , be careful if you already have low blood pressure or are taking medication for high blood pressure. Always discuss this with your doctor before deciding to use the herb. Finally , scientific research has also shown that taking ashwagandha can lead to significant improvements in stress, body weight, and BMI. Research suggests that ashwagandha root extract can be used to manage body weight in adults. Furthermore, the extract has also been shown to be completely safe and tolerable .
What should you pay attention to?
Interested in trying Ashwagandha? Various supplements are available on the market, including tablets, capsules, and powder. While it's still an unfamiliar product for some, it's important to consider a few things when purchasing Ashwagandha as a supplement. It's best to choose an extract made solely from the roots of the plant. It's also important to take it later in the day for its calming effect . Taking it before bed is ideal, helping you fall asleep peacefully. At the end of the day, stress can be high, and your mind may be racing with thoughts of everything that happened or what you have to do the next day. Taking a product like Ashwagandha can help you relax after a stressful day.
Can you combine Ashwagandha with coffee?
Ashwaganda is ideal when combined with coffee. The caffeine in coffee boosts your energy and focus, but it also causes stress . You may have experienced this yourself, feeling clammy hands, a jittery, restless feeling, and perhaps even palpitations after drinking a cup of coffee or an energy drink.
So, when you combine caffeine with ashwagandha, this adaptogen will reduce stress. This gives you the energy you get from caffeine, but without the stressed-out feeling.
Want to learn more about other supplements? Read our blog about the Chaga Mushroom .
Sources
1 Choudhary D, Bhattacharyya S, Joshi K. 2017 Jan;22(1):96-106. doi : 10.1177/2156587216641830
