Ashwagandha: fighting health imbalances (part 1)

Ashwagandha is an Ayurvedic herb root, with powerful medicinal properties, that has been in the spotlight for a couple of years already. It is also known as Indian ginseng or Winter cherry too. I’ve only heard of it some months ago, not sure where (but for sure on youtube or Instagram stories), and decided to explore a bit more. Although there’s still some lack of in-depth studies (as usually happens with all alternative medicines treatments and supplements), I was convinced by what I had read so far. For the ones curious about its benefits and uses, I suggest that you read some other articles that explain it in more depth that I’ll do. Nevertheless, Ashwagandha may help to balance our immune system and boost our energy levels or testosterone, while fighting inflammation, stress, anxiety, fatigue, and having a tranquillizing effect. There are some sources that also suggest that it can be beneficial for people suffering from arthritis, diabetes and thyroid imbalances.

You’ll find endless articles or videos online. These are just a tiny sample:
– https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/integrative-medicine/herbs/ashwagandha
– https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/318407.php
– https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/12-proven-ashwagandha-benefits#section7
– https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_41gWkUJypc
– https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJCtO7JG0L8

It’s not recommended for people that are already taking other sedative medicines nor pregnant women, and you need to be careful with potential side-effects (e.g. nausea, skin sensitivity, intestinal or stomach inflammation, etc.) as there’s always a chance that some people are negatively affected by it. If that happens, you should always stop taking it and see a doctor. Also, please bear in mind I’m not suggesting nor recommending you to try it, but I’m only talking about my own reasons and experiences, and be careful with the source from where you buy it, ensuring the product is handled with care and it’s not contaminated.

So, I start thinking… what would be the harm when comparing to a lot of chemicals and antibiotics we have been forced to take with our food so far? Worst case scenario, I would waste some money trying it out for 3 or 4 months (they say there’s a 3-month period until you start noticing the real effects) and nothing would change and I would be back to where I was before. So, as I like to try new things and decide for myself, I decided to give it a try and order some Ashwagandha powder.

I’m not a fan of pills, to be honest, I always feel they will irritate the stomach for no reason and that they are less natural than just taking some liquid or powder. Thus, I looked for powder options. One important thing was to find an organic option too. After finding a couple of options, I found one that was fairly priced and available in Canada, so I decided to read some reviews for the exact products in Well.ca and Amazon (click on the link to go directly to the product), just to be sure that the one I was ordering didn’t have critical negative reviews and that the taste would not be that bad. Why would I be buying something natural if then the herb had grown with unnatural things?

So, then I ordered some goodies from Well.ca, including the powder from Organic Traditions:

One thing I have to warn you is that the taste and texture are not that appealing, so I’m still trying to figure out the best ways for me to have it, as some of my attempts were a failure so far. Also, I’ve been taking it in my breakfast or afternoon snacks but I’ve also heard that it may be better to take at night if the main issue we’re fighting against is sleeping disorders. I will probably start taking half of it in the morning and half of it after dinner.

I will soon share a Youtube video and some more photos with some of my attempts on how to take it without disrupting my routine too much. So far, here are some ideas I’ve tried before writing this post:

1 – Blended with my Caf-lib (or coffee for the ones drinking it): It does not dissolve well and you still get a bit of its taste. I only do it if I don’t have anything else where it would be better to dissolve it. I assume this will happen with a lot of beverages and I’m not sure if getting it warmer will decrease its power.

2 – Blended with some fresh fruit juice: As with the Caf-lib, it didn’t dissolve that well when I put it right at the beginning, before adding the fruits, and I wasted a big part of it, as it was stuck on the bottom of the blender. If adding it only at the end it works actually! Still, this is not my favourite way too as I don’t drink fruit juices nor smoothies every day, and I think that it does not dissolve well on some juices depending on their thickness and blender ability.

3 – Blended with healthy spreads (e.g. peanut butter, hazelnut and chocolate butter, fruit jam, honey, maple syrup, etc.): it works wonderfully as you don’t feel the taste nor the texture of it, and you can use it on top of your bread, toasts, pancakes, fruit, etc. without cooking it.

4 – Blended with yoghurt: I’d give it 5/10 because you don’t feel the texture but depending on the yoghurt flavour intensity, you may still taste a bit of it. My trick is always to add some overwhelming flavour (e.g. maple syrup or coconut sugar) and then some fruit and/or granola too to disguise it.

5 – Mixed with proper lunch or dinner, for instance with saautéed vegetables, soup or tomato sauce: depending on the food flavours’ intensity, it can work well but, once again, I’m still avoiding having it with warm/hot food.

I guess that there may exist other ways to have it, but it’s important that you don’t change a routine that works just to introduce a supplement. If I would have to change my breakfasts, just to be able to have it, I would probably fail on my attempt to take it for the minimum recommended time to see effects (3 months).

I’ll now try to have it every day for the next 3 or 4 months and then I’ll be back to tell you about my experience and whether I’ll continue using it or not. I think an honest review will only be possible after that.

Leave your comments below and let me know if you’re trying it too. If so, share your ideas on how to take it without feeling the bad taste of it 🙂

What do you think about Ashwagandha?

I hope to see you soon,
Andreia

Note: This article is not sponsored but has affiliate links. My view is based solely on my experience so far. If you are curious about all green and natural products available at Well.ca, have a look with my affiliate link.