Welcome to the society of stress
We live in stressful times. Over 80% of people declare suffering from work-related stress, over 33% report feeling continuously anxious or nervous. Over half of the population states they have problems with falling asleep, or suffer from low sleep quality.
But that is ok – we say. Our body is designed to cope with stress. As a part of the natural "fight-or-flight" survival mechanism, it produces stress hormones, quickening heartbeat and tensing muscles. It gets ready to fight. It will help us,
Unfortunately, our body can also over-react, activating its most powerful survival mechanisms in response to not life-threatening situations. Traffic jams, media news, work pressures, fully-booked cinema. Over years, we end up suffering from chronic stress – often undiagnosed, yet slowly taking a toll on the body. Extensive research suggests that chronic stress contributes to high blood pressure, promotes artery-clogging deposits, and causes brain changes contributing to anxiety, depression and addiction.
The reaction of our body – the most appropriate in life-threatening situations – betrays us, leaving a significant physical and psychological impact.
The nature’s secret weapon
Many people try to manage stress in various ways – otc drugs, alcohol, sweet treats. And they usually work. For a short period of time. And so they continue, unknowing that it only worsens the situation.
But the nature has given us another, a much better way to help us cope with stress and regulate our body. It’s called Ashwagandha, and – although it has been known for thousands of years – it has only recently become popular in the west. This fantastic superherb holds the most prominent place in traditional Ayurveda medicine thanks to its unbelievable anti-anxiety, antidepressant and anti-inflammatory properties.
The power lies within
Ashwagandha herb includes a large number of active ingredients - the most important of them are called withanolides. Extensive research has shown that that these powerful ingredients directly affect the levels of the stress hormone in our blood – cortisol, making us feel much less stressed.
Moreover, Ashwagandha’s anxiolytic effects help keep hormonal fluctuations in check, preventing overstimulation – resulting in less anxiety.
Thus, not surprisingly, in a 2009 study published in PLOS One, ashwagandha was shown to be comparable to common pharmaceutical drugs lorazepam and imipramine, without the side effects. (Dr. Josh Axe, “11 Ashwagandha Benefits for the Brain, Thyroid & Even Muscles (!)”).
Not all that glitters is gold
Before you rush to the nearest store to buy Ashwagandha, keep in mind that not all Ashwagandha supplements are made equal. The properties of the herb can vary dramatically depending on where and how the plant was cultivated, and what type of process was followed from harvesting to encapsulation.
Fortunately, there are a few rules of thumb which you can follow in order to ensure that you get your money’s worth – a supplement which will allow you to benefit from all the great properties of ashwagandha, at the same time remaining safe and free from pollutants and unnecessary fillers.
As with most things, you need to be aware that the price does play a significant role here and can be used, to certain extent, as good yardstick. Although many manufacturers might be trying to entice you with very low prices – be careful. Taking Ashwagandha powder which was not properly tested and standardized might lead to disappointing results, or even be dangerous.
Make sure that you opt for organic Ashwagandha – which ensures that the manufacturer had to follow the strictest regulations. It should be produced from roots only - which ensures the most optimal spectrum of the active ingredients, as opposed to "root and leaves" production method, which - albeit much cheaper - yield a lower quality extract. Finally, remember to look for a supplement which includes also black pepper - to increase the bioavailability of the herb – so that it is well-absorbed by your body, rather than flushed out shortly after taking it.
Try it yourself
Among the many low-quality producers of Ashwagandha there are a few golden nuggets and – as long as you follow our little tips above – you should be able to spot them.
Answering the requests of many people, and to make everyone life’s easier, we decided to create Terra Labs Organic Ashwagandha. It is a result of many years of research and development, aimed at extracting the full potential of this superherb. Produced from roots only, using a highly proprietary process – to ensure you get the best quality. The way nature intended.
Realizing that these months are particularly stressful to many of our readers, we have launched a time-limited 30% discount. Click below to claim it and finally live a life without stress.