College of Ayurvedic Diet & Digestion

College of Ayurvedic Diet & Digestion

 

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Experiment With Ashwagandha

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This fall, experiment with ashwagandha to feel calm, steady, and stable. This season of transition from the hot summer into cold winter brings about big changes in both your world and your body. It can be very stressful on your system. If you notice a little bit of anxiety creeping into your mind as you move into fall, or find it difficult to sleep, ashwagandha can keep you steady, energized, and stress free.

Feel Energized yet Calm

Does fall have you feeling fatigued and frazzled? Ashwagandha means "strength of a horse," suggesting its ability to make you feel strong, sturdy, and focused when you are feeling tired in the middle of the day. It won't, however, make you feel jittery or anxious like a cup of coffee. Ashwagandha is a tonic for drained adrenals, replenishing your storehouse of energy so you can be productive, alert, and clear up your mind.

Helps you Sleep

Ashwagandha is the perfect herb for fall insomnia because of its sleep-inducing qualities. Grounding and soothing to your nervous system, it relaxes your body and mind so you can drift easily into sleep, even while winds whip quickly outside and thoughts turn over and over in your mind. Thanks the repair and rejuvenating abilities of ashwagandha, your sleep will become more beneficial so you wake up fresh and strong.

Soothes Sore Muscles

The introduction of cold weather causes your muscles to tighten up and maybe even become sore. Ashwagandha nourishes your muscles so they stay loose and flexible. A little dose of Ashwagandha in your life can help keep your muscles comfortable and pain-free, especially when things start feeling tight and sore.

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Heavy

HEAVY

Heavy is identified by sedation, sluggishness, or increased weight.

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Hot

HOT

Hot is identified by increased body temperature, metabolism, or inflammation.

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Oily

OILY

In Ayurveda, oily refers to anything moistening. More specifically, oily refers to building substances that increases fat, or are themselves fatty. For example, sugar is Oily.

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Astringent

ASTRINGENT

Astringency is characterized by constriction, drawing together, or drying.

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Bitter

BITTER

Bitter taste has cholagogue action - it is cold, clear, light, and stimulating. It increases digestive enzymes and is laxative, and drying.

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Ojas

OJAS

Ojas is the essence of healthy tissue, immunity, stable energy and happiness. Substances that improve ojas are recommended after long-term illness, debility, emotional and physical trauma, and even sadness.

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Tamasic

TAMASIC

Tamasic foods promote rest, sleepiness and stillness. Examples include wheat, mushrooms.

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Anti Aging

ANTI-AGING

Geriatric conditions typically involve low agni / metabolism, poor circulation, weakness & debility, muscle weakening, poor digestion, a drop in sex hormones, and connective tissue degradation in bones & skin.

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Bone Joint
Energy Vitality

ENERGY-VITALITY

Includes vitality improving foods, herbs, and exercises by dosha.

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Male Health
Mind Stress Sleep
Reproductive Health
Boosts Gaba

BOOSTS-GABA

GABA, or gamma-aminobutyric acid, reduces nerve excitability. It is the body's primary inhibitory neurotransmitter. Thus, it promotes relaxation, calm, and sleep.

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Progesteronic

PROGESTERONIC

Progeserone is the pregnancy hormone. It raises body temperature (Pitta), and suppresses menstruation. It is generally more extroverted.

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Testosteronic

TESTOSTERONIC

Androgenic. Stimulates testosterone.

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Abortifacient

ABORTIFACIENT

An abortifacient is a substance that induces abortion. These herbs are contraindicated in pregnancy.

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Ace Inhibitor

ACE-INHIBITOR

Used to lower blood pressure. Promotes diuresis by inhibiting angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE).

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Adaptogen

ADAPTOGEN

Herbs that promote stabilization of physiological processes and homeostasis. Adaptogens increase the body's ability to resist the damaging effects of stress and promote or restore normal physiological functioning.

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Adrenal Tonic

ADRENAL-TONIC

Strengthens, supports, or increases output of adrenals.

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Alterative

ALTERATIVE

Restores the proper function of the body by cleansing the blood and balancing blood chemistry. In Ayurveda terms, they pacify Pitta in rakta. They were traditionally used to revitalize and detoxify after a long winter.

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Analgesic

ANALGESIC

Pain reliever, reduces pain without eliminating sensation. Also known as anodyne.

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Anti Inflammatory

ANTI-INFLAMMATORY

Reduces inflammation in the body. Different herbs and carriers target different body systems.

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Anticarcinogenic

ANTICARCINOGENIC

Herbs that inhibit or prevent the activity of a carcinogen or the development of cancer.

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Antidepressant

ANTIDEPRESSANT

Herbs that lift feelings of depression, benefit the mind and improve mental function.

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Antioxidant

ANTIOXIDANT

An antioxidant is a molecule that inhibits oxidation. Oxidation is a chemical reaction that can produce free radicals that lead to a chain reaction causing damage or death to cells. Antioxidants terminate these oxidation reactions.

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Antipyretic

ANTIPYRETIC

Reduces a fever / febrifuge.

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Antirheumatic

ANTIRHEUMATIC

Antirheumatic herbs help to ease and prevent arthritis and rheumatism. Many are also anti-inflammatory, analgesic, detoxicants and blood thinners. Antirheumatic herbs deal with problems involving the painful, stiff, swollen joints, and fatigue.

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Antispasmodic

ANTISPASMODIC

Herbs that reduce or inhibit muscle spasms or cramping, such as in asthma, menstruation, hear palpitations, migraine, or IBS.

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Anxiolytic

ANXIOLYTIC

Herbs that help people suffering from anxiety or panic. They promote a state of calm and often improve sleep. Most anxiolytic herbs are also nervines.

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Aphrodisiac

APHRODISIAC

Herbs that increase sexual arousal through various actions including increased circulation, relaxation, stimulation, or tonics that strengthen glandular health.

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Blood Tonic

BLOOD-TONIC

An herb that produces more blood cells in the body, or otherwise improves blood cell quality or hemoglobin content. Helpful for anemia and other types of deficiency.

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Bone Tonic

BONE-TONIC

An herb that strengthens the bones and joints.

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Brain Tonic

BRAIN-TONIC

An herb that strengthens the brain and thereby enhances memory or other cognitive functions and improves mental stamina or stability.

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Builds Semen

BUILDS-SEMEN

Herbs that increase the production of semen, often by rebuilding fluids in general.

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Galactagogue

GALACTAGOGUE

Increases production of breast milk, often by raising prolactin and diaphoresis.

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Immune Calming

IMMUNE-CALMING

Herbs that interrupt an allergic reaction or calm the immune system, useful in allergies and autoimmune conditions.

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Immune System
Mast Cell Stabilizer
Muscle Tonic

MUSCLE-TONIC

Herbs that strengthen and tone muscle tissue. Helpful for people recovering from long term illness and debility, or after a sprain.

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Nerve Growth Tonic

NERVE-GROWTH-TONIC

Stimulate neurite / axon growth, promotes regeneration.

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Nervine

NERVINE

Balances the nervous system. They can help with stress, memory, early alzheimer's, and even chronic pain. Often they are aromatic in nature.

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Neuroprotective

NEUROPROTECTIVE

Repairs / restores damaged nerves. Protects nerve health.

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Nutritive

NUTRITIVE

An herb that is strengthening and nourishing.

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Promotes Virility

PROMOTES-VIRILITY

Encourages virility and potency.

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Sedative

SEDATIVE

Sedative herbs create a sense of calm in the mind and body by specifically calming or quieting the nervous system. Excellent for anxiety, stress and chronic pain.

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Tonic

TONIC

A tonic herb restores function through strengthening tissue. This can happen through a combination of nourishing the tissue, and invigorating tissue metabolism. The tonic should not be withering, as in caffeine.

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Urinary Tonic

URINARY-TONIC

An herb that tonifies and strengthens the urinary system. These can be helpful for urinary incontinence or improving function after a urinary tract infection. They can also strengthen the bladder to ward off a urinary tract infection.

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Uterine Tonic

UTERINE-TONIC

An herb that tonifies and strengthens the uterus. Helpful for menstrual difficulties and fertility. Often herbs that increase ojas, but also circulation to reproductive system.

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Vulnerary

VULNERARY

An herb used for the treatment of wounds (antiulcer, connective tissue tonic).

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Builds stamina

BUILDS-STAMINA

Promotes strength, endurance and resistance in the body. Rebuilds weak tissues after a time of depletion.

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Diuretic

DIURETIC

Herbs that promote urine formation, thereby flushing the kidneys and urinary tract while eliminating any excess water retention. As diuretics reduce water retention, they are often used to reduce blood pressure.

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Muscle relaxant

MUSCLE-RELAXANT

Herbs that relax muscles. Helpful for chronic pain or tension as well as healing from physical trauma.

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Nerve relaxant grounding

NERVE-RELAXANT-GROUNDING

Encourages feelings of stability and heaviness. Makes you feel settled, mentally relaxed. Mildly sedates the nervous system to ease stress. Can bring a spacey or anxious person back to earth. Reduces agitation, irritation, stress and racing thoughts.

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Relieves tension

RELIEVES-TENSION

An herb that releases tightness, constriction, and rigidity in a muscle.

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Strengthens resolve

STRENGTHENS-RESOLVE

Increases determination and courage by reducing stress and building strength.

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Tonifies Qi

TONIFIES-QI

Increases vitality. Stimulates increased function. Typically by regulating adrenal function.

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About the Author

John Immel, the founder of Joyful Belly, teaches people how to have a healthy diet and lifestyle with Ayurveda. His approach to Ayurveda is clinical, yet exudes an ease which many find enjoyable and insightful. John also directs the Joyful Belly College of Ayurveda, offering professional clinical training in Ayurveda for over 15 years.

John's hobbies & specialties include advanced digestive disorders, medieval Catholic philosophy, & botany. He holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Harvard University. His wife and family of 7 kids live in Asheville, NC.

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