Looking for a natural way to handle stress? Ashwagandha is your herb! It has been used for centuries to promote mental and physical health. With holidays right around the corner, look to this energy-restoring herb to help support both mental and physical health.

Its Latin name is Withania somnifera, but ashwagandha is also known as Indian ginseng or winter cherry, and is part of the nightshade family. Taken from the root, ashwagandha has been used for centuries in the traditional Indian medical practice known as Ayurveda.

Combating Stress

An adaptogen, ashwagandha acts as a stress reliever and balancer. Adaptogens are known to increase the body’s resistance to stress and exert a positive effect on the various systems, including immune, nervous and cardiovascular function.

Immune & Adrenal Support

The holiday season is known for increasing stress levels and time spent with large groups of people, both contributors that can lead to the unfortunate side effect of sickness. That’s why it’s important that your immune system be at its best!

Ashwagandha is particularly helpful in lowering your stress levels and helping balance your immune system by supporting the body’s ability to fight off stress and sickness. When your body is in balance, your adrenals can respond more effectively to create a healthier stress response to a hectic holiday season.

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Did you know?

The Sanskrit word ashwagandha is a combination of ashva, meaning horse, and gandha, meaning smell, and refers to the strong smell of the plant’s root.

Colorful, tasty and beneficial for the body, the European elder tree is native to Europe and parts of Asia and Africa. The flowers are white with green berries that turn red, then black when fully ripe. Both berries and flowers have been used in folk medicine for centuries to treat digestive disorders, influenza, colds, sinusitis and other allergy symptoms.

A Concentrated Antioxidant

Elderberries are a concentrated source of two antioxidants: quercetin and anthocyanin. These powerful antioxidants enhance the body’s immune response by increasing the production of cytokines. Cytokines are the immune system’s messengers, helping to regulate the body’s response to disease, inflammation and infection. The high antioxidant capacity in elderberries neutralizes harmful free radicals and protects the body against illness and disease.

Excellent Source of Vitamins A and C

Elderberries are also an excellent source of vitamins A and C. Vitamin C is a strong antioxidant, which is part of what makes it a great addition to your wellness routine. Vitamin A helps with the formation of white blood cells essential to your body’s defense against illness. Together, they make an outstanding one-two punch to assist in warding off those pesky bugs that make the rounds this season.

Enhancing Immunity Quickens Recovery

Elderberry’s high antioxidants, as well as its high content of vitamins A and C are compelling reasons to try elderberry next time you feel you might be fighting a bug.

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Did you know?

Elderberry significantly more antioxidant capacity than either blueberries or cranberries.

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ⁱ Eur Cytokine Netw. 2001 Apr-Jun;12 (2):290-6.