Finding Balance with Ashwagandha

As we move into the Fall season you may notice yourself feeling a bit off balance. The shifting weather, the cooler temperatures, and the changing leaves, urge us to shift our focus to the subtle shifts of energy which may be occurring in our lives. The fall energy encourages us to let go of old patterns and energy which no longer serves us, and to turn inward to spend more time reflecting on our life path. This is a time to take care of "you", to nurture yourself, to meditate on your goals and the new directions you might like to take.

Ashwagandha herb is a wonderful herb to help you become more grounded and balanced, helping you to move through transitional times in your life. Ashwagandha is an adaptogen herb. Adaptogen herbs help your body adapt to stress, support energy production in the body, and support healthy immune system function. Adaptogen herbs also help support your nervous system during times of stress, offering a calming and balancing energy. To me the energy of Ashwagandha is both uplifting and grounding, making it a wonderful herb for creating mind-body balance.

Ashwagandha herb has a history of use in Ayurvedic medicine for 5000 years. It is a powerful herbal adaptogen which can help you to re-center your mind and body in the fall season. Adaptogen herbs help your body adapt to stress, reduce cortisol, increase energy and stamina, and help build a healthy immune system. Nature’s Sunshine’s Ashwagandha also contains the herbs Bacopa, Black pepper fruit, Schisandra, and Rhodiola extract. These herbs further support memory, cognitive function, anxiety and lifting moods. Together they create a harmonizing tonic to help balance energy and vitality. What a great combination of supporting herbs.

Creating balance and harmony in our life requires action on our part. Like the falling leaves from the trees, allow for a letting go of old to make way for transformation and growth. I encourage you to take some time to just “be with yourself” for some self-reflection. Consider reflecting on some of the following questions:

- What steps could I take to take better care of myself? What areas have I been neglecting in myself?

- What aspects of my life are just distractions, keeping me from spending time with my true self?

- What should I let go of? Are there areas in my life that have lost meaning and no longer excite me?

- What would light the flame of passion in my life? What brings me pleasure and a sense of purpose?

By taking some time to ask these questions and reflect on what surfaces, we learn to be more connected with our inner self. You don’t have to have answers to the questions right now, the answers will come to you as you continue a path of becoming heart centered again.

Harmony and Balance requires that we get a good night's rest and are able to let go of tension in the body. Kava Kava and Valerian are two herbs which support the nervous system's ability to relax. I love Nature's Sunshine's Time Released Valerian, it is a favorite formula of mine for a good nights sleep. valerian has the ability to help the body relax tense muscles, which helps you sink into a nice restful sleep. I often combine it with the herb Kava Kava which is a wonderful herb for quieting the busy mind and reducing feelings of anxiety. These herbs have a duel purpose, you can take them during the daytime to help support relaxation during stress and they will keep you balanced, without any excessive sleepiness. Of course everyone is affected differently by herbs, so you may need to play around with them to find what combination and time of day works best for you.

Disclaimer: Supplement recommendations are not designed to treat a disease condition. Discussions are for educational purposes only. Supplements should be used to nourish and strengthen the natural function of the various body organs and systems so that they will have a greater capacity to heal themselves. It is not intended to replace your doctor's recommendations. check with your doctor before combining herbs with medications.

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Photos by Valerie Greguire, all rights reserved