Ashwagandha has had a big year. Ever since this powerful supplement made waves on the wellness side of TikTok, it’s been a highly sought-after herb for its healing benefits. With stress levels at an all-time high, it’s nice to know that there’s a supplement that helps soothe our minds and put our anxieties at ease.
If ashwagandha is new to you, you may be curious about what it is and the benefits it can provide your body and mind. Look no further because we’re breaking down all the facts you need to know about this powerful super herb.
What is Ashwagandha?
Herbal adaptogen Ayurvedic medicine, otherwise known as ashwagandha.
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Ashwagandha, scientifically known as Withania somnifera, is a popular herb in traditional Ayurvedic medicine, which is one of the world's oldest holistic healing systems and is commonly referred to as Indian ginseng or winter cherry.
Ashwagandha has a long history of use in traditional medicine for various purposes, including promoting vitality, longevity, and overall well-being. It is classified as an adaptogen, which means it may help the body adapt to stress and maintain balance.
The Health Benefits of Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha Benefits: Stress and Anxiety Reduction
One of the most well-known benefits of ashwagandha is its potential to reduce stress and anxiety. Because it is considered an adaptogen, it may help the body adapt to and manage stress. Studies suggest that ashwagandha may lower cortisol levels, a hormone released in response to stress.
Improves Mood and Mental Well-Being
Ashwagandha is believed to have mood-stabilizing properties. Some research indicates that it may help alleviate symptoms of depression and improve overall mental well-being. It is thought to influence neurotransmitters in the brain, such as serotonin, which play a role in mood regulation.
Enhanced Cognitive Function
There is evidence to suggest that ashwagandha may support cognitive function and memory. Some studies indicate that it may have a neuroprotective effect, helping to safeguard the brain from oxidative stress and inflammation.
Ashwagandha is believed to have mood-stabilizing properties and is believed to play a role in mood regulation.
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Ashwagandha Benefits: Improves Quality of Sleep
According to Health.com, studies have shown that taking ashwagandha may help people sleep better. In a study involving 29 individuals with insomnia, those who took 300 mg of ashwagandha twice daily exhibited significant improvements compared to a placebo group of 19 individuals. The group taking ashwagandha experienced faster sleep onset, spent more time asleep while in bed, and reported better overall sleep quality.
Ashwagandha Benefits: Anti-Inflammatory Effects
Ashwagandha has been studied for its potential anti-inflammatory properties. Chronic inflammation is associated with various health conditions, and Ashwagandha may help modulate the immune system's response, potentially reducing inflammation in the body.
How To Take Ashwagandha
The upside to trying ashwagandha is that it comes in a variety of different forms to fit your needs — from supplements and capsules to powders and liquid extracts.
While Ashwagandha is generally considered safe for most people when used as directed, it's always a good idea to consult with a healthcare professional before adding any new supplement to your routine, especially if you have underlying health conditions, are pregnant, breastfeeding, or are taking medications.
According to experts, a 300-milligram dose of ashwagandha is a safe place to start; any larger doses could potentially lead to side effects like vomiting and diarrhea. To maximize the balancing effects of ashwagandha, it is suggested to take smaller doses in the morning, on an empty stomach.
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While speaking to xoNecole, Eva shares that she’s a lot like the beloved 1994 character in many ways. “Lyric is so me. She's the odd flower. A flower nonetheless, but definitely not a peony,” she tells us.
“She's not the average flower you see presented, and so she reminds me of myself. I'm a sunflower, beautiful, but different. And what I loved about her character then, and even more so now, is that she was very sure of herself.
"Sure of what she wanted in life and okay to sacrifice her moments right now, to get what she knew she deserved later. And that is me. I'm not an instant gratification kind of a person. I am a long game. I'm not a sprinter, I'm a marathon.
America first fell in love with Eva when she graced our screens on cycle 3 of America’s Next Top Model in 2004, which she emerged as the winner. Since then, she's ventured into different avenues, from acting on various TV series like House of Payne to starring on Real Housewives of Atlanta.
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Eva praises her castmates and the play’s producer, Je’Caryous for her positive experience. “You know what? Je’Caryous fuels my audacity car daily, ‘cause I consider myself an extremely audacious woman, and I believe in what I know, even if no one else knows it, because God gave it to me. So I know what I know. That is who Je’Caryous is.”
But the mom of three isn’t the only one in the family who enjoys acting. Eva reveals her daughter Marley has also caught the acting bug.
“It is the most adorable thing you can ever see. She’s got a part in her school play. She's in her chorus, and she loves it,” she says. “I don't know if she loves it, because it's like, mommy does it, so maybe I should do it, but there is something about her.”
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"Whatever dream you've accomplished, make a new dream, but continue to reach for the stars. Continue to reach for what is beyond what people say we can do, especially as [a] Black collective but especially as Black women. When it comes to us and who we are and what we accept and what we're worth, it's not about having seen it before. It's about knowing that I deserve it.”
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
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Fortunately, five simple words have simplified my dating process and ushered in clarity faster: “Would my husband do this?”
A couple of years ago, I met an entertainment lawyer who was tonguing down a twenty-something-year-old woman for breakfast while I slurped my green smoothie and chomped on a flatbread sandwich. Okay, Black love, I grinned and thought as I sauntered out of the Joe & The Juice. As soon as I stepped down from the front door, a torrential downpour of Miami summer rain cascaded and throttled me back inside to wait out the storm.
I grabbed a hot green tea and vacillated between peering out the wet door and anxiously checking my watch. My lengthy agenda started with attending the Tabitha Brown and Chance Brown’s “Black Love” panel, and I was already late. That’s when the lawyer introduced himself to me, after he made a joke about neither one of us wanting to get soaked by the rain. His female companion had braved the storm, leaving us to find our commonalities.
We both lived in L.A. and had traveled to the American Black Film Festival to expand our network. He represented various artists, including entertainment writers, while I was working as a writer/creative producer in Hollywood.
While there is no shortage of internet advice on how to strategically meet a prominent man at conferences, if I spend my hard-earned funds on career growth, I have tunnel vision, and that doesn’t include finding Mr. Right. So, I stowed his contact details away as strictly professional.
Keep It Cute Love And Hip Hop GIFGiphyAs the humidity and mosquitoes were rising around L.A., two months later, another suitor-turned-terrible match cooled off after three unimpressive dates and a bevy of red flags. I posted what some of my friends called a thirst trap, but it was really me wearing a black freakum jumpsuit with a plunging neckline to my friend’s 35th birthday soiree despite feeling oh, so unsexy and bloated on my cycle.
I’d been waiting to post a sassy caption and finally had the perfect picture to match: “You not asking for too much, you just asking the wrong MF.”
That’s when the entertainment lawyer swooped into my DMs and asked me to dinner. I was quite confused. Is he asking me on a date? Or is this professional? Common sense would’ve picked the former. Once it clicked that this would in fact be a date, I told my mentor, who’s been happily married for over twenty years and has often been a guiding light and has steered me away from the wrong men.
Upon telling him about how we met, he emphatically stated, “He ain’t it.” He followed up with a simple question, "You have to ask yourself: Would my husband do this? Would you tell others that you met your husband, tonguing down another woman, and later married him?"
Aint It No Way GIF by UFCGiphyOuch. The thought-provoking question cleared any haze. Prior to going out with the lawyer, the first thing I inquired about was the woman.
“You saw that?” He said, taken aback that I’d witnessed his steamy PDA. Surely, anyone with two open eyes peeped him caressing her backside as he kissed her in the middle of the coffee shop.
He brushed her off as a casual someone he’d gone on a couple of dates with but had since stopped talking to. He said he hadn’t been in a serious relationship in over three years. Though I was still doubtful, dating in L.A. is treacherous and ephemeral. Making it past three months is considered a rarity.
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Break Up Friendship GIF by TLCGiphy“I’ll come to you,” he obliged. I liked that he had made me a priority by driving over 50 miles to see me. I also liked the effort he made to check in with me daily. But I still couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that he initiated on a professional pretense and then alley hooped through the back door on a romantic venture, which bombarded me with confusion.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my dating life, God is not the author of confusion; any man who brings confusion, rather than clarity, is simply not The One. It doesn’t matter how many boxes he checks–eventually, that confusion will manifest itself into bigger problems, in time.
After diving into deeper conversations on the phone, post our first dinner date, I quickly realized this man was indeed not The One for me. But I’m grateful for the valuable lesson I learned.
I don’t expect some unattainable fairytale of a husband; we all have our own flaws and conflict is inevitable, but after dating for two decades, through failure and success, I’ve realized that the person I ultimately marry must mirror the values I exert into the world. He must reciprocate kindness, patience, and respect. He must be quick to listen and slow to respond. He needs to be forgiving and trustworthy, practice healthy communication, and be a man of his word at the bare minimum.
If I’d had “Would my husband do this?” in my toolbox when I was dating and floundering in stagnant relationships, in my twenties, it would’ve saved me a lot of precious time. But now that I’m equipped with the reminder, it’s allowed me to ground myself in my non-negotiables and set/maintain the standard for the special person, I’ll one day say, “I do,” to.
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