Ashwagandha spikes kapha during winters and is highly valued for its strengthening, building, and nourishing nature.
It's better to focus on proven strategies such as diet and exercise if weight loss is your goal. But if you're taking ashwagandha for another purpose, such as lowering anxiety, there isn't much evidence that ashwagandha will make you gain weight as a side effect.
Although ashwagandha is safe for most people, certain individuals shouldn't use it unless authorized to do so by their healthcare provider. Standardized root extract is commonly taken in 450–500-mg capsules once or twice per day.
The long-term safety of ashwagandha is not known. Large doses of ashwagandha might cause stomach upset, diarrhea, and vomiting. Rarely, liver problems might occur.
Symptoms of Kapha Imbalance
- The symptoms of a cold (i.e. cough, congestion, post nasal drip)
- Seasonal allergies.
- A heavy feeling in stomach.
- Sluggish digestion.
- Lack of appetite.
- Weight gain.
- Water retention, swelling and puffiness.
- Lethargy, depression, lack of motivation.
Kapha (pronounced “kuffaâ€) is based on earth and water. It can be described as steady, stable, heavy, slow, cold, and soft. Spring is known as kapha season, as many parts of the world slowly exit hibernation. People with this dosha are described as strong, thick-boned, and caring.
In another study in men, 600 mg of ashwagandha per day for eight weeks led to a 1.5–1.7 times larger increase in muscle strength and 1.6–2.3 times higher increase in muscle size, compared to a placebo ( 11 ). Similar effects were observed with 750–1,250 mg of ashwagandha per day taken for 30 days ( 7 ).
May irritate GI tractBut our gastrointestinal (GI) tracts can also get too much ashwagandha. Constipation and decreased appetite were side effects observed in one study (Chandrasekhar, 2012), and large amounts can even cause enough gastrointestinal distress to cause ulcers (not the same kind it helps prevent).
Check to see if your collagen complex or hair vitamin has Ashwagandha. Not only can it cause hair loss but it can grow facial hair on women.
Although there is no standard or recommended dosage of ashwagandha, there is a general consensus that a daily dose for root powder is between 1,000 mg and 6,000 mg. If taking an extract, the daily dose recommendation is between 500 mg and 1,500 mg.
High or low blood pressure: Ashwagandha might decrease blood pressure. This could cause blood pressure to go to low in people with low blood pressure; or interfere with medications used to treat high blood pressure.
Ashwagandha is an adaptogenic herb, which not only lowers your blood pressure but also reduces inflammation and stress. You can drink ashwagandha tea after lunch and dinner.
Turmeric and Ashwagandha might not sound like the most appealing combination, but you can sweeten the deal with other ingredients; as both these ingredients are highly medicinal.
FOODS TO BALANCE KAPHA:
- STAY AWAY FROM FOODS THAT INCREASE KAPHA: These are foods that are sour, salty, sweet, oily or very high in protein.
- FRUITS: pineapple, bananas, dates, generally very sweet and sour fruits.
- VEGETABLES: sweet and juicy varieties of vegetable, cucumbers, squash, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, courgettes.
Lemon helps to fight against common cold and flu. According to Ayurveda, cough is mainly due to an imbalance of the Kapha dosha. Lemon works on an aggravated Kapha due to its Ushna (hot) potency. It also boost the immune system if taken regularly.
Triphala is classified as a Tridoshic Rasayana which means its energetics are appropriate for all three Doshas (Vata, Pitta and Kapha) and also for all kinds of imbalance and disease.
For Kapha types, being thin or slender is not usually a healthy or realistic goal. It goes against the nature of Kapha dosha to ever be skinny, no matter how much exercise you do or what foods you eat or avoid. Kapha types must also ensure they are getting adequate sleep to prevent lethargy and fatigue.
Emotional Characteristics: Kaphas are naturally calm, thoughtful, caring and loving. They have an inherent ability to enjoy life and are comfortable with a routine. When in balance, Kaphas are strong, loyal, patient, steady, and supportive.
Kapha season — the depths of winter and the season of spring — is the time when our environment holds the coldest, heaviest, wettest qualities of the year as recognised by Ayurveda.
Ideally, the kapha diet should include foods that are warm, dry, rough, light and digestible. Choose freshly prepared homemade food that is frozen, stale or cold food. Take out time from your busy schedule to engage in exercising to ensure a faster metabolic rate, and efficient fat-burning.
According to the recommendations of the ayurveda practices, one needs to set their kapha daily routine by waking up between 3 am to 6 am, usually known as the “ambrosial hours†of the morning.
Individuals who are sick should consume only those foods on this list. Again, the Kapha dosha is related to coldness. Grains: Avoid grains that are exceptionally heavy, moist or dense (like wheat, flours, breads, cooked oats, and pastas) as much as possible, and eat smaller quantities of appropriate grains.
The root in combination with other drugs is prescribed for snake venom as well as in scorpion-sting. It also helps in leucorrhoea, boils, pimples, flatulent colic, worms and piles (Misra, 2004). The Nagori Ashwagandha is the supreme among all Ashwagandha varieties.
When used in conjunction with a healthy lifestyle, ashwagandha can begin to impact the body beneficially within two weeks. The quality of your ashwagandha supplement is what will make the biggest difference. A high-concentration, full-spectrum extract is required to make the biggest impact in your body.
Ashwagandha is an adaptogen, meaning that it supports the body's ability to withstand stress and anxiety. In Ayurveda, the Sanskrit term for adaptogen is rasayana. Rasayanas help replenish the tissues of the body and are recommended when one is feeling weak, debilitated, or low in ojas (strength and vigor).
Ashwagandha is an ancient medicinal herb with multiple health benefits. It can reduce anxiety and stress, help fight depression, boost fertility and testosterone in men, and even boost brain function. Supplementing with ashwagandha may be an easy and effective way to improve your health and quality of life.
A Word From Verywell. Ashwagandha is a medicinal herb with a number of health benefits, particularly for men. Taking a daily ashwagandha supplement can help boost testosterone and improve sperm count and motility.
Lin points out that research has shown that ashwagandha can help normalize cortisol levels, thus reducing the stress response. In addition, ashwagandha has also been associated with reduced inflammation, reduced cancer risks, improved memory, improved immune function and anti-aging properties.
Herbs for balancing pitta or a pitta imbalance
- Mint is a key herb for balancing pitta.
- Pungent, sweet and slightly bitter, coriander is a wonderful remedy for clearing irritating heat from the body and helps to clear the digestive tract.
How to take Ashwagandha Tablets?
- 1-2 Ashwagandha tablets can be consumed after meals 2-3 times a day.
- Ashwagandha Tablets can be taken with water.
- These Ashwagandha tablets can be taken during the day and at night, after meals.
Keys to Dosha Balance
- Get to bed before 10 PM.
- Maintain a regular daily routine (see Ideal Daily Routine)
- Follow a Vata-pacifying diet. Favor warm beverages. Food should be warm, freshly prepared and unctuous. Use liberal amounts of sesame oil.
- Practice Transcendental Mediation.
