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As many are all too familiar, weight loss is a tricky game. There are many factors to take into account when trying to lose weight including one’s metabolism and the level of stress they are under. All of these factors can majorly impact weight loss making it seem like an uphill battle going nowhere. Fortunately, a certain herb has shown to help with all of these factors, helping one to not only achieve weight loss quicker and easier, but also to boost your overall health. Favoured by celebrities such as Jennifer Aniston and Gwyneth Paltrow, ashwagandha is the new buzzword when it comes to natural supplements to helping you lose weight. How?
Ashwagandha is a powerful herb and has numerous health benefits.
One of the main reasons it works so well with weight loss is that it’s said to help a person reduce their cravings for carbohydrates and sugary treats and also in reducing stress and anxiety.
When a person has high levels of stress, a hormone is increased known as cortisol.
Cortisol slows down a person’s metabolism making weight loss that much more difficult to achieve.
The adaptogenic activity of ashwagandha may have benefits for weight loss by supporting your diet and exercise programme.
According to Life Extension Magazine, scientists theorise that many of ashwagandha’s health-boosting properties comes from the antioxidant steroidal alkaloids and lactones, principally the withanolides.
Ashwagandha may fight stress and aid weight loss by acting as a natural adaptogen in the body, fighting disease and decreasing levels of stress hormones.
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In a study published in the US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health, body weight management in adults under chronic stress through treatment with ashwagandha root extract was investigated.
The study said: “Ashwagandha is a well-known adaptogen and known for reducing stress and anxiety in humans.
“A total of 52 subjects under chronic stress received either Ashwagandha (300 mg) or placebo twice daily.
“Each subject was assessed at the start and at four and eight weeks.
“The treatment with Ashwagandha resulted in significant improvements in primary and secondary measures. Also, the extract was found to be safe and tolerable.
“The outcome of this study suggests that Ashwagandha root extract can be used for body weight management in adults under chronic stress.”
How it works
Adaptogens fight the physiological effects of stress in the body.
When a person undergoes a new diet and increases their workouts this can place a lot of stress on the body, leading to plateaus in progress or even possibly injury.
Training and/or dieting for too long without down-shifting for recovery can cause symptoms of over-training, such as muscle loss, decreased energy, weakened immune function and decreased metabolic rate.
Ashwagandha’s adaptogen properties counteracts this process helping to reduce stress on the body and allowing weight loss to occur naturally.
We are all well aware of stress, however many are unaware of cortisol and its impact on weight loss.
Cortisol not only acts as a stress hormone in the body, it can also make a person fat.
Having high levels of cortisol promote diseases like obesity, heart disease and diabetes.
Ashwagandha can naturally lower cortisol levels by up to 26 percent aiding in weight loss.
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