PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Tessa McKee is the manager at Wildish Botanicals, a Portland apothecary that makes all their supplements in-house.
McKee said ashwagandha, a plant native to India, is her go-to herb for nervous exhaustion.
“If you’re finding yourself needing to drink a lot of caffeine to get through the day and then that’s making you anxious, ashwagandha is a lot better because it does lower stress levels or cortisol in the body and also help your energy levels, too,” McKee said.
April is Stress Awareness Month, according to the National Institutes of Health. Around one-third of adults reported that stress is completely overwhelming most days — and more people are looking for more natural ways to cope with and handle their stress.
The root of ashwagandha is harvested, chopped up and used medicinally. It’s good for underactive thyroids. McKee said it’s extremely safe and the only person who should avoid ashwagandha, in her opinion, are those allergic to nightshade.
McKee told KOIN 6 News it’s been incredibly popular her entire time at the Hawthorne Street location. People appear to get better rest when they take it for a short time, perhaps 2-4 weeks to feel its full effects and know if it is right for them.
It’s a little bitter. It can be taken in powdered capsule form, as a tincture or in its raw state.
“I especially love giving ashwagandha to new parents because I find that sleep is a huge issue,” McKee said. “So exhaustion, anxiety but that really applies to most people with the average American lifestyle. A lot of us are pretty burned out.”