From its roots in Ayurvedic medicine, Ashwagandha has been a cherished adaptogenic herb for centuries, traditionally associated with strength, calm, and balance. While often consumed in various forms, fresh Ashwagandha offers a unique and holistic experience. In this article, we'll explore the advantages of fresh Ashwagandha.
đą Embracing the essence of freshness: The moment we harvest Ashwagandha, a remarkable effervescent odor fills the air, reflecting the vitality of the freshly-picked root. With a more yin quality than its dried counterpart, fresh ashwagandha provides a distinctive experience. At Portland Ashwagandha Farm, we strive to capture this vibrant essence by beginning the maceration process just after harvest. Our spagyric tinctures, which combine herbal extracts with the purified minerals of the plant, are crafted to embody "earth energy in a bottle."
đ§ Second is the consideration of bioavailability: Tinctures are often chosen for their perceived ability to offer a more direct route for absorption compared to pills, powders, capsules, or gummies. The liquid form of ashwagandha is thought to be more readily absorbed, which may contribute to its effectiveness. This might be a consideration for people with digestive issues or those who have difficulty swallowing pills. As pills can take time to absorb into the body, the spagyric tincture form is believed to provide a more immediate effect.
đ Third is the value of precise dosages: The liquid tinctures (with our calibrated droppers) offer a more accurate dosage than other forms of ashwagandha. With a liquid dropper, you can easily measure out the exact amount of ashwagandha you need, ensuring you're getting the proper dosage. This is particularly important as ashwagandha dosage can vary depending on the individual's needs and wellness goals. This also allows people the flexibility to modulate their Ashwagandha intake (for example, taking different amounts at different points in the day) in ways that they can't with pills and gummies.
Though we recommend taking these tinctures sublingually, by placing them under the tongue for faster absorption, they can just as well be added to other things. You can add the tincture to your nighttime tea, morning coffee, juice, pre-workout shake, or simply in some sparkling water.
Fresh ashwagandha in the tincture form is a popular choice for its benefits, such as ease of use and flexible dosing options. The freshness of the root also ensures that the unique effervescent odor and yin qualities are preserved, providing a more authentic and holistic experience. If you're looking to incorporate ashwagandha into your wellness routine, consider our Fresh Ashwagandha Spagyric Tincture.
]]>I personally love both of these for different reasons. The ashwagandha helps me relax at night and destress from the day. I have severe anxiety and have been visiting a cardiologist for this for the past few months. Once I started incorporating the heroâs blend in the morning before work, I noticed a huge difference in my blood pressure and high heart rate. Before I started using it, my BPM would be around 130-150 at peak... This has helped me immensely and how great that itâs natural!Â
My wife really enjoys the ashwagandha. She mentioned she used to drink alcohol every day after work due to her stressful job. Now she takes a dropper each night and doesnât feel the need or urge to drink anymore when stress comes on or after a stressful day. The heroâs blend also helps keep her at bay during the day and at ease during the work hours as well as energized!
Overall weâre just so happy to have found these tinctures and the company. Just wanted to make sure you knew that because I wish I couldâve known about you guys sooner! Hopefully more people are able to learn and experience the benefits that we do. :)
]]>Â
The last few years have been hell for my sleep life. After nearly 40 years of sleeping solidly, a divorce, political strife, fire evacuations, inflation, the pandemic, - the days of sleeping "soundly" were over. When my kids were young, I cherished naptime. Penny from UCLA's New Family Orientation had advised expecting parents to "sleep when the kids sleep". I did just that for a number of years when my daughter was young, but something changed when my son was born. I would just lay awake compiling lists, prioritizing tasks or worse, replaying some petty resentment. I would watch the kids sleep so serenely and think; "Damn, I wish I could sleep like that."Â
Winding down at the end of each day began requiring more and more time, sometimes I lay awake for an hour and a half before falling asleep. My work life can be hectic, this week for example, i'm working four 14 hour days in a row and getting to sleep quickly is everything. Unfortunately, many days I would only get four or five hours' sleep. I turned to a friend who has a history of insomnia for help. He cited a Harvard study and suggested cutting out coffee and tea six hours before laying down for bed to preserve quality REM sleep. That helped. But not much. Then came the new era of "sleeping light": the sound of the dishwasher switching cycles, squirrels on the roof, even the wind would wake me up. Then the nightmares began. These nightmares were like illuminated fears, stress from life that were worrying me in my waking hours, invading my already compromised sleep. The stress manifested in hellish nightmares, gruesome scenes that would startle me awake and leave me with a head full of analysis. Cumulatively, all of it began wearing me down. I have a small moving business and after a few consecutive nights like this I began looking forward to days of heavy labor. The more labor intensive the job, the better chance I had at a good night's sleep. At the end of some days, I would quarrel with my girlfriend about seemingly nothing, so agitated and demoralized. The lack of sleep was getting me down. My mental health went to hell.
Recently on a short trip to Portland, I was introduced to Ashwagandha. It claimed to offer deep "restorative" sleep. Restorative is kind of a word that companies throw around, it's an ambiguous word. Splashing water on your face could be "restorative". Lemon Verbena soap could be advertised as "restorative". I found this claim, that Ashwagandha aids deep restorative sleep to be true. The opposite of restorative is unhealthy, injurious and insalubrious. Merriam-Webster defines insalubrious as; bad for the well-being of the body. My deteriorated sleep life had become just that; bad for the well-being of the body. Taking a small amount of Ashwagandha before bed had a funny effect on my sleep, my nightmares went from anxiety bloodbaths to silly fuzzy sexy high five dreams, you know the kind of dreams that you wake up from and desperately try to fall asleep as quickly as you can to continue the dream? I started to wake up laughing in the middle of the night. Do you remember in little league when the game ends and the kids line up and high five and say "good game"? I had a dream that I was in that kind of "high five line" and I got to high five everybody that I loved and cared about and woke up smiling "did i just high five 50 people? I was so accustomed to sleeping poorly that these new anxiety free dreams were like a gift from god. I feel very fortunate to have found Portland Ashwagandha Farm and am grateful for the relief, if you're struggling with sleep do not hesitate, my sleep is once again peaceful and the nightmares are gone.
love ya Jeff
]]>Once again, we have seeded Ashwagandha (back in March) and continue to monitor overwintering plants from last year. Some of the plants were lost in the late cold snap we experienced in March. We cannot argue with mother nature, only negotiate! Nevertheless, we do what we do - seeded more Ashwagandha. Cautiously and optimistically awaiting for the regrowth of overwintered crop. đ
The Yarrow and Passionflower are coming along, for an upcoming batch of Heroâs Blend! We work patiently and steward the energies of the plants preparing to capture the peak essences into tinctures to share with you and our communities. There are some seriously grounded and cosmic plant energies emerging into existence soon, please stay in touch and never hesitate to reach out. We always love hearing from you.
âď¸đą Every seed we plant is a prayer for peace and healing đąâď¸
With love and dedication,
Team PAF
]]>Every person has a different sensitivity and offset for their receptivity and response to the plant energies. We invite folks to be very clear in their intentions when taking in our tinctures and to pay attention to their own response to variations in dosing.
With Ashwagandha for example, a small dose (Âź dropper) is known to instantly melt away stress in the moment but supplies you with the energy to keep endurance throughout the day. This can be great for times of acute anxiety, to prepare for the workday, or to just find ease through the day. If we take more (½ dropper) it might prepare us to go to sleep. That being said, Ashwagandha doesnât make you tired but a dose of this size will relax you into a state of accepting sleep.
However we advise cautious enthusiasm, as we have heard of folks needing deep sleep and taking more than the recommended dosing (2-3 full droppers.) They then find they are unable to sleep. Ashwagandha in larger doses can be more stimulating and support testosterone levels. While doses of this size might be recommended to recover from some physical imbalances, it may not necessarily contribute to that relaxing sensation many of us are seeking with Ashwagandha. If you have experienced deep restorative sleep with Ashwagandha, we recommend to continue with a similar dose and adjust by just a few drops at a time to experiment with changes to dosing.
We invite people to play around with dosing, explore your intentions, and align them for an optimal experience. Know that a Fresh Spagyric Tincture taken sublingually will also have different effects on the energy body than powdered or dried Ashwagandha as well, and dosing will be different.Â
Please remember that taste, smell, and experience also play a huge role into relationship with these plants. Taste is where the experience begins and if adding to water we suggest allowing for the flavor to come through. May we honor our senses and develop a deeper knowing of the plants and ourselves.Â
If you have any questions about dosing please always send us an email at info@portlandashwagandhafarm.com or share about your experience playing with different dosing of our tinctures.
]]>You know how it goes: one moment youâre having an ordinaryâ even mundaneâ day and the next, everything changes. That moment for me was at 8:42 a.m. on a Tuesday morning in June of 2019. My life changed forever on that day. A routine early morning trip to the vet with my senior dog, Indy, was cut short when I was suddenly cut off by an 18 wheeler, causing a collision. After blacking out, I awoke to glass everywhere, blood in my eyes from a head injury, and excruciating pain in my back. At the emergency room I found out I had a burst fracture in my L1 vertebra requiring immediate spinal fusion surgery, and a mild traumatic brain injury. After surgery and recovery, things with my back slowly progressed, but my MTBI caused lingering problems. My short term memory was nearly nonexistent, I couldn't follow simple instructions or learn new tasks, I suffered from a perpetual gnawing headache, and despite being exhausted I was unable to sleep for more than a few hours at a time. My brain would jolt awake, like it had suddenly started to sprint in the middle of the night, ignoring the fact that it needed rest to heal from the physical and mental trauma. I was diagnosed with both PTSD and Post Concussion Syndrome. My inability to sleep of course exacerbated all of my symptoms. After an MRI and visits to a regular doctor and neurologist, everyone kept trying to treat simply my headaches with medicationâ focusing on a symptom and ignoring the root of the cause. Not being a big fan of pharmaceuticals, I kept asking everyone for more natural remedies. Finally, a nurse practitioner suggested I try ashwagandha. After some research and reading online reviews, I quickly found Portland Ashwagandha Farms. (I'm really big into Ayurveda and natural medicine and have spent time in India, so the review that sold me was someone's Indian grandmother giving the product her seal of approval!) I immediately ordered a bottle, and began with double the suggested dose in the evening as I was so exhausted and desperate to sleep. I instantly began to stay asleep longer and longer as the nights went by, until I was sleeping a full 8 hours again, and waking up feeling refreshed. I began taking a small dose during the day as well, and noticed a marked difference in my ability to focus, concentrate, and learn. Because I was sleeping regularly, my brain finally had the rest it needed to begin to heal from my MTBI. To this day I suffer symptoms if I'm overly tired, or sometimes if it's overcast. I still turn to Portland Ashwagandha Farm's tincture when my symptoms flare up or when I need help getting a good night's sleep. If it weren't for their tincture I don't know how I would have gotten the necessary rest for my Mild Traumatic Brain Injury to heal. I will be forever grateful; and I recommend their tincture to anyone who's having trouble getting restful sleep, or who may need a boost in their daily focus. And for those of you wondering, yesâ Indy made it, too! We took care of each other during the whole ordeal. I am so grateful for this pure and effective tinctureâ it really helped me get my life (and my brain) back!
We would love to hear your story! If you would like to share your experience using our products with us, please email us at info@portlandashwagandhafarm.com.Â
]]>How are you sleeping?
Â
In ânormal timesââwhatever those areâitâs a simple enough question for most of us. But weâre in a strange moment right now, trying to adjust to this new reality while we realign the pillars that normally support us. And sleep is one of the big ones. So, howâs it going for you?Â
Â
Many of us are finding our sleep broken by anxiety right now. And whileâas weâve written beforeâanxiety isnât a problem in itself, when it messes with healthy sleep patterns, it quickly becomes one. Waking up tired and unrefreshed leaves us at a deficit for the rest of the day, making the next nightâs sleep feel all the more crucial. And when THAT nightâs sleep is interruptedâŚ. Well, I think you get the point.
Â
We think we can help. Many of us already turn to nerve tonics like Ashwagandha for anxiety. Its ability to help lower cortisol levels has been known to ayurvedic medicine for millennia, even before we knew what stress hormones were. But it turns out that Ashwagandha and sleep have an important relationship as well. It has to do with something called the âBrain Cleaning Cycle.â Hereâs how it works.
Â
In the brain, cerebrospinal fluid is normally responsible for cleaning out dead blood cells and other waste products. Scientists suspected thatâas in the rest of our bodiesâa process called diffusion was taking place. But it turns out that thereâs a completely separate mechanism for this in the brain. These waste products are removed by channels surrounding blood vessels. To sum it up:
Â
âThis work shows that the brain is cleansing itself in a more organized way and on a much larger scale than has been realized previously.â - Dr. Maiken Nedergaard, University of Rochester Medical Center
Â
So, what does Ashwagandha have to do with this? It turns out that Ashwagandha decreases neuroinflammation of the kind that can damage these tissues. And in supporting healthy overall brain function, Ashwagandha helps protect us against the damaging effects of stress and anxiety, and shows promise as a defense against neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimerâs and dementia.
Â
Thatâs a lot of big words to throw at you, so let me dial it back a bit. Hereâs what Iâm getting at: We know that Ashwagandha supports deeper, more restorative sleep. And more than ever, healthy sleep is a good thing to have more of.
Â
If youâre having a hard time sleeping, reach out. I think we can help.
Â
With Warm (and Sleepy) Ashwagandha Wishes,
Jeff Johnson
]]>It feels good to be in touch right now. Funny how when we suddenly arenât supposed to be gathering in person, even the sight of a loved oneâs face on a screen can still warm us from the inside.
Â
This moment is bringing out the hero in us. All humans are heroes at heart, of course, but it can feel hard to access that heroic nature in daily life. Now, when weâre all being reminded of our interconnectedness and interdependence upon one another, heroes are popping up everywhere: The critical care providers, truck drivers, nurses, social workers, checkout clerks and countless others who are helping us cope. Itâs one of the many hidden treasures of this surreal moment.
So, how do we find our inner heroes? The heroâs journey is full of trials and challenges, and we need energy to sustain us, grounded clarity to help us make wise choices, and ironclad fortitude to stay true to our goals and our purpose.
We crafted a special formula to facilitate the heroâs journey. Our Hero's Blend⢠is a spagyric tincture designed to provide support throughout the day, whether you're feeling underwhelmed, overwhelmed or just need a little extra âsomethingâ to bring you more fully into the moment, and to be your best self. We looked to four crucial goals as inspiration:
Whereas many of us are turning to Ashwagandha for anxiety and other herbs for stress in this moment, Hero's Blend⢠is a little bit different: A clarifying organic herbal tincture, Hero's Blend⢠is designed to foster creative expression, help focus your critical thinking, and ground deeper into meditation.Â
Hero's Blendâ˘: A Spagyric Tincture for Clarity and Grounding
We based it on our classic Ashwagandha spagyric tincture, adding a selection of other powerful herbsâJapanese Knotweed, Red Belted Polypore (a cousin of Reishi), Devilâs Club, Passion Flower and Yarrow, among othersâto create an uplifting blend that fosters focus and clarity. Here are some of the attributes we sought out in specific herbs:
Â
Â
If youâd like to purchase a bottle of this truly unique tincture for yourself, visit the Hero's Blend⢠page.
Â
However you use it, itâs our heartfelt hope that Hero's Blend⢠helps ground you into your own heroic nature, however that expresses itself. We created it with loving care and a commitment to offering grounding, attuning, centering and protective herbs to those in our community.
Â
With Warm (and Heroic) Ashwagandha Wishes,
Jeff Johnson
]]>If this describes your situation, we believe we can help. For literally thousands of years, we humans have turned to Ashwagandha as an all-natural herbal stress relief and as a nerve tonic. To help understand how it works, it may be helpful to get a small dose of medical grounding.
]]>Itâs only been a couple of weeks since the reality of the COVID-19 pandemic hit the United States, but for some, it already seems like itâs been an eternity. The fast-moving nature of the pandemic can make it especially difficult to find our orientation, our ground, our âtrue north.â As a result, many of us are experiencing heightened stress and anxiety levels.
If this describes your situation, we believe we can help. For literally thousands of years, we humans have turned to Ashwagandha as an all-natural herbal stress relief and as a nerve tonic. To help understand how it works, it may be helpful to get a small dose of medical grounding.
The HPA and the Immune System
If youâve spent any time researching herbs for anxiety and stress, youâve probably come across the term âHPA Axis.â Those letters are short for âhypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal,â and they describe our central network for managing stress and anxiety. Shortly after we experience stress, the HPA fires into action, triggering the release of various hormones and responses such as an elevated heart rate. Eventually, one of these bodily responses to stressâparticularly long-lasting varieties, such as the spread of coronavirus in Oregon weâre currently experiencingâis the release of cortisol, a powerful steroid hormone.
Hereâs where there may be a role for Ashwagandha. Cortisol isnât a problem in and of itself. Like anxiety, itâs a natural and normal response to perceived danger. The problem arises when heightened and sustained cortisol levels cause physical and emotional distress. As studies have indicated, elevated cortisol levels are associated with decreased immune system response as well as mood disorders such as depression.
As demonstrated in a 2012 study, daily doses of Ashwagandha helped lower cortisol levels by up to 32%. We believe that when it comes to finding a gentle, plant-based and above all sustainable response to this moment, Ashwagandha is unparalleled among herbs for stress. It sponsors and supports a feeling of groundedness, centeredness, and what we sometimes like to call âCalm Strength.â
Â
Ashwagandha: Stress Relief Straight From Nature
Even if youâre already a devotee of ayurvedic medicine, we think youâll love our Ashwagandha. We handcraft it from fresh roots and leaves grown and harvested on our organic, biodynamic farm in the lush Sandy River Valley, and itâs gratifying to know that we will see each and every beautiful herb from seed to plant to potent spagyric tincture.
This situation offers an abundance of opportunities to look into ourselves, to enjoy nature, and to slow down. The impact of our intentions and actionsâboth on our communities and on the worldâbecome more apparent. While it might feel scary and unknown, it is times like this that the potentials for change and action are heightened. We have the opportunity to work together and come out the better for it; the resilience, innovation, and resourcefulness of we humans as individuals and as communities is infinite.Â
For tips on how to get the greatest benefit from Ashwagandha, feel free to contact us directly. Stay grounded, wash your hands, and remember that weâre all here to support and love one another!
With Warm Ashwagandha Wishes,
Jeff Johnson
]]>Welcome to this unusual moment! What do you think we should we call it? The Coronavirus Meltdown? The Post-Super Tuesday Comedown? Or the Pre-November Panic Attack? The Great Toilet Paper Debacle? Take your pick. However you slice it, one thing feels very certain: We are living through a challenging time, one that demands we bring our best centering and self-care practices to bear, each and every day. And Ashwagandhaâa medicinal herb in the class called adaptogensâhas a unique potential to help us, right here and right now.
âAdaptogensâ are plants revered in the ancient Chinese and Ayurvedic herbal medicine and healing traditions for helping us resist physical, chemical and biological stressors. Does Ashwagandha cure Coronavirus? No, at least not that we know of! That said, studies have established that Tulsiâan herb sometimes known as holy basilâhas antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal and other properties. Weâre quite proud of our own Tulsi tincture, made from fresh herbs grown in the hills outside Portland.
So, what can we do about Coronavirus in Oregon? Aside from sticking to established best practices and precautions around infectious diseases, in our view itâs equally important to practice regular, solid and grounded self-care: Itâs difficult to care for others when weâre pushed to the limit ourselves. Thatâs why, in this stressful moment, weâre finding that Ashwagandha is a real benefit to those interested in reducing stress, promoting restful and complete sleep, and most of all providing a clear, rejuvenating and grounding energy.
Sometimes known by its Latin name (Withania somnifera), Ashwagandha is often regarded as occupying the very pinnacle of the family of adaptogens. If youâre new to the world of Ayurvedic medicineâor just seeking a way off the never-ending carousel of pharmaceuticals, stimulants, and depressantsâwe think youâll love our Ashwagandha. Itâs lovingly handcrafted from freshânever frozen or driedâroots and leaves grown and harvested on our organic and biodynamic farm in the lush Columbia Gorge.
For tips on how to get the greatest benefit from Ashwagandha, please visit our FAQ page, or feel free to contact us directly. Stay grounded, wash your hands, and remember that weâre not here to be defeated by these challenging times!
With Warm Ashwagandha Wishes,
Jeff Johnson
]]>Many are surprised to learn that Ashwagandha is an extremely effective sleep aid. People tend to think of Ashwagandha as the "strong person herb," which is not wrong, though itâs Latin name Withania somnifera points to other use; somnifera being latin for sleep inducing.
Recent studies in Japan have isolated the compound attributed to sleep, this is detailed in the peer reviewed article "Triethylene Glycol, an Active Component of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) Leaves, is Responsible For Sleep Induction" published on PubMed. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5313221/).Â
A full and sound nightâs rest can be critical to reaching our maximum potential. The ability to relax greatly increases the bodyâs ability to recover from both daily stress and the accumulated stresses of life. Besides supporting balanced hormones, relaxation and sleep are some âamong manyâ of the best benefits that Ashwagandha has to offer.
An Ashwagandha sleep practice I often recommend to people, as an âextra credit assignmentâ is the following:
After a deep Ashwagandha sleep, upon waking, as the gravity holds you and the awareness comes back, pause and feel the body, the grounding energy. As the body is already quite relaxed, take this opportunity to take intentional deep breaths, and let any tension release. After this exercise, most come back to us and say âI didn't know I could relax this much.â
We suggest Âź dropper of our Ashwagandha Tincture during the day, a little bit more (½ dropper) for the deep restorative sleep benefit. Taken just before bed, folks find it easier to both fall asleep and stay asleep, waking up fresh and clear. Many leave our Ashwagandha Tincture on their bed stand. Some just use it at 2:30 am after returning from the bathroom.Â
A story worth mentioning, is the experience that a customer âJaneâ and a handful of others have had. Jane had wonderful sleep experience with our Ashwagandha Tincture, but after some time Jane suspected it might not be working any more. When we checked in about how much she was taking, she said she had doubled her serving from a single half-dropper to 2 half-droppers. When she reduced her serving to the suggested amount, the sleep benefit returned. It is a common theme we see that when too much is taken it can prevent sleep. Â
In the book The Yoga of Herbs, it is said that Ashwagandha promotes deep dreamless sleep.  While the deep sleep is true we have heard many stories about vivid dreaming while taking Ashwagandha. Some have mentioned that they were having recurring nightmares, but once they started taking the Ashwagandha the nightmares stopped and good dreams began. Some report having strange and unusually vivid dreams during the first few days of taking Ashwagandha. We think perhaps it is in the way it helps us let go, and release the stress and tension that allows bad dreams to change into better ones.
We hope everyone gets the deep restorative sleep they need. If you need any sleep support, donât hesitate to reach out. Or if you have any interesting stories about Ashwagandha and sleep, we love to hear them! Warm Ashwagandha wishes and deep rest to all.
Frawley, David, and Vasant Lad. The Yoga of Herbs: an Ayurvedic Guide to Herbal Medicine. Motilal Banarsidass, 2016.
]]>(Check out the video below if you would rather listen to founder Jeff Johnson talk about it.)
Â
Q: First of all, what is the proper method of consumption?Â
A: We recommend putting it under your tongue for just a moment before swallowing. This is the the most effective method for rapid absorption into your system. If you donât enjoy the taste, itâs ok to put it in a beverage, water, tea, smoothie, etc. just incorporate a little bit more than you would normally take under the tongue.
Â
Q: How much should you take?
A: It varies from person to person, but we suggest starting with 1/3 to 1/4 dropper full 1-2 times per day for day time use. If you are using it before bed to promote restful sleep, start off with 1/2 dropper full, and if you feel like you need more try two 1/2 droppers. Be aware that if you're extra sensitive it is possible to take too much and have it over stimulate you, making it actually more difficult to sleep. If that is your case you may want to take even less than a half dropper. So start small, listen to your body, and increase as needed.Â
Â
Q: When should you take it?Â
A: You can take it in the morning, throughout the day, and in the evening. If you are prone to anxiety, have a lot of stress in your life, we suggest daytime usage. If you want to sleep like an angel, or a baby, or even a baby angel, take some shortly before bed. If you have all of those things, take it in the morning and the evening! Some prefer to use our Heroâs Blend in the morning, as it can be more energizing and focusing.
Â
Q: What if you're sensitive to alcohol?
A: Try putting it in hot tea or coffee (above170°f) in the morning, or in a small amount of hot water any time of day and the heat will quickly evaporate the alcohol.Â
Â
Weâre here to answer any questions you might have, so please donât hesitate to contact us on social media, or leave a comment here.
Have a strong and relaxed day!
Portland Ashwagandha Farm