Re: Stopping Ashwagandha, need suggestions

Ashwagandha is medicine.
31 pills a day seems very high, whether they are a small pill or a large one.

Also, as with many adaptogenic herbs, it is useful to alternate seasons. a few months on, a few months off. It is important not to continue popping these month after month, as that is not how Ashwagandha wants to be used.

I find excellent results using Withania somnifera (latin name) as a decoction. About two teaspoons of the dried root simmered, not boiled in less than a pint of water until you have about half a pint of sweet, milky tea. I take a sip of this in the morning and before bed. A sip. And if it feels particularly right on that day, I'll take two sips, and don't have to wait for my digestive system to sort through masses of dry pills.

You might try tapering off, yes, resort to a little bit if you're having weird problems. But I recommend you make your goal to take at least 4 months off Ashwagandha once you break this cycle. During this time, forget about the plant and instead of taking lots of supplements, pick an area or two where you need the aid of plant medicines, ask around, do research, and come up with a GENTLE plan.

Here's how I'd taper off:
Find some oat straw (Avena sativa, same plant as oatmeal). I find it safe to take as much as 3 or 4 tablespoons of the dried, shredded green grass, but not every day. Boil a pot of water, up to a quart, and pour it over a small handful of the herb, cover and let steep for hours. This will get you through a few days.
When you absolutely are having a sense of need for Ashwagandha, add a little of your strong root tea (possibly just empty a few of the capsules into the simmer)
Don't go nuts with lots and lots of any herb, or find yourself taking anything every day of your life! Oat straw is diuretic, and too much will make you piss away the very minerals that tea contains.

And talk to herbalists, a few of them. See how different these responses are? Ultimately, your intuition and relationship with the plants you take will guide you.
These plants are living beings with intelligence, which can be felt when they are taken into the body or just looked at.
Good luck!
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