Give Your Heart Some Love
I confess, I have a favorite, favorite, favorite herb for the heart! Hawthorn berry.
Need more oxygen? Suffer from angina – heart pains? Arrythmia or palpitations? Clogged arteries? Heart valve problems? What about high blood pressure? Low blood pressure? Cholesterol? Circulation problems? Memory? Insomnia?
Hawthorn is traditionally known as the heart herb in Western herbalism. It has so many benefits as a tonic herb. What is a tonic? An herb that tones, builds, and feeds the body. In this case, particularly the heart and arteries. Studies confirm the use of hawthorn berries to strengthen and normalize the heart.
Much of its benefit comes from its high bioflavonoid content. Rutin and quercetin help dilate and relax the arteries, enhancing blood circulation to the heart muscles. Hawthorn is also high in antioxidants, which strengthen blood vessel walls and decrease oxidative damage.
Cautions? Hawthorn may potentiate or make stronger the effects of some heart drugs, so don’t mix it with hypotensives or beta blockers. Hawthorn just works too well!
Historically, Hawthorn was regarded as sacred, probably from the tradition that it provided the “Crown of Thorns” for Christ. It has widely been used as a barrier hedge plant, with its nasty thorns keeping animals in or out. Hawthorn has also been called, Mayflower, and is the plant associated with the Pilgrim’s ship. The Chinese consider hawthorn to be good for digestion, even using it for stomach and ovarian cancer. There has been speculation about a connection between heart and stomach problems, we even call it “heartburn”.
Hawthorn trees, Crataegus spp., grow well in Ohio and may attain a height of 30 feet. The berries should be harvested when ripe and dark red, then dried in low heat. The flowers are considered by some herbalists to be even more active than the fruits. Flowers should be harvested when 30-40% open and dried in shade, away from light. Store in airtight glass jars, in a cool, dark place. May be made into a tincture or syrup, which is quickly absorbed by the body and is my favorite way to use the herb.