Guide to Summer Herbs

With the coming of Summer, we focus on cardiovascular health.

Herbs for a Healthy Heart

Related Information:

The Wellness Advantage Summer Heart Program

The use of herbs can reduce your risk of heart disease. Herbs are definitely not a replacement for needed heart medications and you should not replace heart medications with herbs. Herbs, combined with lifestyle changes, can offer you some of the best support to keep cardiovascular problems from developing and prevent them from getting worse. If you are already taking heart medications do not add herbs to your program without checking with your doctor and a knowledgeable health care provider familiar with the use of herbs. Through herbs, dietary changes and lifestyle changes it is possible to reduce the levels of cholesterol and triglycerides in the bloodstream, reduce the stickiness of platelets in the blood, improve the strength of blood vessel walls, improve the flow of blood through the body, provide antioxidant protection to the cardiovascular system and in the process reduce your risk of atherosclerosis, heart attack, and stroke.

Cayenne, garlic and hawthorn have traditionally been used with those with heart problems. Hawthorn dilates blood vessels and lowers blood pressure. Studies of people suffering congestive heart failure, found that they were able to do more aerobic exercise than a group who did not take hawthorn. Other studies of those with congestive heart failure found that hawthorn can reduce shortness of breath and improve heart function. Hawthorn has also been shown to increase peripheral circulation to the hands and feet. This reduces blood pressure and makes the heart's pumping easier. A German study found that hawthorn helped strengthen heart contractions in people whose heart problems stemmed from liver disease like hepatitis.

Hawthorn (flowers, leaves and berries) is a very valuable herb for strengthening the heart. Some believe that it is the most valuable herbal cardiac tonic that we have. Its main contribution to heart health is to provide nourishing regeneration. Hawthorn strengthens the heart and has few or no side effects. It does not contain cardiac glycosides but acts as a true tonic for the heart. Its benefits are best obtained from the whole plant extract. When its isolated constituents were tested separately the effects were not found to be significant.

Research has shown that the proanyhocyanidins and other flavonoids -which offer significant protection against free radical damage- help to improve the strength of the heart. The flowers are particularly rich in the flavonoids. These flavonoids have an ability to increase intracellular vitamin C levels, stabilize vitamin C by protecting it from destruction or oxidation and decrease capillary permeability and fragility. The flavonoids also have significant collagen stabilizing actions and prevent collagen destruction.

Hawthorn has been shown to improve the blood supply to all parts of the heart and the peripheral vascular system, modestly increase the strength of contraction of the heart muscle, inhibit the angiotensin-converting enzyme, and increase the tolerance of the heart muscle to low levels of oxygen and improve exercise tolerance. The German Federal Ministry of Health reports that the herb: increases the strength of contractions of the heart muscle; normalizes irregular heartbeat, increases coronary circulation through dilation of the coronary arteries.

Hawthorn appears to be able to dilate coronary blood vessels by relaxing the smooth muscle components of the vessel. Also procyanidins inhibit angiotensin-converting enzyme which is responsible for converting angiotensin I to angiotensin II which is a potent constrictor of blood vessels.

The improvement in energy production within the heart is a result of increased blood and oxygen supply to the myocardium and a result of flavonoid enzyme interactions which inhibits several key enzymes resulting in an increase in the force of the contractions. Hawthorn actually improves the mechanical function of the heart. The energy metabolism and utilization of oxygen by the heart is improved.

Its main clinical application is in long-term use for cases involving subjective feelings of congestion in the heart, mild arrhythmia and conditions of the aging heart.

Hawthorn seems to improve coronary circulation by dilating the coronary arteries. Hawthorn relieves cardiac hypoxemia and relieves symptoms of angina thus reducing the likelihood of angina attacks. Hawthorn enhances the activity of the cells of the heart muscle and their nutrition. Whereas herbs containing cardiac glycosides impact the contractile fibers of the the heart muscle hawthorn promotes more energy that is then available to be used.

Hawthorn's effects are seen over time and the herb has a long term, gentle affect on degenerative, age related changes in the myocardium. Hawthorn speeds recuperation from a heart attack and lowers high blood pressure. It keeps the heart healthy and prevents the development of coronary disease. It protects the heart from weakness following infectious diseases.

Hawthorn reduces cholesterol levels and decreases the size of existing atherosclerotic plaques probably as a result of collagen stabilization. It is thought that if the collagen matrix of the artery remains strong, the atherosclerotic plaque will not develop. The flavonoids in hawthorn increase the integrity of collagen structures and offers significant protection against atherosclerosis.

Hawthorn has a mild blood pressure lowering effect by dilating the coronary vessels, inhibiting angiotensin-converting enzyme, and increasing functional capacity of the heart, and exerting a mild diuretic activity. It may take up to two weeks before adequate tissue concentration is achieved.

Hawthorn is used in the treatment of congestive heart failure and potentiates the action of herbs containing cardiac glycosides. Lower doses of cardiac glycosides may be used. Hawthorn may be sufficient by itself for mild to moderate a cases of congestive heart failure. For moderate to severe congestive heart failure it should be used in combination with other cardiac glycosides.

Using 60 mg a day of hawthorn extract resulted in significant improvement in patients with early stage congestive heart failure and their blood pressure improved. Patients with more advanced heart failure were given 900 mg of hawthorn extract and after eight weeks they had a 50% decrease in symptoms and improved ability to cycle.

Any degenerative conditions of the cardiovascular system will receive benefit form its use. These include myocardial problems and coronary artery dispectoris. Hawthorn is also used for cases in which a general loss of function is expected. It may be used over a long period of time because it has few or no side effects, is nontoxic and is not habit forming.

Hawthorn can be combined with linden and garlic for use with arteriosclerosis and with cramp bark, linden and skullcap for hypertension.

A suggested dose of hawthorn in tincture form is at least 40 drops three times a day or 4-5 milliliters, 3-5 grams of dry infusion, 1-1.5 grams of freeze dried berries. A suggested dose of hawthorn extract standardized to 18.75 percent olkigomeric procyanidins is 160 -250 mg daily divided into two doses. For those with more serious need 160 mg three times a day is recommended.

Hawthorn can make you more sensitive to digitalis, slowing your heart's rate and increasing the force of its contractions.

Herbs and dietary changes work best in the early stages of angina. Herbs can help increase blood flow to the heart muscle and improve the efficiency of the heart and slow down the progression of angina.

You can find a special section of seasonal herbal products for summer in our Evenstar Herbal Products Catalog.

This page last updated on 7/26/07 . Please report any problems to the webmaster.
Site Map