Written by Michelle Palmer, Advanced Master Herbalist
Have you heard of Hawthorn and it's benefits? If you have, you probably most often think of the bright & beautiful red berries that Hawthorn produces. But, did you know Hawthorn berries, leaves and flowers are all beneficial to your health?
Let's break it down: it's main constituents of leaf and flower are flavonoids. The flavone cglycosides and oligomeric procyanidins are regarded as it's active compounds. Indications for use of this herb include cardiac arrhythmias, impaired peripheral circulation, hypertension, and palpitations. Some of it's key herbal actions are positive inotropic effects which mean that it's helps to make your heart muscle contractions stronger, raising your cardiac output to a normal level and increasing the amount of blood your heart can pump out. Hawthorn is a cardioprotective, hypotensive, peripheral vasodialator, mild cardiotonic, antiarrhythmic and antioxidant.
As you can see, Hawthorn poses many health benefits, and causes minimal side effects. Unlike prescription medications, Hawthorn can strengthen your heart without causing distress to it.
In one study published in 2008 entitled, "Hawthorn extract for treating chronic heart failure" by MH Pittler, R. Guo, & E. Ernst , in patients with heart failure, compared to placebo, Hawthorn showed to be statistically significant in increasing the heart's maximal workload, increasing exercise tolerance, decrease in pressure-heart rate product (an index of cardiac-oxygen consumption) and showed improvement in symptoms such as shortness of breath and fatigue.
Read more about the study here:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18254076/
When you think of Hawthorn, think of supporting heart health. Interested on implementing Hawthorn into your routine? Contact me today to discuss protocol just for you! @alternativementalhealth
Disclaimer: Herbs do not take the place of emergency conventional medicine protocols and I do not advise taking any herbs without first consulting your holistic health practitioner or medical doctor for further advice.