Herbs for a healthy heart

herbs

by Trisha Coleman CHT, RH for a healthy heart

6 . . FEBRUARY 2008 W hile heart disease is the result of a variety of factors, the good news is that in many cases it is preventable. The risk of heart disease can be dramatically reduced by changes to one’s diet and lifestyle, including regular exercise, quitting smoking, stress reduction, maintaining a healthy body weight and eating a diet rich in heart-friendly foods.

Herbs can provide a safe, gentle and effective approach to the prevention and treatment of heart disease. Like all medicines, herbal remedies must be treated with respect and used with care. Because there is always the potential risk of interactions with other medication, self-medication is not recommended. It is always a good idea to consult with a professional trained herbal practitioner prior to beginning any herbal regimen.

Herbs affect the cardiovascular sys tem in different ways and taking a particular herb could have the following positive impact: • Increased heart beat strength and normalization of the rate of the beat. • Increased efficiency of each heart beat and a reduction of the amount of oxygen required by the heart muscle. This allows the heart to effectively pump blood around the body and to reduce fluid build-up in the lungs as well as swelling of the extremities. • Dilation of the blood vessels, which stimulates circulation and lowers blood pressure; many heart problems arise because of a deficiency of blood supply due to a blockage in the arteries that sup ply the heart itself (coronary arteries).

Some herbs are known as cardio-tonics. These herbs nourish and increase the overall health of the heart and improve the function of the cardiac muscle. It is not completely understood how cardiotonics exert their beneficial effects on the body, but herbs such as hawthorn, garlic and motherwort have long been in the herbalist’s repertoire for heart problems.

Hawthorn berries, leaves, flowers (Crataegus oxyacantha)

Hawthorn is one of the herbalist’s most important heart remedies. It may be used for any cardiac condition and is a key herb for angina pectoris.

Hawthorn can help regulate arrhythmia or an irregular heart rate due to its toning support of the electrical activity of the heart. The coronary arteries are those that directly supply the heart muscle itself with blood and oxygen. Sometimes these arteries become blocked or narrowed reducing the blood flow to the heart causing many problems, including angina. Hawthorn dilates these coronary arteries allowing sufficient blood, oxy gen and essential nutrients to reach the heart, keeping it healthy. When used on a regular basis, hawthorn has the benefit of producing a stronger, more efficient heart beat.

Hawthorn is rich in phytonutrients, known as flavonoids. Flavonoids provide support to the vascular system help

ing to improve the strength and integrity of blood vessels. The antioxidant effect of hawthorn is the result of its flavonoid content. Its antioxidant action protects the heart from damaging free radicals, which cause cellular damage and are a common result of vascular disease, such as atherosclerosis. Garlic (Allium sativum )

For thousands of years, garlic has been used as both food and a medicine to help prevent heart disease. Numerous studies have shown that it supports the cardiovascular system, helps lower high cholesterol and decreases the risk factors for developing atherosclerosis, a disease that leads to high blood pressure and other serious heart problems. It may also help decrease fatty deposits on blood vessels and has a mild blood thinning effect. It is important to note that garlic has only a mild effect on thinning the blood and it is not strong enough to effectively replace anti-clotting drugs; it is best used as a preventative.

Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus )

Bilberry is one of the best herbs for improving the strength and integrity of the blood vessels. It is an effective antioxidant that provides protection against cellular damage and it contains phytonutrients called Anthocyanidins which are protective to the vascular system. They help to protect capillaries from damage and stimulate the repair mechanisms of damaged vessels making capillaries

stronger and more resistant to injury. The anthocyanidins work to encourage the normal constriction and dilatation of arteries, while helping to maintain normal blood pressure and regulate the permeability of capillary walls. In other words, they control the amount of fluid leaving and entering the blood stream, which helps reduce swelling that is often associated with heart problems. They assist in keeping the blood vessels in the eye healthy and may provide protection against damage caused by other condi tions such as diabetes, hypertension, etc. Bilberry is also an effective antioxidant that provides protection against cellular damage from damaging free radicals.

Cayenne (Capsicum minimum)

Cayenne pepper has long been known for its ability to “get the blood moving.” It is an excellent circulatory stimulant, helping to increase blood flow to the extremities by dilating the blood vessels in the arms and legs. Cayenne is very effective at reducing inflammation which may be beneficial for certain CVS conditions, such as atherosclerosis. Cayenne has traditionally been used to improve blood supply to the heart mus cle itself, ensuring that it receives optimal oxygen and nutrients.

Mistletoe (Viscum album) Mistletoe is one of the best herbs to take for lowering blood pressure, attributed to the fact that it is very effective at dilating blood vessels, allowing the circulatory system to accommodate a larger volume of blood. It is a cardio-tonic herb and can help one regain a normal pulse if the heart is beating too quickly. Mistletoe is a very powerful herb and should be used with caution. Motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca) Motherwort’s effects on both the nervous system and cardiovascular system greatly compliment each other. It is known for its ability to relax the nervous system, helping to reduce stress that may be causing, or aggravating, high blood pressure.

White Willow Bark (Salix alba )

White willow bark was the original source of the drug known today as Aspirin or acetyl-salicylic acid (ASA). There is much conflicting information about whether or not white willow bark has a blood thinning effect. It naturally contains salicin, which is converted into salicylates in the body; however, salicin is not known to thin the blood. It is acetyl-salicylic acid (ASA), which is synthetically derived in a laboratory and sold as aspirin that has blood thinning effects.

The quantity of salicin in white willow bark is very low and one would have to ingest several litres of tea to obtain the equivalent of a daily dose of aspirin. (500mg of aspirin is equal to 794 mg of salicin which equates to more than 88 grams of white willow bark!) However, if a person is taking high doses of a prescription blood thinner medication or any NSAID drugs, it is recommended that they consult with their doctor and natural health practitioner to avoid any adverse reactions as willow may increase the effects of these medications. White willow bark has a powerful anti-inflammatory effect and helps to reduce pain. The anti-inflammatory action makes it useful in the prevention and treatment of some cardiovascular conditions which are the result of damaged, inflamed blood vessel walls.