Known as one of the best heart protectors in the herbal world, the herb of the week this week is Hawthorn. A wonderful herb used for not only the heart but other systems as well, including the nervous system and ADHD. Read more below!
Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) is the jewel of the Herbalist's dispensary for cardiac disease and support. This plant is found all over Eastern Europe and North America. For this plant we use the leaves, flowers, or berries in our herbal blends and preparations. The active constituents found in Hawthorn are saponins, flavonoids, glycosides, procyanidins, tannins, and nutrients. Hawthorn is prized for its therapeutic actions: circulatory stimulant, hypotensive, cardiotonic, vasodilator, antioxidant, antispasmodic, nervine, sedative, adaptogen, antibacterial, astringent, and digestive. As a cardiac herb, Hawthorn is a valuable tonic and protector of heart muscle and used to prevent and manage heart disease. How does it do this? It encourages blood flow to the heart, strengthens heart muscle and thereby, contractions, and modulates the heart's rhythm. It also increase cardiac output, but does that without adding any additional strain to the heart. Used for decreasing inflammation found in the cardiovascular system and can help open (vasodialate) the blood vessels and promote blood flow, thereby increasing circulation. This is especially useful in treating Reynaud's syndrome. It can also help regulate blood pressure and help decrease high blood pressure. Wow! you can see why its so prized in the herbal world and is the go-to when a client has cardiac issues or a cardiac history. So, what else can one use this for? It is also useful for calming nervous anxiety, especially in children. This is very useful for cases of ADHD, in children and adults alike. Myself and my children take this for our ADHD and it does an amazing job. It can also help restore the lining and lubrication of the synovial fluids in joints, help heal damaged ligaments, and vertebral discs. All in all, this is a wonderful herb to keep in the dispensary for many different reasons, though the first two reasons, I reach for it, is for the cardiac issues and the ADHD treatment. It sees a lot of use in my practice as I see many clients who come for ADHD to see me. Dosing: One would dose this in several different ways. An infusion- 1-2 teaspoons of dried leaves and/or flowers to 8 ounces (240 ml) of boiling hot water. Steep for 20 minutes, strain, and drink. A decoction- 1-2 teaspoons of the dried berries, boiled in 8 ounces (240 ml) of water for 10-20 minutes. Take either of those up to 3 times a day. Tincture: 2.5 ml of the 1:5 tincture (these often contain the leaves, flowers, and berries) up to 3 times a day. (as always please consult myself or another Herbalist, if you purchase a pre-made tincture and the bottle list a ratio of herb to alcohol at a different ratio than the 1:5. Any number that is lower than the 5 is a stronger tincture and needs different dosing.) Syrup: for children (and even adults, because tinctures and infusions don't always taste fabulous) Made with the berries alone, usually. 1 tbsp of syrup at meal times. Glycerite: for children. This uses the leaves, flowers, and berries. This is an alcohol free, sweeter version of a tincture, made especially for children. Give 2 ml of the glycerite at meal times. Contraindications: Please make sure to consult with a Herbalist or physician before starting Hawthorn for heart conditions as it can interfere with some heart medications. In Conclusion, Hawthorn is one handy herb to have in your arsenal to assist your body in combating heart related issues, ADHD, and even painful joints. Blessed Be, Shannon
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AuthorShannon, master herbalist, shares her thoughts, educational information, and more. Archives
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