Hawthorn herbs come from the Hawthorne Berry, which is a small red berry that looks like a miniature apple as it too grows on a tree. This thorny tree grows 30 feet tall and has beautiful pink or white flowers during the spring. The tree is known by several names, including the how, may bush or mayflower tree.
The Hawthorne Berry
Herb
There is a good reason why Hawthorne Berries are used as heart disease herbs. Not only can they help to regulate your blood pressure but they can also break down cholesterol and fat, both of which contribute to heart disease. They also help dilate coronary blood vessels so that your body is able to utilize oxygen, blood and nutrients more efficiently throughout your entire body.
Bioflavonoids
Hawthorne Berry is loaded with bioflavanoids, which are potent antioxidants. In fact, there are a lot of people who believe that they are actually a lot more potent than Vitamins A, C or E. It is these bioflavanoids that help your heart muscle be able to pump blood more efficiently. Whenever you have healthy arteries you will also have more endurance, good blood pressure and healthy blood vessels. This is the reason why this natural heart medicine is actually best used as a preventative medicine but it can also be used to treat heart disease too.
Hawthorne for Your Vascular System
The vascular system is also important whenever it comes to supporting your heart. It has been shown that Hawthorne Berry will reduce calcification of your vascular system. As such, this heart extract will stop the arteries that lead to your heart from hardening or narrowing. You also won't develop any blot clots, which can lead to strokes and heart attacks.
Hawthorne Supplements
Hawthorne Berry tea is often used for natural heart health even today. It can be made from the berries, the berry leaves or even the flowers of this herb. This tea is packaged and sold at most health food stores throughout the world. You can also get this alternative medicine for the heart in capsules or as a tincture.
Research on the Hawthorne Berry
Ever since the early 1900's, and even continuing today, there have been clinical trials and research done in regard to the medicinal value of Hawthorne Berry extract. Unfortunately, science has only partially evaluated the benefits of this herb on human health though. Nevertheless, it is still believed that the antioxidants, flavanoids and other compounds that are found in the Hawthorne Berry give this herb its beneficial effects. For this reason, it is sometimes added to heart herbal remedies in order to help reduce a person's blood pressure and correct any potentially unhealthy cholesterol levels.
Recently most of the studies about Hawthorne Berry extract are concerned with the medicinal value of this extract in regard to its affect upon a person's liver, digestive system and cardiovascular system. Many of these studies are also looking at Hawthorne Berry as an anti-inflammatory agent. The many studies that have been completed thus far have not looked at the use of Hawthorne Berry tea so much as they have looked at the usage of the concentrated extract itself.
While there are some health care professionals who have recognized the medicinal value of Hawthorne Berry extract for more than 100 years now, research on this extract is still considered to be only preliminary. This is because the majority of this type of research is funded by pharmaceutical companies and they are unable to patent a naturally occurring substance. For this reason, any of the natural remedies that contain Hawthorne Berry or other such herbs are of little interest to them.
Conclusion
Hawthorne berries are thought to be one of the safest herbal heart supplements on the market today. As with any other medication, Hawthorne berries do have some side effects that occur on rare occasions. These include headaches, nausea and rapid heartbeat. It is also important to understand that there are a few possible drug interactions too. Therefore, if you are taking any prescription medications, you should contact your doctor before taking this heart supplement. Nevertheless, Hawthorne berries are considered to be safe for long-term usage.
Hawthorne Berry - Its Benefits As a Heart Herb
Article Submitted by Robert Bailey, an active author and consultant in the Natural Wellness field.
For more information about Hawthorne as a heart herb, and how to maintain your heart health, please visit the SuperNaturals website at http://www.hearthealthvitamins.net.