Heart Healthy Herbs


Heart Healthy Herbs

If your doctor has prescribed any type of heart medication, do not take it upon yourself to add herbal remedies to your regimen without consulting your doctor. Combining herbs with drugs can be tricky business, and the results can be disastrous. For example, hawthorn, a popular herbal heart tonic, can make you more sensitive to the potent prescription heart medication digitalis (which, by the way, is derived from the poisonous herb foxglove), slowing your heart's rate and increasing the force of its contractions. If you cannot find a doctor who is knowledgeable about herbs, your safest bet is to use the advice in this section only to treat minor disorders that have not yet developed into full-blown disease or to use the suggestions to help avoid heart problems in the first place.

Hawthorn Guggul Garlic Astralagus Ginkgo Biloba

Hawthorn
Since the time of the Greeks, hawthorn has been used to better blood and nutrient flow to the heart muscle while improving circulation and overall vitality. Hawthorn offers antioxidant protection and helps treat and prevent congestive heart failure, angina, cardiomyopathy, hypertension and cardiac arrhythmia. Commonly found in Europe, western Asia, North America, and North Africa, modern medicinal extracts primarily use the leaves and flowers of the herb. Read more...

Guggul
The classical treatise on Ayurvedic medicine, Sushrita Samhita, describes the use of guggul for a wide variety of conditions, including rheumatism and obesity. Today, research shows that guggul is an effective method for reducing serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Derived from the resin produced by the stem of India's mukul myrrh tree, guggul also acts as an antioxidant and may help prevent artherosclerosis. Read more...

Garlic
In addition to preventing unwanted advances from both vampires and real-life ghouls, garlic has been used since time immemorial as a health remedy. Sited in the Bible, revered by Hippocrates and cherished by the Chinese, garlic has been rendering health benefits to its takers for centuries. Known to lower cholesterol and triglycerides, Garlic is also taken as a atherosclerosis preventative and aid to general well being. Read more...

Astralagus
Shen Nung, the founder of Chinese herbal medicine, classified astragalus as a superior herb in his classical treatise "Shen Nung Pen Tsao Ching" (circa A.D. 100). The Chinese name "huang qi" translates as "yellow leader," referring to the yellow color of the root and its status as one of the most important tonic herbs. While the research is still inconclusive, astragalus is said to help the heart develop a more regular rhythm and reduce damage to heart cells. Read more...

Gingko Biloba
The medical benefits of Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) are attributed primarily to two groups of active constituents: the ginkgo flavone glycosides and the terpene lactones. Ginkgo flavone glycosides, which typically make up approximately 24% of the extract, are primarily responsible for GBE's antioxidant activity and may mildly inhibit platelet aggregation (stickiness). These two actions may help GBE prevent circulatory diseases, such as atherosclerosis. Read more...

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