Hawthorn is a plant. The leaves, berries, and flowers of hawthorn are used to make medicine.
Hawthorn is used for diseases of the
heart and
blood vessels such as
congestive heart failure (CHF),
chest pain, and
irregular heartbeat. It is also used to treat both
low blood pressure and
high blood pressure, “hardening of the
arteries” (
atherosclerosis), and
high cholesterol. So far, research suggests that hawthorn might be effective in treating congestive
heart failure, but there hasn’t been enough research on other heart-related uses to know if it is effective for them.
Some people use hawthorn for
digestive system complaints such as indigestion,
diarrhea, and
stomach pain. It is also used to reduce
anxiety, as a sedative, to increase urine output, and for menstrual problems.
Hawthorn is also used to treat
tapeworm and other intestinal infections.
Some people apply hawthorn to the
skin for boils, sores, and ulcers. Hawthorn preparations are used as a wash for sores,
itching, and
frostbite.
You will find hawthorn among the ingredients in candied fruit slices, jam, jelly, and wine.
Before taking hawthorn, talk with your healthcare professional if you take any
medications. It has major interactions with several prescription medications.
How does it work?
Hawthorn can help improve the amount of blood pumped out of the heart during
contractions, widen the blood vessels, and increase the transmission of nerve signals.
Hawthorn also seems to have blood pressure-lowering activity, according
to early research. It seems to cause relaxing of the blood vessels
farther from the heart. It seems that this effect is due to a component
in hawthorn called proanthocyanidin.
Research suggests that hawthorn can lower cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL, or “bad cholesterol”), and
triglycerides (fats in the blood). It seems to lower accumulation of fats in the
liver
and the aorta (the largest artery in the body, located near the heart).
Hawthorn fruit extract may lower cholesterol by increasing the
excretion of bile, reducing the formation of cholesterol, and enhancing
the receptors for LDLs. It also seems to have antioxidant activity.
Source:
http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-527-HAWTHORN.aspx?activeIngredientId=527&activeIngredientName=HAWTHORN
(
NaturalNews) Controlling blood pressure with herbs is an important
option, considering that one in four people in the United States suffers
from high blood pressure. Many lose their lives to this silent killer
every year. It is one of the leading contributors to heart disease and
is not always obvious. It is exacerbated by unhealthy living, smoking,
fatty foods, excessive drinking and stress. High intake of salt and
other products contributes to the problem.
Avoid Covering the Problem:
The
use of herbs to control high blood pressure aids in reducing high
cholesterol and helps blood flow. Using natural methods to control blood
pressure is best for the body. Most drugs only cover up the problem,
encouraging the body to build up a resistance. Herbs are natural foods
giving the body nutrients, solving the nutritional factor that may be
feeding the blood pressure problem. Garlic is one of those herbs. People
jokingly say garlic is a repellant of friends and other objects, but
garlic keeps an abundance of unwanted health problems away from the
body.
Herbs Detoxify:
Use herbs to detox the body. A huge
problem with blood flow is inflammation. Once this problem is solved,
the body can get necessary vitamins to affected areas. When preparing
foods, include more onions, peppers and spices. These herbs are
beneficial to the body. Basil, oregano and cinnamon are also helpful.
Blend these herbs into as many dishes as possible and reduce salt and
sugar intake. Too many foods are prepackaged with these products, so
read labels.
Reduce the Inflammation:
Cardamom, olives
and ginger work great, reducing inflammation in the body, bringing down
blood pressure. Turmeric, hawthorn and celery seed aid in this process.
People with a healthy diet of vegetables have far less trouble with
blood pressure
than most. This shows that eating a large amount of vegetables is a way
of getting a variety of nutrients also found in herbs into the body. It
is not enough to know about helpful herbs; use them for better health.
Herbs
used for seasonings are basic to many kitchen cupboards: rosemary,
elderberry, lemon balm and many others. Chamomile is popular as a
soothing tea. Some herbs are more common than others and should be taken
sparingly. Everyone responds differently. For example, garlic is good
for the body; it is a natural antibiotic, but it is also a
blood thinner and should not be eaten excessively.
Herbs
are one of the least expensive foods on the market. They can be grown
on a kitchen window seal or in a few flowerpots in a favorite sitting
area. Thousands of people use grow lights to keep
herb
gardens when living in apartments, and others use small greenhouses
available at local garden shops to grow herbs year round. Many
neighborhoods have rooftop gardens or community gardens that satisfy the
need for potent herbs. These plants are helpful to the body, and they
can be acquired no matter how tight the budget, with a little effort.
They are also fun and simple to grow.
Sources:
http://www.herbalremediesadvice.org
http://www.healthline.com
http://www.naturalnews.com
http://science.naturalnews.com
About the author:
Sandeep
is an mountain climber, runner, and fitness coach. He shares his tips
for staying in shape and eating healthy on quickeasyfit.
Green Tea May Interfere With a Blood Pressure Medicine Tiny, early study found reduced blood levels of nadolol among green tea drinkers
WebMD News from HealthDay
By Kathleen Doheny
HealthDay Reporter
MONDAY, Jan. 13, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Drinking
green tea may lessen the effects of the medication nadolol (Corgard),
used to treat high blood pressure, a new small study suggests.
Green Tea Helps Lower Blood Pressure, and Much More...
By Dr. Mercola
Pure water is by far the ideal beverage of choice, but high-quality
tea can be a valuable addition. Not only does tea rehydrate as well as
water does, most teas also have additional health benefits.1
High-quality tea—green tea in particular—contains polyphenol
antioxidants that are recognized for their disease prevention and
anti-aging properties. Polyphenols can account for up to 30 percent of
the dry leaf weight of green tea.
Within the group of polyphenols are flavonoids, which contain
catechins. One of the most powerful catechins is
epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), found in green tea. EGCG has been
shown to positively impact a number of illnesses and conditions.
Previous research2
has shown that green tea polyphenols act on molecular pathways to shut
down the production and spread of tumor cells. They also discourage the
growth of the blood vessels that feed the tumors.
EGCG even acts as an antiangiogenic and antitumor agent, and helps modulate tumor cell response to chemotherapy.3
Study results also show EGCG can be helpful for the prevention of
arteriosclerosis, cerebral thrombus, heart attack, and stroke—in part
due to its ability to relax your arteries and improve blood flow.4
Green Tea Lowers Blood Pressure Naturally
Some of the latest research in this area again confirms such health
benefits. After analyzing 25 randomized controlled trials, the
systematic review, published in the British Journal of Nutrition in October5 concluded that long-term tea intake significantly improved blood pressure. As reported in Time Magazine:6
“After 12 weeks of drinking tea, blood pressure was lower by 2.6
mmHg systolic and 2.2 mmHg diastolic. Green tea had the most significant
results, while black tea performed the next best...
Reducing systolic blood pressure by 2.6 mmHg ‘would be expected to
reduce stroke risk by 8 percent, coronary artery disease mortality by 5
percent and all-cause mortality by 4 percent at a population level...’”
While unable to determine exactly how much tea you need to drink to
receive these benefits, a number of previous studies have suggested the
ideal amount lies around three to four cups of tea per day.7
For example, one 2007 study8
found “clear evidence” showing that three or more cups of tea—in this
case black tea—reduced the risk of coronary heart disease.
Similarly, drinking three to four cups of green tea daily has been shown to promote heart and cardiovascular health,9 again courtesy of its ability to relax blood vessels and protect against blood clots.
Green Tea—Helpful Against Obesity, Diabetes, and Alzheimer’s Disease
There are certain compounds and nutrients that seem to have near
limitless health potential, and catechins are part of that pack.
Fortunately, high-quality green tea is an excellent source of these
antioxidants, making them easily available.
Besides its beneficial effects on your circulatory system, previous
studies have demonstrated that EGCG in particular has a regulatory
effect on fat metabolism, thereby increasing fat oxidation and
preventing obesity. It can even help improve exercise performance.
One 2010 study10
evaluating EGCG’s potential in weight loss found it increases fat
oxidation by a respectable 33 percent. EGCG may also aid weight loss by
inhibiting fat cell development and increasing fat excretion. Obesity
and diabetes tend to go hand in hand, and what is beneficial for one is
usually beneficial for the other as well.
Indeed, one animal study11
found that EGCG was as effective as the diabetic drug Avandia in
moderately diabetic mice, suggesting green tea, or a high-quality green
tea extract, could be helpful for the prevention and/or treatment of
diabetes.
Researchers have also discovered that green tea has the potential to
enhance the function of your brain, and prevent age-associated brain
degeneration.
Specifically, EGCG appears to decrease the production of the protein
beta-amyloid, which can over-accumulate in your brain, resulting in
nerve damage and memory loss over time12 – a condition related to Alzheimer’s disease.
In one study,13
published in 2005, researchers injected pure EGCG into mice genetically
programmed to develop Alzheimer’s; the results showed a decrease of as
much as 54 percent in the plaque associated with Alzheimer’s.
Other Health Benefits of Green Tea
Catechins in green tea may also help protect against glaucoma and other eye diseases. In one study,14
scientists analyzed eye tissue from rats that drank green tea and found
that eye tissues such as the lens and retina had in fact absorbed green
tea catechins.
According to the authors, oxidative stress causes biological
disturbances such as DNA damage and activation of proteolytic enzymes
that can lead to tissue cell damage or dysfunction—and, eventually,
ophthalmic diseases. Green tea catechins have also been found to:
- Lower your breast cancer risk
- Ease inflammation and pain associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA)15
- Reduce your risk of autoimmune diseases
- Promote healthy gums
- Improve digestion
A botanical ointment containing a green tea extract was even found
to be an effective treatment for external genital and anal warts,
according to the results of one 2008 study.16
Genital and anal warts are caused by human papillomavirus (HPV), and
there has been a lack of effective, well tolerated treatments.
The researchers assigned over 500 adults with up to 30 warts to receive
either an ointment containing sinecatechins, or a placebo. In the
sinecatechins groups, warts cleared completely in roughly 57 percent of
patients, compared to just 34 percent of subjects in the control group.
Quality Green Tea Is Green
Out of the seemingly endless varieties of tea out there, there is only a
handful I would recommend drinking. My two favorites are Matcha green
tea and Tulsi—a powerful adaptogenic herb that also provides important
therapeutic benefits.
Green tea in general is among the least processed kinds of tea, which
is why it contains some of the highest amounts of EGCG. Unlike other
teas that you steep and strain, Matcha tea comes in the form of a powder
that you add right into the water.
Matcha tea can contain over 100 times the EGCG provided by regular brewed green tea, and since you’re consuming the entire ground tea leaf, you’re getting the most benefit from each cup of tea you drink.
Besides being an excellent source of antioxidants, green tea is also
packed with vitamins A, D, E, C, B, B5, H, and K, manganese, and other
beneficial minerals such as zinc, chromium, and selenium. A telltale
sign of high quality is that the tea is in fact green. If your
green tea looks brown rather than green, it’s likely been oxidized,
which can damage or destroy many of its most valuable compounds.
To boost the benefits of green tea, add a squirt of lemon juice to your cup. Previous research has demonstrated that vitamin C
significantly increases the amount of catechins available for your body
to absorb. In fact, citrus juice increased available catechin levels by
more than five times, causing 80 percent of tea's catechins to remain bioavailable!
Tea Can Be a Valuable Part of a Healthy Diet
If you enjoy green tea, by all means add a few cups to your day. Just
be sure to drink your green tea “straight.” Adding sugar, milk, or other
“embellishments” (one exception being some citrus juice), will counter
many of the benefits of the tea. Again, green tea contains the most EGCG
of all tea varieties, and other than water, I believe high-quality
green tea is one of the most beneficial beverages you can consume.
Another excellent choice is Tulsi tea, which is also chockfull of
antioxidants. The complex and unique chemistry of this aromatic herb
also offers benefits that go over and beyond that of other teas. Tulsi
tea contains hundreds of beneficial compounds known as
phytochemicals—non-nutritive plant compounds that have protective and
health promoting properties. Working together, these compounds possess
potential antioxidant, adaptogenic, and immune-enhancing properties that
can fight stress and help promote your general health in multiple ways,
including:
- Bolstering your immune system
- Providing you with a calming effect and relief from occasional stress
- Promoting healthy metabolism
- Helping maintain optimal blood sugar levels
- Supporting normal cholesterol levels
Related:
Health Benefits of Green Tea
Electronic Cigarettes Have Slight Impact on Heart: Study
Appear to be far less toxic than tobacco cigarettes, researcher says
Aug. 27, 2012 | 12:00 p.m. EDT
+ More
MONDAY, Aug. 27 (HealthDay News) -- Electronic cigarettes appear to be
far less harmful than tobacco cigarettes and don't seem to damage the
heart, a new, small study suggests.
In recent years, electronic cigarettes -- which simulate the effect of
smoking by producing an inhaled vapor -- have been marketed as a safer
alternative to regular cigarettes.
Smoking is the most preventable risk factor for heart disease, which is
the main cause of illness and death in smokers. Coronary artery disease
alone accounts for 40 percent of smokers' deaths, according to the study
authors.
For the new study, researchers examined heart function in 20 daily
smokers, aged 25 to 45, before and after smoking one tobacco cigarette,
and in 22 daily electronic cigarette smokers of similar age before and
after they used the device for seven minutes.
Smoking one tobacco cigarette resulted in a significant increase in
blood pressure and heart rate, but electronic cigarettes had only a
minimal effect on heart function. This indicates that even though
electronic cigarettes do contain nicotine, it is absorbed at a lower
rate compared to tobacco cigarettes, the researchers said.
The study was presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress, which concludes Wednesday in Munich, Germany.
"It is too early to say whether the electronic cigarette is a revolution
in tobacco harm reduction but the potential is there. It is the only
available product that deals with both the chemical (nicotine delivery)
and psychological (inhaling and exhaling 'smoke', holding it, etc.)
addiction to smoking. Laboratory analyses indicate that it is
significantly less toxic and our study has shown no significant defects
in cardiac function after acute use," study author Dr. Konstantinos
Farsalinos said in a conference news release.
"More clinical studies need to be done before suggesting that this is a
revolutionary product. However, considering the extreme hazards
associated with cigarette smoking, currently available data suggest that
electronic cigarettes are far less harmful and substituting tobacco
with electronic cigarettes may be beneficial to health," added
Farsalinos, who's with the Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center in Athens,
Greece.
The data and conclusions of research presented at medical meetings
should be viewed as preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed
journal.
More information
The U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute has more about
smoking and your heart.
http://health.usnews.com/health-news/news/articles/2012/08/27/electronic-cigarettes-have-slight-impact-on-heart-study
