Hawthorn Berry - The Heart Herb
Hawthorn berry has long been considered the “Heart Herb”. Historically it has been used to strengthen the heart and to aid all kinds of heart problems from arrhythmia, to both high and low blood pressure, to valve problems and varicosities. Hawthorn works to normalize the heart’s actions. Hawthorn is considered a tonic herb and has commonly been used for extended periods of time to help heal and support the heart during periods of increased load caused by: pregnancy, the aging process; congenital disorders or weaknesses, injuries, the damaging effects of adrenaline, caffeine and stress.
Hawthorn berry calms the circulatory system, dilates peripheral blood vessels and helps to restore proper function to the entire cardiovascular system. It is also historically effective in helping the body eliminate water retention when used in conjunction with the herbs found in our Bladder & Kidney formula, and helps prevent fat accumulation while simultaneously decreasing appetite, making it an exceptional addition to weight loss programs.
Hawthorn berries are small red berries on the hawthorn bush (Crateagus Oxyocantha). The bush commonly grows in Europe, North Africa and India. It is a substantial bush, covered in thorns and reaching up to thirty feet tall. The berries are carefully harvested in the late summer or early fall. They are then dried into a small rock-like dried berry to be used at a later date.
Some hawthorn berries are used whole and others are ground into powder before being used to make tea, tinctures, or capsules. When making tea, hawthorn is ready when the tea is no longer runny but takes on a more gelatinous state. This gel thickens as the tea cools. When made into a tincture, the consistency is similarly slimy, but not unpleasant, and will be almost completely unnoticeable once the tincture is added to water or juice.
Hawthorn berry can be used alone as a tonic for the heart or can be combined with other herbs to act more specifically to the needs of the heart. Hawthorn combines well with Garlic, Cayenne, Motherwort and Myrrh, and it is often included in herbal superfoods to give complete nutritional aid directly to the heart.
At Be A Courageous Family, we use Hawthorn Berry regularly and in several different products. It is currently available as a single herbal tincture, as well as in the combinations Heart Formula and Blood Pressure. We also use it in conjunction with other herbal tinctures such as Valve Repair, Cell Align, Cayenne, and Bladder & Kidney to meet the nutritional and healing needs specific to the circulatory system and other closely related body systems.
These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to treat, diagnose or cure any disease.