By Brent Miesse, Master Herbalist, ND
Imagine what would happen if you were a pilot and your airplane had obstructed fuel lines in the middle of a flight. Immediately you would be scrambling to regain control and reroute fuel to your engines. Everything begins to shut down from the lack of fuel. In much the same way, our heart depends on our vessels being free from clogs so that it can easily move the blood to the cells for proper nutrition and metabolism. Without the movement of this blood, would be as catastrophic as a plane in flight without fuel. Two of nature’s most valuable herbs for circulatory concerns are Ginkgo Biloba and Hawthorn.
Numerous studies by reputable medical organizations and research firms have found astonishing results from the use of Ginkgo Biloba for circulation. Ginkgo acts as a vasodilator, opening constricted blood vessels to promote normal circulation to the brain and central nervous system. (This is why so many people trust Ginkgo for help with memory, mood, and mental clarity). The Journal of Biological Chemistry reported that Ginkgo Biloba supplementation helps significantly in preventing hardening of the arteries. Other studies suggest Ginkgo enhances blood flow to the heart muscle, helps to prevent heart attacks, and lowers the risk of developing internal blood clots.
Hawthorn is affectionately known to herbalists worldwide as “the heart herb” because it has many benefits as a heart tonic. How does it work? WebMD explains it this way, “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. They also continue of course with, “More evidence is needed to rate the effectiveness of hawthorn for these uses.”
Our hearts and brains have huge responsibilities when it comes to keeping us alive and well. Give your heart a helping hand with Ginkgo and Hawthorn, a Natural Alternatives for circulatory health.
God Bless You All