Using herbs to care for the heart is not a recent tradition, but mainstream medications have taken over, and they may be negatively affecting other parts of your body. Since heart disease is one of the top killers in America, it is a popularly researched topic. This means that people are constantly finding new ways to help improve cardiovascular health. Hopefully, more natural herbs that can help improve heart health are being brought to light.
Because different herbs have their own health properties, each herb does different things for the heart. Some herbs help to lower cholesterol, while others actually strengthen the heart muscle. Other herbs work through the nervous system to improve circulation and can even alter our hormones. Chinese medicine indicates that balancing the mind and hormones can help improve heart health.
There isn’t one magic herb or pill that magically fixes heart disease, but here are 7 herbal remedies that can help.
#1: Hawthorn Berry Leaf
When it comes to heart-healing herbs, hawthorn is one of the most remedies. The berries have incredible heart-healthy compounds that can help improve circulation and prevent damage to blood vessels. While the berries are popular, the hawthorn leaves are said nourish the cardiovascular system to help fight diseases like arteriosclerosis or hypertension.
#2: Cayenne Pepper
Cayenne pepper has been used as an antiseptic treatment, but the high levels antioxidants make cayenne great for combating heart disease and cancers such as lymphoma. Additionally, cayenne can help improve blood flow and detoxify the bloodstream.
#3: Butcher’s Broom
Butcher’s broom is a common natural remedy for varicose veins, hemorrhoids, and other circulatory ailments. The antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties that are beneficial to the heart come from the antocyanins and ruscogenin in this great herb.
#4: Bilberries
If you need to strengthen blood vessels and capillaries, bilberries are the remedy you’ve been looking for. Research studies show that bilberries are rich in plant pigments and vitamin C, both of which are great antioxidants. In a 2009 study, bilberries were shown to decrease plaque formation in rats, helping to ward off damage to the heart.
#5: Gingko Biloba
The gingko leaf helps to strengthen the cardiovascular system and can improve oxygenation. If you have poor circulation in your legs, gingko leaf has been known to help increase circulation. People with high blood pressure can also benefit from gingko’s blood pressure-lowering properties. Be advised that you should avoid taking blood thinners if you are using gingko.
#6: Garlic
This flavorful cooking ingredient has some amazing medicinal properties. Garlic is extremely beneficial for helping lower LDL (bad cholesterol) levels and triglycerides. Additionally, garlic can help lower one’s risk of bacterial heart disease and it can lower blood pressure too.
#7: Motherwort
Motherwort has been used to help treat anxiety patients, as well as those with poor cardiac function and circulation. Motherwort contains an amazing phytonutrient called leonine, a vasodilator that helps increase the size of blood vessels to promote healthy blood flow throughout the body. It can also help decrease water weight.
