Hawthorn has a long rich and traditional history of use as a heart tonic. Now there is considerable evidence supporting the use of Hawthorn as an effective treatment where the heart is weak and doesn’t pump blood around the body as well as it should. Around 30,000 Australians are diagnosed with this debilitating condition each year and this can lead to a number of health problems that can affect your entire body with some unsettling symptoms. Heart conditions are potentially serious and professional supervision is highly recommended.

Hawthorn – leaf, flower and berry

Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) belongs to the Rose family and is a small deciduous shrub with clusters of white aromatic flowers and brilliant small red fruits or berries that look like miniature apples. Hawthorn has a well-established use as a heart tonic, helping to maintain healthy cardiovascular function, blood vessel integrity and maintaining normal heart muscle function in healthy individuals. Hawthorn leaf, flower and berry are all used medicinally for their heart health properties. Traditionally, the medicinal focus was based on the effect of the berry alone to help with heart problems such as irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, chest pain, hardening of the arteries and mild to moderate weakness of the heart. In more recent times, the medicinal focus has shifted to the leaves and flowers. Hawthorn is considered the best tonic remedy for the heart and may help to:

• Maintain normal heart muscle function
• Normalise an irregular heart rhythm
• Maintain normal blood pressure in healthy individuals
• Dilate blood vessels helping to improve blood supply and circulation
• Combat chest pain caused by poor blood flow to the heart
• Increase tolerance to exercise
• Improve fatigue
• Reduce shortness of breath associated with heart weakness

Antioxidant power of Hawthorn

Hawthorn contains powerful antioxidants including oligomeric procyanidins (OPC’s), flavonoids and quercetin. Antioxidants help to protect your body against free radical damage and to strengthen your body’s antioxidant status. Free radicals naturally occur in your body as a by-product of the many chemical reactions that take place every day and as you grow older, the number of free radicals also increases. The leaves contain very high levels of OPC’s which also help to stabilise collagen in your body, important in maintaining the elasticity and tone of your blood vessels, helping to maintain healthy blood pressure and circulation. The flowers contain the highest level of flavonoids helping to prevent the oxidation of LDL or ‘bad’ cholesterol, providing a protective effect on the heart and blood vessels. Together, OPC’s and flavonoids help to dilate blood vessels, improve blood flow and protect blood vessels from damage while quercetin provides anti-inflammatory benefits. Hawthorn can be used long term for a sustained effect and provides the best herbal tonic for your heart while providing powerful antioxidants to help protect your heart and blood vessels from damage.

Mr Vitamins recommends

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