Hawthorn and health benefits

Because of the negative connotation, hawthorn has been lead into connection with death and ill fate. As Christ was crucified with a crown of it, people believed that it brought bad luck. What most of us doesn’t know is the fact that hawthorn is one of the most prescribed heart remedies in Europe. It is a plant, that can grow up to 9 meters and we are familiar with 280 species of hawthorn. It is used in the treatment of kidney diseases and as diuretic. For those health attributes, hawthorn has to thank to active flavonoid compounds, which are antioxidants, and, because of them, the colors move from red to blue in the blackberries, cherries, blueberries and grapes.

Benefits

The essence of hawthorn can be found in the form of a pill, capsule, tincture, powder and dried herb that can be used for a tea preparation. The hawthorn flower is used as a tonic for heart, and it helps the heart to run properly, while it is also useful for people with mild congestive failure of the heart. Based on the data obtained on clinical trials, hawthorn flower benefit the older population in prevention of decreased heart function. Hawthorn tree is proved to be useful in the period after a heart attack. It helps the heart by strengthening the heart muscle and improving blood flow through the heart. Its features also benefit our nervous system as they calm us down and in that way help us to deal with stressful situations.

It is best absorbed by our body when the total amount is taken in three daily measures, and it is best to use it for several months, because only then the results can be seen. Tincture is used in the amount from 5 - 15 ml and people who are predisposed to some form of a heart disease should take 100 - 150 mg supplement or 1 teaspoon of the tincture. It is important that when you want to purchase it, you should pay attention to standardized extracts that have 1-3 % of flavonoids. Some of the possible side effects are nausea, sweating, fatigue and skin rash. People with low pressure who do not have heart disease, have to be warned that large doses of hawthorn can lover their blood pressure and due to that, they might feel dizzy and faint. Even though there are a lot of medical products on the market, people want to try things that were used in the past, but with a new, modern approach.