TeaHawthorn Tea Discovered to be an Effective 'heart Tonic'
Hawthorn Tea has long been regarded by avid herbal tea drinkers and herbal medicine practitioners as an effective "heart tonic".
The hawthorn tea is an infusion that comes from the fruits, flowers and leaves of the Hawthorn, a small tree or shrub that grows throughout Europe, North America and the northern parts of Asia.
The heart-friendly attributes of hawthorn tea is largely due to the significant concentrations of flavonoids in the fruits, flowers and leaves of the hawthorn.
Hawthorn Tea has been shown to help in increasing blood flow to the heart muscle itself, and thus counteract heart attack due to lack of blood flow to the heart.
Tests on both animals and humans have shown that hawthorn tea helps improve the contractility of the heart muscle, increase cardiac performance and output, lower the peripheral vascular resistance, steady the heartbeat, and increase the heart"s tolerance to oxygen deficiency.
Hawthorn berries have been traditionally used to treat weak heart combined with high blood pressure. Hawthorn berries are also used to treat a heart muscle weakened by age, for inflammation of the heart muscle, for arteriosclerosis, and for nervous heart.
The effect of hawthorn berry on these heart conditions is not immediate; it may be necessary to take the herb for 4 to 6 weeks to see results. Leaf and flower preparations may work faster, but hawthorn berries are better for some specific problems.
The current use of hawthorn as a "heart tonic" dates back to the 17th century. In Europe, both homeopathic and allopathic doctors used hawthorn for different ailments and disorders of the heart.
Nowadays, thousands of doctors in Europe prescribe hawthorn to prevent cardiovascular disease or to help alleviate symptoms of mild to moderate problems. Hawthorn is also considered a mildly calming herb for the nervous system--an appropriate bonus considering that stress and nervousness often accompany cardiovascular problems.