Hawthorn is a flowering plant that has been used in traditional medicine for thousands of years. It's also known as Crataegus monogyna and Crataegus laevigata, and it grows all over the world. The leaves, flowers and berries of this shrub have been used to treat heart disease since ancient times.
Hawthorn has been shown to lower blood pressure in people with hypertension (high blood pressure) by dilating blood vessels so more oxygen-rich blood can flow through them; this means less strain on your heart muscle during exercise or other activities that cause increased demand for oxygenated blood delivery throughout your body.
What is Hawthorn?
Hawthorn is a flowering shrub that grows in temperate regions of the world. Its leaves, flowers and berries are used to make medicine.
The plant has many parts:
- The flowers are bright pink or white with five petals each. They grow in clusters at the end of branches and bloom in springtime (March through May).
- The leaves are dark green on top and lighter underneath; they're shaped like an arrowhead with pointed tips on both sides of their edges, which makes them look like little hands reaching up towards sunlight!
- The fruit looks like red berries but actually contains seeds inside that you can eat if you want to try eating hawthorn yourself--but don't worry about this unless your doctor says otherwise because it might not be safe for everyone!
Heart Health Benefits
Hawthorn has been shown to help lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels. In one study, people with high cholesterol who took hawthorn extract had an improvement in their LDL (bad) cholesterol levels compared to those who took a placebo. Another study found that hawthorn extract was effective at lowering both systolic and diastolic blood pressures by about 10%.
Another way that hawthorn can improve heart health is by increasing the strength of your heart muscle--a condition called left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). LVH occurs when there's too much stress on the muscles of your heart, which causes it to become enlarged. This can lead to irregular heartbeats or even sudden death if not treated properly! But luckily for us, studies have shown that taking hawthorn extracts daily can reduce LVH symptoms significantly after just six weeks!
Digestive Health Benefits
Hawthorn is a great choice for those who suffer from digestive issues. The fruit and leaves contain compounds called proanthocyanidins, which have been shown to reduce inflammation in the stomach lining. This can help protect against ulcers and other forms of gastric distress, including heartburn and acid reflux.
In addition to its anti-inflammatory properties, hawthorn has been found to relieve symptoms of nausea by acting as an antispasmodic--it relaxes muscles that are contracted due to stress or illness. It also stimulates bile production in the liver so that food moves through your digestive tract more quickly than normal (which may be helpful if you're constipated).
Other Health Benefits
Hawthorn has been used for centuries to treat heart disease, but it may also help with other health issues.
Researchers have found that hawthorn has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, which can help reduce pain and swelling in joints. It's also thought that hawthorn can lower blood pressure by relaxing blood vessels, making it easier for your heart to pump blood throughout the body.
Conclusion
Hawthorn is a natural remedy that has been used for centuries to treat heart disease, but it also has many other benefits. It can improve blood flow and lower blood pressure, as well as reduce inflammation in the body.
Hawthorn is safe for most people when taken at proper doses; however, there are some potential side effects and interactions with medications that you should be aware of before starting your hawthorn regimen. If you have any questions about whether or not hawthorn is right for you, talk with your doctor first!
Sources
- The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
- The American Botanical Council (ABC)
- CAPSLR: Weißdorn: Blutdrucksenker und 7 weitere Vorteile für deine Gesundheit
- Harvard Medical School's Office of Technology Development