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"Herbs with Heart"
Most of us who live around here are familiar with Hawthorne, which grows as a bush or small tree. I personally remember it best for its long thorns, and how much they used to hurt in the summertime when, as a child, I accidentally stepped on them barefoot. I also remember the birds eating the berries in the wintertime.
Nostalgia aside, this plant has much to offer and is a valuable herb in the natural treatment of a variety of heart disorders. Hawthorne can: Act to increase circulation to the heart and make it beat more effectively; Dilate blood vessels (which will in turn lower blood pressure and make the hearts’ job easier to do); Stop the build up of excess fluid so often seen in heart disease (similar to western drugs of the class called ACE inhibitors); Aid in diuresis, or elimination of excess fluids, through urination. It has also been used to help lower cholesterol, treat angina, and in the treatment of congestive heart failure. Hawthorne can be used alone, or is sometimes more effective when combined with other herbs, (particularly Mistletoe and Linden), depending on the individual situation. It is a fairly safe herb and often used for long term therapy.
I can’t help but throw in a few words about another common herb we tend to ignore, and even worse, vigorously attempt to kill off in our yards! Dandelion is just so misunderstood and underrated. It has many uses, but the use relevant to this discussion is its diuretic properties. As mentioned above, heart disease can result in the buildup of excess fluid in the body. Diuresis helps to prevent this through increasing the amount of urination. Although there are many western diuretics in use, one of the common side effects we see with these drugs is an increased loss of potassium in the urine, which can deplete the body of this important substance. Dandelion has a built in safeguard against that, since the plant is rich in potassium naturally, thereby supplementing the body as it aids in urination.
It is so wonderful to have these local herbs available to us, but in closing, I would offer a word of caution. The herbs I’ve mentioned can be used as real medical treatments, not just casual supplements. Just as you would with any other medication, talk to your veterinarian before starting your pet on herbal therapy. It is possible to have adverse herb – drug interactions. This is an especially important consideration if your pet is already taking heart medications. Weaning your pet off of western drugs and onto herbs, or adding herbs to the current medications will have to be done under close observation. Warnings aside, I hope the next time you step on a Hawthorne thorn, or groan at the dandelions on the lawn, you may take a moment to consider their benefits.
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