Benefits of Hawthorn Berry

Hawthorn is often called “the heart herb” for its various cardio-protective abilities. Prized for its ability to uplift and strengthen the heart both emotionally and physically, the hawthorn berry has been used for centuries as a natural remedy for all kinds of serious heart conditions. Hawthorn berry is the fruit of various hawthorn bush fruit trees, a member of the Crataegus genus. These trees and shrubs are native to regions of Europe, Asia, and North America. Hawthorn berries are known for their small, red, or black fruit resembling miniature apples.

There are numerous health benefits of hawthorn berries. They are very nutritional packed with essential nutrients, including vitamin C and B-complex and minerals like potassium and magnesium.  The active constituents include bioflavonoids, proanthocyanins and polyphenols. One of the most well-known benefits of hawthorn berry is its positive impact on the heart and cardiovascular disease. It has been shown to improve heart function and blood circulation, lower blood pressure, prevent congestive heart failure, and support healthy cholesterol levels. One of the ways through which hawthorn berry benefits heart health is its ability to lower blood pressure. This leads to improved blood flow and circulation, reducing strain on the heart. It also helps strengthen the heart muscle, enhancing its efficiency in pumping blood throughout the body.  It improves oxygen availability to the muscle. It helps to lower LDL (the bad cholesterol) while increasing HDL (the good cholesterol).

Hawthorn berries are rich in antioxidants, which help combat oxidative stress and reduce inflammation. Its components, such as quercetin and rutin, neutralize free radicals, helping to maintain good cellular health. 

Hawthorn berry has been used to ease stress and anxiety. By helping to relax blood vessels and reduce tension. There is a strong correlation between enhanced mental wellness and cardiac health. 

Hawthorn berries have been used to support the digestive system and with irritable bowel because of its mild laxative effect, which helps to regulate bowel movements and overall gut health. 

Hawthorn berries may be helpful in regulating blood sugar levels. Its compounds can enhance insulin sensitivity and reduce the risks of sugar spikes.

Hawthorn berries may help support metabolism and aid in weight loss. They contain bioactive compounds that help regulate appetite. They can help lead to a feeling of fullness and satiety, which can lead to caloric intake being reduced. 

Hawthorn berry has been used to topically soothe skin conditions like acne and eczema because of its anti-inflammatory properties. It supports collagen synthesis and skin elasticity and reduce the appearance of wrinkles. 

Hawthorn berries can be incorporated daily through various forms such as teas, tinctures, capsules, or powders. Berries or dried flowers: 3 to 5 g of tea three times per day. Fluid extract 1 to 2 ml (1/4  to ½ tsp ) three times per day. Solid extract 250 to 500mg two times per day.  I feel the best form is a Phyto cap. My personal favorite is Hawthorn Supreme from Gaia Herbs. Therapeutic range is 250-500 mg a day, so you can take two capsules a day with meals. 

Mountain Rose Herbs has a great tea blend for the heart that includes organic hawthorn, organic lemon balm, organic rosehips, organic dandelion and many more herbs. 

Hawthorn berry might cause drug interactions when taken with high blood pressure drugs. Hawthorn can interact with digoxin and phenylephrine 4.

If you are pregnant, please consult with a Naturopathic doctor before taking it.

Hawthorn berry is a remarkable botanical herb that offers a wide range of health benefits. Hawthorn is a parasympathetic herb that can help conserve energy by slowing one down and helping you to focus on one thing at a time. Hawthorn is like receiving a loving hug that is reassuring and letting you know that everything will be okay. This is an herb that I make sure I always have on hand. 

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Disclaimer: This website does not provide medical advice. The information is for informational purpose only. No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, or diagnosis of treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regime, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.

Healthy Habits to Prevent Cancer

A healthy lifestyle is the best way to prevent cancer. Since prevention is always better than a cure, get a head start on reducing your risks. I will share tips on how to prevent cancer, so you stay healthy and well.

Cleansing and detoxing your internal and external environment are very important. Through our daily habits our body tends to accumulate toxicity and we become bio-accumulators. Learning to incorporate daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly cleanses and fasting is important to clear out this buildup of toxins. This can include sweating, sauna work, red light therapy as well as many other things. 

We must start to transition into eating a whole food organic plant based nutrient dense diet. Diet does not mean giving up all our treats. The BIG keyword is “moderation”. We should adopt a well-balanced diet that includes whole grains, fresh fruits, and vegetables and regeneratively farmed meats, and fresh wild caught fish. Also be mindful of portion sizes as well, to make sure you are not overeating. Adding in lots of antioxidants and high ORAC value foods and maintaining a healthy weight play a key role to maintaining good health. I am not asking you to entirely give up snacks, but I am asking you to view them as indulgences and not staples of your diet. You can indulge three to four times a month after your body heals. 

Regular exercise and moderate activity have been shown to prevent chronic disease and cancer. Doing 150 minutes of exercise a week has been very effective. The body is designed to move and as we age our bodies tend to slow down so it is very important to keep moving for overall health. 

Our emotional well-being is just as important as our physical well-being. Awareness and being present is key here. Are you a positive or negative thinker? Pay attention to your thoughts and emotions. Are you tight, stressed out, full of anxiety, anger, impatience, fear etc? Let’s instead start to focus on what IS GOOD in every situation. Let’s learn to slow down and start to notice what triggers you and your stress levels. Meditation, walks in nature, creativity, play, laughter, breathwork, journaling, and playing with our fur babies are very helpful in calming down the central nervous system.

Studies have linked insufficient sleep with the onset of chronic diseases and cancer. This is because quality sleep plays an important role in regulating many of our bodily functions, including controlling our appetite and metabolic rate, influencing our mood and stress levels, and impacting our blood glucose levels. Try to build a pre-sleep routine, including fixed times to sleep and rise every day. Avoid caffeine, put electronics away two hours before bedtime, make sure your room is completely black and remove all electronics from your bedroom, sleep on a grounding mat.

Cleaning up your internal and external environment. Limit your exposure to tobacco smoke, fumes, pollutants, pesticides, herbicides, heavy metals, asbestos, mold, solvents, EMF exposure, alcohol, perfumes, make-up, deodorant, toothpaste, etc. Instead start to incorporate organic things that are free of all harmful substances. Start one room at a time and literally go through everything. Starting slowly will help to avoid going into an overwhelming situation. 

Adding beneficial supplementation and herbs will help wherever there may be nutrient deficiencies. Try a good multi-vitamin, B-Complex vitamin, chlorella or spirulina, Vitamin D, and Omega 3 fatty acids. 

Drinking distilled water. Our water supply has become so contaminated over the years. I currently use a four-step process to clean, purify and structure my water. The first thing people usually ask me is “where do I get my minerals from”? You get your minerals from food, not your water but if you are concerned you can take a good mineral supplement or add apple cider vinegar to your water. Our bodies are anywhere from 60 to 70 % water, so it is crucial to keep the fluids in your body nice and clean.

For those looking for a quick fix, we’ll have to disappoint you. Adopting a healthy lifestyle is the most effective way to prevent chronic disease and cancer. We know it may be difficult to change your habits all at once, so start with the easiest things first. Even a single healthy change is a step in the right direction. 

Finally, be kind and gentle as you start your healing journey. Love yourself back to good health. 

You can go to “Services” Tab to sign up for private sessions to deepen your personal healing. And don’t forget to join my email list via the pop up on this website to get a free healing MP3 and receive updates on new blog posts! Hope to connect with you soon.

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Disclaimer: this website does not provide medical advice. The information is for informational purposes only. No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, or diagnosis of treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.