Heart Healthy Herbs
Our hearts are a vital part of our bodies. It’s an incredible muscle at the very center of our circulation system that ensures blood is pumped around our entire body. With every heartbeat, oxygen and nutrients are fed throughout our body. Coronary arteries also go hand in hand in this process as they are the key components that deliver blood to the heart.
There are many ways in which we can keep our hearts and arteries strong and herbs are one of many ways of achieving that.
What are some of the ways herbs support a healthy heart?
- Cardioprotective - helps to protect the heart or coronary arteries from disease, malfunction or injury
- Stress Relieving - Stress overtime can increase inflammation throughout our bodies which can lead to higher blood pressure and lowers “good” HDL cholesterol
- Regulates Blood Pressure - Having a regulated blood pressure is important since our organs such as our heart, receive oxygen and nutrients through blood flow. Blood pressure represents the measure of force that our blood exerts against our vessel walls as it flows through our vessels. (High blood pressure forced our hearts to work harder to pump blood through the rest of the body which can lead to a risk of a heart attack, heart failure or sudden cardiac death) (Low blood pressure means there’s not enough blood pumping through your body which can lead to symptoms of dizziness/lightheartedness, nausea, put your body in shock etc.)
- Improves Circulation - Circulation is the movement of blood through our bodies. Optimal circulation ensures that blood full of oxygen and nutrients are consistently flowing throughout our bodies. This process helps to speed up wound healing, it ensures our organs are functioning properly, it keeps our brain sharp, it ensures a healthy heart and it can also give your complexion a natural flush!
- Regulates Cholesterol - studies have shown that lowering LDL cholesterol can reduce the risk of cardiovascular death, strokes, heart attacks etc. (LDL cholesterol is considered “bad” because it takes cholesterol directly to our arteries whereas HDL is “good” because it carries cholesterol to our livers where it can then be removed from our bloodstream before it can build it in our arteries)
Benefits of heart healthy herbs:
- Reishi - lowers “bad” cholesterol, lowers blood pressure mildly, prevents hardening of our arteries and is stress and anxiety relieving
- Hawthorn berries - regulates high blood pressure and high cholesterol, increases coronary artery blood flow and circulation
- Astragalus - may aid with severe forms of heart diseases (Angina & mild congestive heart failure) by relieving symptoms, lowering cholesterol levels and improving overall heart function
- Schizandra - lowers inflammation & regulates blood pressure
- Hibiscus - lowers blood pressure & prevents clogged arteries
- Ashwagandha - reduces high blood pressure and cortisol levels by reducing stress
- Rhodiola - strengthens the heart and it may also prevent stress-induced cardiac damage
- Goji berries - reduces “bad” LDL cholesterol and increases “good HDL cholesterol and can lower high blood pressure
