Hawthorn and Heart Disease

I was recently at a networking mixer and met Monique who asked me to do some work on re-introducing the health benefits of Hawthorn for the treatment of Heart Disease to you all.

Hawthorn (Crataegus species) is a very beneficial plant that Monique's grandmother used to use in the treatment of heart disease. It produces several heart healthy benefits like lowering blood pressure, regulating heart rhythm, and reducing angina. It contains the same antioxidants that are found in grapes called oligomeric procyandins (OPC's for short) and quercetin. Quercetin, also found in red onions and apples, is a clinically proven antihistamine (reducing allergic response) and anti-inflammatory (reducing pain and inflammation in arthritis patients) and has been shown to potentially reduce cancer proliferation, specifically colon cancer.

The most effective treatments are tea made from fresh leaves and flowers. Please see the links below for preparation of this natural medicine.

Warning: All natural remedies should be used in conjunction with the guidance of your physician. As they are often not able to recommend alternative non-FDA proven medications they may if persuaded be supportive and at least help you in tracking the conditions you are using alternative methods to remedy. Though there are no real side effects, this should be taken under the supervision if your physician, as it will interact with other heart medications you maybe taking. Also if your condition does not improve but worsens you need to seek medical attention immediately.

Photos credit: jusben from morguefile.com

Hawthorn grows well near forests and has been sacred to the English for centuries. Producing flowers in early spring (for which the pilgrim ship the Mayflower was named after) and berries in the fall.

A native to Nova Scotia, Monique has described a jam recipe containing Hawthorn, honey and tomatoes which she swears will taste like strawberries if made correctly. I will do my best to follow up with her for the recipe in order to post it here. If anyone else knows this recipe, please share it with us!

Data sources as follows:

http://www.allnatural.net/herbpages/hawthorn.shtml

http://www.vitalitymagazine.com/node/200

Ear Infections

As a child I suffered greatly from continuous and unrelenting ear infections. If you have had one you know these infections are very painful, like a pressured explosive in your head and you wish it would burst for some relief. A former BF had his first in his 20s and described it as the single most painful infection he has had in his life. For me it was nights of agony and years of the thick pink antibiotics that did me no favors.

Eventually tubes were placed in my eardrums and though I loved the water of SoCal, I was banned from swimming because I had openings into inner ear exposed at all times. This experience has inspired to write about this because I do not want others to suffer as my mother and I did. Also because this experience taught me that Western medicine is not always the best medicine. Since then, there have been studies that show that the use of antibiotics reduced my bodies ability to produce antibodies to the infection and the use of antibiotics may have actually caused these infections to return again and again.

Even still today I suffer the consequences of these eruptions. I am reminded of the scars in my ears every time a doctor looks in and says "what happened in there?" Although I haven't had an infection since I was about 20, but I still suffer at the hand of my teen who often makes fun of me because I have the radio cranked up. The kid still messes with the computer volume controls and for the life of me I think he has finally found the one volume switch that I can't. I am spotted yelling on my cell phone and can't hear conversation in loud rooms. This leads to poor attempts at reading lips and though I am no longer in pain, it makes for some awkward moments. ;)

Well, lets get to it, Dr. Oz has a wonderful segment where audience members bring in Home Remedies, and he and his team does the research behind the remedies presented by the audience and give their opinion on whether the remedy should scientifically work.

Dr. Oz's #1 Earache remedy (taken from his show and website)

Garlic and Olive Oil

1. Heat 1 tbsp of Olive Oil in a microwave or pan until luke warm

2. Grind up 1/3 of a garlic clove until small enough and dissolve in the oil.

3. Mix together and test the temperature on your wrist.

4. Take a dropper and drop about 4 drops into the infected ear.

5. Lay on your side for a few minutes so that the oils comes in contact with the infected eardrum.

6. Repeat 2-3 times a day until pain and symptoms subside.

Well, I have not had the pleasure of trying it out, but I will update this blog when I do, or let me know if you do.

Signing off