Herbs & Spices for Cardiovascular Health

Author: Elizabeth Walker, CHT, RH
Improving our diets and moving our bodies more will improve our cardiovascular health – this we know. We also know that herbs can help, and frequently see advertising for the latest exotic herb imported from somewhere in the world that’s going to help us. But what about those herbs and spices that we already see almost every day, that are part of many people’s diet; or that grow here in North America, perhaps right in your own garden?

Many people already cook with ginger, which is a wonderful healthy addition to the diet, but as a medicine has many benefits for increasing your cardiovascular health. It decreases cholesterol both in the blood and in the liver. [1] It improves circulation, and is a wonderful anti-inflammatory. It can even mitigate the effect of fats in the diet, including significantly reducing platelet aggregation. [2] Ginger aids digestion, improving absorption of the building blocks that your body needs for energy and repair. Aside from the usual uses in food, fresh ginger can be chopped and used to make a tasty tea.

Garlic is another useful culinary ingredient. Many people use it to help lower their cholesterol and their blood pressure, relaxing the vascular smooth muscle tissue. It also acts to promote formation of new blood vessels, is an anti-inflammatory, and an anti-oxidant. [3]

Dandelions are nothing more than a weed for many people, but as a medicine (and in the diet) it is incredibly useful. The leaves of this common herb are diuretic, extracts of which are comparable in effect to furosemide (Lasix), yet because they are so rich in potassium they don’t deplete the body the way conventional diuretics do. The roots are less diuretic than the leaves, but they are great for the liver, increasing the flow of bile, which again can benefit cholesterol levels. Dandelions are also rich sources of vitamins and minerals including beta carotene, provitamin A carotenoids, chlorophyll, vitamin C, vitamin D, a complex of B vitamins, magnesium, and zinc. [4]

Hawthorn (Crataegus oxycantha), which can be grown in parts of North America, and some varieties even grow wild, is an incredibly useful herbal medicine. Hawthorn has significant antioxidant activity, being rich in flavonoids and in particular OPCs (oligomeric proanthocyanidins), with the leaves and flowers being the most active. It stabilizes collagen, which may explain its ability to aid in reducing blood pressure, improving circulation, and improving heart rate. Hawthorn even reduces the accumulation of cholesterol in the liver. [5]

Green tea has been increasing in popularity for its medicinal benefits, and for good reason. It helps with cardiovascular health, preventing myocardial infarction, lowering cholesterol, lowering blood pressure, and protecting against coronary artery disease. High doses are needed, and therefore these beneficial effects require five or more cups of green tea per day. [6]

These herbs and spices are often so familiar to us that we overlook them, reaching instead for more expensive and less common imports, but they should be remembered. They have so much to offer in protecting and improving our health.


-- Elizabeth Walker CHT, RH

As the Clinical Herbal Therapist at Amber Leaf Wellness, Elizabeth helps people who are frustrated and disillusioned by their conventional health care, and are seeking fewer side effects, fewer drugs, and want natural and effective options that work even in chronic health conditions. To learn more about making Amber Leaf Wellness part of your health care team go to www.amberleafwellness.ca
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[1] J. Nutr. 130: 1124-1131, 2000
[2] Professional Review No 53 Aug 1996.
[3] E-Monitor No. 21 May 2008
[4] Alt Med Rev Vol 4, No. 2, 1999; pg 112-114
[5] Alt Med Rev. Vol 3, No. 2, 1998. Pg 138-139
[6] A Phytotherapist’s Perspective. No. 88, Nov 2005

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Alternative Medicines - Natural GreenTea Reduces Bad Cholesterol

Ancient Knowledge.

Since the advent of human beings, the various sages capable of far sight, in various locales and various time-intervals, have advised man that, “for lack of knowledge, a people surely perish”.

One of the ills of modern civilization, especially in the western world, that has so many of our population at a worrisome pitch and therefore stressed and perishing one by one, is that of high bad cholesterol and how to reduce it.

What is thought to be the modern approach to reducing bad cholesterol has demonstrably proven that the so called cure is expensive and far worse than the disease, not to mention the notorious and dangerous side-effects of such as the statin drugs.

Some of those risky side-effects include decreased libido, inability of your body to absorb nutrients, liver damage etc . Is it any wonder that a visitor from yonder, like the Pleiades constellation of planets, would definitely conclude that human-beings of planet earth have certainly taken a holiday from their senses. A JAMA 2000 issue in essence supports that conclusion.

Natural Tea Flavonoids.

The plain indisputable fact is that there are available very affordable, safe, gentle, effective and natural means to reduce ldl cholesterol, and to raise the good hdl levels..

Honest clinical research results have shown that an abundant regular intake of natural plant phytocompounds, classified as pigments and called flavonoids, is just one of nature’s means of surely reducing your high bad cholesterol.

The clinical research served to verify conclusively what the older civilizations of this planet already knew, by practice of use and observations over centuries.. It is called empirical evidence, and that the regular drinking of natural tea is very good for your health, besides reducing the high ldl cholesterol levels.

These flavonoids are naturally present in both black and green teas, and right there is your greatest hint why green tea is finally becoming the talk of town and gaining popularity in North America, with the U.S. joining in at the tail end of this natural health awareness already known in other countries .

Tea-drinking is a very favorite “past-time” in Asia- Minor, the Far-East and all over the former British colonies minus the cucumber sandwiches.

What Is Chai?

In a number of countries, tea is called chai. In India, to example, ancient home of the ayurvedic medicine, chai is a popular traditional beverage, of hot black tea with hot milk and spices. In Ceylon(Sri Lanka), East-Africa, Mauritius and Madagascar, tea is indeed chai.

And please note very carefully, you need both the black and green teas. It is the combination of both teas that carries the most impressive, high impact cholesterol reducing effect

Each tea type be it black or green has positive health effects and it is the combination of both that is your best choice for the best results. Furthermore, the plant kingdom is generous enough, and also has endowed us with the flavonoids in both vegetables and fresh fruits.

And have you noticed, that for a strange reason of the modern mind-set most people especially in the economically developed countries ignore to eat vegetables and amazingly jump over natural nutritious juices to blindly partake of the carbonated, processed and artificially flavored sodas. Many misguided children jump over nutritious fresh fruit to prefer preservatives and processed sugar loaded candies.

Difference Between Green And Black Teas.

The obvious difference between the green and black teas arises from how they are prepared. Green tea is strictly dried leaves of the tea-plant, whereas to get black tea the leaves are fermented.

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