Hawthorn for Hypertension

I have read in a few places that Hawthorn is good for treating high blood pressure but i was wondering how to take it, is it an infusion of the leaf in hot water or just eating the stuff.
Not planning to make it my regular medication but its worth a little try in my opinion.

sally_in_wales

I'd suggest caution. I believe its taken in a tincture but the therapeutic dose will probably be quite specific and you don't want to mess with heart remedies. You probably ought to consult a medically qualified herbalist before experimenting with any herbal remedy that alters the blood pressure or acts on the heart, and its certainly not an area where you should take random advice from unqualified pals, however well meaning Very Happy

Jonnyboy

sally_in_wales wrote:

Wouldn't you need to be referred to someone like that by your GP first, just to be safe?

wellington womble

A GP is unlikely to refer you to a herbalist, as it isn't an NHS service, and thus within the service there is no-one to refer you to. They may be able to give you details of a herbalist known to the practice, if they are that kind of practice, but the chances are it will be details kept by reception, to avoid the GP being responsible for any 'referral' and its consequences.

Try the london homeopathic hospital, for herbalists in your area. It specialises in real Drs and other health professionals with an interest in complimentary medicine, so anyone it reccommends should be medically qualified.

Rowanlady

I was recommended by a herbalist to take hawthorn berry capsules

I checked with my doc and she said that it is known to stabalise BP but acts slowly

I've taken them for the last three years and my BP has reduced from a dangerous 160/80 to an average of 125/65 - which isn't bad for an over 60

Doc did have me in for checking my BP regularly - anything like that I prefer to have such safety checks in place and to take professionally prepared extracts

Bernie66

For God's sake be careful. I have a good book about "herbs and healing plants" but many that are used by specialists are classed as damgerous and deadly poisonous for the amateur. I am all for using nature as much as possible but somethings are best left to the experts and heart/blood pressure fits into that category in my book. Sorry to sound negative but my head is full of images of dead people when this subject is mentioned.

Pilsbury

No i agree caution is first, I only ask as i currently take a combination of 3 drugs to keep it down and would like to try and reduce the dependance on chemical treatments, I am trying to lose weight and excercising more but still looking at other options.
I will try and find a qualified professional to onsult before snacking on my local tree then Twisted Evil

cab

There was, until recently, a herbalist shop in the middle of Cambridge. Actually, there's still one, but I'm referring to one that closed down... Shouldn't name it, really, considering how awful what I'm about to say is.

I sometimes frequent those shops, they're full of interesting things. Sometimes its to get something to use medicinally (usually coltsfoot, I can never make enough things with coltsfoot in to see me through winter), more often its to buy something for homebrew.

Had an enlightening chat with one of the qualified hervbalists in there once. Some hilights were:
-She didn't know that when she was giving out Taraxacum, thats actually dandelion.
-She had no idea that coltsfoot is usually used as an anti-tussive, believing it to be a 'stomach herb'
-She didn't know that Stellaria media is chickweed, and that its therefore one of the most common weeds in the city
-She didn't know that meadowsweet contains salicylic acid, and that therefore it might be a good idea to ask the patient whether they're allergic to asprin

I could go on. We both had quite a fun chat, and I left thinking that she was a lovely lady but completely hat stand, and in fact rather dangerous to herself and any patients.

More dangerous than that, a while back we stayed overnight with someone I've known for years, and his wife is one of those people who prods feet for a living. Can't remember what thats called. Not a chiropodist, one of those people who poke your feet and your ears are meant to stop hurting or something. Anyway, she also tells people that she can give advice on herbalism. And she does, they phone her, she says she'll phone back, she looks things up in a book and phones back. And she gets paid for that. I kid you not.

So when looking for a herbalist, I just can't stress enough the importance of getting one who is medically qualified. It seems to me that any old fool can call themselves a herbalist and get away with it, which is a shame because in amongst all that silliness there are some excellent and effective treatments.

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