Herbal & Holistic Healing & the Heart
Nathaniel Whitmore, Herbalist
TOP TONICS FOR HEART HEALTH
Hawthorn –Perhaps the top cardiovascular herb in European tradition, safe herb with many benefits.
Red Sage Root (Dan Shen, Salvia miltiorrhiza) –This is a top herb of TCM for the heart.
Reishi (Ling Zhi, Varnished Polypore, Ganoderma) –This whole-body tonic, is also for heart.
CULINARY HERBS FOR CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH
(These herbs can be included in cooking or used in preparation as herbal supplements.)
Cayenne – Moves blood by stimulating circulation.
Cinnamon – A warming spice that benefits circulation.
Garlic –Although many supplements are available, the best use is fresh with only light cooking.
Ginger –Fresh is great for cooking. Dried is considered more deeply blood-moving.
Saffron –A “sattvic” herb that benefits the cardiovascular system. Moves blood.
Safflower –“Poor Man’s Saffron”, used like the above to move blood and benefit circulation.
Turmeric – A popular herb for reducing all types of inflammation, including cardiovascular-related.
MEDICINAL MUSHROOMS
(See also Reishi above, one of the most revered medicinal mushrooms.)
Chaga –Can be brewed (decocted) into “Chaga Coffee” with a multitude of benefits.
Oyster – A commonly grown and wildcrafted culinary mushroom to remove fat from the blood.
Shiitake – A favorite culinary and broadly used medicinal mushroom.
Wood Ear – Common culinary mushroom with blood-thinning properties.
BLOOD-MOVING HERBS
Angelica –Various species used for circulation.
Boneset – A Native American cure-allused to move blood and clean the liver,
Dong Quai –A special species of Angelica that both moves and builds the blood.
Japanese Knotweed –A cooling, blood-moving herb specific for injuries.
Motherwort – A special nervine with blood-moving properties.
Tienchi Ginseng (Notoginseng) – This special blood-regulating herb is used for many blood disorders.
Also many of the culinary herbs mentioned above belong in this category.
Additional herbs:
NERVINES FOR THE NERVOUS SYSTEM (STRESS-RELATED SYMPTOMS)
Black Cohosh –Commonly known for other uses, also an important herb in cardiovascular treatment.
Rose –Once a most popular ingredient of the apothecary, and worth re-discovering.
Motherwort – Also mentioned above, this herb is a distinct nervine with general & specific uses.
DIURETICS (“All herbs are diuretic, except those that aren’t.”)
Birch –A delicious herb for beverage uses, also distinctly diuretic.
Cornsilk –A gentle, soothing diuretic.
Dandelion –One of the main herbal diuretics, also high in potassium and benefits the liver.
ANTI-DIURETICS
Licorice – A top herb for those with dryness and chi deficiency.
Valerian – Though commonly used for hypertension, it has some potential here. A primary nervine.
COOKING WITH HERBS
Garliccan be added to many dishes. Good with stir-fries, helps with meats…
Beans with Seaweed. These two heart-healthy foods should be cooked together.
Mushrooms can be added to many dishes. Wood Ear is an essential ingredient of Hot & Sour Soup. Shiitake and Oysters can be cooked with meats to counter fatty qualities.
FORMULA SUGGESTIONS
Hawthorn Syrup – decoct berries until concentrated add honey while still warm and mix, store in fridge
Long-Winded Emperor Assist Training Wine – Shaolin formula to help move blood to promote “warm-up” before training and heal injuries from training and fighting, with Dong Quai, Ligusticum, Saffron and others
FOODS FOR THE HEART
Cherries – this heart-healthy and aphrodisiac food has the same basic benefits as many of the other dark-colored berries.
Local Veggies– buy food that has heart and comes from close to the earth. Some great vegetables for cardiovascular health include beets, celery, onions, kale, and mushrooms.
Brown Rice – overconsumption of meat and fatty foods can be curbed by utilizing a staple food such as whole grain rice that is healthy and well-balanced. The native staple is corn, which is considered to have a particular affinity with the heart.
ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS
Exercise – Including walking, tai chi chuan, aerobic, and hard work.
Relaxation – Live in the present moment. Breathing exercises, meditation, time in nature, etc.
Faith–Trust in the process of life.
Love – The heart is universally associated with love.
POISONOUS PLANTS USED IN MEDICINE (though DO NOT USE yourself)
Aconite –Used to slow the pulse, but very poisonous. The prepared root is used in TCM for cold.
American Hellebore –Formerly used for hypertension, but has very small therapeutic margin.
Foxglove –Used to make a preparation named after the genus: Digitalis.
Jimson Weed (Locoweed, Datura) –Used like other “deadly nightshades” for heart and nervous system.
Lily-of-the-Valley –Also in common use formerly but largely discontinued because of toxicity.
Poppy –Used for sedative effect, but very addictive.