List Of Herbal Remedies For The Heart

Your heart, an organ about the size of your fist, performs a special function: It pumps oxygen-rich blood throughout your body. Blood carries oxygen and essential nutrients to your tissues and organs, and it carries away metabolic waste products. Some herbal remedies may improve your heart health and function, although it is always wise to check with a health care provider before using herbs.

Heart Conditions

There are many health problems that can manifest in your heart and cardiovascular system. Although some of these problems may be congenital, many are caused by lifestyle factors, such as a poor diet, smoking or a lack of physical activity. Examples of heart or heart-related conditions, notes the Texas Heart Institute, include angina, arrhythmias, coronary artery disease, heart attack, heart failure, endocarditis, myocarditis, peripheral vascular disease, sudden cardiac arrest, valve disease and stroke.

Heart Herbal Remedies

Certain herbal remedies may help maintain normal circulatory function, strengthen your heart and serve as peripheral vasodilators, or substances that encourage the dilation of your peripheral arteries. Dr. Sharol Tilgner, an herbalist, naturopathic doctor and author of "Herbal Medicine From the Heart of the Earth," states that examples of such herbs include hawthorn, cactus, dandelion, garlic and cayenne. Other herbal remedies that may helpful for your heart include cordyceps, ginkgo, grape seed, ginseng and barberry.

An Effective Herb

Cactus is one of the most effective herbal remedies used for the heart, says Tilgner, who adds that cactus is a stimulating cardiac tonic that helps strengthen the heart. The principal function of this herbal remedy is to tone your heart's circular muscle fibers and arterioles -- some of the smallest blood vessels in your body. Cactus, also known as Selenicereus grandiflorus, is used to treat various heart-related problems, including congestive heart failure, low cardiac strength, and angina or heart-related chest pain.

Warning

Heart conditions can lead to serious health complications if they are left untreated. Heart conditions usually cause symptoms, although sometimes you may experience no symptoms until a major cardiac event -- such as a heart attack or stroke -- occurs. Visit your health care provider for regular checkups to evaluate the health and function of your heart. Avoid using herbal remedies before you have discussed the possible health ramifications with your doctor.