How to Use Herbs for Heart Health

Some herbs have incredible medicinal properties such as helping lower cholesterol, preventing heart disease and improving heart health. Using herbs for heart health is a time-honored practice, and many homeopathic doctors rely mainly on herbs to treat their patients. One way to benefit from the healing qualities of herbs is by taking herbal supplements; however, many people prefer cooking with herbs as an easy, inexpensive and exciting way to get valuable antioxidants into their diets.

Things You'll Need

• Hawthorn Berries
• Garlic
• Ginkgo tea
• Green tea
• Cayenne
• Cinnamon

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Instructions

• 1

  Hawthorn leaves are used medicinally by homeopathic doctors to treat heart disease.

  Eat a handful of hawthorn berries daily. Hawthorn berries contain a powerful antioxidant called oligoprocyanidin, which may help improve blood flow and prevent blood vessel damage, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.

• 2

  Try making some homemade garlic and tomato pasta sauce.

  Sprinkle garlic on foods like pasta whenever possible. Garlic may slow down the development of heart disease and helps lower bad LDL cholesterol levels, according to Harvard Medical School.

• 3

  Ginkgo is one of the oldest tree species on the planet.

  Drink one cup of ginkgo tea every morning. Laboratory studies have shown that ginkgo dilates blood vessels and reduces the stickiness of blood platelets, which improves blood circulation, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.

• 4

  Cayenne is a type of hot pepper.

  Cook with the spice cayenne instead of salt and pepper. Cayenne contains a compound called capsaicin, which may help prevent heart attacks and reduce cholesterol levels, according to the University of Arizona.

• 5

  Green tea is the second most widely consumed beverage in the world.

  Drink one cup of green tea every night. Clinical studies show that green tea reduces the risk of atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease, according to Harvard Medical School.

• 6

  Cinnamon is an excellent source of the trace mineral chromium.

  Add cinnamon to a cup of coffee each morning. Research isn't conclusive, but cinnamon may help improve cholesterol levels. However, cinnamon is a rich source of antioxidants and researchers agree that antioxidants help protect against heart disease.