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Page 57
| the metabolism, reduce obesity and prevent heart attacks. |
| Hawthorn Berries (Crataegus Oxyacantha) |
| Also called the hawmay, mayblossom, mayflower, maythorn or whitethorn, the hawthorn has nearly a thousand species in North America. Hawthorn belongs to the family Rosaceae, whose members include the rose, peach, almond, apple and strawberry. Its name comes from the sharp thorns on its twiggy branches. |
| The fruit, flowers and leaves of the hawthorn have been used to treat heart diseases for hundreds of years. Modern science has confirmed such use by demonstrating that hawthorn berries dilate blood vessels, allowing blood to circulate more efficiently, and lowering blood pressure. Hawthorn also improves the heart itself, acting directly on the heart muscle to help heal damage and improve the organ's operation. |
| Unlike prescription drugs prescribed for heart ailments, hawthorn berries appear to be safe, nontoxic and free from adverse side effects. |
| In 1953, scientists in Germany measured an 83 percent increase in coronary blood flow following the intravenous administration of hawthorn extract. Later research has shown that hawthorn preparations taken orally increase blood flow to the brain. A study conducted in 1984 demonstrated that hawthorn tablets reduced the pain of angina by 84 percent compared to a placebo's 37 percent reduction. Of the 29 patients involved in this study, 13 stopped taking nitroglycerine tablets altogether, while another 10 were able to reduce their intake of nitroglycerine. In 1987 another study showed hawthorn extract to be an effective pe- |
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