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Hawthorn Berries
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Hawthorn is a powerful herb that dates back in history to the Greek herbalist Dioscorides in the first cenury A.D. The Pilgrims in 1620, using one of its common names, named their ship Mayflower. Hawthorn assists in the treatment of hypertension, stabilizes irregular heart beats, balances blood pressure, strengthens blood vessels, and improves circulation to the brain. It contains choline, which is known to break down cholesterol in the blood stream into small particles that can then be absorbed by the body tissues. Hawthorn can also be used for control of diarrhea because of its astringency. It can be taken in tea or tincture form or in capsules, and is safe to use with other cardiac herbs. It may take up to three months for effects of the herb to be noticed. |
Hydrangea
| The name of the diuretic herb, hydrangea, is appropriately derived from the Greek word meaning water vessel. Hydrangea is indigenous to North America, particularly the southern and midwestern areas of the United States. The Cherokee Indians used this amazing herb to expel kidney and bladder stones, introducing it to the early settlers. The hydrangea root, collected in the autumn, produces most of the plant’s health benefits, although the bark was also used by the Cherokees for wounds, burns, sore muscles and sprains. Because of its diuretic qualities, hydrangea increases the flow of urine, which makes it particularly effective in cleansing the urinary tract, including kidneys, bladder, prostate and urethra. An anti-lithic herb, it prevents stones from forming in the kidney and bladder, and assists the body in removing stones and gravel that have already formed in these organs. It reduces swelling in inflamed, enlarged prostrates in men, particularly when combined with horsetail. |  |
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