5 Powerful Herbs For Heart Health: Cardiovascular Wellness Naturally
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) accounts for over 30% of all deaths annually in New Zealand, affecting both men and women across all age groups. According to the Heart Foundation of New Zealand, more than 170,000 Kiwis are living with heart disease, and every 90 minutes, someone in New Zealand dies from heart-related issues.
Heart disease is often referred to as the “silent killer” because the symptoms may remain hidden until it is too late. Issues like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and arterial dysfunction can go unnoticed until they become serious conditions, such as heart attacks or strokes.
As modern lifestyles continue to contribute to poor cardiovascular health—through consumption of processed foods, sedentary living, and high and chronic stress — people are looking for ways to support their hearts.
While lifestyle changes are essential, incorporating herbs into your daily routine can provide cardiovascular benefits. This blog includes some of the herbs for heart health you can use to support your cardiovascular system.
1. Hawthorn
Hawthorn is often referred to as a “heart herb,” and for good reason. Research has shown that hawthorn is a great herb for heart health, helping to strengthen the heart muscle, improve circulation, and lower blood pressure. It contains powerful flavonoids and oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPCs), which function as antioxidants to help protect the blood vessels from damage.
This study highlighted hawthorn's ability to help improve exercise capacity and reduce symptoms in patients with mild heart failure. It has also been shown to help regulate heart rhythm, which can be beneficial for those experiencing arrhythmias.
Incorporating hawthorn into your daily routine—whether as a tea, tincture, or capsule—can offer heart support and it can be taken alongside conventional medication (although always check first with your health practitioner).
Hawthorn's affinity with the heart and its documented use in supporting the nervous system (i.e. anxiety, worry, ADHD, and irritability) is why we use it in our Mood Boost.
2. Rosehips
Known for their high vitamin C content, rosehips are a potent antioxidant that help protect the cardiovascular system from oxidative stress - a key contributor to heart disease.
Rosehips' ability to help lower cholesterol and blood pressure has been well-documented over the years and has been used traditionally to help support heart health. This 2023 review found that rosehip can help to support blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
3. Turmeric
Turmeric is a powerful anti-inflammatory plant that can also help support cardiovascular health. Chronic inflammation is a major risk factor for heart disease, and turmeric’s active compound, curcumin, can help to reduce inflammation and support overall heart function.
A 2017 study found that curcumin supplementation improved endothelial function (the health of the inner lining of blood vessels) in middle-aged adults. This improvement helps lower the risk of atherosclerosis, which is the buildup of plaque in arteries, which is a major contributing factor to poor cardiovascular health.
Adding turmeric to your diet or taking a supplement or tonic (with black pepper to enhance absorption) can be an excellent way to support heart health. We use this herb for heart health in our Anti-Flam, which is a tasty and easy way to get a daily dose of turmeric.
4. Garlic
Garlic has been used traditionally to support cardiovascular health for years. It has over seven thousand years of documented medicinal use. The ancient Greeks and Egyptians used it to strengthen their ‘workers’ as it has an affinity to the cardiovascular system and can help stimulate blood flow throughout the body. It is one of the most well-researched medicinal plants.
Garlic’s active compound, allicin, which has been shown to lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Garlic also acts as a natural blood thinner, reducing the risk of blood clots that can lead to heart attacks or strokes.
Another way it works as a herb for heart health is by helping dilate blood vessels, opening and relaxing circulation – making it beneficial for blood pressure. It also has over eighteen known antiviral and antibacterial constituents, making it a powerful addition to support immunity when needed.
A 2022 study confirmed that garlic can help lower blood pressure and improve cholesterol markers in participants with cardiovascular risk factors.
Adding raw garlic to your cooking, or roasting garlic with your vegetables to add to salads can be an uncomplicated way to incorporate more garlic into your diet. Another option is looking at taking aged garlic supplements.
5. Ginger
Ginger is commonly known to support digestion and feelings of nausea, but it is also an excellent herb for heart health. Ginger has blood-thinning properties, which can help reduce the risk of blood clots also making it beneficial for improving circulation. This improved circulation can help with painful joints and help to decrease inflammation. Ginger’s anti-inflammatory properties contribute to helping to reduce the weight placed on the cardiovascular system.
🌿Related: 5 Facts About Gingerol And Its Powerful Health Benefits
Studies have found that ginger, taken preventatively, can help with a reduced risk of hypertension and coronary heart disease in adults. You can easily incorporate ginger into your diet by adding it to soups, curries, teas, and juices, or you can take it in supplementary form as a tonic (like our Anti-Flam), capsule, or tablet.
Supporting heart health through nutrition
In addition to using these herbs for heart health, your diet can help to maintain a healthy cardiovascular system.
I’m sure you know that a diet rich in whole, unprocessed foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats will provide the foundation for a healthy heart. However, that can be quite hard to stick to, especially if you’re busy. That’s where meal prep comes in.
Meal prep ideas:
Meal prepping on a Sunday could be a way to increase whole foods in your diet. Here are some ideas:
- Bulk soup that you freeze in portions for work lunches.
- Legume/bean salads that you can use throughout the week for lunches or as a side with dinner.
- Tray bakes (throw your vegetables and a protein together and bake with spices/sauces) and use through the week.
- Prep vegetables such as carrots, cucumbers, and capsicum and keep them in a sealed container for use for the week. You can then pack them to take to work with hummus or a dip through the week.
- Have nuts as a snack or to add them to salads.
More dietary tips to help heart health
- Increase your intake of omega-3 fatty acids. You can find omega-3 in flaxseeds, walnuts, and chia seeds, fish, and seafood as well as omega-3 supplements (like fish oil and algae oil) which can help reduce inflammation and improve cholesterol levels.
- Try to increase the number of fibre-rich foods you eat. Increasing items like oats, legumes (lentils, chickpeas, beans) and leafy greens can help with cholesterol levels. Cholesterol binds to fibre (which is not digestible) and then it is removed through waste elimination.
- Increase antioxidants from food sources like berries, dark leafy greens, and brightly coloured vegetables (capsicums, tomatoes, silver beet, broccoli) to help protect your heart from oxidative stress.
Are you on statins?
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a vital antioxidant that plays a key role in energy production within the cells, particularly in the heart, where energy demands are high. It helps maintain optimal function of the heart muscle by supporting mitochondrial energy production and reducing oxidative stress.
For people on statins, CoQ10 is especially important because statin medications, while effective at lowering cholesterol, also block the same pathway that produces CoQ10 in the body. This can lead to a deficiency, potentially contributing to muscle pain and reduced energy levels.
Supplementing with CoQ10 may help replenish these levels and help to support cardiovascular health, as well as helping with some of the unwanted side effects associated with statin use.
Warfarin and blood thinning medications
Unfortunately, a lot of supplements and herbs interact with warfarin or increase the potency of the medication making it unsuitable to take alongside some supplements.
Turmeric is one of those plants. If you are on warfarin, you cannot take our Anti-Flam Tonic as the turmeric may also increase blood thinning – which is not what you want when you are taking medication for that reason as well.
While herbs and nutrition can play a key role in prevention, it is important to consult with a healthcare professional before making any changes to your health routine, especially if you are on medication or have a heart condition.
