Heart Healthy Hawthorne

Hawthorne (Crataegus spp.) hasn’t been the subject of modern studies to the extent that one might expect, but the more it is the more it reveals that the traditional reasons for using it are spot on. Traditionally it (esp. C. oxycanthoides) has been used for congestive heart failure, to promote healthy blood vessels, hypertension, palpitations, […]

Continue reading

Marvelous Milk Thistle

This popular herb can be a little confusing. It has several common names, such as Milk Thistle, Marian Thistle and St Mary’s Thistle; and it also has more than one scientific name, for example, Carduus marianum and Silybum marianum. To make matters worse sometimes supplements are labeled as Silymarin, which can either be a whole […]

Continue reading

Echinacea

Also known as Purple Cone Flower, Echinacea is a tall perennial plant from the daisy (compositae/asteraceae) family. It grows up to a height of about one meter and is a native to the western prairies of North America.There are three types that are typically used for medicinal purposes Echinacea purpurea, E. angustifolia, and E. pallida. […]

Continue reading

Herbal use during pregnancy

In the News In a recent article published on Medscape talking about herbal use during pregnancy,  it said, among other things, that Italian women who regularly used almond oil on their skin for at least three months of her pregnancy were prone to have preterm births. The study was what’s called “a multicenter retrospective cohort […]

Continue reading