Crushing in the Kitchen with Cyndy: Hawthorn

In honor of American Heart month in February and the spirit of love, I’m crushing up organic dried hawthorn berries and grinding the leaves and flowers! Hawthorn is one of the most amazing medicinal plants you’ll find and makes for an excellent, must-have tincture for everyone’s holistic medicine cabinet! I’m getting these prepared, along with some hibiscus and other goodies, for making both tinctures and essential oil blends for the heart, circulation and love, of course, I am all about spreading the love!

So why hawthorn? Historically, hawthorn is known for its support of the heart and cardiovascular system. Research has shown that hawthorn possesses both an anti-atherosclerotic and a proanthocyanidin. What does this mean? Well, as you may already know, one of the leading causes of congestive heart failure is the buildup of plaque, so the job of anti-atherosclerotics is that they help to prevent this calcification and keep the blood pumping. The proanthocyanidin, which on its own is an anti-inflammatory and cancer preventative, reduces the risk of blood clots and allows the blood flow through the arteries. The benefits of hawthorn do not stop here folks, it is also known as an antioxidant and it assists the digestive system! You know those anti-atheroscelrotic properties that prevent plaque build-up? Well, those also help your kidneys and can help prevent the dreaded pains of kidney stones, too! Hawthorn is simply an amazing shrub and offers yet another bonus, it can be found all around our neck of the woods! You may even have it sitting in your yard or by your neighbors right now---FREE!

Go forge and save some hearts!

P.S. Please, never go picking outside your own yard without permission! Thank you! I love you all!

P.S.S. If you would like to order one of my tinctures or essential oil blends for the heart or love, please send me an email at cyndy@soullifespurpose.com, as they are not on my website due to the fact that I customize this one for each individual.