diseases 227
the heart spasm, partly because it is rich in magnesium. It also stabi-
lizes blood pressure quickly. Always have some tincture at hand — in
your handbag, car, or kitchen cupboard. Put one teaspoon in a glass
of warm water and drink as much as possible immediately.f Next, take a few drops of lobelia leaf tincture. This will also relax
spasms, relieve shock, and balance whatever extremes of the nervous
system are being displayed. The patient will usually feel a difference in
moments.
f If you have it at hand and can remember to use it, place a drop or two
of camphor essential oil over the patient’s heart and under the nose.
Camphor is a vasoconstrictor and increases blood pressure quite
quickly. It’s a useful item to have at hand for those in a risk category.
The following suggestions are useful for long-term treatment (see also
chapter 9):
- Eat an appropriate diet.
f Long-term use of heart herbs such as hawthorn fl ower, leaf, and berry
can make huge improvements.
~ If you smoke, then stop.
~ Good food, exercise, and a generally good lifestyle are essential (see
“Heart Disease,” below).
~ Doctors often prescribe aspirin for people who’ve had a heart attack
because it helps to thin the blood. Unfortunately, aspirin can really
disrupt your stomach lining and your digestion. You may wish to in-
clude meadowsweet leaf and white willow bark tea — both rich in sa-
licylate — or red clover fl ower tea, which is rich in blood thinners.
~ Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is often recommended as a
protection against heart attacks in older women. In fact, a nineteen-
year study by the department of family and preventive medicine at
the University of California, San Diego, found no change in heart
attack death rates among menopausal women taking HRT. Balanced
hormone levels are important, however, including thyroid function,
so women should use herbs to balance these — as should men.
~ Massage oils made with lavender, frankincense, geranium, or ylang-
ylang (grades 1 or 2) would also be useful, and a few drops in the bath
would be calming.
See also the separate section on stroke, below in this chapter.
heart disease (angina pectoris)
The pains across the chest experienced in angina are caused by a lack of
227 The Complete Home Guide to Herbs, Natural Healing, and Nutrition