Try a heart-friendly herb. The leaves and flowers of the herb hawthorn contain abundant supplies of compounds called flavonoids. Flavonoids improve the heart's pumping ability and the flow of blood through the circulatory system. "Hawthorn is very useful in treating CHF, especially in the early stages;" Dr. Pizzorno says.
Since hawthorn is such a potent herb, check with your doctor before you begin taking it. It may interfere with some high blood pressure medications and could be dangerous to those with low blood pressure.
Feel better with willow bark. The herb willow bark contains a compound, salicin, that's the chemical forerunner of aspirin. Like aspirin, willow bark can help prevent the blood clotting that leads to heart attack and stroke. If the latest research is any indication, the herb may also benefit people with CHF.
If you'd like to try willow bark, take it as a tea, suggests James A. Duke, Ph.D. Simmer 1 teaspoon of the powdered herb in 1 cup of boiling water for 10 minutes, then strain. Drink two to three cupfuls daily.
Social Support
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failure" hspace=0 src="http://www.congestive-heart.com/images/home-remedies-for-congestive-heart-failure.jpg" align=left border=0>Find someone to lean on. People with CHF who get emotional support from others are much more likely to manage their symptoms effectively. Harland Krumholz, M.D., associate professor of medicine at Yale University School of Medicine, analyzed the medical records of 292 elderly women who had developed heart failure. He found that compared
with those who received the most emotional support, the women who felt socially isolated were eight times more likely to complain of CHF symptoms.
To find a CHF support group in your area, ask your doctor or contact your local office of the American Heart Association.
Home Remedies
Lose those extra pounds. Being overweight raises your blood pressure and makes your heart work harder to move blood through all the extra tissue. Losing weight, on the other hand, lowers your blood pressure and gives your tired heart a break.
Research shows that the combination of weight control and sodium restriction can make an even bigger difference in your blood pressure and, therefore, in CHF symptoms.
