Hawthorn Heart Tonic

Herbalism is deeply personal

Four years ago I gave birth to a little 3 pound baby. I was at work when my water broke. I couldn’t believe what was happening, it was too soon. My son came screaming into the world 9 weeks early. Wheeled off to the NICU, I laid alone in disbelief as I watched my husband walk alongside a cube that now housed my baby. For 68 days he was in that cube in the NICU.

Each day an alarm would blare as loud as this kid’s lungs. He was diagnosed with a heart condition called SVT. Since 3 days of life, he’s been on medication to control his heart. Recently we got the wonderful news that we could wean him off medication to see how his heart was doing. For the past few months he’s been medication free. There’s a possible procedure for his heart on the horizon, but for now we wait & we monitor.

Through my herbalism studies I kept underlining “hawthorn” – good for the heart I kept reading over and over. Hawthorn is a nutritive rich berry. Offering many benefits, but specifically for us, a heart strengthener. Helping as a trophorestorative. Studies have shown heart patients taking hawthorn for its antioxidant & bioflavonoids benefits & heart regulation.

Keeping in mind that herbalism is deeply personal, each person has different reactions, conditions, needs and in my son’s case, triggers. After consulting with his doctor, several medical journals and a handful of herbalism books – I created a delicious hawthorn heart tonic ♥️

Here’s what I did:

✨ Handful of hawthorn berries

✨ Organic apple juice

✨ Cinnamon stick

✨ Rose tincture

✨ Place hawthorn berries & cinnamon stick in a pan, cover with apple juice. Simmer for about 15 minutes.

✨ Place juice with the berries & cinnamon in a jar and let sit overnight.

✨ Strain out berries & cinnamon the next day.

✨ This creates a strong & sweet heart tonic. I use a small amount & mix it in water. I then add in a few drops of rose tincture.

The aroma, the color, the benefits, herbalism is pure magic! We will continue to monitor him and make sure Hawthorne berry is an herbal supplement that positively interacts with his heart and body.