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The Circulatory System

The blood is the life, and free exchange, free sharing, free circulation of all that is required for right human living will characterise the world to be. Today these conditions do not exist, the body of humanity is diseased and its internal life disrupted. Instead of free circulation between all parts of the life aspect, there has been separation, blocked channels, congestion and stagnation. It has needed the terrific crisis of the present to arouse humanity to its diseased condition.

Alice Bailey

We begin our trip through the systems of the body by having a look at the circulatory system, as it is one that connects all the others, and affects all of them.

Whilst considering the circulatory system, let us keep in mind that it is a transport system we are looking at. In this section we are not yet concerned with what is being transported, namely the blood, which is a combination of various substances made up in different parts of the body. In this section we will be talking about the health and the right function of the heart and the blood vessels.

The vitality and tone of the whole circulatory system is fundamental to life and to the integration of all the parts of the body. If there is weakness or congestion present, it will have profound effects on the tissues and organs involved. The blood may be in perfect condition, but if the supply of this blood to the organs is not adequate, there will be problems. Similarly, if waste materials produced in the metabolic process are not removed properly, damage to tissue will quickly result.

From this we can conclude that any disease focused in any organ may have its roots in an insufficiency of the circulatory system, either because the organ is not being properly supplied with blood, or because the waste it produces is not being drained off well enough.

When we look at the body in a holistic way and treat any disease from this perspective, we recognise that all organs and systems are connected and influence each other. We have to look at what each one individually contributes to the whole picture. The heart vessels may be involved in any condition, and must be helped and aided in the healing process.

In our society the circulatory system is a common site for illnesses, often fatal ones, as we do not take proper care of our heart and blood vessels by our way of living and by our approach to life. Prevention of circulatory problems is easy, and a number of guidelines are set out below.

When major heart problems are already apparent, the matter is somewhat different and care must be taken. Herbal medicine has a lot to offer in the healing of heart failure and cardiac conditions, but any treatment has to be under qualified supervision.

Prevention of circulatory disease

Prevention is far better than having to resort to curing a disease that has developed, and prevention means finding ease for body, mind and spirit.

We call a condition disease when the body is so worn out that it begins to manifest symptoms. With most people it takes a number of years to get to such a state, as the body is usually able to handle quite a lot for a long time without breaking down. There is often a steady decline; we are not quite as strong and vigorous as last year, our health is not quite as good as it could be. It is declining towards a state of disease, but we don’t notice it until something breaks down and we are ill.

There are specific details relating to the cardiovascular system that should be borne in mind. They apply not only to anyone who already has problems with this particular system, or whose way of life puts them into a ‘high risk category’ for developing cardio-vascular conditions. They also apply to anyone who does not want to develop problems in that area.

There are four factors that need to be considered:

Exercise: It is vital for the whole system that it is used and at least occasionally stretched. The only way to ensure that heart and blood vessels are truly used is to exercise so the heart beat is speeded up and we become short of breath. This does not mean that people should jog themselves into exhaustion every day! Regular exercises that feel right and are enjoyable are the key. Moderation in all things, exercise included.

Diet: As far as the circulatory system is concerned, the most important single factor that causes problems is the intake of fat, which most of us eat far too much of. Over the last couple of years we have heard a lot about a relationship between the consumption of saturated fats and the level of cholesterol (one of these fats) in the blood, leading to various cardiovascular problems. One recommended way out was to eat unsaturated fats instead of the dangerous saturated ones, mainly by changing from animal fats to vegetable fats. According to new research, however, it is not all that simple. The evidence is pointing to dangers in the consumption of unsaturated fats too, and the only safe way out is to reduce your total fat intake, which in general means cutting it out all together. And this means a decrease in the consumption of visible fat (in meat, butter, oils) and also of invisible fat (in cakes, pastries, thick soups, mayonnaise, cheese, milk and other dairy products, eggs), which often makes up the bulk of our fat intake. Instead, most of our food should consist of plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grains, beans and peas, the latter two being considered capable of reducing the cholesterol level in the blood. The minimum of salt should be used.

Tobacco and Alcohol: It is vital that anyone with concerns about their health, and especially about the heart and blood vessels, should stop smoking and keep the intake of alcohol to a reasonable amount.

Stress: There is a close correlation between the level of stress in your life and the occurrence of health problems, particularly with problems in the cardiovascular system. ‘Stress’ is a relative concept. It would be more appropriate to consider the individual’s ability to deal with the stress in their life rather than to look at the stress itself. There are a number of tools available to us today to help take responsibility in our lives and to deal with stress and emotional tensions. It is possible to help with tension by using herbal remedies, but it is far better and more realistic to go to the underlying cause within us and change it. This involves consciousness and sometimes courage. Relaxation therapy, re-evaluation co-counselling, humanistic and transpersonal psychology all have much to offer. Dis-ease can be prevented by bringing ease into one’s life. Psychological and spiritual harmony will create the inner environment for bodily harmony.

Herbs for the circulatory system

As with all systems of the body, an identification of herbs for that system is a necessary simplification. The body is an integrated whole and the herbal approach to healing recognises this. Any problems arising in a particular system may be caused by the state of health and vitality in any other part of the body, and therefore any herb can have a role to play in the treatment of any system. However, to enable our limited human comprehension to grasp the basics of herbalism, it is valid to identify herbs that have a specific role to play in this system.

To keep things simple and to avoid complex groupings, the herbs will be differentiated into those that have a direct action on the heart, and those that affect the peripheral vessels.

Heart tonics

The most important herbal agents for the heart include Broom, Bugleweed, Figwort, Hawthorn, Lily of the Valley, Motherwort and Night Blooming Cereus.

You will notice that herbs such as Foxglove (Digitalis) and Mediterranean Squill have been left out of the list, even though these plant remedies are used extensively by orthodox medicine as effective treatments for heart failure. However, as there are marked dangers with the use of Foxglove, this poisonous plant has been left out. This does not mean that effective heart remedies are not available to us. By far the most important one on the list is Lily of the Valley. We shall digress slightly here to discuss the action of this herb and compare it to Foxglove, as there are some important lessons involved.

As mentioned in the chapter on plant constituents, the remedies often used to treat the heart are rich in a group of chemicals called cardiac glycosides. These complex chemicals have the astounding ability to stimulate the muscles of the heart in a way that strengthens its contraction and ensures that more blood is pumped through the body. The efficiency of the heart is thereby increased, but with the help of these chemicals the oxygen required by the heart muscle for this work is not increased and thus we do not have to worry about any oxygen deficiency.

With Foxglove, however, there is an added danger, as some of its constituents can accumulate in the body and lead to poisoning, which does not happen with Lily of the Valley. As pharmacological analysis shows, there are a number of different cardiac glycosides present in Lily of the Valley, such as Convallatoxin, Convallatoxol, Convallarin, Convallamarin, Convallaside and Convallatoxoloside. (The root of all these outlandish words is the Latin name of the herb, Convallaria majalis). While these many biochemicals are present, only two act directly on the heart, and of these the most important one is Convallatoxin.

To a pharmacist this would imply that the rest are useless, which could not be further from the truth, as the other glycosides have been found to increase the solubility of the active ones by up to 500 times. The obvious value of this is that a smaller dose is necessary, as an increase in solubility will also increase the ‘bio-availability’. Furthermore it was found that though Convallatoxin has a fast effect and is oxidised and excreted rapidly, the whole plant has a longer effective time in the body. Others of the apparently inactive glycosides are being converted by the body into the directly active ones as and when needed. A danger of poisoning does not exist with Lily of the Valley, as its glycosides have a unique chemical structure which ensures that they are easily excreted and do not build up in the body.

In Lily of the Valley we have a good example of the synergistic way in which herbs can work. From all this analytical and biochemical study we can see that the whole is indeed more than the sum of its parts. The action of the whole plant cannot be predicted by knowing the separate chemical constituents, as the effects are brought about through complex, integrated interactions. All this goes to show that ancient wisdom about this herb, passed down to us through the generations, can be supported by modern science when a wide enough perspective is used.

Let us now have a closer look at the specific heart tonics mentioned previously. They all act in a way that tones and strengthens heart function, and will be given here with some brief indications of their use in the circulatory system. Please consult the Herbal for more details.

Lily of the Valley: This can be used where the strength of the heart is insufficient, as in angina or in the treatment of the aging heart, especially when there are deposits in the blood vessels.

Night Blooming Cereus: This can be used similarly to Lily of the Valley and is especially useful where there is any change in the rhythm of the heart beat.

Hawthorn Berries: These constitute one of the most valuable remedies for the cardiovascular system, strengthening the force of the contraction of the heart muscle while also acting to dilate the vessels of the coronary circulation. They can be used in most circulatory problems as they are amphoteric (i.e. they will relax or stimulate the heart according to its need) and normalise the heart function.

Motherwort: This herb is a relaxing nervine and a valuable emmenagogue. Its value for the circulatory system is even noted in its Latin name, Leonurus cardiaca. It will greatly strengthen and normalise the function of the heart.

Broom: It can be considered as the primary heart diuretic. Whilst it strengthens and normalises the heart beat, it also rids the body of any build-up of water that is due to insufficient heart strength. Care has to be taken though, as it may increase blood pressure.

Figwort: Although this is primarily a herb known for skin problems, it also increases the strength of the heart contractions.

Bugleweed: Whilst this herb increases the strength of the heart beat it also reduces its rate. It is a valuable relaxant as well.

Herbs for the circulation

As with herbs for the heart, there is a vast range of remedies available to help and heal the vessels of the circulatory system, but here we limit ourselves to specific ones.

The most important herbal agents for the circulation include Broom, Buckwheat, Cayenne, Dandelion, Ginger, Hawthorn, Horsechestnut, Lime Blossom, Mistletoe and Yarrow.

As you can see, some of these are also heart tonics, while some are diaphoretics and stimulate the peripheral circulation (Cayenne, Ginger), and yet others are diuretics (Yarrow). This again goes back to the fact that the body will manifest problems in an area because of a whole range of causes and contributing factors stemming from the interdependence of all the systems.

Diuretics

When circulatory problems arise there is often a need to aid the body in the removal of water from the system. When the heart is weak and fails to circulate the blood efficiently through the kidneys or when the blood vessels (particularly in the venous system of the legs) are weak, a build-up of water in parts of the body can occur and in such conditions diuretics such as Broom, Dandelion, Lily of the Valley and Yarrow can help. Perhaps the most important diuretic for circulatory problems is Dandelion. When any other remedy is used to increase the power of the heart, there is always the danger of causing a potassium deficiency in the body, which in turn would aggravate the heart problem. Therefore, whenever a diuretic is prescribed in orthodox medicine, there is also a potassium supplement added. However, as Dandelion already contains a high level of potassium, there is an overall gain of it whenever Dandelion is used as a diuretic, which makes its value apparent.

The cardio-active herbs Broom and Lily of the Valley are included here as Broom is a strong diuretic and because Lily of the Valley also acts as a strong diuretic if the root of the problem lies in the heart.

Nervines

Anxiety and stress can lead to cardiovascular problems, and it is often impossible to pinpoint any particular cause. Any specific problem is a manifestation of the whole interacting web of lifestyle, inner reality and physical tendencies. Whenever there is a cardiovascular problem, the use of relaxing nervines has to be considered, as in many cases anxiety and stress are involved, and sometimes even caused by the problem.

The most useful nervines for cardiovascular problems are Balm, Hops, Lime Flowers, Motherwort, Pasque Flowers, Skullcap and Valerian. The appropriate ones to be used by any individual should be selected by comparing their associated actions in the herbal section of this book.

Patterns of disease

The conscious and holistic use of herbal medicine has much to offer in the treatment of circulatory problems. It must be emphasised, however, that the more serious heart problems should be treated under medical observation.

Whilst considering these specific conditions and patterns of illness, we have to bear in mind that each person is unique. People are not textbooks!

Heart weakness

Conventional medicine divides heart problems into many categories, but when using herbs it is not usually necessary to do this, as we are working with herbs that have an overall strengthening effect. Again it must be emphasised that chronic heart failure has to be treated by trained people.

To strengthen the heart, the following mixture should be taken over an extended period of time:

Hawthorn Berries	2 parts
Motherwort	2 parts
Lily of the Valley	1 part*

Drink a cup of this three times a day.

At the same time, an adequate intake of potassium has to be ensured, for instance by eating grapes and tomatoes. If there is any water retention, one part of Dandelion should be added to the mixture. If tension or anxiety is present, use the following:

Balm	1 part
Lime Blossom	1 part

This tea should also be drunk three times a day or as often as needed.

If this does not prove strong enough, use Skullcap and Valerian instead, as described in the chapter on the nervous system.

Palpitations

Quite separate from any organic heart disease, racing of the heart beat can occur and can be caused by a whole range of factors from menopause and allergies to fear and sexual excitement.

Apart from doing something about the specific cause whenever it is appropriate, there are a number of effective remedies that will reduce erratic and fast heart beats without affecting the heart in an adverse way. In addition to the remedies described for normalising heart activity, Broom, Bugleweed, Mistletoe, Motherwort, Passion Flower and Valerian are indicated.

A common occurrence is the speeding up of the heart rate due to anxiety and stress, which has been given the label ‘nervous tachycardia’. An excellent basic mixture for this problem is the following:

Motherwort	2 parts
Mistletoe	1 part
Valerian	1 part

This should be drunk three times a day or as needed.

If there is any suggestion of heightened blood pressure or heart problems, Hawthorn Berries should be added.

Angina pectoris

This painful and distressing condition is brought about when the blood supply to the heart itself is deficient and leads to a lack of usable oxygen in the heart tissue, often brought about by physical exertion or emotional stress. This problem can be treated effectively and reversed if the treatment is spread over an adequate period of time. The aim of the therapy is to bring more blood, rich in oxygen, to the heart via the coronary arteries. A two-fold process has to bring this about. Initially the vessels can be dilated to allow more blood to flow through, but as a long term treatment, any blockage that is present in the vessels has also to be cleared. The key to this is the use of Hawthorn Berries, which will do both, given enough time and taken regularly.

An addition of Lime Blossom leads to excellent results, as it has the unique ability to clear any cholesterol deposits in vessels and guard against any further build up. A basic mixture:

Hawthorn Berries	3 parts
Motherwort	2 parts
Lime Blossom	2 parts
Lily of the Valley	1 part

This tea should be drunk three times a day over a long period; it will not immediately relieve the pain of an attack.

If there is an additional problem with high blood pressure, Mistletoe should be added to the mixture.

Angina has to be treated within the context of the complete state of health; the individual must be treated as a whole being and any other problem should also be taken into account. The state of the nervous system should be considered and treated appropriately. Further, the condition of the digestive system can have a profound effect. Constipation has to be treated as a priority, as any chronic constipation can put unnecessary pressure on the heart.

The guidelines at the beginning of the chapter regarding prevention should be taken into account, particularly the dietary limitations, which are vital, as is the recognition of stress. Exercise has to be moderate and gentle until the condition has been brought under control, otherwise an attack might be triggered off even though herbal medicine is taken. Raw Garlic in the diet can be most helpful in this problem as in all cardiovascular conditions.