*Full disclaimer. I am not a doctor or medical professional. I am not giving medical advice. You need to consult with your medical professional before making any health choices. This is my own story only.

I realized that I hadn’t written here since October, four months ago, and thought I should update why. Since October I have been going through some heart health testing. It has taken a lot of mental bandwidth to maneuver through the medical machine. After six months of doctors, techs, nurses, and tests I emerged not knowing much more than when I began.

In 2023 a mammogram screening came back of moderate to severe atherosclerosis. In 2024 the findings were moderate plaque buildup. When my LDL cholesterol went up over 200 this past fall my primary doctor told me I was a walking heart attack or stroke. That’s where the prescribed statin, change of diet, and testing began.

I have had a cardiopulmonary cat scan, a Lexiscan, an ultrasound of my heart. Nothing extreme showed up on the imagining tests done by cardiology. I do have a little calcium buildup on my aortic valve and plaque forming somewhere. My heart is working as normal and blood flow is good. There is no ischemia and no stenosis. That is excellent.

At my 6 month recheck, my LDL went from 202 to 166. I was very happy. That is almost within the borderline high range. My primary was not as pleased. She wants my LDL down around 100. Cardiology wants it even lower. I will shoot for the ranges that John Hopkins go by, normal to borderline high LDL is 100 to 159.

At the original visit she prescribed a low dose statin, 10 mg of Crestor. I needed to change my diet to a Mediterranean one, no meat, no cheese, no sat fat. I have to eat fish, beans, fresh vegetables, fruit, and high fiber grains ONLY! That all sounds great if you live in a Mediterranean climate. It is not so easy to do in the North East United States as winter is about to hit and the outside is snow covered and frozen. I am trying however because I will only take a statin as a very last resort. I have chosen to focus on positive lifestyle changes ways to improve my health.

I changed my numbers by diet and herbs alone. I am thankful that I began studying herbal medicine before a major health scare happened. It has allowed me some alternatives to the “I have a pill for that” medical establishment.

Two of the primary herbs I have been using are Hawthorn and Cayenne. Cayenne seems strange as a heart healthy herb but it brings heat and helps the blood start moving. If there is a chance of any buildup in the artery walls, keeping the blood pumping through them is very important. I have craved Cayenne since having covid back in 2020. I began adding it to almost everything. My body has just seemed to need it. Perhaps the cardiovascular connection is the reason. Hawthorn is well established in the heart healthy herbal world. It is a hypotensive, vasodilater, and an anti-inflammatory. It helps support connective tissue. Even my Physicians Herbal Desk Reference has detailed information about it’s powerful abilities.

My new daily protocol is cayenne glycerite or tincture added to some local raw honey and a quart of heart healthy tea. The honey comes from an herbal friend and is infused with elderberry and cinnamon. Cinnamon also has cholesterol lowering properties by the way. The teas are blends also created by fellow herbalists. The different blends contain the following herbs; hawthorn, linden, tulsi, ginger, cinnamon, red clover, lemon balm, motherwort, oatstraw, and hibiscus. I also added in some elderberry and rose, because I can. I already grow some of these herbs and will be adding more once we find our next home.

Over the next couple of months my focus is going to be getting to know how the herbs and essential oils can assist my body while it deals with this development. I will post the information here. If you would like to keep up with my whole adventure you can follow my personal blog RamblinAnn. Like so many others, a personal health scare is taking me beyond the beauty and basics of herbs and deep into herbal medicine. I am so thankful for the herbal knowledge I have already gained over the last few years. It has given me a head start into alternatives that are helping my body instead of causing more damage. I hope that as I learn I can help guide others to learn also.