Happy Wednesday!

Welcome to my herbal newsletter, in which I share a tidbit of herbal wisdom in the form a Word of the Week to help you become acquainted with herbs without becoming overwhelmed.

This week's word is antithrombotic. Antithrombotic herbs or medicines prevent blood clots.

Blood clots are a serious problem. They often develop in the legs (but can develop elsewhere) and they can travel through the veins to the heart, lungs or brain and can lead to heart attacks, strokes, pulmonary embolism, and even sudden death. While the risk of blood clots increases with age, there are other risk factors:

• Severe injury, fractures, or surgery
• Slow blood flow, from limited movement such as sitting too long or being confined to bed or even summer heat*
• Increased estrogen, from contraceptives or hormone replacement therapy or pregnancy/post-partum
• A family history of blood clots
• Chronic illnesses (heart or lung disease, cancer, inflammatory bowel disease)
• Being overweight or obese

*The summer heat can slow blood flow through the body.

No matter your age, it is important to know your risk factors for blood clots. I have personally known women who have developed blood clots during pregnancy or while taking hormone-based contraceptives. It doesn't matter how old you are.

Musicians may have an increased risk of blood clotting because the work we do does not involve a lot of movement.

As a pianist, my job is to sit. I can't exactly choose a standing desk to do my work. My friend sometimes pedals her stationary bike while on Zoom conference calls. I can't do that during rehearsal! And when we are practicing, we are often confined to small spaces.

Additionally, musicians travel A LOT. Traveling to rehearsals, performances, conferences. Whether traveling by car or by plane, we find ourselves cramped in tight quarters quite often.

Our lifestyle doesn't exactly contribute to the 10,000 steps we're supposed to take each day!

We have to make a special effort to move. That can be hard when we get used to being very stationary and when we feel overwhelmed with our practice, rehearsal, and performance schedule as it is without having to add in time for a sufficient amount of movement.

Exercise is necessary. The contraction of our muscles helps to move the blood through our bodies, so it doesn't get stagnant and start clotting.

BUT herbs can help.

Some herbs have antithrombotic properties that help prevent the blood from clotting.*

Three herbs that have antithrombotic properties are garlic, gingko, and Japanese knotweed.

*Do not use these herbs (in medicinal doses - greater than for culinary use) if you are on prescribed blood thinners. Always check with your doctor first.

These herbs work on the blood vessels by dilating, strengthening, relaxing and making them more flexible. Gingko also works on the membrane of red blood cells and inhibits platelet aggregation so they are less likely to stick together and form clots.

All three are foods, but the most well-known to us in Western countries is garlic.

I have included a recipe for my homemade hummus, which is a great summer food because it does not require cooking! (Unless you cook the beans yourself.) However, I love to eat hummus all year long!

Garlicky Hummus - yes this has a LOT of garlic, but it is so delicious!

3 cups cooked garbanzo beans (chickpeas) - equal to 2 cans, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup tahini (sesame paste)

1 head of garlic, cloves separated and pressed*

2 Tbs olive oil

1 Tbs salt

1 tsp cumin powder

1-2 Tbs lemon juice

Combine all the ingredients except the lemon juice in a food processor and whir until smooth, occasionally scraping down sides. Add 1-2 Tablespoons of lemon juice, depending on the thickness of hummus you want. Chill for several hours to allow flavors to blend.

This recipe will make a lot of hummus, equal to 2-3 containers you might buy at the grocery store. If you don't think you can eat it all before it goes bad, you can freeze some for later.

*raw garlic has more bite than roasted garlic, but the chopped and pressed garlic has all the medicinal benefits! Heat will deactivate the oxidation process that produces the compounds that are so good for you. If you do cook garlic, chop or press it and let it sit and oxidize for 3-5 minutes before cooking, so all the goodness is released.

My book of herbal teas called Tasty Herbal Teas & Tisanes will be out later this summer!

Please reach out to me if you have any herbal questions! Let me know if this is helpful, or if there any improvements I can make to this newsletter! And if you know someone who might benefit from this newsletter, please forward it!

Your Herbal Ally,

Heather

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Remember to do research and speak to a doctor about your particular situation before using herbs. The herbal education I provide does not substitute for advice from a healthcare professional.

Herbs will not make up for a poor lifestyle. We must first take care of ourselves through a healthy lifestyle with a proper amount of sleep, nutritious food, regular exercise and avoiding harmful substances as much as possible.