herbs for fainting

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Fainting

General characteristics

Fainting (known medically as 'syncope') occurs when the oxygen supply to the brain is reduced resulting in a temporary loss of consciousness. The brain loses consciousness to protect itself from unbalanced levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the body.

The reduced oxygen levels can be caused by things like loss of blood volume (due to bleeding or excessive sweating or dehydration for example), low blood pressure, too much alcohol, emotional or physical distress (e.g. severe pain or shock), adverse drug reactions, low blood sugar, overheating, illness, mechanical injury to the blood vessels in the head, stroke, standing still for long periods, heart and heartbeat irregularities or being in an environment with little oxygen.

Diet and lifestyle

If you are prone to regular fainting it may help to eat smaller meals a little more often, don't eat until you are 'full up'. The blood supply is directed towards the digestive organs after eating so smaller meals more often can make this blood shift from the extremities less dramatic.

If the fainting is caused by low blood pressure you could try slightly increasing your intake of salty foods such as celery, sea salt, olives, dark green leaves etc.

Useful herbs

Most of the herbs that are useful for lessening the frequency of fainting episodes are effective circulatory stimulants such as rosemary, prickly ash, cayenne, hyssop and elderflowers. A useful formula could be made from equal parts of the herbal tinctures and used at a dose of 10 -20 drops in water or tea 2-3 times daily to help lessen the likelihood of fainting.

Hawthorn berries and blossoms can help to strengthen the heart muscle and keep the circulation moving along, used in tea form (a teaspoon of each per cup) they can be taken safely for many years as a cardiovascular tonic.

Add a teaspoon of ginkgo to the hawthorn tea for its effectiveness at increasing blood flow to the head and brain.

Liqourice root can help to raise the blood pressure slightly if taken in small doses for just a few weeks, 5 drops of tincture added to the above formula and taken 3 times a day for example.

Natural healing

Carry a small bottle of an equal blend of rosemary, peppermint and camphor essential oils and ask your companions to pass the open bottle under your nose if you faint. Have a quick inhale at the first signs of feeling faint.