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Read on here to learn about the 11
remedies to lower high blood pressure and 2 video clips on how to lower high blood pressure naturally.
High
blood pressure-also known as hypertension or “the silent killer”-affects 1 in 3
adult Americans, or roughly 67 million people, and that number only continues
to grow.
90-95%
of cases are known as primary hypertension, which is hypertension with no underlying
medical cause. The small left-over percentage is caused by conditions such as
kidney disease. But what is this mysterious silent killer?
Blood
and its circulation are vital to sustain life. They supply crucial nutrients
and oxygen to all the cells and organs in our body. They also remove waste and
carbon dioxide. When the heart beats it creates pressure that pushes blood
through your arteries and veins. This pressure, if you haven’t guessed, is our
blood pressure.
Two
forces pump the blood through our bodies, the first being created by the heart
pumping blood out into the arteries, and the second occurs when the heart rests
between beats and blood is drawn back into the muscle. When your blood pressure
rises, damage can occur that upsets this system.
If
you have hypertension, your heart has to work extra hard to pump blood through
the body. And while healthy arteries are made of semi-flexible muscle, the
force of high blood pressure will lead to overstretching their walls.
This
overstretching can lead to tiny tears in blood vessels (known as vascular
scarring) that leaves tissue that catch things such as cholesterol/plaque,
and other blood cells. Building off of the latter, this leads to an increased
risk of blood clots. The walls will also become weakened over time.
Tissue
damage from being oxygen depleted occurs in parts of the arteries on the other
side of a blockage or build-up of plaque, depriving it of fresh oxygenated
blood, and heart attacks and strokes are the result if the pressure becomes too
high.
Before
starting drug therapy, try lifestyle changes and some home remedies for high
blood pressure. Not surprisingly, things such as diet and exercise play a big
role in lowering blood pressure, so always keep those two things at the forefront
of your mind. Medications can be harsh, and while best avoided if possible, if
you are on them, know that natural remedies can interfere with their
functioning.
Remedies to Lower
High Blood Pressure #Tip 1 - Cut the
Salt
Salt
is not the problem when it comes to high blood pressure, per say, but rather
its chemical component sodium. A little bit is fine, but too much sodium
disrupts the balance of fluid in the body.
To
“flush” the excess salt from your system, water is drawn from surrounding tissues.
The higher volume of liquid results in the heart working harder to pump the
blood-hence, high blood pressure.
Sure
we use a lot of table salt on our foods, but still, that amount isn’t enough to
account for the rise in blood pressure. Actually, only 6% of our salt
consumption comes from the table shaker. The vast amounts of salt we consume
daily (on average 1-2 generous teaspoons) couldn’t possibly be caused by the
salt we sprinkle on our food alone.
No
you have to dig a little bit more to get to the source-processed foods. Such an
extraordinary quantity of excess salt is added into processed foods it’s easy
to stray over the healthy limit of sodium intake.
A
specific example-a single microwave “roast turkey” meal can have salt in the
meat, the flavoring, the gravy, the stuffing, and the potatoes, to equal a
whopping 5,400 milligrams of sodium. The utmost maximum daily limited is listed
at 2,300 milligrams-even less for African Americans, men, and anyone over the
age of 51.
If
you fall into one of those categories, you should only consume less than ½
teaspoon a day. Even foods that are labelled low-fat or low in sugar can still
contain a boatload of sodium. Food companies do this to, logically, increase
the value of their products. We get hooked on the flavor. Of all the flavors
(sweet, sour, etc.,) it is the hardest to live without. How do you fight it to
lower your blood pressure?
You will
need…
-the power of will
Directions
In short, slowly add less and less to your cooking. And of course, read the labels on the food you buy carefully. Remember the number 2,300 for daily intake of sodium-any higher than that, and it’s a no-go.
You’ll
find yourself turning to home cooked meals, where you can control the amount of
salt added, instead of processed foods. Stick with it, and you will find if you
go back to an excess amount of salt after adjusting your taste buds to less,
you will be close to repulsed at the flavor.
Intensive
research has shown that the more salt you eat, the more you need. If you eat
less salt, you only need to add less to your food or have less in your food, to
be satisfied with a smaller amount.
We
are not born liking salt. A baby will get joy from a droplet of sugar water,
but there is no taste, no craving, for salt until 6 months of age. When studied
children were fed salty foods, versus children who ate more fruits and
vegetables, a craving was created in the former group where none existed
before.
These
cravings can shape you’re eating habits for years. Soups, chips, crackers,
pizza, sauces, fries, etc. etc., it’s easy for even the young generations to
get hooked on salt at an early age. Keep your wits about you!
Remedies to Lower
High Blood Pressure #Tip 2 - Sip Some Hibiscus
Cultures
across the world have used hibiscus to naturally manage blood pressure, but it
wasn’t until the past decade that studies were actually conducted that showed
there was more to the remedy than just folklore.
First,
hibiscus acts as a diuretic, which draws sodium from the bloodstream, thus
decreasing the pressure on the arterial walls. Even more interesting is how it
can mimic angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors.
ACE
inhibitors are a common group of pharmaceutical drugs used to treat high blood
pressure. They work by hampering the angiotensin-converting enzyme, which plays
a crucial role in the renin-angiotensin system- a hormone system that regulates
blood pressure and fluid balance.
As
a result of this inhibition, blood vessels relax and blood volume is lowered,
decreasing blood pressure. While certainly not as potent as those ACE drugs
prescribed, it can still be surprisingly effective.
You will
need…
-1-2 teaspoon of dried hibiscus
-1 cup of fresh, piping hot water
-Honey, lemon, or 1-2 cinnamon sticks (optional)
Directions
Bring water to a boil and add the hibiscus and cinnamon sticks (if using them) and allow it to steep for 5 minutes. Add honey or lemon to taste, and drink 2-3 times daily. This also makes a lovely iced tea for those sticky hot summer days.
Remedies to Lower
High Blood Pressure #Tip 3 - Drink Coconut Water
Coconut
water is found inside the shell of green, unripe coconuts that retains its
natural benefits in organic and raw form. It contains potassium and magnesium,
both of which relate to regular muscle function, and of course, the heart is a
big giant muscle.
While
there have been some limited studies on the effect of coconut water on
hypertension, many people report anecdotally that it has helped lower blood
pressure.
In
studies, it seemed to particularly affect systolic blood pressure, or the force that
takes place when the heart pumps blood away from it. If you don’t have a
problem with coconut water, it may prove to be a solid remedy for you.
You will
need…
-8 ounces of fresh, organic coconut water
Directions
Drink 8 ounces 1-2 times daily. Morning is ideal if you drink it once a day, while morning and night works well if you opt to drink it twice a day.
Remedies to Lower
High Blood Pressure #Tip 4 - Fabulous Fish Oil
Of
course this is on here! You may roll your eyes because you’ve seen it
everywhere, but fish oil and its bountiful omega-3
fatty acids are a beautiful thing when it comes to your heart.
While
studies have been wishy-washy on whether or not it actually reduces the risk of
heart attacks or strokes, it has been viewed as successful when it comes to
lowering blood pressure, while also reducing triglycerides and increasing HDL
(“good”) cholesterol. Heart transplant patients have been given fish oil to
reduce the risk of hypertension following a transplant.
You will
need…
-High quality fish oil
Directions
I
prefer liquid fish oil taken in orange juice to the pills which can have
some…unpleasant side effects. Take the amount appropriate for you as indicated
on the back of the bottle.
Remedies to Lower
High Blood Pressure #Tip 5 - Heart Healthy Hawthorn
Hawthorn
is a staple herb when it comes to heart health as it is rich in flavonoids,
namely, oligomeric procyandins (OPC’s) and quercetin.
Flavonoids
are touted as having many benefits, but one of the most intensely studied
conditions that it affects is various forms of heart disease. This includes
arrhythmia, palpitations, improve the function of capillaries, regulate glucose
metabolism and, of course,
reduce arterial blood pressure and the risk of hypertension.
There
are several different mechanical actions that flavonoids can take on the blood,
but pertaining to hypertension the most important may be the widening of the
blood vessels, which ultimately reduces the pressure of the blood.
You
can enjoy hawthorn in the form of a tea or in the form of “balls”, which is
what is given below. The recipe also calls for cinnamon and ginger, which are
great for helping circulation flow smoothly.
It
was the herbalist Rosemary Gladstar who taught me how to make these wonderful
herbal balls, and while I’ve tweaked the recipe some, I’ll forever be grateful
to her for tuning me into this wonderful way of enjoying herbal medicine!
You will
need…
-4 tablespoons of powdered hawthorn berry
-1/2-1 tablespoons of cinnamon powder
-Raw honey
-Water
-Cocoa or carob powder
Directions
Place the cinnamon and hawthorn powder in a bowl and mix the two together. Add just enough honey and water to make a paste. Thicken the mixture with cocoa powder or carob powder until it has formed a dough that you can cleanly roll into small balls no bigger than your index fingernail.
Place
them on a cookie sheet and dry in an oven at a very low temperature (not more
than 150 degrees Fahrenheit) until dry. Store indefinitely in a glass jar out
of direct sunlight and in a cool place.
Remedies to Lower
High Blood Pressure #Tip 6 – Exercise
Along
with diet, exercise should really be number one on this list. Nothing can
replace what exercise does for the body, and in a society where we are becoming
increasingly sedentary, it can take a bit more effort to get out and get
moving-but it’s worth it, especially if you have high blood pressure.
The
heart is a muscle, and it will grow stronger with exercise. It becomes easier
to pump blood and takes less effort, keeping your heart in better condition and
lowering how much force it exerts on your arteries, thus lowering blood
pressure.
Exercise
is, in many cases, all that you need to get your blood pressure back on track.
The top number in a blood pressure reading indicates systolic blood pressure,
which is created by the heart pumping blood away from it.
Exercise
can lower this reading by an average of 4 to 9 millimeters of mercury (a unit
of pressure), which is easily as much as some prescription blood pressure
medications. A pleasant side effect of exercise is weight loss, which also does
your heart and arteries a great favor.
You will
need…
-Willpower!
Directions
Try and get in at 30 minutes of exercise a day. You don’t have to run marathon-even simple chores like scrubbing the floors are good. Anything that gets your heart rate up and increases your rate of respiration. Make this a habit. You only get the benefits of exercise as long as you exercise.
Remedies to Lower
High Blood Pressure #Tip 7 - Go For Garlic
Garlic
is one of those home remedy staples. It is rich in beneficial constituents that
address a wide range of ailments, once of which happens to be hypertension.
There is just one little catch though.
Allicin,
the organosulphur-sulfur containing- compound responsible for several of
garlic’s health benefits, doesn’t fare as well in the human body when garlic is
eaten raw. Allicin is relatively unstable, and is typically deactivated when it
comes in contact with a substance with a pH lower than 3, such as our stomach
acid.
However,
when taken in tablet form, there is a guaranteed allicin yield that ensures you
get the proper amount to have solid results when it comes to lowering blood
pressure.
Be
sure when getting the tablets that there is a release of allicin in a
significant, standardized amount-in several studies involved with blood
pressure, 1.8 milligrams per dose lowered blood pressure by 10% within 12
weeks.
You will
need…
-Good quality garlic tablets
Directions
Take as directed on the back of the bottle.
Remedies to Lower
High Blood Pressure #Tip 8 - Melon in the Morning
Every
morning, be faithful to watermelon. Often times watermelon as viewed as a
strictly summer fruit, one for seed spitting contests and barbecues, but it can
also help lower blood pressure.
An
organic compound called citrulline, an a-amino acid, was first isolated in 1914
from watermelon. Once ingested, the body can convert citrulline to the amino
acid L-arginine, which is a precursor to nitric oxide.
To
translate, citrulline-found in watermelon- is converted into
arginine-essentially a chemical building block-which leads to the production of
nitric oxide.
Nitric
oxide talks to various cells and systems in your body that regulates, among
other things, how hard your blood gets pumped through your entire body-also
known as vascular systematic resistance.
It
will widen blood vessels, which lowers vascular resistance, which ultimately
lowers blood pressure. Imagine trying to pump a certain volume of liquid
through a small opening versus a wider opening. The wider opening will allow it
to flow smoothly and easily-it’s the same with blood cells!
You will
need…
-1-2 cups of fresh water melon
Directions
Every morning eat your melon on an empty stomach. If you have a home blood pressure device, monitor yourself and observe the changes.
Remedies to Lower
High Blood Pressure #Tip 9 - Ginger-Cardamom Tea
A
study done in December of 2009 published in the Indian Journal of Biochemistry
& Biophysics gave a group of participants 1 teaspoon of cardamom powder
daily for several weeks. The results showed a significant reduction in blood
pressure.
While
further research is needed to pinpoint exactly why it seems to help, it has
still proven itself a useful home remedy for high blood pressure. Combined with
ginger and cinnamon, both warming spices that improve circulation, you can make
a lovely tea to help your heart get healthy.
Interestingly
enough, black tea seems to improve blood pressure in some instances. This is
most likely due to the heavy concentration of flavonoid, however if you have blood
pressure that leans towards the more severe side of the scale; the caffeine may
do more harm than good.
This
is particularly delightful warm, spicy, tea to have on chilly winter days (and
when we’re tempted from eating healthier thanks to the holidays!)
You will
need…
-1/2 cup of water
-2-3 teaspoons of honey (or to taste)
-1 teaspoon of cardamom pods
-1/2 teaspoon ginger powder OR 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
-1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder
-1 ½ tablespoons black tea or 1 teabag
-1/2 cup milk
-Mortar and pestle
Directions
Crush the cardamom pods to release the oil-there’s no need to grind them finely. In a saucepan combine all the ingredients except for the honey. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 6-9 minutes until you get a rich caramel brown color. Stir in honey and then strain into a mug and enjoy! Drink 1-2 times daily.
Remedies to Lower
High Blood Pressure #Tip 10 - Cat’s Claw
Decoction
Cat’s
Claw (Uncaria tomentosa) is a woody climbing vine found in South and Central
America, with its most notable use being in the Amazon rainforest. It is named
after the thorns on the plant which are hooked, much like cats claws.
It
has been used as a traditional remedy in its native habitat for a long time,
but test tube studies finally revealed evidence for promising benefits, one
amongst them being lowering blood pressure.
It
does so by dilating the blood vessels (known as vasodilation) and therefore
lowering the pressure by allowing blood to flow through more readily.
It
can also act as a mild diuretic, getting rid of unneeded salt and water in the
body, which can again reduce hypertension. The tannins and flavonoid are most
likely the main constituents that account for the herbs healing actions.
Here
it is made into a flavorful decoction that will give you all of its benefits. A
decoction is essentially a tea, but is simmered for much longer as it is made
from the woody, tough, fibrous parts of the plant such as roots or (in this
case) bark.
There
are two things to keep in mind when searching for your herb-first, make sure
its scientific name matches the one above (there are several other plants known
as cats claw) and secondly, make sure it is from an ecologically sustainable
Cats Claw should be avoided by women who are pregnant.
You will
need…
-1-2 tablespoons of dried herb
-1 ½-2 cups of cold water
-Honey or lemon to taste
Directions
Place the herb and water in a small saucepan over low heat and bring to a slow simmer. Cover, and let it simmer for 40-45 minutes. Add more water (or less) depending on how concentrated you want the tea to be. Strain, add honey or lemon if desired, and drink once daily.
Remedies to Lower
High Blood Pressure #Tip 11 - Beautiful Blueberry Syrup
Syrups
are, hands down, one of my most favorite ways of incorporating the benefits of
herbs and spices into daily life. While the word “syrup” may make you think of
something sickly sweet and heavy-the opposite of what you want for heart
health-that isn’t the case here.
The
“syrup” that you see on grocery store shelves may not be the best, but made at
home it is a wonderful (delicious) way to give yourself a natural boost. And if
we’re honest with ourselves, sometimes choking down bitter tea makes it hard to
stay on track with a remedy.
Blueberries
are rich in the flavonoid quercetin, the benefits of which are explained in
remedy number 5, as it is also found in hawthorn. You can mix in elderberries
for an extra heart healthy kick as well-surprise, surprise they’re good for
more than just warding off the cold and flu!
You will
need….
-8 tablespoons of dried blueberries OR 4 tablespoons each of dried blueberries and elderberries.
-4 cups of water
-1 cup of honey
-A pot, strainer, and glass jar with an airtight lid
Directions
Add the dried berries to the water and bring to a simmer over low heat. Continue to simmer until the liquid is reduced by half. Strain the solids out, pressing on them to extract any extra juices, and pour the liquid back into the pot. Stir in the honey, warming the mixture just to ensure the two blend together thoroughly.
Here
there are two different paths you can take. For thicker syrup, heat the honey
and berry juice over medium-high heat for 20 minutes. If you’d rather not cook
the syrup, and are ok with one that is slightly thinner, skip this step. Once
mixed, bottle and label and store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 weeks. Take
1 tablespoon twice daily.
Understanding Blood
Pressure Reading
When
the nurse wraps the cuff around your upper arm and then announces two seemingly
random numbers, what’s going on?
Two
forces pump the blood through our bodies, the first being created by the heart
contracts and pumps blood out into the arteries, and the second occurs when the
heart rests between beats and the heart muscle is refilling with blood.
These
two forces are known as systole and diastole respectively, and are the numbers
you see on a blood pressure reading. The systolic pressure is the top number
(or the first one read) and is the higher number, and the second number is
diastolic, and is the lower number.
So
the next time you get your blood pressure read, remember the first number is
referring the force of blood being pumped away, and the second number is the
heart at rest refilling with blood. The systolic number should be less than
120, while the diastolic number should be less than 80. Anything higher and you
enter pre-hypertension and hypertension.
Watch
these 2 Videos-
By
Claire Goodall (a bee-obsessed natural-convert from Minnesota) who is a holistic
health lover. She is the author of Everyday Roots Book.
It’s
a Book that she creates to help you replace the toxic products and medications
in your home with healthier, all-natural alternatives.
It
contains 215+ effective home remedies and covers everything you will need to
protect your family and save money every month.
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