HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE REMEDIES

These days, high blood pressure is a very common heart problem that has affected both old as well as young people. Unhealthy eating habits, lack of physical activities and poor lifestyle are the leading factors responsible for this condition. In this article we will discuss some dietary guidelines and home remedies for patients suffering from high blood pressure.

Diet plays a crucial role in managing and controlling high blood pressure. A right diet can drastically help in lowering your blood pressure. Below are some useful dietary guidelines for patient suffering from hypertension.

1. Restrict animal protein intake. Meat, chicken, eggs and milk should also be used in restricted quantities. Vegetables and fruits should be preferred.

2. Restrict fat energy to 10-15%. Decrease fat energy sources such as ghee, butter, fish oils, groundnut oil, mustard oil, coconut oil and safflower oil in your diet. The total intake per day should be decreased to 5-10 grams. Prepare almost boiled vegetables without oils so that the major source of energy is carbohydrates with a fibrous diet.

3. Carbohydrates should be the main source of energy. Your diet should include lemon, amla, apple, papaya, orange, watermelon, tomato and green vegetables. Apple has the tendency to increase frequency of urine, thus lowering blood pressure. Fresh fruits should be preferred over fresh juice of those fruits so that fiber is included in your diet.

4. Restrict salt intake to 1-2 gm. Also avoid canned vegetables, fruits and their juices. Salty biscuits, mayonnaise preparations and other salad dressing should be strictly prohibited. High sodium vegetables as spinach, white turnips, mustard green, carrots and beetroots should be limited. Cereals such as cornflakes and quick-cooking oats are salty preparations too. Thin bread made from wheat flour should be preferred over bread and bread rolls.

5. Strictly prohibit smoking and alcohol.

Along with precautions and home remedies, medication has to be taken after consulting a doctor. Try to live a stress free life. Do shavasan frequently. Other light exercises that do not stress the heart must be practiced within limits.

In case of severely hypertensive patients, blood pressure check-up should be done daily; in fact, it should be twice or thrice a day. Medicines have to be strictly taken to normalize blood pressure. Control of high blood pressure has been shown to reduce the incidence of stroke, heart attack and other complications such as heart failure, renal failure and myocardial infarction.

Disclaimer: The reader of this article should exercise all precautionary measures while following instructions on the hypertension home remedies from this article. Avoid using any of these products or ingredients if you are allergic to it. The responsibility lies with the reader and not with the website or the writer.

Blood pressure is the measure of pressure exerted by blood on the artery walls, as heart pumps blood in to the arteries to be carried forward to the other vital organs of body. Our heart is always at work, receiving impure blood, purifying it and supplying the other organs of body with pure oxygenated blood.

The circulation of blood from heart to other organs takes place by means of blood vessels called arteries. When blood travels through arteries, it exerts certain pressure on artery walls. The normal blood pressure is around 120/80 mm (millimeters of mercury). When there is an elevation in pressure, it is called high blood pressure or hypertension in medical terminology.

Pre-hypertension readings are around 139/89 mm. BP, beyond 140/90 mm is considered as really high BP. It needs stern timely management, or else it can cause serious damage to heart leading to cardiovascular disorders, heart failure, peripheral artery disease, hardening of artery walls or arteriosclerosis. Consistent high blood pressure may also cause renal failures, brain damage and various other complications.

BP is measured with the help of a pressure cuff, and the upper number or systolic pressure is the pressure of blood on arteries when heart contracts and pumps blood forward in to arteries. The lower number or diastolic pressure indicates the pressure of blood on arteries, when heart relaxes after contraction.

Causes

1. Aging
2. Heredity
3. Stress
4. Tobacco intake
5. Alcohol abuse
6. Obesity
7. High salt intake
8. Lack of exercise

Symptoms of High BP

1. Headache
2. Dizziness
3. Nausea and vomiting
4. Restlessness and irritation
5. Insomnia
6. Nose bleeding
7. Fatigue
8. Shortness of breath
9. Chest pain

Herbal Remedies to Lower High BP

1. Garlic is a major blood pressure herb. The sulphides in garlic bring down elevated pressure. One should consume 2-3 cloves of garlic daily.

2. Hawthorn is a beneficial herb for boosting heart function. It dilates arteries and allows easy coronary blood flow, thereby lowering BP.

3. Withania somnifera or ashwagandha is also an important BP lowering herb.

4. Ginger, another important herb lowers BP by relaxing muscles around blood vessels, toning up blood circulation and reducing cholesterol.

5. Red clover, an herb is known for its blood thinning properties. Thus it lowers blood pressure by allowing smooth flow of blood through arteries.

6. Kelp, a seaweed also lowers BP due to its capacity to thin the blood

7. Cinnamon, a healing herb rich in antioxidants, brings down LDL Cholesterol levels, makes body responsive to insulin and reduces BP.

8. Turmeric is also an effective herb. It contains curcumin, an antioxidant that improves blood circulation and strengthens blood vessels.

9. Olive leaf extracts are useful for checking irregular heart beats and lowering BP.

10. Gingko biloba, another herb, helps in expanding arteries, improving blood flow and supply of blood to the brain.

11. Stresx herbal supplement is another useful natural remedy for lowering high blood pressure and maintaining healthy BP.