Herbal treatment for hypertension

Having hypertension is a very dangerous problem to face. Hypertension is also known as having high blood pressure. Hypertension is diagnosed once a person has had 3 readings of 140/90 on consecutive intervals 6 hours apart. High blood pressure is very dangerous and can cause a stroke, damage to the coronary arteries, the kidneys, eyes or brain. When you have a consistently high reading, it means that your heart is working harder than normal, and this increases the risks of damage to all the said organs.

Often times a doctor will prescribe some medications for hypertension in order to lower blood pressure, but you may want to try a more natural and healthier approach to lowering your blood pressure, through diet changes, supplements and herbal remedies. These can offer great success, especially when used in conjunction, for lowering blood pressure naturally.

To start out, you will want to take a look at your diet and what you are eating. You need to start eating as many healthy food choices as possible. Foods like fruits, vegetables and whole grains are excellent for helping lower your blood pressure. By consuming more of these foods and lessening your fat intake and your cholesterol you can change your poor diet to a healthier one. These foods offer lots of vitamins and minerals that are associated with lowering hypertension. Also with a healthier diet comes weight loss and with weight loss comes lower blood pressure! You have nothing to lose when switching over to the natural food groups. Try to stay away from boxed and processed foods since they offer a lot of ingredients that may not be very heart healthy.

If you decide to try some supplements there are a few that may have some benefits in lowering blood pressure. Taking extra Vitamin C and Calcium have both shown positive results with reducing hypertension. Also folic acid, Coenzyme Q10 and Flaxseed meal have shown some excellent benefits.

Some herbs worth mentioning are garlic, Coleus forskohlii, Hawthorne, Mistletoe and Rauwolfia. All of these herbs can improve the functioning of the heart, dilate the coronary blood vessels and help lower blood pressure. With these herbs it is important to follow the dosing as directed to avoid potential side effects. Although herbs are a more natural form of medicine, some can still have adverse reactions when taken in excess. Garlic supplements can have a reaction with prescription blood thinners, aspirin and other herbs so you need to be under medical guidance before adding too much garlic into your diet.

As well as adding some supplements and herbs to your diet it is equally important to watch your mineral intake as well. Be sure to limit your salt intake since too much sodium is bad for you in several ways. However, increasing your levels of potassium and magnesium is important and doing so through eating nutrient rich foods is your best option.

By changing some of your lifestyle habits along with taking vitamins, minerals and herbal supplements you can lower your blood pressure significantly on your own. High blood pressure is a very serious condition not to be taken lightly. It is very important to continue seeing your doctor on regular basis to ensure your medical condition is improving. Before taking any supplements you should always consult a professional to get the right dosage for you and your body type. This could be a doctor or even a specialist that is familiar with alternative homeopathic medicines. If you are suffering from high blood pressure due to pregnancy it is extremely important to discuss the use of herbs and supplements before trying them. Never take any type of supplement while pregnant unless it has been approved by your physician first.

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Last updated on Jul 5th, 2009 and filed under Alternative Medicine. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

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