Are you planning to search for ways on how to lower your blood pressure? Go to your kitchen or garden, look around, and see if you have planted herbs. These nutritious herbs do not only add flavor and spice to your dishes but also give you health benefits. One of the health conditions that may be treated by eating herbs is high blood pressure or hypertension.
Nowadays, most people live through hardship from high blood pressure or hypertension. This is usually a reason for eating the bad foods, potassium deficiencies or drinking too much alcohol. Over time, high blood pressure can become worse and lead to heart disease, stroke, nerve damage, kidney disease, and more diseases. The great news is that there are various natural herbs that can lower high blood pressure quickly!
How Blood Pressure Works
If you align up all the blood vessels in your body, they would be 95 thousand kilometers long. Every day, they carry the equivalent of over 7,500 liters of blood. All components inside our body exert force on the muscular walls of the blood vessels, and that is called blood pressure. The blood pressure rises and falls with the phases of the heartbeat.
If you check your blood pressure through a sphygmomanometer, you’ll see two types of digits. The first number is called systole. This is the highest beat when the heart contracts to force blood flow through the arteries. At the same time, the second recorded number is the diastole. This is when the heart is at rest between beats, and the pressure falls to its lowest phase.
Normal Blood Pressure – 120/80
So how to simplify the blood pressure in the body?
Imagine a plumbing system. The pipes need to be clear to have a consistent flow. But, if there are extra constituents, like dirt, it will narrow the pipes and need extra pressure to force the flow. That’s how blood pressure in the body changes. The properties of the excess fluid or other constituents will narrow the blood vessels. So if blood thickens because of these foreign particles, higher pressure is needed to push the blood into our system. That means our hearts will pump harder.
High Blood Pressure Principle
♥ Signs and Symptoms
To know if someone is suffering from hypertension, remember the ABC.
A stands for Achy Head or simply a headache that can lead to stroke
B stands for Blurred Vision, also known as retinopathy
C stands for Chest Pain that can indicate a heart attack
♥ Emergency
Severe hypertension is called hypertension crisis.
Suppose the average blood pressure is 120/80. In that case, the hypertension crisis falls over 180/120, and the patient immediately needs an IV antihypertensive medication because it is considered an emergency case. Severe hypertension can kill the patient if left untreated. It will destroy the four vital organs, which are the brain, heart, lungs, and kidneys.
♥ Treatment
There are various medication treatments for lowering blood pressure. Remember the BCDE
B stands for Beta Blockers, and these put brakes on the heart, slowing it down.
C stands for Calcium-channel blockers that calm the heart to control the pressure.
D stands for dilators to widen the vessels and let the blood flow at a relaxed phase.
E stands for Emergency Room.
♥ Causes
Hypertension means there is high tension on the heart and the blood vessels.
To name a few causes, remember the acronym SODA.
| “S” stands for Stress that may come from smoking, a sedentary lifestyle, or stimulants that can make the blood vessels very stiff. |
| “O” stands for Obesity and oral contraceptives. |
| “D” stands for Disease complications and Diet from high sodium and high cholesterol. Sodium can retain water causing high fluid pressure. At the same time, cholesterol sticks to the blood vessels, which narrow those causing resistance. |
| “A” stands for At An Age. This can also be a reason for increasing the risk of hypertension. |
♥ Complications
The high tension will destroy the arteries and the organs. To name a few of the complications, here is the list.
Atherosclerosis = scarred and stiff arteries because of plaque
Aneurysm = bursting or bulging of the blood vessels
Dying kidneys = also called renal failure
Damaged eyes = Also known as retinopathy
Brittle nerves = commonly named as neuropathy
Heart failure = dying of the heart or myocardial infarction
Clots = the clots are the main contributor to death. Clots are the basis for heart attack, stroke, and lung failure.
Herbs That Helps Lower The Blood Pressure
Take a glance at some of these powerful herbs.
🌱 Passion Flower
This magical flower contains constituents that calm both the mind and the body. Passionflower causes a reduction in blood pressure and promotes relaxation. Some use passionflower to treat anxiety, particularly anxiety prior to surgery.
Passionflower is also used to treat insomnia, distress, ADHD, inflammation, and a variety of other ailments. It may be safe if consumed as tea for seven nights or as a medication for up to eight weeks. On the other hand, overdosage can induce sleepiness, dizziness, and disorientation.
🌱 Garlic
The primary active ingredient in garlic is known as Allicin and has been proven to drop blood pressure naturally. In scientific research, garlic is also utilized as a natural immune booster and overall healer. Whether raw, powder, aged extracts or oil, garlic appears to help decrease blood pressure.
Effective doses vary from 12 to a thousand milligrams per day, depending on the type. Kyolic garlic has also shown an impact in enhancing health and longevity by lowering stiffness of the arteries, cholesterol, and blood consistency. The findings imply that garlic extract has some favorable results on heart rate by altering it together with the rhythm and power of contraction. But highly high dosages may also have unfavorable consequences.
🌱 Matcha tea
This is a supersaturated type of tea that can stop or prevent specific enzymes in our body that can make the pressure in the blood to rise. It is also full of chlorophyll which detoxifies the blood of unwanted and harmful chemicals. Matcha is also high in polyphenols. These antioxidants help lower the risk of heart attack and cancer, control blood sugar, enhance metabolism, and prevent indications of aging. However, because some refined matcha tea contains caffeine, it may raise blood pressure rather than decrease it. So be cautious when purchasing repackaged matcha.
🌱 Onion
You can make a horrible tea by steeping onion skin in boiling water. This contains a compound called quercetin responsible for pigmentation and naturally lowers blood pressure. Onion also has a high concentration of fibers, which helps to manage blood pressure levels.
Therefore, you must consume raw onions in more significant quantities for the optimum benefits. Onions end up losing their medical benefits when overcooked; they are most nutrient-dense when eaten raw, so add them to salads. Mix onions with other blood pressure-lowering foods such as cloves and olive oil in a nutritious salad.
🌱 Lavender essential oil
You can place this oil in a diffuser or oil burner to extract compounds and scent into the air. These are the primary ways to trigger relaxation in the body. By doing this, it will relieve tension stress and lower blood pressure. Essential oils or fragrances can be used alone as well in a mixture with other oils to significant effect.
However, there has been a little scientific study on the use of essential oils for hypertension. Taking lavender together with hypertension drugs may cause the heart to drop too low. Do not take too many alternatives like lavender if you are using medication. Talk to a medical professional before using home remedies as a natural way if you have hypertension.
🌱 Celery seed
You can purchase celery seed in pill form. It contains NBP, which calms the tissues of the heart, especially the artery walls. The primary job of this seed is to promote continuous blood flow and lower pressure. Fresh celery is also a great source of magnesium and potassium, which regulate blood pressure. Celery also has a large proportion of coumarins, which significantly lowers the quantity of Stress in the body, so alleviating hypertension symptoms. Each capsule contains 75 milligrams of the extract and can be taken up to two times a day for 4 to 6 weeks.
🌱 Flaxseeds
The freshly ground seeds contain alpha-linolenic acid. This component reduces inflammation in the body, relieving muscular tension and lowering blood pressure. The fiber found in the seeds also aids in the proper blood flow, preventing clots.
🌱 Cinnamon
The Ceylon cinnamon powder is used in delicious recipes and herbal drinks. It works by helping the body manage blood sugar and blood pressure, aids in weight loss, and is an overall holistic healer.
🌱 Hawthorn berry
This particular berry is loaded with antioxidants for making them heart-healthy. It aids in improving blood pressure and also fat levels. It is usually used alongside common medication and also helps to control the heartbeat.
In both human and animal research, Hawthorn has been shown to boost cardiac blood flow, improve blood circulation, and help lower blood pressure. Hawthorn is occasionally used as an intervention for heart palpitations and chest pains that have been scrutinized and found to be non – toxic. Occasional pounding, as well as rapid heartbeats, are common symptoms that are best treated with Hawthorn.
🌱 Cardamom
These are herbal seeds often used in Indian cuisine but are also used to make soaps and fragrances. Research shows that consuming these often can bring blood pressure levels back to normal range.
🌱 Lemon
Lemon peel has flavonoids that are responsible for the reduction of blood pressure. Grab and grate the lemon and freeze the rind in ice cube trays. Drink one to two of these in a glass of water daily.
🌱 Ginger
This common spice contains shogaol and gingerol, which have been scientifically shown to reduce blood pressure. Ginger shows result to lower blood pressure by acting as a heart calmer and dilatant. Aside from these benefits, ginger has potent compounds that help to decrease blood sugar and reduce the risk of heart conditions. Eating amounts of ginger on a daily basis can help people with diabetes manage their insulin production. Ginger protects against heart disease and strokes because of its cholesterol-lowering properties. However, too much ginger can induce reflux, stomach discomfort, and gas. So, keep your ginger amounts to a minimum and follow your doctor’s orders.
🌱 Cat’s claw
This is a vine plant herb that you can find in the rainforest of the Amazon. It provides compounds that help to dilate the blood vessels and increase blood flow. The natives use it to treat many illnesses.
Consuming a cat’s claw with antihypertensive medicines may cause the blood pressure to drop too low. Aside from that, Cat’s claw may offer anti-inflammatory and immune-boosting qualities. In cancer patients, Cat’s claw has been studied for its impact on sleep-wake disorders, exhaustion, anxiousness, and depression.
If you are using blood pressure medicine, avoid using Cat’s claw. Those suffering from underlying diseases such as bleeding, autoimmune illness, renal disease, or undergoing surgery must avoid Cat’s claw.
🌱 Coriander
This fragrant herb helps to detoxify the body and lower inflammation. It calms the nervous system and relaxes the capillaries to ease high blood pressure.
🌱 Hibiscus tea
This flower herb grows in warm to extremely hot climates around the world and is famous for its unique taste and flavor. To lower blood pressure, you can take hibiscus tea and drink this cold or hot.
🌱 Basil
One of the most famous Italian herbs is basil. It is used to add flavor and has so many health benefits like any other herb. It is rich in chlorophyll and phytonutrients, which balance blood pressure.
High Blood Pressure Complications
High blood pressure can damage vital organs that sustain our lives, as explained above. But what will happen if these organs (brain, lung, liver, and heart) are overly damaged?
⚕️ Brain
The brain obviously needs blood and oxygen to function. So, if the blood vessels in the brain are clogged or disturbed due to a new rhythm, then the brain cells of that particular side will die off. This will lead to stroke. Blood supply to the brain can be restricted by blocked or narrowed arteries, resulting in a specific kind of dementia. Migraine, nausea, vision abnormalities, disorientation, and seizures are some of the neurological issues of hypertension.
⚕️ Eyes
The next most serious complication of hypertension is retinopathy. The retina is located in the innermost layer of the eye, and the suffix -pathy means disease. Typically, the retina takes in the light and helps transmit that light as an image to the brain through the optic nerve. Retinopathy, due to hypertension, is classified into four grades. This depends upon the changes seen in the fundus of the eye through fundoscopy.
| In grade 1 retinopathy, the blood vessels become tortuous. With increased reflectiveness, you can appreciate in the image the white or silver line that is termed as Silver Wiring. |
| In grade 2 retinopathy, there are grade 1 changes plus arteriovenous nicking. This is a phenomenon where arteries and veins are now crossing each other. |
| In grade 3, you will find a combination of grade 2 plus soft exudates or cotton wool spots and flame-shaped hemorrhages. These are caused by damage to the nerve fibers and a leakage of the blood vessels that causes severe vision problems. |
| Lastly, in grade 4, there are grade 3 changes plus papilledema or the swelling of the optic disc. This causes ultimate blurry vision due to raised intracranial pressure. This happens when the blood pressure is very high. The doctor should treat it promptly because the patient might permanently lose sight. |
⚕️ Heart
When the blood pressure is high for an extended period of time, the heart has to work harder to pump the blood. This is mainly on the left ventricle because it is the main pumping chamber of the heart. Because of this extra effort, there will be an increase in muscle growth of the left ventricle. Like for example, your biceps grows if you lift weights for weeks. Unfortunately, because of the extra pumping of the heart, it will also have changes in shape. These changes in the form will make the heart less effective as a pump, causing heart failure.
⚕️ Kidneys
Hypertension also damages the kidneys, called nephropathy. What happens here is that if the renal artery is clogged or weakened due to high blood pressure. The kidneys will then receive less blood. When an organ gets less blood, it will also receive less oxygen, meaning it can’t perform its task well. Remember that one function of the kidneys.
Bottom Line
As you can observe, there are various healthy foods that can help drop high blood pressure to the average level. These powerful herbs work well at lowering inflammation throughout the body that is also a reason for having hypertension.
The most excellent strategy to control blood pressure starts with lifestyle modifications that can help reduce blood pressure and minimize your risk of cardiovascular disease. In addition, your doctor may also prescribe antihypertensive drugs. Maintaining and controlling a normal blood pressure range is a lifelong effort. You will always have to keep track of your weight, eat healthily, work out, learn to handle stress, stop smoking, and restrict your alcohol use. If you require medication to regulate your hypertension, you will most certainly need it for the rest of your life.