10 Best Herbal Remedies For Blood Pressure

Ever since the start of life here on Earth, mankind has been in the search for natural ways to treat diseases. People looked for remedy or cure in nature. Some of the people nowadays do not know that using medicinal plants is almost as old as the first humans who have ever lived on Earth.

The use of medicinal plants is the result of mankind’s pursuit to discover some alternative ways of to cure certain diseases. It is a good thing that the plants discovered by mankind are proven to be helpful in combating the diseases or ailments that humans are battling with.

It is common knowledge that one of the most common diseases that humans struggle with is Hypertension—more commonly known by most people as High Blood Pressure. 

As the simplest explanation, high blood pressure happens when a person’s blood pressure increases to an unhealthy level. 

A person’s blood pressure measurement is based on the amount of blood that passes through his or her blood vessels and the amount of resistance that his or her bloods experiences while the heart pumps.

The more limited the space that the human blood can pass through, the higher the blood pressure he or she will experience. 

In simpler words, narrow arteries cause blood to experience more resistance. And over the long course of time, experiencing high pressure in the blood can cause the human body to acquire health complications—heart diseases, for example.

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High Blood Pressure or Hypertension does not usually show any symptoms that is why people do not notice it right away. One can have high blood pressure for years without any symptoms. Because it does not get noticed due to lack of symptoms, High Blood Pressure develops over those several years. As years pass by, having high blood pressure can cause many serious and life-threatening health complications—damage to some organs such as the eyes, kidneys, blood vessels, brain and heart.

One good thing is that High Blood Pressure can be detected easily. Once a person has his blood pressure checked, he or she can consult a doctor right away to start controlling the high blood pressure. As mentioned above, uncontrolled high blood pressure makes a person’s risk of having serious health problems increase.

Early detection is one of the best things to be done—a person can do this by having his or her blood pressure regularly checked. Sure, there are times that blood pressure gets elevated. But if a person’s doctor notices that his or her blood pressure does not revert to the normal pressure over a few weeks, then that is some reason to consider taking actions to improve it—changing the usual lifestyle into a healthier one or prescribing some medications are some of the things that doctors can recommend.

Treatment for high blood pressure can be done in several ways—prescription medication, intake of some supplements and having a healthy lifestyle. Choosing to ignore it and not take any actions will not do a person good.

Fortunately, over the course of time, researchers have discovered that some herbs or medicinal plants can help cure high pressure and balance blood pressure. But before knowing some these herbs, here are some of the understandings people must know about having high blood pressure, in order to properly address hypertension.

Symptoms of High Blood Pressure

Since having high blood pressure is a real silent condition, most people who have it experience no signs or symptoms even if their blood pressures reach very, very high and seriously dangerous levels.

But for some people, it may take several years, sometimes even decades, to reach a very severe level that is enough to show obvious symptoms.

Some of the symptoms of having high blood pressure may include experiencing headaches, having trouble or difficulty in breathing, experiencing chest pains, impairment in sight, bleeding of the nose, having blood in the urine and flushing.

Some of the symptoms mentioned above may seem to be normal or common but they are to be given immediate medical attention. 

They do not appear for several years but when they do, that is when a person should know that it is truly serious and fatal.

As mentioned above, the best way to know if people have high blood pressure is to have regular blood pressure readings.

As much as possible, take the blood pressure readings every time.

Types of High Blood Pressure

1. Primary Hypertension

This type of high blood pressure can be also called essential hypertension. With no exact and identifiable causes, this type of hypertension develops gradually. Primary Hypertension is what most people with High Blood Pressure have.

Up until now, researchers do not know the factors that cause the blood’s pressure to gradually increase. Some of the combination of factors that might be the causes is genes, physical changes and environmental factors.

Some people are naturally susceptible to hypertension, and this may be because of the mutations and abnormalities in their genes inherited from their parents. There are times when changes in people’s body also cause primary hypertension to occur. 

For instance, it is believed by researchers that changes in the function of kidneys over the years may cause disorder to the body’s balance; thus, causing the blood in the body to increase in pressure. Living an unhealthy lifestyle can also cause primary hypertension to occur. 

Poor diet and having an inactive physical life will eventually take their toll on a person’s body. When a person becomes obese or overweight, the risk of them is having primary hypertension increases.

If a doctor diagnoses a person with high blood pressure, healthy lifestyle changes should be applied to stop the further increase in blood pressure. But there are times when lifestyle changes are not enough or there comes a time when they become ineffective already. That is when doctors may prescribe some medication.

2. Secondary Hypertension

When Primary Hypertension does not get treated well, it leads to having Secondary Hypertension. This type of high blood pressure can occur swiftly, and it is more severe compared with the first type of high blood pressure.

Several conditions are said to be the causes of secondary hypertension too. Those conditions are side effects of being in medication, lack of sleep, kidney diseases, problems regarding a person’s thyroid, use of illegal drugs, alcohol related problems, certain endocrine tumors, adrenal gland problems and congenital heart defects.

Risk Factors That May Contribute to High Blood Pressure

1. Race

Africans are more likely to have high blood pressures compared with whites. High blood pressure in African people are common, it usually develops at their early ages. Some complications of high blood pressure—such as failure of kidney and having heart attacks— are also common to African heritage.

2. Family History

When a person’s parents or sibling have been diagnosed with high blood pressure, they are more likely to develop it too. It has been proven by researchers that having high blood pressure tends to run in one’s family members.

3. Age

The risk of most people to have high blood pressure increases over the years as they age. Gender is also proven to have strong links with the age. Women are likely to develop high blood pressure after they reach the age of 65 years old while men are more likely to have high blood pressure after they reach the age of 64 years old.

4. Having an inactive physical lifestyle

Studies have shown and proven that people with an inactive lifestyle tend to have higher heart rates compared with people who are regularly exercising and doing physical activities. The higher a person’s heart rate is, the stronger the force on his or her arteries is. Meaning, the harder the heart works with each contraction it makes. Being inactive also makes a person obese.

5. Obesity or being overweight

Having a larger body size means having more tissues than normal. And the heavier a person’s weight is, the more blood he or she needs to supply enough oxygen and nutrients to his or her body’s tissues. The pressure on the walls of the arteries increases too as the volume of the blood needed by the body increases.

6. Having excess salt or sodium in a person’s diet

Having excess salt or sodium in a person’s diet can cause his or her body to retain fluids. This increases the pressure in that person’s blood.

7. Lack of potassium in a person’s diet

Potassium is one of the things needed in a person’s body to help balance the amount of sodium in cells. If a person does not get enough potassium in his or her diet, too much accumulation of sodium in the blood might occur; thus, leading to having a high blood pressure as mentioned in the previous risk factor.

8. Smoking Tobacco

People know that chewing and smoking tobacco cause the blood pressure to increase. But that people do not know is that it also damages the lining of one’s artery walls; thus, narrowing arteries and increasing the risk of having a heart disease. Note that secondhand smoke can also increase the risk of having heart disease.

9. Certain chronic conditions

Certain chronic conditions such as sleep apnea, kidney diseases and diabetes also increase the risk of a person to have high blood pressure.

10. Stress

Having high levels of stress can also increase the risk of having high blood pressure. Some people try to relax by eating more, smoking or drinking alcohol. Well, all of it just further increases the risk of them to develop high blood pressure.

11. Drinking too much alcohol

Some people say that drinking alcohol is good for the heart. But over the course of time, drinking can damage a person’s heart. For men, having more than two drinks for one day increases the chances of developing high blood pressure. While for women, having more than just one drink already increases their chances of developing hypertension.

Complications of Having High Blood Pressure

Having high blood pressure is a truly serious problem since having it can cause a lot of serious complications to a person’s body. It seems like it gradually destroys the body when not treated with the proper medication needed to address it.

To explain how serious having high blood pressure is, here are three of the most life-threatening health issues or complications it can give one’s body:

1. Damaged Arteries

Originally, arteries are healthy, flexible and strong. But due to having high blood pressure, arteries are weakened, tightened and made less elastic. Having weak arteries can subsequently cause a person to have heart attacks and stoke.

2. Damaged Heart

Having high blood pressure makes a person’s heart work way too much that it should. The high level of pressure found in blood vessels causes the heart to pump way more frequently than normal and healthy heart should. Subsequently, it may cause a person to have an enlarged heart. In addition, having an enlarged heart causes higher risks of having heart failures, sudden cardiac death and heart attack

3. Damaged Brain

The human brain is constantly in need of an enough supply of oxygen to work properly. With the human’s heart being weakened and not functioning as originally as it was, the supply of oxygen to the brain gets affected.

Some subsequent effects of this is that high blood pressure may affect one’s memory, ability to speak, ability to recall and many more.

10 Herbs to Help Manage High Blood Pressure

1. Cardamom

Cardamom is a seasoning used in South Asian cuisine; it originally comes from the country of India. Cardamom seeds or powder can be added to dishes, stews, soups and baked goods.

There was a small study that investigated the positive effects of cardamom to people with high blood pressure. 

After the study, participants who have high blood pressure showed a significant decrease in the blood pressure readings. 

They were observed for 12 days after intake of 1.5 grams of powdered cardamom twice a day.

2. Cinnamon

Cinnamon, just like cardamom, is also another very tasty seasoning which makes it very easy to be included in a person’s daily diet. 

It has been proven to help in bringing the numbers of blood pressure readings down. There was a study done in rats and its results have proven that cinnamon extract decreases both sudden and prolonged high blood pressure.

Cinnamon can be added to your daily coffee, breakfast cereals and oatmeal; just sprinkle it on top of those drink or food. Cinnamon can also be used to improve flavors of curries, fried foods and stews.

3. Ginger

According to some studies, ginger has also been proven to improve blood circulation. It also relaxes the muscles that surround the blood vessels; thus, lowering the blood pressure in it. 

Ginger is also believed to reduce the clotting of platelet in a person’s blood. Reducing the platelet clotting also reduces the risk of having heart attacks and stroke; those two are said to be some of the complications of having high blood pressure.

Ginger are common to Asian cuisine since it really is a versatile spice; it adds more flavor and taste to their food.

4. Basil

Basil, just like all the herbs mentioned above, is also a delicious herb that can be added to a variety of foods. 

Although more studies are needed, but basil has been proven to lower high levels of blood pressure. 

Eugenol—a chemical found in basil— is proven to block the substances that cause the blood vessels to tighten.

Basil leaves are usually added to pasta, salad, soups and casseroles.

5. Hawthorn

Hawthorn is a Northern European plant that has been used as an herbal remedy for heart diseases. It also has been proven that hawthorn contributes to having a healthy heart. 

It is also believed to have anti-inflammatory compounds that are considered to be an effective treatment for high blood pressure.

For thousands of years, hawthorn has been proven to be an herbal cure for high blood pressures; traditionally, it has been used Chinese medicines. 

Studies have proven that it can prevent the hardening of one’s arteries and lower cholesterol level.

Hawthorn can be taken as tea, pill or liquid extract.

Hawthorn is also thought to make the muscles in artery walls to relax; but it is also said that hawthorn is possible to interfere with digoxin (Digitek, Lanoxin), a medication or treatment that is used to treat some heart disorders.

6. Garlic

Garlic is one of the most famous seasonings in the world. Besides its ability to add one of the best flavors, it is also an herbal remedy for high blood pressure. 

It helps the human body to have a lower blood pressure by producing nitric oxide. 

By garlic intake, the substance called nitric oxide increases; thus, allowing blood to flow more freely and have lower pressure. Nitric oxide also causes the muscles in a person’s blood vessels to relax.

Fresh garlic can be simply and easily added to most of the people’s favorite recipes.

7. Flax Seeds

Flax seed has been proven in studies to lower the blood pressure in a person’s body. It also is rich in fatty acids called Omega-3 which is good for the heart. 

One of the recent reviews suggests that taking 30 grams to 50 grams of whole or powdered flax seed for not less than 12 weeks can produce great benefits for people with high blood pressure.

Flax seed acts as an antioxidant and reduces the amount of serum cholesterol in the body. Another benefit from eating flax seed is that it improves glucose tolerance. 

There are many products containing flax seed out there, but it is advisable to buy whole or ground flax seeds for better results.

8. Celery Seeds

Celery Seeds are used to add more flavors in soups, casseroles, stews and other dishes that are savory. 

Researchers believe that some substances in celery seeds are of great help in lowering the blood pressure. 

In the country of China, Celery has been one of the traditional medicines they used to treat high blood pressure.

Celery seed and plants can be both used as a treatment for hypertension.

9. Cat’s Claw

Just like celery seeds and hawthorn, cat’s claw is also one of the traditional Chinese medicines that is used as their treatment to high blood pressure. 

It was also found out to help treat some neurological problems according to traditional Chinese medicine studies. 

Cat’s claw is proven to lower the blood pressure by acting on cell’s calcium channels. 

Cat’s clawis can be easily found as supplements from many stores that sell health related substances.

10. French Lavender

As most people know, the pleasing scent of French Lavender is a useful part of people’s lives for centuries now. 

But what people do not know is that Lavender extracts are of truly great help in lowering the blood pressure. 

Although most people think that it cannot be added to food, flowers of Lavender can be used a culinary herb to baked goods. 

Just use it the same way how people usually use Rosemary.

Final Thoughts

The herbs mentioned above are just some of the best herbs used by ancient people to combat high blood pressure. There are still many medicinal herbs out there waiting to be discovered and used. Fortunately, people can make use of these surely effective herbs for now. While some of these medicinal herbs work effectively for other people, it may work otherwise to some. Be sure to not depend on it as the only medication available, most of these herbs are just supplements that can support different medications.

To add emphasis, high blood pressure is one of the most serious health problems that a human body can have. It is not something to be disregarder or ignored. It is not something that people can take lightly. So before using some of the medicinal herbs mentioned above, be sure to consult a doctor. As mentioned, some of these herbs can interfere with the medications for some diseases.