High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)

High blood pressure or hypertension affects a huge percentage of the population and is a major risk factor for heart attack or stroke. Because there are usually no symptoms associated with high blood pressure it is know as the ‘silent killer’. However warning signs can include headaches, sweating, rapid pulse, shortness of breath and visual disturbance.

If you suspect you have high blood pressure or there is a family history of the disease it is important that you consult your doctor who will assess its severity. For moderate or severe hypertension it is generally considered safest to treat the patient with perscription drugs such as betablockers or ACE inhibitors. However if the hypertension is borderline or mild a combination of natural remedies as well as lifestyle and diet changes is often very effective. In terms of lifestyle it is important to use stress reduction techniques as stress plays a major role in raising blood pressure. Also gentle and regular exercise will help: for example walking, swimming or yoga.It is advised to avoid alcohol, caffeine and smoking and the elimination of salt (sodium chloride) in the diet is essential. From a natural remedies perspective there are a number of herbs and supplements that can help and also a number that should be avoided. The two most popular herbal recommendations for hypertension are garlic and hawthorn. Both have a gentle hypotensive action and hawthorne effectively improves heart function when taken long term.

Supplements that are known to have blood pressure lowering contents are vitamin C, vitamin B6, calcium and potassium. Coenzyme Q10 has not been used historically and its mechanism of action is not well understood, but in trials it has been shown to lower both diastolic and systolic pressure by 10%. A further essential supplement is omega 3 oil: Over 60 double blind studies have demonstrated that either fish oil supplements or flaxseed oil were very effective in lowering blood pressure.

*Herbs to avoid are ephedra (matuang) and licorice, as they can increase hypertension.

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