High blood pressure is such a common problem that almost everyone has someone in their family or circle of friends who is affected. Because they are asymptomatic for a long time, many people are surprised to see a spike in their blood pressure during a routine check-up, because they feel perfectly fine.
Cardiovascular disease
Cardiovascular disease is one of the leading causes of death in our country, so being well informed and taking preventive action, with screening and lifestyle advice playing a major role, is of huge importance.
Classification of cardiovascular diseases
– Heart rhythm disorders
– Ischaemia
– High blood pressure
– Circulatory disorders of the brain
– Vascular diseases
In this article we will focus on high blood pressure and how to reduce it.
High blood pressure
Hypertension affects more than a quarter of the adult population and is therefore a widespread disease. When we measure blood pressure, we get the pressure of the blood on the blood vessel walls in mm Hg. A value above 140/90 mm Hg is considered hypertension. The first number represents the pressure when the heart contracts and the second number represents the pressure during the pause between heartbeats. Persistent high blood pressure can have serious consequences and complications, including heart disease, stroke and kidney disease.
Lowering blood pressure with medicines
When a doctor diagnoses high blood pressure during a screening test or after the development of certain symptoms (dizziness, headache, frequent nosebleeds, difficulty breathing) or complications, he or she will prescribe regular blood pressure measurements, a blood pressure log and prescribe medication to prevent further complications. In the case of an abnormality, of course, the routine check-up is followed by a cardiological examination.
The medication then becomes permanent and cannot be stopped. In good cases it works, it keeps blood pressure low and the side-effects are not distressing, but it should be borne in mind that taking the medicine alone is not enough.
Natural blood pressure lowering options
Lifestyle changes are an essential step in the case of high blood pressure, if only because obesity is one of the underlying causes. Exercise and diet are part of the medical advice. These are basic natural blood pressure lowering options. Natural remedies are also worth considering if the aim is to keep blood pressure levels normal.
Natural blood pressure lowering substances in nature
A variety of plant extracts, minerals and vitamins can help to lower blood pressure. Vitamin C is necessary for the production of collagen, which helps make blood vessel walls more elastic. Coenzyme Q10 and Omega 3 fatty acids are also slowly becoming part of the complexity of the blood pressure lowering process. Cayenne pepper is also beneficial thanks to the capsaicin it contains and the alpha-linolenic acid and enterolactone content of flaxseed can also help. Blackcurrants are effective because of their anthocyanins, and dark chocolate is effective because of the vasodilating effect of the polyphenols it contains. Hawthorn also has antihypertensive, circulatory and vasodilating effects.
Garlic is also excellent for this because of its allicin content. ABG10+® Matured Black Garlic Extract owes its unpleasant odour and aftertaste to its maturation. Due to its stability, bioavailability and high antioxidant content, the compound derived from allicin, called SAC, has heart-protective properties and the ability to combat oxidative stress in cells, as does grape seed extract.
The enzyme nattokinase is extracted from conventional fermented soybeans and has a blood-thinning effect. An alkaline protease (protein degrader) and many other beneficial effects make it beneficial in the prevention and mitigation of cardiovascular disease. It can reduce blood triglyceride and LDL cholesterol levels.
You can also take natural antihypertensives as a dietary supplement, so you get more of the active ingredients together.
Natural blood pressure lowering options in the diet
When eating out, it is best to favour foods rich in potassium, as it is an essential micronutrient that we need. When combined with magnesium, it also helps regulate heart rate and blood pressure. You can start your morning with a big glass of freshly squeezed orange juice instead of coffee, eat potatoes, kidney beans, peas for lunch, or eat potassium-rich vegetables and fruits such as tomatoes, melons, bananas several times a day, and for snacks, try prunes, walnuts, almonds, pistachios and raisins instead of sweets. The benefits of potassium are unmissable.
Be very careful with salt, because it binds water in the body, which means more fluid gets into the blood vessels, which increases the pressure in the blood vessels. Be careful, because processed foods also put a lot of salt into your body without you even noticing. It is better to forget them and choose spices without added salt.
We can still drink coffee freely, but only decaffeinated coffee. We need to reduce our caffeine intake because it can raise blood pressure. Black tea, cola, energy drinks are all high in caffeine, so avoid them.
But eat wholemeal bakery products as much as possible, because fibre plays a big role in maintaining a normal body weight.
Instead of black tea, herbal teas such as horsetail, shepherd’s purse, walnut leaves, hawthorn, hibiscus, ginger, mistletoe and green tea are also highly recommended for people with high blood pressure.
Exercise is also a natural antihypertensive
Especially for those who led a sedentary lifestyle before diagnosis, gradualness is key. A brisk walk is the perfect form of exercise in the early days. If done on a daily basis, it can lower blood pressure by up to 15 percent, which is a huge achievement.
You can learn breathing exercises that, together with movement, can help the heart to use oxygen efficiently, which can also help lower blood pressure.
We soon get into the habit and can make regular exercise part of our lives, with many positive benefits. Light exercise to increase stamina can be done after a diagnosis of high blood pressure, but of course it is advisable to discuss everything with your doctor. Whenever possible, we should move, stand and walk instead of sitting and driving. Cycling is also a very good sport because it is good for the heart and swimming is just as recommended.
Other natural blood pressure lowering methods
It is well known that stress raises blood pressure, and therefore prolonged stress needs to be relieved for everyone, let alone those suffering from high blood pressure. Relaxation, yoga, listening to music and autogenic training are perfect.
Get enough rest. Lack of sleep, overwork and sleep deprivation can also raise blood pressure.
Put down cigarettes and drink alcohol only rarely and in moderation.
Hypertension can have serious consequences and we must remember this! Even if you have two or three blood pressure readings above the limit, you should consult a doctor and it is also advisable to consult your doctor about the use of natural methods of reducing blood pressure.
We should do everything we can to lower our blood pressure, so that in time, on the advice of our doctor, we can stop taking blood pressure medication, which is a great advantage.
This article is in no way a self-diagnosis or a therapeutic suggestion, it is for informative purposes only. If you experience any of the above symptoms, please consult your doctor.
Our source for this article is the online magazine medicalnews.hu, where you can read a range of health-related articles.