Heard about hypertension? In common man’s words it””s termed as the “silent killer” in the body. You will be surprised to know that almost one-third of the people suffer from hypertension but have no idea that they have it as there are no evident symptoms of this “quiet disease”. Years and years can flit by without any evident indication but this can result in damaging the organs and lead to medical complications like kidney disease, stroke, vision loss, heart attack, and even brain hemorrhage.
Normal blood pressure recognized by the medical fraternity is 120/80 mmHg where the upper number is systolic pressure and the lower number is the diastolic pressure. Besides making certain lifestyle alterations there are also certain natural alternatives to controlling the high blood pressure.
The “magical” garlic flakes
We have been hearing the old grannies advice “3-4 flakes of garlic every morning before eating anything” since ages. It””s true and some controlled random trials on garlic supplements show that they help in lowering both diastolic and systolic blood pressure, thus it is a good answer for people suffering from mild high blood pressure. Garlic has aspirin like properties and act as a blood thinner.
Fish oil supplements
Fish oils contain omega-3 fatty acids and these are known to lower the high blood pressure. The supplements made from fish oil contain EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), and DHA (docohexaenoic acid) where the latter is known to reduce high blood pressure.
The herby Hawthorn
Traditionally many herbal Practitioners use hawthorn, a herb, for lowering the high blood pressure and this was proved by a trial research. The randomized controlled trial states that the mean diastolic blood pressure showed a reduction in the participants and there were no drug interactions with the herb that were noticed.
Diet
A diet that is rich in fruits and vegetables, splashed with beans and nuts, and served with low-fat dairy products is the answer for people suffering from blood pressure. This may not exactly lower the blood pressure but is helpful in keeping the levels under check specially if the diet has a limited amount of sodium added to it . About 2400 mg sodium daily is sufficient so try and restrict the amount to this. Try to keep the sweet tooth under control and also restrict the oil intake.
Folic acid
One of the most important B vitamin is foliate and it is compulsory for red blood cell formation. Folic acid has a hand in lowering the risen homocysteine levels and thus may keep the high blood pressure down.
Meditation and Yoga therapy
Besides these other natural methods that are very effective are meditation and yoga. Correct breathing techniques and relaxation exercises can keep the stress levels down and indirectly lowering the rising blood pressure. Even aerobic exercise done regularly, help in controlling the blood pressure.
Chinese and Ayurvedic medicines have also been known to reduce hypertension. In your daily diet include supplements containing calcium, potassium and magnesium. Before jumping into any strenuous exercise regime make sure you have a few words with your physician.
