NATURAL CURES...HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

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High Blood Pressure

 

Overview

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is one of the most

common health conditions in the United States, affecting

approximately 25 percent of all adults, two-thirds of whom are

younger than 65. The term high blood pressure simply means that

people affected by this condition have higher than normal blood

pressure levels as their hearts pump blood through the body's

arteries. This greater than normal force can damage the walls of the

arteries, which in turn can result in dangerous deposits of harmful

(LDL) cholesterol and various toxic substances. If this process is

left unchecked, the end result can be heart attack, stroke, and other

cardiovascular conditions.

 

Although high blood pressure is often assumed to be a natural

consequence of aging, the fact that so many Americans in their 20s,

30s, and 40s suffer from high blood pressure clearly indicates it is

not an age-dependent disease. In actuality, high blood pressure is

the result of poor overall health and lifestyle choices. Conventional

medicine primarily focuses on treating the symptoms of high blood

pressure rather than addressing its underlying causes. It does this

mainly through the use of blood pressure medications, all of which

can cause dangerous side effects.

 

Measuring High Blood Pressure

Your blood pressure levels can easily be measured using an inflatable

cuff device known as a sphygmomanometer that is placed around your

upper arm. Once the cuff is fully inflated, blood flow through the

artery is temporarily stopped. Your doctor, listening with a

stethoscope to the artery at elbow, will slowly release the pressure

in the cuff. Just as the blood flow in the artery starts to resume, a

pounding sound can be heard. As soon as it is heard, your blood

pressure will be noted. This measurement is known as your systolic

blood pressure. Next, the cuff pressure will be released further

until no sound can be heard. Once again your pressure will be noted,

this time indicating your diastolic blood pressure. Normal, or

healthy blood pressure readings range between 90 to 135 systolic over

50 to 90 diastolic, with a reading of 120/85 considered average. High

blood pressure is indicated when the systolic rises above a reading

of 140, and the diastolic rises above 90. For accuracy, your blood

pressure should be measured on two separate occasions at least two

hours apart.

 

Note: Factors such as stress, physical exertion, and powerful

emotions such as fear and anger can skew blood pressure readings.

Therefore, it is recommended that you do not have your blood pressure

measured during such times, but wait until you are calm and rested to

ensure an accurate reading.

 

Types of High Blood Pressure

There are two types of high blood pressure, essential high blood

pressure and secondary high blood pressure. Essential blood pressure

is high blood pressure that occurs without an obvious cause, while

secondary high blood pressure is caused by kidney damage or failure

and/or imbalances in the endocrine system. The vast majority of high

blood pressure cases—over 90 percent—are essential high blood

pressure.

 

Caution: If you suffer from secondary high blood pressure, seek

immediate medical attention.

 

Symptoms of High Blood Pressure

The most commons symptoms of high blood pressure are breathing

difficulties, dizziness, fatigue, gastrointestinal problems,

headaches, insomnia, and irritability. Left unchecked, however, high

blood pressure can lead to serious heart conditions, including

stroke, as well as damage to the brain and kidneys.

 

Causes of High Blood Pressure

Like many other chronic health conditions, high blood pressure is

primarily due to our unhealthy modern lifestyle and diet. In

indigenous cultures around the world, where a healthy, natural diet

is the norm, and Western lifestyle factors do not exist, high blood

pressure is virtually nonexistent. Therefore, in order to effectively

prevent and reverse high blood pressure, knowing what causes it is an

essential first step. The primary causes of high blood pressure are

atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), poor diet, environmental

toxins, and lifestyle factors. Various pharmaceutical drugs can also

cause or worsen high blood pressure.

 

Atherosclerosis: Not only is atherosclerosis a major cause of high

blood pressure, it is also one of the primary causes of both heart

attack and stroke. Atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, is

caused by the buildup of plaque in your body's blood vessels,

especially the arteries. In atherosclerosis, the buildup of plaque

thickens the blood and hardens the arteries, making them narrow and

less elastic. Combined, these symptoms of atherosclerosis create

resistance to the body's blood flow, raising blood pressure levels.

 

Poor Diet: While high blood pressure is quite common in Western,

industrialized nations, researchers have found that it hardly exists

at all among native peoples in Africa, China, South America, and

Micronesia. The reason for this has to do their diets, which are much

healthier than today's standard Western diet. This point is brought

home even further by what happens when people from these native lands

relocate to more industrialized areas and begin eating accordingly.

Soon after they adopt a more Western-based diet, they too begin to

show signs of high blood pressure, as well as many other chronic

diseases.

 

The primary dietary factors that can cause high blood pressure are

excessive consumption of saturated animal fats and refined salt

(sodium chloride), coupled with a lack of fresh fruits and

vegetables, rich in magnesium, potassium, and other nutrients that

are essential for healthy blood pressure levels. This is especially

true of people who rely on fast foods or who regularly dine out

rather than eat at home, as such meals are typically extremely high

in both salt and unhealthy fats. It is a rare that prepared foods are

made with unrefined sea or mountain salt and healthy oils and fats,

such as coconut butter, extra virgin olive oil or organic butter.

 

Environmental Toxins: Environmental toxins such as cadmium, mercury,

and lead, can all elevate blood pressure levels. Typically, the

levels of environmental toxins in people with high blood pressure are

300 to 400 percent higher than those with normal blood pressure

levels. Other common environmental toxins or pollutants have the

potential to raise blood pressure levels, as well. Sources of such

toxins include tap water, toxins circulating through the air we

breathe, and, in the case of mercury, dental amalgam fillings,

various vaccines and sadly, fish and seafood. Chemical residues and

toxins remain in produce that is conventionally grown and in the

flesh of animals that have been raised with chemically treated feed.

 

Lifestyle Factors: Common lifestyle factors that can cause high blood

pressure include excessive consumption of alcohol and caffeine,

smoking (including regular exposure to secondhand smoke), and a

sedentary lifestyle. Research has shown that both systolic and

diastolic blood pressure levels rise in direct proportion to the

amount of caffeine a person consumes throughout the day. As for

alcohol, even moderate consumption of beer or wine can raise blood

pressure levels in some people.

 

Smoking or exposure to secondhand smoke causes high blood pressure

because of how smoking damages cells and narrows arteries. In

addition, cigarettes contain an abundance of life-threatening

chemicals that further increase overall health risks. Even smokeless

tobacco products such as chewing tobacco and snuff can raise blood

pressure levels because of the nicotine and sodium they contain.

 

Being sedentary can also contribute to high blood pressure because a

lack of exercise results in poor oxygenation of the body's cells and

tissues, and can create a negative impact on the heart muscle,

causing it to have to work harder to do its job.

 

Pharmaceutical Drugs: According to the Physicians' Desk Reference,

the following drugs can all cause high blood pressure as a side

effect of their use: Alfenta Injection, Aredia for Injection,

Dobutrex Solution Vials, Epogen for Injection, Habitrol Nicotine

Transdermal System, Lupron Depot, Methergine Injection and Tablets,

Orthoclone OKT3 Sterile Solution, Polygam Immune Globulin Intravenous

Human, Procrit for Injection, Sandimmune, Sandimmune Soft Gelatin

Capsules, Tolectin, Velban Vials, Ventolin Inhalation Aerosol and

Refill, and Wellbutrin.

 

Other Causes: In addition to the above factors, high blood pressure

can also be caused by diabetes, high cholesterol, obesity, and

chronic stress.

 

 

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Natural Cures

 

Conventional medicine relies on the use of drugs to treat high blood

pressure. While certain medications can relieve symptoms of high

blood pressure, they do not address its underlying causes, and can

also result in potentially dangerous side effects. By contrast,

practitioners of natural healing methods are usually able to prevent

and reverse high blood pressure safely by dealing directly with the

cause, while avoiding any negative side effects. What follows are

overviews of some of the primary therapies used to achieve their

results.

 

Aromatherapy: The essential oils lavender, marjoram, and ylang ylang,

applied topically can help soothe away stress related to high blood

pressure.

 

Ayurvedic Medicine: Ayurvedic physicians devise treatment plans for

high blood pressure based on their patients' metabolic type or dosha.

There are three primary doshas: vatta, pitta, and kapha. Pitta and

kapha body types are most prone to high blood pressure due to their

genetic traits and lifestyle. Ayurvedic treatment generally involves

dietary changes, along with various Ayurvedic herbs and yoga

breathing exercises.

 

Typically, the diet prescribed by Ayurvedic physicians emphasizes

lots of fresh vegetables, whole grains, and small amounts of fish

and/or poultry, with patients advised to minimize their intake of

salt and to avoid fatty foods, milk and dairy products, and all

commercial food products.

 

Among the most commonly prescribed Ayurvedic herbs are ashwagandha,

which promotes calm and relieves stress; coral added to rose water,

which acts as a heart tonic and is a good source of the minerals

calcium and magnesium, both of which are usually deficient in people

with high blood pressure; rauwolfia and its extract, reserpine, which

help to directly regulate blood pressure levels; and sankhapuspi,

which helps to relieve emotions such as anger and anxiety and reduces

bad (LDL) cholesterol while increasing good (HDL) cholesterol, thus

enhancing circulation.

 

Note: Rauwolfia and reserpine, should only be used under the

supervision of a trained Ayurvedic physician or herbalist because, if

used indiscriminately, they can cause biochemical and neurological

imbalances, as well as depression. In addition, patients suffering

from these conditions should not use these particular herbs.

 

Yogic breathing exercises are advised because of their ability to

both improve overall cardiovascular health and to promote relaxation.

A simple yogic breathing exercise that you can use for this purpose

is alternate nostril breathing. To perform this exercise, close your

right nostril with your thumb or finger while you inhale and exhale

through your left nostril. As you complete your exhalation, close

your left nostril and repeat the process through your right nostril.

Continue breathing through alternating nostrils for 10 to 15 minutes

and repeat the exercise two or three times a day. In many cases,

blood pressure levels can drop significantly after only ten minutes

of performing this exercise, and continue to drop until they become

stabilized at healthier levels so long as the exercise continues to

be performed on a daily basis.

 

Detoxification Therapy: Detoxifying your body periodically is an

excellent way to keep your blood pressure levels in balance. During

the process of detoxification, your body becomes better able to

eliminate stored toxins, including heavy metals, from your cells,

tissues, and organs, helping to reduce high blood pressure.

 

Eating a light diet of fresh organic foods, drinking pure filtered

water and organic, fresh-squeezed juice throughout the day, is an

easy way to help your body detoxify. For added benefit, add fresh

squeezed lemon juice and a dash of cayenne pepper to the water you

drink, and take hot baths or saunas each day. Caution: If your

condition is serious, do not attempt saunas without medical

supervision.

 

Among the many benefits from such a detoxification regimen are the

improvements that occur in the liver function and the lymphatic

system, both of which can make a significant positive difference in

blood pressure levels. To further cleanse your lymphatic system,

spend ten minutes each day scrubbing your body with a dry brush and

jump on a rebounder (mini-trampoline) for five to ten minutes twice a

day.

 

Other detoxification methods that can help improve high blood

pressure include colon cleansing, colonics, enemas, juice fasts, and

dry, far-infrared saunas.

 

Diet: Adopting a healthy diet is perhaps the most important step you

can take to prevent and reverse high blood pressure. Ideally, your

diet should consist of 20-25 percent protein, 30 percent healthy

fats, and 45 to 50 percent carbohydrates. Fish such as blue fish,

cod, Greenland halibut, mackerel, and wild caught salmon are

excellent sources of both protein and healthy fats. Avoid farm-raised

salmon, because of the antibiotics and food dyes they contain; tuna,

which is high in mercury; and shellfish, which contain a high degree

of contaminants. Your intake of red meat should also be minimized,

and if eating red meat, bison or lamb are preferred. Choose free

range, organic poultry, preferably turkey. Keep portions small,

between 4-8 oz. Excellent vegetarian options include tempeh, tofu,

eggs, and soaked and cooked or soaked, sprouted and steamed beans or

legumes.

 

Also include lots of organic, fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as

non-wheat complex carbohydrates, and drink plenty of pure, filtered

water throughout the day. For additional benefit, also include garlic

and onions and use raw virgin coconut butter/oil or extra virgin

olive oil for all of your cooking needs. For salads, olive and

flaxseed oils are recommended. Raw, unpasteurized dairy products in

moderation are acceptable. During the cooler months a good breakfast

choice is organic oatmeal, which has been shown to reduce

cholesterol, blood pressure levels and to reduce the overall risk of

heart disease. Optionally, cream of brown rice cereal or quinoa

flakes make a delicious warm breakfast cereal. In the summer months

consider smoothies, fresh fruit salad or unsweetened granola and

fruit.

 

Excellent choices for fruits and vegetables are organic avocados,

bananas, cantaloupe, honeydew melons, grapefruit, nectarines,

oranges, asparagus, broccoli, brown rice, cabbage, cauliflower, green

peas, kidney and lima beans, leafy green vegetables, nuts such as

almonds, cashews, walnuts and pecans, potatoes, squash, and yams.

Wheat germ, ground flax seed and oat bran can also be used to ensure

adequate levels of fiber in your diet.

 

In addition, avoid all sugars and simple, refined carbohydrates, as

well as alcohol and coffee and other caffeine products, and minimize

your salt intake, using sea salt instead of commercial or refined

table salt for seasoning.

 

Herbal Medicine: The following herbs can all help prevent and reverse

high blood pressure and its associated symptoms: garlic, hawthorn

berry, olive leaf extract, and the medicinal mushrooms maitake and

reishi.

 

Garlic - Over 2,000 medical studies have validated the many health

properties of garlic. Research has shown that eating a clove of raw

garlic once a day can not only lower blood pressure levels, but also

reduce bad (LDL) cholesterol and triglyceride levels, both of which

are associated with heart disease. Garlic has also been shown to

reduce fats in the bloodstream and to help minimize the risk of blood

platelet adhesion and harmful blood clots. For people who wish to

avoid the odor associated with eating raw garlic, garlic extracts can

be used instead, or you can roast the garlic cloves before eating

them.

 

Hawthorn Berry - Hawthorn berry has a long history among European and

Asian herbalists as a natural remedy for heart problems. Research has

shown that hawthorn berry improves overall cardiovascular function

while also reducing high blood pressure. It also acts as a safe and

natural sedative, helping to soothe symptoms of stress. Among the

benefits afforded by hawthorn berry are reducing and stabilizing

elevated blood pressure levels caused by physical activity, enhancing

the heart muscles ability to contract, increasing the rate of blood

flowing into the heart during exertion, and lowering overall heart

rate. Hawthorn berry is available in capsules, tea, or as an infusion.

 

Olive Leaf Extract - In addition to being a potent immune booster,

olive leaf extract has been shown by researchers to be capable of

significantly reducing high blood pressure levels, as well as

increasing blood flow to the heart.

 

Maitake and Reishi Mushrooms - Both maitake and reishi mushrooms act

as overall tonics for the body and are capable of significantly

strengthening the heart while simultaneously lowering blood pressure

levels.

 

Hydrotherapy: Contrast hot and cold water baths or showers two to

five times a week can help relieve symptoms of high blood pressure.

 

Juice Therapy: The following juice combinations can help prevent and

reverse high blood pressure because of the vitamins and minerals they

contain: beet, carrot, and celery; and carrot or cucumber, spinach,

and parsley. To enhance results, add a clove of garlic to your

juices.

 

Lifestyle Changes: The primary lifestyle change required by many

people with high blood pressure is to shift from a sedentary

lifestyle to one that is more active and that provides regular

exercise at least three times a week. Two excellent exercise choices

that are safe and enjoyable are brisk walking and swimming. Other

options include hiking, bicycling, jogging, or exercising on a

rebounder (mini-trampoline). Research has shown that all such

activities can lower blood pressure because of the aerobic

(oxygenating) benefits they provide.

 

Note: If you are not use to exercising, do not begin an exercise

program without first consulting with your physician.

 

Other lifestyle changes that can benefit your overall health and

reduce high blood pressure include avoiding or minimizing alcohol

intake and, if necessary, quitting smoking and losing excess weight.

 

Nutritional Supplements: The following nutritional supplements can

all help to prevent and reverse high blood pressure: vitamin A, beta

carotene, vitamin B3 (niacin), vitamin B6, vitamin C, bioflavonoids

(especially rutin), vitamin E, coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), evening primrose

oil, fish oil, calcium, magnesium, potassium, selenium, and zinc. The

amino acids cysteine, taurine, and tryptophan can also be helpful.

 

Note: Dosages of vitamin E above 400 IU/day are not recommended for

people who suffer from high blood pressure, rheumatic heart disease,

or ischemic heart disease. For best results, start with a low dose

(100 IU) and gradually increase to 400 IU while having your condition

monitored by a physician.

 

Stress Management: Learning how to reduce and properly manage stress

is essential for anyone who is suffering from high blood pressure.

Holistic health practitioners help their patients accomplish this

through the use of various mind/body medicine techniques, such as

biofeedback, hypnotherapy, and relaxation exercises.

 

Meditation is another form of stress management that can be highly

effective in reducing high blood pressure levels. So much so, in

fact, that since 1984 it has been recommended by the National

Institutes of Health (NIH) over conventional blood pressure

medications for cases of mild high blood pressure.

 

There are many ways to meditate. One of the easiest is simply to sit

comfortably in a chair with your eyes closed and begin to focus on

your breathing. Do this for five to ten minutes twice a day and

gradually extend each session to 20 to 30 minutes. To enhance your

efforts, concentrate on mentally repeating a peaceful phrase each

time that you inhale and exhale, allowing all other thoughts to arise

and pass without becoming involved in them. At first, this may seem

difficult, but with committed practice you will eventually find

yourself able to meditate while experiencing greater degrees of calm

and peace.

 

Traditional (TCM): According to practitioners of

TCM, high blood pressure is caused by blockages in the flow of vital

energy (Qi) as it moves through the body's energy centers

(meridians). Therefore, practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine

focus on bringing the flow of Qi back into balance. They do this

through the use of acupuncture, Chinese herbs, and diet, and by

instructing their patients in the practice of meditation, Qigong, and

Tai Chi.

 

Alternative Professional Care

The following therapies can also help to prevent and reverse high

blood pressure: Acupuncture, Bodywork (acupressure, Alexander

Technique, Feldenkrais Method, massage therapy, reflexology, Rolfing,

shiatsu, Therapeutic Touch),Chelation Therapy, Detoxification

Therapy, Energy Medicine, Environmental Medicine, Hypnotherapy,

Magnet Therapy, Orthomolecular Medicine, and Yoga. See Glossary for

descriptions.

 

 

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A Quick Action Plan for High Blood Pressure

Print this section

 

 

Make any necessary lifestyle changes. If you are overweight, commit

to a weight loss plan. If you smoke, stop, and avoid all sources of

secondhand smoke. Also exercise at least thirty minutes a day at

least three to four times a week. Safe and effective exercise choices

include brisk walking, bicycling, hiking, rebounding, and swimming.

Additionally try a restorative yoga class, tai chi or chi gong; all

can provide great stress relief and can be pleasurable ways to add

movement to your life.

 

Adopt a healthy diet. In place of red meats, choose fish such as blue

fish, cod, Greenland halibut, mackerel, and wild caught salmon, as

well as free-range, organic poultry. If you want red meat choose

bison, for a low fat option.

 

Emphasize fresh, organic fruits and vegetables that are rich in vital

nutrients, such as avocados, bananas, cantaloupe, honeydew melons,

grapefruit, nectarines, oranges, asparagus, broccoli, cabbage,

cauliflower, green peas, kidney and lima beans, leafy green

vegetables, nuts such as almonds, cashews, walnuts and pecans,

potatoes, squash, and yams, raw dairy, and whole grains like brown

rice, buckwheat and quinoa.

 

Use raw virgin coconut butter or organic butter for cooking, and

flaxseed and extra virgin olive oil for dressings.

 

Avoid alcohol, coffee, caffeine, and refined salt.

 

Supplement with vitamin A, beta carotene, vitamin B3 (niacin),

vitamin B6, vitamin C, bioflavonoids (especially rutin), vitamin E,

coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), evening primrose oil, fish oil, calcium,

magnesium, potassium, selenium, and zinc, as well as the amino acids

cysteine, taurine, and tryptophan.

 

Useful herbs for high blood pressure include garlic, hawthorn berry,

olive leaf extract, and the medicinal mushrooms maitake and reishi.

 

Drink at least one 8-ounce glass of fresh squeezed, organic vegetable

juice each day. Excellent juice combinations include beet, carrot,

and celery; and carrot or cucumber, spinach, and parsley. For added

benefit, add one clove of juiced garlic.

 

Adopt a stress management program of daily meditation and/or

relaxation exercises.

 

Detoxify your body to eliminate toxins and heavy metals that can

dramatically increase the risk of high blood pressure.