*Note: Please see this discussion of what is meant by “herbal-cure.”
There are a number of different reasons people develop high blood pressure, which points to the fact that hypertension is itself a symptom, and for less so a disease. Even so, left untreated, it (and/or the underlying causes) can wreak havoc on the human body, ultimately potentially causing death, so it definitely needs to be addressed.
When I was sweet, young and most of all thin, my blood pressure was a constant 128 over 90. Never varied. None of my doctors (not that I saw them that often) were the least bit concerned about my blood pressure, and much later when it slipped up to 140 or so, my doctor wrinkled her nose at me, but did not medicate me. A couple of decades later I’m still here, still unmedicated. But the newest “guidelines” would have caused me to be medicated at age 22 or younger.
My own alternative healthcare professional revealed that in the old (saner, less pharmaceutical) days, “normal” blood pressure consisted of your age plus 100, over something sensible for the lower value. I’m not recommending this as a guideline for healthy blood pressure, but merely pointing out how much this critical indicator has changed over the years. (Do you wonder how much influence have the people who stand to gain so much from a medicated population had to do with the changes? Or similar changes for cholesterol guidelines?)
In any case, no matter what your own blood pressure target numbers are, there are a number of wonderful herbs that can help keep blood pressure in a reasonable range. Exercise is also a very potent aid for helping curb hypertension, and it doesn’t take all that much. The combination of the two can be dynamite.
Just a few of the more commonly used herbs and supplements include:
Omega 3 oils. Omega 3 oils are anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, help cells retain insulin sensitivity, and help moderate cholesterol levels. Everyone, even children, need these since they are nearly entirely absent from our diets. Instead, we get far too much Omega 6 oils, which in turn actually cause inflammation. (Omega 6 oils are they typical oils we have grown up using to cook with — corn, safflower, etc.) Since inflammation of the arteries is one of the key causes of hypertension, adding Omega 3 oils could be very beneficial.
Garlic – Old reliable, multi-purpose, wonderful garlic. Helps to strengthen and elasticize the blood vessels, thus helping lower blood pressure. But it also helps with hypotension (low blood pressure). It’s also a powerful antibiotic, benefits the liver and many other organs, so get plenty of good ole, everyday garlic on a regular (daily) basis.
Ginkgo Biloba is a wonderful herb that aids circulation by dilating arteries. Gingko also helps improve memory, concentration and mental alertness by increasing blood flow to the brain. Add Hawthorn to the formula, a cardiotonic herb that strengthens heart muscle and also aids circulation, for even more help for hypertension. Or, take your Gingko with Gotu Kola, another circulation herb that helps with memory, aging, concentration, etc.
Magnesium is a mineral (as opposed to an herb) which is absolutely essential to the body. It’s used in hundreds of functions in the body, and is critical for muscle function. When you remember that the heart is a muscle, that magnesium is needed by all your muscles, and you realize both that magnesium is limited in the typical Standard American Diet (since it’s found mostly in green leafy vegetables) and many of us lose the ability to store magnesium, you begin to realize how important this nutrient is.
Olive Leaf- Olive leaf is an amazing anti-oxidant that also aids circulation. Further, its antimicrobial properties may help prevent damaged arteries from hosting microbes and thus becoming further damaged.
