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High Blood Pressure
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Understanding High Blood Pressure High blood pressure (hypertension) is a warning of more serious cardiovascular problems. Conventional medicine usually suggests weight loss and drugs to lower high blood pressure and cholesterol, but little attention is given to change dietary¾the safe and natural way to really lower high blood pressure. Our heart is primarily a muscle which main job is to pump blood throughout the body. Each time it beats/pumps, it sends blood through the arteries. The peak reading of the pressure exerted by this contraction is called the systolic pressure. Between beats, the heart muscle relaxes and the blood pressure drops. This lower reading is called the diastolic pressure. A normal blood pressure reading for adults should be 120 (systolic) / 80 (diastolic). Readings above this level becomes a risk factor for heart diseases. |
Uncontrolled high blood pressure increases the risks of aneurysm, heart failure, heart attack, kidney damage and stroke.
Symptoms of High Blood Pressure
Initially, mild or moderate hypertension may not give away any clue or symptoms of the problem until a vital organ is damaged. When this happens, blood pressure would have got to a severe stage (reading of 160+/115+).
Individuals with high blood pressure may begin to encounter either restlessness or drowsiness, fatigue, anxiety, palpitations, excessive perspiration, tremor, shortness of breath, headache, nausea and may sometimes be in a state of confusion.
In individuals with severe high blood pressure, the brain may swell, resulting in worsening and severe headache, nausea, vomiting and even coma.
Causes of High Blood Pressure
The main factors responsible for high blood pressure are the formation of arterial deposits in arteries (atherosclerosis), the thickening of bloods or presence of blood clots, and the hardening of arteries (arteriosclerosis).
When the space in arteries is narrower, the same amount of blood passing through them increases the blood pressure, causing high blood pressure.
Aging, poor choices of foods and lifestyles like smoking, alcohol abuse, stress, a sedentary lifestyle are all contributing factors to any of the three main factors mentioned above.
Kidneys are important organs in controlling blood pressure. Many kidney disorders can also cause high blood pressure. For example, damage to the kidneys may fail to remove salt and water from the body, causing blood pressure to increase.
Diet/Lifestyle Suggestions
A healthy change in dietary and lifestyle plays a major role in lowering blood pressure naturally. Please also read suggestions in atherosclerosis. Here are some suggestions which you can immediately adapt to a healthier new you:
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In overweight people with high blood pressure, even by losing as little as 10 pounds can help lower blood pressure. Incorporate moderate and regular aerobic exercise to help reduce blood pressure and improve the heart function.
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A diet high in sodium and lacking in calcium, magnesium and/or potassium can increase blood pressure. To counter this situation, it is recommended to reduce salt (sodium chloride) intake and increase on the other essential minerals. However, this step may or may not reduce blood pressure as not everyone's blood pressure is salt-sensitive. Test it yourself to know.
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Turn to fruits and vegetables to provide you all the essential nutrients, anti-oxidants, phytonutrients and fiber that are anti-hypertension. Fruits and vegetables can have an amazing effect in lowering blood pressure. Start by reading this site more thoroughly and decide to embark on a juicing lifestyle to cleanse, repair, heal and nourish your body systems.
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Avoid anything that can cause blood pressure to increase even temporarily, like alcohol, caffeine, smoking and stress. It is during these brief moments when blood pressure increases that are thought to cause damage which eventually results in permanent high blood pressure.
Increase your intake of healing foods: Plenty of fish, omega-3 fish oils, chlorophyll-rich greens, mushrooms, bilberry, huckleberry, oat and rice bran, bananas, spirulina, chlorella and vitamin E (anti-coagulant).
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Recommended Recipes for High Blood Pressure |
There are many more fruits and vegetables that are important and effective in lowering blood pressure naturally (also see recommended recipes in the atherosclerosis page). Below are a mention of just a few. Eat/juice plenty fruits and vegetables, you can't go wrong.
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 Carrot |
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Sodium chloride (salt) increases blood pressure but the natural sodium in celery does not increase but can actually lower blood pressure. Drink celery juice alone or mix it with carrot or beet root juice. Beet root juice also helps to lower and normalize blood pressure.
Juice two or three ribs of celery with a small carrot which can be drunk regularly. Limit intake of beet root juice, only add to your celery-carrot juice occasionally.
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Parsley |
The chlorophyll in spinach and parsley is remarkable in cleaning out the blood impurities. Coupled with the anti-oxidant virtues of carrot, this juice when drunk regularly, helps lower blood pressure.
Juice a stalk of spinach, a medium-sized carrot and a handful of parsley and see your blood pressure come down.
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Leeks |
Honey melon's high water content with potassium makes it effective in lowering or maintaining blood pressure. Garlic and leeks are not very palatable food but have anti-coagulant virtues which also help to lower blood pressure. Mix them to sweet honey melon juice, or honey to drown the strong taste.
Juice a quarter melon and add two or three cloves of garlic and/or leeks. When not juicing, use garlic and leeks in your cooking.
