Ways to Lower Blood Pressure Naturally 1. Cinnamon Cinnamon can help reduce cholesterol, and in turn, help to lower blood pressure. You can cook with it, just use more than you normally would. You can also buy it in capsules, which are widely available. (Find them online here.) There are also tinctures and tablets available. Cinnamon has also been known to help regulate blood sugar, which can help to reduce stress. (Not recommended during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.) 2. Aconite and Arum These are homeopathic remedies that come in small pills called pastilles. These are dissolved under your tongue and taken twice a day. Check the label as some products may have different dosages. Homeopathic remedies are available at most health food stores or on the Internet. 3. Stop smoking This alone can help tremendously. Smoking constricts the blood vessels and slows the flow of blood in the circulatory system. Within just a few hours improvement can be seen in lung function, and will show in circulation shortly after. 4. Lose weight Carrying even 10 pounds of extra weight can put more stress on your heart, lungs and circulatory system. Lose even just a few pounds for a marked improvement. (Read more about natural weight loss here.) 5. Restrict salt Salt intake increases blood pressure, possibly due to the edema that can occur with excess salt usage. Water retention is common and can be avoided by restricting the salt intake. Try herbs and spices for an alternative to salt. And if you do get too much salt, try to balance by drinking a bit more water. Be sure not to eliminate all salt in your diet, though. Your body needs some salt to function correctly, especially during exercise and on hot days. 6. Reduce stress This may not be easy do to depending on your lifestyle. Take a walk in the woods, read a book, listen to calming music, or try yoga. All of these can reduce stress and help you to relax. 7. Garlic Taking garlic can help to reduce cholesterol and also reduce blood pressure. You can eat it raw (and get the added benefit of keeping vampires away!), cooked, or in smoothies. You can also take it as a capsule. (Find capsules here.) I don’t like smelling like garlic, so I take the garlic tablets with parsley. It seems to really work. If you cook with it, cut the top off and let the raw cloves sit for about 10 minutes before cooking. This will allow the allicin, the active ingredient in garlic, to develop. You can certainly use it right away, but letting it sit will give you many more health benefits. 8. Cypress, ginkgo and birch These are all known for their ability to protect arteries and capillaries. You can find them in extracts or capsules at health food stores. Horse chestnut may also work, but be sure to check with an herbalist on this. 9. Hawthorn Hawthorn is known to strengthen blood vessels and regulate heart rhythm. It is very safe and can be taken by almost anyone, even those on medications. But as always… check with your health care provider before using. It is available most widely as a tincture, but you can also get tea or capsules. 10. Smile! Having a better attitude about life can reduce your stress and calm high blood pressure. And smiling is infectious. If you smile, others will smile back in response. High blood pressure doesn’t have to control your life. With proper care, you can manage or even eliminate the need for medication. Again, be sure to consult with your trusted health care provider before starting anything new.
Posted on: Thu, 03 Oct 2013 06:31:38 +0000
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