Hypertension or high blood pressure is a condition in which the blood flows through your blood vessels with a force greater than normal. This makes you feel more stressed out, increase anxiety, and shoot up your blood pressure due to simple work pressure. And since age doesn’t determine the risk of hypertension, this is not a thought you can keep aside for later.
The first step you need to take to keep your blood pressure under control is to stay active, maintain a healthy weight, and follow a healthy, balanced diet. What should a diet for hypertension include? Apart from reducing sodium and saturated fats in your diet, it’ll do you good to use some herbs as natural remedies. Here are some such herbs that can normalize your blood pressure.
1. Hawthorn
Hawthorn is rich in the flavonoid quercetin, which can not only reduces blood pressure but also treats heart-related problems. Along with keeping such as irregular heartbeat, chest pain, hardening of the arteries, and heart failure.1
The antioxidants in hawthorn work by dilating blood vessels, improving blood flow, and protecting your blood vessels from damage. To benefit from Hawthorn, you can either have the extract or enjoy powdered berries in a beverage.
2. Garlic
Garlic contains allicin, the compound that gives garlic its pungent smell. Apart from making it an essential kitchen ingredient, allicin dilates the blood vessels and thus lowers blood pressure in hypertensive patients.2 Additionally, garlic reduces the bad cholesterol in your body, thereby protecting you from heart disease and stroke.
For the best results, eat fresh garlic instead of processed ones as the fresh garlic has a higher allicin content.
3. Hibiscus
By eliminating excess sodium from the body, hibiscus can help to stabilize your blood pressure.3 A 2010 study was conducted on male participants aged 30 to 65 years. One group was given 250 ml of hibiscus tea while the placebo group was given only water. The group that was given hibiscus tea showed significant improvement in blood pressure when compared to the placebo group.4
If this is not enough for you, hibiscus can also lower the bad cholesterol in your body and treat digestive, inflammatory, and immunity problems. Hibiscus leaf extract may also reduce the risk of cancer.5
4. Buchu
Buchu is a medicinal plant of South African origin, which is known to have blood pressure lowering properties.6 Historically, as a diuretic and stomach tonic, this herb was used to treat kidney infections, urinary tract infections, yeast infections, cystitis, prostatitis, and inflammation. Pregnant women should avoid taking buchu for treating hypertension as it can increase the risk of abortion.
5. Celery Seed
For thousands of years, Ayurvedic medicine has used celery seeds for water retention, arthritis, colds, flu, and poor digestion. Today it is used as a diuretic to eliminate excess water from the body, reduce inflammation, and reduce muscle spasms, in addition, to lowering blood pressure.7
A study conducted on animals found that celery seed extract could help to lower cholesterol and blood pressure and protect the liver. However, there is not enough evidence available for its effects on humans.
Note: If you are taking medications to reduce blood pressure, moderate the intake of these herbs.
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