How to treat and get rid of blood pressure (Hypotension & Hypertension) with natural remedies.

HYPOTENSION (Low blood Pressure)

SYMPTOMS

There are generally few symptoms which will tend to alert you the problem. There may be headache, shortness of breath, dizziness, inability to concentrate, or digestive disturbances. There can be low energy and dizzy feelings when you stand up fast from a lying down or sitting position, fainting, blurred vision, palpitations, inability to solve simple problems and slurring of speech.

CAUSES

The pressure at which the blood travels through the arteries is lower than normal, which means the blood is not circulating through the body as efficiently as it should.

 This is one “disease” which people are thankful to have! High blood pressure can be a killer; low blood pressure is generally just some thing to live with. Blood pressure readings below the average range of 110/70 to 140/90 are normal for some healthy people and are often considered a blessing.

 One researcher who investigated the strange death of Pope John Paul I (who had low blood pressure and few other physical problems) asked 30 physicians and specialists whether low blood pressure would shorten life. Each one said it would tend to lengthen, rather than shorten, life expectancy.

    For this reason, you will find that medical guides say relatively little about hypotension. But the risk of heart attack increases if high blood pressure is forced down by drugs to a diastolic reading (the lower figure) of 85 or less.

   However, low blood pressure can become a problem when blood flow to the brain is reduced to the extent that dizziness or fainting spells are experienced.

   In some instances, low blood pressure is due to an impoverished diet, the existence of some chronic wasting disease, or some other condition that needs treatment on its own account. Also it can be a symptom of a different problem (such as hypothyroidism)

   Hypotension can be caused by prescribed drugs, kidney disease, anemia, low blood sugar, food allergies, dehydration, adrenal exhaustion, malnutrition, underactive thyroid, diabetic nerve damage that disrupts blood pressure-controlling reflexes, or a debilitating disease. Continuing to take diuretics (to increase urination) when no longer needed can initiate low blood pressure symptoms.

    Acute hypotension (sudden drop in blood pressure) results from injuries with heavy blood loss or physiological shock, such as a heart attack.

   Hypotension is usually diagnosed in this way: Blood pressure is checked while lying down. Then, after standing 1 minute it is checked again-and a 20-point drop in the systolic pressure (the upper figure) is registered.

NATURAL REMEDIES

·         Treatment, if needed, should be aimed at locating and eliminating the problem of the symptom of hypotension.

·         Drink one 6-oz. glass of beet juice and eat one serving of beets, 3 times a week to enliven lagging blood pressure. Other favorites for raising blood pressure include dandelion greens, dandelion tea, ginger root, or skullcap tea with a pinch of cayenne.

·         Take vitamin C (1,000-3,000 mg), to bowel tolerance, and eight glasses of water each day. Also vitamin B₁₂. Vitamin E is important (100 IU, gradually increased to 600 IU).

·         Eat garlic; it tends to normalize blood pressure. Raw garlic is a good friend, whether you have high or low blood pressure.

·         Ginger tea helps those with low blood pressure. Ginseng helps normalize blood pressure, both high and low. Sage invigorates and stimulates suprarenal glands. Rosemary is a general invigorator. Thyme invigorates and helps recovery from physical exhaustion. Winter savory is a nervous system invigorator. Hawthorn normalizes blood pressure. Lily of the valley is a heart invigorator. Camphor tree stimulates respiratory and cardiac activity nervous centers.

·         Obtain adequate rest at night.

·         You may want to do the morning temperature test to determine whether you are hypothyroid.

HYPERTENSION (High blood pressure)

SYMPTOMS

There may be no symptoms; but if they occur, they may include headache, difficulty in breathing, blurred vision, rapid pulse, or a feeling of dizziness.

   Overweight, a ruddy complexion, and apparently robust health may be only outward manifestations in a man 50 or 60, who may have systolic pressure as high as 200 or more.

   Hypertension is called “silent killer” because it rarely reveals early symptoms.

CAUSES

High blood pressure is just that: The pressure of blood flow through the arteries is higher than it should be; and that pressure consistently remains higher.

   A blood pressure gauge (sphygmomanometer) registers two readings. The first and higher one is the systolic; the second and lower one is the diastolic.

   The diastolic pressure occurs just before the heart beats, and is less important for determining blood pressure. But the systolic pressure reveals the pressure built up as the heart pumps blood out of the heart into the aorta (and thence through the arteries). High systolic pressure indicates that the cell walls are hardened and/or plaques are forming in the arteries, which are narrowing the passageways.

   Average normal systolic blood pressure in an adult varies between 120 and 150 millimeters of mercury, and tends to increase with age. The arteries of older people tend to harden and thicken with age; and this produces the higher readings in later life.

   The age, in relation to the figures, tells a lot: systolic readings of 140-150 at 55 to 77 years of age need not be considered high; but, occurring in a man of 30, it points to a definite problem which needs attention.

    Normal blood pressure readings for adults vary from 110/70 to 140/90 while readings of 140/90 to 160/90 or 160/95 indicate borderline hypertension. Any reading over 180/115 as far too elevated.

   The hardening and clogging produce changes in the arteries, resulting in hypertension that is caused by aging, emotional stress, food, overheating, and heredity. Tobacco is another cause of hypertension, as is the taking of oral contraceptives. Drinking coffee or tea, drug abuse, and high sodium intake are other causes.

   Hypertension can result in coronary artery disease, enlargement of the heart, or strokes. The acute infections (such as tonsillitis, scarlet fever, and typhoid fever) or focal infections from tonsils or teeth sometimes lead to Bright’s disease (a kidney disease), which is accompanied by high blood pressure. Sudden attacks of convulsions in pregnant women (eclampsia), and other kidney diseases of pregnancy, usually cause high blood pressure.

   Primary hypertension (about 90% of the cause) is not caused by other diseases. Diet is an extremely important factor in producing high blood pressure. Sixty million Americans have this disease. At any one time, about 10% of the people in America have primary hypertension. It affects over half of all people in the U.S. Over 65. African-Americans have it over a third more often than whites; and those 18-44 have it 18 times more frequently than whites. Women have hypertension less often than men until menopause is over; then, soon after, they have it as often.

   Heavy snorers are more likely to have high blood pressure than silent sleepers.

    Julian Whitaker, M.D. (Newport Beach, CA), says, “Volumes of scientific research show that dietary changes can eliminate high blood pressure in most patients,”

NATURAL REMEDIES

DIET

·         Only drink distilled water. Another quote from Dr. Whitaker: “Drink 15 glasses of water a day. Almost all the blood pressure medications mimic the effects of increased water intake. “They usually do that by thinning the blood. Drink water and it will do it naturally.

·         Eat a high-fiber diet of vegetables, fruits, nuts, and whole grains. Eat oat bran; it appears to be very best type for the purposes you have in mind. For oil, take 2 teaspoons flax-seed oil daily.

·         Eat a diet rich in potassium (mostly fresh fruits and vegetables) because it helps the body get rid of excess sodium. Eat potato peelings soup (the potassium is richest just under the peeling of the white potato). Only eat unsalted natural foods.

·         Raw garlic is a vasodilator and normalizes blood pressure, whether it be too high or too low. If you take a commercial garlic preparation, make sure it has a dosage equivalent to 4,000 mg of fresh garlic.

·         Include supplemental calcium in your diet.

·         Grape-speed extract contains oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPCs) and tends to lower high blood pressure, which can cause heart disease.

·         Tomatoes contain the compound gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA), which reduces blood pressure and helps strengthen the heart muscle. There are number of other vegetables (including garlic, onions, and celery) which also contain GABA. (The herb, Valerian, contains valerenic acid which inhibits an enzyme that destroys GABA in the body. So also drink this herb.)

·         Eating 4 stalks of celery has been shown to lower blood pressure measurably.

·         Broccoli has 6 chemicals that reduce blood pressure. Carrots contain 8 compounds that lower it.

·         Antioxidants help prevent artery-clogging plaque from being deposited on coronary artery walls. Foods with it include asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, potatoes, tomatoes, oranges, grapefruits, and peaches. The National Research Council urges Americans to “strive for five”; that is, get at least five servings of fruits and vegetables each day. Many nutritionists say eight or nine servings is even better. (Only 10% of Americans get even five.)

·         Apple pectin tends to lower blood pressure.

NUTRIENTS

·         Antioxidant-rich vitamins include C, E, folic acid, and the carotenoids. Many studies have shown that as consumption of these nutrients increases, risk of heart attack falls by up to 40% (and cancer risk drops 50%)

·         Vitamin C with bioflavonoids (1,000-5,000 mg) to maintain the health of blood vessels and improve the potassium ratio by helping to excrete sodium.

·         Vitamin E (gradually increase monthly to 400 IU) to decrease the need for oxygen, thus improving heart function.

·         Lecithin is rich in the B vitamins choline and inositol, which decrease blood pressure, by dilating blood vessels and preventing fatty deposits in the arteries.

·         Too little Vitamin D may contribute to high blood pressure. A 10-year study of patients 40-60 years of age showed a connection between low blood levels of the vitamin and higher blood pressures. Each day take 400 IU.

·         Taurine, an amino acid, has been used to lower blood pressure (at 6 g per day)

AVOID

·         Habitual overeating, even of good food, will lead to hypertension. A person does not tend to overeat on healthfully prepared natural foods.

·         Excessive protein food, sweets, rich pastry, and desserts must be omitted; but the reduction in quantity of all foods is especially important.

·         Do not use salt! Stopping it is essential for lowering blood pressure. Read the labels. Many foods contain sodium. Look for “salt” sodium,” “soda,” or “Na” on the label. Also avoid MSG (mono-sodium glutamate), preservatives, meat tenderizers, baking soda, saccharin, soy sauce, diet soft drinks, and softened water. Excess sodium causes fluid retention, which exerts pressure on blood vessel walls and thus increases hypertension.

·         Do not eat meat; and do not eat canned vegetables, Eliminate all dairy products; for they are high in sodium.

·         Do not eat any animal fat, grease, unsaturated fat, butter, margarine, or nay product containing them. Avoiding all of them will also lower hypertension.

·         Do not eat chocolate, alcohol, avocados, aged cheeses, or yogurt.

·         Avoid more than 400 units of vitamin D daily. Do not take supplements containing the amino acids tyrosine or phenylalanine.

·         Do not take antihistamines.

·         No late meals. Do not eat later than several hours before bedtime.

·         Stress, fear, anger, and pain increase blood pressure. Exercise helps reduce the effects of stress.

·         Noise raises blood pressure. Eliminate loud and sudden noises.

·         Smoking is dangerous. Chemicals in tobacco can tighten your arteries, raising your pressure; it can also damage your lungs and other organs.

·         Do a pulse test in order to ascertain offending foods you are allergic to.

HERBS

·         Hawthorn extract can dilate (widen) blood vessels, especially the coronary arteries. It has been used as a heart tonic for centuries. Make a tea from 1 tsp . Of the dried hawthorn herb, per cup of boiling water, and drink up to 2 cups daily.

·         Research studies also show that kudzu contains puerarin, which decreases blood pressure 15% in lab animals and in humans. Puerarin has 100 times the antioxidant activity of vitamin E, and helps prevent heart disease and cancer.

·         Saffron contains crocetin, which lowers blood pressure. Make a tea of it or use it in your cooking.

·         Fennel contains 10 compounds that lower blood pressure. Oregano has 7; basil and tarrago have 6.

·         To reduce blood pressure, make a tea from either the seed or herb of yellow dock and drink it.

·         Research findings reveal that black cohosh tends to lower blood pressure. Cayenne also lowers it.

·         Dozens of studies, especially in Germany and Russia, have found that the major constituents of Valerian root, the valepotriates, is the cause of its lowering of blood pressure,. Unlike many other herbs, Valerian root has no side effects, even at rather high doses.

·         Here is a formula for high blood pressure: Mix 2 parts each of chamomile and peppermint. Combine with 1 part each of fennel, anise, caraway, and milfoil, steep 1 tsp. in ½ cup boiling-hot water. Take 1-1 ½ cups daily, in mouthful doses.

·         Dr. Shook was a famous Canadian herbalist. Here is his high blood pressure formula: Mix 15 tsp. buck-thorn and 6 tsp. Indian senna fruit with 1 ½ tsp. each of black cohosh, poke root, cassia bark, Indian senna fruit, European goldenrod, and sassafras bark. Use 1 tsp. per cup of boiling hot water, simmer 2-3 minutes, then steep 10 minutes, strain, sweeten to taste with honey, cool, bottle, and leave in a cool place, Drink 1 cup 3 times daily, before or after meals.

OTHER HELPS

·         You urgently need daily outdoor exercise. (Those who maintain their physical fitness are 34% less likely to develop hypertension.)

·         Obtain sufficient rest at night.

·         Check your blood pressure regularly, especially if you have a blood pressure problem or are pregnant.

·         Keep your weight down! Loss of weight lowers blood pressure. If you are overweight and have high blood pressure, you would do well to fast one or two days a week.

IN ADVANCED CASES

   When the situation is critical, special care must be given to produce successful recovery. Adequate rest, both physical and mental, is needed. Even the visits of friends and relatives may have to be restricted or prohibited for a time.

·         Gradually start mild exercise. Walk outdoors and gradually (slowly) build up the amount of time spent in outdoor walking.

·         All blood pressure medications tend to have negative effects. Moderate exercise, rest, sleep, and proper diet will provide better help than drugging yourself.

·         No vigorous or tonic hydrotherapy, or even massage, should be used. The neutral bath and complete bed rest are needed.

·         One recommended program is fruit and brown rice, alone, for 1-2 weeks.