It is said herbal remedies have been used for controlling high blood pressure for many centuries. However, it wasn’t that long ago no one really knew hypertension actually existed. Still, it is commonly thought certain herbs will help lower blood pressure when they are combined with a proper diet, exercise and following doctor’s orders. This is true even if those orders include taking medication.
There is a thin line between what an herb is and what a food like those we eat every day is. Garlic is considered an herb by herbalists and a food by most others. Adding garlic to your diet or adding more of it to your diet can have a positive effect on BP readings. There are other herbal type foods that can help as well. Some of these are:
· Ginger
· Kelp
· Cinnamon
· Flaxseed
There are other herbs which are also said to be helpful for hypertension control. However, these herbs may have side effects on some people. Probably not everyone would feel side effects from taking these herbs, but less than 10% of people who take medications experience side effects from them. So, it is not recommended you use these herbs unless you were instructed to do so by your physician. Some of these herbs are:
· Hawthorne
· Valerian Root
· Burdock
· Shankapushpi
· Ginkgo Biloba
· Black Cohosh
· Chinese Angelica
· St. Johns Wart
Also, some people have derived benefits from taking vitamin and mineral supplements. Some of these are:
· Magnesium
· Calcium
· Vitamin B Complex
· Vitamin E
· Vitamin C, especially from Rose hips
While it is generally assumed a person could not have an overdose of vitamins and minerals, with some of today’s mega dose tablets available it is possible. So, proceed with caution when taking vitamins and minerals. Even though water soluble vitamins are thought to be safe in any dosage, remember the case of the niacin blush. Niacin, like vitamin C, is water soluble, but it can cause side effects. So, before I take mega doses of vitamins or minerals, I would check with my doctor first.
Still, vitamins and minerals in recommended dosages can be helpful. Along with eating right and adding certain herbal foods such as garlic and flaxseed to the diet, many benefits can be derived. One of these benefits may be better blood pressure control. The point is; it is not a given herbs, vitamins or minerals will be helpful.
This is because it may be obesity, for instance, that is causing the high blood pressure. So, losing weight would be the antidote. It may be alcoholism which has brought on hypertension. In such a case, it will not be valerian root that will alleviate it.
However, taken in safe dosages, supplements can be very helpful to anyone trying to improve his or her health. In fact, sometimes people feel better once they start taking them because the herbs, vitamins or minerals replace something they didn’t realize was missing from their diets.
