Herbs and Plants That Will Lower Your Blood Pressure Naturally

Nearly one third of adults have high blood pressure, or hypertension. A quarter of all prescribed medications are for high blood pressure and long-term use often leads to heart failure, heart attacks, and interference with calcium metabolism. If you are thinking of turning to herbal treatments for lowering your blood pressure, you have many options and there are many effective remedies at your disposal.

1) BASIL

Basil is a delicious herb that goes well in a variety of foods. It is originally native to Iran, India, and other tropical regions of Asia, but now it is widely available throughout the world. Basil has antioxidant, antimutagenic, antitumorigenic, antiviral, and antibacterial properties. It also helps lower your blood pressure. Extract of basil has been shown to lower blood pressure. Adding fresh basil to your diet is easy and certainly can’t hurt. Keep a small pot of the herb in your kitchen garden and add the fresh leaves to pastas, soups, salads, and casseroles.

2) CINNAMON

Cinnamon is another tasty seasoning that requires little effort to include in your daily diet and that may bring your blood pressure numbers down.Cinnamon combined with magnesium, diet, and lifestyle changes may lead to overall reductions in blood pressure up to 25mm Hg. Consuming cinnamon every day has been shown to lower blood pressure in people with diabetes. Include more cinnamon in your diet by sprinkling it on your breakfast cereal and even in your coffee. At dinner, cinnamon enhances the flavor of stir fries, curries, and stews.

3) CARDAMOM

Cardamom is a seasoning that comes from India and is often used in the foods of South Asia. As with many spices, cardamom has been demonstrated to have antioxidant properties. Kikuzaki, Kawai, and Nakatani (2001) examined extracts from black cardamom (Amomum subulatum) for their ability to scavenge radicals. A study investigating the health effects of cardamom found that participants given powdered cardamom daily for several months saw significant reductions in their blood pressure readings. You can include cardamom seeds or the powder in spice rubs, in soups and stews, and even in baked goods for a special flavor and a positive health benefit.

4) HAWTHORN

Hawthorn is an herbal remedy for high blood pressure that has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years. Decoctions of hawthorn seem to have a whole host of benefits on cardiovascular health, including reduction of blood pressure, the prevention of clot formation, and an increase in blood circulation. You can take hawthorn as a pill, a liquid extract, or a tea.

Source : healthimpactnews.com/2014/9-herbs-and-plants-that-will-lower-your-blood-pressure-naturally/

Naturally occurring medicinal plants, herbs having hypotensive/antihypertensive potential

Agathosma betulina

(Family: Rutaceae; Common name: Buchu). It is a South African medicinal plant and has been used by the indigenous people of the area for centuries to treat wider ailments. It is an effective diuretic and anti-inflammatory agent. Early Dutch settlers used buchu to make a brandy tincture, which is still used today to treat many disorders.[25]

Allium sativum

(Family: Alliaceae or Liliaceae; Common name: Garlic). Garlic has long been used for a variety of cardiovascular conditions, especially hyperlipidemia. It has also been reported to have hypotensive action. It is thought to increase nitric oxide production, resulting in smooth muscle relaxation and vasodilatation. One of the primary active compounds that gives garlic its characteristic odor and many of its healing benefits is called allicin. Meta-analysis of randomly chosen literary data has demonstrated that garlic is related to decrease of BP in patients with increased systolic pressure, but not in patients without increased systolic pressure.[26] Garlic preparations have been found to be superior to placebo in reducing BP in individuals with HTN.[27] The antioxidative and antihypertensive effect of garlic has been observed in 20 patients with HTN compared to 20 patients with normal pressure, who have been receiving garlic pearls preparation for a period of two months. The results have revealed decreased BP, significant reduction of 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosin, level of nitric oxide, and lipid peroxidation, and an increased level of antioxidative vitamins (C and E). This study points to the beneficial cardioprotective action of garlic in essential HTN.

Source : www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3210006/