High blood pressure. Three words associated with fear and anguish. The name of a condition that settles deep in our body and makes unnoticed progress, until one day, the diagnosis clubs us on the head.
We become suddenly aware that we have harboured inside us, unknowingly, a silent killer. And we’re sorry for all the opportunities we have wasted to take care of our health, to heed the subtle warnings of our body.
Indeed, high blood pressure does not come about out of the blue. It takes years to make its path, every step of which measures could have been taken to stop the deadly progress.
Prevention is best.
Through lifestyle choices, Regular physical activity, Management of stress, Proper diet and nutrition, The use of herbal remedies.
These last two (proper diet and nutrition and the use of herbal remedies) certainly deserve a special focus.
So here are, in those two regards and generally speaking, the DOs and DON’Ts to avoid hypertension.
👍👌DOs
****More of:
-Berries
-Leafy greens
-Red beets
-Fish with omega 3
-Garlic and herbs
-Pistachios
-Olive oil
-Whole cereals, or fibre in general
🤞👀DON’Ts
****Less of:
-Sodium
-Packaged food and
-Alcohol
-Caffeine
-Sugar
-Canned/bottled tomato products
-Red meat in excess and chicken skin
-Saturated (mayonnaise-type) fat
But still…
It’s not always easy to live and eat by the book, we all know that.
That’s when supplements come in handy, to complete or correct lifestyle or diet errors and/or lapses.
MY TOP 6 SUPPLEMENTS FOR HYPERTENSION
1- OLIVE LEAF: the stability of your blood pressure.
Recent research has partly attributed its blood pressure reducing activity to the presence of oleacein, useful in the prevention of arteriosclerosis and coronary disease.
Olive leaf is also helpful in the treatment of ailments associated with high blood pressure; headaches, dizziness, tinnitus…
Please note that Olive leaf also possesses positive effects on cholesterol, diabetes and has a noted antioxidant, antibacterial and anti-fungal activity.
A winner, isn’t it?
2- HAWTHORN: zen blood circulation.
Because of its capacity to improve the flow of oxygenated blood to the heart and strengthening of the cardiac muscle itself, hawthorn regulates the rhythm of the heart, reducing faster heart beats and difficult breathing.
In addition, Hawthorn has a significant activity in calming the mind and inducing restful sleep without any side-effect like sleepiness during the day or memory loss…
3- MEADOWSWEET OR QUEEN OF THE MEADOWS : The friend of your kidneys
Its rich content in salicylate derivatives (precursors of aspirin) has made Meadowsweet traditionally known for the treatment of inflammation and pains.
Yet, the herb also dilates blood vessels, strengthens the heart, helps the work of the kidneys and increases urinary output.
Which means that it’s an ally of note to avoid the oedema or swellings typical in cardiac conditions.
4- COQ10 (Coenzyme Q10) : your heart’s best friend.
Here’s a nutrient whose levels in the body fall with age, and as we know, hypertension is a condition that occurs mostly in the second half of life.
Moreover, the Statins (a class of cholesterol lowering drugs) often prescribed to hypertensive patients are noted for depleting the body’s reserves of COQ10, which is unfortunate, since clinical studies suggest that C0Q10 can reduce blood pressure on average of 11/8mmHg.
C0Q10 is therefore an essential nutrient for hypertensive patients in that it improves the level of energy of the cardiac muscle and enhances the reactivity of artery walls.
Of course, nutrients are best when found in food, but very few of us can succeed in providing our body with the perfect food, so supplements are often needed.
5- MAGNESIUM: the fuel and relaxer of our muscles.
The best food sources of magnesium are nuts, seeds, dark green leaves, beans, fish, whole grains and dark chocolate.
Magnesium is known not only to relax our muscles and nerves in general, but also, more specifically to relax the arteries and reduce spasms, making for smoother heart movements and blood circulation.
An advisable dose of magnesium supplementation would be 375mg/day, as higher doses might have a laxative effect.
6- OMEGA 3: the blood purifier that fights inflammation.
A very easy nutrient to obtain, as its main source is fish oil.
Introducing fat fish in your diet 2 to 3 times(75g each time) per week would be a good way to obtain the o,3 to 0,5g of Omega3 that are needed as a useful addition to your high blood pressure medication.
Omega 3 :
**Lower blood pressure
**Improve cardiac rythm
-Reduce risks of thrombosis
-Reduce inflammation on artery walls
-Reduce the level of harmful fats in the blood, mainly triglycerides that constitute a notable factor of cardiovascular risks.
-Make arteries more flexible, which is key in good blood circulation.
Let’s mention in passing the benefits of Omega 3 on the joint inflammation, good functioning of the brain and skin beauty.
So, considering that our body cannot produce it itself, we need to introduce Omega 3 in our daily life, either through food or supplementation.
So in short, high blood pressure with its follow-up of deadly complications should no longer be a death sentence.
Simple lifestyle and dietary measures can can be a life-saving addition, and to some extent an alternative, to the classical medications.
Manage your health before everything with the simple and natural tools mother nature has freely given you, and your health will reward you generously.
Be well.
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