An Introduction to Blood Pressure



High blood pressure is very common. However, excessively high blood pressure tends to be genetic and affects approximately 15 to 17 percent of people. Technically, there's no cure for this condition, but you can make changes in your life to reduce it to a manageable level.

The greatest drawback to high blood pressure is that it can be very dangerous, but there are no unique visible or external symptoms associated with the condition. If your blood pressure is extremely high or it goes up very quickly, you could experience headaches or blurry vision.

There is no cure for this problem, but treatment exists to lower the pressure and manage it on a daily basis. Conventional and complementary therapies aim to find the treatment, or combination of treatments, that suits an individual without causing discomforting side effects. Lifestyle factors should also be examined and changes introduced where necessary.

To learn about specific herbal and natural cures to address the effects, please read on.

Gotu Kola Tea

Gotu Kola tea should be sipped three times every day. Alternatively, you can take this herb in capsule or tablet form. It has few side effects, except for rare instances of nausea and abdominal cramping, which may be an allergic reaction. However, the herb can cause drowsiness and shouldn't be taken in conjunction with sleep aids or cold medications.

Flaxseed Oil

Flaxseed oil has been shown to be effective in reducing high blood pressure, probably due to the effects of the Omega-3 fatty acids it contains. Although cold-water fish have higher levels of Omega-3's, Flax (along with almonds) is one of the few plants that does contain it. When it's exposed to air, flaxseed oil can go bad, so you should keep it in a cool place and use it within a month or two of opening it up.

Your best option is to buy fresh flaxseed and store it in your refrigerator. Because the seeds are durable and can pass right through the digestive system, you need to grind or crush them before use. You can utilize a pestle and mortar or a grinder for coffee to crush the seeds. They're very tasty on cereal or sprinkled over a salad.

Garlic has been proven to lower blood pressure by as much as eight points. The great thing about garlic is that it can be added to almost anything. However, once you cook garlic, it becomes less effective, so raw garlic is still your best bet for lowering blood pressure.

If you're concerned about your breath or ability to eat two, uncooked cloves of garlic every day, you can try garlic capsules. They're one of the most popular natural cures for high blood pressure and readily available.

Regardless of the healthy approach you select, there is a certain urgency around the need to pursue treatment since left untreated, high blood pressure can be a deadly condition.