Alternative Hypertension Remedies include natural supplements, lifestyle changes and such practices as yoga, Tai Chi, acupuncture and meditation. Learn more about their usefulness
Alternative Hypertension Remedies
Blood pressure value influences the quality of our lives to a large extent. There is an optimal level for each person. During the day, we experience some changes in it. However, the body always does its best to stabilize this value and return it to the norm. However, due to the aging process and lifestyle, many people experience hypertension. Let’s discover more about this state and natural ways to cope with it.
What is Hypertension
This disease is accompanied by constantly high blood pressure. When its value exceeds 140/90 mmHg for most of the day without any physical activity or stress, then this state is diagnosed.
The physician should take into account the condition of the patient, the family history and lifestyle and advise to measure blood pressure regularly for a week or longer. Thus, it is important to understand what level is suitable for a patient and what is too high.
Then, the doctor usually prescribes special medicines that a person must take every day. For now, there is no treatment for hypertension that can alleviate this condition once and for all. That is why traditional medicines are prescribed for a lifetime.
No wonder patients are looking for other methods to cope with this disease. Actually, some lifestyle changes are more than helpful.
Hypertension Natural Supplements
In addition to medicines, some natural supplements are recommended for lowering blood pressure.
Fish oil
Fish and its products contain unsaturated fatty acids also known as omega-3 acids. They are useful for both heart health and blood vessels. Several scientific investigations have proven that they moderately decrease blood pressure.
Garlic
Interestingly enough, garlic has similar effects on blood pressure as traditional medicines. It promotes the availability of nitric oxide and helps to dilute vessels, which results in lowering pressure. According to the research, a few fresh garlic cloves are sufficient to achieve this effect for a day. Very effective remedy for hypertension.
Coenzyme Q10
This compound promotes the activity of antioxidants important for the cardiovascular system. Different supplements contain from 30 to 200 mg. Therefore, it is important to establish the dosage suitable for you.
Magnesium
As for this mineral, it also promotes the release of nitric oxide and serves as an antagonist of calcium. These two effects help blood vessels to relax and alleviate the pressure value.
Alternative Therapies for Hypertension
Furthermore, together with medicines and supplements patients often utilize other techniques. Oriental doctors have used these methods for a long time and believe in their efficiency.
Acupuncture
This art has come from China where trained specialists put needles in the body, at first, to relieve pain. They have thoroughly studied the body and found special places where these needles provide the required effect. Nowadays, acupuncture is used for the treatment of many conditions, including hypertension.
Meditation and mindfulness
As often blood pressure rises due to stress, mindfulness practices and meditation help to reduce it. They require all your attention and are accompanied by slow breathing. Thus, the cardiovascular system benefits from them as well as your psychological health.
Yoga
Yoga is also a good remedy for hypertension. Regular physical activity is recommended for all people, including those with high blood pressure. However, in this case, it is important to select something not very dynamic and intense. Yoga often becomes a good choice. One only has to consult the trainer on poses to avoid because some of them may also increase pressure.
Tai Chi
This martial art has a Chinese origin. It is also very gentle and calm. Therefore, people of all ages and health conditions can benefit from it. In addition, scientific investigations have proven its ability to lower pressure.
Lifestyle Changes
One more step to take while conquering hypertension is to consider the lifestyle and make certain changes. Actually, the problems in this area are common results of bad habits. Thus, their elimination is definitely recommended for those who wish to stay healthy and active.
Read Benefits and Risks of Lasix in Sports.
Diet modifications
Special ideas on a diet like Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) and the Mediterranean diet are helpful in managing the condition of the cardiovascular system. The basic principles of these methods are as follows:
• eating more whole grains, fruits and vegetables;
• reducing the amount of saturated fats of animal origin;
• adding fish and plant oils;
• keeping potassium levels normal;
• avoiding salty and processed products.
The main aim is to reduce cholesterol and bad fats levels and provide the body with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. All these compounds improve the state of the heart and blood vessels, preventing different diseases.
In addition, the excess of salt leads to water retention that inevitably increases pressure. Therefore, avoiding too much salt is also a good way to lower it.
How does being overweight affect hypertension?
Weight increase is often accompanied by a rise in blood pressure. Furthermore, obesity leads to disrupted breathing, especially at night. This factor also contributes to hypertension.
Thus, all the patients get an advice to lose extra weight. This also reduces the load on the heart and blood vessels. Moreover, it is easy to achieve this goal while changing the diet to a healthier mode.
Hypertension can be caused by stress.
Another crucial factor that should be prevented is stress. When we experience it, the body always answers with a higher heart rate and blood pressure. This physiological reaction has been developed over thousands of years. If we experience it rarely, it has even some benefits. However, chronic stress brings no good for both physiological and psychological health.
Therefore, it is better to avoid stressful situations or people who make you angry, if possible. In addition, it is crucial to have a good rest, including night sleep and relaxation periods during the day. Meditation and mindfulness are also more than helpful for this.
Limit alcohol and tobacco if you want to get rid of hypertension.
Smoking and drinking too much alcohol lead to many diseases. Especially harmful they are to the cardiovascular system. The blood pressure rises immediately after smoking a cigarette or taking some alcoholic beverage. Then, when their effects disappear, it also sharply decreases. Thus, it leads to a misbalance.
Furthermore, the condition of the heart and blood vessels worsens and other diseases appear such as atherosclerosis.
Summary
On the one hand, hypertension may seem not dangerous, especially when the blood pressure increases only a bit. On the other hand, it may lead to severe consequences like heart attacks and strokes. Therefore, it requires treatment and traditional medicines can be successfully combined with natural methods. The latter makes the therapy more effective and contributes to overall health.
FAQ
Is there a natural alternative to blood pressure medicine?
One may consider special supplements, lifestyle changes and such traditional practices as yoga, Tai Chi, acupuncture and meditation. However, it is important to follow the recommendations of the physician.
What is an alternative for high blood pressure?
To return to the norm, one should switch to a healthy lifestyle, avoid bad habits and use special supplements or traditional techniques.
What is the best natural medicine for high blood pressure?
Supplements that contain fish oil, garlic, coenzyme Q10 and magnesium are effective in lowering blood pressure. Still, this issue depends on the person so one has to select the remedy according to the condition.
What foods reverse hypertension?
Such properties are known for fish and plant oils, garlic and products rich in potassium such as avocado, beans, tomatoes and mushrooms.
