Herbs for Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)

vickeym

Can anyone recommend herbs to use for lowering high blood pressure? My husband's blood pressure is pretty high. And it runs in his family. His father had quadruple bypass surgery in his 60's, Severe Parkinson's and several strokes. He is now in mid 70's and we are being told he won't last another month.

I need to find a natural way to bring his blood pressure under control as we don't want to use the prescribed stuff the doctors want to give him, but I don't want him having a heart attack or something because of it either.

I appreciate any help that can be given.

Torey

@vickeym One of the most commonly used blood pressure herbs is Hawthorn. It is readily available as a tincture or pills. The benefits of the tincture is you can monitor the blood pressure and adjust the dosage as needed. I would start with the minimum dose on the label the particular brand recommends. Then you can raise the dose until his blood pressure normalizes. Hawthorn is more about being a cardiovascular tonic and blood pressure modulator rather than a hypotensive. So even if the blood pressure stays a bit higher than the docs would like, it strengthens the heart muscle, arteries, veins, capillaries, etc. so that there is much less chance of an anurism or heart attack occurring. My husband has been taking it for several years. He is 69 and not on any pharmaceuticals, despite a family history. His father had a quadruple bypass at 62 and several TIA episodes. His brother had a quintuple bypass at 63. His nephew was on high blood pressure meds for awhile in his early 30's but ran out one day and couldn't get to see a doc for a refill for a week. He called me and I recommended Hawthorn and he has been taking it ever since. Monitors his blood pressure fairly regularly and it is close to normal.

But do buy a blood pressure cuff if you don't already have one so that you can monitor the blood pressure at home, daily, even twice daily, to see how effective this is.

vickeym

torey Thank you. Hawthorn is one I had found when I started researching for his condition. Wanted to compare with what any of you might recommend. We do have a blood pressure cuff. Doctors want him to keep a log for awhile of his pressure at least twice a day. Will see what I can find that we can here sometime in the next month, as that seems to be minimum time lately for having anything shipped here.

Torey

@vickeym Does Hawthorn grow in your area? I looked at it on the species map but don't see any in Alaska. Doesn't mean its not there, though. I am in Zone 3b/4 and it is common here but I have seen it growing in Zone 2b. If it is not native in your area, you might find some at a garden center.

vickeym

Not sure if it grows here, But will be looking for it for sure. Might have to order some from Mountain Rose Herbs until I get some growing here.

RustBeltCowgirl

@vickeym What a great question. I'd like to get off BP meds.

@torey Thanks for a good recommendation.

Linda Bittle

Garlic is a good one. Hawthorn for sure. Magnesium can help. Some say fish oil or CoQ10. Hibiscus, as a tea is great. Linden. There are several that help, but generally not fast.

Torey

@Mary Linda Bittle All good advice to incorporate into your diet. Linden is one of the herbs that Susun Weed recommends for her daily nourishing herbal infusions that everyone should be taking. I just went and picked a big bag of the flowers, at a neighbours, to dry for tea. I might get another picking if it quits raining. Garlic is good for so much of our health needs. And you should be taking an omega 3 supplement if you are not eating enough fish or grass fed meat.

annebeloncik

Adding hawthorn to my wish list!

tomandcara

@torey Linden and Hawthorne. Sounds delicious. Seriously delicious. Garlic sounds effective, and I love it, but not mixing with Linden and Hawthorne. That sounds yuck to me.

Torey

@tomandcara Rosalee de la Foret's new book, Wild Remedies, has a great recipe for Apple Syrup which is made with Hawthorns, Blueberries and Apple Juice. Dilute with club soda for a refreshing, heart healthy beverage or make into ice cubes and put 3-4 in a travel mug/bottle and fill with water or club soda for hiking. I have made this and it is really delicious.

Torey

Synchronicity! Rosalee just put out an e-mail, all on the heart, mentioning salmon, beets, nettle and rosehips.

This is a link to her salmon recipes full of omegas for a healthy heart. https://www.herbalremediesadvice.org/grilling-salmon.html

This is a recipe she has given for a heart healthy tea:

1 cup dried stinging nettle leave (Urtica dioica)

1 cup oatstraw (Avena sativa)

1 cup hawthorn leaves and flowers (Crataegus spp.)

½ cup lemon balm leaves (Melissa officinalis)

½ cup lemon verbena (Aloysia citrodora)

Every morning I put a ½ cup of the mixture into a quart jar. I fill the jar with just boiled hot water and let sit for 30 minutes. I strain, add honey to taste, stir well, and then let cool for a bit on the counter. In the late morning or early afternoon I fill a glass with ice and then pour over the iced tea mixture. 

tomandcara

@torey Love synchronicity!! Thank you for her tea recipe. Do you drink this tea every morning or is the "I" Rosalee?

Torey

@tomandcara The "I" is Rosalee. :) I am going to make some but don't have any oatstraw at the moment.

vickeym

Wow, Lots of great information. I see I need to add a few things to my wish list as well. I know nettles grow here, just have not found any yet. That tea sounds interesting too. Can't wait till I can get a wider selection of herbs for teas and other uses.

tomandcara

@torey I was thinking that, but wanted to know for certain. I will be making a version of it myself, and including some Linden. I don't have the Hawthorn leaves and flowers or lemon verbana at the moment, but do have the other ingredients.

Torey

@vickeym Linden trees will grow in Zone 3 so maybe you could find one at a garden centre. They might have hawthorn shrubs or be able to order them in for next spring if you asked about them now. Lemon balm should overwinter for you. It does in my garden. I grow lemon verbena but only from starts and its not hardy so I have to buy them every year. The oatstraw is one I would have a harder time growing.

Nicoleburba

@torey Thank you for the recipe. It seems delicious. I don't have all the comments, but once I get them, I'll make it.

Nancy A.Maurelli

I have been enjoyed twice daily doses of tinctures of hawthorn and motherwort for heart health, including regulating blood pressure. Regular use for a few months is needed for the body to rebuild, so if there is an acute problem, additional measures may be needed.

Potassium in food source is also needed for normal blood pressure. Many enjoyable foods are good sources, including cabbage, broccoli, peas, cararots, parsley, pears, citrus, and seaweeds. This information is from Susun Weed's book, NEW MENOPAUSAL YEARS The Wise Woman Way. She also recommends raw garlic daily (in a salad, chopped and added to spreads or dips, etc.)

ltwickey

Cinnamon is another great tool for blood pressure. But I can't help but add the importance of a healthy diet and plenty of cardiovascular exercise. Walking is a great exercise, not just for physical health but also mental health.

vickeym

All great ideas, thank you. ltwickey Thank you, my husband is very active so the walking and other exercise is a regular thing. We have a small farm which keeps him busy.

marjstratton

I love hawthorn but more as a tonic. I find that for me personally raw broccoli is a must have when my BP is high. The sulforaphane really helps. My husband doesn't tolerate it well, gives him gas. He needs it cooked. The other thing that really helps me is regular exercise.

Bryce Langebartels

@ltwickey great comment! As a someone in the medical field I see people all the time having life-threatening issues because of neglect of their blood pressure and general health. If you're pressure is too high, I would encourage someone to get it under control with meds if necessary. THEN start into all the things that are proven to help...exercise, healthy diet, these wonderful natural remedies that have been mentioned. 30 minutes of cardiovascular activity can lower your systolic blood pressure 20 points for up to 24 hours! And as ltwickey said, walking is one of the best things. The left/right walking motion activates parts of the brain that release stress. Good stuff.

burekcrew86

There’s a great recipe in the book Healing Herbal Teas by Sarah Farr for Blood Pressure health. The book in general is really good and has a lot of great tea recipes, many for health and wellness.

vickeym

Thank you all for such great ideas and suggestions.

I am lucky, my husband is very active. Especially in the summer months. We have a little over 10 acres which we are turning (slowly) into a small farm. There is only about an acre cleared so far. He eats most vegetables raw, and broccoli and cauliflower are among his favorites.

Between taking care of our chickens, pigs, garden and a very active dog as well as clearing some more of our land so we can farm plus delivering eggs to our customers he gets a lot of exercise. Unfortunately, high blood pressure runs in his family. I'd just rather not see him on prescription meds the rest of his life.