High Blood Pressure What kind of herbs are helpful?
The last two I went to the Doctor my systolic was 160 (very bad). The interesting thing is that last year it was 120. Sounds like my anxiety and stress over Covid have done a number on me.
I should also say that there is no way I can take the alpha or beta drugs they give to lower blood pressure. I am extremely allergic to them. Nor do I want to take medications.
I have sensitivities to a lot of herbs but I would really appreciate know works for you! Thank you for your help.
Comments
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While not an herb, magnesium can be helpful. Hawthorne is a great one, dandelion for its diuretic properties, I've read but not tried mothers wort (it's on my shopping list). What herbs are you sensitive to? There are likely some that you can use while avoiding your sensitivities.
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@seeker.nancy - Central Texas Comfrey, Calendula, Peppermint, Oregano, Thyme, Lavender, Rosemary, Ginger, Cumin, Cloves, Ginger, Nutmeg, Garlic, Nutmeg, and Allspice. Thanks for asking about the sensitivities.
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Try relaxation techniques, meditation, time in nature. Often they can help a lot. Or even exercise, for some people.
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The first thing you should do is get yourself a blood pressure cuff. Lots on the market that are digital and very easy to use. Start taking your BP every day. First thing in the morning and a couple of more times during the day if you can. Keep a log. This will be very helpful in determining what might be affecting your BP and what if anything, is helping to keep it under control.
Your diet will play a big part in helping to modulate your BP. Increase fibre, lots of veggies, greens, high anti-oxidant berries and other fruits. Good fats and protein. Low carbs or at least lower the amount of the high glycemic ones.
Hawthorn is a go-to herb for controlling blood pressure. But more than that, it is a tonifying herb, strengthening the whole circulatory system. I would suggest using a tincture so you are better able to adjust the dose, depending on what you, as an individual, require.
Hibiscus tea might be helpful. In one study comparing the use of hibiscus tea with black tea showed that after 30 days, those drinking hibiscus tea had an overall lowering of systolic BP by 22 points while the black tea drinkers had theirs increase.
This is a link to Rosalee de la Foret's page on Dandelion with some recipes. https://www.herbalremediesadvice.org/benefits-of-dandelion-tea.html Rosalee's book "Wild Remedies" has a recipe for Roasted Roots Brew.
Beets and beet juice are high in dietary nitrates. Improves endothelial function and reduces arterial stiffness as well as lowering BP.
I would have recommended garlic but see that is one of your sensitivities. Too bad as garlic is so good for many health issues.
If you think it is mostly stress related, then some stress-releasing or anxiolytic herbs would be useful.
Hope there is something here that will be helpful for you.
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Yeah, @torey! Great advice. I have nothing more to add to that. :)
Let us know how everything goes @dipat2005.
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I would also like to add that you should take your BP for a week or so before you start on any herbal program (or other meds for that matter). That way you will have a baseline to go on.
This should be suggested by medical professionals as well. So many people suffer from White Coat Syndrome and their BP is much higher in the docs office than it is the rest of the time. So if you go to a doc, then you can take your records with you and they will have a better idea of what your normal BP is like and how to treat it from there.
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@Annie Kate I do relaxation and meditation every day. @torey I forgot to say that I got a blood pressure cuff and the first three times I took my blood pressure it was 120/ 64. Dr said that was impossible. So I got new batteries and then in the afternoon it was 142/64 then I decided that it was probably anxiety going to the Doctor's office and then one afternoon it was 160/74. At least the diastolic remains low.
Thank you for all of the great ideas! I will seriously use some of these ideas. I already do some of them. I do have a question though on the protein. I tend to eat a lot less meat these days and because of health issues I am unable to eat legumes and nuts. Is it important to eat some kind of protein everyday?
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@dipat2005. I am not a nutritionist but I do know that it is important to include protein. There should be a protein, a fat and a carb with every meal. Doesn't have to be red meat or legumes. You could do cheese, yogurt, or other dairy products, eggs, some of the soy products, Fish is certainly a good choice. Are you able to eat seeds? Tahini or sunflower butter might be an option if you can't have peanut butter or some of the other nut butters. There are some fruits and veg that contain good amounts of protein per caloric content. Avocado. Dried apricots. Guavas. Bananas. Alfalfa sprouts. Greens including bok choy, mustard greens and spinach. Broccoli and brussel sprouts.
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@torey thank you for responding so quickly. No soy or fish. I do eat dried apricots and when I can avocado. I grew kale, swiss chard and spinach this year. I am still growing swiss chard and spinach in the house. I love Broccoli and Bananas so I eat those often. I appreciate the help so much.
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@dipat2005 If you are sensitive to garlic, you could try onion. It would also help, but, I am a garlic fan. You could also try Dill. It would calm down and might lower the blood pressure.
I have read a study on “forest bathing” - just walking in green surrounding, in a forest. Even sitting in the forest would help to bring down the Blood pressure.
I have also heard about motherwort (Leonores cardiac) that it helps.
What about adaptogens? Have you tried any?
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@jolanta.wittib I am taking Reishi in a capsule and after those I am taking Rhodiola in a capsule. Ashwaganda isn't good for me because of my thyroid-contraindications. I do eaI onions sometimes. I just cannot make myself eat mushrooms. Thank you for your input. I love the forest and know where I can walk close to me.
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This is great information. I have family members with high blood pressure. It might give them a way to help themselves as well. Thank you all.
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Hmm, so you all have set me thinking(scary, I know.) Ever since @LaurieLovesLearning posted about the chai she makes, I've been thinking of making some for a friend who has pain from a carpal tunnel-type issue. She also struggles with high blood pressure. Yesterday I saw an ad for a hibiscus cinnamon tea https://www.republicoftea.com/red-hot-holiday/p/v20749/. Now I'm wondering if I can combine all the benefits by making a hibiscus chai. Provided I can come with a blend that taste decent, is there any reason why this wouldn't be a good idea? I would especially love to hear your input @torey.
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@blevinandwomba One thing to remember about yogi tea is that it came before the modern chai. Its emphasis is more on the spices & healing properties & less on the tea, unlike chai. Chai isn't considered as healthy due to the change of balance of ingredients and focus on the black tea.
I have found other variations (K.P. even has taught some of these), but this one that I posted is supposed to be the authentic one.
Here is a little more backstory on this tea as was printed out with my recipe and also found on the link below).
"When Yogi Bhajan was a military commander in India there was an epidemic among the troops. He ordered all of his men to fill their canteens with yogi tea and drink nothing else, not even water. His Battalion was the only unit that didn’t get sick! Yogi tea purifies the blood, lungs and circulatory system. It cleans the liver and has many more unseen benefits. It’s good to drink this tea every day."
I was reading that to change the ingredients changed the interplay of the ingredients as they are formulated this way to work well together.
I had also wondered about adding hibiscus, since I had some anyway. It would change the flavor (not sure if good or bad or how much to add) and I am not sure if there would be any extra health benefit if it was added, as each spice has its specific purpose and somehow, I think it would be redundant.
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Thanks for the recipe for yogi tea, @LaurieLovesLearning I plan to try this. I struggle with fluctuating blood pressure sometimes, so this thread is of particular interest to me. @dipat2005 can you eat oatmeal? I had wonderful success changing out my breakfast several days a week to a bowl of rich oatmeal. (dropped the numbers significantly) I follow some of the recommendations of Dr. Joel Fuhrman and mix in various berries, fruits and nuts (plus a nice spoonful of moringa powder, which I grew and processed). I keep unsweetened frozen fruits on hand for this purpose. The fruits mean that -- in addition to the nutrition they provide -- I don't have to add extra sweetener. An added plus! Best wishes to you in this journey!
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I think @LaurieLovesLearning is right in that the yogi tea is a synergistic blend that works with all these ingredients together for the health benefits. I also would not know quite how much hibiscus to add if you were going to do that.
But having a cup of hibiscus or hibiscus-cinnamon tea as an adjunct to the yogi tea is a good idea. It sounds as if it would be lovely as a dessert tea. I wonder about this specific tea brand, though. The ingredient list shows cassia oil as a flavouring agent and it is not the best choice if you are looking for the health benefits of cinnamon. The beetroot may be extra colouring to reduce the amount of hibiscus but beets are helpful for hypertension, too. You could make your own, though, with good quality cinnamon and hibiscus from a reputable company. Then you would be more sure of getting the health benefits as well as the taste. A bit of dried apple would be a nice sweet touch. Sounds like a nice tea for Xmas morning, as well as dessert. For a special occasion dessert, maybe a wee splash of a fruit brandy.
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Hibiscus, apple & real cinnamon. I could try that and get back to you on flavor. I will get everyone here to give an opinion so that it is not just my own. That should give 6 opinions. ;) I don't have dried apples, only fresh or frozen. I am not sure if that makes a difference.
I think I'd skip the beet root powder though. That just sounds like an odd addition to a tea. I would agree that it is most likely there to create a deeper color & a cheaper tea...a shortcut. Some of the comments below the tea zeroes in on an earthy flavor that was appalling to some. I would agree that that could have been the beets as they can be strong in certain things.
We have used concentrated beet juice to color icing. If you use too much, it will change the flavor and as much as we don't mind (although it isn't great), it is still edible.
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@dipat2005 All of the suggestions seem great!
You might want to take your Blood Pressure cuff to the fire department (or what ever agency sends out ambulances) and have them compare your cuff's readings to the one they use. I have done this whenever we purchased a new cuff or had friends get a cuff. Just an idea..
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@spanthegulf thank you for the oatmeal idea and the moringa. Oatmeal and I don't like each other but once in awhile I can use it. Thank you for your help.
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@LaurieLovesLearning I do have dried apples and fresh apples. I will have to find some Hibiscus too. I read a suggestion from someone that said that you can add cinnamon to your cocoa. (it is not real cinnamon. I do know where I can find real cinnamon locally. Would locally grown honey work for sweetener? Just a small bit?
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@dipat2005 I think local honey would be perfect.
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Now I just need to source the ingredients for the Yogi Tea. Though I do have a question...In some comments there are references to "real cinnamon" Can someone tell me what this refers to?
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Two common types of cinnamon. True Cinnamon (Cinnamomun verum) and Cassia (Cinnamomun cassia). Unfortunately, most brands don't differentiate. Cassia is cheaper so that is what is usually sold in spice bottles. A good herb company like Mountain Rose or Harmonic Arts does tell you what you are getting. If you are buying the stick cinnamon, the real cinnamon is much more fragile and fragrant. The Cassia is quite hard.
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Take your blood pressure both morning and night as your stress level should be at its lowest as just out of bed/sleep, and again just before you go to bed as that time is after a days worth of stress, normal level or otherwise. In so doing you will be able to recognize any change in your bp quickly so be sure and keep a log for at least the first 2 weeks, pref for a month as bp will be a little diff but should be within a small range difference. I strongly agree with above advice re having an ambulance medic use yours, and then compare with their own for accuracy and at that point you could ask further questions re bp or just ask them to give you any tips re bp and taking your bp..
Learn how to take your own pulse. Check it at your wrist/radial pulse, and at your carotid/neck. If your bp gets too high, your heart rate will prolly at some point increase, and this will help you to further know what actions to take. you must take both the wrist and neck heart rate as sometimes when the heart is beating too fast you can't tell at the wrist but it will be obvious at the neck pulse/carotid. Also, and for this reason, knowing what your normal heart rate, at rest is. One cannot know what is too fast or slow/heart rate, or too high or low/bp if the normal resting heart rate is not known.
The more you know, the more clearly you will know how to respond.
beets should help you best as a ferment, 'kvass' as it was used in Russia emergency rooms for hypertensive patients without symptoms and those patients over all showed a decrease in blood pressure within 30 min or so, going from memory, 1/4 cup?? That research is interesting. Also, the beets don't taste quite so earthy but the health benefits are worth it, hopefully you can stand it. kvass is easy to make/ferment. Beets help your immune system, cardiovascular and brain by relaxing blood vessels due to the nitrates in them working converting to nitrites, that your body turns into nitric oxide, the miracle thingy lol..
eggs are extremely healthy for the heart/cardiovascular system as
As obvious, we all wish you the best.
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After commenting earlier, I found out yesterday that I sometimes have high blood pressure, too! And that after struggling with low blood pressure for years.
So I'm going to work on relaxing, meditating, outside time, and exercise as well as eat beets (we had an great crop this year and there's borscht cooking on the stove right now; I didn't even know it was helpful!), oatmeal, and the yogi tea recipe that @LaurieLovesLearning mentioned.
Thanks, everyone, and thanks @dipat2005 for asking the question originally. And thanks for the links @silvertipgrizz !
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I suffer from high blood pressure. I make an herbal tea that includes hawthorn berries, linden, and cinnamon as well as a couple other herbs. It definitely has heart healthy and blood pressure lowering ingredients. All these tips were great!
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@Annie Kate Hawthorn could be good for you as it can work to regulate either. Torey addressed hawthorn above.
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My solution that I found isn't an Herb but it is food. I find that when I eat a generous serving of raw broccoli, my blood pressure goes down. I haven't really tracked it with other cruciferous vegetables. I know that it is the sulphorous compounds in Broccoli which is beneficial for blood pressure. I still have "white coat hypertension" which I attribute to the fact they always take my blood pressure the minute I enter the office without a chance to catch a breath and relax. And they are always bombarding me with questions. What I leaned years ago when helping to take blood pressures for mall walkers, was that you sit still for about 5 minutes and you don't talk to anybody!
I do like Hawthorn but for me personally, I don't find that it helps particularly with blood pressure.
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The doctor put me on blood pressure medicine and statins for high cholesterol. He had to change the statins several times because of muscle pain. I decided I needed to change my diet. No salt, mainly plants, and 3 cloves of garlic daily. I am off all prescription medication, but my triglyceride levels are still high. Exercise is important also.
DDP
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@DurwardPless Congratulations getting off meds. Exercise is very important. Its not just one thing that you can do but a combination and exercise should be part of every combination of things you can do for yourself.
There are a number of things that you could add to your diet to help lower LDL levels and increase HDL.
Are you adding lots of dietary fibre in the form of grains & seeds such as bran, oats & oat bran, flax, sesame & sunflower seeds, etc.
Pomegranate juice has several health benefits besides lowering LDL. May help shrink prostate, strengthens the immune system and may help to fight cancer. Its a very easy thing to add to the diet.
Studies indicate turmeric lowers LDL and triglycerides and prevents LDL oxidation. It can be added to quite a few dishes or drink a cup of Golden Milk every day.
Cinnamon is very beneficial for health. As little as 1/2 tsp added to your diet can lower blood sugar levels as well as lowering blood pressure by relaxing and dilating the blood vessels. There are studies that show cinnamon may lower triglycerides and total cholesterol although it may not increase LDL. Cinnamon is so easy to add to the diet. Put it in your morning coffee or tea or hot chocolate. Sprinkle on oatmeal or fruit or yogurt.
Magnesium is something that many people are low in and may help to raise HDL levels.
Hope some of these suggestions help.
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