Natural Herbs for Blood Pressure

More than 40 million people in the United States have high blood pressure, the leading cause of stroke and heart disease. While stress, obesity, lack of exercise, alcohol abuse, smoking and poor diet are the major contributing factors to this lifestyle disease, heredity is also a significant factor. Modern drugs are usually prescribed to lower blood pressure, however they can have unpleasant side effects. For this reason, many people look to natural remedies like herbs to control hypertension and regulate blood pressure.

Garlic

• Garlic is the most effective natural herb for regulating blood pressure. Not only will it lower high blood pressure, but it will actually raise blood pressure that it too low, something no pharmaceutical can do. The best results are achieved by ingesting three to five cloves of raw, white garlic every day. Adding some raw honey may help cut the strong taste of the garlic.

Cayenne

• Cayenne pepper aids circulation, thus reducing blood pressure. The most effective hot peppers are habañero and Serrano peppers. Jalapeño peppers are just not hot enough to be effective. Natural healers recommend a daily dose of a cup of cayenne pepper tea, which is 1 tsp. of powdered cayenne pepper in a cup of hot water. The thermogenic aids in cayenne pepper regulate blood pressure by increasing blood circulation and metabolism.

Hawthorn Berry

• Early Europeans first discovered the benefits of Hawthorn berry for the heart, and used it to treat circulation, tachycardia and blood pressure. The flavonoids and cyanogenic glycosides are the elements in the berry that effectively lower high blood pressure. This is done by dilating blood vessels to improve circulation and help the heart function. Hawthorn berry is an anti-oxidant and diuretic, preventing the buildup of arterial plaque and reducing blood volume.

Red Clover

• Red clover acts as a blood thinner, which is a must for lowering high blood pressure. The blossoms are what is used and they are best when used fresh and still purple. Beware of buying blossoms that are brown. This means that they were harvested when they were already dead or dying.

Ginger

• Ginger is known worldwide for its health and medicinal properties, due to the saponins, terpenoids, flavonoids and other elements it contains. This natural herb is a vasodilator and relaxes the muscles, which reduces pressure on the blood vessels. This effectively lowers blood pressure and reduces palpitations. An added benefit of ginger is that it is a great digestive aid, reducing nausea and tummy upset.

Other Useful Herbs and Plants

• There are other wild and cultivated herbs and plants that have been used by natural healers for centuries to treat high blood pressure. They are bilberry, lemon balm, black cohosh, mallow root, myrrh, boneset, parsley, cassia bark, poke root, peppermint, dandelion, rue, ginseng, fennel, Uva Ursi, ginkgo, Vervain, Valerian, wild cherry bark, lavender and yarrow. Some act as vasodilators and blood thinners, or simply to relax and relieve stress.