Alternatives to High Blood Pressure Medication

Blood pressure is the amount of blood your heart pumps and the force that circulating blood puts against the artery walls. If blood pressure is too high, a condition known as hypertension, it can lead to arteriosclerosis, heart attack, kidney disease and stroke. There are two kinds of hypertension. Primary hypertension which accounts for up to 95 percent of cases has no known cause. Secondary hypertension affects 5 to 10 percent of people and is caused by an underlying condition.There are many natural treatments that lower blood pressure and also treat other issues that can stem from this condition.

Herbal Treatments

• American ginseng helps maintain healthy potassium levels. Potassium is an essential mineral that plays an important part in keeping blood pressure low by counteracting the pressure-raising effect of sodium. Take the tincture as directed on the label. Bilberry tablets keep arteries flexible. Take 360 milligrams daily. Bitter orange tea and coleus lower blood pressure while keeping the heartbeat strong. Drink 1 cup of bitter orange tea twice a day and take the coleus extract as directed on the label. Chanca piedra protects the kidneys in salt-sensitive individuals. Take the tincture as directed on the label. Dong quai lowers blood pressure and lengthens the resting period between heartbeats. Asian ginseng lowers blood pressure and protects the heart muscle. Scutellaria dilates the blood vessels and stimulates urination to help flush out excess salt and fluids. Take 2,000 milligrams three times a day. Do not use scutellaria if you have diarrhea. Hawthorn tablets and reishi or shiitake mushrooms lower both blood pressure and high cholesterol. Take 250 milligrams of hawthorn daily and eat the whole mushroom or use in teas as desired.

  Herbs, like pharmaceutical agents, are assigned dosages based on a pharmacological property called therapeutic range. These substances are tested to see the smallest dose that provides any benefit to the largest that is safe for consumption. Herbs are generally safe and nontoxic even in larger amounts but be sure to stick to suggested doses to avoid any possible negative interactions.

Other Suggestions

• Aromatherapy with relaxing oils such as lemon balm or lavender is excellent for relieving tension and stress, which can contribute to high blood pressure. Increase potassium intake naturally through diet. Good sources include apricots, avocados, bananas, dates, dulse,figs, dried fruit, garlic, potatoes, raisins, sea vegetables, winter squash, yams, black strap molasses, brewer's yeast, brown rice, nuts and wheat bran. Omega 3 fatty acids found in cold-water fish and flax seed are also helpful. Regular exercise can help maintain normal pressure levels. Avoid stimulants like coffee and tobacco. A study done by a German University published in the June 2007 issue of Circulation found that patients who received 22 sessions of acupuncture over six weeks had lower blood pressure. It should be noted that those studied had mild to moderate hypertension and the effects diminished after treatment was stopped, leading researchers to conclude that ongoing treatments are probably necessary to maintain the benefit.