Home Remedies for High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure is a common health problem seen in many people. It is also known as hypertension, a chronic medical condition that occurs when there is an elevated pressure of the blood in the arteries. Usually the blood pressure is measured by the systolic and diastolic movements. High blood pressure is reported if the reading is at or above 140/90 mmHg persistently.

There are many causes that may result in this health problem, some of them are stress, genetic factors, excessive intake of salt, obesity, high alcohol intake, lack of physical activity, pain killers, birth control pills, adrenal diseases, and kidney diseases etc.

Hypertension may lead to many chronic health conditions including heart failure, peripheral arterial disease, stroke, and chronic kidney failures. Though there are many medicines that are prescribed to control hypertension. But there are many simple home remedies that can help you prevent and control high blood pressure.

The Risks of High Blood Pressure:
When left untreated, high blood pressure can lead to many serious health complications, such as stroke, heart attack, kidney damage, and vision loss. Regular visits to your healthcare provider can help you monitor and control your blood pressure. According to the AHA, a healthy blood pressure reading is less than 120/80 mmHg. A reading of 140/90 mmHg or above is considered high. If you’ve been diagnosed with high blood pressure, your doctor will work with you on how to lower it. This may include medication, lifestyle changes, or a combination of therapies. Taking the following steps can help bring your numbers down.

Here are some of the natural remedies for hypertension that are available in your kitchen:

Banana:
Banana is the best natural remedy for blood pressure. Eat one or two bananas daily to keep your high blood pressure in control. The high potassium present in the banana will help you control the blood pressure level. It aids you to be free of cholesterol, with its low sodium levels. Apart from banana, you can also try eating spinach, dried apricots, orange juice, raisins, currants, baked sweet potatoes, winter squash, zucchini, and cantaloupe.

Garlic:
Garlic processes the great properties that help you get blood pressure in control. Either raw or cooked form garlic helps you in reducing cholesterol level. Whenever you have your blood pressure level high then try eating 1 – 2 slightly crushed cloves of garlic regularly. As crushed garlic cloves generate hydrogen sulfide, which helps in promoting good flow of blood, decreases the pressure on the heart and gets rid of gas. You can also take 5 to 6 drops of garlic juice mixed with 4 teaspoons of water two times a day for better results.

Celery:
Celery contains high levels of 3-N-butylphthalide, which is a ‘phytochemical’ that helps you to control high blood pressure level. Eat celery regularly to see improvement in your blood pressure level. It also helps you in stress hormones reduction that constricts the blood vessels, which may lead to high BP. If you like celery then you can munch on to lower your BP or you can consume one stalk of it along with one glass of water every day.

Lemon:
Lemon is one of the best remedies for hypertension. It makes the blood vessels soft and flexible removing their rigidness, making the blood pressure levels low. Lemon contains high amounts of Vitamin B, so regularly consuming lemon helps you prevent for heart failure. If you are having high blood pressure then you must drink fresh lemon juice as many times as possible. Drinking one glass lemon juice mixed with warm water every morning on empty stomach is good for health. Avoid adding salt or sugar for good results.

Honey:
Honey has a soothing effect on your blood vessels and helps in reducing the pressure from the heart, in turn lowers high blood pressure. Consuming 1 or 2 tbsps of honey daily will help you in controlling hypertension. Taking two teaspoons of honey early in the morning on empty stomach is a very good option. You can otherwise mix 1 tsp of honey, 1 tsp of ginger juice and 2 teaspoons of powered cumin seeds and eat it two times a day. You can also consume the mixture of honey and basil juice on empty stomach regularly for better results.


Onion Juice:
Onion is an effective remedy for lowering the high blood pressure level. You can eat one raw onion (medium sized) on a daily basis or consume the mixture of honey and onion juice. Taking 1/2 teaspoon of onion juice mixed with 1/2 teaspoon honey twice every day, will aid you in reducing the blood pressure level. You can notice a good improvement in your BP levels by taking onion juice twice a day for about 1 – 2 weeks.

Cayenne Pepper:
If you are suffering from mild hypertension then cayenne pepper is the best natural remedy you can take. It makes the blood flow smooth by preventing the blood platelets from forming clumps and prevents their accumulation in the blood. Cayenne pepper can be added to vegetable salad or fruit salad. You can even add a generous pinch of cayenne pepper powder into your soup and drink it. Use only a small pinch of cayenne pepper as it is very spicy.

Coconut Water:
It is always good to keep your body well hydrated and it is recommended if you’re suffering with high BP. Drink about 8 – 10 glasses of water every day. You can also drink tender coconut or coconut water, along with regular water for good results. Coconut water is tasty and processes nutritional values as well. They help in lowering and controlling the hypertension levels. You can improve blood pressure level by consuming coconut water regularly. You can also try using coconut oil instead of regular oil for cooking.

Fenugreek Seeds:
Fenugreek seeds are most effective remedy for lowering the high blood pressure level. Take one to two teaspoons of fenugreek seeds and boil them for about 2 minutes in water. Now strain out the water from the fenugreek seeds and bled them in a fine paste. Eat one tablespoon of this paste early in the morning on empty stomach and in the evening respectively. Continue for two or three months to control and lower your blood pressure level.

Watermelon Seeds:
A compound called ‘cucurbocitrin’ that is present in Watermelon seeds widens the blood capillaries. Apart for this it also improves the kidneys functionality. It also reduces blood pressure level in arthritis. Crush 2 table spoons of dried watermelon seeds and add them to one cup of boiled water. After leaving it for about an hour, strain the seeds and take 4 tbsps of this water at regular intervals.

Herbs and Supplements:-
There are many ways to treat high blood pressure, including lifestyle changes and/or medications. If you are interested in turning to traditional and herbal treatments for lowering your blood pressure, you have many options.

If you are thinking of trying herbs for medical reasons, whether that means using the whole herb or a supplement, speak to your doctor first. Some herbs, especially in large quantities, may produce undesirable side effects or interfere with other medications.

Basil:
Basil is a delicious herb that goes well in a variety of foods. It also might help lower your blood pressure. Extract of basil has been shown to lower blood pressure, although only briefly. Adding fresh basil to your diet is easy and certainly can’t hurt. Keep a small pot of the herb in your kitchen garden and add the fresh leaves to pastas, soups, salads, and casseroles.

Cinnamon:
Cinnamon is another tasty seasoning that requires little effort to include in your daily diet, and that may bring your blood pressure numbers down. Consuming cinnamon every day has been shown to lower blood pressure in people with diabetes.
Include more cinnamon in your diet by sprinkling it on your breakfast cereal, oatmeal, and even in your coffee. At dinner, cinnamon enhances the flavor of stir fries, curries, and stews.

Cardamom:
Cardamom is a seasoning that comes from India and is often used in the foods of South Asia. A study investigating the health effects of cardamom found that participants given powdered cardamom daily for several months saw significant reductions in their blood pressure readings.

You can include cardamom seeds or the powder in spice rubs, in soups and stews, and even in baked goods for a special flavor and a positive health benefit.

Garlic:
This pungent seasoning can do more than just flavor your food and ruin your breath. Garlic has the ability to lower your blood pressure by causing your blood vessels to relax and dilate. This lets blood flow more freely and reduces blood pressure.
You can add fresh garlic to a number of your favorite recipes. If the flavor of garlic is just too strong for you, roast it first. And if you simply can’t eat the stuff, you can get garlic in supplement form.

Hawthorn:
Hawthorn is an herbal remedy for high blood pressure that has been used in traditional Chinese medicines for thousands of years. Decoctions of hawthorn seem to have a whole host of benefits on cardiovascular health, including reduction of blood pressure, the prevention of clot formation, and an increase in blood circulation. You can take hawthorn as a pill, a liquid extract, or a tea.

Celery Seed:
Celery seed is an herb used to flavor soups, stews, casseroles, and other savory dishes. Celery has been long used to treat hypertension in China, but studies also shown that it may be effective. You can use the seeds to lower blood pressure, but you can also juice the whole plant. Celery is a diuretic, which may help explain its effect on blood pressure.

French Lavender:
The beautiful, perfume-like scent of lavender is not the only useful aspect of the plant. Oil of lavender has long been used as a perfume ingredient and also to induce relaxation. The herb may also lower your blood pressure. Although not many people think to use lavender as a culinary herb, you can use the flowers in baked goods and the leaves can be used in the same way you would use rosemary.

Cat’s Claw:
Cat’s claw is an herbal medicine used in traditional Chinese practice to treat hypertension as well as neurological health problems. Studies of cat’s claw as a treatment for hypertension indicate that it may be helpful in reducing blood pressure by acting on calcium channels in your cells. You can get cat’s claw in supplement form from many health food stores.