Signs and Symptoms of High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure (also referred to as hypertension) is often called the “silent killer” since it is one of the leading risk factors associated with heart attacks, stroke, and kidney failure but it has no clearly identifiable symptoms. Since it is estimated that one in three adults in the USA suffer from high blood pressure, it is extremely important to get your blood pressure checked regularly by your doctor.
Although medication is often prescribed for serious cases of high blood pressure, most instances of the condition can easily be treated using a variety of everyday natural foods and simple lifestyle changes.
Causes of High Blood Pressure
While there is no single exact cause of high blood pressure or hypertension, a few risk factors have been recognized:
- A regularly high intake of salt (exceeding 6 grams per day).
- Excessively drinking alcohol (more than 2 drinks per day).
- Regularly consuming large amounts of caffeine.
- Obesity, since the heart has to pump more blood to supply the excess tissue.
- Lack of aerobic exercise (such as walking, jogging, biking, or swimming).
- Stress.
- Hereditary (genetic) predisposition (for example, African Americans are more often susceptible to high blood pressure than Caucasians or Asians).
Home Remedies for High Blood Pressure
Celery
Research has shown that munching on celery can help to lower blood pressure. It turns out that compounds found in the oil of celery can relax and dilate the muscles that line the arteries, which helps to regulate blood pressure. Therefore, simply eating a few stalks of celery per day as a simple snack at lunch can help significantly.
Garlic
Garlic has also been known to help reduce high blood pressure. Although the exact reasons are still not clear, studies have shown that eating just a single clove a day (either raw or cooked) has a beneficial effect. An added bonus for eating garlic is that it is also known to reduce cholesterol. Therefore, regularly consuming garlic, either fresh or in capsule form, is a great way to reduce your risk of heart disease.
Potassium
Studies have shown that consuming potassium-rich foods can help to lower blood pressure. Good sources of potassium include bananas, oranges, spinach, and zucchini.
NOTE: If you are being treated for kidney failure, potassium rich foods can actually be harmful to you. Therefore, if this applies to you, consult your doctor first before trying this home remedy.
Black Seed Oil
Black seed oil contains a number of active ingredients that have been shown to help reduce cholesterol and control high blood pressure. Therefore, to reduce excess blood pressure simply take one teaspoon of Black Seed oil daily. Black Seed Oil can also be mixed into juice or tea if you don’t like the taste of the raw oil.
Ginkgo Biloba
Ginkgo Biloba is an herb which helps increase blood circulation in our bodies by dilating our blood vessels. Therefore, a simple remedy to lower blood pressure is to take 120mg of Ginkgo Biloba extract daily before any meal.
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