Lower Blood Pressure with Natural Herbs

Many people suffer from hypertension. Some medicines used to treat high blood pressure can cause heart and kidney problems. Another route chosen by many people is the use of herbs. Keep in mind of course that the reason that herbs work is because they contains natural chemicals. Regardless of whether or not they are natural, they are just chemicals, each with its own effects. While the dosage is generally going to be lower and safer when taken in herb from, they should still be treated with respect and not used carelessly. That said, most of these herbs are pretty harmless. About the same as any food that you might eat (probably safer than some foods too). Today we will take about herbs that can be used to lower blood pressure but we will also cover other aspects of each of these herbs as well.

Hawthorn

Hawthorn has been used in traditional Chinese medicine as a way to reduce blood pressure. It has also been used in the west in modern and traditional remedies. It is commonly taken in pill form and as a tea. It can be included in other things too and is an ingredient in many natural foods.

Hawthorn promotes cardiovascular health and has multiple different effects. It is used to promote blood circulation. It helps with clot prevention. It could potentially help with high molester and help with management of cholesterol. It can help manage high blood pressure and low blood pressure.

Beyond blood pressure and general cardiovascular health it has an array of other uses. It has been used to help reduce anxiety and to help people relax. It has been used as a natural way to help with indigestion, stomach pain, and other problems with the digestive system. It has even been known to be used as a treatment for tapeworms. Hawthorn has even been used externally, on the skin, to treat sores and other skin related issues. Last but not least, it comes with antioxidants.

The parts of the plant that are used are usually the leaves and flowers. The berries are also commonly used in addition to these. This is a great plant that has been used for years as a natural medicine and has been included in different natural foods. As scientists and doctors continue to learn more about this terrific plant they are confirming much of what it has been known for and what it has been used for. They are also finding new things that the didn’t know about it previously.

Oregano

This is an herb that has the potential to reduce blood pressure but it is better know for its use as a delicious natural ingredient in food. It has a history in southern Italy where it is commonly used with natural foods like meat and vegetables. It is also commonly used in other Mediterranean and Middle Eastern foods. One of the more popular uses today has come from its use in Italian food in the US. It has become especially popular and well known as an Italian herb used in pizza.

This has been used in ancient times in Greece for a variety of things. These include helping with stomach problems and with sore throats. It has been used to treat respiratory problems and has even been used as an antiseptic. Another use is to treat nervous problems. The use that we are most interested in today is reducing blood pressure. Oregano does have the potential to reduce blood pressure.

As with many herbs and natural foods, in general, Oregano is filled with antioxidants. At the very least, along with better tasting food you will enjoy the benefits of the antioxidants.

You may be surprised to hear that it is actually used in other ways besides in food. It has been used as a tea and it has even been used externally. External use could include things like spider bites and similar things such as snake bites. It can be used to help treat menstrual problems like cramping. Fatigue is just another thing on the list of what this herb can potentially help to treat.

If all of this isn’t interesting enough, there is another use of of oregano. It can be used to kill intestinal parasites. While not 100% guaranteed ( still see a doctor for parasites ) it has been studied with basic tests showing that it does have potential in this area. It has the potential to kill germs in food. It is not 100% effective but is definitely an added benefit.

Like many natural, herb based on herbs, there is still a great deal of scientific research that still needs to be done so many of the benefits have only been partially proved and need to be studied furter. Still, for this specific herb, people have been using it for centuries with good results. Plus, since it is a great way to flavor your natural foods, you really can’t go wrong.

To be fair, it is important to mention that when oregano is used in medicinal concentrations, it could potentially have negative side effects. These effects should be considered when using it as a medicine but are not as much of a concern when it is just in foods. In very large dosages, it can be toxic. Remember, this is in medicinal dosages. So if you are using it in extracted form as medicine, pay attention and use the correct dosage ( food use is still OK and you can pour as much as you want on your pizza ). Another thing to consider is that it can work as a diuretic. If you take enough of it, like many things, you could end up with an upset stomach. If you happen to be pregnant, don’t use it as a medicine unless your doctor says it is 100% OK.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon, this is a great spice that people love to use in all sorts of things ranging from candies to coffee. It is used in savory foods and even used in sweet foods. In the west it is commonly used in things like chocolate and desserts like pies. In the Middle East and parts of Asia you are likely to find it in savory dishes like lamb. It is a great way to add flavor to foods, especially natural foods. These days, in the US, you practically can’t step out side without seeing an advertisement for pumpkin spice coffee, which wouldn’t exist without cinnamon.

Cinnamon is a spice that comes from the inner bark of a group of trees. It could be from any one of a group of related trees. There is one tree that is considered to be true cinnamon but really it is commonly taken from any of these different types of trees.

Cinnamon has been known to have many different favorable effects and has been used to treat or prevent different problems. The evidence for it’s effectiveness is still being studied and it hasn’t been proven completely effective for many of the things that it is used for yet. It is still used for many things. First, it is commonly used to lower blood pressure. It has also been said to lower blood sugar and help fight diabetes. One thing to note is that if you are taking medication for diabetes, you may end up having to adjust your dosage if you are also taking cinnamon. If this is the case though you should probably be checking with your doctor anyway.

Besides being a great natural food that lowers blood pressure, it also may be effective for a variety of other things as well. Cinnamon is known to contain antioxidants. It has been used as a way to reduce inflammation and as a way to fight bacteria.

A word of warning. If taken in extremely high doses, cinnamon can be toxic. This isn’t a reason for immediate panic or concern. For negative effects you would generally need a lot. When taken as an additive in food, it probably won’t come anywhere near these levels. You would need to either take it as a supplement or in ridiculously large amounts ( you would have to do this on purpose ). If you do decide to take it this way, use caution and do you’re research first. Even better, consult a doctor if you are planning to take it as a supplement. If you just want it on top of your coffee as a natural flavor that might be good for you, then don’t give it another thought. Just go right ahead.

Cat’s Claw

The herb cat’s claw, could be any one of multiple different species of plant. There are two species of this plant that are most commonly used. These are found naturally in South America. These have been used for centuries by the indigenous people of the region. Cat’s claw is normally used just as a medicine and not as a natural food or any type of food at all.

One of the good uses for cat’s claw is to lower blood pressure. It is used as treatment against hyper tension. This is important because it is very closely linked to life expectancy. Who among us doesn’t want to squeeze as many years as possible out of our lives? It is used as a supplement or tea.

It helps with many different aspects of the digestive system. It helps with problems relating to the stomach and with problems relating to both the large intestines and the small intestines. It helps reduce inflammation in all three of these areas which helps treat multiple different types of disorders. It can reduce problems associated with ulcers and hemorrhoids.

It also could help with arthritis. This is actually one of the major things that people use it for. It can help with rheumatoid arthritis and it can also help with osteoarthritis. Arthritis is also the treatment for which there is the most evidence that this is effective for ( other things may still work but need more research ). Besides that, it can be used by some to treat infections including cold sores. It also helps to heal infections.

There is a laundry list of other things that cat’s claw is good for. These include things like treating hyper tension and much more.

Garlic

Garlic is an absolutely terrific natural food. Yep, that’s right, it isn’t just an ingredient used in natural foods but many people ( myself included ) like to eat garlic by itself, many times even raw. If you are looking for a good natural way to reduce your blood pressure, garlic can help you do that while at the same time providing excellent flavor for your food. Garlic has been used as medicine and for a number of other less important purposes throughout the years. Traditionally, it was common around the Mediterranean, Middle East, and Asia. It has been much more rare in Northern Europe.

Garlic has been grown and used throughout history. Ancient Greeks and Romans grew and used it. They recorded its use for medicine and for food thousands of years ago. The same is true for Asia with China having recorded its use as far back as 2000 BC and possibly even further back. If you had to take an educated guess, you could probably say that it has been in use as long as people have been eating plants that they find growing. Basically any humans living in an area with a climate that would support the growth of garlic would have found what it can be used for pretty quickly. Its use in colder areas, like England are more recent and even though it has been grown there since around 1548 AD it has been used less extensively.

Besides being delicious and being a very functional way to ward off vampires, it does have great health benefits. Among these, is reduction of blood pressure. Garlic is a great way to reduce blood pressure and to keep hypertension under control. Tests that have been performed so far point to it being effective. Allicin is the natural chemical in garlic that is responsible for giving it a “hot” sensation. This is actually an anti-fungal and an antibiotic. This is also part of what gives garlic its smell. Believe it or not, garlic was actually used as an antiseptic to treat wounds during war. Another thing thing worth mentioning is that garlic can help reduce the risks of colon and stomach cancer. This works when eating it as food but not as much when taking it as a supplement.

When considering nutrition, garlic doesn’t disappoint. Even in large amounts it is low in calories. It is infused with a laundry list of vitamins and minerals. While eating a single clove of garlic isn’t going to give you the same level of vitamins as taking an actual vitamin, it is just part of your daily diet and helps bring your nutrient intake in line with where it should be. It is just one part of an entire, balanced, well thought out diet.

With many things that people take as supplements, one of the concerns that people might have is whether or not it is toxic or whether it has negative side effects. For garlic, this may seem like a crazy question to ask since it is just a natural ingredient used very commonly in so many different foods. We eat it every day. It isn’t something that we worry about being toxic. If this is what you thought, you would be partially correct. The worst thing that will typically happen from garlic is that you will have bad breath. Also, if you have a lot, the active chemicals in it will be excreted in your sweat causing you to temporarily smell bad. Beyond this, there are, surprisingly, ways in which it can have negative effects. There is the obvious problem that if someone does happen to be allergic to it, they might want to avoid it but this is true for pretty much anything. Also some people who are sensitive to it have had problems with burns when using it externally on the skin. It can effect or interact with certain medications. When taken in very high dosages as a supplement, it can potentially cause other side effects. Lastly, garlic probably shouldn’t be given to dogs or cats.

In Europe, garlic has historically been used to protect against evil. It has been used to keep away werewolves and vampires among other things. This is not 100% unique to Europe. In the Philippines it has been used to keep monsters away. One potential use for garlic ( though not proven ) is that it may repel mosquito. The way this works may be because of the chemicals that are released into the blood or the smell that is excreted. If I had to take a guess, I would speculate that maybe repelling mosquito has a parallel with repelling vampires. Maybe, people thought that if it can repel one thing that sucks blood, the it can repel another. Realistically though it is probably believed to have protective properties against monsters because it also provides real protection against sickness.

Basil

What doesn’t basil do? Today we are going to cover how it is used in medicine or for health purposes particularly with respect to blood pressure. For many of us though, when we think of basil, we don’t think of health. We just think of the tasty ingredient that is usually added to all of our favorite foods. Basil, is in your favorite foods, isn’t it? Of course it is.

Basil can do several different things. The first thing we are interested in today is that it can reduce blood pressure. It can be taken in concentrated forms ( don’t do this, see below ) or it can be eaten as food or with food. This is the route to go. It will provide a small benefit that when combined with other healthy choices will all add up to bring you much closer to where you want to be. If you want a natural way to help control blood pressure and you want to do it by selecting the right foods, basil is a good choice.

Basil also has antioxidant effects. It has been listed as an antimutagenic. It is supposed to have antiviral and antibacterial properties. Many plants have these because of their active ingredients. Often times a plant will include chemicals that are designed to fight off pests. These same chemicals can be used for the benefit of humans since the can help protect from microorganisms. It may even help to prevent cancer since it has been noted as being antitumorigenic.

It can be used to treat loss of appetite or stomach spasms. Also, it is used for many other digestive system issues like gas. It has been said to be a valuable treatment for many different things even including parasitic worms and kidney problems.

Basil is also great because it contains nutrients. These include calcium, potassium, iron, magnesium, and even vitamin C.

All of this sounds great but basil isn’t the most perfect herb to be used. In normal food amounts, it is completely safe and generally used for no other reason except that it tastes good. If you are using basil in your food, keep on eating it. It is a great choice when it comes to natural foods and you shouldn’t give it another thought. However, when taken in concentrated forms as in oils, it has been observed to cause health problems including the risk of liver cancer. Generally, I would say don’t use basil if it is extracted or if it is in an oil or supplemental form. If you do want to use it, just stick to eating it in food.

Just in case you wanted a quick aside about basil. It originally from Asia where it has been grown for longer than 5,000 years. It made its way to the west many hundreds of years ago ( at least 300 BC, maybe even longer ). It is used extensively in Southeast Asian cooking including Thai food. It is also very commonly in Mediterranean and specifically Italian cooking. Many different cultures have their own superstitions, traditions, and ideas about the herb.

My Recommendation

If you love good food, and I’m sure you do, you may want to follow this recommendation. I recommend that you ignore the cats claw and use cinnamon whenever you feel like it but not any more than usual. I recommend combining three of the herbs mentioned above. Combine oregano with garlic and basil. Combine these in your food. Try to make as many dishes as you can including all three of these. Of course, avoid processed foods too. Just cook healthy natural foods and make sure to include all three of these great complimentary ingredients. You can’t go wrong. You will end up making so many good tasting things and they will all work synergistically to improve your health.