High blood pressure is the most common risk factor for heart diseases. In addition to following a healthy diet lifestyle, using herbs can help lower your blood pressure effectively.
1. The importance of lowering high blood pressure
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, can have a major impact on your health if not effectively controlled, and is also a common risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
Your blood pressure is considered high if you have at least one of the following conditions:
- Systolic blood pressure is above 130 mmHg;
- Diastolic blood pressure is above 80 mmHg;
- Both systolic and diastolic blood pressure exceed the above two levels.
You can lower high blood pressure by medications, such as: Calcium channel blockers or ACE inhibitors. At the same time, combining some changes in diet and daily lifestyle to reduce blood pressure and the risk of cardiovascular disease.
In fact, some herbs and spices also help reduce high blood pressure, so you should consider adding them to your daily diet. However, you should consult your doctor before using any herbs or spices.
2. 10 Herbs to Lower High Blood Pressure
Here are the 10 most popular herbs that help people control and effectively improve their high blood pressure.
2.1. Basil helps lower high blood pressure
Basil is considered a very effective herb to lower high blood pressure. It is commonly used in alternative medicine because it is rich in powerful plant compounds.
Sweet basil provides a lot of eugenol, a plant-based antioxidant that acts as a natural calcium channel blocker, providing many great health benefits, including lowering high blood pressure and supporting blood vessel relaxation.
Basil is considered a very effective herb for reducing high blood pressure.
2.2. Parsley is a herb for reducing high blood pressure
To help lower high blood pressure, you can add parsley to your daily diet. This is a herb widely used in European, Middle Eastern and American cuisine.
Parsley contains many nutrients, especially carotenoids and vitamin C, which help reduce high blood pressure and bad LDL cholesterol (a substance that increases the risk of cardiovascular disease).
In addition, eating parsley regularly also helps reduce systolic and diastolic blood pressure, preventing calcium from entering the heart and arteries.
2.3. Celery seeds help lower high blood pressure
Celery seeds are a versatile spice. Celery seeds contain a lot of magnesium, calcium, iron, manganese and fiber. These nutrients have a similar role to calcium channel blockers, helping to effectively reduce high blood pressure.
2.4. Chinese cat's claw is a herb that reduces high blood pressure
If you are wondering "what to drink for high blood pressure", Chinese cat's claw extract is considered a reasonable choice for you.
Chinese cat's claw has long been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine to treat many diseases, including high blood pressure. This herb has the scientific name Uncaria rhynchophylla and is commonly known by other names such as Chotoko and Gou-Teng.
Chinese cat's claw contains rhynchophylline and hirsutene. These two compounds act similarly to a natural calcium channel blocker, stimulating the body's blood vessels to produce nitric oxide, thereby helping to relax the blood vessels and lower high blood pressure.
2.5. Bitter melon is very good for lowering high blood pressure
Bitter melon (Bacopa monnieri) is an herb that grows mainly in the marshy areas of South Asia. Since ancient times, Ayurvedic medicine has used it to treat various ailments, including anxiety, high blood pressure, and memory problems.
Some studies have shown that sea buckthorn has the ability to lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure by stimulating blood vessels to release nitric oxide. Therefore, regular use of this herb will effectively improve memory problems, anxiety, and depression.
2.6. Garlic helps lower high blood pressure
Garlic is a food that is rich in compounds that are beneficial for cardiovascular health. In particular, garlic contains sulfur compounds, such as allicin, which have the effect of increasing blood flow and relaxing blood vessels in the body. Overall, with these benefits, garlic can help you lower high blood pressure.
In a recent study, regular garlic consumption reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressure by 8.3 mmHg and 5.5 mmHg, respectively. In addition, taking 600 - 1,500 mg of garlic extract reduced blood pressure to the same extent as taking Atenolol.
2.7. Thyme lowers high blood pressure
Thyme is a very effective herb for reducing high blood pressure. It provides many compounds that are beneficial to health, typically rosmarinic acid. This compound has the effect of reducing inflammation, reducing blood sugar levels, increasing blood flow and lowering high blood pressure thanks to its ability to inhibit angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE).
ACE is a molecule that can narrow blood vessels and cause high blood pressure, so inhibiting this molecule will help reduce high blood pressure levels in the blood.
In addition, you can also take thyme extract to reduce some factors that lead to heart disease such as: LDL bad cholesterol, total cholesterol and triglycerides.
2.8. Cinnamon is a herb that reduces high blood pressure
Cinnamon is an aromatic spice, taken from the inner bark of the tree of the genus Cinnamomum. For centuries, people have used cinnamon in Traditional Medicine to treat cardiovascular diseases and high blood pressure.
Consuming cinnamon is considered a smart choice, helping you reduce 6.2 mmHg of systolic blood pressure and 3.9 mmHg of diastolic blood pressure. This effect will be more effective when you use cinnamon continuously for 12 weeks.
2.9. Ginger is very good for lowering high blood pressure
Ginger is a versatile spice and is often used to improve a number of cardiovascular health problems, including cholesterol levels, blood circulation and blood pressure.
Ginger acts as an ACE inhibitor and a natural calcium channel blocker. Therefore, it can help lower high blood pressure.
Therefore, consuming just 2-4 grams of ginger per day can help prevent the risk of high blood pressure to the lowest level. What's special is that this spice can be easily combined with other foods in the daily diet.
2.10. Cardamom reduces high blood pressure
Cardamom is a delicious spice, with a slightly sweet and spicy taste, providing many different antioxidants.
The substances in cardamom have the same effect as a diuretic and a natural calcium channel blocker, so it is considered a useful food in controlling high blood pressure.
In short, in addition to having a proper diet, using adequate medication and living a healthy lifestyle, people with high blood pressure need regular check-ups to check the level and prevent complications of the disease.
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Reference source: healthline.com
