Reducing Blood Pressure with Herbal Medicine

Reducing blood pressure with herbal medicine is a natural alternative to expensive prescription medications. Although this option isn't for everyone, if your blood pressure is borderline or slightly elevated, try an herbal solution. If you have, or suspect you have, high blood pressure, check with your physician before beginning any course of treatment, and tell your doctor about any herbal preparations you may be taking.

Natural Remedies for High Blood Pressure

Almost one in every three adults has high blood pressure, or hypertension, but doesn't know it. When testing your blood pressure, a reading of below 120/80 is considered normal. High blood pressure categories are:

• Prehypertension - Systolic pressure 120 to 139 or diastolic pressure 80 to 89
• Hypertension Stage 1 - Systolic pressure 140 to 159 or diastolic pressure 90 to 99
• Hypertension Stage 2 - Systolic pressure 160 or higher or diastolic pressure 100 or higher

If you have high blood pressure, changing your lifestyle by reducing your sodium intake and exercising more could help improve your numbers without additional intervention. Quitting smoking and losing a few pounds if you're overweight will help too. If these lifestyle modifications haven't done the trick, reducing blood pressure with herbal medicine or dietary changes may.

Cayenne is naturally high in sulfur compounds that the body uses to create hydrogen sulfide in the lining of the blood vessels via an enzyme called CSE (cystathionine gamma-lyase). Because hydrogen sulfide helps to regulate blood pressure and needs sulfur to do it, cayenne and other high sulfur herbs and vegetables can provide the raw materials necessary for the body to lower blood pressure naturally.

Cayenne is available fresh, dried and in capsule form.

Hawthorne is a vasodilator that helps to lower blood pressure. It is rich in bioflavonoids that help to strengthen blood vessels, too. By increasing blood flow to the heart, hawthorne helps to oxygenate the blood. It's also an effective diuretic that helps to eliminate excess salt and water from the body.

Hawthorne is considered relatively safe under most circumstances, but use discretion when treating children, pregnant women or the elderly.

Hawthorn has been effective in treating angina, atherosclerosis and high cholesterol. Preparations from the flowers and berries of the hawthorne plant can be taken as tinctures, teas or in capsule form.

Garlic has shown promise in treating mild hypertension, but it can react with other drugs and work as a blood-thinner, so it should always be used as a supplement under a doctor's supervision. It is typically taken in powdered form. If you want to add fresh garlic to your diet to enjoy some of its blood pressure lowering benefits, be sure to eat it raw. Cooking garlic will reduce its health benefits.

Garlic is also effective in treating high cholesterol.

A natural sedative, valerian is effective at lowering blood pressure because it relaxes the muscles surrounding the walls of veins and arteries. It can be particularly effective when used to reduce stress. Valerian can also be administered as an effective muscle relaxer to relieve the symptoms of chronic back pain. Although often credited with being an ingredient in the drug Valium, valerian is not related to Valium in any way.

Pregnant or nursing women should not take Valerian. It has also been known to cause heart palpitations and headaches.

Usually available as a tincture or in capsule form, valerian root can also be made into a relaxing tea.

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