Herbs and Spices for High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure, also referred to as hypertension, is a condition that ups your risk of stroke and other serious conditions. Adding a few herbs to your diet can help you lower your blood pressure without medications. These herbs work by helping the kidneys excrete salt and fluids, and simultaneously strengthening arterial walls.

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Garlic (Allium sativum) has heart-healthy antioxidants that help lower blood pressure when consumed in raw form. Just add aroma, taste, nutrition to your dishes and lower your blood pressure.

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Cayenne pepper is more than just a tasty spice. The herb promotes blood circulation, while cleansing the blood of cholesterol. Thus, adding cayenne pepper to your diet can keep your heart healthy.

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Ginger is a powerhouse of health benefits and can help reduce blood pressure in a way that is similar to some medications. The spice helps circulation by relaxing blood vessels, which helps lower blood pressure.

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The wide range of turmeric health benefits including lowering blood pressure come mainly from its main ingredient, curcumin. The antioxidant strengthens blood vessels and improves blood flow.

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Aloe vera holds many benefits for skin and health. It has glycoprotein's and polysaccharides substances that help to control blood sugar and also lower blood pressure.

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Red clover, one of the richest sources of isoflavones, helps thinning blood. Thin blood circulates easier, reduces the pressure on the heart and lowers blood pressure.

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Cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum) is peppery, citrusy spice with many health benefits. A study published by the Indian Journal of Biochemistry and Biophysics suggests that cardamom is effective as a blood pressure-lowering agent.

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Onions are loaded with many chemicals that keep away health ailments. It contains high level of quercetin, a type of antioxidant flavonol, which is reckoned for its ability to prevent stroke and heart diseases.

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Flaxseed makes a great herb for high blood pressure owing to the high levels of alpha-linolenic acid. The essential fatty acid is beneficial in the prevention, treatment and hypertension management.

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Oregano has a compound called carvacrol which has been proven to be effective against blood pressure. In a study at the Eskisehir Osmangazi University in Turkey, the compound was found to reduce heart rate, mean arterial pressure as well as the systolic and diastolic blood pressures.

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The herb is used in many food preparations to add flavor. Extracts of Basil when added to food have significantly shown good results in terms of lowering the blood pressure. Keeping a Basil plant handy in the kitchen will let you add leaves to food items like salads, soups and pastas more frequently.

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Cinnamon when consumed in proper quantity on the daily basis has shown to reduce the blood pressure notably especially in people suffering from diabetes. You can sprinkle cinnamon powder on your cereals or coffee to enhance the flavor and at the same time keep your blood pressure under check.

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Hawthorn has been used as a remedy for lowering the blood pressure by the traditional Chinese medicines for centuries. The medicinal preparation made from Hawthorn not only helps reducing the blood pressure, it also helps preventing clot formation and increases the circulation of blood. Hawthorn can be consumed in form of a pill or tea.

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Celery is a diuretic therefore it can be an effective remedy for bringing blood pressure under control. Added to soups and stews for flavor, Celery seeds are used in China to fight hypertension. But these can also be used to fight high blood pressure.

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Lavender is a multipurpose herb. The oil produced from Lavender has been used as an ingredient added to perfumes and its application helps reducing stress. The herb can also effectively reduce blood pressure. Lavender flowers can be used in baked food items.

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Cat’s Claw is a herb used to reduce hypertension and treat other neurological health issues. The herb acts upon the calcium channels in the body thus reducing the blood pressure.

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Oil made from olives can help reduce the blood pressure and is considered to be the healthiest. Studies have shown that consumption of olive oil on the daily basis can reduce the dosage of medication for blood pressure by 50 per cent.

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