Introduction

According to the American Heart Association, nearly one in three adults in the United States has high blood pressure. But nearly one-third of those people don't know they have high blood pressure, because it's a silent disease. People can have high blood pressure for years without experiencing symptoms or knowing they have it.

The upper or first number in a blood pressure reading is the systolic pressure and the lower or second number is called the diastolic pressure. According to National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute guidelines:

• Normal blood pressure is below 120/80 mmHg.
  
• Prehypertension is systolic pressure that's between 120 to 139 or diastolic pressure between 80 and 89.
  
• Stage 1 hypertension is systolic pressure between 140 to 159 or diastolic pressure between 90 and 99.
  
• Stage 2 hypertension is systolic pressure higher than 160 or diastolic pressure of 100 or higher.

Herbs and Supplements To Avoid

Herbs that have been found or suspected to cause high blood pressure include:
Licorice
Ephedra
Asian Gingsen
Rosemary essential oil.

Traditional Chinese Medicine

In traditional Chinese medicine, high blood pressure is often attributed to a problem with the circulation of vital energy (qi) in the body. Chinese medicine practitioners believe that depression, anger, obesity, and high intake of fatty foods are some of the causative factors.

A combination of acupuncture and herbs is often recommended. Foods thought to have medicinal properties that may help high blood pressure include water chestnut, turnip, honey, Chinese celery, hawthorn berries, and mung beans.

Emotions also play a role in our health.

Ayurvedic Medicine

In Ayurveda, the traditional medicine of India, high blood pressure is treated according to each person’s dosha, or constitutional type.

The pitta type may have a flushed face, red eyes, headaches, light sensitivity, irritability, and nosebleeds.

The kapha type may have excess weight, water retention, high cholesterol, sluggishness.

The vata type may feel cold, have gas, bloating, or constipation, insomnia, or nervousness, worry, or anxiety.

Aerobic Exercise

Aerobic exercise is an important part of the natural approach to lower high blood pressure. A meta-analysis of 105 trials involving a total of 6805 participants found that aerobic exercise was associated with a mean reduction in systolic blood pressure of 4.6 mm Hg, with corresponding reductions in diastolic blood pressure.

People with high blood pressure should speak with their doctor first before embarking on a new exercise program.

Regular exercise helps keep arteries elastic, even in older people, which in turn ensures blood flow and normal blood pressure. Sedentary people have a 35% greater risk of developing hypertension than athletes do.

It should be noted that high-intensity exercise may not lower blood pressure as effectively as moderate-intensity exercise. In one study, moderate exercise (jogging two miles a day) controlled hypertension so well that more than half the patients who had been taking drugs for high blood pressure were able to discontinue their medication. Experts recommend at least 30 minutes of exercise on most -- if not all days.

Yoga

Preliminary studies have found that yoga may lower blood pressure.

Studies have indicated that yoga and tai chi, an ancient Chinese exercise involving slow, relaxing movements, may lower blood pressure almost as well as moderate-intensity aerobic exercises.

Biofeedback

Biofeedback is a technique in which people learn how to gain control over internal body processes that normally occur involuntarily, such as blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension, and skin temperature.

Biofeedback is primarily used for high blood pressure, migraine, tension headache, chronic pain, and urinary incontinence.

Of the different types of biofeedback, thermal feedback (which measures skin temperature) and electrodermal activity feedback (which uses a probe that responds to sweat) may be more effective than direct blood pressure feedback or electromyography (EMG), which measures muscle tension.

Autogenic Training

Autogenic training is a technique used for stress reduction and relaxation. It involves a series of sessions in which people learn how to control breathing, blood pressure, heart rate, and body temperature.

People learn six exercises that each involve a certain posture (e.g reclining in a chair), concentration without a goal, imagination, and verbal cues. Each exercise is learned by watching a teacher demonstrate it or by reading a description. It requires regular practice.

Mind-Body Interventions

Mind-body interventions, particularly autogenic training, biofeedback, and yoga, have been found to modestly reduce high blood pressure compared with placebo.

Calcium, Magnesium, and Potassium

Calcium. Calcium supplementation appears to have a modest but statistically significiant reduction in systolic blood pressure (mean difference of 2.5 mm Hg), however better quality studies are needed.

Potassium. A meta-analysis of five trials indicated that potassium supplementation compared to a control resulted in a large but statistically non-significant reduction in systolic blood pressure (mean difference 11.2 mm Hg) and diastolic blood pressure (5.0 mm hg).

Magnesium. In 12 randomized controlled trials, participants receiving magnesium supplements did not have a significantly reduction in systolic blood pressure, but they did have a statistically significantly reduction in diastolic blood pressure (mean difference 2.2 mm Hg).

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Cow's milk and dairy products are probably the most well-known dietary source of calcium. One cup of cows' milk has 276 mg calcium. Experts recommend that everyone consumes three servings of dairy every day. You can also add calcium to your diet by taking calcium supplements. Experts suggest that you take 1,000 to 1,500 mgs per day. You may also wish to take 800 IU of vitamin D supplements along with your calcium.

Fish such as salmon, cod, flounder, and sardines are good sources of potassium. Various other meats also contain potassium.

Vegetables including broccoli, peas, lima beans, tomatoes, potatoes (especially their skins), and leafy green vegetables such as spinach, lettuce, and parsley contain potassium.

Fruits that contain significant sources of potassium are citrus fruits, apples, bananas, and apricots. Dried apricots contain more potassium than fresh apricots.

Most dietary magnesium comes from vegetables, particularly dark green, leafy vegetables. Other foods that are good sources of magnesium are:

• Soy products, such as soy flour and tofu
• Legumes and seeds
• Nuts (such as almonds and cashews)
• Whole grains (such as brown rice and millet)
• Fruits or vegetables (such as bananas, dried apricots, and avocados)

Diet

Changing your diet is an important part of lowering high blood pressure. The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet is promoted by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Insitutes of Health (NIH).

The DASH diet includes fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy foods, beans and nuts. Sodium is limited to 2,400 mg per day.

Studies have found that the DASH diet can reduce high blood pressure within two weeks. These are the daily guidelines of the DASH diet:

• 7 to 8 servings of grains
  
• 4 to 5 servings of vegetables
  
• 4 to 5 servings of fruit
  
• 2 to 3 servings of low-fat or non-fat dairy
  
• 2 or less servings of meat, fish, or poultry
  
• 2 to 3 servings of fats and oils
  
• 4 to 5 servings per week of nuts, seeds, and dry beans
  
• Less than 5 servings a week of sweets

Serving Sizes
1/2 cup cooked rice or pasta
1 slice bread
1 cup raw vegetables or fruit
1/2 cup cooked vegetables or fruit
8 oz. of milk
1 teaspoon olive oil
3 ounces cooked meat
3 ounces tofu

A related diet called the DASH-Sodium reduces sodium to 1,500 mg a day, which is approximately equal to 2/3 teaspoon from all sources (processed and canned foods contain hidden salt).

Patients following the DASH-Sodium diet had a significant reduction in high blood pressure.

Folic acid

Definition

Folic acid is a type of B vitamin. It is water-soluble, which means it cannot be stored in the body. Water-soluble vitamins dissolve in water. Leftover amounts of the vitamin leave the body through the urine. That means you need a continuous supply of the vitamin in your diet.

Alternative Names

Vitamin B9; Folate; Diet - folic acid; Pteroylglutamic acidFolate is a B vitamin necessary for formation of red blood cells. It may help to lower high blood pressure in some people, possibly by reducing elevated homocysteine levels.

High Blood Pressure

One small study of 24 cigarette smokers found that four weeks of folic acid supplementation significantly lowered blood pressure.

Fish Oil

FISH OIL, OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS are essential fats. It is promoted to help support a healthy heart. This dietary supplement is used to add to a healthy diet. The FDA has not approved this supplement for any medical use.

Preliminary studies suggest that fish oil may have a modest effect on high blood pressure. Although fish oil supplements often contain both DHA (docohexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), there is some evidence that DHA is the ingredient that lowers high blood pressure.

Hawthorn

The herb hawthorn is often used by traditional herbal practitioners for high blood pressure.

In a randomized controlled trial conducted by researchers in Reading, UK, 79 patients with type 2 diabetes were randomized to receive either 1200 mg of hawthorn extract a day or placebo for 16 weeks. Medication for high blood pressure was used by 71% of the patients.

At the end of the 16 weeks, patients taking the hawthorn supplement had a significant reduction in mean diastolic blood pressure (2.6 mm Hg). No herb-drug interactions were reported.

GarlicGarlic

Also called Allium sativum.

In a meta-analysis of seven randomized controlled trials of garlic supplements, three trials showed a significant reduction in systolic blood pressure and four in diastolic blood pressure. Researchers concluded that garlic powder supplement may be of clinical use in patients with mild high blood pressure.

Garlic supplements should only be used under the supervision of a qualified health practitioner. Garlic can thin the blood (reduce the ability of blood to clot) similar to aspirin. Garlic may interact with many drugs and supplements such as the prescription "blood-thinners" drugs such as Coumadin (warfarin) or Trental (pentoxifylline), aspirin, vitamin E, gingko. It is usually recommended that people taking garlic stop in the weeks before and after any type of surgery.

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10)

There is some evidence that the supplement CoQ10 may help to reduce high blood pressure.

A 12 week double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 83 people with systolic hypertension examined the effect of CoQ10 supplements (60 mg twice daily). After the 12 weeks, there was a mean reduction in systolic blood pressure of 17.8 mm Hg in the Coq10-treated group.

Another study conducted at the University of Western Australia looked at the effect of CoQ10 on blood pressure and glycemic control in 74 people with type 2 diabetes. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either 100mg CoQ10 twice daily, 200mg of the drug fenfibrate, both, or neither for 12 weeks.

CoQ10 significantly reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressure(mean reduction 6.1 mm Hg and 2.9 mm Hg respectively). There was also a reduction in HbA1C, a marker for long-term glycemic control.

Dosage

A typical CoQ10 dosage is 30 to 90 mg per day, taken in divided doses, but the recommended amount can be as high as 200 mg per day.

CoQ10 is fat-soluble, so it is better absorbed when taken with a meal that contains oil or fat.

The clinical effect is not immediate and may take up to eight weeks.