SayN Posted June 17, 2009 My wife has been diagnosed with high blood pressure and her medication is making her feel 'funny' which could just be psychological. Are there any known natural remedies she could try? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
apothecary Posted June 17, 2009 I have been spending some time recently on the Ayurveda front so will input in that regard: Rauwolfia serpentina, Terminalia arjuna, Tribulus terrestris, Boerhaavia diffusa, also... "A paste made of about 1 gm of garlic should be mixed with a glass of buttermilk. Drink this buttermilk twice a day. It will bring your blood pressure down." "Soak 1tsp fenugreek seed in water for a night and munch them early in the morning on empty stomach. It will reduce your cholesterol and excess fats". Arjuna has been shown to produce dose dependent hypotension, probably the best bet. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
santiago Posted June 17, 2009 buckwheat (fagopyrum esculentum), hawthorn (crataegus oxyacantha), mistletoe (Viscum album), bears garlic (Allium ursinum), Arnica (Arnica montana) and unpolished brown rice are claimed to combat high blood pressure and arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). Cottage cheese, garlic and salads also can bring down blood pressure. Apparently salt, protein and alcohol can all increase high blood pressure. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
faustus Posted June 17, 2009 re: this search for "natural" remedies. when you consume these remedies, your aim is still to consume a drug. you need to consider a few things: - most drugs are derived from compounds present in plants and other biological sources - these drugs are usually tweaks of the "natural" drug so they're more pharmacologically selective (=fewer side-effects) and have greater potency than the natural compound - would you rather take a drug whos efficacy and safety is established vs a drug that might be derived from a natural source, but is still poorly understood? my point is that in and of itself, the fact that a compound is naturally-occuring doesn't make it safer than its man-made counterpart. all drugs will have side-effects. in regards to your question crayz, what meds is your wife currently on and can you provide more detail about her condition? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chiral Posted June 17, 2009 Oats and oily fish high in omega's can help with high blood pressure as can drinking plenty of water and eating raw vegetables like celery and carrots. H. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
apothecary Posted June 17, 2009 re: this search for "natural" remedies. when you consume these remedies, your aim is still to consume a drug. you need to consider a few things:- most drugs are derived from compounds present in plants and other biological sources - these drugs are usually tweaks of the "natural" drug so they're more pharmacologically selective (=fewer side-effects) and have greater potency than the natural compound - would you rather take a drug whos efficacy and safety is established vs a drug that might be derived from a natural source, but is still poorly understood? my point is that in and of itself, the fact that a compound is naturally-occuring doesn't make it safer than its man-made counterpart. all drugs will have side-effects. I would point out on several regards where the natural "version" of a compound is more bioavailable than the synthetic (e.g. L-dopa from beans compared to synthetic L-dopa provided for Parkinsons patients), where the efficacy and safety of a ancient medicinal preparation versus FDA approval (re Vioxx anyone?!) etcetera. Plants advocated by me in this case are not so simply because they are natural, but rather as part of a broad and ancient medicinal system which is "backed up" by the inclusion of the same plants in other ancient medicinal systems (especially TCM in a few of the plants listed above) for use in the treatment of same/similar symptoms. In the end, a double blind study is what proves it right or wrong, and especially in the case of Arjuna, which has benefited from a dual understanding - both from modern science and Ayurveda -. in regards to your question crayz, what meds is your wife currently on and can you provide more detail about her condition? Definitely a good q! Should have asked. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tenacioustornado Posted June 17, 2009 hawthorne berries is really common for this I hear they work, but it takes regular long term use for it to stay consistent. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SayN Posted June 17, 2009 Daily she has been taking 20mg of Lipitor for high cholesterol for the last month or two and now 40mg Micardis for her high blood pressure. my wife neither drinks or smokes and we eat pretty well (because I love cooking). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WoodDragon Posted June 17, 2009 A few years back I was involved in the testing of people in a randomised, placebo-controlled pharmacological trial of F/D garlic in mild/moderate hypertensives. Not all responded to the preparation, but some did quite noticably. A lot more work needs to be done to sort out who might benefit from garlic, but I saw enough to convince me that some people's hypertensive conditions might respond well. Importantly, members of the allium family inhibit platelet clotting as well, so anyone on anti-clotting medication, or with a clotting disorder, should be extra careful using it medicinally without supervision, as Faustus says - or better still, get the appropriate medical supervision. Nevertheless, if there are no contraindications to its use, garlic might be an effective part of some types of hypertension-control. Probably better would be to incorporate it as a part of a lifestyle prophylactic approach to maintaining good blood pressure, along with other components of a 'Mediterranean' diet, and exercise. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
planthelper Posted June 17, 2009 as wd says good diet and excercise! topicstarter basicly you admitt to having a rich diet, and this alone can be the reason for high blood pressure.... somehow the shaman inside me just had an idea, but this idea is soley based on intuition apart from some dusty memories. anyway, maybe laurus nobilis (bay laurel) has the potential to be beneficial in this case (romans loved laurel and they loved food even more) a check at ars-grin would suffice if this huntch has any merits.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
