Natural high blood pressure remedies

I’d like to add to this thread.

The Hibiscus flower tea has been clinically proven to lower BP. I consume a hibiscus tea at least three times a day (it has a wonderful taste). It has lowered my high blood pressure by 10-15 points. Its an amazing flower.

http://www.webm d.com/heart/new … ?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Sounds easy enough for me:) Thanks for the tip

Dino how much was your BP monitor? Im considering buying one, but with these rough times price is an issue.

Are you still on your meds? Im currently on cozaar, labetanol, and Furosemide. I dont feel like i get ED. Im pretty hard when it comes down to business.

I dont get morning wood though, might be one of the side effects but hopefully with PE that fill be fixed.

Any thing new? Any new Tips?

This thread appears to be ancient and I haven’t read it all but I can add natural raw garlic as opposed to a supplement of garlic. Apple cider vinegar in it’s whole organic form has seemed to do wonders for me. Of course losing weight and taking in healthy forms of fat and low sugar/carbohydrate can’t hurt. Add salt to virtually nothing since we all tend to get way more than we need in our modern diets.

# Paperback: 320 pages
# Publisher: Wiley (April 7, 2008)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 0470275405
# ISBN-13: 978-0470275405

Robert Kowalski, author of “The Blood Pressure Cure,” said that in order to lower your blood pressure without drugs, you should first know your blood pressure.

“What I really recommend is a home blood pressure monitor. It’s no more expensive than bathroom scales,” he said.

Kowalski said he has five secret weapons.

The first is a tomato extract called lycomato, a product made by several different brands.

Kowalski said that in two separate studies, “(Patients) took one pill (of lycomato) a day and it brought their blood pressure down eight to 11 points.”

Kowalski said the next step is to have a nightly cup of cocoa — not the mixes, but real cocoa filled with polyphenols — and the darker the cocoa the better. He said to make it with skim milk and a little sweetener.

“What it does is relax the lining of the arteries called the endothelium, making it more flexible and pliable so that the blood can more easily flow through,” he said.

The third step in the process is to take arginine, an amino acid. Kowalski said it’s a precursor to nitric oxide.

“The nitric oxide again causes the lining of the artery to expand and relax,” he said.

Kowalski said that because arginine is metabolized rapidly, he recommends a sustained release formula.

But a warning comes with arginine. In Kowalski’s book, he warned about a Johns Hopkins study of arginine and heart attack patients.

“There were six deaths in the arginine group and no deaths in the placebo group. So, my recommendation would be not to use this until more studies show that it is safe,” said Dr. Charles Cummings, a Baltimore cardiologist from Mid-Atlantic Cardiovascular.

The fourth step on Kowalsi’s list includes taking MegaNatural BP grape seed extract. The extract is sold under a number of brand names. Kowalski’s book cited studies that showed an eight- to 11-point drop in blood pressure.

No. 5 on Kowalski’s list was pycnogenol, an antioxidant made from pine trees. He said it’s another nitric oxide producer.

“Here’s my little trick. (It’s kind of like a) salt substitute. Instead of being sodium chloride, it’s potassium chloride,” he said.

Kowalski said people need more potassium to balance the sodium. He said if people don’t like the taste of pycnogenol sprinkled on food, try cooking with it.

“You won’t taste it, and at every meal it becomes high in potassium to blunt the sodium,” he said.

Cummings said Kowalski made some very good points in his book.

“It is true that by adopting some of the changes he suggests, we can reduce our medications significantly. But the idea that someone who’s been on blood pressure pills for a long time can get off them is completely is unrealistic,” he said.

Kowalski said people with high blood pressure should at least know about the medications they are taking, but don’t frown about them. He said that sends a message to the brain.

“The body perceives it as something is wrong. Cortisol and norepenephrine are released, causing the blood pressure and heart rate to go up,” Kowalski said.

Kowalski had another tip for those with high blood pressure.

“Find a way every day just to be nice to yourself. It helps you reduce your blood pressure, and it’s better than taking a pill,” he said.

Kowalski also recommended deep breathing for two to three minutes, three or four times a day. He said it’s another way to help bring your blood pressure down.

In the same book, he really liked this product with ZERO side effects.

http://www.resp erate.com/us/we … come/index.aspx

Nitric Oxide is naturally increased by belly breathing and humming

Interesting thread. I’ve had high blood pressure since my late 30s - when they put me on atenelol. I finally asked off it last year and I can’t really believe the huge difference (I’m on lisinopril now, a different class of drugs). Better mood, way improved energy, restored skin color, less struggle with weight, etc, etc, etc. I feel like a new man. !@#!@#!@ That drug atenelol.

http://en.wikip … g/wiki/Atenolol vs http://en.wikip … wiki/Lisinopril

Yup, but something not noted in the article on Atenolol is that beta blockers in general (follow the link to beta blockers in the article) are frequently used as an anti-anxiety medication, especially by performers. They block the action of adrenaline among other things. While I was on this medication I felt emotionally dead, but suffered from random outbursts in the evenings, which was hard on my marriage. I also could not become embarrassed. I do perform occasionally, but anxiety has never been an issue. After switching off the beta blocker to the ACE Inhibitor I was happy to get my emotions back. The first time I got embarrassed again I was giggling with happiness. (strange I know, but hey, that’s what happened). As an amateur artist and musician my emotions, anxieties and feelings are really important and comfortable to me. It has been exhilarating to get them back.

I switched due to athletic performance issues (see below) and because of the possibility of atenolol encouraging type 2 diabetes, which runs in my family. Happy to discover the other positive changes.

I know everyone is different and what works/doesn’t work for me will be different than you, but that is really my point. I mentioned this only so that people are aware that these drugs have big side effects, and sometimes it’s so subtle over time you don’t even notice it. I told my doctor about it and he nodded and said, ‘It’s like the background noise you don’t notice until it stops." I’m currently working on some lifestyle changes that I hope will get me off all drugs entirely, getting close. :)

One last note on Atenolol - I run the occasional 5k. During the time I was on atenolol I couldn’t get my heart rate above about 135-145 no matter how I tried. Nice to be able to work out my heart muscle now (carefully, I use a heart monitor etc.) Already seeing performance gains, before I couldn’t get up into the zone to improve.

I don’t think beta blockers meet the standard of care anymore for hypertension. Just too many risks and downsides, particularly when other drugs are available. The other class to stay away from is thiazide diuretics.

Care to elaborate?

From what I’ve read, both of these drug classes can trigger those with a predisposition into full fledged type 2 diabetes. But more relevant here, they are notorious for causing adverse sexual side effects. In the case of beta blockers, both ED and loss of libido. For thiazides, it’s mainly ED. I experienced this myself, and the problem went away when I got off HCTZ. The loss of function can come on gradually, so it sometimes gets blamed on something else.

Here’s a Medical Q&A site with some entries on this subject:

http://www.medi calfaq.net/thia … ics/ta-55151/p4

Doctors love these drugs because they work on blood pressure, and they’re cheap. But I’ve found that doctors tend to be less interested in side effects. They generally just want you to make the numbers (140/80 or whatever) and everything else is of secondary importance. Patients tend to see it the other way.

Everyone can do his own research, but since alternatives are available, I just stay away from these two drug classes.

My extensive research prior to requesting the switch with my doc uncovered exactly the same concerns as ChuckR mentioned. And when I talked to my doc I asked him ‘If you were prescribing me high blood medicine today, what would you use and why.” He said the ACE inhibitor and cited the same things we’ve been talking about. I thought to myself “then why the hell didn’t you switch me sooner.” It’s important to not depend on your doctor completely, you have to look out for your own health, most just respond to emergency things instead of thinking holistically.