Are herbal teas good for blood pressure?
High blood pressure is a condition that, in most cases, may go undetected.
For that reason, we may not be doing anything to lower blood pressure, which can be easy if we know the ideal remedies.
In this post, we explain how to control it naturally, symptoms, causes, herbs that serve stress, the best teas for high blood pressure and how to make it drop fast.
Some foods and herbs may help reduce blood pressure naturally.
What is hypertension, anyway?
Hypertension is known as the chronic state of high arterial pressure.
If our values stay consistently high, then we present the primary symptom.
Hypertension means that in our heart, something doesn’t work very well because we try harder.
It is also considered an important cause of cardiovascular diseases.
The blood that pumps the heart puts pressure on the walls of the arteries so that they can effectively carry blood to all the organs and structures of our body, which is what blood pressure means.
If this pressure on the arteries is maintained regularly, damage to the blood vessels can happen.
There are two or more pressure measures, maximum and minimum.
The maximum systolic pressure or measure is the moment the heart contracts, while the diastolic or minimal pressure is due to the moment of relaxation of the heart.
High blood pressure is an illness that can occur at all stages of life.
But it is more common among people over the age of 40. It can also appear from sudden changes in the body.
For instance, weight gain (overweight or obesity), pregnancy, kidney disease, diabetes or external factors may increase pressure.
Health hazards related to high blood pressure.
Not in vain, it’s called “The Silent Assassin.”
Because there are serious health risks associated with this disease, there is no question that we need to lower blood pressure.
Key impacts include, but are not limited to:
Damage to the inner organs, such as increasing the size of the heart. It can cause an accumulation of cholesterol in the arteries (atherosclerosis).
You are more susceptible to developing renal failure. It is linked to the expansion or rupture of the aortic artery, which may lead to death.
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The symptoms are hypertension or high blood pressure. As mentioned earlier, hypertension can go undetected.
However, a certain unease of unknown cause may arise from high pressure.
Potential signs of hypertension include:
- Headache.
- Roaring in your ears.
- Unjustified sweats.
- Blush to the cheeks.
- Dizziness.
- Weakness and fatigue.
- Palpitations.
- Trouble sleeping at night.
- Nosebleeds.
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Nine herbal teas for high blood pressure.
Rooibos Tea.
One of the antioxidants that contain this infusion is called cisoiide, which can decrease cardiovascular risk and blood pressure. Rooibos is not specifically a tea, but an herbal brew.
This comes from South Africa and offers us interesting benefits. Though you can take it at any hour of the day, the rooibos we can do at night.
Hibiscus Tea.
This drink is also usually one of the perfect choices to control blood pressure.
According to the researchers, the consumption of at least 3 cups of Hibiscus tea per day helps to dramatically reduce blood pressure by 13 points in 6 weeks.
Green Tea.
Green tea is a great tea for high blood pressure. It has relaxing properties, thus helping to relax blood vessels.
A green tea infusion enhances the effects of high blood pressure and also prevents the values to rise.
To prepare this remedy you only have to boil a glass of water and, when it reaches its boiling point, add a tablespoon of green tea.
Then let it rest for five minutes, strain, and drink by taking a small sip.
Moringa Tea.
Moringa Oleifera contains 15 times more potassium than a banana. This high level of potassium tends to lower sodium content.
Potassium is ideal for acting in the increasing excretion of sodium in the urine, which helps expand the blood vessels.
Moringa Oleifera also contains magnesium with zinc and vitamin E which are involved in lowering blood pressure with other nutrients.
White Tea.
This kind of tea improves the function of the arteries, lowers the pressure and regulates it. In addition, it is a good source of catechins, a group of antioxidants that reduce cholesterol levels and keep the arteries from hardening.
Ginger Tea.
Ginger is a great remedy and is known for its cardiovascular benefits as well.
It relaxes the muscles around the blood vessels and improves blood flow, contributing to lower blood pressure.
Linden Tea.
It is a powerful tranquilizer used to lower blood pressure and treat heart palpitations.
Anxiety may also be soothed by essential oils or a linden infusion; in both cases it will help us to rest better.
Basil Tea.
Stress is a factor that is harmful to cardiovascular health, and for this reason basil is used to prevent the incidence of this factor.
Basil provides adequate blood circulation and is a rich source of beta-carotene and magnesium, leading to reduced blood pressure.
Valerian Tea.
Valerian may be used in a number of ways.
To lower blood pressure, it is better to drink it in an infusion (because by increasing the consumption of fluids, we increase the production of urine and reduce the number of circulating fluids).
Valérian should be taken several times a day to keep us calm all day long.
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What are the typical blood pressure values?
Blood pressure is the pressure that blood places on the walls of blood vessels.
However, this pressure is reduced as the blood moves towards smaller vessels, such as capillaries.
Therefore, the value that we usually measure to know if this pressure is within a normal range is blood pressure, which is the one that exerts blood in the large arteries of the body.
This is what you get used to.
So what are the normal BP values?
Let us look at a couple of details to explain it. Blood pressure is expressed in millimeters of mercury (mmHg), referring to the early devices used to take blood pressure, as they needed mercury inside to perform the measurement.
When we take the tension, we are actually measuring two differentiable values, since the tension changes with the heartbeat:
Systole and Diastole, so we measure two blood pressure values to know if it is in the correct range:
Systolic arterial pressure, known as hypertension.
Diastolic blood pressure, referred to as hypotension.
Normal blood pressure values.
Blood pressure depends on a multitude of variables, but the value set as mean blood pressure is 120 mmHg for systolic and 80 mmHg for diastolic, which is usually expressed as 120/80 mmHg.
This value can vary from person to person, so there is a range that we can take as a reference to know if we have normal blood pressure values in adulthood: 90/60mmHg — 140/90 mmHg.
This means that if our blood pressure is below 90/60mmHg we have low blood pressure, and if it is above 140/90 mmHg we are hypertensive.
However, if your blood pressure fluctuates from 120/80 mmHg to 139/89 mmHg, it is considered “normal high” and you should keep an eye on it.
Normal blood pressure, age-appropriate.
As mentioned before, blood pressure can vary from person to person.
Some risk factors may therefore be linked to their specific characteristics:
Genetics: You are more susceptible to hypertension if you have a family history.
Gender: In early adulthood, men are more susceptible to high blood pressure than women. On the other hand, starting at 55, they are the ones who are at greatest risk.
Age: is another factor which can determine blood pressure levels. From the age of 60, the risk of hypertension increases due to the weakening of blood vessels.
In addition, we can define different normal average blood pressure values per age bracket.
Best herbal tea for high blood pressure.
Green tea is the one that has the greatest number of properties and benefits to healthcare.
It has relaxing properties that help relax the blood vessels.
A green tea infusion enhances the effects of high tension and also prevents the values to increase again.
To make this remedy, just boil a glass of water and, when it reaches its boiling point, add a tablespoon of green tea.
Then let it rest for five minutes, strain, and drink by taking small sips.
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Foods you shouldn’t eat with high blood pressure.
They are essentially those with high sodium and high saturated fats. Sausages. Salted. Canned. Precooked food. Sauces. Red meat. Chocolate and other sweets that, on top of sugar, contain trans fats. Caffeinated drinks and alcohol.
Food to reduce arterial pressure.
These are essentially fresh and watery foods that contain minerals such as potassium and vitamins C, A or B.
- Citrus, which is purified and high in vitamin C.
- Kiwi is more vital than citrus and very watery.
- Pineapple is an excellent diuretic fruit.
- Artichoke for its diuretic characteristics.
- Pumpkin prevents fluid retention as well.
- Garlic as a vasodilator.
- Celery, that eliminates toxins and is a diuretic. It has an anti-inflammatory effect on the arterial walls.
- Onion enhances blood flow and contains antioxidants to protect the walls of the arteries.
- Watermelon containing cucurbocitrine that dilates blood vessels and helps to filter urine in the kidneys.
- Cabbage, which are antioxidants and provide for healthy arteries.
- Carrot, rich in carotenes that lower cholesterol and protect arteries.
- Tomato contains lycopene that prevents the oxidation of LDL cholesterol.
- Green leafy vegetables (such as spinach) also remove fluids and contain vitamin K.
How to reduce blood pressure fast.
A study by the Benson-Henry Institute of Mind-Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital, affiliated with Harvard Medical School (USA) has compared a stress management technique called ‘relaxation response’ with education on lifestyle changes such as sodium reduction (less salt in meals), weight loss, and exercise.
They found that blood pressure was still dropping in the relaxation response group.
Additionally, 32% of volunteers in this group were able to remove an antihypertensive medication and control its pressure, compared to 14% of the lifestyle group.
The relaxation response, developed by Harvard Dr. Herbert Benson, has been demonstrated to reduce heart rate, blood pressure, respiration rate, and muscle strain.
These procedures are described as follows:
- Choose to focus on a word (such as ÔÇ£oneÔÇØ or ÔÇ£peaceÔÇØ), a brief sentence or a sentence.
- Sit down comfortably and close your eyes.
- Relax your muscles, gradually from legs to knees, thighs, abdomen to neck and face.
- Breathe slowly through your nose and silently repeat the word, phrase or sentence to yourself as you exhale.
- When other thoughts come to mind, do not worry, simply turn your attention to your word, or sentence.
- Do this for 10 to 20 minutes.
- Sit quietly for a minute or more and then open your eyes.
- Practice the relaxation response once or twice a day.
Ways to keep hypertension under check.
Relax to control stress. When we are stressed, our heart rate increases because the body releases adrenaline so we can stay alert.
Practicing techniques that help slow down, like yoga, tai chi, can help you channel stress and lower your stress values.
These are techniques that have been widely demonstrated to result in relaxation.
Exercising is key. We all know that exercise is essential to be healthy, but not everyone knows that it is vital to lower the tension without taking pills.
It is estimated that by regularly doing aerobic exercise (biking, biking, running), the low pressure 4.6 mmHg, and taking less salt, 3.6 mmHg.
And it also prevents, because exercise can lower the risk of hypertension by 70%.
More social life. Maintaining an active social life allows you to keep pressure in check.
Also, according to many studies, feeling lonely and having a bad mood is associated with high blood pressure.
If your friends are unavailable, expand your circle of friends.
You can sign up for workshops, courses, join groups that share your interests to meet new people.
Final thoughts.
High blood pressure is a risky situation, especially among the elderly, which can lead to a wide choice of cardiovascular diseases, as well as renal and cerebrovascular disorders.
The causes of hypertension can be extended, such as stress, excessive salt intake, being diabetic, or smoking.
Fortunately, there are a number of teas made with 100% natural ingredients that can help reduce hypertension and control blood pressure, so it no longer arises.
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