In America, 67 million peoples have been diagnosed with hypertension, and the number is climbing.  Hypertension is the medical term for high blood pressure.  There many causes of this disease, the main one is poor nutrition.    A few others are over eating, age, sleep apnea, hormonal disorders, kidney disease, drugs, and lack of exercise.  High blood pressure is a reaction to the waste that is inside of blood vessels. This excess sludge that is on the walls of blood vessels causes the heart to work harder.  High cholesterol can clog the arteries.    Excess cholesterol can also damage the heart and blood vessels.  The blood pressure is a natural function that Allah Ta Ala has create which sustains life.  So what is blood pressure actually?  It is the amount of force exerted in the blood stream as it passes through the arteries.  When the heart contracts or squeezes down it forces blood into the arteries.  This is called systolic pressure (the top number on the diagnostic reading). 

Diastolic pressure happens when the heart is at rest or relaxing in between beats.  At this time the heart is filled with blood and pressure against the artery wall drops.  This is the bottom figure in the diagnostic reading.  If you have a reading of 120/80 this is considered normal.  A reading of 140/85-90 is considered border line and as the numbers increase the problems may occur.  As we age our blood pressure does rise a little.   Heart attack is one of the major killers in America.  Every 34 seconds someone passes of a heart attack or stroke.  Understanding how the heart works and what it needs helps you take care of it better.   There many herbs, exercises, and foods that help reduce blood pressure.   Modern living has cause many illnesses.  Fast food, processed, high fat content, refined sugar and high fructose corn syrup are the main villains in this fight for health.

HERBS:

Some of the best herbs to have in your cabinet to lower blood pressure are; hawthorn leaves berries (cardiac herb), kelp (reduces H.B.P and high cholesterol), valerian (nervine tonic, tranquilizer sedative), fenugreek (dissolves mucus and fatty substances), parsley (diuretic blood cleanser), ginger (dilating), dandelions (diuretic), these are all very helpful.

Foods

Some of the best foods to eat are; high fiber foods, kiwi, celery (diuretic), garlic is the number ONE herb for lowering blood pressure and cholesterol, onion (lowers blood pressure), tomatoes (high in gamma- amino- butyric acid (GABA) which brings down blood pressure, carrots (anti-oxidant, fiber, and potassium), coconut water (high in potassium and magnesium), asparagus (blood builder, stimulates the kidneys),  parsley (is a blood purifier) avocado (high in vitamin A, and contains 14 mineral), papaya, cucumbers, watermelon, raw wheat grass, broccoli, pomegranate, and oregano are great foods to have is your diet.  Also a study done in “The Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics,” said that daily blueberry intake lowers the blood pressure, and arterial stiffness.  Making an herbal tea, which consists of cardamom pods and powdered ginger is very helpful too. 

Drinking at least 15 glasses of water would be helpful.  Many people may think this sounds absurd, however try it.  Flushing the system is a great way of pushing out unwanted sludge. The foods we eat are toxic.  We needed the freshest sources of food we can get.  Eating too much protein, and too little fruits and vegetables elevates the blood pressure.  If we are truly looking for a solution for H.B.P, we have to change the relationship we have with food.   Too much sugar, meat, and junk foods causes the blood pressure to stay high.  Finally here is a smoothie recipe to show the versatility of food, when it is aimed at good health, and well-being.  Think before you eat, read the labels and take high blood pressure seriously.  It is called the silent killer for a reason.

High Blood Pressure Smoothie

Organic strawberries a few

Desi yogurt / Greek yogurt / home-made yogurt

1 kiwi

1 banana

½ tsp. ground flax seed

Organic whole milk

Honey to taste

Resources;

1.       Fit for Life by Harvey and Marilyn Diamond

2.       Foods that Heal by Dr. Bernard Jensen

3.       The Green Pharmacy by James A. Duke, Ph.D

4.       Health and Healing by Dr. Andrew Weil M.D

5.       Foods the Harm Foods that Heal; An A-Z Guide to Safe and Healthy Eating by Readers Digest