Also known as hypertension, high blood pressure occurs when the pressure in your blood vessels is unusually high. The consequences of high blood pressure can be serious if not treated. Luckily, there are many prevention methods and ways to address high blood pressure through natural health, including diet and nutrition protocols, supplement regimes, herbal medicine and lifestyle adjustments.

Blood Pressure Readings:

The blood pressure reading is in two parts, systolic and diastolic. The first (systolic) measures the pressure when your heart is pushing blood out into the arteries. The second (diastolic) measures the same pressure, but between beats when your heart is at rest.

A normal reading would be around 120 systolic over 80 diastolic, usually written 120/80 mmHg. High blood pressure ranges from 135 systolic or above and over 85 diastolic[I].

Blood pressure can vary naturally, even over the course of a day. Simple, every day situations like being under stress for an exam or a trip to the dentist, for example, can raise blood pressure considerably.

Causes of high blood pressure:

High blood pressure rarely has noticeable symptoms, this is why it is important to have your blood pressure checked regularly, especially if there are any factors such as taking certain medications or herbs which may affect it. Such medications include the contraceptive pill., steroids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen),some cough and cold remedies and some herbal remedies – particularly those containing liquorice.

Many lifestyle factors such as using tobacco or drinking alcohol can negatively impact blood pressure. Other factors include:

• Advancing age
• Studies found a higher prevalence of high blood pressure in people with Black African or Black Caribbean heritage (including people with Asian heritage) [i] [ii]
• Being overweight or obese.
• Being pregnant
• Menopause or other hormonal shifts relating to female reproductive hormones
• Too much salt (sodium) in your diet
• Too little potassium in your diet
• Not being physically active

The conventional medical approach to treating high blood pressure is through popular prescription drugs such as diuretics, Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitors (ACEI) and calcium channel blockers.

Dietary, testing and supplement advice for high blood pressure

Nutritional Therapy:

Nutritional therapy consultations are a great way to learn about your individual requirements in terms of improving your blood pressure and maintaining good cardiovascular health. High blood pressure can also be connected to other conditions such as headaches. Migraines have been linked with high blood pressure. However, whether high blood pressure causes migraines is yet to be confirmed with further evidence[iii].

Testing:

Holistic practitioners will seek to find the root cause of high blood pressure. There are many physiological factors which may affect blood pressure. Low levels of certain vitamins such as vitamin D, for example, can impact blood pressure and cause raised blood pressure levels[iv]. Exposure to high levels of certain metals can have a similar effect. Therefore, functional testing or ascertaining a person’s nutritional profile may be especially helpful.

Supplements:

Cardio Multi (60 Caps) by Viridian is a specific formulation featuring a blend of supportive vitamins to promote cardiovascular health and function including vitamin D[v], magnesium, vitamin E[vi], Co-Enzymes[vii], B-vitamins[viii] and garlic[ix].

Fish Oil:

Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) have positive effects on high blood pressure and inflammatory mediators, which are driving factors for heart disease[x].

Eskimo Extra (50 caps) from Eskimo provide 300mg of EPA and 200mg of DHA per capsule. Alternatively, try Krill Oil (30 caps) from Kiki Health, sustainably harvested in Antarctic waters and manufactured using low temperatures and efficient fractionation methods that remove unwanted contaminants. Krill are shrimp-like crustaceans, they are a particularly good source of omega-3 fatty acids and have been shown to help prevent heart attacks and strokes. Evidence from research shows that krill oil helps lower blood pressure and triglyceride levels in the blood, which are both risk factors for high blood pressure and heart disease[xi].

Mineral Balance:

The mineral elements sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium play a critical role in the normal regulation of blood pressure[xii]. Potassium contributes to the maintenance of normal blood pressure, whilst adequate magnesium supplementation has the ability to help lower blood pressure, as seen in studies[xiii].

Try: Potassium and Magnesium Citrate Powder (150g) Viridian / Potassium Magnesium (citrate) (180 Capsules) Pure Encapsulations.

Other top choices for healthy blood pressure:

• Borage/Starflower Oil (90 Caps) by Cytoplan. This product provides excellent levels of gamma linolenic acid (GLA). The GLA content of borage oil was seen to improve blood pressure readings and cholesterol metabolism in hypertension[xiv]
• Blood sugar balance must be regulated to reduce risk of damage to blood vessels of the cardiovascular system, which can be implicated in high blood pressure[xv]. A major part of controlling blood sugar lies in consuming enough protein. Protein powders such as Warrior Blend Protein Chocolate by Sun Warrior, can help you hit your protein intake goals.
• Reishi Mushroom - Organic Powder (200g) by Myconutri. Reishi is said to have blood pressure-lowering properties amidst a host of other benefits[xvi]. Read more on Reishi and other medicinal mushrooms here.

Herbal choices for hypertension:

Rosehip in scientific studies resulted in a significant reduction of systolic blood pressure [xvii]. Hibiscus tea was also put forward as an effective application to lower blood pressure in patients with stage 1 hypertension[xviii]. Try Wild Rosehip & Hibiscus Tea.

Similarly, hawthorn berry and hawthorn extract were seen in studies to be effective in not only lowering blood pressure, but also benefiting cardiovascular health and lowering stroke risk[xix] [xx]. Try Hawthorn Berry (60 Caps) by Viridian.

Dietary and lifestyle recommendations for high blood pressure

Include whole-foods and reduced refined foods and refined grains. Eating a diet that includes lots of fibre, such as wholegrain rice, bread and pasta, and plenty of fruit and vegetables is beneficial for a healthy cardiovascular system and stable blood sugar.

Reduce sodium intake[xxi]. Sodium is high in processed food, pre-packaged meals, sauces and dressings. A great way to lower sodium intake is to cook from scratch, batch cooking is a great time-saving method if you are low on time during your daily schedule. Also, replace table salt with sea salt or Himalayan salt as they usually contain more minerals. Go a step further by reducing salt additions to food and replacing it with fresh herbs or dried seaweed mixes to add subtle flavours with all the goodness of these food sources.

• Include healthy sources of potassium such as:
  • Dried fruits (raisins, apricots)
  • Beans, lentils.
  • Potatoes.
  • Winter squash (butternut)
  • Spinach, broccoli.
  • Beet greens.
  • Avocado.
  • Bananas.

Water intake: Don't forget the importance of drinking the right amount of water for your body, weight, activity levels. Just increasing your water intake has been shown to improve blood pressure reading, and is a simple and free step towards healthy blood pressure. For more information see our article on water.