HYPERTENSION (HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE)
Blood pressure of a person is measured with the help of an instrument called as a 'Sphygmomanomete'. The higher figure is the systolic pressure that indicates the period of muscular contraction for pumping the blood. The lower figure indicates the diastolic pressure that indicates the resting period between two heartbeats. The normal blood pressure of an individual ranges from 110/70 to 140/90 mmHg. Adding 100 to the age of the individual is the normal blood pressure of that individual. When the blood pressure increases more than the normal values, in more than one reading and in more than one sitting, then it is termed as 'hypertension'. Heredity, stress or emotional disturbances, faulty style of living and obesity are some of the most common causative factors. Other factors influencing or aggravating the blood pressure are consumption of too much of salt, fatty food, alcohol and smoking.
In more than 95% of cases a specific underlying cause of hypertension cannot be found and such patients are said to have essential hypertension. In 5% of the cases, hypertension can be shown to be a consequence of a specific disease or faulty diet (taking a high salt diet, fatty food or too much of alcohol) and is termed as 'secondary hypertension'. Hypertension is also called as a 'silent killer' since without any warning signs or symptoms, it goes on damaging the internal organs and the person may die suddenly because of its complication. When left untreated, it can lead to atrial fibrillation, ischaemic heart disease, left ventricular failure, stroke, progressive kidney failure and occasionally damage to the eyes . Brisk walking and regular other exercises like swimming, aerobics, cycling, running, etc. are useful to reduce the blood pressure. He or she must develop a calm and cheerful attitude and develop a contented frame of mind. The patient must get at least eight hours of good sleep and try and avoid any kind of mental stress, worries, tension and other disturbing emotions. Losing weight is of utmost importance in obese patients with this complaint. Eat only when you are hungry and avoid eating in between the fixed meal times. Quit smoking completely and limit drinking alcohol to a minimum since it causes the blood vessels to constrict and thus increase the blood pressure automatically.
HOME REMEDIES
1. Animal fats, egg, fatty food, hot and spicy food, hydrogenated oils, meat, refined white flour, salt and sweets should be strictly avoided. Avoid sugar and use pure honey instead. Use rock salt (which is rich in magnesium sulphate) instead of refined salt. Nut butters and margarine is allowed to some extent and oil prepared from sunflower seeds and maize is the best to be used. All types of dry fruits are allowed. Fruits
and boiled vegetables are better than cereals and pulses for this patient.
2. Increase the intake of potassium [found in apricots, avocados, bananas, beans, cantaloupe, dried fruits like prunes (dried plums) and raisins, fish, oranges, peaches, potatoes and tomatoes].
3. Also increase your intake of calcium (found in broccoli, cheese, low-fat milk, sesame seeds, spinach and yogurt) and magnesium (found in nuts, dark green leafy vegetables, peas, seafood and soybeans).
4. Chewing two cloves of garlic daily after meals helps to reduce the blood pressure by dilating the blood vessel. It also slows down the pulse rate and modifies the heart rhythm, besides relieving the symptoms of dizziness, numbness, shortness of breath and the formation of gas within the digestive tract.
5. Onions should be taken daily, even in the form of soups to reduce the blood pressure.
6. Mix a tablespoon each of fresh Indian gooseberry (amla) juice and honey and take it daily in the morning.
7. Tender coconut water or fruit juices are useful.
8. Bitter gourd (karela), drumsticks (saijan ki phalli), patola and bimbi are the most useful vegetables. They should avoid colocasia and yellow variety of pumpkin. Celery leaves (ajwan-ka-patta) is one of the most useful vegetables to be taken by a hypertensive patient since it helps to lower the blood pressure by relaxing the smooth muscle lining of the arteries.
9. Orange, banana, guava and apples are considered very useful for hypertension.
10. Potatoes, especially in the boiled form (boiled with the skin), are rich in potassium but not in sodium salts and so are useful for lowering the blood pressure.
11. Also the magnesium present in this vegetable exercises beneficial effects in lowering the blood pressure.
12. Eating at least half a watermelon and lots of grapefruit (chakotra) daily helps to reduce the blood pressure. Also the seeds of watermelon should be dried, roasted and then had.
13. Fresh lemon juice and orange juice is a useful arterial tonic and thus useful for high blood pressure.
14. One gram of Vitamin C, 1000 milligrams of Calcium and 400-600 milligrams of Magnesium per day act as useful supplements to decrease the blood pressure significantly.
15. Soak a few dates overnight in water and then in the morning crush them in the same water (after removing the seeds) and then drink this twice a week.
16. Almond oil can be given in a dose of one-teaspoonful doses at bedtime in a cup of warm milk. It helps in soothing the nerves and thus reduces blood pressure.
17. Drink a glassful of a mixture of carrot (300 ml) and spinach (palak) or beetroot (200 ml) juice twice daily.
18. Add one to two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar and a teaspoon of honey to a glass of warm water and sip it with every meal.
19. Rice is beneficial for hypertensive patients since it has a low fat, low cholesterol and low salt content. Calcium in brown rice soothes and relaxes the nervous system and helps relieve the symptoms of high blood pressure.
20. Take a teaspoonful of powdered fenugreek (methi) seeds in water and a drink of buttermilk with it.
21. Honey and holy basil leaf (tulsi) juice mixed together is a useful drink for hypertension.
