Too much salt in the diet or retained in the blood due to a genetic predisposition are common causes of hypertension.
How Sodium Increases Blood Pressure
The more sodium in your blood, the more blood volume increases because sodium attracts and retains water. As a result, the heart has to work harder to move the increased volume of blood through your blood vessels. This creates increased strain on the arteries and high blood pressure.
A medical study showed that in people with high blood pressure, eating less salt in the diet significantly lowers blood pressure--as much as taking a single blood pressure medication. The people in the study who consumed the least amount of salt--1,500 milligrams a day--experienced the most dramatic decrease: an average drop of 8.9 mm Hg in systolic pressure and of 4.5 mm Hg in diastolic pressure.
Salt or sodium chloride, is needed by the body to maintain fluid balance, transmit nerve impulses and regulate your blood pressure. However, no more than 200 to 500 milligrams of sodium a day, about a half teaspoon is needed. Even if salt is not directly consumed or added to food, salt is added to more food products than we realize. Nearly three-quarters of the salt consumed is in processed foods such as canned vegetables and soups, frozen dinners, cheese, chips, cookies, breakfast cereals, ketchup and even soft drinks.
Herbal and Supplement Help for Hypertension
Besides garlic, several less well known herbs and supplements are useful in treating hypertension and promoting vascular health.
The herb ginkgo biloba counteracts one cause of hypertension, the narrowing of blood vessels by causing dilation and increasing blood flow. Hawthorn is one of the most common herbs used for high blood pressure in traditional naturopathic medicine.
Taking 600 mg of magnesium daily will help to dilate blood vessels. In a Japanese study, magnesium intake was singled out as the most important dietary factor for controlling blood pressure. Potassium has also been shown to help patients with hypertension, especially if they are on diuretic medication. 200-300 milligrams daily of potassium is needed daily. Vitamin E has well known blood thinning effects that improves hypertension.
Exercise helps reduce blood pressure by improving the heart’s ability to pump blood, reducing blood lipids and in some individuals, reducing weight. Exercise should be undertaken gradually, taking the present level of health of the individual into consideration. The good news is that almost 80 per cent of individuals can reduce and prevent high blood pressure by changing diet and lifestyle. For further information see Medications That Lower Blood Pressure.
Additional Reading:
BUPA Health News: Intake Drops, But UK Cant Shake Salt Habit
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