High blood pressure orhypertension - to give it the correct medical term - is regarded as the silentkiller. It is a disease of the modern age. The fast pace of life and the mentaland physical pressures caused by the industrial and metropolitan environmentsgive rise to psychological tensions. Worry and mental tension increases theadrenaline in the blood stream and this, in turn, causes the pressure of theblood to rise.

The blood whichcirculates through the arteries within the body supplies every cell withnourishment and oxygen. The force exert by the heart as it pumps the blood intothe large arteries creates a pressure within them and this is called bloodpressure. A certain level of blood pressure is thus essential to keep the bloodcirculating in the body. But when the pressure becomes too high, it results inhypertension which is caused by spasm or narrowing of the small blood vessels,known as capillaries, throughout the body. This narrowing puts more stress onthe heart to pump blood through the blood vessels. Hence, the pressure of theblood to get through rises in proportion to the pressure on the heart.

The blood pressure ismeasured with the instrument called sphygmomanometer in millimeters of mercury.The highest pressure reached during each heart beat is called systolic pressureand the lowest between the two beats is known as diastolic pressure. The firstgives the pressure of the contraction of the heart as it pushes the blood onits journey through the body and indicates the activity of the heart. Thesecond represents the pressure present in the artery when the heart

is relaxed and shows thecondition of the blood vessels. The blood pressure level considered normal is120/70, but may go up to 140 /90 and still be normal. Within this range, thelower the reading, the better. Blood pressure between 140/90 and 160/95 isconsidered border line area.

From 160/96 to 180/114 ,it is classed as moderate hypertension, while 180/115 and upward is consideredsevere. A raised diastolic pressure is considered more serious than the raised systolicpressure as it has a serious long-term effect. The higher the pressure thegreater the danger it causes to the wall.

Symptoms

Mild and moderatehypertension may not produce any symptoms for years. The first symptoms mayappear in the form of pain toward the back of the head and neck on waking inthe morning, which soon disappears. Some of the other usual symptoms ofhypertension are dizziness, aches and pains in the arms, shoulder region, leg,back, etc., palpitations, pain in the heart region, frequent urination, nervoustension and fatigue, crossness, emotional upset, tiredness and wakefulness.

A person suffering fromhigh blood pressure cannot do any serious work, feels tired and out of sortsall the time. He may experience difficulty in breathing and suffer fromdyspepsia.

Hypertension, if noteliminated, may cause heart attacks or strokes or other disability conditions suchas detachment of the terina.

Causes

The most importantcauses of hypertension are stress and a faulty style of living. People who areusually tense suffer from high blood pressure, especially when under stress. Ifthe stress continues for a longperiod, the pressure may become permanentlyraised and may not become even after removal of the stress. An irregular lifestyle, smoking and an excessive intake of intoxicants, tea, coffee, coladrinks, refined foods, destroy the natural pace of life. The expulsion of wasteand poisonous matter from the body is prevented and the arteries and the veins becomeslack. hardening of the arteries , obesity, diabetes and severe constipationalso lead to hypertension. Other causes of high blood pressure are excessiveintake of pain killers, common table salt, food allergies and eating a highfat, low fibre diet, processed foods deficient in essential nutrients.

The kidneys play animportant role in controlling blood pressure through secretion of rennin, a naturalchemical. If increased rennin is secreted by the kidneys, more salts are retainedin the body, which leads to an increase in the volume of circulating blood andconsequently to an increase in the blood pressure. Repeated infections and inflammationin the kidneys can also give rise to hypertension.

The Cure

The modern medicaltreatment of high blood pressure is highly unscientific as it brings down the pressureby drugs without making any effort to remove the underlying causes. Drugs may temporarilyreduce blood pressure,but they do not cure the condition and are harmful in theultimate analysis. All drugs against hypertension without exception, are toxicand have distressing side effects. The safest way to cure hypertension is toremove the real cause. The natural way of dealing with it is to eliminate thepoisons from the system which cause it. Persons with high blood pressure shouldalways follow a well-balanced routine of proper diet, exercise and rest. Dietis of primary importance. Meat and eggs cause the blood pressure to rise more thanany other food. The pressure is lowered and blood clotting diminished bypartaking of a higher fruit content, lower protein and non-flesh diet. Anatural diet consisting of fresh fruits and vegetables, instead of atraditional diet, is helpful in getting rid of the poisons from the body. A hypertensionpatient should start the process of healing by living on an exclusivefruit-diet for at least a week, and take fruits at five-hourly intervals thricein the day. Oranges, apples, pears,

mangoes, guava,pineapples, raspberry, water-melon are the best diet in such cases. Bananas andjack fruit should not be taken. Milk may be taken after a week of ‘fruits only’diet. The milk should be fresh and should be boiled only once. The patient canbe permitted cereals in his food after two weeks.

Vegetables are also goodfor the patient of hypertension. They should preferably be taken raw. If theyare cooked, it should be ensured that their natural juices are not burnt in theprocess of cooking. Vegetables like cucumber, carrot, tomatoes, onion, radish,cabbage and spinach are best taken in their raw form. They may be cut intosmall pieces and sprinkled with a little salt and the juice of a lemon added tothem so as to make them more palatable.

Garlic is regarded asone of the most effective remedies to lower blood pressure. The pressure andtension are reduced because it has the power to ease the spasms of the smallarteries.

Garlic also slows thepulse and modifies the heart rhythm besides relieving the symptoms of dizziness,numbness, shortness of breath and the formation of gas within the digestivetract. The average dosage should be two to three capsules a day to make a dentin the blood pressure.

Indian gooseberry (amla)is another effective food remedy for high blood pressure. A

tablespoonful each offresh amla juice and honey mixed together should be taken every morning in thiscondition. Lemon is also regarded as a valuable food to control high bloodpressure. It is a rich source of vitamin P which is found both in the juice andpeel of the fruit. This vitamin is essential for preventing capillaryfragility.

Watermelon is anothervaluable safeguard against high blood pressure. It was proved in recent experimentsthat a substance extracted from watermelon seeds has a definite action indilating the blood vessels, which results in lowering the blood pressure.

Recent studies haverevealed an important link between dietary calcium and potassium and hypertension.Researchers have found that people who take potassium-rich diets have a low incidenceof hypertension even if they do not control their salt-intake. They have alsofound that people with hypertension do not seem to get much calcium in the formof dairy products. The two essential nutrients seem to help the body throw offexcess sodium and are involved in important functions which control the workingof the vascular system. Potassium is found in abundance in fruits andvegetables and calcium in dairy products.

Exercise plays animportant role in curing hypertension. Walking is an excellent form ofexercise.

It helps to relievetension, builds up the muscles and aids in the circulation of blood. As theblood pressure shows signs of abating, more exercise like bicycling, swimming,jogging should be taken. Yogic asanas such as surya namaskar, makrasana,matsyasana,vajrasana, ardhapadmasana, pavan-muktasana, shavasana and simple pranayama likeanuloma-viloma and abdominal breathing are beneficial. All asanas should,however, be discontinued except shavasana if the blood pressure is above 200milimeters.

Water Treatment

Prolonged neutral bathdaily for an hour or so at 90 o to 95 o will be beneficial. Cold compress shouldbe kept on the head during this bath. Other water treatments include hot footor leg bath for 10 minutes, hot compress over the heart replacing it as bathcools down.

Persons suffering fromhypertension must ensure at least eight hours of restful sleep, because properrest is an important aspect of the treatment. Most important of all, thepatient must avoid over-straining, worries, tension, anger and haste. He musttry to be cheerful and develop a contented mind. The natural treatment may takesometime but it is the safest and best way to get rid of this disease.

HomeRemedies for High Blood Pressure

• The most effective home remedy to treat high blood pressure would be to chew a clove of garlic in an empty stomach. Have a glass of water to swallow it down.
• Take 1 tablespoon each of fresh amla juice and honey in the morning. This is an effective natural remedy to lower the blood pressure.
• Add a tsp of cayenne pepper in half a cup of warm water. Drink this mixture whenever there is an increase in the blood pressure.
• Take equal proportions of watermelon seeds and khas khas. Grind them to make a powdery substance. Have 1 tsp of this powder on an empty stomach in the morning and in the evening. This is helpful in controlling the high blood pressure.
• In 100 grams of water, squeeze half a lemon. Have this concoction after every two hours. This would provide relief and also lower the blood pressure.
• Consume a tsp of fenugreek seeds with water. Repeat this both in the morning and evening for 10 to 15 days.
• A piece or two of garlic rolled in raisins would act beneficially in lowering the blood pressure.
• Consume 4 leaves of holy basil and two leaves of neem with 2-4 teaspoonfuls of water. Have this in an empty stomach for a week. This is effective in treating high blood pressure.
• Consume fresh papaya in an empty stomach for a month. This would help lower the high blood pressure.
• In 1-2 tsp of curd, take some Spiegel seeds. This is a good remedy for treating high blood pressure.
• Walk barefoot on green grass for about 15 to 20 minutes everyday. This improves blood circulation and helps to maintain the blood pressure at normal.
• Take equal proportions of onion juice and honey. Take 2 tablespoons of this mixture two times a day. This is an effective natural remedy to cure high blood pressure.
• Prepare a powdered mixture by adding equal proportions of fennel seeds, cumin seeds and sugar. Add a tsp of this powdered mixture in a glassful of water and drink it. In taking this once in the morning and evening is likely to solve the high blood pressure problem.
• Put hot compress over the heart. It is also useful in curing high blood pressure.
• Consuming baked potatoes are another effective way to cure high blood pressure.
• Prepare a juice using 25 to 30 curry leaves in a cup of water. Strain this drink and consume it in the morning. Lime juice can also be added to the mixture

Reference: http://www.healthlibrary.com , www.iloveindia.com/home-remedies