National High Blood Pressure Education Month
May is National High Blood Pressure Education Month and in participation with helping bring awareness we have some facts to share.
What is High Blood Pressure?
Blood pressure is the force of blood against your arity walls as it circulates through your body. High blood pressure can lead to heart disease and stroke.
Are you at risk of high blood pressure?
One in three American adults currently has high blood pressure.
What are the signs and symptoms?
High blood pressure usually has no signs or symptoms, which is how it became known as the ‘silent killer’. The best way to find out if you have high blood pressure it is to have your blood pressure checked by your doctor.*
How is it treated?
There is hope. Your doctor may prescribe medications to treat it. However lifestyle changes can be just as important if not more so. With proper treatment and management, you can control your blood pressure to help you live a long and healthy life. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Lifestyle Changes:
- Be physically active
- Limit alcohol use
- Don’t smoke
- Prevent or manage diabetes
What happens if high blood pressure is left untreated?
When left untreated, the damage that high blood pressure does to your circulatory system is a significant contributing factor to heart attack, stroke and other health threats.
What are some all natural treatments or preventatives?
Changing your diet and adding exercise to your day in general is conducive to a healthy heart and circulatory system. And while this is without a doubt a major step in the right direction there are other alternatives that can be just as beneficial to lowering blood pressure and heart health.**
Renovation Tea: Blood Pressure Tea:
Our Blood Pressure tea will help promote heart health and assist in the treatment of hypertension.
Ingredients: Hawthorn Berries, Parsley, Coriander, Flax Seeds and Basil.
- Hawthorn Berries - One of the ways in which the berries of the hawthorn tree may help to lower your blood pressure, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, is through dilation.
- Parsley - Parsley is very useful in high blood pressure. It contains elements, which help maintain the blood vessels, particularly, the capillaries. It keeps the arterial system in a healthy condition.
- Coriander Seeds - Is very helpful in lowering cholesterol levels. It also works as good diuretic. This is effective natural treatment for high blood pressure.
- Flax Seeds - Can help you regulate your blood pressure. Flaxseed provides 1.6 mg alpha-linolenic acid, or 100 percent of the daily value for this omega-3 fatty acid, per tablespoon. This heart-healthy fat may lower your blood pressure, according to the Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center.
- Basil - Decreases cholesterol protects the heart muscle and blood vessels and even is said to thin the blood to prevent strokes. It has also been reportedly used to treat stress-related high blood pressure by decreasing adrenaline levels in the body.
Renovation Tea: Heart Healthy Tea:
Ingredients: Hawthorn Leaf & Flowers, Willow Bark, Alfalfa, Yarrow Leaf & Flowers and Ground Flax Seeds
- Hawthorn Leaf & Flowers - According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, hawthorn leaf and flower extracts may help treat and manage milder forms of heart failure, during which the muscles of the heart weaken, and the organ is unable to pump blood effectively. University of Maryland Medical Center also states that hawthorn may also help reduce the number of medications required for heart disease patients. Hawthorn may also help lower the blood pressure, especially in patients suffering from type 2 diabetes However, the herb may also interfere with certain heart medications and hence should not be taken without consulting a doctor.
- Willow Bark - According to Mayo Clinic, daily aspirin therapy can be a useful intervention for serious cardiovascular diseases. Because willow bark acts as a natural precursor to aspirin-like compounds, it may be a safe, naturopathic alternative. Potential willow bark users should consult a health care provider about the relative benefits and risks of this form of the therapy.
- Alfalfa - According to a 1987 study published by the National Institutes of Health, alfalfa seeds help lower cholesterol levels in patients with high cholesterol and triglycerides.
- Yarrow Leaf & Flowers - May lower blood pressure slightly, and could make the effects of any prescription drugs you take to lower blood pressure stronger.
- Ground Flax Seeds - Numerous studies have been done on the effect of flax on heart disease, yielding many positive findings. Flax has been found to help reduce total cholesterol, LDL levels (the bad cholesterol), triglycerides. Flax helps to reduce clotting time and thereby reduces the chance for heart attacks and strokes.
Healthy
Eats:
Paleo Simple Grilled Salmon
Ingredients:
- 1 lb Salmon Filet
- 2 tsp Renovation Tea: Grilling Herbs
- 1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 Lemon, juice
- Black Pepper (to taste)
- Salt (to taste)
Instructions:
- Rinse salmon under cold water, pat dry with a paper towel, and cut into 4 equal-sized portions.
- In a jar, combine olive oil, fresh lemon juice, garlic, Renovation Tea: Grilling Herbs, salt, and pepper. Seal jar and shake vigorously to combine.
- Place salmon in an airtight container to marinate, pour marinade over salmon, and toss to ensure the salmon is fully coated.
- Marinate in the refrigerator for up to 1 hour prior to grilling.
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.
- Grill salmon 4 minutes a side over medium-high heat until beautifully seared.
- Serve with side salad.
Renovation Tea: Grilling
Herbs:
Tasted and tested to perfection our Grilling Herbs are exactly what you need to bring some extra flavor to your next cook out.
Organic Ingredients:Organic garlic, organic rosemary, organic black pepper, organic onion, organic thyme, and organic herb blend.
Learn more about High Blood Pressure!
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention:
http://www.cdc.gov/dhdsp/index.htm
High Blood Pressure Educational Material for Patients:
https://www.cdc.gov/bloodpressure/materials_for_patients.htm
The Facts about High Blood Pressure:
American Heart Association:
National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute:
*Note: A diagnosis of high blood pressure must be confirmed with a medical professional. A doctor should also evaluate any unusually low blood pressure readings.
**All alternative and natural remedies recommended here should be taken under doctors supervision. Always consult your physician before beginning any herbal program. This general information is not intended to diagnose any medical condition or to replace your healthcare professional. Consult with your healthcare professional to design an appropriate herbal treatment.