High blood pressure, otherwise known as hypertension, is extremely common, and it’s no surprise considering this is one health issue where stress and anxiety can have immediate, measurable affects on a diagnostic reading. This is also a health issue that tends to build, with warning signs well in advance of having a situation that requires medication, which makes it an ideal sort of issue to tend to with herbs and other natural remedies such as diet and exercise, when there are warning signs in the very beginnings of impending imbalance. Warning signs can be occasional higher than normal blood pressure readings, aging with a family history of hypertension, a new life situation that involves a lot of stress, or habits that can lead to hypertension such as smoking. This is the time when herbs work best, when there is an imbalance beginning and the gentle nudges of herbs can help correct the situation if diet, exercise, and overall lifestyle are also supportive. If you are already at a point where you are on pharmaceuticals for any issue, including hypertension, then the herbs can still help, but it will take longer and you will have to be very careful and very communicative with your doctor. Don’t go off your medicines without consulting your doctor, and if your doctor doesn’t want you to supplement with herbs, you might need to get the support of a naturopath, TCM practitioner, or clinical herbalist to talk with your doc. (Or get a new doctor who is curious and open-minded enough to explore all options that might be best for his/her patients.) I must say that I’ve generally found the physicians in my life quite open to whatever health issue I wanted to explore through natural means, but not everyone has been so lucky.
Herbal allies~ Our old familiar friends, adaptogens, can support optimal health concerning blood pressure as well as many other things. To learn more about adaptogens and their many beneficial attributes, check out my free mini-course about them. This is a class of herbs that you take small amounts of for a long period of time, so this is not a quick fix, but instead a deep, fundamental shift toward healing and balancing. Adaptogens have both the ability to adapt to what a person needs and therefore are known to ‘not cause harm’, and also the ability to help the person adapt to stress of all kinds~ environmental, emotional, physical, mental, etc. The name pretty much says it all. Specific adaptogens that are especially good choices for regulating blood pressure according to David Winston and Steven Maimes are: tulsi (holy basil), astragalus, cordyceps, reishi, and jiaogulan. And just fyi, all those except for astragalus are also adaptogens that can help lower cholesterol. Astragalus is a great immune booster though and is traditionally viewed as an overall cardio-protective herb, so any of these herbs would be great additions to a daily health regimen. Another adaptogen that have a normalizing affect on blood pressure is schisandra which can help raise blood pressure when it is too low as well as lower high blood pressure.
One familiar herb that can help hypertension is hibiscus. Drinking two or three cups of high quality hibiscus tea, either warm or iced, can have a lowering effect on blood pressure. Garlic is another old favorite herb that can help with blood pressure as well as many other things such as lowering cholesterol, warding off bacteria, fighting fungal infections, and it is high in antioxidants. Including fresh or cooked garlic in meals is the best way to take in this medicinal superfood, but there are capsules for those who can’t quite fit a few garlic cloves into their meals on a daily basis.
Hawthorn berry is the classic Western tradition cardio-tonic herb. It is an herb that is taken for general cardiovascular health, including all heart specific issues, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. It has also been traditionally used for anxiety and sleep disorders. It has always been very well regarded and often used in Europe, and that remains the case, although the leaves and flowers have grown in popularity and are now included in herbal supplements, along with the berries, as in this supplement by Gaia Herbs. Hawthorn and hibiscus are combined in this tea if you are looking for a way to get both into your system at the same time. Hawthorn is a potent herb that should not be taken lightly for heart related ailments, especially if on any pharmaceutical drugs. Talk with your naturopath or other natural health advisor to see if this is a good herb for you.
A tea blend for lowering blood pressure from the Western Tradition by David Hoffman is the following: 2 parts Hawthorn berries, 2 parts Lime blossom, 2 parts Yarrow, and 1 part Mistletoe. The tea should be drunk three times a day, and can be modified for the specific person. For example, if it’s night time, valerian might be helpful for sleeping, or if anxiety during the day is a problem, you can add skullcap.
If you want to add essential oils into the healing mix, Valerie Ann Worwood sites four specifically for lowering blood pressure. They are: clary sage, hyssop, lavender, and marjoram. You can diffuse these in a room, make a room spray any combination of the four, wear them in an alcohol or oil based perfume, or add them to a bath.
Don’t forget the healing power of getting out into nature, doing physical activities you sincerely enjoy, and relieving stress in any healthy way that resonates with you. As always, please share with anyone who might benefit from it, and subscribe for weekly posts similar to this one. Best health to you and yours!
Thanks for the informative post! I have not heard of some of the herbs mentioned here.
What do you suggest for chronically low bp?
These adaptogens help regulate blood pressure whether high or low. They ‘adapt’ to the body’s needs in terms of blood pressure balance. Licorice is the one adaptogen known to raise blood pressure with long-term use, so that might be a great option for someone with chronically low bp. Thanks for asking!