The American Heart Association characterizes blood pressure as the internal force of the blood pushing against your arterial walls. When this force is abnormally high, it usually means you're suffering from high blood pressure. Also referred to as hypertension, this condition takes a toll on the health of your arteries, leading to vascular weakness and scarring. This can cause the blood vessels to narrow, restricting blood flow and resulting in a number of serious health conditions. While there are a variety of medications that can help to lower your blood pressure, certain herbs sometimes provide the same results.
Always discuss the use of any other herbal treatments with your doctor. Not only can a medical professional help determine if an herbal treatment can benefit you, but he can inform you of any potential interactions between an herb and a prescription medication.
Gingko Biloba
Gingko biloba is one herb that may help to improve your blood pressure readings. It's said to lower blood pressure by dilating the blood vessels. As arteries widen, blood flow is met with less resistance, which decreases the force placed on the arterial walls, and thereby lowers blood pressure.
Turmeric
The active ingredient of curcumin found in turmeric may also help to lower your blood pressure, explains the National Institutes of Health. It acts as an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant, which may improve blood flow and even strengthen the arterial walls. It's also been known to enhance the effects of standard blood pressure medications.
Hawthorn Berry
The University of Maryland Medical Center notes hawthorn berry as an herb that can potentially lower blood pressure. Like gingko biloba, this herb dilates the blood vessels, which can help to improve blood flow and lower blood pressure. It's also thought to protect the blood vessels from damage, decreasing the risk of vascular weakness and scarring.
Ginger Root
Ginger root is more commonly used to treat gastrointestinal problems, like nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, but it may also be of some benefit to high blood pressure. This herb interferes with your blood ability to clot, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. This reduces the risk of arterial blockage, allowing the blood to flow more freely through the blood vessels, reducing internal force placed on the arterial walls.
Olive Leaf
The Herbal Supplement Guide suggests the use of olive leaf to lower blood pressure. A preliminary study conducted by the Department of Pharmacology at Cairo University noted hypotensive effects of this extract on rats. However, other factors could also be in play, such as the L-arginine methyl ester. This substance used to induce the high blood pressure could have something to do with the positive effects.
