Treating High Blood Pressure Naturally
Mark Sandoval, M.D.
Lifestyle Medicine
Lifestyle Medicine
- Eat a high-fiber diet, add barley
- Drink lots of water (at least 1 ounce of water for every 2 pounds that you weigh)
- Nutritional supplements
| a | Garlic (10-15 cloves of garlic daily. The garlic may be steamed about 5 minutes in order to prevent a reaction of the stomach) |
| b. | Celery (three large stalks daily) |
| c. | Flax seed freshly ground (2 tablespoons daily) |
| d. | Blond psyllium (3.5g 3 times daily) |
| e. | Coenzyme Q10 (120-200mg daily) |
| f. | Folic acid (5-10mg daily) |
| g. | L-arginine (4-24g daily) |
| h. | Wheat bran (daily) |
| i. | Grapes (250g daily) |
| j. | Kiwi (3 daily) |
| k. | Magnesium (600-1000mg daily) |
| l. | Pomegranate juice (50-200ml daily) |
| m. | Quercetin (365mg twice daily) |
| n. | Soy (18-40g soy protein daily) |
- Salt restriction (3/4 teaspoon maximum daily in all foods)
- Regular moderate exercise (walking, biking, weights, etc.) every day, up to 2 hours daily
- Relaxation
- Sunshine exposure (30-60 minutes daily)
- Deep breathing exercises (breathe in for a count of 4, hold for a count of 7, breathe out for a count of 9, repeat 10 times, repeat at least every hour during the day)
- Muscle stretches a couple times daily
- Massage
| a. | 5-minute foot rub |
| b. | Head/neck/face massage to help with sleep |
- Reduce noise levels in home
- Avoid
| a. | Caffeine |
| b. | Sugar |
| c. | Sodas |
| d. | All refined foods |
| e. | Overeating |
| f. | Animal foods/products |
- Hydrotherapy
a | Hot foot-bath (as hot as you can tolerate well [not if you have diabetes, circulation problems in your feet/legs, or blood clots in your legs], for 20 minutes) |
| b. | Warm bath for at least 30 minutes |
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- If sleep apnea, do the following:
| a. | Elevate the head of the bed |
| b. | Use a tongue-retaining device |
| c. | Get a CPAP machine and use it |
| d. | Lose weight (most sleep apnea will resolve if you lose enough weight) |
| e. | Skip supper |
| f. | Fresh air in bedroom |
| g. | No restrictive clothing |
- Stress reduction – identify problem and emotions associated with them, confess them to God. Look for opposites in scripture. Write down texts and repeat out loud along with a short prayer of faith any time the negative thought comes to mind.
- Herbal treatments
Teas: hawthorn berry leaf and/or flower, olive leaf, black cumin seed, and hibiscus have been shown to reduce high blood pressure. There is some evidence (although less convincing) that American ginseng, cardamom, chanca piedra, coleus, indian snakeroot, lavender, motherwort, noni, sea buckthorn, stevia, and yucca can reduce blood pressure as well. Roots and barks are to be boiled for 20 minutes. Leaves and flowers are to be steeped in hot water for 20 minutes. Powders can be added at the end. Add two teaspoons of each herb to 8 cups water and prepare. Let it cool before drinking. Drink over the next 2 days.
| b. | Sweet orange juice drunk daily. |
| c. | Onion extract (132mg 3 times daily). |
| d. | Pycnogenol (200mg daily) |
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