The Natural vs. The Unnatural

Like medications for hypertension, there are many nutritional supplements for hypertension that can make a remarkable difference in high blood pressure. However, the difference lies in the natural vs. the unnatural. Nutritional supplements, which are derived from natural sources such as plants and herbs, are intended to provide nutritional support to the preferred nutritional diet. Taking supplements are not supposed to replace a lifestyle of eating right, but we’ll discuss more on that later. Getting back to supplements, these can help with lowering blood pressure: calcium, vitamin coenzyme Q10 and flaxseed meal. You can also try herbal medicines, which rarely have significant side effects when used appropriately and at suggested doses. On occasion, an herb at the prescribed dose causes stomach upset or a headache. This side effect may reflect the purity of the preparation or added ingredients, such as synthetic binders or fillers. For this reason, it is recommended that only high-quality products be used. As with all medications, discuss this with your physician prior to beginning any supplemental regimen. Keep in mind that more is not better and overdosing can lead to serious illness and death. Furthermore, combining nutritional supplements with intake of pharmaceutical drugs can cause unwanted chemical reactions in your body. It is best to choose one or the other - pharmaceutical drugs or nutritional supplementation - along with a healthy diet.

There is no conclusive evidence that daily doses (100 IUs) of vitamin E can reduce your risk of heart disease. However, vitamin E is an antioxidant that may guard against potentially harmful cell mutations.

It's in the Herbs

The following herbs are often used to treat hypertension. However, they have serious side effects if taken in large doses. As stated above, it is highly recommended that these herbs be used only with a physician's approval and supervision, especially if you are already on prescription medications.

• Coleus forskohlii — lowers blood pressure and improves heart function


• Hawthorne (Crataegus oxycantha) — can dilate coronary blood vessels, which helps lower blood pressure


• Mistletoe (Viscum album) — not as potent as Rauwolfia, but well tolerated and nontoxic in normal doses


• Rauwolfia (Rauwolfia serpentina) — considered to be the most powerful hypotensive botanical. Only a small dose is required to achieve results and to avoid side effects. Nasal congestion is the most common side effect

Full Ammunition

You can take all the supplements you want, but if you’re not eating right, then you’re not giving your body all the ammunition it needs to stave off disease on a daily basis. Taking supplements alone (especially in excess) can overtax the liver because there is no nutritional foundation in the diet. But if you’re really interested in eating right, then it’s as simple as increasing the amount of vegetables and fruit and reducing the amount of fat and cholesterol. These changes not only reduce blood pressure, but also help with weight loss, which thus lowers blood pressure. Healthy nutritional changes in your diet include eating whole, fresh, unrefined, and unprocessed foods. Always try to incorporate fruits, vegetables, garlic, onion, whole grains, soy, beans, seeds, nuts, olive oil, and cold-water fish (salmon, tuna, sardines, halibut, and mackerel) in your diet.

Keep Sodium on the Down-Low

Stick to a low sodium-high potassium diet because reducing sodium (salt) intake can help reduce blood pressure. However, restricting sodium intake to lower blood pressure appears to work better if accompanied by increasing potassium intake. They go hand in hand. Something to keep in mind is that reducing sodium intake involves more than not using a saltshaker. It also involves reading processed and prepared food labels for the sodium content. Also, make every effort to avoid sugar, dairy products, refined foods, fried foods, junk foods, and caffeine. It is also very important to try to eliminate food sensitivities by using an elimination and challenge diet to determine which foods you are sensitive to. Furthermore, be sure to drink 50 percent of your body weight in ounces of water daily.