Hypertension is not a fancy medical condition to acquire, and it comes with several possible complications such as heart attack, stroke, heart failure, kidney disease, vision loss, and metabolic syndrome.
Hypertension affects nearly one third of adults and a quarter of all prescribed medications are for high blood pressure. The downside with these medications is that after long-term of use they increase the risk of heart failure, heart attacks, and interference with calcium metabolism. Thus, turning to herbal treatments seems a good idea for lowering your blood pressure.
The good news is: there are many options and there are effective natural remedies at your disposal.
Garlic
Garlic is a common spice. It can cure a wide range of ailment, one of which is hypertension. While many of Filipino dishes we prepare at home uses garlic, it is less effective when eaten raw, much less when sautéed. Allicin, the organic compound that gives garlic its healing powers, doesn’t fare well in the human body if taken naturally by eating garlic. Allicin deactivates when it comes in contact with any substance with a pH lower than 3, such as our stomach acid.
The good news is that when it is taken in tablet form, you get the proper amount of allicin you need to lower you blood pressure. Just be sure to buy garlic tablets with standardized amount of allicin (1.8 milligrams per dose lowers blood pressure by 10% within 12 weeks).