How to Reduce Hypertension Naturally

Did you know hypertension (high blood pressure) is the most common reason to visit a doctor, and is also the number one reason for taking medication?  Dubbed, the “silent killer”, because it often does not have any overt symptoms, hypertension is associated with 1000 deaths PER DAY in America.

High blood pressure can be caused by various factors.  Lots of cholesterol plaque deposits in blood vessels, drugs, high salt intake, and kidney issues are examples.  There are many things you can do to decrease your blood pressure naturally – in this blog I will outline 3:

1. High Salt Intake

30% of cases of high blood pressure are due to high salt intake.  By modifying your diet to a low-sodium diet, you can decrease your blood pressure.  Note:  High salt diets are associated with consuming processed and fried foods (fries, cured meats, hot dogs, pizza, chips, etc.) NOT with being “heavy handed” with the salt shaker.

2. Dark Chocolate:

1-2 squares of dark chocolate (minimum of 70% cocoa) can help decrease high blood pressure.  This is because it contains compounds that actually cause vasodilation (the blood vessels start to get larger and thus the pressure goes down).  In the San Blas Islands off of Panama (a country in Central America), the Kuna Indians have 80% less heart disease than the rest of the people in Panama.  They are NOT genetically resistant to developing hypertension, but eat 10x more cocoa than their Panama counterparts.  (Note: raw cocoa is very different than the typical chocolate we consume).

3. Fresh Beet Juice

Daily consumption of fresh beet juice can also act as a vasodilator.  Beets contain natural nitrates in them – a molecule that can cause blood vessels to dilate which then lowers the blood pressure.  Putting beets into your morning smoothie is a great way to add this to your diet, while still maintaining a great tasting breakfast

There are many other ways in which we can lower blood pressure and lower our risk of heart disease.

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By: Dr. Rahim Kanji, N.D.

Website: www.rahimkanjind.com

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