Plants and Herbs for High Blood Pressure

Plants and Herbs for Hypertension

By the Seed SistAs

Your heart is a dazzling dynamo keeping you alive, circulating blood with clockwork precision. Working non-stop for decades, this incredible organ is nothing short of a marvel. For centuries, various plants and herbs for high blood pressure have been trusted natural remedies. Packed with beneficial compounds, they help support circulation, relax blood vessels, and contribute to overall heart health.

In this article, we’ll give you some ideas of herbs and spices that support heart health but it’s important to remember that high blood pressure can stem from various underlying causes. These include poor diet, lack of exercise, obesity, smoking, and genetics, as well as medical conditions like kidney disease, diabetes, sleep apnoea, thyroid disorders, and hormonal imbalances.

Recent research even suggests your heart is much, much more than just a glorified pump—it’s also a total brainiac, capable of sensing, learning, and even influencing your emotions and overall health. 

A Spiralling Marvel of Fluid Dynamics

We need to debunk the oversimplified notion of the heart as a pump. While it does push blood through the vast network of your circulatory system, it achieves this feat in a manner more akin to a carefully orchestrated spiral dance. Research by Dr. Francisco Torrent-Guasp, a Spanish cardiologist, introduced the Helical Heart Model, which describes the heart as a helical, or spirally coiled, band of muscle fibers. These fibres contract in a twisting motion that generates a vortex-like flow, propelling blood efficiently through your arteries and veins. This vortex movement minimizes resistance, conserving energy and optimising the distribution of oxygen and nutrients. 

The Heart’s Intelligence

What makes the heart even more extraordinary is its neural network, often referred to as the heart’s intrinsic cardiac nervous system. Comprising approximately 40,000 neurons——the heart’s nervous system allows it to process information, make decisions, and even influence brain activity. The heart sends more signals to the brain which influence cognitive functions, emotional states, and physiological processes like blood pressure and hormonal balance. 

The heart is a “sensory organ” with its own intelligence.

Your beating heart is akin to a vibrational tuning fork, constantly resonating and sending out energy that interacts with the world around you. Its electromagnetic field carries the essence of your emotional state. When you’re calm and cantered, your heart’s field vibrates in harmony, creating a sense of balance within you and resonating with those nearby. What’s fascinating is that we don’t just project this energy—we can feel it from others too. You’ve probably sensed someone’s “aura” before, whether it’s the calm of a friend who puts you at ease or the tension of someone whose stress feels contagious. That’s your heart tuning into their energetic field. 

The heart isn’t just a pump; it’s a communicator, connecting us through invisible vibrations that influence how we feel and interact. 

The Heart’s Role in Emotional Health

Studies reveal that intentionally fostering positive emotions, such as gratitude, love, or compassion, alter the heart’s electromagnetic field. This state of coherence enhances communication between the heart and brain, leading to improved emotional stability, cognitive function, and overall well-being.

What’s the Deal with High Blood Pressure? 

This miraculous machine has a nemesis: hypertension, or high blood pressure. Imagine if your heart’s well-oiled mechanisms were working against the pressure equivalent of trying to blow up an overinflated balloon. Or you can think of it as the plumbing in your house—too much pressure in the pipes can eventually lead to leaks or even bursts. For us humans, this can mean trouble for our hearts, brains, and kidneys. 

We call it hypertension—your heart straining against an invisible force that, over time, can take a serious toll on your body. Hypertension is deeply connected to the energy and balance of your whole body.

Numbers on the Cuff

Blood pressure is measured with two numbers: the top one (systolic) is the pressure when your heart beats, and the bottom one (diastolic) is the pressure when your heart is chilling between beats.

A normal reading hangs out around 120/80 mmHg. But if your numbers keep creeping over 130/80 mmHg, that’s when you get a diagnosis of hypertension. 

Herbs can be a helpful addition to your wellness toolkit, but they’re not a one-size-fits-all solution. Always consult a trained healthcare professional to determine the root cause of your hypertension before trying any herbal remedies. 

“The heart being the fountain of life, and the principal part of the body, it is fit that all the remedies for the heart should be of a comforting and strengthening nature.” 

Nicholas Culpepper 

Healing Starts at the Heart of Your Home 

The kitchen is the heart, or harth, of the home, where healing truly begins. When it comes to managing hypertension, many of the remedies we need are already within reach in our pantries and herb spaces. Ingredients, like garlic, ginger, turmeric and parsley, can easily be incorporated into daily cooking to support heart health. A veritable treasure trove! By tapping into the healing power of everyday foods and herbs, we can turn our kitchens into medicine cabinets, nourishing our hearts and bodies with every meal.

Garlic (Allium sativum)

Garlic has numerous cardiovascular benefits, containing sulphur compounds like allicin, which help to relax blood vessels and improve blood flow. Studies have shown that garlic can reduce both systolic and diastolic blood pressure by inhibiting the production of angiotensin II, a hormone that narrows blood vessels. In essence, garlic acts by helping to lower blood pressure by allowing blood vessels to relax and widen. So, get chopping and adding into meals regularly.

Add some Parsley to aid in freshen your breath with all that pungent garlic… 

Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)

Thyme contains rosmarinic acid, a compound that has been shown to reduce inflammation, improve blood sugar levels, and increase blood flow. Rosmarinic acid inhibits an enzyme called ACE, which helps control blood pressure. By preventing the constriction of blood vessels, thyme helps lower high blood pressure and improves overall cardiovascular health. 

Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) 

Parsley has diuretic properties, which help reduce high blood pressure by promoting the elimination of excess fluid and salt from the body. In addition to these diuretic effects, parsley is rich in carotenoids, which reduce blood pressure and improve heart health.

Basil (Ocimum basilicum)

Basil contains a compound called eugenol, which acts as a natural calcium channel blocker. Calcium channel blockers are medications that relax blood vessels by preventing calcium from entering cells in the heart and blood vessels. Eugenol, found in basil, works in a similar manner, helping blood vessels relax and reducing overall blood pressure. Adding fresh basil to meals can be an easy and delicious way to incorporate this beneficial herb. 

Cinnamon (Cinnamomum spp.)

Cinnamon lowers both systolic and diastolic blood pressure, particularly in people with Type 2 diabetes. Cinnamon improves circulation and helps lower blood sugar, which indirectly impacts blood pressure levels. Regular consumption of cinnamon, particularly in higher doses over several weeks, has been linked to improved blood pressure control. 

Ginger (Zingiber officinale)

Ginger helps to relax blood vessels, allowing for smoother blood flow. Studies suggest that ginger improves circulation and lowers both systolic and diastolic blood pressure when consumed regularly, making it a valuable addition to the diet for those managing hypertension.

Nature’s Remedies 

The hedgerows and wild spaces around your home are nature’s hidden pharmacies, bursting with common plants that can support heart health and help manage hypertension. Often overlooked, these “weeds” like dandelion and hawthorn have been used for centuries in traditional medicine to boost circulation, regulate blood pressure, and strengthen the heart.

The plants that grow abundantly in your own local area, often are just what is needed! 

Healing is often right under our noses—no fancy supplements or exotic herbs from far flung places and thousands of air miles needed. By embracing the power of the plants in your environment, you can bring the healing energy of the hedgerow into your daily routine. 

The hedgerow, often seen as a boundary between fields or along country roads, is more than just a natural fence—it’s a treasure trove of free, wild medicine that’s been used for centuries. Many of the plants that grow in these spaces, so often overlooked and dismissed as useless, are packed with healing properties that can support heart health and manage hypertension.

Hawthorn 

“Hawthorn is an excellent herb for the heart, strengthening the heart and helping to ease palpitations. It is good for those troubled with a weak heart or irregular pulse, and it helps to restore natural strength and vigour to the heart.”

Nicholas Culpepper

Hawthorn (Crataegus spp.)

Hawthorn, famously known as a “heart herb,” has been prescribed for centuries to strengthen the heart, improve circulation, and lower blood pressure. The flavonoids, like quercetin and rutin, help dilate blood vessels, reduce resistance to blood flow, and protect the cardiovascular system from hypertension’s damaging effects. Studies show hawthorn’s ability to reduce inflammation, improve blood vessel function, and combat oxidative stress, which can lead to atherosclerosis and other heart conditions. Its protective properties make hawthorn a valuable ally in heart health.

Dandelion 

Dandelion, with its cleansing nature, purifies the blood and strengthens the heart, supporting the body’s vitality and encouraging harmony between the physical and spiritual realms.”

Hildegard von Bingen

Dandelion is a resilient, tenacious, widespread weed found across the globe, offering natural detoxification and unending support. The leaf in particular acts as a volumetric diuretic, helping our bodies eliminate excess water and sodium, which reduces strain on the cardiovascular system. Unlike conventional diuretics, which deplete potassium, dandelion provides this essential mineral, supporting heart and muscle function. This makes dandelion a valuable ally in managing hypertension. Thriving in fields, untamed allotments and gardens, and even cracks in the pavement, dandelions remind us that nature all so often offers the solutions we need in abundance. 

References:

–  Torrent-Guasp, F. (2001). The helical heart: A new model for understanding the heart’s anatomy and mechanics.

–   Kocica, M. J., et al. (2005). “The helical ventricular myocardial band: Global, three-dimensional, functional architecture of the ventricular myocardium.” European Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery.

–   McCraty, R., & Tomasino, D. (2006). “Emotional stress, positive emotions, and psychophysiological coherence.” In Stress in Health and Disease. Wiley-VCH.

–   McCraty, R. (2003). “The Energetic Heart: Bioelectromagnetic Interactions Within and Between People.” HeartMath Institute.

–   McCarty, M. F. (1997). Hawthorn and cardiovascular protection. Alternative Medicine Review, 2(5), 401-406.

–   Zhao, L., Liu, Z., He, Y., & Yu, J. (2010). Effect of hawthorn extract on hypertension: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Phytotherapy Research, 24(7), 995-1002.

–  Tesch, A., et al. (2014). The effects of hawthorn extract on cardiovascular disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. American Journal of Medicine, 127(11), 918-926.

These blog articles are herbal education resources,  produced by the Seed Sistas. Gain insights and join us in the evolution of healthcare, please do leave a comment or question.  Wellbeing empowerment for all…