Every time your heart beats, it contracts to push blood throughout your body via the arteries. As this happens, the heart valves open and close to keep blood flowing in the right direction. Oxygen-rich blood travels through arteries, while deoxygenated blood returns to the heart via veins. These valves are connected to muscles that contract or relax as needed to change their size. This alters how much pressure is exerted on them by each heartbeat.
The more pressure there is on these valves, the harder they work and the faster they beat. When these valves become too overworked due to high blood pressure, they may not be able to function properly anymore and resulting in a narrowing of the valve opening.
Causes of High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure is a common condition that affects both children and adults. However, there are ways you can prevent this from happening to yourself.
One way is using supplements to lower blood pressure naturally. There are many types of supplements on the market, but it's best to consult your physician before choosing one for your needs.
Let's look at some of the causes of high blood pressure.
Not Getting Enough Physical Activity
People who don't get much exercise may be at a higher risk of high blood pressure due to their inactive status. Even small amounts of physical activity, like walking around the block daily, can significantly reduce one's risk.
Smoking Cigarettes
Smoking has been found to cause high blood pressure by restricting oxygen flow to tissues and organs throughout the body. It also releases carbon monoxide into the bloodstream, constricting arteries and impeding circulation. The best way to reduce your chances of high blood pressure from smoking is to quit altogether.
Stressful Life Events
Stressful life events often lead to elevated levels of adrenaline and cortisol in our bodies, leading to an increase in heart rate and tightening of the muscles surrounding our arteries, which promote high blood pressure symptoms.
Too Much Alcohol Consumption
Drinking too much alcohol can raise blood pressure by slowing the kidneys' ability to remove excess water and salt from the body. However, when consumed in moderation, alcohol provides some health benefits, such as protecting against coronary artery disease and stroke.
Being Overweight or Obese
People who are overweight or obese have an increased risk of developing diabetes and heart disease, which both raise their blood pressure. To lower your blood pressure, it's essential to maintain a healthy weight through exercise and dieting while avoiding excessive amounts of alcohol.
Other reasons for high blood pressure include lack of sleep, kidney disease, and birth control pills.
Symptoms of High Blood Pressure
Symptoms of high blood pressure include:
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Blurred vision
- Shortness of breath.
- Palpitations
- Nosebleeds
- Chest pain
If you have any of these symptoms, please see your doctor immediately, as it could be a warning sign for other serious health issues.
The Connection Between Supplements and Blood Pressure
Many people are unaware that there is a link between the foods they eat and their health. The nutrients found in certain foods can significantly impact how our bodies function. Supplements are known to play an essential role in maintaining healthy blood pressure levels. They also provide more convenience for those who cannot get all of their necessary vitamins from food alone.
Juvenon’s ThymoGel® has been shown to promote lower blood pressure in only a couple of days.
Ingredients in Supplements That Support Lower Blood Pressure
Many different types of supplements have been shown to lower high blood pressure. Here are some of the most well-known:
Black Seed Oil
Black seed oil is a natural anti-inflammatory agent shown in studies to decrease systolic and diastolic pressures. It also contains Omega 6 fatty acids which help maintain vascular health, improve circulation, and reduce cholesterol levels. The seeds have also been shown to be as effective as aspirin for relieving pain from arthritis and other inflammatory conditions. Moreover, like aspirin, black seed oil does not cause ulcers or upset stomachs.
Potassium
Potassium helps regulate blood pressure by removing excess fluid and slowing heart rate. Studies show that people who consume potassium at levels higher than average have lower rates of hypertension. Foods rich in potassium include bananas, avocados, potatoes, tomatoes, peas, and lima beans.
Magnesium
Magnesium may slow down the progression of hypertension by blocking calcium channels on artery walls. In addition, magnesium prevents constriction of arteries due to high blood pressure or stress. Symptoms of deficiency include muscle spasms, leg cramps, weakness, and tingling in the hands and feet.
Foods high in magnesium include:
- Dark leafy greens such as spinach, broccoli, kale, collards, and Swiss chard
- Nuts such as almonds, cashews, and Brazil nuts
- Pumpkin seeds
- Sesame seeds
- Soybeans
- Artichokes
- Garlic cloves
- Figs
- Beetroot juice
Vitamin D
Vitamin D deficiency is one of the leading causes of hypertension worldwide. Low vitamin D levels can lead to cell proliferation in your body's main artery, your carotid artery. When this happens, it increases your risk of developing atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) and stroke. Getting enough vitamin D will reduce these risks. If you're deficient in vitamin D, you may need to take about 3000 IUs daily for a few months to restore healthy levels.
How do These Supplements work?
Supplements work in various ways, depending on the type of supplement. For example, some supplements help to reduce the amount of salt you eat by adding potassium to your diet. Other supplements work by helping the kidneys remove excess fluid from your body and other organs.
These are just two ways supplements may lower blood pressure, but there are many others. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist for more information about which supplement would be right for you.
In Conclusion
Many people looking to lower their blood pressure may need to be made aware that there are many natural, non-invasive ways to do so. People use several types of herbs and supplements to lower blood pressure. For example, a naturally standardized black cumin seed oil has been shown to have significant hypotensive effects in treating patients suffering from essential hypertension.
