Ayurvedic treatment of High blood pressure (High BP):

High blood pressure means:
High blood pressure (HBP) or hypertension means high pressure (tension) in the arteries. Arteries are vessels that carry blood from heart to all the tissues and organs of the body. High blood pressure or hypertension does not mean excessive emotional tension, although emotional tension and stress can temporarily increase blood pressure. Usually normal blood pressure is considered as 120/80; and a blood pressure of 140/90 or above is considered high blood pressure or hypertension.

Consideration:
An elevation of the systolic and/or diastolic blood pressure increases the risk of developing heart (cardiac) disease, kidney (renal) disease, hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis or arteriosclerosis), eye damage, and stroke (brain damage). These complications of hypertension are often referred to as end-organ damage because damage to these organs is the end result of chronic (long duration) high blood pressure. For that reason, the diagnosis of high blood pressure is important so efforts can be made to normalize blood pressure and prevent complications.It was previously thought that rises in diastolic blood pressure were a more important risk factor than systolic elevations, but it is now known that in people 50 years or older systolic hypertension represents a greater risk.

High Blood Pressure- An Ayurvedic Point of View:
According to Charaka (School of Ayurvedic Medicine), ‘Udavarta’ is the root cause of disturbance of the three vital organs e.g. heart, kidney (with bladder) and brain. Due to suppression of 13 physical urges (e.g. flatus, faeces, urine, sneezing, thirst, hunger, sleep, cough, breath, yawning, vomiting and semen and flow of tears) repeatedly and for long time; ‘Apana Vata’ gets vitiated which leads to ‘Udavarta’. Due to this ‘Udavarta’, blood pressure will get raised and hence hypertension occurs.

Signs and Symptoms of High blood pressure:
Uncomplicated high blood pressure usually occurs without any symptoms (silently) and so hypertension has been labelled “the silent killer.” It is called this because the disease can progress to finally develop any one or more of the several potentially fatal complications such as heart attacks or strokes. Uncomplicated hypertension may be present and remain unnoticed for many years, or even decades. This happens because there are no symptoms, and those affected fail to undergo periodic blood pressure screening.
Some people with uncomplicated hypertension, however, may experience symptoms such as headache, dizziness, shortness of breath, and blurred vision usually with blood pressure that is very high. In many cases, a person visits or is brought to the doctor or an emergency department with a heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, or impaired vision (due to damage to the back part of the retina). Greater public awareness and frequent blood pressure screening may help to identify patients with undiagnosed high blood pressure before significant complications have developed. About one out of every 100 (1%) people with hypertension is diagnosed with severe high blood pressure (accelerated or malignant hypertension) at their first visit to the doctor. In these patients, the diastolic blood pressure exceeds 140 mm Hg! Affected persons often experience severe headache, nausea, visual symptoms, dizziness, and sometimes kidney failure. Malignant hypertension is a medical emergency and requires urgent treatment to prevent a stroke (brain damage).

Ayurvedic Treatment of High Blood Pressure:

• Understand the body constitution of the patient and treat him accordingly.
• If the patient is strong enough, then give him ‘Haritaki Churna’ (Powder of Terminalia chebula fruit) 1 tablespoon- 2 to 3 times a day with luke warm water and with empty stomach for period of one month; and if the patient has not strong body physique, give him ‘Tab. Arand bhrishta Haritaki’ (Balark Pharmacy) which contains ‘Haritaki Churna’ and purified Castor oil, 2 tablets 2-3 times a day with luke warm water and with empty stomach for period of one month. With the help of this above Ayurvedic remedy, ‘Apana Vata’ will get ‘Anulomana’ (come on its natural path) so ultimately ‘Udavarta’ will be subsided and gradually pressure of blood will come to normal.
• Advice the patient not to suppress any of the above mentioned physical urges in any circumstances.
• During your every meal, eat little less than your actual hunger.
• Take luke warm water after every meal.
• One should not consume recopies made from fine floor.
• One should not take milk with green vegetables, sour fruits and green garlic and with onion as these combinations will produce autotoxins in the body.
• One should follow the ‘Ayurvedic Lifestyle’ (includes Diet Plan, Daily Routine, Seasonal Routine and Dietetics– Given on the home page of this website) to overcome from High Blood Pressure.
• Diet Plan and Lifestyle for people having High Blood Pressure/High BP/ Hypertension:
  Research has shown that following a healthy eating plan can both reduce the risk of developing high blood pressure and lower an already elevated blood pressure. For an overall eating plan, consider the DASH eating plan. “DASH” stands for “Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension,” a clinical study that tested the effects of nutrients in food on blood pressure. Study results indicated that elevated blood pressures were reduced by an eating plan that emphasizes fruits, vegetables, and low fat dairy foods and is low in saturated fat, total fat, and cholesterol. The DASH eating plan includes whole grains, poultry, fish, and nuts and has reduced amounts of fats, red meats, sweets, and sugared beverages.
• SOURCE:
  National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
• Alcohol:
  People who drink alcohol excessively (over two drinks per day*) have a one and a half to two times increase in the prevalence of hypertension. The association between alcohol and high blood pressure is particularly noticeable when alcohol intake exceeds five drinks per day. The connection is a dose-related phenomenon. In other words, the more alcohol consumed, the stronger is the link with hypertension.*The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism considers a standard drink to be 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits. Each contains roughly the same amount of absolute alcohol — approximately one-half ounce or 12 grams.
• Smoking:
  Although smoking increases the risk of vascular complications (for example, heart disease and stroke) in people who already have hypertension, it is not associated with an increase in the development of hypertension. But cigarette smoking can repeatedly produce an immediate, temporary rise in the blood pressure of 5 to10 mm Hg. Steady smokers however, may have a lower blood pressure than non smokers. The reason for this is that nicotine in cigarettes causes a decrease in appetite, which leads to weight loss. This, in turn, lowers blood pressure.
• Salt:
  One should use ‘Saindhav Namak’ (Rock salt) instead of ‘Sea salt’. The American Heart Association recommends that consumption of dietary salt be less than 6 grams of salt per day in the general population and less than 4 grams for people with hypertension. To achieve a diet containing less than 4 grams of salt, salt is not added to food or when cooking. The amount of natural salt in the diet can be reasonably estimated from the labelling information provided with most purchased foods. Note: Some salt substitutes contain sodium, the substance in salt that increases blood pressure!
• Obesity:
  Being overweight can increase the risk for high blood pressure. Obesity is common among hypertensive patients, and its prevalence, especially in aging patients, can contribute to hypertension in several ways. In obese people the heart has to pump more blood to supply the excess tissue. The increased cardiac output can then raise the blood pressure. In addition, obese hypertensive individuals have a greater stiffness (resistance) in their peripheral arteries throughout the body.