Fighting Hypertension

Hypertension

Understanding Hypertension

Hypertension or high blood pressure is a condition in which the force of the blood on the artery walls is high. This will eventually cause health problems including heart disease. Blood pressure depends on the amount of blood pumped by the heart and the resistance offered by your arteries. When your blood vessels are narrow the blood pressure will be high. 120/80 is considered as the normal blood pressure.

Narrowed blood vessels

Symptoms Of Hypertension
Most people do not have any symptoms for hypertension even when the blood pressure readings are high. Some people show symptoms such as

• Mild headaches
• Dizzy spells
• Nosebleeds
• Shortness of breath
• Vision problems

The Causes Of Hypertension

There are two types of hypertension according to the cause

1. Primary hypertension : when the actual cause of hypertension is not known
2. Secondary hypertension: when an underlying condition is the cause of hypertension.

The various condition causing hypertension are

• Kidney problems
• Adrenal gland tumors
• Congenital problems of blood vessels
• Certain medications like cold remedies, birth control pills, pain relievers etc
• Use of Illegal drugs like cocaine

Kidney Disease is one of the cause

Apart from these factors there are other factors which can lead to hypertension

• Age
• Obesity
• Lack of exercise
• Excessive alcohol consumption
• Stress
• Sleep apnea

Primary Hypertension can be effectively controlled by home remedies and lifestyle changes.

How To Get Rid Of Hypertension Naturally

The following are the home remedies that you can try to reduce your high blood pressure or hypertension.

1. Reduce Salt Intake
It is ideal for you to reduce the intake of salt or lower sodium level in your body to reduce hypertension.

• It would be better for you to switch to low sodium salt to reduce hypertension.
• It would be even better if you could totally avoid salt in the food that you eat.
• It is best advised for people with hypertension to stay away from processed foods and frozen foods as it contains high levels of sodium.

2. Regular Exercises

• It is important for you to exercise about 30 to 45 minutes at least five to six times a week to increase your metabolism and to keep your blood pressure at normal levels.
• Reduce the consumption of alcohol and quit smoking to maintain your blood pressure levels.

Regular exercises

3. Lemon
Lemon helps in making the blood vessels soft by removing the rigidity of the vessels. This will in turn help in lowering hypertension. It is rich in Vitamin B and will not just reduce your high blood pressure but will also keep your heart healthy.

• Make it a point to drink 5 to 6 glasses of fresh lemon water every day.
• It is ideal for you to add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice in a glass of warm water. Drink this on an empty stomach everyday to lower high blood pressure. 
• It would be better for you to drink lemon juice without sugar or salt. You can mix it with honey.

Lemon juice

4. Banana

• Make it a habit to eat at least two bananas a day as it is low in sodium and free from cholesterol.
• You can also include raisins, baked sweet potatoes, spinach, dried apricots and orange juice in your diet to reduce high blood pressure levels.

Banana

5. Garlic
Garlic is a well known home remedy to reduce cholesterol levels in your body which is the main culprit behind hypertension. Garlic contains hydrogen sulfide which is very essential compound that promotes good blood flow and reduces blood pressure.

• Eating 5 to six pods of fresh garlic everyday on an empty stomach will help to effectively reduce hypertension.
• You can also extract garlic juice by crushing about 10 pods of garlic.
• Add five to six drops of this garlic juice in four teaspoons of water and drink it twice a day ton get relief from high blood pressure.

Garlic 

6. Ginger Juice With Cumin

• Add 1 teaspoon of fresh ginger juice to a teaspoon of honey.
• Now mix a teaspoon of cumin powder to honey and ginger juice mixture.
• Mix well and consume this twice daily to reduce high blood pressure.

Lemon, Garlic and Ginger

7. Curry Leaves
Curry leaves are said to have a lot of medicinal properties and is found to be effective to treat high blood pressure.

• Boil 25 to 30 curry leaves in a glass of water.
• Bring this to room temperature and strain off the leaves.
• Drink this medicated water early in the morning on an empty stomach to reduce your high blood pressure levels effectively .

8. Celery Leaves
3-N-butylphthalide is found to be high in celery and this is a phytochemical compound that helps in drastically reducing high blood pressure. It will also help in reducing stress hormones that usually make the blood vessels constrict.

• Try to take one stalk of celery bunch or ad celery leaves and stalk in your daily vegetable salad to help in lowering blood pressure levels.
• Consume a glass of water also along with the celery stalk.

Celery Juice

9. Onion Juice

• Try to eat at least one medium sized raw onion every day.
• Extract juice from raw onions and to a teaspoon of onion juice add a teaspoon of honey and mix well.
• Drink this mixture twice a day every day to keep your blood pressure in check.

10. Fenugreek Seeds
The paste of fenugreek seeds is said to be very effective in treating blood pressure.

• Add one or two teaspoons of fenugreek seeds in water and boil it for about three to four minutes.
• Strain the fenugreek seeds and make it a smooth paste with the help of a blender.
• Consume this paste everyday once in the morning on an empty stomach and also once in the evening.
• You will see a lowering of blood pressure levels in two to three months time.

11. Watermelon Seeds
Cucurbocitrin is a compound that is present in the watermelon seeds that will help in widening the blood capillaries. It helps in reducing the blood pressure levels and is also an effective treatment for arthritis and kidney diseases.

• Take 2 tablespoons of dried watermelon seeds and crush them gently.
• Now add these crushed watermelon seeds in a cup of boiled water.
• Leave it there for about an hour and slightly stir it so that it mixes well with water.
• Strain it and drink four tablespoons of this water every hour of the day.

Maybe try eating with the seeds

12. Stress Management
• You should learn to manage your stress effectively to reduce high blood pressure.
• Relaxation, yoga and deep breathing exercises help in reducing stress.
• You also need to sleep for at least seven hours every day.

Are you worried about high blood pressure levels? Is hypertension preventing you from not doing your regular work properly? Let go all your worries and try out a combination of the above home remedies to effectively reduce hypertension in three to four months.

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World Most Healthiest Food - Kimchi

Kimchi or kimchee is a traditional fermented Korean delicacy which is made from vegetables including cabbage and a range of spices and seasonings. This reddish fermented cabbage (and sometimes radish) dish—is made with a mix of garlic, salt, vinegar, chili peppers, and other spices—is served at every meal, either alone or mixed with rice or noodles. And it's part of a high-fiber, low-fat diet that has kept obesity at bay in Korea. Kimchi also is used in everything from soups to pancakes, and as a topping on pizza and burgers.

Nutritional Value of Kimchi

Kimchi is a low-calorie, high fiber and nutrient –packed side dish. It is a storehouse of a range of vitamins such as vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B2 and vitamin C. Kimchi is also rich in essential amino acids and minerals such as iron, calcium, selenium. Kimchi has an impressive assortment of powerful antioxidants and provides an additional benefit of probiotics as well in the form of lactobacillus bacteria. It contains numerous healthful components including capsaicin, chlorophyll, carotenoids, flavonoids and isothiocyanates with low amount of fat and sugar.

Health Benefits of Kimchi

The delectable taste of kimchi which has been admired globally comes with a super bonus of health benefits attributing to a range of qualitative evidence supported by several researches. Some of the major health benefits of kimchi have been discussed as under:

Digestive health: 

Kimchi is an excellent food to promote digestion. It is a source of probiotics attributing to the process of fermentation involved in its preparation. The process of fermentation of kimchi not only enhances the taste but also creates healthy bacteria, Lactobacillus which is required by the body to keep a healthy state of intestinal flora. Kimchi is made from cabbage which is already well known for its detoxification qualities and helps the body in getting rid of the wastes and toxins. It aids in cleaning up the intestines and stimulates better assimilation of nutrients in the body. This good bacteria helps with digestion, plus it seems to help stop and even prevent yeast infections. Fiber content present in kimchi also assists in stabilizing the bowel movements and prevents constipation.

Improve your digestive system

Lower Cardiovascular Disease: 

Regular consumption of kimchi has a beneficial effect on the levels of cholesterol. Garlic which is used to prepare kimchi is rich in selenium and allicin. Allicin is an eminent component which helps in lowering the cholesterol levels thereby, reducing the risk of developing cardiac disorders such as strokes and heart attacks. Selenium also exerts protective effect on the artery walls by preventing the build-up of plaque and decreasing the threat of disorders like atherosclerosis. An investigative study has advocated that fermented kimchi helps in lowering the total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol along with the concentrations blood glucose in the body.

Lower your cholesterol

Antioxidants: 

Kimchi varieties are rich in powerful antioxidants which are natural scavengers. These antioxidants along with phenols and flavonoids present in kimchi exert protective effect against the oxidative damage and shield the body from the harmful effects of oxygen free radicals.

Atopic dermatitis: 

The presence of lactobacillus bacteria in kimchi makes it a multi-talented condiment. It extends its therapeutic effects on various skin ailments such as atopic dermatitis which is characterized by increased levels of immunoglobulin E and skin lesion such as edema and hemorrhage. A study conducted in this regard has shown that healthy bacteria present in fermented kimchi exerts suppressive effects on the mite-induced dermatitis and helps in reducing the inflammation.

Improve your skin condition

Anti-obesity: 

As already stated, kimchi is a source of healthy lactobacillus bacteria which the body utilizes for its healthy functioning. This good bacterium also assists in weight loss by controlling the appetite and reducing the blood sugar levels. The fiber content present in kimchi keeps your body full and hunger satisfied for a longer duration preventing you from frequent and over eating. A study conducted on obese patients has validated the favorable effects of fermented kimchi on the body with respect to body mass index, body fat which helps in reducing the development of factors implicated in metabolic syndrome.

Reduce fat

Boost your Immune: 

The multi-nutrient packed kimchi is rich in a range of flavonoids and phenolic components. The variety of ingredients including ginger, garlic, peppers involved in the preparations of kimchi are super protectors which are renowned for their beneficial effect on the immune system. They help in fighting infections and are valuable in curing cold and flu symptoms.

Naturally immune booster

Anti-aging: 

Another valuable benefit provided by kimchi is its anti-aging qualities which attributes to the presence of antioxidants and vitamin C. A study evaluating the anti-aging activity of kimchi has revealed that kimchi helps in regulating and attenuating the inflammation that speeds up the aging process. The same study has also shown promising results with regard to factors like reduced oxidative stress in the cells, inhibition of lipid peroxidation and extended life span in the subjects making kimchi a potent anti-aging component.

Anti-Aging effects

Fighting Cancer: 

Kimchi is a valuable food which helps in reducing the risk of development of various cancers. A study performed on kimchi samples has validated its anti-cancer properties. Cabbage present in kimchi contains healthful flavonoids which are known to inhibit the growth of cancer cells. Another powerful cancer fighters present in cruciferous such as cabbage are glucosinolates. Glucosinolates break down to form isothiocyanates which are well known for their effectiveness against the cancer growth.

Control Diabetes: 

Kimchi is beneficial in diabetes. A study conducted on high-fat diet-fed type-2 diabetic subjects who were given kimchi revealed the anti-diabetic properties of the Korean delicacy. The study showed better glucose tolerance and lower levels of fasting glucose after eating kimchi-containing diet in the diabetic subjects. The same study also suggested that kimchi can prove more useful in diabetes if it is eaten with normal or low-fat diet instead of high-fat food. 

Gastric ulcers: 

Kimchi exerts therapeutic effects in gastritis and peptic ulcer disease caused by helicobacter pylori bacteria. A study conducted in this regard has shown that the antagonistic activity of kimchi attributes to the abundance of Lactobacillus bacteria which inhibits the harmful pathogens from connecting to the human gastric cancer cells.

The Korean researchers estimate there are more than 167 different types of kimchi. The taste varies with its ingredients, fermentation conditions, and lactic acid bacteria involved in the fermentation. Other ingredients popular in kimchi mixtures include watercress, mustard, pear, apple, pine nuts, chestnut, ginkgo nut, cereals, fishes, crabs, cucumber, green onion, and leeks. 

The most popular version in Korea is made by lacto-fermentation of cabbage, radish, green onion, red pepper powder, garlic, ginger, and fermented seafoods (jeotgal).

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