Cancer Survival Network

"To help you win the fight."

What I Would Do If I Had High Blood Pressure

* Many things mentioned on the What I Would Do If I Had Cancer page are also applicable. Especially the ones related to overall health and reduction of stress. So, I will not repeat those things here, although many of them are very important for health. Always remember that everything in your life affects your health.

* Reduce stress.

* Avoid (or at least reduce) caffeine.

* Drink plenty of clean water (not distilled).

* Improve my diet.

* Eat celery.
I heard one doctor say eating 3-4 stalks of celery each day is as effective as taking any of the blood pressure medicines.

* Take garlic.
Garlic naturally widens your blood vessels and lowers your systolic pressure (the top number) by 20 to 30 mm Hg and your diastolic pressure (the bottom number) by 10 to 20 mm Hg. The best way to get garlic is to eat a couple of raw cloves daily.

* Take Vitamin C.
Al Sears, M.D. says, "Vitamin C is another proven way to lower your blood pressure. One 10-year study showed that the lower your levels of vitamin C, the higher your blood pressure and risk of stroke. Another study found that taking as little as 250 mg a day cut the risk of high blood pressure by almost half - and it's very safe to take much more. I usually recommend starting with 1,000 mg of vitamin C daily."

* Take CoQ10.
Al Sears, M.D. says, "a vast majority of people with high blood pressure have very low levels of CoQ10. So I've used this supplement to wean hundreds of patients off drugs. Treated with 200 mg of CoQ10 daily, their blood pressure returned to normal." Also, read his article, "Lower High Blood Pressure Naturally".

The cheapest source of CoQ10 I have found is at iHerb.com. Natural Factors, Coenzyme Q10, 100 mg, 60 Soft gels. If you want a smaller dosage: Jarrow Formulas, Coenzyme Q-10, 30 mg, 150 Capsules.

* Take Fish Oil. Studies show that fish oil has many health benefits, including lowering of blood pressure. Carlson Norwegian Cod Liver Oil is my favorite.

* Take L-arginine.
Following are excerpts from a book by Jonathan V. Wright, M.D., "Studies in both animals and humans have shown that L-arginine supplements can lower blood pressure in general by enhancing dilation of arteries." "This ability makes arginine an excellent -- but unfortunately rarely used -- treatment for high blood pressure." "Foods that are good sources of L-arginine are dairy products, nuts, chicken, turkey, and other fowl." "L-arginine is generally considered to be safe and nontoxic."
L-arginine is simply an amino acid, and has been used by bodybuilders and others for years. It is also recommended to prevent or help with heart problems.
The only caution is that in some people taking extra L-arginine may cause a flare-up of cold sores, herpes, etc., if they have had a problem with them in the past. To counteract that, make sure you get enough selenium (abundant in brazil nuts, also good in eggs), and also take L-lysine, which is also very good for heart health, and is cheap.

* Consider Chlorella.
Chlorella, a green superfood, may reduce the risk of heart disease by lowering blood pressure, according to a fall 2002 report in the Journal of Medicinal Food. Researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond found chlorella helped one-quarter of their study group participants reach their blood pressure goals.

* Read this blood pressure advice from Valerie Saxion, N.D.

* Read what Dr. Joseph Mercola says in "How To Treat High Blood Pressure Without Drugs."