USING HERBAL MEDICINES TO REDUCE
YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE AND CHOLESTEROL
For hundreds of years, herbs have been used to maintain heart health and treat disease. Many drugs are actually a man-made version of the main active ingredient in some herbs. Digoxin for example, a drug commonly used to treat high blood pressure, is the active component of Digitalis purpurea (foxglove), an herb which is very effective in its ability to lower blood pressure. Some herbs are found in the everyday foods of certain cultures. These herbs can be used as a food, but are now also available as a liquid extract or in capsules, for people who do not like the taste.
Garlic, a traditional food in many Mediterranean cultures, has received quite a bit of attention in recent years due to its effects on heart health. Over the last 20 years more than 2000 clinical studies have proven the effectiveness of garlic. Garlic helps control cholesterol and contains compounds that are not only antioxidants, but that also help dissolve blood clots. There is also a normalizing effect on blood pressure by garlic, that is, high blood pressure is reduced while low blood pressure is elevated. A six-month study at the School of Medicine at Loma Linda University In Loma Linda, California studied the effect of garlic supplementation on 32 people with high cholesterol. During the study each person took 4 capsules per day of liquid garlic extract after which time cholesterol levels had returned to normal in 65% of the participants. More importantly, HDL cholesterol (believed to protect the heart) increased steadily, while levels of
This is a picture of a single leaf from the Gingko tree. This herb is used to treat enhance memory, improve circulation and reduce cholesterol levels.
heart increased steadily, while levels of LDL cholesterol (believed to harm the heart) increased steadily, while levels of LDL cholesterol (believed to harm the heart) fell. For those with existing heart conditions, garlic has been shown to reduce the risk of having a second heart attack as well as the general risk of dying from heart disease. Garlic’s effects appear to be cumulative, building with continuous use.
Gingko biloba has received a lot of attention the last few years as a herb that helps to increase memory. When combined with garlic, gingko has been shown to also be very effective at reducing cholesterol levels.
Green tea is a very popular beverage in China, Japan and Korea and in recent years research has shown that here is more to this tea than meets the eye. Green tea contains compounds known as catechins, which have been shown to be much stronger than vitamin E in defending the body against free radicals. Not only can catechins reduce the risk of stroke and heart disease, but also of stomach, pancreatic and lung cancers. A Japanese study has shown that green tea can lower blood pressure, reduce LDL ("bad") cholesterol and prevent blood sugar levels from rising too high (eg. diabetes).
Hawthorne is a herbal remedy that has been used in the folk medicine of Europe and China for centuries. This remedy is an extract from the hawthorne berry, a common shrub. Hawthorne helps improve the blood supply to the heart and lowers blood pressure. Hawthorne extract is commonly used in Germany and is approved by the German Ministry of Health for various heart conditions.
