Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)

Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)

Definition of the pathology

Hypertension, also known as systemic arterial hypertension or hypertension, is a condition characterised by a blood pressure of more than 140 x 90 mmHg that is maintained over several measurements taken on different days. This increase in blood pressure occurs when the blood vessels become narrower or less elastic, causing the heart to work harder to pump blood throughout the body.


Associated Symptoms

The symptoms of hypertension are rare, which is why it is considered a silent disease. However, there are some symptoms that can occur during a hypertensive crisis, when the pressure rises rapidly from one hour to the next, characterised by:

  • Sickness
  • Dizziness
  • Severe headache
  • Bleeding from the nose
  • Ringing in the ears
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Excessive tiredness
  • Blurred vision
  • Chest pain
  • Loss of consciousness
  • Excessive anxiety

Therefore, if you experience symptoms that suggest hypertension, it is important to go to the nearest emergency room or make an appointment to see a cardiologist who can assess your symptoms, diagnose hypertension and start the most appropriate treatment.


Causes to be evaluated

Hypertension occurs whenever there is a change that makes it difficult for blood to circulate in the blood vessels, increasing the pressure that the heart needs to make for blood to circulate properly around the body.

The causes of hypertension can be classified according to the origin of the disease and include two different types:

Essential hypertension:

Essential hypertension, also called primary hypertension, is the most common cause of high blood pressure, and usually develops over time due to some factors such as:

  • Age, being more common after the age of 65
  • Heredity, being more common in people who have a family history of hypertension
  • Lack of physical activity
  • Excessive salt in the diet
  • Smoking
  • High levels of cholesterol or triglycerides
  • Excessive stress, which can affect people of any age, even the youngest

Secondary hypertension:

Secondary hypertension is a type of high blood pressure that appears due to another health problem and tends to come on suddenly.

Some health problems that can cause secondary hypertension are:


Naturopathic Protocol

It is often difficult to know when to treat, whether to start a lifelong treatment with non-negligible long-term side effects on well-being. This is why we look at lifestyle hygiene as a whole. It's a good idea to try natural remedies for a few months before starting medication, especially if you don't smoke or drink alcohol excessively.

Don't forget that tension evolves according to your psychological state. A temporary bad stress, a bad period in your life, can sometimes cause your blood pressure to rise for a few months before it returns to normal... This last remark also applies to cholesterol!

🍽️ Nutrition

Foods to avoid if you have high blood pressure

  • Excessive consumption of fats in general, and saturated fats in particular, is recognised as one of the main risk factors for developing diseases such as cardiovascular disease and obesity. They are found in butter, cheese, cream, meat (especially red meat), meat preparations (sausages, hamburgers), full-fat dairy products, deli meats, pastries, juice and cooking fat, margarine, palm oil and coconut oil.
  • Dietary 'fats' are not the only culprits: sugars also have a major impact on blood triglyceridemia. Under the influence of insulin, the liver removes excess glucose from the blood by converting it into triglycerides. So say goodbye to biscuits, cakes and all kinds of sweets, but also watch out for the "hidden" sugars contained in many industrial products: soups, sauces, toast, crispbread, ready meals, not to mention alcoholic drinks.

Some drinks yes, but not all

  • In addition to the more or less high sugar content of certain alcoholic beverages (snacks, liqueurs), alcohol increases blood pressure 10 to 15 hours after consumption, although it has a hypotensive effect soon after consumption. It also increases the level of triglycerides, which thickens the blood and increases the resistance of the arteries. However, you can still enjoy a glass of red wine from time to time: the proanthocyanidins it contains (resveratrol) help to control blood pressure.

Is limiting salt intake effective or not?

  • Although the scientific community is not unanimous about reducing salt intake in hypertension, the simplest way is to balance your intake (5 to 8g per day). Most of the salt we consume does not come from the salt cellar, but from the products that contain it!
  • Beware of salt hidden in condiments, soups, sausages, broths (cubes, powders, concentrates), salted meats or fish, smoked foods, all canned foods, sauces, bread and other industrial preparations. Beware of some specially cooked cheeses, such as Comté and Beaufort, which contain considerable amounts of salt.

Preferred foods for high blood pressure

  • Garlic in every meal: Garlic is one of the best plants for the cardiovascular system due to its hypotensive, anti-atherogenic, hyperlipidaemic and antithrombotic action. Crush the garlic with a garlic press, spread it on a plate and let it rest for at least 10 minutes: contact with air favours the release of allicin, one of its main active ingredients.
  • Eat more fibre: a diet rich in fibre, especially soluble fibre. Many foods can be consumed daily: cereals (especially oats, barley, buckwheat), quinoa, asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, green beans, onions, sweet potatoes, artichokes. Fruit includes mango, orange, grapefruit, peach, pear and apple.

Omega-3 for the heart: EPA and DHA

  • As well as lowering blood pressure, omega-3s have the ability to stop and even cure angina pectoris. They are found in all small fatty fish: sardines, mackerel, herring and halibut.
  • Think also of purslane and lamb's lettuce, also rich in these precious elements, as well as 1st cold-pressed oils: rapeseed, linseed, camelina, without forgetting the essential oil seeds (almond, walnut, hazelnut).

Some trace elements in sufficient quantities

  • Daily calcium intake should not be neglected if you have high blood pressure: think of fresh fruit and vegetables, which are often very rich in calcium and are easily absorbed by the body, as well as mineral waters with a high calcium content.

A diet rich in antioxidants

  • Hypertension causes micro-lesions in which LDL molecules are trapped: the fatty acids contained in this LDL can generate oxidative stress, which in turn leads to atherosclerosis. A good way to neutralise these free radicals is to take antioxidants.
  • Green tea and dark chocolate: epicatechins have been shown to reduce systolic and diastolic blood pressure when consumed regularly.
  • Fill up on vitamin C, another important antioxidant, by eating red berries, citrus fruits, peppers and fresh herbs such as parsley or coriander.
  • Vitamin E is not a vitamin that is synthesised by the body. It must therefore be obtained from the diet, particularly from products such as wheat germ oil, cereal sprouts, oilseeds, avocados and, to a lesser extent, green leafy vegetables.
  • A Rosemary tea after dinner, why not? Rosemary inhibits the oxidation of LDL in human blood thanks to the carnosol, rosmanol and epirosmanol it contains. As well as soothing the liver, it can also help with high blood pressure.

An amino acid not to be neglected

  • Arginine is not only one of the 20 amino acids that make up our proteins. It is also a precursor of nitric oxide (NO), a substance used by the body to help dilate blood vessels. Adequate intake of arginine can lower blood pressure in people with mild to moderate hypertension.

In addition

  • Eat the DASH diet to promote heart health.
  • Drink low-mineralised water: 1.5 to 2 litres a day to keep your kidneys working.
  • One week of water fasting is enough to correct high blood pressure in most cases, unless contraindicated.
  • Water with lemon, fruit juice, hot or cold leek-based broths and diuretic Dandelion tea (infusion at 60°C).

🌿 Phytotherapy

First Intention

Olive leaf extracts:

  • Take 2-6 capsules per day in 2 doses
  • Duration: 1-3 months as a dietary supplement

Nervous hypertension

Mother tincture of Hawthorn and Olive:

  • 30 drops of each, 2 times a day

Chronic hypertension

​🌸 Floral Elixirs

🌳 Gemmotherapy

  • Olive tree: Vascular and brain protection
  • Almond: Lowers triglycerides and fluidises the blood
  • Take 7 drops morning, afternoon and evening.
  • Duration: 1 month

💊 Micronutrition

Omega-3 rich fish oils:

  • 2 capsules morning and evening with meals

Acute hypertension (hypertensive crisis)

Vitamin C:

  • 2-4 grams per day
  • Duration: 2 to 3 months

Coenzyme Q10:

  • 100 to 200 mg per day of ubiquinone, or preferably active ubiquinol, can give excellent results in conjunction with plants, especially after 60 years.

Treatment to strengthen the body

Vitamin B and Magnesium complexes strengthen the nervous system and help regulate nervous tension, including blood pressure.

🧘‍♂️ Manual Techniques

Acute hypertension (hypertensive crisis)

  • Hot and salty footbaths for 20 minutes
  • Jacquier's air bowl:
    • 3 sessions of 3 minutes daily
    • Duration: 3 months, renewable

Tension where the second number (resting tension) is very high, known as 'compressed tension', is the most difficult to control. It usually corresponds to a temperament that hides negative emotions, including frustration, anger and resentment. The person is not necessarily aware of it. This so-called "compressed tension" is difficult to treat effectively in a natural way. Breath relaxation techniques, especially sophrology, behavioural and art therapies are highly recommended.

Here is an exercise that is easy to do:

  • Do a relaxing inhalation: inhale slowly and deeply and say, "I absorb the strength, the peace, the serenity".
  • Block it out by saying, "I am simulating and keeping this stillness within me".
  • Slowly exhale through your nose and say: "I regret the worry, the sadness and everything that prevents me from being at peace".

For quick relaxation

Doing exercises or sports

Endurance sports such as running, swimming and cycling are very beneficial for lowering high blood pressure:

  • Doing 30 minutes of exercise a day, or about 2:30 a week (running, brisk walking, swimming, yoga, Pilates) can help lower blood pressure.
  • Avoid more intense sports, such as weight training, which can actually increase pressure.

🌼 Homeopathy

  • Hypertension is easy to treat with homeopathy, and many remedies are effective in relieving the main symptoms.
  • Baryta Carbonica, for example, quickly eliminates the feeling of fatigue, while Spigelia cures the initial symptoms associated with the various cardiovascular disorders caused by hypertension.
  • Specific remedies such as Aconitum and Sulphur can also be used to relieve the discomfort caused by vascular constriction. The latter is particularly indicated in the treatment of atheroma and other arterial degeneration.
  • In addition, several homeopathic remedies are effective in the treatment of essential hypertension, which affects the largest number of patients.
  • Homeopathic treatment is non-invasive and is unlikely to cause the complications associated with the use of drugs that are too aggressive for patients who are usually already weakened by their age.
  • It should also be noted that homeopathy can be prescribed as the main treatment or in addition to drug treatment.

Mental stress and hypertension

  • Some homeopathic remedies can be used to treat stress, depression and nervousness, as well as the reduced intellectual capacity associated with high blood pressure.
  • One of the best known is Nux Vomica, an antidepressant that is particularly suitable for people with hypertension caused by smoking or alcoholism.
  • Ignatia Amara can also be used, especially when hypertension is accompanied by various mood disorders such as overwork, anxiety, insomnia and others. It is also recommended for hypertension accompanied by digestive cramps or mild gastroenteritis.