Nutrition Is Better Than Drugs for High Blood Pressure.

There are literally dozens of powerful medications for lowering high blood pressure. According to the nation's top alternative physicians and other experts, however, most people can lower their blood pressures into the safety zone without resorting to drugs.

"Volumes of scientific research show that dietary changes can eliminate high blood pressure or hypertension in most patients," says Julian Whitaker, M.D., founder and director of the Whitaker Wellness Institute in Newport Beach, California. "In spite of that, the routine approach of most doctors is to immediately start a patient on drugs and usually without any recommendation for dietary change. The dangerous side effects of high blood pressure drugs often make this approach, in my opinion, more harmful to the patient than beneficial."

Eric Braverman, M.D., director of the Place for Achieving Total Health in New York City, agrees that medications can cause problems without getting to the root of the condition.
"Drugs treat the symptoms of high blood pressure, which can be necessary in some cases, but curing the problem requires nutritional supplements and dietary and lifestyle changes," he says.
So, if you have been diagnosed with high blood pressure (this usually means that your reading is higher than 140/90), here are the remedies that alternative healers say can bring your pressure down to a healthier level. It's worth doing, because high blood pressure can lead to a host of other problems, including heart disease, he says.

WATER: The Remedy That's Too Good to Be True
Dr. Whitaker's number one recommendation for lowering high blood pressure is to drink 15 glasses of water a day. "Almost all of the blood pressure medications mimic the effects of increased water intake," he says
Water, he explains, relaxes your entire system, including your arteries—and tight, constricted arteries are the main cause of high blood pressure. "This remedy is so easy and simple, it seems too good to be true," he says. Yes, 15 glasses is a lot of water. He recommends drinking one 8-ounce glass every hour that you're awake.

POTASSIUM-RICH FOODS: Bounce Salt from the Body

Lowering sodium is important because this mineral can raise blood pressure in those who are sensitive to it. Unlike many physicians, though, Dr. Whitaker doesn't tell patients to go on low-sodium diets."I tell them to increase their intake of the mineral potassium," he says. Potassium and sodium act like a seesaw in your body. The higher your intake of potassium, the lower your level of sodium.Dr. Whitaker cites scientific studies in which people who were taking blood pressure medications were able to get off the drugs just by eating a lot more fruits and vegetables, which are excellent sources of potassium.He recommends eating at least two bananas a day (they're loaded with potassium) along with at least five servings of other high-potassium fruits and vegetables. (Fruits and vegetables also supply plenty of fiber, which is another food factor that can help lower blood pressure.)"A high potassium intake can prevent high blood pressure and lower existing high blood pressure," agrees Kitty Gurkin Rosati, R.D., a registered dietitian and nutrition director of the Rice Diet Program at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina.Besides bananas, some of the fruits highest in potassium include apricots, cantaloupe, dates, honeydew melons, kiwifruit, mangoes, nectarines, watermelon, avocados, grapefruit juice, oranges, papayas, pomegranates, prune juice, and raisins.

Some of the richest vegetable sources of potassium are Swiss chard, celery, spinach, parsley, watercress, endive, kohlrabi, broccoli, tomatojuice, cucumbers, cauliflower, asparagus, artichokes, potatoes, sweet -:potatoes, and winter squash. If you have kidney disease, high levels of potassium can be harmful. You should talk to your doctor before increasing your intake of potassium rich foods.

FISH: For Oils Your Arteries Need
Lowering your intake of artery hurting saturated fat the kind found in red meats and dairy foods should be part of any plan to lower high blood pressure. But omega-3 fatty acids, a type of fat found in cold-water fish, can actually help lower blood pressure, Dr. Braverman says.
"Eat fish daily, or even twice daily, if you can," he says. Some of the fish highest in omega-3's include mackerel, sardines, bluefish, salmon, mullet, herring, and lake trout.

If fish isn't your favorite food, you can still get your daily omega-3's by taking a fish-oil supplement, Dr. Braverman says. He recommendstaking seven capsules daily of a high-potency fish oil, with a minimum of 1,000 milligrams per capsule. Or you can take 3 tablespoons daily ofEPA-emulsified fish oil.

MAGNESIUM GLUCONATE: Less Arterial Tension
Magnesium relaxes arteries, thus helping to lower blood pressure, Dr. Whitaker says. He recommends taking 500 to 1,000 milligrams of magnesium gluconate a day, divided into three doses. Since amounts this high may pose problems for people with existing heart conditions, check with your doctor before supplementing.

COENZYME Q10: Like Exercise for the Arteries
"The use of coenzyme Q10 is a pivotal component of my core protocol to lower blood pressure," says Stephen Sinatra, M.D., a cardiologist and director of the New England Heart Center in Manchester, Connecticut.
Research indicates that many people with high blood pressure are deficient in this important nutrient. Coenzyme Q10 helps generate energy in every cell in your body, and it may help improve the "tone" of the arteries, reducing blood pressure, says Dr. Sinatra. He recommends taking 60 to 90 milligrams of coenzyme Q10 three times a day after a meal, for a daily total of 180 to 270 milligrams.

EXERCISE: Walk to Better Health
Eating the right foods is crucial for lowering and preventing high blood pressure. But so is regular exercise.
"I recommend 30 minutes of aerobic exercise four times a week for my patients with high blood pressure," says Mark Stengler, N.D., a naturopathic physician in San Diego. "Regular exercise relaxes artery walls and decreases stress. It can also help a person lose weight, and being overweight is a major risk factor for high blood pressure."
"Walking is the best exercise for people with high blood pressure," adds Donald Carrow, M.D., founder and director of the Florida Institute of Health in Tampa. "It's the easiest exercise. People can slowly build up the time they exercise, starting with as little as 5 minutes and increasing as they get stronger. And for someone with high blood pressure, it's the least traumatic exercise. High-intensity exercise like running or racquet-ball can be too stressful for those with hypertension."

HAWTHORN: Good for the Heart and Arteries
Plan on taking 250 milligrams of a standardized extract of the herb hawthorn daily until your blood pressure reaches normal levels, at which point, you can reduce or eliminate it. This herb can help lower blood pressure by relaxing arteries and strengthening the heart, says Michael Janson, M.D., consultant physician at Path to health in Burlington, Massachusetts.

GARLIC: Lowers Blood Pressure Naturally
Scientific studies have shown that garlic, either fresh or in supplement form, can help lower blood pressure, Dr. Braverman says.
"Eat as much garlic as possible two or three cloves a day, minimum," adds Dr. Sinatra. (You can counteract garlic breath by chewing on fresh parsley.)
Even people who like garlic may have trouble eating this much, however. That's why doctors often recommend using garlic supplements, following the directions on the label, Dr. Stengler says.