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Say Goodbye To Hypertension: Take This Miracle Herb For Its Ultimate Cure
Hypertension, commonly known as high blood pressure, is a chronic medical condition that can lead to serious health issues such as heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure. Managing hypertension often involves lifestyle changes and medication, but did you know that a natural remedy could help you control your blood pressure levels effectively? Enter the miracle herb: Hibiscus.
The Power of HibiscusHibiscus, a flowering plant known for its vibrant red blooms, has been traditionally used for its health benefits across different cultures. Recent scientific research has highlighted its potent antihypertensive properties, making it a promising natural treatment for high blood pressure.
How Hibiscus Helps Lower Blood PressureRich in Antioxidants: Hibiscus is packed with antioxidants, such as flavonoids and anthocyanins, which protect your body from oxidative stress and reduce inflammation, both of which are linked to hypertension.
Natural Diuretic: Hibiscus acts as a natural diuretic, helping to flush out excess fluids and sodium from your body. This reduces the volume of blood your heart needs to pump, thereby lowering blood pressure. ACE Inhibition: Compounds in hibiscus work similarly to ACE inhibitors, a class of medications commonly prescribed for high blood pressure. They help to relax blood vessels and improve blood flow. Cholesterol Management: Hibiscus has been shown to reduce LDL cholesterol levels, further promoting cardiovascular health and aiding in the prevention of hypertension-related complications. How to Incorporate Hibiscus into Your DietHibiscus Tea: The most popular way to consume hibiscus is in the form of tea. Steep dried hibiscus flowers in hot water for 5-10 minutes. You can enjoy it hot or cold, with a squeeze of lemon and a bit of honey if desired. Hibiscus Supplements: If you prefer a more convenient option, hibiscus extract is available in capsule or powder form. Always follow the dosage instructions provided by the manufacturer. Culinary Uses: Incorporate hibiscus into your meals. Use the dried petals to add a tangy flavor to salads, desserts, or even smoothies. PrecautionsWhile hibiscus is generally safe for most people, it's essential to be cautious if you: Are Pregnant or Breastfeeding: The safety of hibiscus during pregnancy or breastfeeding has not been well-studied, so it's best to avoid it.Have Low Blood Pressure: Hibiscus can further lower blood pressure, which might be dangerous if you already have hypotension.Are on Medication: If you're taking medications for hypertension or any other condition, consult your doctor before adding hibiscus to your regimen to avoid any potential interactions.Hibiscus offers a natural, effective way to manage high blood pressure and improve overall cardiovascular health. By incorporating hibiscus tea or supplements into your daily routine, you can say goodbye to hypertension and embrace a healthier, more balanced life. Always remember to consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment to ensure it's appropriate for your individual health needs. Say Goodbye to Dental Problems with Turmeric: Five Things to Know Are You Suffering from Empty Nose Syndrome? Recognizing These Symptoms Why These Health Conditions Affect Women More Severely Than Men? Do You Know What Ginger Ale is? How It Helps Balance Women's Health?Overview Of Venous Hypertension
Venous hypertension is high blood pressure inside the veins in your legs. It can impair your body's ability to carry oxygen to your lower body and cause problems like swelling and ulcers.
Venous hypertension often develops due to problems with the valves inside your veins, which leads to the backflow and pooling of blood. It can also occur as a complication of pregnancy and some rare genetic disorders.
Read on to learn more about venous hypertension, including its causes, symptoms, and treatment options.
Venous hypertension vs. Venous insufficiencyVenous hypertension refers to high blood pressure in the veins of your legs. It's a complication of a related condition called venous insufficiency.
Venous insufficiency is when your veins have trouble carrying blood back to your heart. It can lead to the pooling of blood in your legs, which increases the blood pressure in your veins.
Arteries are blood vessels that carry oxygenated blood away from your heart, and veins are blood vessels that carry deoxygenated blood back to your heart. Veins in your lower body carry blood back to your heart upward against gravity when you're standing or sitting upright.
The veins in your lower body contain one-way valves that help prevent the backflow of blood. An impaired ability to return blood from your veins to your heart is called venous insufficiency. The first manifestation of venous insufficiency is venous hypertension.
Venous hypertension is most commonly associated with venous reflux, which is the backflow of blood through the valves in your veins.
Risk factors for chronic venous insufficiency include:
Venous hypertension can also occur due to some genetic disorders, like Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome, which often causes severe venous hypertension.
Venous insufficiency and venous hypertension affect about 40% of pregnancies.
People who develop venous insufficiency develop signs and symptoms related to poor circulation in their lower body. These can include:
Potential complications of venous insufficiency and venous hypertension include:
Gangrene can lead to the need for amputation.
It's important to contact a doctor any time you develop symptoms of poor circulation, like swelling in your legs or discolored patches on your skin. A doctor can help you determine if an underlying health condition is contributing to your symptoms and if you might benefit from either medical treatment or changes to your lifestyle habits.
Medical emergency
Go to the nearest emergency room if you develop any symptoms of a pulmonary embolism, such as:
A doctor will start your diagnosis by reviewing your medical history and asking you about your symptoms. They'll likely perform a physical exam, where they'll examine your legs for characteristic symptoms like ulcers or swelling.
Doctors can use a type of imaging test called a Doppler ultrasound to measure how well blood is moving through your veins and detect valves in your blood vessels that aren't working properly.
If your doctor finds that you do have signs of venous hypertension or venous insufficiency, they may run other tests to look for potential underlying health conditions.
A doctor may recommend the following treatments for venous hypertension and insufficiency:
You might be able to prevent venous hypertension to some degree by taking steps to protect your vascular health. Lifestyle changes you can make that might help you prevent venous hypertension include:
Here are some frequently asked questions that people have about venous hypertension.
Is venous hypertension dangerous?Without treatment, venous hypertension and venous insufficiency tend to be progressive. Ulcers are common and difficult to treat. Many people develop a serious condition called deep vein thrombosis, which can progress to a life threatening condition called pulmonary embolism.
Can venous hypertension be reversed?Venous hypertension may be reversible if you treat the underlying cause. Damage to the valves in your veins may be permanent without surgery.
Venous hypertension is when the blood pressure in the veins in your lower body rises. It's a complication of venous insufficiency, which is a reduced ability of your veins to return blood to your heart.
People with venous hypertension can have symptoms that range from mild to severe. In severe cases, you may need surgery to repair or replace damaged valves in your lower body.
High Blood Pressure In Pregnancy Has Doubled—but Only 60% Of Women Are Treated
Pregnancy brings with it all kinds of bodily changes, and it might feel like there are endless things for an expectant mom to worry about. One such concern is gestational hypertension, aka high blood pressure in pregnancy, with a new study showing that rates of pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) doubled in recent years—yet only 60% of patients were treated for it. But why?
According to the study, published Monday in the journal Hypertension, rates of chronic hypertension doubled between 2008 and 2021, rising from 1.8% to 3.7% in that 13-year time period. The findings are consistent with other recent studies, which link a sharp increase in the risk for high blood pressure among millennial and Gen Z patients compared to Baby Boomers.
Chronic hypertension in pregnancy is defined as having persistent high blood pressure—which the National Institutes of Health denotes as 140/90 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) or higher—before pregnancy or within 20 weeks of gestation.
Experts are not 100% clear on the cause, but prior research suggests it might be linked to people waiting until they are older to have children. Some doctors believe poor heart health prior to pregnancy can have an impact, too.
If untreated, gestational hypertension can be dangerous, increasing the risk of complications like preeclampsia, low birth weight, placental abruption (when the placenta separates from the uterus before labor), and kidney problems, among other concerns. It can also increase the risk of several types of heart disease in the future, as Maria Pabon, a cardiologist at Brigham and Women's Hospital specializing in women's cardiovascular health, told ABC News. "Heart disease is the number one cause of death of women in the U.S., and women have unique risk factors as compared to men," she told the outlet.
As for why so many pregnant patients have gone untreated, there are several potential factors, though one doctor believes that 60% might even be an underestimate. Dr. Justin Brandt, an Associate Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and the Division Director of Maternal Fetal Medicine, told ABC News that a recent change in guidance might account for the lack of appropriate care in the decades prior.
In 2022, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) updated their guidelines, recommending that patients with even mild hypertension in pregnancy be treated with medication, which might reflect the low treatment rates despite rising numbers from 2008 to 2021.
"Our approach really changed. We realized that treatment reduced complications in pregnancy like preeclampsia without affecting fetal growth," Brandt said.
Of course, a lack of access to adequate health care during pregnancy is a very real problem, one that disproportionately affects Black patients and other patients of color. These disparities "reflect neighborhood, economic and health-systems level factors that shape access to care and health during pregnancy," as Natalie A. Cameron, MD, an instructor at Northwestern Medicine, previously told Motherly.
With updated guidance, hopefully more patients will receive the care and support they need to carry out a healthy pregnancy. Checking in with your doctor with any concerns is always a good idea, and you can take some small steps at home to lower blood pressure during pregnancy: reducing sodium intake, eating a diet rich in whole grains and potassium, increasing water intake, managing stress through relaxation techniques, staying active, avoiding smoking and alcohol, and taking medications as prescribed.
A holistic approach can help reduce your risks, with full acknowledgment that not every pregnant patient has the same resources available to them—all the more reason why equitable healthcare access is so important, during pregnancy and beyond.
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