Stevia & Celery Lower Blood Pressure

Stevia & Celery Lower Blood Pressure
by Chris Gupta with Dr. Hing Hua Tsang
From New Media Explorer - 2006-03-20

"A 1-year double-blind study of 106 individuals given stevia extract found evidence of a significant reduction in blood pressure beginning at 3 months*. In the treated group, the average blood pressure at the beginning of the study was about 166/102. By the end of the study, this had fallen to 153/90. In contrast, no significant reductions were seen in the placebo group."

"According to Chinese theory, celery is effective for hypertension because it acts upon the liver; one type of hypertension is associated with the liver. In Mainland China, celery juice was useful in reducing hypertension in 14 out of 16 patients. The juice was mixed with equal amounts of honey and about 8 ounces was taken orally three times each day for up to 1 week. Fresh celery juice can be mixed with vinegar to relieve dizziness, headache and shoulder pain associated with hypertension. In cases of hypertension of pregnancy and climacteric hypertension, drink fresh celery juice every day."

Here is another example of food as medicine.....

"Since prescription drugs that lower blood pressure do have side effects - some of them risky and unpleasant - it is important to always begin with natural methods. If you are taking drugs for high blood pressure, your health care provider should be monitoring you regularly and should have a goal of getting you off the medication if possible. If you are already taking drugs to lower blood pressure, it is important not to take herbs that directly lower blood pressure such as hawthorn, without checking with your health care provider. Your blood pressure should be monitored while making the necessary reduction in your medication."

• Maintain a healthy weight.
  
• Got some moderate exercise at least 30 minutes every day or 45 minutes three to four times a week.
  
• Reduce stress - cut down your commitments, getting more sleep, regular exercise and make more time for recreation. Practice stress-reduction techniques (biofeedback, self-hypnosis, music yoga, meditation)
  
• Eat a low bad-fat, high good-fat, low-sodium, low sugar diet emphasizing fresh fruit and vegetable, grains and plenty of fiber. Eat more potassium-rich foods (such as potato, avocado, cooked lima beans and banana). Fresh celery (four stalks a day has been known to significantly reduce blood pressure-try drinking a carrot/celery juice mix daily), garlic, Onions, Cold water, deep sea fish (mackerel, sardines, salmon, herring for Omega - fatty acid), cook with unrefined coconut, palm, organic butter (instead of vegetable oils or commercial butter).
  
• Avoid refined, packaged and processed foods.
  
• Limit alcohol consumption to two drinks per day or less.
  
• Avoid coffee.
  
• Stop smoking.
  
• Avoid drugs that raise blood pressure. Avoid any supplement containing ephedrine which cause hypertension and stroke.
  
• Drink plenty of clean water (till the colour of your urine is pale yellow)
  
• Stevia instead of sugar. A 1-year double-blind study of 106 individuals given stevia extract found evidence of a significant reduction in blood pressure beginning at 3 months*. In the treated group, the average blood pressure at the beginning of the study was about 166/102. By the end of the study, this had fallen to 153/90. In contrast, no significant reductions were seen in the placebo group.
  

* Chan P, Tomlinson B, Chen YJ, et al. A double-blind placebo-controlled study of the effectiveness and tolerability of oral stevioside in human hypertension. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2000;50:215–220