Holistic Ayurvedic Strategies for Managing Blood Pressure Issues🩺

High blood pressure or hypertension is an important risk factor for serious cardiovascular diseases. Ayurveda, the traditional Indian system of medicine offers a unique perspective on the underlying causes of hypertension and advocates natural lifestyle measures for its prevention and management.

Table of Contents

Causes of High BP according to Ayurveda Principles 🤔

The three doshas – vata, pitta and kapha usually maintain a balance in healthy individuals. An aggravation of these doshas can manifest as illness.

Vata aggravation: 💨

Excess vata dosha is believed to play a key role in hypertension due to its quick, mobile, light, drying and cool qualities. A vata aggravating lifestyle of excessive mental and physical activity, irregular daily patterns along with heightened anxiety, nervousness and stress tend to ultimately disturb vata.

Pitta/Rakta dushti (Blood impurities) 🔥

Pitta represents the fire element in the body that regulates metabolism, digestion, energy production etc. Pitta disorders related to ranjaka pitta (blood governing subdosha) can impair blood quality, viscosity and circulation increasing risk of high BP.

Dhatu/Rasa Kshaya (Nutrient Deficiency) 🧫

Depletion of nutrients and body tissues (dhatus) because of poor diet, digestive issues, smoking or alcohol abuse over time may also contribute towards hypertension according to ayurveda.

High Blood Pressure Symptoms

Also called hypertension, it rarely has noticeable symptoms in the early stages and is often described as a “silent killer.” This makes regular screening important.

As blood pressure increases to dangerously high levels, some common symptoms include:

Headaches – Especially pain in the back of head upon waking up in the morning that improves during the day. Pulsatile headaches may indicate severely raised BP.
Vertigo, Dizziness – A feeling of imbalance, lightheadedness or the surroundings spinning may occur with sudden drops in BP associated with certain hypertensive urgencies.
Facial flushing – Reddening of face upon exertion, exposure to heat or consuming alcohol, indicative of possible untreated hypertension.
Nosebleeds – Common complaint as persistent high pressure can rupture delicate nasal capillaries.
Breathlessness – Shortness of breath on moderate exertion as heart struggles to pump against higher pressure.
Vision changes – Blurry vision, spots or loss of vision as retinal blood vessels get affected by pressure.
Irregular heartbeat – Forceful pounding of heart against the chest wall may be felt indicating arrhythmias, heart failure.
Blood in urine – Presence of erythrocytes in urine often accompanies advanced hypertensive kidney damage.

Low Blood Pressure Symptoms

While mostly harmless, very low BP can still cause bothersome signs like:

Dizziness – More marked upon standing up suddenly from lying down position due to drops in BP.
Fainting – Transient loss of consciousness due to reduced blood flow to brain. Often preceded by lightheadedness, nausea.
Lack of concentration
Blurred vision
Fatigue and depression
Nausea – Associated with dysfunctional autonomic regulation of digestion and vasomotion.

So in essence, listening to one’s body and watching for bothersome symptoms can reveal underlying blood pressure issues early for timely intervention. Lifestyle measures from yoga, meditation, diet changes to BP medications may help control symptoms.

Natural Remedies to Lower BP in Ayurveda 🍃

Ayurvedic treatment of high BP rests primarily on aahar (diet) and vihaar (lifestyle) measures along with appropriate herbal remedies to balance the aggravated doshas and cleanse the blood (rakta shodhana).

Dietary Recommendations 🥗

Include: 👍

– Fruit/veggies rich in fiber, potassium, magnesium, vitamin C

– Whole grains like oats, quinoa, brown rice, barley

– Legumes and dals, almonds and walnuts

– Spices like garlic, ginger, cumin and turmeric

– Omega-3 rich foods like salmon, flax seeds

– Vegetables/fruits juices 🧃

Avoid: 👎

– Excess salt and salty processed foods

– Coffee, energy drinks 🫖

– Greasy and deep fried foods

– Alcohol and tobacco 🍸🚬

– Refined flours and sweeteners

– Red meat

Lifestyle Advice 🏃

– Exercise regularly – walk 🚶‍♀️, yoga, swim etc

– Manage stress with meditation, relaxation 🧘‍♀️

– Establish daily routine with proper sleep 🛏️

– Avoid extremities of weather

– Practice proper breathing exercises (pranayama) 🫁

– Do not suppress any natural urges

Key Herbs to Control BP 🍃

– Rauwolfia serpentina: Contains reserpine that lowers blood pressure

– Convolvulus pluricaulis: Reduces anxiety and nervous tension

– Allium sativum (Garlic): Helps make blood vessels more elastic

– Commiphora mukul (Guggul): Regulates lipid levels

– Crataeva nurvala (Varuna): Natural diuretic and detoxifying

Studies show these ayurvedic measures are as effective as conventional medicine for mild hypertension and can significantly prevent progression from prehypertension to frank hypertension when followed diligently. 👨‍⚕️

Prevention Better Than Cure ✋

Here are some useful tips from ayurveda’s teachings on swasthavritta (health codes) to avoid high blood pressure in the first place:

– Maintain optimal body weight

– Avoid smoking and limit alcohol

– Minimize salt, fats and processed food

– Keep stress under control with yoga and meditation

– Exercise 30-60 minutes daily

In summary, ayurveda offers a safe, drugless approach to regulating blood pressure by promoting internal balance and harmony at a cellular level with natural lifestyle measures suitable for long term management. 😊👍

May it guide you in your journey towards vasudeva kutumbakam – “the whole world is one family” free of hypertension!

Disclaimer : The techniques described in these articles are not intended as substitutes for professional medical advice or treatment. Consult a physician before trying any new health treatment. Do not stop or change prescribed medications without consulting your healthcare provider. The information provided is for educational purposes only. Results will vary based on individual factors. Always rely on the guidance of a qualified medical professional for any health concerns.

Home remedies for high blood pressure or high cholesterol in coordination with an Ayurvedic doctor is a great way to treat these and many other issues.

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