Q. Is there a natural food/supplement that will help reduce blood pressure? -Donna

Hi Donna,

Yes there are several that help reduce blood pressure. Magnesium is a basic electrolyte that everyone needs but that most of us come up short on. Magnesium relaxes smooth muscle and is used in many disease states that present with overactive neuro-muscular components such as uncontrolled asthma, seizure, cardiac arrhythmia and migraine. It can take months to replete someone’s magnesium stores. Often times the magnesium deficit is due to the use of a drug that is cause magnesium loss. I would recommend a minimum of 400 mg of magnesium per day and likely up to as much as 800 mg. If you take too much magnesium it can result in diarrhea so if this occurs just decrease your dose.

I would also recommend an amino acid called taurine in doses of 2 to 3 grams per day. This can facilitate vasodilatation and reduce blood pressure. Aged Garlic extracts can be a wonderful aid to reduce blood pressure as well as decrease the rate of arterial plaque formation.

One of the most successful adjuncts to lower blood pressure is the one that no one likes to hear . . . exercise. Yes good old fashioned exercise has many ways to effect blood pressure and is an important tool that you can not ignore. And no, exercise is not walking your dog or walking at work. That is nice “activity” but it is not exercise. If that’s the best you can muster right now then start there with a mind set to increase intensity as you move forward.

Dietary factors play a big role as well. Do you ingest more than 120 mg of caffeine per day? Do you eat onion and garlic which which contain compounds to reduce blood pressure? What about your sugar intake? Are you trending toward insulin resistance? If so then this creates increased blood pressure. Uncontrolled insulin will elevate triglycerides and create a very inflammatory chemistry that can contribute to plaque in blood vessels.

If your doctor is not able to offer dietary or exercise advice for you then seek the counsel of an integrative clinician who can help you get your blood pressure under control before you find yourself on medication. Medication can be a powerful adjunct but we know of the many side effects and nutrient depletion’s that can follow drug use. Blood pressure is too important to ignore and too easy to control so congratulations on your personal insight and journey to take control. I hope these leads are of help to you.