High Blood Pressure

Over 50 million people in the United States alone have high blood pressure. They are on prescription drugs to control their blood pressure. High blood pressure is a silent killer, as it does not show any symptoms. It is often diagnosed only when serious complications occur. Garlic has been found by a number of studies to be helpful in controlling blood pressure. Garlic appears to lower blood pressure by 5 to 10 %.s It can also lower cholesterol, reduce triglyceride levels, discourage clot formation, and promote blood circulation. For further information, read Types Of Blood Pressure.

However, garlic can thin the blood. It should not be combined with prescription blood-thinners such as Coumadin (warfarin) or Trental (pentoxifylline) or with natural blood-thinners such as vitamin E or ginkgo. It is usually recommended that people taking garlic should stop taking it for a few weeks before any type of surgery and must, also abstain from taking it for a few weeks after.

Garlic is not a substitute for blood pressure medication or blood pressure medicine or lifestyle changes. However, it has a long standing reputation for assisting blood pressure management though it has not been conclusively established yet. However, garlic does play a role in reducing systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

Blood pressure means the force of blood against the walls of the arteries, veins, and the chambers of the heart as it is pumped through the body. High blood pressure occurs when the blood is pumped with greater difficulty against the arteries by the heart, which over a period of time, begins to damage the lining of the blood vessels. That is why, regular blood pressure information gathered from regular inputs is important to check your blood pressure levels. Blood pressure monitor and digital blood pressure cuffs help one keep track of one's high blood pressure units.