Hypertension Herb Garlic

Garlic is one of the most valuable hypertension herb beneficial to your heart. The buildup of toxins leads to abnormal blood pressure and heart problem; garlic helps to break up these toxins. Garlic stimulates blood circulation and improves digestion.

Garlic Plant: Garlic (Allium sativum) is a species in the onion genus, Allium. “Allium sativum” is derived from the Celtic word “all,” means burning or stinging, and the Latin word “sativum” means planted or cultivated.

It has a history of use as a spice in various countries. Garlic has traditionally been used to treat earaches, severe diarrhea, leprosy, deafness, constipation, fever, fight infections and relieve stomach.

Garlic has been on the top ten lists of herbal sales for several years.

The Scientific name of Garlic is Allium Sativum. It is also called by different names such as Allium, Clove Garlic, and Garlic Clove.

Garlic nutritional value: Garlic contains Manganese, Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Selenium, and Decent amounts of calcium, copper, potassium, phosphorus, iron and vitamin B1.

Garlic is a rich source of highly bioavailable selenium; this may be the garlic’s antioxidant property important for health.

The most biologically active compounds in garlic are allicin (diallyl disulfide), it does not exist until it is crushed/cut. Crushing the bulb activates the enzyme alliinase metabolizes alliin into allicin.

Different available forms of the Garlic: You can consume Garlic as raw, boiled, and mild roasted. Garlic dried powder, garlic oil, and garlic extracts are also available.

Recommended daily dosage for garlic: For adult’s general health, the WHO recommends a daily dose of 2 to 5 grams or one clove of fresh garlic, 0.4 to 1.2 grams of dried garlic powder, 2 to 5 milligrams of garlic oil, or 300 to 1,000 milligrams of garlic extract.

How do you take garlic? Whether you are using garlic raw or cooked, for maximum benefits chop or crush it and let allow it for 10 minutes before eating or heating it for a recipe.

The chopping activates alliinase enzymes in the garlic, and leaving it for some time allows these enzymes to convert allin into allicin. Allicin rapidly breaks down to form organosulfur compounds.

How does garlic lower blood pressure?

Many studies show organ sulfur compounds in garlic improves cardiovascular health, including lowering blood pressure, reduce cholesterol, and act as an anti-inflammatory.

There is no clear-cut established mode of action of garlic in lowering blood pressure. Still, there is numerous mechanism of antihypertensive action is suggested, this include:

1. Garlic reduces prostaglandin E2 and thromboxane B2 level and thereby can reduce hypertension.
2. They inhibit the angiotensin-converting enzyme and can lower blood pressure.
3. Garlic’s hydrogen sulfide production and allicin content have angiotensin II inhibiting and vasodilation effects that lower blood pressure.
4. Garlic stimulates intracellular nitric oxide production, which in turn promotes vasodilation and thus reduce blood pressure.

Garlic’s scientific evidence

Aged garlic extract reduces blood pressure in hypertensive: a dose–response trial, European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2013 Jan; 67(1): 64–70. Mean systolic blood pressure was significantly reduced by 11.8±5.4 mm Hg in the garlic-2-capsule group over 12 weeks compared with placebo.

Effect of garlic on blood pressure: A systematic review and meta-analysis, BMC Cardiovascular Disorders 2008 8:13 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2261-8-13. Our meta-analysis suggests that garlic preparations are superior to placebo in reducing blood pressure in individuals with hypertension.

15 Medicinal Uses of Garlic

Garlic makes your food delicious; it also has a numerous health benefits; they are:

1. Reduces blood pressure – Active components in the garlic can lower your blood pressure by various modes of action.
2. Nutritious - It contains Manganese, vitamin B6, vitamin C, Selenium, and decent amounts of calcium, copper, potassium, phosphorus, iron and vitamin B1.
3. Combat sickness - Raw garlic is used to treat colds and coughs; at the onset, you should eat at least two crushed cloves, which will help lessen the severity of your cold.
4. Improves cholesterol profile – Garlic lowered total cholesterol and triglyceride levels by up to 20 mg/dL in humans.
5. Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease & Dementia - The beneficial effects of garlic and its constituents on neuronal physiology and brain functions are beginning to emerge. Dietary garlic as an alternative herbal pharmacotherapy for Alzheimer's disease.
6. Detoxify – It help get rid of heavy metals from your body.
7. Improve Bone Health - A group of scientists at the University of California has found that aged garlic can help improve the bone density of patients with atherosclerosis.
8. Eye Care - Garlic is rich in Selenium, Quercetin, and Vitamin C; they help treat eye infections and swelling.
9. Intestinal Problems - Garlic is useful for most intestinal problems like dysentery, diarrhea, and colitis. It destroys harmful bacteria and dispels worms in the intestine. At the same time, it does not affect useful organisms in the intestine that aid digestion.
10. Aids Digestion - Daily intake of garlic aids in eliminating digestive problems. It assists in the normal intestinal function. Swollen or irritated gastric canal may be healed.
11. Asthma – Before bedtime, eating three garlic cloves boiled in a glass of milk bring subsequent relief for patients with asthma. Crushed garlic cloves with malt vinegar can control the asthma attacks.
12. Sexual Problems - Garlic has aphrodisiac properties, thus useful as a sex rejuvenator. It enhances the libido of both men and women.
13. Blood Purifier – Purify your blood by taking two cloves of raw garlic with warm water, early in the morning, every day. Support proper purification by consuming a lot of water in the entire day. It makes your skin glow without any acne.
14. Weight loss - If you are looking to shed some pounds, then squeeze half a lemon in a glass of warm water and drink it with two crushed cloves of garlic in the mornings. Garlic will help to cleanse your system and flush out toxins.
15. Cancer – Regular consumption of garlic can lower the risk of colon, stomach and esophageal cancer. It aids in reducing the carcinogenic compounds production.

Garlic side effects or warnings

Raw garlic taken by mouth can cause burning sensation in the mouth or stomach, bad breath, heartburn, gas, bloating, nausea, vomiting, body odor, and diarrhea. These side effects increase proportionally to the amount consumed.

Raw garlic can cause severe, burn-like skin irritation if applied to the skin directly.

You can take Garlic along with your hypertension medication (don't stop it).

If your blood pressure drops after few days of garlic use, then you can reduce the dosage and monitor your blood pressure closely for any raise. If it raises, then change back to your original medicine dosage. In the other hand, if BP reduces further after some days of practice then again you can reduce the drug dose!