High blood pressure is a deadly condition that affects more than a quarter of all adults in the UK. The condition, which is also known as hypertension, puts extra stress on your blood vessels and vital organs. Left untreated, high blood pressure could lead to some deadly complications, including heart attacks and strokes. But you could lower your chances of developing hypertension by regularly eating turmeric, it’s been claimed.
Turmeric has been my number one natural blood pressure reducer and cardiovascular spice for years
Dr Stephen Sinatra
Turmeric’s active ingredient, curcumin, could play a role in lowering blood pressure, according to cardiologist Dr Stephen Sinatra.
Curcumin is a powerful antioxidant the helps to break-up big clumps of platelets in the blood, he said.
If you’d prefer to take curcumin as a supplement, aim for around 500mg in a single day.
“You may not have heard of curcumin before, but you have probably heard of turmeric, the spice that is best known as an ingredient in Indian curry and yellow mustard.
“Turmeric has been my number one natural blood pressure reducer and cardiovascular spice for years, and its yellow colour comes from curcumin — a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compound that’s been found to reduce blood pressure by lowering the excess platelet aggregation that occurs in sticky, clot-forming blood.
“Plus, animal research suggests that it may reduce cardiomyopathy, though more human research is needed in the hypertensive population to confirm these findings. That’s why I recommend cooking with plenty of turmeric.”
You could also lower your blood pressure by adding ginger to your diet, added the cardiologist.
Ginger is a type of blood thinner that may help you to avoid hypertension, he said.
“You can try commercial organic ginger teas, or make your own from ginger root,” said Sinatra. “Simply chop the root into small pieces and boil for about five minutes.
“You can also use sliced or grated ginger to spice up any dish, as I frequently do with wild salmon.”
Meanwhile, a key component of cayenne pepper, capsaicin, could help to dilate blood vessels.
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Dilating blood vessels increases the circulation of blood, which reduces blood pressure, he said.
High blood pressure is often known as ‘the silent killer’, because many people may have the condition without even knowing it.
That’s because symptoms only tend to reveal themselves if you have extremely high blood pressure.
Common high blood pressure symptoms include chest pain, nosebleeds, and finding blood in your urine.
Speak to a doctor if you’re worried about the warning signs of high blood pressure.
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