According to the World Heart Federation there are at least 970 million people worldwide who suffer from high blood pressure. The World Health Organization estimates that this figure will rise to 1.56 billion adults by 2025 !
Blood pressure (BP) is the pressure with which the blood is pumped through the arteries as the heart pumps the blood through the body. If the blood pressure is elevated over a longer period of time, it can damage the body by affecting the heart, kidneys, blood vessels and other parts of the body. Given that there are usually no signs or symptoms, it is advisable to check the blood pressure even when a person feels fine to prevent possible damage to vital organs. Some people experience headaches, dizziness or a feeling like a coffeine surge if their BP is too high.
Blood pressure is measure in 2 numbers, the systolic (top number) is the pressure when the heart beats whilst pumping blood, whilst the diastolic or bottom number refers to the pressure between beats when the heart is at rest.
The normal blood pressure for a a healthy adult aged 18 and older should be less than 120/80 for both numbers. Prehypertension, or slightly raised blood pressure is between 120 to 139 for the top number or 80 to 89 for the bottom number.
The next 2 stages of high blood pressure are 140 to 159 for the top number or 90-99 for the bottom number, whilst the 2nd stage refers to a top number of 160 or higher or a bottom number of 100 or higher.
A person's blood pressure changes all the time. During sleep, the blood pressure drops and it rises again when a person wakes up. Other reasons for rising the blood pressure could be excitement, fear, nervousness or activity. Blood pressure also tends to rise as we get older and a healthy diet and lifestyle is of vital importance to prevent high blood pressure.
If the BP is elevated above the normal levels over a prolonged period of time, it can cause the heart to enlarge or become weaker. This can lead to possible heart failure as the heart is unable to pump sufficient blood to maintain the body's needs, but it can also lead to the formation of aneurysms, i.e. an abnormal widening or dilation (like a balloon) in the wall of an artery due to a weakness in the wall of the blood vessel. As the aneurysm grows, the risk of rupture becomes greater and can lead to severe hemorrhages and even sudden death.
High cholesterol levels mean that there is a build-up of fats (lipids LDL or 'bad cholesterol') on the inside walls of the blood vessels. When the vessels are restricted and the BP is too high, it can lead to kidney failure, stroke, heart attack, amputation or blindness depending on the location and type of ruptured blood vessel.
The best prevention for high BP is to maintain a healthy lifestyle and avoiding 'bad cholesterol', reducing stress, exercising and being well balanced emotionally. There is a large variety of BP-reducing medications on the market but always seek a professional medical opinion before purchasing any medications.
As a prevention for high BP, one of the best natural remedies is Aloe Vera obviously in combination with a healthy lifestyle!
So why exactly is Aloe Vera beneficial to prevent high BP?
The synergy of ingredients of Aloe Vera and the way they interact with each other is what makes this plant so unique and gives it its healing effects. One of the compounds in Aloe Vera is Acemannan, a D-isomer mucopolysaccharide (a major carbohydrate) that has immunostimulant, antiviral, antineoplastic and gastrointestinal properties. Its immunostimulant properties help boost the immune system and reduces inflammation and free radicals, which improves oxygen supply.
The body's cells receive oxygen from the arteries in the lungs that branch out into smaller and smaller blood vessels until they turn into tiny capillaries (the smallest blood vessels). It is there where the oxygen passes over into the cells. Poor eating habits, environmental pollution and stress and increased physical effort weaken the immune system so that free radicals make the body more susceptible for micro inflammations to occur throughout the body that can damage blood vessels and lead to a thickening of the fine capillary walls. If the capillary walls are thickened, the flow of blood slows down, hence limiting the oxygen supply.
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| Aloe Vera |
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| Stinging Netlle |
Silicon is a base material necessary for cell growth, it stabilizes the tissue, strengthens bones, hair, nails, connective tissues and the walls of the capillaries. With age the walls of the blood vessels have a tendency to lose their form and resilience, i.e. they can collapse and interrupt the blood flow, which in the worst case scenario can lead to stroke or heart attack.
Silicon is a base material necessary for cell growth, it stabilizes the tissue, strengthens bones, hair, nails, connective tissues and the walls of the capillaries. With age the walls of the blood vessels have a tendency to lose their form and resilience, i.e. they can collapse and interrupt the blood flow, which in the worst case scenario can lead to stroke or heart attack.
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| Evening Primrose |
Aloe Vera reduces the swelling on the capillary walls so that the blood cellls can flow normal again and the improve the body's oxygen supply. By doing this it also removes toxins and impurities more quickly.
Silicon strengthens and supports the capillary walls and thereby keeps the blood flow open which results in improving the oxygen supply. Silicon cannot cannot be absorbed by the human body in its original form, however, there are natural alternatives as for example stinging nettle which is rich in silicon.
To achieve optimum oxygen supply also depends on the condition of the blood itself. Only when the blood is liquid enough can it pass through the narrow capillaries. Evening Primrose has polyunsaturaded fatty acids and basic alkaline minerals which thin the blood and prevent clotting of the blood and therefore improve the blood flow. The Alkaline minerals support the elasticity of the red blood cells by helping them to pass through the tiny capillaries more quickly and therefore improve blood flow.
The combination of Aloe Vera, Silicon, Evening Primrose and the alkaline minerals improves the oxygen supply through Aloe Vera's decongestant effect whilst the Silicon strengthens the capillary walls and leads unrestricted blood flow, whilst the alkaline minerals reinforce both.
