How does Superfood Turmeric Control Blood Pressure ?

 

Most of us to tend to gravitate towards natural and herbal solutions for our everyday health concerns. You could sip on a healing cup of ginger tea for that awful cold, flu, or sore throat ; or you could make yourself a Matcha green tea face pack to deal with acne and blemishes etc. But is that the extent to which holistic or herbal solutions work? What about the larger health concerns that weigh on our mind ? 

For instance, High Blood Pressure or Hypertension. A serious health problem that impacts more than 1..13 Billion people in the world and less than 1 in every person living with hypertension receives proper treatment. Fortunately, we have several natural solutions to help you control your Blood pressure and improve your heart’s health.

 

Yes, it is your favorite and most ultimate superfood - Turmeric to the rescue again .
The health benefits of turmeric are incredibly powerful, many of which have also been scientifically proven. But did you know that this golden spice can also have a positive effect on your blood pressure? Yes, Turmeric and blood pressure is a topic that has attracted a lot of active research and many studies have proven turmeric's abilities to control high blood pressure.

 

 

WHAT IS HYPERTENSION ?

Often referred to as the ‘silent killer’, high blood pressure or hypertension is a serious clinical condition that elevates the risk of heart and brain diseases. To define blood pressure, it is the force exerted with the circulating blood on the various arteries in the body. When this blood pressure is too high, it is called Hypertension. 

 

There is no specific underlying cause for high blood pressure, as it is a lifestyle-related disease. There are a couple of triggers that increase the risk of getting hypertension or elevated blood pressure, some of which are :- 

 

• Unhealthy Diet - Diet with a high salt content leads to more fluid retention in the body, thereby increasing blood pressure. Also more of unsaturated fats and less of fruits or leafy vegetables pose a high risk of developing hypertension.
  
  

• Age - The risk of hypertension increases with age.
  
  

• Smoking - When we smoke our blood pressure rises temporarily, but with prolonged and heavy smoking one can develop hypertension.

 

• Alcohol consumption - Prolonged and heavy consumption of alcohol not only damages your liver but also poses a significant heart risk with elevated blood pressure.

 

• Physical inactivity - People with less or no physical exercise tend to have an elevated resting heart rate, which tells you that the heart has to work harder and thus exerting a higher pressure on the arteries.
  

 

• Obesity - More amount of blood is required to be pumped in obese people’s bodies and hence the heart has to work a lot harder. This subsequently increases the blood pressure.
  

 

• Hereditary - Presence of high blood pressure history in the family.

  
  
  

• Diabetes or renal disorders - Diabetes, kidney disorders, thyroid problems can often increase the risk of hypertension.

 

 

Most people who develop hypertension are usually unaware of it. But thankfully, there are a couple of visible symptoms that can warn you of high blood pressure and for you to get it checked and measured at your local GP’s clinic. Some of these visible symptoms are:-

 

1. Frequent headaches

2. Blurred visions 

3. Irregular heart rate or rhythm. 

4. A constant buzzing sound in the ears

5. Fatigue or confusion

 

Some of the more serious symptoms of chronic hypertension are :- 

 

1. Pounding in the chest

2. Breathing difficulties

3. Chest pains

4. Nausea

5. Anxiety and tremors

With several prescribed medications available to keep blood pressure in control, we recommend including a sprightly cup of turmeric tea in your diet as one of the many ways to lower blood pressure naturally.

 

 

TURMERIC AND BLOOD PRESSURE

 

Turmeric is a revered golden spice that has held a godly reputation in South Asian countries, especially India. Mentioned first in 250 B.C. in the Vedic book of holistic medicine, Susruta Samhita, where this vibrant yellow spice is a prime ingredient in treating carminative (gastric) issues; in healing wounds and injuries; and also in treating cold, flu symptoms etc. This gave way to the much popular turmeric latte and also herbal turmeric teas .

 

This is courtesy of turmeric’s active ingredient, curcumin, this time-honored spice has a plethora of health benefits. It has powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties which help treat a variety of conditions and also help strengthen your overall immunity, improve heart health and a lot more! But several scientific studies have proven Turmeric’s amazing property of regulating blood pressure and being beneficial for the heart’s health. Let’s take a look at how does turmeric and blood pressure work in synchrony.

 

 

1. TURMERIC REDUCES BLOOD PRESSURE

One of the key factors that contribute to hypertension is the dysfunction of endothelial cells. Endothelial cells line the walls of our blood vessels and help expand or contract the vessels for the proper functioning of the heart. But with age, this endothelial function gets weaker and the oxidative stress promotes inflammation, plaque build-up, and eventually blocked arteries leading to a heart attack.

Curcumin helps in improving the functioning of endothelial cells. It inhibits an enzyme that narrows blood vessels. By widening and relaxing the blood vessels, curcumin helps in bringing down the blood pressure.

 

 

2. TURMERIC PROTECTS ARTERIES FROM DAMAGE

 

Curcumin has been proven to improve the functioning of the arteries and also reduce the risk of cardiac arrests, stroke, and heart diseases. With more plaque deposition in the arteries, the heart has to work harder to pump blood through the arteries and the force, pressure of this causes damage to the arterial walls over time. Also with bad cholesterol (LDL Cholesterol) depositing on the walls, the arteries become narrower, thereby leading to a further increase in the blood pressure.

Curcumin, the active ingredient of turmeric, helps in significantly bringing down the levels of LDL cholesterol in the body, thereby reducing the risk of heart attacks and stroke. Also curcumin’s powerful anti-inflammatory properties help in preventing irregular heartbeat, blood clots etc. thereby preventing high blood pressure. 

 

 

 

3. TURMERIC REDUCES BAD CHOLESTEROL LEVELS

 

Cholesterol and sugar are two other parameters that you would want to have in control. High levels of LDL (Bad) cholesterol and high blood sugar levels, characteristic of diabetes, can also contribute to high blood pressure and subsequent cardiac risks. Curcumin has been known to prevent the oxidation of LDL or bad cholesterol, thereby preventing any fat deposition in the arteries which may otherwise cause heart blockades and heart failure.

 

4. TURMERIC REDUCES BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS

 

Additionally, curcumin also helps in reducing blood sugar levels and other complications that arise due to diabetes. As we know, increased blood sugar levels of diabetic conditions can also significantly increase blood pressure ; curcumin works well to keep these factors in control.

 

 

Curcumin improves the functioning and life of pancreatic cells, It also reduces the production of glucose in the liver, while also increasing insulin resistance. All of this cumulatively leads to a dramatic decrease in overall blood sugar levels, which in turn reduces any risk of developing high blood pressure.

 

Turmeric Tea has a plethora of incredible and robust health benefits, out of which, its ability to regulate blood pressure and control the risk factors of high blood pressure, is truly commendable. Science proves that it’s truly beneficial for your heart’s health!  So why not make it a part of our daily diet and reap such amazing benefits from this humble Indian spice! 

 

Since the holidays are upon us, you could indulge in some guilt-free turmeric treats which will add a dose of good health with all the fun and merriment! Click here to see 5 amazing in-house turmeric superfood recipes that you can relish with your family and friends this season.