Hypertension Good treatment options

Hypertension (hypertension): treatment options in naturopathic practice

When secondary hypertension is found to be a symptom of underlying disease (e.g., nephrosis, heart failure, hyperthyroidism, diabetes mellitus, pheochromocytoma), the focus of medical therapy is on the underlying disorder. In most cases, however, hypertension is diagnosed without a causative disease being recognized.

Preventive protects a well-balanced and healthy lifestyle with physical activity, a diet rich in bases and adequate strategies for conflict and stress management. The activation of the healthy regulatory mechanisms of the entire organism achieved with the help of naturopathic measures also helps to normalize blood pressure in mild to moderate cases. In severe cases, they can be used as an adjunct to reduce the important but side effect rich, conventional medication for lowering blood pressure.

In severe cases, conventional drugs are essential!
Symptomatic treatment with diuretics, ACE inhibitors, calcium antagonists or beta-blockers is absolutely necessary for severe hypertension and should never be discontinued without prior consultation with the attending physician and regular monitoring of blood pressure values. Otherwise, hypertension crisis, stroke or heart attack threaten!

Base rich diet not only in overweight
Not only to reduce obesity, which promotes the development of hypertension, should be permanently switched to a base-rich diet. The renunciation of strong acid generators generally relieves and harmonizes the physical, emotional and mental functions and thus prevents further health problems. The food should be as low as possible on table salt, sugar, white flour, red meat, smoked sausage products, preserved food, soft drinks and alcohol. Cereals, nuts, cow's milk and chicken egg products, fish and poultry can all be kept on the menu. For fresh fruit, vegetables and herbs may be consumed several times a day as possible. An individual diet plan is created with the naturopathic oriented practitioner.

Moderate movement as a pressure valve
Exercise can help to control hypertension. Moderate endurance sports (walking, cycling, jogging, swimming), which are often and regularly practiced in smaller sections, have proven to be the most successful.

Blood donation as a modern bloodletting
The bloodletting is a classic method of extraction that has been used in the times of Hippocrates, Paracelsus and St. Hildegard of Bingen, and that of the Austrian physician Aschner in the 20th century „revived“ has been. The patient is thereby a certain amount of blood taken to deward the body, free from stressful toxins and metabolic waste and cause the thereby stimulated blood formation a re-tuning of the organism. The procedure is still used by naturopaths, among other things, to achieve a blood pressure reduction. Optionally, blood can also be donated today, as larger studies have proven the blood pressure-lowering effect of regular blood donations (Natur & Medizin, Issue 26, 12/2003).

Mental balance through Bach flowers
In order to lessen the pressure on the mental level as well, Bach flower remedies are often used in naturopathic practice, which are usually accompanied by consultative discussions. Underlying, negative emotional states can be uncovered and compensated with the flower essences. Although the flower mixtures are individually different, regardless of the disorder, there are some which, because of their description, are to be selected, e.g. Cherry Plum, Rock Rose, Oak, Vervain, Vine, Holly or Willow.

Medicinal plants have little effect
There are some medicinal plants that are used in high blood pressure, but these are just as „slightly low blood pressure“ described. These include motherwort, shepherd's weed, mistletoe, olive leaves and hawthorn leaves. The naturopath and phytotherapist Peter A. Zizmann writes about it in his book „The successful tea blend“: „[...] of tea plants, at least in the short term, no spectacular effects are to be expected with high blood pressure. The hypotensive effect is usually low or only sustainable in the long term.“ (Zizmann 2009, p.144)

Of course, there are many other holistic and naturopathic treatment options, such as relaxation procedures, hypnotherapy, classical homeopathy and therapy with food supplements. If interference fields are suspected of causing hypertension, neural therapy is used primarily to eliminate possible regulatory blockages.

And also mechanical factors, can influence high blood pressure. Rib blockages and muscle tension can irritate nerve tracts. Manual procedures such as osteopathy, Rolfing or manual therapy in this case are possible procedures that are suitable for treatment. (Dipl.Päd. Jeanette Viñals Stein, non-medical practitioner, 22.01.2010)