Are you looking for natural ways to reduce your blood pressure? If you are, you will be interested in a recent study that demonstrated that the consumption of dietary flaxseed meal resulted in significant drops in blood pressure in people with both normal and high blood pressure.
What causes high blood pressure?
When your heart pumps blood, it exerts pressure on the walls of the arteries. Blood pressure measures the amount of pressure that is exerted on the walls of the arteries. When the pressure in the arteries is too high for prolonged periods, hypertension or high blood pressure is the result. High blood pressure puts stress on the cardiovascular system, and increases the incidence of stroke and heart attack.
While there are a few diseases that cause high blood pressure, such as kidney disease, in most cases there is no specific cause of high blood pressure.
How can flaxseed lower blood pressure?
In a study at the University of Hospital Holguin, study participants consumed 30 grams of ground flaxseed daily in the form of bagels, muffins and buns. Flaxseed was chosen for this study because other studies have shown that flaxseed reduces blood cholesterol, reduces levels of trans fatty acid that are known to build up plaque in the arteries, and decreases levels of inflammation in the body.
The study included both people who had been diagnosed with hypertension and people with normal blood pressure. Half of the participants in the study received a placebo while the other half received flaxseed. The people with high blood pressure who consumed flaxseed showed the highest decrease in systolic blood pressure – around 15 mmHg – and a similar reduction in diastolic blood pressure. All of the participants in the study who consumed flaxseed had an average reduction of 10 mmHg in systolic blood pressure and 7 mm Hg in diastolic blood pressure.
This drop in blood pressure is significant. According to Dr Delfin Rodriguez, this type of reduction of blood pressure – 10-15 mm hg – could potentially reduce the incidence of stroke by about 50% and reduce the incidence of heart attack by about 30%.
Should you replace your blood pressure medication with just flaxseed?
While the study is of great interest to people who would like to lower their blood pressure, it is still too soon to say that flaxseed is an effective treatment for high blood pressure. The study was a small one and included 110 people, so a larger study would be needed to confirm the effects of flaxseed on blood pressure.
The participants in this study consumed 30 gm of flaxseed daily, which is equal to about 4 tablespoons of flaxseed. That is quite a lot of flaxseed, but your health will also benefit from lower amounts. If you are just looking to add some antioxidants to your diet, you can try adding one to two tablespoons of flaxseed daily.
You can add flaxseed to your diet by sprinkling it on your cereal, salad, smoothy, or in your baking. You can also buy baked goods such as bread, cookies, and muffins with flaxseed. You should start slowly by adding one teaspoon daily. Increase the flaxseed gradually to allow your digestive system to adjust.
Health benefits of flaxseed
Flaxseed has a number of benefits. It contains omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, and lignans which have antioxidant effects, so it is a great supplement for everyone. Recent studies are looking at the role of flaxseed in prevention of hardening of the arteries, breast cancer, menopausal symptoms, and heart disease.
Flaxseed is rich in nutrients. If you are looking for ways to improve your overall health, you should consider adding flaxseed to your diet. Try some today!