According to the American Heart Association, one out of every three adults has high blood pressure. We all know that the best way get control of high blood pressure is with diet and exercise. We avoid foods that are high in trans-fats such as processed meats and instead eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean meats. Regular exercise also helps to lower high blood pressure and maintain healthy levels.
Cayenne Pepper and High Blood Pressure
Many people also turn to herbal remedies for dealing with high blood pressure. Cayenne pepper is considered to be a natural and quite fast acting remedy for lowering blood pressure. Many believe that Cayenne pepper is a natural vasodilator. This means it has the ability to expand blood vessels which will help improve blood flow quickly and lower your blood pressure. When you look at cultures where hot peppers, like cayenne, are used more often, they seem to be cultures that have a lower incidence of heart attack and stroke.
The most common way to take Cayenne pepper as an herbal remedy for high blood pressure is to drink it in tea or warm water. Another popular concoction is tomato juice (low sodium) mixed with cayenne.
Admittedly, even though there are entire books published on the subject of cayenne lowering high blood pressure, there is not a huge body of research out there proving that cayenne pepper does actually reduce blood pressure. However, a few promising studies have been conducted. A 2010 study published in “Cell Metabolism” found that a receptor called TRPV-1 was activated in mice when they consumed capsaicin, which lowered their blood pressure.
If you have high blood pressure the best things you can do have not changed:
- Lose weight
- Exercise
- Drink water
- Don’t smoke
- Avoid alcohol
- Lower your salt intake
But perhaps, a little cayenne might help along the way.
