Tips for Lowering Your Blood Pressure

Suggestions for lowering your Blood Pressure, and improving your fluid exchanges:

**Calcium/Magnesium Supplement 1200/600 per day

**Vitamin B6: 200 mg/day. Stop after your baby’s birth, as can affect your milk supply

 

Nutrition Suggestions:

**Protein/Fruit smoothes    

Protein powder: vegetable source, vanilla is tastier than plain or” original", make sure it does not contain "dieting" ingredients designed to curb appetite. (Protein powder is available at health food stores or the co-op)

 

**Eat well: whole grains, veggies (especially cucumbers), and lots of good protein. Cook with and eat lots of garlic. Avoid processed foods, which contain empty calories, carbohydrates. Avoid starchy vegetables and be certain to get adequate protein. Eat protein with every snack.

Eat lots of leafy green vegetables and fresh fruit. Avoid fruit juices, as they are mostly sugar, and don’t provide the fiber. Always eat some protein with fruit juice to balance out the sugar reaction. The fiber of the fruit and vegetables are very beneficial.

Plain yogurt

Milk, cottage cheese, tofu or soy products

 

**For adding to your diet as much as possible:

Cucumbers, celery and fresh garlic (cooked, or if you can, eat it raw)

Garlic tablets or capsules (deodorized with parsley is the best)

 

**Herbs for a relaxation tea: (Available at Radiance, downtown Olympia)

1 part skullcap

1 part passionflower

1 part linden flower

2 parts hawthorn berries

1 part mixed dandelion leaves and roots

To make the tea, take a 1 Qt size-canning jar and add the herbs. Try 1 tsp units, as suggested above.  Boil the water and pour over the herbs, fill the jar and cover. DO NOT BOIL THE HERBS. Let stand covered for 20--30 minutes. Strain. Drink 2-3 cups of the tea over the course of the day.

**Epsom Salts Baths:

Purchase at almost any grocery store or pharmacy several cartons (pint size or larger if available) of Epsom Salts.  Take 2 long soaking baths per day with 1 cup Epson Salts dissolved in the water.

**Drink at least 8, 8-oz glasses of plain water, in addition to the tea.

**Take two long rests alone each day. Lie down on your side when resting, don't sit up.

Relax, trust in you body. Use visualization to find a calm place in yourself. Select relaxing music for this time period, which you can also use for labor. Hypnosis techniques are useful here.

**Go for easy walks unless instructed otherwise.