Garlic and High Blood Pressure

Garlic, An Old Kitchen Spice, Makes
Its Way To The Medicine Cabinet 

 A Meta-Analysis study using 7 randomized controled trials has concluded that "garlic preparations are superior to placebo in reducing blood pressure in individuals with hypertension." Garlic and High Blood Pressure have been proven to have a positive link. It was observed that Garlic Powder could be successfully used as a dietary supplement to help stabalize blood pressure.

This is very encouraging indeed, but as with all natural remedies it needs to go hand in hand with solid medical advice and good Garlic Helth Benefits can be negated by extenuating circumstances. If you use blood thinners such as Coumadin, Trental, or asprin, you should not use garlic as a medicinal herb. Also, if you are facing any kind of surgery, you should stop taking Garlic until after you are healed. Talk to your physician about these circumstances.

Otherwise, Garlic is very health friendly. Many people shy away from it because it causes the breath to smell rather pungent. Although it can be a nusaince, this is exaclty what makes Garlic the amazing herb that it is. Garlic contains many sulfur compounds which interact with each other to create the enzymes which make it so remedial. But if breath odor is a concern for you, you can still opt for the odorless supplement extracts such as Kyolic.

We would be hard pressed to find a better herb or drug than garlic when it comes to treating high blood pressure. Nature has foreseen our need and has provided help in an abundant and affordable way. Garlic is effective in treating cardiovascular disease by lowering triglycerides and harmful LDL's (Low density lipoproteins), and by raising HDL's (High-Density Lipoproteins). It dialates the blood vessels allowing blood to flow freely. Garlic is recognized as an effective agent for preventing cancer by elevating glutathione levels in the body, which is a liver enzyme that rids the body of carcinogens. It is also an antioxidant and can thereby heal much of the damage done by hypertension.

So how much Garlic is good for High Blood Pressure?

If you opt for the supplements you can follow the directions or ask your physician. But if you prefer to consume it in its natural form you should consume about one clove a day. But don't worry, a "clove" is not the entire bulb, but a section of it. It is easy to ingest a clove a day in your food, or even raw if you are brave enough! 

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