More often than not, stress is a contributory factor to high blood pressure. When we feel relaxed, so is everything actually in our body, including our blood vessels. As we have seen, it's the constriction and restriction of the blood vessels which causes high blood pressure so anything which causes these to dilate or relax is beneficial.

Here are some alternative ways to treat high blood pressure using herbs, aromatherapy and yoga.

Herbs
Lemon Balm - (melissa officinalis)
This is a green leafy herb, similar in appearance to mint and almost as easy to grow. The herb is so-called because it's leaves have a lemony scent. It is known for it's calming and relaxing effects, and has a strengthening effect on the muscles. It was introduced to Britain in 4th C by the Romans and is also good for digestion, abdominal cramps, stress and nerves. The essential oil is good as an insect repellent but, as with all essential oils, should never be taken internally. Lemon balm leaves are wonderful in salads or used as marinade for chicken and fish. This herb should not be used by pregnant women because it relaxes the cervical muscles.

Stinging Nettles
Stinging nettles have been useful in the treatment of arthritis and are full of vitamin C. They stimulate and cleanse the body and improve heart function. Believe it or not, they actually make good tea. Pick the top fresh shoots from the plant and follow the instructions on the left to make herbal tea.

Hawthorne
Hawthorne relaxes muscles, stimulates heart metabolism and strengthens heart contractions. It also causes the blood vessels to dilate and improves blood supply to the heart. Hawthorne can be found in English hedgerows and was believed to have magical properties in pagan times. It is usually the berries that are used medicinally. You should never take Hawthorne without the advice of your GP AND a herbalist. To find a herbalist look at the useful contact listing at the bottom of this article.

Other Useful Herbs
Fennel, black pepper, ginger, oregano, basil, tarragon and hyssop all contain compounds which can help to lower blood pressure. Fennel and ginger also make delicious herbal teas and combine well with lemon balm.

Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy oils are easy and safe alternatives if they are used correctly. They should never be taken internally or applied neat on the skin, except in the case of lavender and tea tree oil. You can either burn 5-8 drops in an oil burner or make your own massage oil by diluting 5-10 drops in 10ml of almond oil. Choose oils that have relaxing and calming properties. Try rose, ylang ylang, marjoram, lavender, cypress, chamomille, clary sage and rosewood.

Yoga
Yoga can also help to reduce high blood pressure because it stretches, elongates and massages the blood vessels which improves circulation and encourages the blood vessels to remain soft. Stress can also increase blood pressure and yoga, with it's relaxing principles can help combat that. It is worth noting that yoga is also a weight bearing exercises because some of the poses require you to hold up your own body weight. Weight bearing exercise can help to prevent osteoporosis, a disease which affects one third of women and two thirds of men over the age of 50. Remember that all these are only a few from the natural ways to lower blood pressure. Many other useful information will be published in further articles regarding lowering blood pressure using a natural treatment.