According to data from the CDC, the prevalence of high blood pressure as of 2008 for those over 25 years old stood at about 40% globally.
Today, while there are many different types of medications available to help in controlling blood pressure, many people are now preferring to take a more natural and holistic approach to preventing and treating high blood pressure.
Similar to lots of other health conditions, essential oils are proving to be useful for high blood pressure. This is also supported by a clinical study done in 2012 on the effects of aromatherapy on hypertension.
Some leading essential oils for high blood pressure include:
Clary Sage Oil
Using this essential oil decreases stress and tension, which helps in reducing high blood pressure. In a past study, it was found that inhaling Clary Sage oil helped to bring systolic blood pressure down by 4.7%while diastolic blood pressure fell by 5.1%.
The researchers attributed these decreases to the anti-inflammatory properties that are found in Clary Sage.
Lavender Oil
Usually, Lavender is associated with two specific features: its unique fragrance and the color. But what most people are not aware of is that lavender oil has a long history in herbal medicine among the Chinese, Jews, Greeks, Indians, Egyptians, and the Romans. The oil has calming properties known to reduce heart rate and anxiety.
Bergamot Essential Oil
Although typically used in making cosmetics due to its refreshing and crisp smell, Bergamot oil has been shown to reduce high blood pressure when inhaled.
Typically, those who use this oil for aromatherapy show significant reductions in not just blood pressure levels but also in their heart rates.
Geranium Oil
In aromatherapy, Geranium essential oil is generally used for controlling emotions. Geranium essential oilis useful when dealing with stress as it boosts circulation of blood and balances out emotions. When you have high blood pressure, your mind becomes overactive, a state that not only triggers anxiety and stress, but also contributes to high blood pressure.
Frankincense Oil
This oil was used by the ancient Egyptians to promote stillness and peace of mind. Although over time you might require high dosages for managing high blood pressure, Frankincense oil is an excellent tonic substance. Frankincense essential oil not only calms the body, reducing stress but also regulates the heart.
Lemon Oil
Lemon balm is an excellent tonic for the heart and has been proven to lower blood pressure. Lemon essential oil protects against tachycardia and heart palpitations as well as heart attacks. In addition, because of the strong antidepressant properties it possesses, it boosts mood and restores emotional balance, factors that have an important role in high blood pressure.
Although there are many options when it comes natural blood pressure aids, figuring out the best will be dependent on several factors. Establishing the most suitable essential oil for the management of your high blood pressure will require that you assess your individual health situation.
For medicinal purposes, essential oils can be used alone or when combined with other carrier oils.