Six herbs to control hypertension and diabetes – Times of India

Diabetes and high blood pressure are amongst the most common lifestyle diseases. Both the conditions, if not addressed right away can lead to other major health issues including stroke, impaired vision, heart attack, kidney damage, congestive heart failure, vascular dementia and peripheral blood vessel disease among others.

Thus, its extremely important to keep a check on your blood pressure and blood sugar levels. People diagnosed with any of these two diseases are suggested to take regular medication. Though taking medicines is important, some herbs promise to keep these conditions in check. Heres the list of five herbs that can help control diabetes and hypertension:

Tulsi or basil works wonders in lowering your blood pressure. The chemical eugenol present in Tulsi fights the substances that tighten the blood vessels and thereby help decrease the blood pressure. The easiest way to consume Tulsi is by adding it to your regular tea or making tulsi tea by adding tulsi leaves to boiling water.

With the onset of winter, the consumption of garlic automatically increases. The herb doesnt just give your food flavour but also has many health benefits. It has the ability to lower blood pressure by increasing the nitric oxide in your body. The substance causes your blood vessels to relax and dilate, which reduces the blood pressure and allows the blood to flow freely.

From baking cakes to making curries, cinnamon is a commonly used spice in Indian households. The spice is extremely helpful in lowering blood pressure. A study conducted on rodents found that cinnamon extract lowered both sudden onset and prolonged high blood pressure. Though the extract was given intravenously.

Turmeric has a compound known as curcumin in it, which has shown to control blood sugar levels as well as prevent the onset of diabetes. In a nine-month-long study, 240 participants who had pre-diabetes were made to have curcumin capsules every day. These people did not develop diabetes by the end of nine months.

Fenugreek is beneficial for diabetes and this has been proven by both animal and human studies. In the study of 25 people who had type 2 diabetes, fenugreek seeds were found to be a wonderful effect in controlling the blood sugar levels.

Another study conducted in 2015, published in the International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research, found that consuming 10 grams of fenugreek seeds soaked in water can help control Type-2-diabetes.

A must in chai and our daily curries, ginger is being used by everyone since ages for the medicinal benefits it provides. Ginger helps by improving digestion and lowering the blood sugar levels. Ginger extract has a great anti-hyperglycaemic effect. It can help decrease the serum total cholesterol, triglycerides and increase the HDL (good cholesterol) levels. Diabetes often causes acid reflux, ginger helps by soothing the entire digestive tract.

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Six herbs to control hypertension and diabetes - Times of India