High blood pressure is a problem for many people, both in the United States and around the world. Many things such as a high sodium diet, too much stress and not enough exercise can contribute to elevated blood pressure levels, which put people at risk for more serious conditions like heart attacks or strokes. There are numerous prescription medications that have been developed to normalize blood pressure, but all of them come with sometimes serious side effects. That is why more and more people are looking for natural therapies to control their blood pressure therapies like the regular use of celery juice.
Celery’s History of Medicinal Use
Celery, botanically related to plants like fennel and parsley, grows in the wild in many parts of the world. It has been used as a medicine since ancient times, by people as diverse as the Ancient Chinese, Romans, Greeks and Egyptians. It was the French, in the 17th century, who incorporated it into their cuisine. It spread from there to England, and came to America with the first European settlers. And today in America, its benefits for the health are being rediscovered.
Celery Nutrition and Benefits
The key to celery’s impact on the high blood pressure lies its nutritional make-up. To begin with, celery is high in fiber and has no fat or cholesterol and very few calories, so it makes an excellent diet aid if you are trying to lose weight: weight loss in and of itself can help normalize blood pressure levels. Secondly, celery is rich in natural salts which are helpful for those on a cardiac diet and, together with the potassium, these salts help regulate bodily fluids and encourage urination. In other words, they are a natural diuretics and diuresis is one important way in which blood pressure can be regulated.
In addition to all this, celery is also rich in antioxidants, which have also been shown to have a positive impact on heart health in general and blood pressure in particular. It also reduces oxidative stress and damage to the cardiac cells and even is able to protect the endothelium, the delicate lining of the arteries which can be damaged by high blood pressure and other health conditions.
Add More Celery to Your Diet
The simple recipe for a celery smoothie below will help you to add more celery to your diet, so you can start reaping the health benefits today! This is simple to make and well worth the effort – and it tastes delicious, too!
Celery Juice Recipe
Ingredients:
- 10 stalks celery
- 2 tomatoes, skin and all
- Handful of watercress
- Pepper to taste
Add ingredients to blender and blend until smooth. This is a great recipe to help lower blood pressure naturally.
If you have high blood pressure problems and are looking for a natural and healthy way to lower your numbers, consider adding this juice to your daily routine. It will not only lower your blood pressure but can have a positive impact on your overall health.
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