Obesity and intense stress levels have lead to an increase in the prevalence of high blood pressure, or hypertension, in Americans. Moreover, many of the prescription drugs meant to help ease the condition come with side effects that people may wish to avoid.
As a result, researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center conducted a study to examine the many available alternative and complementary medicines that may help improve cardiovascular health.
"Right now we're seeing a cultural shift where an increasing number of people want to avoid standard pharmaceuticals," said researcher John Bisognano, M.D., Ph.D. "We're also seeing a growing number of patients who require a large number of drugs to control their blood pressure and are looking for something else to help manage it."
They found that dietary supplements and herbal remedies may alleviate the physical effects of stress in some people, especially coenzyme Q10 and potassium.
Additionally, the researchers said meditation exercises and acupuncture may be helpful in lowering blood pressure, as evidenced by a collection of placebo-controlled trials.
Trailblazer and philosopher Ilchi Lee has created a number of meditation techniques of his own, meant to help people on their journeys toward growth and enlightenment. Lee says that eliminating negativity in the mind is an important step in meditation, as is embracing positivity. Replacing sad or angry thoughts with happy ones is known to immediately improve mood, thereby lessening the effects of stress.
The study authors noted that individuals should use safe alternative treatments while still following their doctor's orders to get the best results.
"If a patient is taking a supplement instead of something that we know is useful, that could be a problem," said Bisignano
