Hypertension
The normal blood pressure is the systolic pressure between 90 and 140mm of mercury and the diastolic pressure between 60 and 90mm of mercury. Hypertension means that the systolic pressure is over 140 and the diastolic pressure is over 90mm of mercury. Hypotension means that the systolic pressure is lower than 90 and the diastolic pressure is lower than 60mm of mercury.
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a prevalent health issue affecting millions of people worldwide. While Western medicine typically focuses on pharmaceutical treatments, Chinese medicine offers alternative, natural remedies for managing hypertension. This article will discuss the three main patterns of hypertension in Chinese medicine: liver-fire, liver and kidneys yin deficiency with liver yang upsurging, and both yin and yang deficiency with deficient yang moving upward. We will also explore the herbal remedies, dietary recommendations, and treatments for each pattern.
- Liver-Fire Hypertension
Symptoms:
- Bitter taste in the mouth
- Blood pressure rises readily with anger or stress
- Discharge of yellowish and scant urine
- Dry mouth
- Hot temper
- Red eyes
- Red face
- Severe headache
- Vertigo
Treatment Goal: Reduce liver-fire and nourish the yin
Herbal Formula: Long-Dan-Xie-Gan-Tang
Dietary Recommendations:
- Boil 100g seaweed daily
- Boil 60g celery with 60g rice for one-day consumption, continue for 10 days
- Boil 30g fresh water chestnut with 30g jellyfish skin (with salt washed off) in water for consumption twice daily
- Boil kelp and mung bean, 60g each, until both are extremely soft, season with brown sugar, and drink once daily for one week
- Include spinach, chestnut, shepherd's purse, rye, black fungus, vinegar, abalone, asparagus, chicken egg, white fungus, pork, and royal jelly in your diet
- Liver and Kidneys Yin Deficiency with Liver Yang Upsurging
Symptoms:
- Blood pressure rises readily with fatigue and stress
- Discharge of reddish and scant urine
- Hot temper
- Insomnia
- Lumbago
- Many dreams
- Numbness of the four limbs
- Pain in the legs
- Ringing in the ears
- Seminal emission in men
- Vertigo
Treatment Goal: Nourish liver yin and kidney yin and suppress liver yang
Herbal Formula: Zhen-Gan-Xi-Feng-Tang
Dietary Recommendations:
- Prepare a pork gallbladder, squeeze as many black soybeans as possible into the gallbladder, steam it until cooked, and dry it under the sun; eat 20 to 30 black soybeans each time, twice daily, for one week
- Wash and soak 250g fresh celery in hot water for 20 minutes, cut up the celery to squeeze juice, season with white sugar, and drink like tea, once daily for a few days
- Include bird's nest, cheese, chicken egg, kidney bean, brown sugar, mussel, abalone, asparagus, chicken egg, cuttlefish, duck, duck egg, white fungus, oyster, pork, royal jelly, chestnut, chicken liver, and pork kidneys.
- Deficient Yin and Yang in Hypertension
Symptoms:
- Blurred vision
- Cold limbs
- Dry mouth
- Frequent urination at night
- Heavy breathing on walking
- Insomnia
- Light headache
- Lumbago (lower back pain)
- Many dreams
- Perspiration
- Ringing in the ears
- Slightly red face
- Twitching of muscles
- Vertigo (dizziness)
- Weak legs
Treatment goal: toning both yin and yang. One effective remedy is Shen-Qi-Wan, a traditional herbal formula known to strengthen the kidneys, boost yang energy, and nourish yin essence. This remedy is particularly helpful for those suffering from hypertension due to deficient yin and yang.
Another simple, yet effective remedy involves incorporating specific foods and dietary changes. For instance, try the following recipe:
Boil 300g of fresh celery with five red dates until cooked. Drink the soup and eat the celery and dates once daily for one week. This recipe is believed to help balance yin and yang while lowering blood pressure.
In addition to the celery and red date soup, several other foods can help tone both yin and yang, including:
- Chicken egg yolk
- Cheese
- Kidney bean
- Abalone
- Cuttlefish
- Duck
- Duck egg
- White fungus
- Oyster
- Pork
- Royal jelly
- Celery
Incorporate these foods into your diet to help nourish and balance yin and yang energies, which can potentially reduce hypertension symptoms.
