Hypertension is sometimes called a “silent killer,” and is feared by many. According to the 2017 American Heart Association guidelines, when blood pressure is measured during a tranquil, unagitated state and reads high more than three times within two consecutive weeks, one is considered to be suffering from high blood pressure (hypertension).
Once diagnosed, simply lowering the blood pressure is not the only goal. What is equally important is to find the cause of it. When the cause is resolved, the “silent killer” will instead become your “assistant” to alert you to the state of your health.
There are several causes of high blood pressure. Anger, nervousness, fear, stiff shoulders, and chilly weather are all contributing factors.
1. Ways to Resolve Hypertension Due to an Angry or Tense Environment
Some people are more easily agitated than others—even in watching TV their emotions may elevate, causing outward expressions of anger such as becoming red-faced, with a bulging neck, and having a high temper. This phenomenon arises as the sympathetic nerves become hyperactive, causing the peripheral blood vessels to contract. In this state, blood fails to send oxygen directly to all parts of the body, resulting in high blood pressure.
Once I had a patient in her 50s, who was slightly obese, and whose blood pressure readings were consistently around 200. After trying six different Western medicine types of blood pressure-lowering drugs with no effect, she came to me for treatment. After treatments, her blood pressure dropped to 140 or 150. She was so happy she told people everywhere, “Dr. Hu cured my blood pressure problem.”
I told her at the time, “Your high blood pressure was not cured by me, but by yourself.” How? “The medicine I prescribed to you is a medicine for soothing emotions. So you are also adjusting your emotions, and you become happier every day. Once you achieve the ‘don’t get angry, feel good’ state, high blood pressure will go away by itself.”
2 Teas to Soothe Emotions and Lower Blood Pressure
The following two teas can help soothe your emotions, achieving a calm and happy mood.
Chrysanthemum tea
Put 10 pieces of chrysanthemum into a mug and brew with hot water. Whether it is the yellow, white, or wild chrysanthemums, they are all fine. Drink the tea once the chrysanthemums are fully soaked, expanded, and exude a fragrance. To make the drink more appealing and elevate the desire to drink more, add a little licorice or wolfberry.
Licorice jujube decoction
This was one of the remedies for the patient mentioned above.
In a pot of1500cc (about 3.2 pints) of water, boil four maces (about 0.52 oz) of licorice, 1 tael (about 1.33 oz) of wheat, and 12 red dates and reduce until 1000cc (about 2.1 pints) remains. Drink daily as a tea.
Note: It is best to choose “floating wheat,” that is, wheat that has been stored for a longer time.
Exercise Daily to Raise the Happiness Index
Exercise will soften the blood vessels, and once the peripheral blood vessels expand, blood can efficiently pass through, flushing the cholesterol in the blood vessels at the same time. Once blood flow in the large blood vessels becomes normal, blood pressure will drop. Moreover, during exercise, the brain produces hormones called endorphins—so-called “happy hormones,” which make people feel happier and naturally lowers blood pressure.
How do people fully occupied at home and work find time to exercise? The benefits of exercising every day can be accumulated. For example, while riding the bus on the way to work, get off one stop early and walk the rest of the distance. Or when going to lunch, spend five or six minutes walking up and down some stairs. When the workday is over and after dinner, take a walk. In this way, at the end of the day, you’ve accumulated about 30 minutes of exercise—and the more ways you can find the better.
You can also “ground” negative energy in the body by wearing soft, cloth shoes, just socks, or going barefoot and walking on grass or soil. In this way, in addition to getting some exercise, the blood supply in the brain is also increased. With sufficient oxygen, blood pressure will naturally drop.
2. Tap 3 Acupoints to Ease Hypertension With Stiff Neck
Having a stiff neck and shoulders is another condition that can add to hypertension.
For example, many office workers spend their days in front of a computer screen in a “turtle-neck” posture and have to sit still for many hours on end. When they get home, they lie again on the sofa—not moving—or bend their heads to their phones, contributing even more to their stiff necks and shoulders, which in turn can lead to high blood pressure.
I have another patient who would go to a hospital for examinations, and each time his blood pressure was measured at nearly 200. He always felt uncomfortable after taking all the blood pressure-lowering drugs prescribed by the doctor, whether they were cholesterol-lowering or blood vessel dilating. Later, I helped him stretch his carotid artery, and his high blood pressure problem disappeared.
There is an acupoint for neck and shoulder stiffness, the Chize (LU 5) acupoint. Gently press the Chize point on the left and right hands every day for 3 to 5 minutes, and shake and move the neck while pressing. In this way, the blood circulation in the neck will improve, and the blood in the carotid artery will flow to the brain. When the blood supply is sufficient, the blood pressure will naturally drop.
In addition to Chize, two other points can enhance blood circulation. One is Zusanli (ST 36)and the other is Sanyinjiao (SP 6).
In addition, people who cannot accurately press the acupuncture points can also use the method of tapping. By hitting the upper part of the acupoint, and tapping the lower part too, they can sometimes hit the exact acupoint location, and the effect is also very good.
Note: Pregnant women should avoid massaging or tapping the Sanyinjiao point.
3. Cold Type Hypertension–Keep the Body Warm
Chilly weather can also cause blood pressure to rise.
During cold seasons, to preserve the heat in the body, the blood vessels around the body will shrink, that is, they become thinner, and shrink in size. This reduces the blood flow around the body, and much of the blood stays inside the large blood vessels, causing the blood pressure to remain high.
What to do? Wear warm layers of clothing and drink warm beverages. This will aid the narrowed blood vessels in return to their normal width, blood will then be evenly sent to all other blood vessels, and blood pressure will drop without the use of antihypertensive drugs.