Take Steps to Ward Off This 'Silent Killer'

CHENNAI: Hypertension is one of the major causes of disability and death all over the world. This ailment causes heart attack, stroke, kidney failure and other disorders if it is neglected and remains untreated. In many cases, hypertension does not cause any symptoms until it leads to heart attack and stroke. That’s why it is called a ‘silent killer’. So it’s important to check your BP at regular intervals. Blood pressure is high when arterial BP is elevated above the normal ranges. The normal BP is systolic 120 and diastolic 80.

Causes of Hypertension

•   Stress and hectic lifestyle
•   Smoking and an excessive intake of intoxicants
•   Hardening of blood vessels
•   Obesity
•   Metabolic disorders

Siddha Approach

According to Siddha, high blood pressure involves all the doshas, the heart and the blood vessels. It is primarily due to vitiated itta dosha and derangement of vata dosha; mainly that of vyana vayu. People with pitta and vata imbalance are vulnerable to hypertension.

Unprocessed anger, frustration, irritability, anxiety and fear leads to ‘mal-adaptation’ of the endocrine system which leads to conditions like hypertension. Treatment is based on bringing these imbalances back to normal. In the treatment of hypertension, nutrition, exercise, breathing exercises (pranayama), yoga, meditation and behavioural modification along with various herbs and minerals are prescribed.

Siddha Diet for Hypertension

•   Avoid meat, eggs and salt
•   Follow vegetarian diet
•   Limit sodium in the food
•   Cigarette smokers tend to have high blood pressure. Nicotine increases the resting heart rate and increases the release of the adrenaline

Home Remedies

• Soak cumin seeds in lemon juice for sometime and powder it after it is dried. It has remarkable anti-hypertensive effect.
• Powder of triphala should be taken regularly at night with warm water. This will help constipation and bowels will remain clean.
• Soak 1tsp fenugreek seed in water for a night and munch them early in the morning on an empty stomach. It will reduce cholesterol.
• Take 125 mg of serpagandha (raulfia serpentina) and jatamansi 3 times daily for 2 – 3 months.

(Government Siddha Physician, Ariyalur)