So, what's behind the thought that a person can eat a salad food like the humble celery for high blood pressure relief? Is it myth or medication?

For over 2000 years Traditional Chines Medicine practitioners have been prescribing celery to relieve high blood pressure. It is a traditional medicine that until relatively recent times has been ignored in the west.

Tests have been carried out on animals at the University of Chicago into the relationship between celery and high blood pressure.

During these tests it was found that the animals who were injected with a celery extract compound (which was equivalent to them being fed 2 stalks of celery each day) for a week, had a lower blood pressure than the animals who where not treated.

On average the blood pressure levels dropped by around 13%.

The active blood pressure lowering ingredient in celery seems to be 3-n-butylphtalide. This compound helps to lower a person blood pressure levels by relaxing the muscles which line the blood vessels and arteries as well reducing the amount of stress hormones, known as catacholamines, that the human body produces.

As well as celery being considered a dietary supplements for high blood pressure it has historically been used for treating weight problems. This is because it is a natural diuretic and is able to eliminate the water weight, which in many cases can help a person eliminate unnecessary toxins from the body, prior to following a purpose created diet.

A person with high blood pressure is advised not to exceed 4 sticks of celery per day and then it needs to be eaten as part of a diet agreed with your medical professional. You should let your doctor know that you are planning on eating celery to lower your blood pressure so that they can keep an eye on your medications.

Celery is rich in sodium, which has been shown to elevate blood pressure, and also other compounds that may be toxic if eaten in high quantities. So, it is advisable that if you are going to add celery to your diet you look to reduce the levels of sodium in other ways.

The addition of celery to the diet, should really only form part of the battle plan against high blood pressure. This would normally include an overall change to a healthy diet, introducing mild to moderate exercise regime and also a change to lifestyle, as well as potentially medication and natural herbal supplements to speed up recovery.

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This holistic approach to treating elevated blood pressure has often shown better results in the long term. There are generally a number of changes that need to be made in a person's lifestyle and diet if they are going to successfully relieve themselves of high blood pressure and deal with the real cause of the problem, rather than just treat the symptoms.

That being said, introducing celery for high blood pressure relief into the diet is an option that can be discussed with your medical advisor, but it is better not to expect a miracle cure, and expect there will be more changes required than adding this salad food to your plate.