Have you recently been diagnosed with high blood pressure (HBP)?

You’re not alone! According to the CDC, one in three U.S. adults have high blood pressure and only half of those have their condition under control. Many health factors intertwine to cause HBP including: genetics (family history), other conditions such as diabetes and kidney disease as well as lifestyle factors, such as diets too high in sodium and too low in potassium, a lack of physical activity, excessive alcohol and caffeine intake, tobacco use, chronic
stress and obesity. While many medications exist to help control high blood pressure, they do not always work well and can have adverse side effects.

Chronic high blood pressure is often referred to as the ‘silent killer’ as there are often no bothersome symptoms, making it easy to ignore. However, if left untreated HBP significantly increases one’s risk of stroke and heart disease. Fortunately, for people willing to be proactive there are many natural ways to lower blood pressure and mitigate the side effects of medication.

According to Acupuncture and oriental medicine (OM) theory there are about 11 different patterns of hypertension, with most people presenting with a mixed pattern. The most common OM pattern for hypertension is called Liver Yang Rising (LYR). LYR is always a secondary pattern; underlying primary patterns can vary from years of chronic stress and internalized tension (liver Qi stagnation), years of overwork, chronic sleep disturbances and menopause can lead to yin deficiency or years of digestive irregularity and excessive weight can lead to a buildup of phlegm (high cholesterol). A professional acupuncture practitioner will carefully evaluate your overall health to determine your pattern and select the best points to regulate your HBP.

Download our Tip Sheet for more information and things you can do at home to better control your blood pressure.

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