Happy Wednesday!

Welcome to my herbal newsletter, in which I share a tidbit of herbal wisdom in the form a Word of the Week to help you become acquainted with herbs without becoming overwhelmed.

This week's word of the week is hypotensive. Hypotensive means "lowering the blood pressure."

I have written in previous newsletters about anxiety. Anxiety can increase blood pressure. So can anger. Essentially, any intense emotion or even physical stressor, that causes agitation can increase blood pressure.

Feeling like your "blood is boiling" is a bit of an old-fashioned term that we don't use much anymore. But the imagery works. One definition of agitate is to "shake or move briskly." If you think about water boiling and all the bubbles forming, rising to the surface and breaking faster and faster, that is a perfect picture of agitation.

When we are emotionally agitated, our blood can "boil" (not literally) and increase the pressure in our blood vessels, the definition of high blood pressure.

We just might not always recognize that our blood pressure is rising. And that can be dangerous.

High blood pressure is often referred to be medical professionals as a "silent killer" because it can have seemingly no symptoms and can have devastating consequences that can even lead to death, like heart attacks and strokes.

Even though high blood pressure often does not show symptoms, it is important to know the following symptoms of dangerously high blood pressure that needs immediate medical attention:

• Difficulty breathing
• Racing heartbeat
• ​Chest pain​
• Anxiety
• Headache
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Trouble speaking
• Vision problems
• Nosebleed

If you have ever had a panic attack, you know that several things on the above list are similar to a panic attack. It is no wonder to me that anxiety and stress correlate to increased blood pressure.

In my experience, even slightly or moderately raised blood pressure can also be felt, with a slight headache, swooshing in the ears, and a flushed face, the same feelings I get when I am angry, anxious, or upset. If you can recognize the signals your body sends when you have these agitated feelings, you can begin to recognize when your blood pressure is rising.

There are many factors as to why someone might develop high blood pressure (which is defined as above 120/80.) They include genetic disposition, obesity, a diet high in salt, age, too much alcohol, not enough exercise, a potassium or calcium deficiency, and various underlying health conditions, among other things. Stress is also a factor.

If you have chronic anxiety, stress or other emotional agitation in your life, it is important to not rely on herbs alone to address the problem. It is important to try and reduce the stress as much as possible. Speak with a counselor or therapist to create strategies for calming yourself or exiting these situations.

Often, the cause of high blood pressure cannot be narrowed down to one specific thing. While we can try to live as healthy a life as possible, we still might end up with high blood pressure.

Herbs can help lower blood pressure, and they do so without many of the side effects of pharmaceuticals.

One of the best herbs for addressing blood pressure is hawthorn. The flowers, leaves, and berries are all used and are shown in the picture above. Hawthorn is the most recommended herb by the American Heart Association. In addition to providing hypotensive benefits, hawthorn also decreases anxiety and blood cholesterol levels.

Other herbs that are hypotensive include cleavers, corn silk, garlic, lavender, linden, motherwort, olive leaf, purslane, reishi*, skullcap, wood betony, and more.

*Reishi is a mushroom.

I created a tincture that helps keep my blood pressure under control and in a healthy range. The dosage is 3 droppers-full up to three times a day.

Heather's Blood Pressure Blend:

3 parts Hawthorn

2 parts Linden

2 parts Motherwort

1 part Olive leaf

1 part Artichoke leaf

1 part Ginger

Good news!

I have now opened registration for my new course, Basic Herbalism for Musicians.

You can find more info and register for the course here: https://forms.gle/dDM7ceJd2MAvhw4KA​

Early registrants will receive a set of recipes for herbal teas which I have created as a thank-you from me. While all herbal teas do have medicinal properties, all the teas I have created are designed for flavor as a first priority!

Please reach out to me if you have any herbal questions! Let me know if this is helpful, or if there any improvements I can make to this newsletter! And if you know someone who might benefit from this newsletter, please forward it!

Your Herbal Ally,

Heather

P.S. if you would also like to be on my music-related monthly digest, subscribe here: https://heather-niemi-savage-music.kit.com/19ebe7c431​

P.S.S. If this email was forwarded to you from a friend, please consider subscribing and getting your own FREE copy of "14 Herbs Musicians Need NOW." at this link: https://heather-niemi-savage-music.kit.com/14_herbs_musicians_need_now​

Remember to do research and speak to a doctor about your particular situation before using herbs. The herbal education I provide does not substitute for advice from a healthcare professional.

Herbs will not make up for a poor lifestyle. We must first take care of ourselves through a healthy lifestyle with a proper amount of sleep, nutritious food, regular exercise and avoiding harmful substances as much as possible.