Blood Pressure, Low

Low blood pressure is not a specific disease, but abnormal blood pressure regulation. Symptoms may include faintness, light-headedness, dizziness, confusion and visual blurring.

Low blood pressure is often experienced after standing up suddenly from a bath or bed, or after a heavy meal when much of the blood has gone to assist digestion.

Why Me?

• A low blood pressure may signify more serious medical conditions including shock and blood loss. It is important that any underlying cause is ascertained.
• If your blood pressure is consistently on the lowish side, i.e. below 120/80 but above 90/60, and you don’t experience any of the symptoms mentioned above, this blood pressure is normal for you and no medication is needed.
• Low blood pressure often affects young women who are frail and stressed. Naturopathically, the treatment involves nourishing the adrenal glands.
• Athletes tend to have a lower than average blood pressure.

What To Do

Diet

• Drink two litres of water daily; sometimes low blood pressure reflects low water intake. If cold water doesn’t appeal, drink it in herbal teas.
• Eat red meat once or twice weekly for the iron.
• Increase your salt intake with foods which contain a number of minerals including sodium. For example miso paste, tamari and shoyu and Celtic sea salt.
• Eat baked root vegetables including carrot, parsnip, and pumpkin. (People with low blood pressure tend to feel the cold. Baking food tends to be more warming than other kinds of cooking. Also root vegetables are energetically more warming than salad vegetables.)
• Avoid cold foods, especially salads and raw vegetables. Stew fruits.

Herbs and Supplements

• Take the tissue salts Ferrum. phos. and Kali. mur.; one of each twice daily.
• Nettle tea is a tonic; drink two cups daily.
• Herbs for low blood pressure include licorice, panax ginseng, hawthorn and gotu kola.
• Take 1 g vitamin C daily for the adrenal glands.
• Take a vitamin B complex each morning.
• Vitamin E regulates the circulation; take 500 iu daily.

Other Steps

• Acupuncture is an effective treatment for low blood pressure.
• Exercise is important, however, do not pursue exercise that takes energy from you. Rather, seek a form of exercise which renews your vital force such as yoga or qi gong.