Sweet Relief For Hypertension

Hypertension, commonly referred to as "high blood pressure" is an escalating problem in today's society. The combination of poor diet, little exercise, obesity, insulin resistance, occupational stress, excessive noise, crowding and more is leading to the highest reported
levels ever of hypertension. It is even estimated that 4.5% of kids have high blood pressure. A Common ailment among adults but it is also increasing in children these days, a trend that researchers link to the increase in childhood obesity. Hypertension also is one of the leading risk factors for strokes, heart attacks, heart failure and arterial aneurysm, and is a leading cause of chronic renal failure.

Stevia, or the "sweet leaf" an herb used safely as a sweetener and herbal remedy for numerous ailments in South America and Asia is also being found to battle this near epidemic on a number fronts. First and foremost by the direct impact on lowering blood pressure. "A 1-year double-blind study of 106 individuals given stevia extract found evidence of a significant reduction in blood pressure beginning at 3 months*. In the treated group, the average blood pressure at the beginning of the study was about 166/102. By the end of the study, this had fallen to 153/90. In contrast, no significant reductions were seen in the placebo group."

Further is shown to aid people with diabetes and hypoglycemia trough an improvement of insulin resistance. Since its introduction into the US, numerous people have reported that taking 20-30 drops with each meal brought their blood glucose levels to normal or near normal within a short time period.

Stevia is also an excellent addition to a fat loss plan along with a solid diet and exercise. It contains no calories and reduces one's craving for sweets and fatty foods, making it a very viable, enjoyable, and healthy substitution for more traditional sweetening substances like cane sugar or high fructose corn syrup. Also it may aid in the actually reducing the sensation of hunger with the addition of just a few drops prior to a meal. Early research is displaying that stevia may actually reset the hunger mechanism, making people feel satiated longer there fore eat less. These qualities go a long ways in aiding the obesity aspect of hypertension/high blood pressure, as well as the further reduction of new formation of diabetes by the lessening the over abuse of sugars and simple carbohydrates.

The following evidence standing. The addition of stevia into ones daily regime by the addition of a few drops of a high quality extract should be any easy choice. Leading to a much lessened risk of, and/or reduction of one of the leading ailments of today's population, Hypertension.

* Chan P, Tomlinson B, Chen YJ, et al. A double-blind placebo-controlled study of the effectiveness and tolerability of oral stevioside in human hypertension. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2000;50:215-220