Does garlic balance your blood pressure? Do we need to take that in case we have a long walk through a jungle for 2 days? Does anyone have experience on this?
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1I know garlic is used to keep flies off (used to use it on horses) not sure about blood pressure though.– AravonaCommented Aug 17, 2014 at 14:49
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5It seems to me that on a long walk through a jungle there are going to be a lot more immediate survival concerns than blood pressure. I would say that unless you have been medically advised to do so, don't worry about it (and if you have been medically advised, then you're probably taking actual medication for it anyway).– Greg HewgillCommented Aug 17, 2014 at 21:10
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@GregHewgill not necessarily, in the UK dietary changes are often used to affect blood pressure and other ailments before a doctor will prescribe medication :) and a lot of people home check their blood pressure.– AravonaCommented Aug 18, 2014 at 5:35
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1There's an incorrect assumption here that walking though a jungle raises your blood pressure. Dyhydration lowers your blood pressure. Low blood pressure is your biggest concern not raised.– user2766Commented Aug 19, 2014 at 11:19
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3 Answers
Does garlic balance your blood pressure on long walks?
Garlic is proven to lower blood pressure. Not balance it. Though this study also suggests that the this reduction was not large enough to be statistically significant. So no garlic does not balance blood pressure, neither does it (scientifically) lower it a significant amount.
Overall, they found that garlic preparations reduced systolic blood pressure (SBP) by 4.6mmHg more than placebo. Although garlic reduced diastolic blood pressure (DBP) compared with placebo overall, this reduction was not large enough to be statistically significant. When the researchers looked only at the studies that included people with high blood pressure, they found that garlic preparations reduced SBP by 8.4mmHg, and DBP by 7.3mmHg. There was no significant reduction in either blood pressure measure with garlic preparations in studies including people with normal blood pressure.
Now that said, your question is based on an incorrect assumption:
Do we need to take that in case we have a long walk through a jungle for 2 days
Your presuming that walking though a jungle will raise your blood pressure. It won't. When walking though a jungle your biggest concern should be dehydration (your sweating a lot). Dehydration lowers blood pressure (it does not increase it). So no eating garlic will have little or no affect when walking though jungle terrain. Infact it might even make it (a minuscule amount) worse.
Overall Garlic intake will have little or no effect especially if taken over a short period of time. Taking large amounts of garlic over a long period of time may reduce your blood pressure a small amount.
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2Thats an amazing point about concerning a long-walk through Jungle would result in Dehydration and ultimately Hypotension. +1 from me :)– WedaPashi ♦Commented Aug 19, 2014 at 12:38
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Cheers @WedaPashi– user2766Commented Aug 19, 2014 at 12:51
Whilst I have no direct experience, garlic tablets can lower blood pressure, a clove of garlic itself will not have much of an impact unless you eat a lot of it. Other options are Cayenne Pepper, Green Tea and foods with a high vitamin C level.
If you need to raise your blood pressure then keep hydrated and your salt levels up. Fresh fruits with vitamin B will help as well.
I am not aware of anything that balances blood pressure as a single component, it is more a selection of foods based on what is needed at the time.
I would imagine jungle would involve increasing your blood pressure due to physical exertion in the heat, but don't quote me on this. It might be an idea to have a word with a doctor before going to get some guaranteed medical advice based around your specific circumstances.
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Good answer mate. +1, it being very generic. But could you please try and make it more addressable towards the question being asked there. OP has specifically asked about Garlic.– WedaPashi ♦Commented Aug 19, 2014 at 4:23
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@WedaPashi other options are good as Garlic isn't that great at what the OP asked :)– AravonaCommented Aug 19, 2014 at 12:32
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The Garlic and Onion are most common members of Allium family. The Allium family members are known for by far the most common domestic methods to reduce (Does not mean control / Balance) Cholesterol, High blood pressure (hypertension) and the incidence of flu.
Garlic is a good Blood thinner. When chopped, most of the Allium family produce Allicin, which is strong in oudor (is that a reason they also repel flees). Basically its a compound that has antibacterial and antifungal properties as well.
Garlic in addition to that also contains Garlic Sulphides (chemically speaking, Diallyl Disulphide) which is a substance (under controlled manner) that works in relaxing blood vessels while also reducing any pressure, ultimately reducing the Cholesterol and reducing the Blood Pressure.
Along with that, Garlic also has the ability to stimulate Hydrogen Sulphide and Nitric Oxide synthase production, these work in relaxing blood vessels. But I am not entirely sure about this when I discussed this with a friend of mine who is a doctor. According to him, its still a globally debated topic if the Hydrogen Sulphide and Nitric Oxide work together and do the magic or they are mutually exclusive. But yes as long as you and I are not Doctors to debate about it, Garlic helps with Hypertension in numerous ways.
I have always been told that Sherpas always eat more Garlic-rich food.
I wouldn't say it balances the Blood Pressure. But yes, should you be considering Garlic in All time best Mountaineering Diet? Hell Yeah!
answered Aug 18, 2014 at 9:37
