Taking tea may be a grand affair involving fine china, tea sandwiches and proper etiquette, or it can be as simple as adding a teabag to a mug of boiling water. However you take your tea, understand that many varieties can offer benefits if your blood pressure is too high.

Garlic is more than a zesty vegetable; it offers numerous health benefits as well. In fact, the University of Maryland Medical Center reports that garlic has been used medicinally for thousands of years.

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, can lead to stroke, heart attack, damage to your blood vessels and congestive heart failure.

Steam rooms can have beneficial health effects, including reduced stress, improved circulation and relief of muscle pain. They can help clear your sinuses, and they open your pores and cleanse your skin.

Your metabolism, temperature, heart action and digestion are all controlled by the sympathetic nervous system, or SNS, and the parasympathetic nervous system. Ideally, these two systems are balanced, but either system can become overactive and cause problems.

High blood pressure increases your risk for heart disease and stroke, but you may be able to lower your blood pressure by improving your diet. A diet which is high in vegetables and fruits may help lower your blood pressure, and eating a wide variety will provide multiple nutrients to support a healthy blood pressure.

According to the American Heart Association, 74.5 million Americans have high blood pressure. Since there are few signs, this potentially fatal problem often goes unnoticed.

Calcium channel blockers, or calcium antagonists, are so named because they block calcium from going into blood vessel and heart cells. This helps to relax and widen artery walls. They are used in the treatment of conditions such as hypertension, migraine headaches, arrhythmias and certain other circulatory problems.

Saunas have long been used for relaxation, weight loss and stress relief. Saunas have been shown to lower blood pressure, at least temporarily. Most medical experts say that sauna use is not injurious to people with normal blood pressure.

Blood sugar and blood pressure are both tightly regulated to stay within an optimal range in the body. Chronically low blood pressure or blood sugar can have adverse effects such as fatigue, while chronically high blood pressure and sugar can lead to heart disease and diabetes, respectively.

Rutin, a type of bioflavonoid, is found in black tea, buckwheat bran, many citrus fruits and even apple skins, and is also available as a supplement in capsule or tablet form.

Creatine supplementation is popular among people wanting to increase muscle mass, with Americans spending an estimated $14 million on the supplement annually. (Reference 2) Creatine is safe and beneficial for you to use if you have naturally low creatine levels in your body. One example is if you are a vegetarian.