IMPORTANT
Unless otherwise stated on the package, most supplements and herbal remedies aren’t suitable for children under 12.
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Portal hypertension

What you need to know:

There are no natural remedies or complementary therapies to treat this condition, but it may be relieved by making some of the changes recommended for high blood pressure, a more general form of hypertension.

Dietary changes that may be beneficial:

For older children and teenagers - and, of course, for adults - lifestyle is the major factor in determining the risk of developing hypertension. Being overweight, smoking, too much caffeine, alcohol and salt, stress and not getting enough exercise all increase that risk. They should be encouraged to:

Increase their intake of foods rich in potassium - the best sources are dried fruits, Soya flour, nuts, salads, vegetables, fresh fruit (particularly bananas) and fruit juice, muesli and other breakfast cereals, wholemeal bread and flour, white bread, eggs and cheese. Interestingly, both instant and roasted coffee are very rich in potassium, but don’t overdo it - too much caffeine is bad for your blood pressure
Eat more fibre and complex carbohydrates - wholemeal bread, brown rice, dried beans, lentils, oats, pasta
Have more celery, Garlic, leeks and onions
Cut down on saturated fats - in all meat products, the skin of poultry and full-fat dairy products - but have more of the good mono and poly-unsaturated oils, especially olive, rapeseed, safflower, peanut and walnut. Avoid coconut and palm oils, often present in products labelled ‘vegetable oil’
Stop adding salt to their food and read the labels on every food package - the average daily consumption of salt in the UK is 12g and it shouldn’t be more than 4 or 5. Salt causes fluid retention, which pushes up the blood pressure, leading to strokes and heart disease. It’s also an additional problem for teenage girls with PMS

The following herbs and supplements may also help:

A mega dose multivitamin and mineral pill every day
Vitamins C and E
Magnesium
Garlic pills
Flaxseed oil
Co-enzyme Q10
Rutin
Bioflavonoids
Selenium
Valerian
Celery seed
Pycnogenol
Lycopene

Children and young people at risk of any sort of hypertension should also be getting regular exercise.

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The information provided by WIS is for guidance only. Whilst it is based upon the expert advice of leading professionals, and extensive research, it is not a substitute for diagnosis by a qualified professional. Always consult your doctor, pharmacist or qualified practitioner before making any changes or additions to prescribed medication.