By: Fernando Gonzalez, CSUN Dietetic Intern Cohort 2021-2023

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a common condition in which the force of blood pushing against the artery wall is too high.¹ Though it often presents no symptoms, high blood pressure may lead to heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States.² Many individuals currently treat their high blood pressure with prescribed medication, however, many are left dissatisfied as the medication is often riddled with discomforting side effects such as headaches and nausea.³ Due to these side effects, a wave of people have grown interest in finding a “natural way” to treat their hypertension, such as using garlic. Let’s discuss the therapeutic properties of garlic, what research tells us, and what the contraindications might be before deciding to treat high blood pressure with garlic.