Traditional Therapy of Watermelon-Starfruit Juice for Reducing Blood Pressure of Hypertension

Abstract

Hypertension prevalence in Indonesia has significantly increased from 25.8% in 2013 to 34.1% in 2018. In Banjar Datengan, Tumbakbayuh, Mengwi, and Badung, there were 57 elderly people, and 35 people (61.4%) were considered at risk of hypertension. The prevalence of hypertension in Banjar exceeds the average value in Badung Regency. The first objective was to examine whether using traditional therapy can help to lower systolic blood pressure. The second objective was to examine whether using traditional therapy lowers diastolic blood pressure. The third objective was to determine the best therapeutic juice among watermelon, starfruit, and watermelon-starfruit mixture in reducing hypertension. An experimental research design was employed in which a model of true pre-test and post-test was used. A sample of 33 people was selected by purposive sampling. The sample was divided into three equal groups, namely drinking watermelon juice, drinking star fruit juice, and drinking watermelon-star fruit juice mixture group. The mean systolic blood pressure of the three groups before and after drinking juice showed a significant difference (p < 0.05). Likewise, the mean diastolic blood pressure of the three groups before and after drinking juice showed a significant difference (p < 0.05). All three groups have the same ability to reduce blood pressure, but the watermelon-star fruit juice group can reduce high blood pressure (hypertension) to become normal (norm tension). Hypertension patients should take antihypertensive medication along with drinking watermelon-star fruit juice. Future studies should explore the side effects of watermelon-star fruit juice.