Keeping your blood pressure normal

Maintaining a normal blood pressure is one of the best ways to take care of your health and your future. Prevention of blood pressure disorders is crucial factor for your life expectancy. Normal blood pressure is considered 120/80 mmHg, read as „120 above 80“.  The values tell you the pressure that creates in aorta, a main blood vessel in the body, in the moment of heart beat (120mmHg) and while heart muscle relaxes (80 mmHg). Some people have naturally lower or higher blood pressure so some variations are expected and normal. Blood pressure above 140/90 mmHg is considered a high blood pressure.

There is a genetical factor for having higher or lower blood pressure, but it also vastly depends on your life style. Factors as life style can be easily be influenced so it is important to pay attention to them. Sedentary life style is definately one of the big factors. Human body needs regular physical activity to maintain homeostasis, an optimal functioning. If you are already not physically active, include 30 minutes activity in your daily routine. You can start with taking stairs instead of an elevator, walking to job, washing your car alone. Diet is especially important. Risk of high blood pressure is much greater in overweight or obese patients. The best way too know weather you have to lose weight is your waisline. Men with waistline over 40 inches and women over 35 inches need to lose weight. Mediterranean diet is natural for people who live in Mediterranean, Spain, Italy and Greece. Studies have shown that people there have naturally lower blood pressure than in the rest of the world due to  eating habits. Following Mediterranean diet is easy. Replace saturated fats like butter with olive oil, eat meats and poultry only once or twice a week. Red wine, traditionally included in Mediterranean diet, is considered beneficial for health because it includes flavonoids with antioxidant properties. You can enjoy one glass of red wine after launch. All kinds of fresh fruits and vegetables, seafood, yogurt and cheeses, any kind of beans, all nuts and seeds and unrefined cereals are all typical ingredients of Mediterranean diet. It is possible to gain weight on this diet so if you are prone to gaining weight you should avoid it or pay extra attention that the servings are small.
Some other important ways to keep normal blood pressure are avoiding smoking, low intake of caffeinated beverages, enough of sleep and rest and enough of vitamins.