World Hypertension Day and the Role of Mediterranean Diet

May 17, 2012

Today May 17th we observe the World Hypertension Day, WHD. The theme for the 2012 hypertension day is ‘’Healthy Lifestyle-Healthy Blood Pressure’’. How appropriate for the Mediterranean diet! The Mediterranean diet is a healthy way of living that not only promotes Healthy Blood Pressure but, once followed, ensures that we have a healthy body and a healthy mind.

As we all know the Mediterranean Diet is a way of living, is a healthy lifestyle that once adopted leads to all the desired results of having a healthy body and healthy mind. Mediterranean diet is supported by Mediterranean culinary cuisine which provides the necessary methods as to how we should cook our Mediterranean diet foods. Med diet is complemented with regular physical exercise.

One may ask what is Hypertension that we observe today?  Hypertension is in simple terms High Blood pressure. It is a disease that if not controlled and managed can cause damage to vital organs and may result to death. It is known as the ‘’silent killer’’ of mankind.  It is a worldwide disease with about 1.5 billion victims.

What is World Hypertension Day, WHD? The WHD that is observed on May 17th of every year is the day that has been chosen to bring awareness to the world population about the problems and damages that can be done by the high blood pressure and make the people know that some of these effects like stroke and kidney diseases can be prevented.

The brochure issued by the World Hypertension League, WHL, has some directions to all of us as to how can avoid hypertension and ensure that we have a healthy lifestyle.  Some of these directions/instructions are:

  • Increase fruit and vegetable intake
  • Have one vegetarian meal a week
  • Eat nuts
  • Drink in moderation
  • Reduce salt by using herbs

Do all these sound familiar? The answer is Yes; for all us the Mediterranean diet followers.

It is important to note that what the WHL suggests and recommends is something that has been followed for thousands of years by people in the Mediterranean Sea and something that has been redefined in the last decades and has established the Mediterranean diet as one of the healthiest diets of the world.

We believe Hypertension and many other diseases which have been mentioned in previous articles can be avoided or treated if the Mediterranean way of living is followed and it is our duty to promote the Mediterranean diet to all the people that we love and care for.


Andrea Aurelio
About the author

Andrea Aurelio adopted the Mediterranean diet and the Mediterranean way of living after evaluating a series of diets and realizing that the Mediterranean diet is a proven diet and the best way to adopt a healthy lifestyle. You can connect with him on Google+, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

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