Nearly 700,000 strokes occur in the U. S. each year and many could have been prevented. Many are very destructive, to the concern of all. Preventing a stroke consists of addressing various risk factors. Age, gender, ethnicity, and family history can also be contributing factors. Fortunately, there are risks that you can control through medications and lifestyle changes. Check out step 1 below to start ensuring your health for years to come.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Monitoring Your Health
Step 1. Keep checking your Blood Pressure
Work closely with your healthcare provider if this is an issue for you. High blood pressure is a major factor for stroke. To keep your blood pressure normal, take steps to have a healthy diet, exercise daily, quit smoking, reduce salt intake, and watch your weight. What's more, check your blood pressure. You can do this with your doctor, at a health fair, or even at your local pharmacy.
- A healthy diet limits the accumulation of bad cholesterol which is one of the most well-known causes of plaque that builds up on the walls of blood vessels. This constricts the walls of the blood vessels, reducing the amount of blood that can reach your brain.
- If your blood pressure is high, it is advisable to start treatment now. High blood pressure is a risk factor for many serious problems.
Step 2. Reduce your risk of getting diabetes
People with diabetes, unfortunately, are at a higher risk for stroke. Reduce your risk of developing diabetes by adjusting your diet (especially your insulin level) and exercising regularly to maintain a healthy weight.
- To regulate your insulin, remember that carbohydrates are made up of sugar. The more complex the structure of the sugar, the harder it is for digestion to absorb; the simpler it (foods with a high sugar content like white bread or rice, cakes, etc.) is for the digestion to absorb, the easier it will be for your blood sugar level to rise.
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Wheat starches are more complicated, and also better and healthier because they have more vitamins, minerals, and iron. Anything white seems to have been processed – and in the process, lost its nutritional value.
People with diabetes have a high risk of stroke because diabetes increases the risk of fatty deposits forming in your arteries. Together with the thick blood caused by increased sugar levels, this increases the pressure in the arteries leading to stroke
Step 3. Lower your cholesterol
Eat foods that are low in saturated fat and cholesterol and high in iron; oatmeal, bran, kidney beans, apples, pears, barley, and prunes are good food sources. Fish, nuts, and olive oil are also good for cholesterol levels. Check your cholesterol level every 4-5 years (more often if you know your cholesterol level is high).
- Most people should have less than 300 mg of cholesterol each day. try splitting a main course, ordering a healthy appetizer, salad or vegetables as your entire meal, or “halving” your dish, wrap it up and pack it up – to avoid the temptation to overeat. Don't eat in front of the TV, but be more mindful and chew slowly, at the table.
- Leafy greens – especially those high in iron – act like a broom in digestion and sweep away bad cholesterol.
Step 4. Fight obesity
The more pounds your body has to carry, the more stress and the harder your body has to work. Even losing 10 pounds can drastically reduce your chances of having a stroke! Not to mention reduce your risk of diabetes, heart attack, and many other health problems.
- Aim to have a Body Mass Index of 25 or less. If you don't know your Body Mass Index, read the wikihow article to calculate your Body Mass Index.
- Exercise doesn't have to feel like exercise. Take a dance class, go for a hike with the dog, head to the pool, or take your lunch to the park. Just getting out and running can make a difference.
Step 5. Become aware of your diet
Along with maximizing your intake of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and lean meat and dairy products, science has a few things to say about what else you can add to your diet to specifically combat stroke risk:
- Sweet potatoes, raisins, bananas and tomato paste are all high in potassium. Recent studies have shown that foods rich in these nutrients can lower your risk of getting a stroke by as much as 20%. That's big!
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Start buying olive oil in bulk. Whether you are sauteing, frying, olive oil is your new best friend. It has long been known that it is full of good fats that can help prevent heart attacks, but now it is also associated with a lower risk of stroke. 40% lower.
If you are obese or have difficulty dieting, talk to your doctor about what diet is right for you. Some people have success with a low-carb diet, while others will do better by avoiding fat in the diet or on a low-calorie diet plan
Part 2 of 3: Adopting Healthy Lifestyle Habits
Step 1. Quit alcohol for the most part.
Alcoholic beverages can increase the risk of high blood pressure, diabetes and stroke. However (there's always a caveat), recent research has shown that taking it once a day can "lower" your risk. 1 drink – no more! If more your risk will increase very quickly. Guys, you can probably get away with 2.
Red wine is supposed to quench your thirst because it has resveratrol – an antioxidant thought to protect the heart and brain
Step 2. Quit smoking
Smoking is the main cause of stroke. In fact, it "doubles" your risk of ischemic stroke and quadruples your risk of hemorrhagic stroke. Nicotine is really bad for blood pressure, Carbon Monoxide limits the amount of blood pressure that reaches your brain, and smoke thickens your blood, making it easier to clot. if none of that convinces, what convinces you?
- In detail, smoking constricts blood vessels causing increased pressure on the walls of blood vessels. With plaque building up from cholesterol, this can lead to pulling out the fatty deposits that can trigger a stroke.
- Did we mention that quitting smoking also reduces your risk of heart disease, cancer and lung disease?
Step 3. Aim for 7 hours of sleep
You may have heard 7-9 hours, but got no stroke, 7 is your lucky number. In fact, getting too much sleep (about 1 hour), can increase your chances by 63%. So set an alarm and don't hit the snooze button!
If you snore that's also bad news. You are twice as likely to develop metabolic syndrome – a syndrome that increases your chances of having a stroke, in addition to developing diabetes and heart disease
Step 4. Ladies, get rid of the hormones
If you take the pill, you have an increased chance of having a blood clot (especially for women over 35). If you take pills and smoke, you're even worse off. If you are serious about preventing stroke, look for alternative methods of birth control.
- Smoking is bad enough. If you are taking the “quit smoking now” pill. You are putting yourself at serious risk. The combination of the two is a recipe for disaster.
- Hormone replacement therapy for menopausal people is just as bad. If you are over 60, this can significantly increase your chances of having a stroke. talk to your doctor for alternative options.
- While we're on a more gender-equitable topic, women with migraines have a higher risk of stroke. If that group includes you, start medication to treat them sooner rather than later. A really bad headache can wreak havoc on your entire system if left untreated.
Step 5. If you are depressed, seek help
Being sad doesn't matter; being sad is normal. But if you're depressed, you have a 29% higher chance of having a stroke, at least according to recent research. If you feel unshakable sadness or emptiness, are constantly angry, anxious, or tired, talk to your doctor. It's in your best interest – not only reducing your risk of stroke, but improving your quality of life.
How is it correlated? It is believed that those who are depressed smoke, weigh more, eat less healthy foods, exercise less, and generally have more health problems. Having a stroke is not a problem in and of itself – it is a symptom of something else happening. This “something else” is found more in people with clinical depression
Part 3 of 3: Knowing Your Risk
Step 1. Find out if you are vulnerable
Certain demographics of people naturally have a higher risk of having a stroke. The following groups are particularly vulnerable:
- People with heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol.
- those with a family history of stroke.
- Those with blood pressure “higher than” 120/80
- Women who are more than 55 years old
- All individuals over 65 years old
- African American
Step 2. Pay attention to the heartbeat
Be aware that if you have atrial fibrillation, your risk of having a stroke is greatly increased – now you may not have any obvious symptoms (this can still be dangerous even if it doesn't show up). Unusual rhythms in the upper part of the heart can cause hidden clots, and usually an accelerated or very fast heart rate. Mild atrial fibrillation can silently cause clots, in "pockets" within the atria, which can burst and trigger a stroke or damage other important organs.
Atrial fibrillation increases your risk of stroke 4 to 5 times in all age groups (young or old) being the cause of 10 to 15% of isemic strokes (strokes that occur due to lack of blood supply) but also nearly "25% of strokes in people older than than 80 years. Obviously, 75 to 85% of strokes are not caused by atrial fibrillation and increase with age. Your doctor can provide you with the right care and treatment if this happens to you
Step 3. Taking aspirin and blood thinners if given by your doctor is fine
If you are at high risk for cardiovascular problems (stroke or heart attack), you may have been advised to take a low dose of aspirin every day. Just one baby aspirin a day can keep your engine running smoothly. But again, this is only recommended if your doctor recommends it. Talk to your doctor first.
And if your doctor says blood thinners are recommended, it's best to follow his orders. He or she may prescribe either anticoagulant or anti-platelet medication. Both prevent blood clots and can be quite strong. Be sure to follow your doctor's orders and watch for side effects. The opposite reaction seems unlikely, but it is possible
Step 4. To be safe, know the signs to watch out for
In the worst-case scenario when you or a loved one has a stroke, it's important to recognize the signs to look out for as soon as possible. remember W-T-B-W (in English F-A-S-T):
- W: face. One side of the face droops uncontrollably
- Q: Hands. One hand may drop back when raised.
- B: talk. It may sound slurred or strange during a stroke.
- W: time Call 911 immediately if you notice any of these symptoms.
Step 5. Talk to your doctor to find out if you are at risk
If you have a family history of heart disease or stroke, have obesity, related illnesses, or simply aging, it is wise to talk to your doctor. He can set you on the right track to preventing a stroke or just calming your worries! It is always best to get the opinion of a professional.
You can then get your cholesterol, insulin, and blood pressure checked to make sure none of these factors are worrying you. You'll feel so much better doing it all
Tips
- Learn to recognize the 5 main symptoms of a stroke. These signs appear suddenly and the victim may have one or more problems at once. Look for:
- Numbness (or weakness or immobility), usually on one side of the face or body: hand or foot.
- Unusual confusion, difficulty speaking or responding to others.
- Sudden loss of vision in one or both eyes.
- unexplained inability to walk, lightheadedness or lack of body coordination.
- Unusual severe headache with unknown cause.
- If you believe someone is having a stroke, call 9-1-1 or the appropriate emergency number as soon as possible.
- Walking just 30 minutes a day, 4-5 times a week, can make effective changes that help reduce the risk of stroke by making it less likely that the contributing factors of blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease can occur (cardio exercise can help with cardiovascular disease, if you are can do it); do the activity slowly, then speed up your pace when it feels easy.
- Genetic factors play an important role in stroke risk. If your family has high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease, make your doctor aware of this.
- A proper diet starts with involving more fresh fruits and vegetables, less salt (sodium) intake, and less saturated fat and cholesterol.
- If you are not in good physical condition (or have low energy, use beta blockers, blood thinners, etc.), then talk to your doctor/healthcare team member about using multiple, short, daily sessions, to increase stamina, up to 10 or more 15 minutes at a time, resting between exertions.
Warning
- Permanent disability or death can result from a stroke.
- Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States.
- Avoid eating creamy, delicious foods that contain “triglycerides” called “trans fatty acids (trans fats). Trans fats are oils that "go bad" by being made into creamed margarine or some kind of fat (shortening). How? They are “hydrogenerated” or “partially hydrogenated”. They are used in delicious “junk foods” (ice cream, sauces, pastries, cakes, donuts, etc.), making them taste better, richer and softer, making them less healthy as well.
