Public Spark

Yesterday’s blog was about recognizing the symptoms of a stroke and knowing what to do. Today’s will describe some key steps in preventing a stroke.

• Stop Smoking

  Smoking can cause not only lung cancer, but also increase the chances of getting a stroke or heart attack. It harms the people who smoke it, as well as those around who inhale the second-hand smoke.

• Limit alcohol

  Drinking too much alcohol can raise blood pressure, which can lead to a stroke.

• Have a healthy diet

  Balance your diet with fruits and vegetables, unsaturated fats (nuts, seeds, and oily fish), as well as fiber. Research has shown that having two more servings of fruit and vegetables (which contain antioxidants to help protect the blood vessels against atherosclerosis) reduce the risk of stroke by up to 40 percent.

  After my grandmother had a stroke, she was put on a strict low sodium, low fat diet. She also incorporated oily fish into her diet, as it is rich with omega-3 fatty acids, which protect blood vessels.

• Lower high blood pressure.

  This can be caused by many factors such as a high sodium diet, stress, or hereditary factors. The goal is to keep your blood pressure around 120/80 mmhg.

• Be more active

  Research has shown that getting at least 30 minutes of physical activity on 5 or more days of the week can help lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol and therefore, lower the risk of getting a stroke.

• Medications:

  If you had a stroke before, a doctor may prescribe anticoagulants such as Coumadin (warfarin) or heparin to prevent further strokes.

REFERENCES:

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

American Heart Association

BBC Health

Medline Plus

Food and Drug Administration

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

American Stroke Association