8 Things You Can do To Help Prevent a Stroke

According to the CDC, stoke is the fifth leading cause of death in America, claiming over 130,000 lives annually. While there is no sure-fire way to ensure you will never have a stroke, there are several things you can do to decrease your modifiable risk factors for stroke, drastically lessening your chance of experiencing one. Things like age, ethnicity and genetics cannot be changed, but let’s take a look at the things that are within your control to change in order to help lower your risk of having a stroke:

1. Keep those numbers down – Are your blood pressure and cholesterol a little on the higher side? You should work at bringing those numbers down to the normal zone, as they can be key contributors to stroke, as well as heart attacks.
2. Wine more (in moderation) – drinking too much alcohol (an average of 2 or more glasses daily), will significantly raise your risk of stroke. However, studies show that drinking one glass of red wine daily or a few times weekly may actually help lower your risk of stroke (a substance in red wine called resveratrol seems to play a part in stroke prevention).
3. Get off the couch! Leading a sedentary lifestyle raises your risk of developing a stroke, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, as well as other serious conditions. Activity is an integral part of any balanced, healthy lifestyle, so get out there and find your favorite exercise activity today!
4. Shed those extra lbs – Carrying extra weight also compounds the risks of being sedentary, so if you have both those things going on, try to shed those pounds as you get more active!
5. Quit smoking – Smoking is linked with many life-threatening conditions, and stroke is no exception. Your risk of having a stroke is also significantly raised if you are a smoker.
6. Manage other health conditions – Uncontrolled diabetes or heart conditions can also lead to a stoke because of the added strain placed on the body when things like blood sugar or blood pressure aren’t controlled. Also, those with atrial fibrillation (a type of arrhythmia) should ensure their condition is well managed as it can also add to your risk of having a stroke.
7. Lower your stress – Chronic stress isn’t good for anyone in any way. Perpetually spiking cortisol and adrenaline levels appear have a part to play when it comes to stroke risk as well as many other health conditions (as does depression). So, try to find a stress management plan that works best for you today, or talk to a doctor if you think you are depressed.
8. Tweak your diet – Just as it is important to get enough exercise to help ward off scary medical emergencies like a stroke, your diet plays an equally as essential role. High cholesterol foods like burgers, cheese and heavy creams should only be eaten as treats, and you should concentrate more on produce, fish and whole grains to lower your health risks.

Thus concludes our look at stroke prevention, thanks for visiting DocChat!