8 steps to reduce stroke risk

8 steps to reduce stroke risk

 No matter what your age or family history, stroke prevention is a must for every one of us.  Even though age and having a close relative who’s had a stroke increases our risk, it doesn’t make it inevitable.  The number of years we’ve lived or our family health history cannot be changed, but other factors within our control can reduce our risk. 

Here are eight steps you can do today protecting yourself from having a stroke:

1.  Reduce blood pressure

Hypertension is the greatest contributor to raising stroke risk quadrupling both a man and woman’s risk if it is not well-controlled.  Everyone should have regular monitoring of their blood pressure.  If elevated, treatment makes a huge difference in keeping blood vessels healthy.  The new recommendation for blood pressure is 130/80. 

Steps for reducing blood pressure:

·      Limit sodium intake between 1500-2300 mg/day

·      Avoid high sodium foods such as soups, fast food, cheese, and processed foods

·      Eat 3-5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day

·      Don’t smoke and quit if you do

2.  Sip less on soda

A prospective cohort study found that individuals who consumed a higher amount and cumulative intake of both artificially sweetened and sweetened soft drinks had an increased risk of ischemic stroke.

Steps for drinking less soda:

·      Choose water instead

·      Infuse water with natural flavors from lemons, limes, oranges, or cucumbers

3.  Lower anxiety

If anxiety is always getting the best of you, take note.  A study published in the journal Stroke, found that of 2,100 men, those most anxious were three times more likely to have a fatal ischemic stroke than men who were more serene.  Anxiety causes chronic overproduction of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that regulates the brain’s control of circulation.

Steps to reduce anxiety:

·      When feeling anxious, breathe deeply while counting to three

·      Take five minutes to close your eyes to meditate

·      Take frequent breaks to stretch or to sneak in exercise

4.  Reach a healthy body weight

Carrying excess pounds raises your odds of high blood pressure and diabetes and of having a stroke.  Even as little as 10 pounds of being overweight can have an impact on your stroke risk. 

Steps to reach a healthy weight:

·      Follow the myplate method of eating well-balanced meals

·      Reduce intake of highly processed foods

·      Increase exercise with activities such as brisk walking, swimming, bicycling, or playing tennis

5.  Treat atrial fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation is a form of irregular heartbeat that can cause a clot to form in the heart which can travel to the brain resulting in a stroke.  Anyone with atrial fibrillation has a fivefold risk of stroke and should be taken seriously by having it treated.

Steps to reduce atrial fibrillation:

·      Anyone experiencing heart palpitations or shortness of breath should see their doctor right away

·      This condition is usually treated by taking an anticoagulant medication or blood thinner such as warfarin.  Your doctor can guide you as to the best treatment method for you.

6.  Don’t smoke

One of the best ways to lower risk of stroke is to quit smoking.  Smoking speeds up clot formation by thickening blood and increasing the amount of plaque buildup in the arteries.  Making the decision to either never smoke or to stop smoking, is one of the most powerful lifestyle changes reducing the risk of stroke.

Steps to quit smoking:

·      Ask advice from your doctor on how to quit

·      Use aids such as nicotine pills or patches, counseling, or medication

·      It may take several attempts to quit but don’t give up. 

7.  Drink in moderation if at all

Choosing to consume alcohol is a personal decision.  A little alcohol may actually lower risk of stroke but drinking more than two drinks per day can increase stroke risk sharply.  Drinking  too much alcohol can raise other risk factors for stroke such as increasing blood pressure, diabetes, contributes to weight gain, can trigger atrial fibrillation, and can stop the liver from making substances that help blood to clot increasing risk of stroke caused by bleeding in the brain. 

Steps to drink in moderation:

·      Have no more than one drink of alcohol per day

·      If you do drink, choose red wine.  It contains resveratrol, thought to protect the heart and brain

·      Know the proper portion size of an alcoholic beverage.

8.   Keep diabetes in control

Uncontrolled blood sugar does serious damage to blood vessels over time making blood clots more likely to form inside them.

Steps to control diabetes:

·      Regularly monitor blood sugar as directed by your doctor

·      Make healthy food choices, exercise regularly, and take any diabetes medications to keep your blood sugar within the recommended range.