You can prevent a stroke by knowing the risk factors and taking steps to adopt healthier habits. There are 4 healthy lifestyle choices to help you prevent a stroke.

Did you know that almost 80 percent of premature strokes and heart disease are preventable? And yet each year, Canadians suffer more than 62,000 strokes ̶ that is one stroke every nine minutes. You can prevent a stroke by knowing the risk factors and taking steps to adopt healthier habits. There are 4 healthy lifestyle choices to help you prevent a stroke.

1.Stroke risk factors

The good news is that small, healthy changes in your daily routine can decrease your risk for a stroke or prevent a stroke altogether. Knowing where to start is half the battle and your healthcare team, including your family doctor, your physiotherapist, kinesiologist, massage therapist or exercise physiologist can all help you figure out what risk factors you should focus on and set realistic goals that you can work towards with an action plan.

• Unhealthy diet
• Not enough exercise
• Unhealthy weight
• Smoking tobacco cigarettes
• Too much alcohol or recreational drugs
• Stress

2. 4 healthy lifestyle choices to help you prevent a stroke
3.  Nosh on Some Walnuts

Eating walnuts at least once a week was associated with a 17% lower risk of stroke – Kentary image 

Eating a 1-ounce serving of this nutty snack at least once a week was associated with a 17% lower risk of stroke, according to research at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School. Walnuts are a top source of heart-healthy alpha linolenic acid (ALA), a plant-based type of omega-3, that has been linked to healthy cholesterol and triglycerides, improved blood vessel function and reduced inflammation (important because high levels of inflammation can damage arteries). All together, this helps prevent plaque buildup, blood clots and vascular weakening that can contribute to a stroke.

2. Cut Down on Stress

Curcumin in turmeric has been linked to treating anxiety – Kentary image

Working long hours—more than 10 hours a day for 50 days out of the year—was associated with 29% greater odds of having a stroke, French researchers found. The reason? Constant on-the-job demands, and the chronic stress that comes with them, appear to negatively impact vascular function, possibly by increasing inflammation in the body. If you can shift things around to improve your work-life balance, great. Otherwise, make sure you’re prioritizing other prevention strategies. One to consider: yoga. Not only is it a proven stress-buster, the mind-body activity may also help lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

3. Get a Move On

People who moved at a faster clip (3.5 mph) had a 44% reduced likelihood of a stroke– google image

When you walk, are you a tortoise or a hare? Compared to slow strollers (a pace of 1 mile per hour) those who moved at a faster clip (3.5 mph) had a 44% reduced likelihood of a stroke, a recent review in the Journal of Sport and Health Science concluded. Walking speed is an indicator of your overall aerobic fitness and blood vessel function. If you’re a slow walker, it may be time to do more cardio. During workouts—no matter your exercise of choice—use the talk test to make sure you’re pushing yourself enough. The exercise should feel challenging to the point where you can say only short sentences. Once you can do this for 30 minutes straight, boost the activity length and frequency.

4.Plenty of Potassium

Laba Bananas are high in potassium – Kentary image 

Curbing sodium has been a top recommendation for controlling hypertension for decades. But consider increasing potassium at the same time. Getting nearly twice as much sodium as potassium is associated with a 22% greater stroke risk, according to research in the Journal Clinical Nutrition, while consuming more potassium lowers this risk. Sodium makes your body hold on to water, which raises blood pressure. “Potassium helps to regulate this fluid retention,” says Penny Kris-Etherton, Ph.D., R.D., from the American Heart Association. Limit sodium to 2,300 mg/day (1,500 if you have hypertension) and aim to get 4,700 mg potassium—a doable target if your diet is rich in fruits and veg. Fruits are high in potassium: Sugar Free Soft-Dried Laba Banana, Sugar Free Soft-Dried Fig

I hope that you will follow these 4 healthy lifestyle choices to help you prevent a stroke. 

Source: propelphysiotherapy, eatingwell

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