Prevention of stroke

A person is able to eliminate stroke risk factors presented here by himself/herself. Healthy lifestyle and following some other rules will help you to reach the goal.

Smoking

Smoking doubles the risk of stroke. Each cigarette you smoke reduces the amount of oxygen in the blood forcing the heart to work harder. This leads to blood clotting (formation of thrombosis). Smoking increases the number of plaques in the arteries and blocks full access of blood to the brain. To reduce the risk of a stroke, it is advisable to stop smoking.

Many people believe that giving up smoking leads to a sharp increase in weight. There are many ways to get rid of excess weight. This can be exercise, full sleep, low-calorie diet, which includes fruits and vegetables, cereals from raw grain and pasta. To avoid the temptation, it is better not to visit places where people smoke. When there is a desire, you need to try to distract yourself. Doctors recommend special anti-nicotine patches and chewing gums.

Some people smoke to relax or calm down. Doctors advise to walk more in this case and take part in sports. Physical exercises help one to relax. If you cannot quit smoking the first time, do not stop trying. It is necessary to set a goal and try to achieve it.

Alcohol consumption

Excessive alcohol consumption adversely affects the work of the whole body. Studies have shown that having more than two alcoholic drinks a day doubles the risk of stroke, and also contributes to the development of other serious diseases, such as heart and liver disease. 1 drink is about 340 grams of beer, 140 grams of wine or 10-15 grams of stronger liquors.

Some scientists believe that alcohol performs a kind of protective action. It raises the level of high-density lipoproteins (HDL), often called "good" cholesterol. HDL delivers cholesterol to the liver, where it is filtered from the blood and eliminated. A large amount of cholesterol in the blood leads to the formation of plaques in the blood vessels and arteries and slows down the blood circulation in the body. Alcohol dilutes blood, thereby preventing blood clots in the blood vessels and reducing the risk of stroke.

However, there are conflicting data on the use of alcohol and its effect on the risk of stroke. Alcohol causes dependence of the body and adversely affects the work of other organs. It is better to stop drinking alcohol to avoid further complications.

Obesity

Excessive weight adversely affects the work of the entire circulatory system. Such people are prone to a number of diseases: high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes. All this increases the risk of stroke. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle through diet, physical activity and other therapies suggested by the doctor is important for the prevention of stroke.

Physical exercise

Physical activity reduces the risk of stroke. Studies have shown that people who exercise five or more times a week have significantly reduced such a risk. Here are some recommendations given by the doctors, helping to get rid of excessive weight.

• Physical daily exercise
• Daily walks for more than 30 minutes improve the performance of the whole body
• Biking, swimming, golf, tennis, dancing, aerobics also contribute to strengthening the muscles and body.

Healthy Diet

You should eat foods that are low in calories. Excessive consumption of salt often leads to high blood pressure. A healthy diet should include fruits and vegetables, foods rich in fibre. The consumption of fruits and vegetables reduces the risk of stroke by 30%. Citrus fruits and vegetables, such as broccoli or cauliflower, are especially useful, because they contain a high concentration of folic acid, fiber and potassium. You should drink fruit and vegetable juices every day. It is better to refrain from fried dishes in favor of cooked, steamed, or grilled.

Doctors recommend using the following foods in the daily diet:

• Fruits and vegetables
• Lean meat, such as chicken, turkey and fish
• Lean beef or pork
• Low-fat dairy products (low-fat milk, 2% fat cottage cheese)
• No more than four egg yolks per week
• Whole-grain bread, cereals or dried beans

Monitoring the level of homocysteine

Homocysteines which are amino acids are produced in the human body. Studies have shown that an excessive amount of homocysteine in the blood increases the chance of developing heart disease, stroke or other blood circulation disorders.

The level of homocysteine is determined by two key factors: the genetic and lifestyle leaded by a person. The genetic factor affects the speed of its absorption in the human body. Lifestyle influences homocysteine levels slightly differently. For example, people with a high level of homocysteine can have a low level of vitamins B6, B12 and folic acid. To compensate for the deficiency of these vitamins and normalize the level of homocysteine the intake of additives or foods rich in these elements will help. Low levels of the thyroid hormone, kidney disease, psoriasis, or taking certain medicines also lead to an increase in homocysteine levels.

Folic acid

Folic acid is a water-soluble vitamin B9 essential for the growth and development of the circulatory and immune systems. Most Germans, especially women, do not receive a sufficient amount of folic acid. The intake of fruits and vegetables, including lentils, chick peas, asparagus, bread, pasta and rice, helps to increase the level of folic acid and reduce the risk of various diseases.

Vitamins B12 and B6

Ability of the body to absorb vitamin B12 is reduced with ageing. This leads to various health problems including the risk of cardiovascular pathologies. There is a number of products containing vitamins B12 and B6: cereals rich in vitamins, lean meat, fish, poultry, dairy products, bananas, baked potatoes and watermelons. In some cases, depending on the degree of vitamin B12 deficiency, doctors prescribe special injections containing this vitamin.

However, it is not always sufficient to adjust your diet to lower the level of homocysteine. In some cases, doctors prescribe vitamin supplements. To achieve positive results, you need to follow the recommendations of a doctor. After a second check, the doctor can change the treatment if the level remains high.

See also similar articles on the subject:

• Aphasia is a speech disorder
• Treatment of aphasia by means of induced restriction therapy
• Workload exercises after stroke

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