Major health risk factor : Know more about STROKE
The American Heart Association stresses the importance of lowering your systolic pressure - it may even save your life! The American Heart Association stresses the importance of lowering your systolic pressure - it may even save your life! If you are not already working with your doctor to lower your blood pressure, you should start doing so now. There are many lifestyle changes you can make, and medications can be effective.
If either number (systolic or diastolic) is too high, you have high blood pressure. This is a proven cause of heart disease and stroke. If you are not already working with your doctor to lower your blood pressure, you should start doing so now. There are many lifestyle changes you can make, and medications can be very effective.
If you are not already working with your doctor to lower your blood pressure, you should start doing so now.
High
blood pressure is a proven cause of stroke. There are many lifestyle
changes you can make to prevent serious heart problems, and medications
can be effective in treating or preventing heart disease.
Quitting smoking reduces your chances of having a stroke, and is one of the best things you can do for your health.
Smoking and tobacco use has been linked to stroke, heart attack, and many other medical problems. Nicotine raises blood pressure, carbon monoxide reduces the amount of oxygen your blood can carry to your brain, and cigarette smoke makes the blood thicker and more likely to clot.
It is never too late to give up smoking! Have you ever tried to quit in the past? If so, don't think of those previous attempts as failures. In fact, it takes most tobacco users several attempts before they ultimately have success. Look at your past experiences and see what you can learn. What worked? What didn't? There are a lot of methods for quitting - exercise is a huge help, as is working with other people who are also trying to quit. Think of quitting as an incredible gift you can give yourself and your family.
Finally, women should be aware that smoking and taking birth control pills significantly increases your risk of stroke.
Points for you to know:
Quitting smoking reduces your chances of having a stroke, and is one of the best things you can do for your health.
Smoking and tobacco use has been linked to stroke, heart attack, and many other medical problems. Nicotine raises blood pressure, carbon monoxide reduces the amount of oxygen your blood can carry to your brain, and cigarette smoke makes the blood thicker and more likely to clot.
It is never too late to give up smoking! Have you ever tried to quit in the past? If so, don't think of those previous attempts as failures. In fact, it takes most tobacco users several attempts before they ultimately have success. Look at your past experiences and see what you can learn. What worked? What didn't? There are a lot of methods for quitting - exercise is a huge help, as is working with other people who are also trying to quit. Think of quitting as an incredible gift you can give yourself and your family.
Finally, women should be aware that smoking and taking birth control pills significantly increases your risk of stroke.
Points for you to know:
When you go to the doctor, be sure to ask about both your systolic and diastolic blood pressure readings.
If either number is too high, talk to your doctor about making some lifestyle changes and whether medication is necessary.
You should be checked for total and HDL cholesterol every 5 years.
If either value is not normal, you will need a fasting lipid profile. This provides your total cholesterol, your HDL ("good") cholesterol, your LDL ("bad") cholesterol, and triglycerides. Your risk for stroke is greatly reduced by keeping total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides LOW, and by trying to keep your HDL cholesterol above 40 mg/dL. For this reason, it is important to know your numbers. They determine if you need to make further lifestyle changes or take medication to reduce your risk of stroke and other medical problems.
Eating at least two servings of fish per week may cut your risk of stroke in half!
Fatty fish (like salmon, tuna, and mackerel) is rich in omega-3 fatty acids. This "good" type of fat, which you must obtain from your diet, can help protect against plaque buildup and blood clot formation in the arteries of the brain. This can help prevent the most common type of stroke (ischemic stroke). But, don't overdo the amount of omega-3 fatty acids you eat because 3 or more servings of fish per day on a regular basis may actually increase your chances for a hemorrhagic (bleeding) stroke
Choose the right fats to protect against stroke.
Trying to limit your total fat intake is not the whole story. You want to limit saturated fats and trans-fatty acids at the same time that you increase monounsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids. In other words, make foods like olive oil, fish, avocados, and nuts (especially walnuts and almonds) staples in your diet. Cut back on (or cut out) red meat, butter, ice cream, margarine, fried foods, and highly processed foods (like commercial baked goods). Not only do these changes help to protect you from heart disease and stroke, and maintain better sugar levels in your blood, you feel less hungry with some degree of healthy fat still in your diet.
The pitfall is that with certain healthy high-fat foods (nuts, for example), it is hard to limit amounts. Make every effort to do so, however, because foods packed with fat, even good fat, are also loaded in calories. Don't just add a small portion of nuts to what you are already eating; try to eliminate something else - like a half cup of pasta at dinner.
You indicated that you consume foods high in saturated fats - a major risk factor for stroke.
Butter, cheese, whole milk, ice cream, cream, and fatty meats are full of saturated fats. A diet high in saturated fat leads to high cholesterol and contributes to being overweight. For these reasons and others, too much fat increases your risk of stroke and heart disease.
Learn to choose healthy substitutes. Try lemon and pepper on your baked potato instead of butter, for example.
Eat all your fruits and vegetables.
Remember when your mother drove you crazy telling you to finish all of your peas before dessert? It turns out, she was right. Fruits and vegetables are not only low in calories, they are jam-packed with antioxidants like flavonoids, carotenoids, and vitamins C and E, which protect your heart, brain, eyes, and skin. The fiber in certain fruits and vegetables can even help lower your cholesterol. A general rule of thumb is the richer the color - like dark green - the healthier the fruit or vegetable. For example, choose romaine lettuce over iceberg lettuce. (Better yet, eat spinach instead of lettuce.)
Exercise for fitness, strength, and prevention.
Regular exercise is extremely important for maintaining health, strengthening your heart and body, and preventing all kinds of diseases such as stroke. Think about your goals and make a plan to get started. Do you want to lose weight, feel energized, reduce stress, or protect yourself from many chronic conditions? Considering your objectives can help you develop an exercise routine that works for you. Be realistic when setting goals and making an exercise schedule.
The best exercise routine combines aerobic activity, strength training, and flexibility (stretching). And remember - just increasing physical activity a little bit (like walking upstairs instead of taking the elevator, mowing your own lawn, or parking in a farther space than usual) can help with weight loss and your overall health.
If you have other risk factors for stroke, like high blood pressure or high cholesterol, talk to your doctor before getting started. He or she can help you make sure that your routine is safe and effective.
Stress in your life is unavoidable - we all have it.
But stress is associated with many medical conditions, including high blood pressure and heart disease, that increase your risk of stroke. Stress also makes you more likely to develop or maintain unhealthy habits like smoking and overeating. Stress-relieving techniques such as yoga, tai chi, or meditation may help reduce these risk factors associated with stroke.
You should be checked for total and HDL cholesterol every 5 years.
If either value is not normal, you will need a fasting lipid profile. This provides your total cholesterol, your HDL ("good") cholesterol, your LDL ("bad") cholesterol, and triglycerides. Your risk for stroke is greatly reduced by keeping total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides LOW, and by trying to keep your HDL cholesterol above 40 mg/dL. For this reason, it is important to know your numbers. They determine if you need to make further lifestyle changes or take medication to reduce your risk of stroke and other medical problems.
Eating at least two servings of fish per week may cut your risk of stroke in half!
Fatty fish (like salmon, tuna, and mackerel) is rich in omega-3 fatty acids. This "good" type of fat, which you must obtain from your diet, can help protect against plaque buildup and blood clot formation in the arteries of the brain. This can help prevent the most common type of stroke (ischemic stroke). But, don't overdo the amount of omega-3 fatty acids you eat because 3 or more servings of fish per day on a regular basis may actually increase your chances for a hemorrhagic (bleeding) stroke
Choose the right fats to protect against stroke.
Trying to limit your total fat intake is not the whole story. You want to limit saturated fats and trans-fatty acids at the same time that you increase monounsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids. In other words, make foods like olive oil, fish, avocados, and nuts (especially walnuts and almonds) staples in your diet. Cut back on (or cut out) red meat, butter, ice cream, margarine, fried foods, and highly processed foods (like commercial baked goods). Not only do these changes help to protect you from heart disease and stroke, and maintain better sugar levels in your blood, you feel less hungry with some degree of healthy fat still in your diet.
The pitfall is that with certain healthy high-fat foods (nuts, for example), it is hard to limit amounts. Make every effort to do so, however, because foods packed with fat, even good fat, are also loaded in calories. Don't just add a small portion of nuts to what you are already eating; try to eliminate something else - like a half cup of pasta at dinner.
You indicated that you consume foods high in saturated fats - a major risk factor for stroke.
Butter, cheese, whole milk, ice cream, cream, and fatty meats are full of saturated fats. A diet high in saturated fat leads to high cholesterol and contributes to being overweight. For these reasons and others, too much fat increases your risk of stroke and heart disease.
Learn to choose healthy substitutes. Try lemon and pepper on your baked potato instead of butter, for example.
Eat all your fruits and vegetables.
Remember when your mother drove you crazy telling you to finish all of your peas before dessert? It turns out, she was right. Fruits and vegetables are not only low in calories, they are jam-packed with antioxidants like flavonoids, carotenoids, and vitamins C and E, which protect your heart, brain, eyes, and skin. The fiber in certain fruits and vegetables can even help lower your cholesterol. A general rule of thumb is the richer the color - like dark green - the healthier the fruit or vegetable. For example, choose romaine lettuce over iceberg lettuce. (Better yet, eat spinach instead of lettuce.)
Exercise for fitness, strength, and prevention.
Regular exercise is extremely important for maintaining health, strengthening your heart and body, and preventing all kinds of diseases such as stroke. Think about your goals and make a plan to get started. Do you want to lose weight, feel energized, reduce stress, or protect yourself from many chronic conditions? Considering your objectives can help you develop an exercise routine that works for you. Be realistic when setting goals and making an exercise schedule.
The best exercise routine combines aerobic activity, strength training, and flexibility (stretching). And remember - just increasing physical activity a little bit (like walking upstairs instead of taking the elevator, mowing your own lawn, or parking in a farther space than usual) can help with weight loss and your overall health.
If you have other risk factors for stroke, like high blood pressure or high cholesterol, talk to your doctor before getting started. He or she can help you make sure that your routine is safe and effective.
Stress in your life is unavoidable - we all have it.
But stress is associated with many medical conditions, including high blood pressure and heart disease, that increase your risk of stroke. Stress also makes you more likely to develop or maintain unhealthy habits like smoking and overeating. Stress-relieving techniques such as yoga, tai chi, or meditation may help reduce these risk factors associated with stroke.
Your risk for stroke increases as you get older.
People
most at risk for stroke are adults over 65 years old. Usually, at least
one other risk factor is present, like high blood pressure, diabetes,
sedentary lifestyle, being overweight, or smoking. Older age is also
linked with higher rates of post-stroke dementia. Younger people are not
immune, however -- about 28% of stroke victims are under 65.
Stroke is more common in men than in women, except among older groups.
However,
stroke tends to be more fatal in women than men. Although there are
several theories, it is not clear why the mortality rate from stroke is
higher in women.
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