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Hi friends, I want to believe you’re learning from our monthly health talk.

Today, I will be sharing with you the habits that can increase your risk of stroke and how you can avoid such habits.

In case you missed our last health article, you can get it here: Top 10 benefits of exercise

Stroke is one of the most frightening diseases that anyone can have, anyone here includes babies and adults both men, and women. However, the risk of stroke increases as one gets older. It doubles every decade after age 55.

A stroke happens when blood flow to parts of the brain is cut off or significantly reduced, and without oxygen in the blood, brain cells start dying within minutes.

Stroke is said to be the third-leading cause of death in the U.S. behind heart disease and cancer.

One-quarter of strokes are fatal and about 700,000 strokes occur each year in the US. One in five people will have a stroke in their lifetime, although most strokes are survivable most people never recover completely after a stroke. Around a quarter of those who survived are permanently disabled.

What are the main causes of stroke?

There are Two Main causes:

1. Blocked Artery (Ischemic)

2. Leaking/bursting of the blood vessels (Hemorrhagic)

ISCHEMIC

8 out of 10 times, a stroke is caused by blocked arteries. This happens when the artery that leads to the brain, the internal carotid artery, is clogged due to the deposition of fatty acids or cholesterol and this in turn leads to what we call “Atherosclerosis”.

Atherosclerosis progresses silently without symptoms, causing brain tissues to die gradually. There is what we call “Good Cholesterol” and “Bad Cholesterol”.

Good cholesterol is called high-density lipoprotein (HDL) which is not harmful to the body, the bad cholesterol is called low-density lipoprotein (LDL). This is the one that makes plaque form in your arteries and having too many LDLs can lead to heart disease over time.

The easiest way to spot high LDL cholesterol food is to avoid those that come in boxes and cans. Even a healthy meal at a restaurant can be high in bad cholesterol because of the way it is prepared. A close relative of saturated fat is trans-fat which can be found in treats like chips, cake, candy bars, doughnuts, and pastries.

Trans fat is as bad as saturated fat. Together, they are a recipe for heart failure.

Red meats like pork, lamb, and beef with added fat should be kept to a minimum. If you’ve depended on meats as sources of protein, substitute with fish and plants instead.

What are the foods low in LDL cholesterol?

1. Fill your plate with fiber-rich whole grains, tofu, beans, fish, and eggplant. Snack on fruits like apples, oranges, lemons, and grapes. Having oatmeal for breakfast and chewing on nuts also reduce levels of bad cholesterol.

2. Don’t forget to drink 8-10 glasses of water every day too.

HEMORRHAGIC

These strokes are caused by bleeding into the brain. Most commonly, high blood pressure causes a small artery to burst open.

Abnormal blood vessels (such as aneurysms and arteriovenous malformations) are particularly likely to rupture. The bleeding disrupts healthy blood flow to brain tissue.

The symptoms of stroke include:

1. Sudden weakness on one side (in the face, arm, or leg)

2. Slurred speech or inability to remember words

3. Trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance.

4. Confusion

5. Trouble speaking or spluttered speech.

6. Numbness or weakness in the face on one side of the body.

7. Sudden blurry or double vision

8. Severe headache etc.

Within hours of stroke onset, brain tissues die from lack of oxygen, leaving permanent damage.

Risk factors for stroke

1. High blood pressure

Most doctors may call it hypertension. It is the biggest risk factor for stroke. If your blood pressure is typically 130/80 or higher, your doctor will discuss treatments with you. Make it a habit to check your blood pressure (BP) regularly because the funny thing is, there are hardly signs/ symptoms for high BP.

2. Tobacco

Smoking or chewing it raises your odds of having a stroke. Nicotine makes your blood pressure go up. Cigarette smoke causes a fatty buildup in your main neck artery, it also thickens your blood and makes it more likely to clot. Even second-hand smoke can affect you.

3. Heart disease

This condition includes defective heart valves as well as atrial fibrillation, or irregular heartbeat, which causes a quarter of all strokes among the elderly. You can also have clogged arteries from fatty deposits.

4. Diabetes

People who have it often have high blood pressure and are more likely to be overweight, both raise the chances of stroke. Diabetes damages your blood vessels, which makes stroke more likely. If you have a stroke when your blood sugar levels are high, the injury to your brain is greater.

5. Obesity

Your chances of having a stroke may go up if you’re overweight. You can lower your odds by working out every day, by taking a brisk 30-minute walk, or by doing muscle-strengthening exercises like pushups and working with weights.

6. Medications

Some medicines are also part of the risk factors for stroke. For instance, blood-thinning drugs, which doctors suggest to prevent blood clots, can sometimes cause stroke through bleeding. Studies have linked hormone therapy, used for menopause symptoms like hot flashes, with a higher risk of strokes, and low-dose estrogen in birth control pills may also make your odds go up.

7. Age

Generally, your chances go up as you get older. It doubles for every decade after age 55.

8. Genetics

Stroke can run in families. You and your relatives may tend to get high blood pressure or diabetes. Some strokes can be brought on by a genetic disorder that blocks blood flow to the brain.

9. Gender

Women are slightly less likely to have a stroke than men of the same age. But women have strokes at a later age, which makes them less likely to recover and die as a result.

10. Race

Stroke affects African-Americans much more often than any other group in the U.S.

How to prevent having a stroke?

1. Simply stay away from habits that can increase the risk of having it in the first place.

2. Take a healthy diet. Rest well. Exercise often, and always go for a medical checkup at least twice a month.

Are there any recovery options?

Well, to some extent there are, such as; Speech therapy, talk therapy, physical and occupational therapy also works, and the right medications.

Hagios Akins company is however putting things in place to make these services readily available to its readers. Kindly subscribe to our newsletter to keep yourself up-to-date.

Remember to always take good care of your health, because health is wealth.

Timilehin Dada.