{"id":20450,"date":"2018-10-05T19:03:27","date_gmt":"2018-10-05T19:03:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/?p=20450"},"modified":"2018-10-05T19:33:54","modified_gmt":"2018-10-05T19:33:54","slug":"7-things-you-can-do-to-prevent-a-stroke-harvard-report","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/?p=20450","title":{"rendered":"7 things you can do to prevent a stroke &#8211;  Harvard Report"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><code><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n<!-- www.newsroom247.com.ng --><br \/>\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display: block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-2163942495525027\" data-ad-slot=\"1411897411\" data-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins><br \/>\n<script>\n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\n<\/script><\/code><\/p>\n<p>What can you do to prevent stroke? Age makes us more susceptible to having a stroke, as does having a mother, father, or other close relative who has had a stroke.<\/p>\n<p>You can&#8217;t reverse the years or change your family history, but there are many other stroke risk factors that you can control\u2014provided that you&#8217;re aware of them. &#8220;Knowledge is power,&#8221; says Dr. Natalia Rost, associate professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School and associate director of the Acute Stroke Service at Massachusetts General Hospital. &#8220;If you know that a particular risk factor is sabotaging your health and predisposing you to a higher risk of stroke, you can take steps to alleviate the effects of that risk.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><strong>How to prevent stroke<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Here are seven ways to start reining in your risks today to avoid stroke, before a stroke has the chance to strike.<\/p>\n<p><strong>1. Lower blood pressure<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>High blood pressure is a huge factor, doubling or even quadrupling your stroke risk if it is not controlled. &#8220;High blood pressure is the biggest contributor to the risk of stroke in both men and women,&#8221; Dr. Rost says. &#8220;Monitoring blood pressure and, if it is elevated, treating it, is probably the biggest difference people can make to their vascular health.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Your ideal goal: Maintain a blood pressure of less than 135\/85. But for some, a less aggressive goal (such as 140\/90) may be more appropriate.<\/p>\n<p>How to achieve it:<\/p>\n<p>Reduce the salt in your diet to no more than 1,500 milligrams a day (about a half teaspoon).<br \/>\nAvoid high-cholesterol foods, such as burgers, cheese, and ice cream.<br \/>\nEat 4 to 5 cups of fruits and vegetables every day, one serving of fish two to three times a week, and several daily servings of whole grains and low-fat dairy.<br \/>\nGet more exercise \u2014 at least 30 minutes of activity a day, and more, if possible.<br \/>\nQuit smoking, if you smoke.<br \/>\nIf needed, take blood pressure medicines.<\/p>\n<p><strong>2. Lose weight<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Obesity, as well as the complications linked to it (including high blood pressure and diabetes), raises your odds of having a stroke. If you&#8217;re overweight, losing as little as 10 pounds can have a real impact on your stroke risk.<\/p>\n<p>Your goal: While an ideal body mass index (BMI) is 25 or less, that may not be realistic for you. Work with your doctor to create a personal weight loss strategy.<\/p>\n<p>How to achieve it:<\/p>\n<p>Try to eat no more than 1,500 to 2,000 calories a day (depending on your activity level and your current BMI).<br \/>\nIncrease the amount of exercise you do with activities like walking, golfing, or playing tennis, and by making activity part of every single day.<br \/>\ny3. Exercise more<\/p>\n<p>Exercise contributes to losing weight and lowering blood pressure, but it also stands on its own as an independent stroke reducer.<\/p>\n<p>Your goal: Exercise at a moderate intensity at least five days a week.<\/p>\n<p>How to achieve it:<\/p>\n<p>Take a walk around your neighborhood every morning after breakfast.<br \/>\nStart a fitness club with friends.<br \/>\nWhen you exercise, reach the level at which you&#8217;re breathing hard, but you can still talk.<br \/>\nTake the stairs instead of an elevator when you can.<br \/>\nIf you don&#8217;t have 30 consecutive minutes to exercise, break it up into 10- to 15-minute sessions a few times each day.<\/p>\n<p><strong>4. If you drink \u2014 do it in moderation<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Drinking a little alcohol may decrease your risk of stroke. &#8220;Studies show that if you have about one drink per day, your risk may be lower,&#8221; says to Dr. Rost. &#8220;Once you start drinking more than two drinks per day, your risk goes up very sharply.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Your goal: Don&#8217;t drink alcohol or do it in moderation.<\/p>\n<p>How to achieve it:<\/p>\n<p>Have no more than one glass of alcohol a day.<br \/>\nMake red wine your first choice, because it contains resveratrol, which is thought to protect the heart and brain.<br \/>\nWatch your portion sizes. A standard-sized drink is a 5-ounce glass of wine, 12-ounce beer, or 1.5-ounce glass of hard liquor.<\/p>\n<p><code><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.alternativeadvert.com\/show.php?z=30&amp;pl=17050&amp;ad_type=60&amp;rl=180\" width=\"300\" height=\"600\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/code><\/p>\n<p><strong>5. Treat atrial fibrillation<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Atrial fibrillation is a form of irregular heartbeat that causes clots to form in the heart. Those clots can then travel to the brain, producing a stroke. &#8220;Atrial fibrillation carries almost a fivefold risk of stroke, and should be taken seriously,&#8221; Dr. Rost says.<\/p>\n<p>Your goal: If you have atrial fibrillation, get it treated.<\/p>\n<p>How to achieve it:<\/p>\n<p>If you have symptoms such as heart palpitations or shortness of breath, see your doctor for an exam.<br \/>\nYou may need to take an anticoagulant drug (blood thinner) such as warfarin (Coumadin) or one of the newer direct-acting anticoagulant drugs to reduce your stroke risk from atrial fibrillation. Your doctors can guide you through this treatment.<br \/>\n<strong>6. Treat diabetes<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Having high blood sugar damages blood vessels over time, making clots more likely to form inside them.<\/p>\n<p>Your goal: Keep your blood sugar under control.<\/p>\n<p>How to achieve it:<\/p>\n<p>Monitor your blood sugar as directed by your doctor.<br \/>\nUse diet, exercise, and medicines to keep your blood sugar within the recommended range.<br \/>\n7. Quit smoking<\/p>\n<p>Smoking accelerates clot formation in a couple of different ways. It thickens your blood, and it increases the amount of plaque buildup in the arteries. &#8220;Along with a healthy diet and regular exercise, smoking cessation is one of the most powerful lifestyle changes that will help you reduce your stroke risk significantly,&#8221; Dr. Rost says.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Your goal: Quit smoking.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>How to achieve it:<\/p>\n<p>Ask your doctor for advice on the most appropriate way for you to quit.<br \/>\nUse quit-smoking aids, such as nicotine pills or patches, counseling, or medicine.<br \/>\nDon&#8217;t give up. Most smokers need several tries to quit. See each attempt as bringing you one step closer to successfully beating the habit.<br \/>\nIdentify a stroke F-A-S-T<\/p>\n<p>Too many people ignore the signs of stroke because they question whether their symptoms are real. &#8220;My recommendation is, don&#8217;t wait if you have any unusual symptoms,&#8221; Dr. Rost advises. Listen to your body and trust your instincts. If something is off, get professional help right away.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The National Stroke Association has created an easy acronym to help you remember, and act on, the signs of a stroke. Cut out this image and post it on your refrigerator for easy reference.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Signs of a stroke include:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>weakness on one side of the body<\/p>\n<p>numbness of the face<\/p>\n<p>unusual and severe headache<\/p>\n<p>vision loss<\/p>\n<p>numbness and tingling<\/p>\n<p>unsteady walk.<\/p>\n<p>(www.health.harvard.edu)<\/p>\n<p><code><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n<!-- www.newsroom247.com.ng --><br \/>\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display: block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-2163942495525027\" data-ad-slot=\"1411897411\" data-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins><br \/>\n<script>\n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\n<\/script><\/code><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What can you do to prevent stroke? Age makes us more susceptible to having a stroke, as does having a mother, father, or other close relative who has had a stroke. You can&#8217;t reverse the years or change your family history, but there are many other stroke risk factors that you can control\u2014provided that you&#8217;re [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":20457,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"spay_email":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false},"categories":[10],"tags":[5033],"class_list":["post-20450","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-healthy-living","tag-dr-natalia-rost"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/stroke.jpg","jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4oswh-5jQ","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20450","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=20450"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20450\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20454,"href":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20450\/revisions\/20454"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/20457"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=20450"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=20450"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=20450"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}