Stroke remains a leading cause of death in the United States. While it’s more common among adults over 70 years old, it can happen to anyone at any time. Certain groups are more likely to have a stroke at a younger age, and some are more likely to die by stroke than others. Information from recent studies has given us a better understanding of what factors contribute to these risks.
There are risk factors that can be changed, such as diet and smoking habits. Other risk factors that can’t be changed include gender, race and family history. Most strokes are preventable, and at face value, this might sound like good news. However, when you look at social determinants of health in addition to traditional risk factors, it becomes clear that certain systemic inequalities affect broad groups of people — making it very difficult to change individual lifestyles. The neighborhood you live in, the resources you have access to and any structural racism that impacts your life may have negative effects on your health. A higher risk of stroke is just one example out of many.
This blog post lists five strategies you can use to avoid a stroke, according to new guidelines.
5 ways to reduce your risk of stroke
A stroke happens when a blood vessel in the brain bursts or is blocked. Your cardiovascular health and metabolism can both affect your likelihood of having a stroke. For example, high cholesterol, high blood sugar, excess weight and smoking are all risk factors for stroke. Taking care of yourself by eating a balanced diet and exercising regularly can help you lower your risk of stroke.
In the event that someone is having a stroke, getting treatment as soon as possible can make a big difference in the outcome. Their face may droop, and they may have trouble moving their arms or speaking. Use the acronym FAST to remember what symptoms to look out for and how to respond. It stands for face, arms, speech and time — call 911 and request an ambulance to reduce the amount of time until they receive emergency treatment.
Try the following strategies to reduce your risk of stroke:
- Eat a balanced diet — Eating a variety of nutritious foods and avoiding unhealthy foods can help you lower your risk of the conditions that often precede stroke. Your diet should include plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains while limiting processed foods and saturated fats. Good sources of protein include beans, nuts, poultry, fish, seafood and egg whites. Calculate how many calories you should eat each day and use the Mediterranean diet for meal planning.
- Move your body every day — Moving your body every day and getting some more intense cardiovascular exercise at least once a week can help you maintain healthy blood pressure, lowering your risk of stroke. Walking is an effective form of low-impact exercise. You can also ride a bike, swim, run, or use exercise machines at home or at the gym.
- Don’t smoke — Smoking plays a role in many preventable strokes, and it can increase your risk of stroke by two to four times. Even if you’ve been smoking for a long time, quitting can significantly improve your health and lower your risk of stroke. Ask your doctor for resources to help you quit smoking.
- Get screened — Your doctor can help you assess and manage your risk of stroke. In addition to poor diet, lack of exercise and smoking, other common risk factors include family history of stroke and lack of access to healthcare. Start the conversation the next time you see your doctor and ask how often you should be screened moving forward.
- Manage your weight — For some, maintaining a healthy weight takes more than diet and exercise. New medications are helping adults lose excess weight and gain health benefits such as lower risk of stroke, heart disease, metabolic syndrome and other health conditions that result from excess weight.
Take care of your health to lower your risk of stroke
Adults need personalized healthcare to effectively manage their risk of stroke. Some people face more barriers to health than others, both in the healthcare system and in their everyday lives. Gaining access to resources like health insurance, educating yourself and advocating for yourself are all important ways to ensure that you’re getting the care you need.
The basic risk factors that predict an increased risk of stroke have generally stayed the same. An increasing number of healthcare providers recognize the significant impact social determinants of health have on an individual’s ability to maintain wellness. Your primary care doctor is one ally who can help you make healthy choices, and it’s important that they get to know you on a personal level. There may be other community organizations that can provide different kinds of support. You can also partner with family and friends to create an all-around healthy lifestyle.
At Ability KC, we help people recover and rehabilitate after a stroke or other serious health events. After you’ve had one stroke, managing your risk of having another one becomes a higher priority. We’re a designated Comprehensive Outpatient Rehabilitation Facility (CORF) with a Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) accreditation.
Do you have questions about rehabilitation and lowering your risk for additional strokes after your first one? Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.
Want to help support the work we’re doing at Ability KC? Check out our Groundhog Run event page to learn about this awesome event and how it supports what we do.