The Five Habits That Will Reduce Your Risk of Stroke
Strokes are a serious matter. In the United States, they are the third leading cause of death and have been increasing in frequency over the past decade. The good news is that there are five habits that will greatly reduce your risk of stroke: stop smoking, keep alcohol consumption to a minimum, get regular exercise, maintain a healthy weight and eat right. These five habits can make all the difference between living with a disability or being able to enjoy life without it!
Don’t smoke if you don’t already. If you do, make an effort to quit- it will make a huge difference.
Maintain an alcohol consumption of no more than one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men. More than that, your risk increases exponentially! Excessive drinking has been linked to hemorrhagic strokes (when there is bleeding in the brain), which are usually less severe but can be fatal if not treated immediately. Even moderate amounts of alcohol increase your chances of having an irregular heartbeat; this condition could lead to sudden stroke symptoms like paralysis or loss of speech. Additionally, it may cause other health issues such as liver disease and cancer. So remember: keep it low!
Exercise regularly by engaging in at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day – even if it’s just walking around the block. This will not only help to reduce blood pressure and cholesterol, but it can also prevent weight gain and obesity!
Maintain a healthy weight by eating well and exercising regularly. Being overweight or obese increases your risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. Make sure you eat right so that the food you’re putting into your body doesn’t increase its chances of developing these conditions – rather decrease them!
Eat plenty of fruits (and veggies), nuts (like almonds), and whole grains which provide important nutrients like fiber; when eaten in moderation they can lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels while increasing HDL (“good”) cholesterol levels making for better cardiovascular health overall. Also, make sure you limit the consumption of trans fats as much as you can.
Follow these five healthy habits, and be sure to see your doctor regularly so that he or she can assess your risk of stroke! It’s never too early to start taking care of yourself but it is always better late than never! The more effort you put into being proactive about preventing strokes the easier they are to treat if/when they do occur. Prevention is the best medicine after all – don’t wait until it’s too late before making a change in lifestyle choices!
Strokes are a serious matter. In the United States, they are the third leading cause of death and have been increasing in frequency over the past decade. The good news is that there are five habits that will greatly reduce your risk of stroke: stop smoking, keep alcohol consumption to a minimum, get regular exercise,…