Steps To Take For Stroke Prevention
Steps To Take For Stroke Prevention
Have a look at these staggering facts.
• It has been estimated that this year, almost 750,000 American citizens will suffer a stroke. 160,000 out of these will die.
• Caucasians are at a lesser risk, almost half, as compared to African-Africans. 50% of African-American women may die due to a heart disease or stroke this year.
• 11% of the people having anemia of the sickle cell type have had a stroke before they reached 20.
These facts are quite depressing indeed. But, it has been said that 80% of these strokes can be prevented. How?
Read on.
• Visit a qualified medical practitioner for measuring up the 3 important factors related with strokes:
1. Blood pressure.
2. Cholesterol.
3. Blood sugar.
Also, ask the physician to check your circulatory system, particularly carotid arteries, and heart.
• The blood pressure should be properly maintained. If it increases, the stroke risks also increases by 4-6 times. 120/80 is the safe mark. Take action if it goes above this and if it has reached 140/90, its time for some immediate and serious action.
• The cholesterol level should be maintained below 200. Take immediate action if it rises above 240.
• Get yourself checked up for diabetes as it increases the stroke risks and also affects the body’s various organ systems.
• Seriously alter your eating habits for controlling your weight, especially if it exceeds 30 pounds over the average. This does not refer to dieting. Instead, you should plan your diet so that it includes healthy food only, no junk and oily stuff is allowed.
• Americans consume only 50% of required fiber intake. Consumption of fibrous food also helps in lowering cholesterol, reducing obesity and controlling diabetes.
• Drinking good amounts of water is essential for good health. This doesn’t include coffee, coke as well as other artificial beverages as these products may not be necessarily healthy and hence, try avoiding them, if possible.
• Smoking is an extremely nasty habit. It hugely affects our health in a bad way. Lungs, liver, pulmonary arteries, heart and various other systems of the body are all affected by smoking.
Quitting smoking significantly reduces the stroke risk within a couple of years. Women above the age of 30, who smoke as well as consume birth-control tablets having high estrogen, are at a 22 times higher stroke risk as compared to average non-smokers. Hence, they should immediately quit smoking.
Follow these simple tips for averting strokes.