How to prevent stroke
Here are seven ways to start reining in your risks today to avoid stroke, before a stroke has the chance to strike.
1. Lower blood pressure
High blood pressure is a huge factor, doubling or even quadrupling your stroke risk if it is not controlled. High blood pressure is the biggest contributor to the risk of stroke in both men and women. Monitoring blood pressure and, if it is elevated, treating it, is probably the biggest difference people can make to their vascular health.
Your goal: An ideal goal is maintaining a blood pressure of less than 120/80. But there may be good reasons why you and your doctor will not want your readings to be this low. For some, a less aggressive goal (such as no higher than 140/90) may be more appropriate.
2. Lose weight
Obesity, as well as the complications linked to it (including high blood pressure and diabetes), raises your odds of having a stroke. If you’re overweight, losing as little as 10 pounds can have a real impact on your stroke risk.
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.
How to achieve it:
Try to eat no more than 1,500 to 2,000 calories a day (depending on your activity level and your current BMI).
Increase the amount of exercise you do with activities like walking, golfing, or playing tennis, and by making activity part of every single day.
3. Exercise more
Exercise contributes to losing weight and lowering blood pressure, but it also stands on its own as an independent stroke reducer.
Your goal: Exercise at a moderate intensity at least five days a week.
4. If you drink — do it in moderation
Drinking a little alcohol, such as an average of one per day, is okay. Once you start drinking more than two drinks per day, your risk goes up very sharply.
Your goal: Don’t drink alcohol or do it in moderation.
How to achieve it:
1:Have no more than one glass of alcohol a day.
2:Consider red wine as your first choice, which some studies suggest might help prevent heart disease and stroke.
3:Watch 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.
