Don't Have a Stroke!
The two most serious brain diseases are stroke and Alzheimer’s disease. Stroke is the leading cause of disability in the U.S. Most strokes, like heart attacks, are caused by rupturing plaques in your arteries. The plaques that cut off the blood supply to the heart are called heart attacks, and the rupturing plaques which cut off blood flow to the brain, are called strokes.
Just this week, I have two friends dealing with strokes.
One of them writes about her 90-year-old mother: “My mother lost the use of her left side. She cannot walk, and taking her to her physical therapy means two people lifting her up to put her in our car and two people lifting her out. Even in the car, her body sways and a person next to her has to bodily lift her up. I am surprised at the extent of her disabilities. Her CT scan and her MRI show that the large artery in her brain is blocked by plaque. So Melinda, I understand now more than ever why you and I should be eating the way we do.”
The other friend broke down in tears while telling me that her 72-year-old husband is still in the hospital and they aren’t sure when he will be released.
Sudden Symptoms
Sometimes a stroke happens gradually, but there may also be sudden symptoms like these:
Numbness or weakness in the face, arm, or leg.
Confusion or trouble understanding other people.
Difficulty speaking.
Trouble seeing with one or both eyes.
Dizziness.
Severe headache that comes on for no reason.
Risk Factors
High blood pressure is the single most important risk factor for stroke. A blood pressure of 140/90 or above in adults is considered to be high. The usual target for blood pressure treatment in adults is to keep the blood pressure at 120/80 or below.
Smoking remains the most important preventable cause of premature death in the country. If you smoke, quit, and if you don’t smoke, don’t start. Look for smoking cessation resources in your community.
Heart disease, especially atrial fibrillation (a type of irregular heartbeat), is a significant risk factor for stroke. If you have heart disease, carefully follow your treatment plan.
Existing carotid and/or coronary artery disease. The carotid arteries in your neck supply most of the blood to your brain. A carotid artery that has been damaged by fatty build-up of plaque inside the artery wall may become blocked by a blood clot, causing a stroke.
Diabetes mellitus increases stroke risk, especially for strokes due to damage of small blood vessels. The usual target for control is an HbA1c of <7% or a fasting blood sugar of 80-120 mg/dL.
High cholesterol (also called hyperlipidemia) increases the risk of stroke. Have your cholesterol level checked and control your cholesterol level, if necessary, by limiting the amount of fat and cholesterol you eat. The target level of low-density lipoproteins (LDL), the “bad” cholesterol, is less than 70 mg/dL.
Alcohol (more than one drink per day) is associated with stroke risk. Limit the amount of alcohol you drink.
Being overweight or obese is a risk factor for stroke.
A sedentary lifestyle may increase your risk of developing hypertension and diabetes, two risk factors for stroke.
Illegal drug use. Street drugs, such as crack, cocaine, and marijuana have been shown to increase the risk of stroke. Some of these drugs directly affect the blood vessels in the brain causing a stroke. Others cause damage to the heart, which can lead to stroke.
Reducing Fisk Factors
Mounting evidence suggests that a healthy diet may help prevent heart disease, strokes and even Alzheimer’s.
A number of studies now show that high fiber intake may help ward off stroke. Fiber is found in plant-foods. Most processed foods and animal foods have no fiber. High fiber diets can help control your cholesterol and may also lower your blood pressure.
Other studies have shown that increasing your level of potassium can reduce your risk of stroke. The best whole-food sources are greens, beans and sweet potatoes.
Citrus fruit has also been associated with a lower stroke risk.
A study of 150,000 Americans found that higher stroke rates were found among individuals sleeping six hours or less, or nine hours or more per night.
Another study showed that eating foods rich in antioxidants helped to prevent stroke. Supplements did not appear to help. Antioxidant rich foods come from plants. Diets comprised mainly of animal foods are very low in antioxidants.
I hope you will think seriously about changing your lifestyle to include exercise and a healthy (mostly plant-based) diet, so you won’t have to endure the dreadful effects that come from having a stroke.
