A stroke occurs when blood flow to part of your brain is cut off, usually by a clot or, sometimes, a hemorrhage. Signs of stroke include sudden headaches, weakness and numbness, trouble seeing, walking or talking, confusion, dizziness and slurred speech.
Strokes are serious business, affecting nearly 800,000 Americans each year. Unfortunately, for 140,000 Americans annually, strokes are fatal.
While strokes can be attributed to age and genetics, experts say that 80% of strokes can be prevented. Here are several key steps you can take to reduce your risk of stroke.
1. Get Your Blood Pressure Under Control
High blood pressure is the primary cause of strokes, causing more than 50% of them.
High blood pressure can make you around 5 times as likely to have a stroke for two reasons:
- High blood pressure allows fat and cholesterol to build up in the arteries, which can eventually become an obstacle to your brain’s blood supply.
- High blood pressure makes arteries less strong, increasing the risk they could burst and cause a hemorrhagic stroke.
Together with your doctor, you can help return your high blood pressure to normal. Your physician will likely recommend lifestyle changes and may prescribe medication to help.
2. Change Your Lifestyle
Being too overweight, drinking a lot, and smoking-even a little-can put you at risk for stroke.
Research suggests drinking in moderation, or not drinking at all, to reduce stroke risk. Moderation, of course, means one drink a day, ideally red wine.
Being obese also increases the risk of stroke. Talk to your physician about what you need to do to get to an ideal weight that works for you. Exercise is key, so finding a way to get moving that you actually love can turn this chore into a pleasure.
If you smoke, think about quitting. Smoking can thicken blood and increase plaque in arteries, both of which increase the risk of stroke.
3. Keep Diabetes in Check
High blood sugar can damage blood vessels, increasing the risk of blood clots that can cause stroke.
Diabetes quadruples the likelihood of stroke, so properly managing diabetes (whether type 1 or type 2) is key to keeping this risk in check. To do this, make sure you’re carefully following any instructions your doctor has given you. That means that a healthy diet, plenty of exercise and appropriate blood glucose monitoring are key.
Of course, there’s so much more to preventing stroke than just these three tips. You’ll also want to treat atrial fibrillation, address high cholesterol and keep an eye out for new therapies that might help keep your risk of stroke down. For example, there is research indicating that certain klotho proteins might be able to help prevent stroke, although such a treatment is still in development.
In the meantime, it’s important to have an open conversation with your doctor about your family history of stroke. This can help your doctor better understand your individual risk factors and provide personalized advice on how to reduce your chances of experiencing a
They may suggest specific lifestyle changes, such as improving your diet, exercising regularly, or managing stress. Additionally, they might recommend monitoring your blood pressure and cholesterol levels more closely or starting medications to control risk factors. By working together, you can create a comprehensive plan to protect your health.
While you are taking all the necessary precautions to minimize the risk of a stroke, if you have had high blood pressure or hypertension in the past, it’s smart to think about your financial security as well. So why not look and Buy life Insurance with hypertension or high blood pressure? It’s nothing to worry about.
With all the steps you are already taking to manage your health, you can significantly reduce the chances of a stroke. However, life can be unpredictable, and it’s always a good idea to take that extra precaution. With life insurance, you have peace of mind, knowing that your family will be financially supported if something were to happen to you.
To conclude, while taking the right steps to manage your health can significantly reduce your stroke risk, it’s always smart to plan ahead for the unexpected. By working closely with your doctor and making the necessary lifestyle changes, you’re already doing a lot to protect your well-being. And adding life insurance into the mix ensures that, no matter what happens, your family will be cared for financially.
– https://www.webmd.com/stroke/guide/understanding-stroke-prevention#1– https://www.webmd.com/stroke/guide/understanding-stroke-prevention#1– https://www.health.harvard.edu/womens-health/8-things-you-can-do-to-prevent-a-stroke– https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/how-to-lower-your-stroke-risk– https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/how-to-lower-your-stroke-risk
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