The American Stroke Association has an acronym that everyone should learn in order to help their risk of missing the signs of an upcoming stroke. The acronym is F.A.S.T which stands for: Face drooping, arm weakness, speech difficulty, time to call 9-1-1. It’s important to explain this a little further-if your face is drooping unnaturally? Are your arms weak and is it difficult to raise them? Are you having difficulty speaking-are your works slurred? If these symptoms are happening then it is time 9-1-1 immediately. If you are hanging out with a friend it’s important for you to also be aware of these symptoms and be willing to take charge and call for medical emergency assistance if needed.
There are steps that you can take to help reduce your risk for having a stroke. One of the most important actions that a person can take is to manage your diet affectively. There are a number of diets that people can embrace which are simple to follow and will have a positive long-term affect on your health.
First, there are number food items that should be eliminated, added, or cut from a person’s diet. According to health.com people should eat more tomatoes, cut out salt, add an apple a day, drink coffee daily-but not too much. And chocolate is fine to add to your diet in moderation. These foods are delicious, nutritious, and easily enjoyed as you add them to your weekly diet.
There are also specific diets that can be followed to help individuals who are both at risk or just wanting to work on eliminating their risk of having a stroke. Here are a few diets that you may want to consider trying. As with all health related issues, please consult with your doctor before doing anything.
Studies have found over and over again that embracing a Mediterranean diet which is typically a diet consisting of whole grains, olive oil, fresh vegetables, lower sodium intake, and the occasional glass of red wine may cut one’s risk of stroke significantly. In fact, the Mediterranean diet is the diet of the Ogliastra Region of Sardinia and Ikaria, Greece where some of the longest-lived people in the world can be found.
There also is the important task of eliminating unhealthy habits that increase your risk of having a stroke. Those habits would include, but aren’t limited to the following, smoking heavily, or taking illegal drugs. All of these unhealthy habits have been shown to increase a person’s likelihood to have a stroke.
Work with your doctor to craft a stroke prevention strategy that is easy for you to implement, sustain, and hopefully enjoy doing as a long-term stroke prevention strategy. The fight against strokes can be waged one vegetable, fruit, glass of wine and piece of chocolate at a time.
