Nearly 900,000 Canadian adults have experienced a stroke – A disease that affects blood circulation to and inside the brain and damages brain cells. The month of June being a stroke, the heart and stroke foundation of Canada awareness of the disease, its risk factors and its myths.
And, while many factors influence the risk of stroke – including the things you cannot change, such as genetics, age and sex – certain lifestyle changes can Reduce your risk of stroke. Actually, 80% of the features are avoidable.
However, according to a survey in 2023, 7 out of 10 Canadians do not include risk factors for stroke and heart disease. It can be difficult to repair what you don’t understand.
In this spirit, Yahoo Canada spoke to Dr Nishita Singh. She is a neurologist of strokes, assistant professor at the University of Manitoba and president of the heart and cerebral vascular accidents and research in clinical stroke research. Here, Singh shares his advice on how to reduce the risk of stroke by changing lifestyles and adopting healthy habits.
Anyone can have a stroke
First, an important reminder: “A stroke can occur at any age, and the risk of stroke increases as people age,” said Singh. While 80% of all brain vascular accidents come to those over 60, it is important to note that young people can – and do – cerebral accidents.
How to reduce the risk of stroke
“It’s really important to keep your heart and brain healthy,” says Singh. “This is what would prevent cerebral vascular accidents and heart disease, and it all starts by understanding your risk and knowing what you can do to manage them.”
(Simple habits) can make a remarkable difference when it comes to reducing your risk of stroke and heart disease in the future.Dr Nishita Singh
The good news is that healthy lifestyle behavior can be very effective in reducing the risk of your stroke.
“These simple habits are, of course, easier for some than others,” continues the doctor. “But they can make a remarkable difference when it comes to reducing your risk of stroke and heart disease in the future.”
5 ways to reduce the risk of stroke, according to a doctor
Be physically active
Singh and other doctors advise patients to target 10,000 steps a day. If you do not do any kind of physical activity every day, Singh says that you should start – whether you are in their twenties or sixty – or even older.
“It is never too late to start a kind of physical activity,” she says.
Can’t reach 10,000 steps? It’s ok. Any exercise is better than nothing, Singh notes.
“There is a cumulative advantage with regard to physical activity, so even if you start with 2,000 steps a day or 5,000 steps per day, it’s also good,” she explains.
As a reference, the Foundation of the Heart and the AVC suggests that people get 150 minutes of exercise per week, about 20 minutes per day. And there is no need to hit the gymnasium or lift weights. Singh says it can be as simple as walking.
Quit smoking
Smoking is one of the largest risk factors for heart disease and stroke, says Singh. “It is also one of the most difficult things to do at a personal level with regard to stop.”
Smoking causes coloring in your blood cells, which brings them together more easily – and more likely to form clots. Smoking can also lead to a deposit of cholesterol plates, which can cause the arteries to be narrowed in the heart, the brain and throughout your body. “This can cause symptoms of heart disease, heart attack or stroke,” said Singh.
The same goes for electronic cigarettes and vaping.
If you are thinking of quitting smoking, Singh says that it should not be a state of mind “all or nothing”.
“Just start by taking baby steps-there is also a cumulative advantage over there,” she said.
Limit alcohol intake
Experts generally recommend limiting alcohol supply for heart health. In fact, the World Heart Federation says that Even moderate alcohol consumption can affect cardiovascular healthAnd Health Canada directives to limit alcohol consumption to no more than two drinks per week, align with this.
“There are a lot of recent data that strongly argues that no alcohol is the best way to protect yourself from heart disease or stroke,” said Singh. “Currently, you must completely abstain from alcohol to avoid any additional risk.”
Eat a healthy diet
This is one of the most frequently asked questions in Singh: What Do I have to eat exactly as part of a healthy diet?
“It is really a conscious diet and consciousness of lifestyle,” she says. Generally, Singh tells patients that eating healthy means not getting take -out of fast food joints every day.
“No fried foods, no alcohol, no smoking, no ultra-transformed foods and no red or minimal meat,” she adds.
Similar to smoking, Singh explains that additional oil in fried food is deposited in the walls of blood vessels and contributes to the narrowing of the arteries. “This can ultimately lead to a decrease in blood flow and make these organs unhappy and cause symptoms, heart disease and stroke,” she said. She too says researchers are currently studying how ultra-transformed foods can affect your risk of heart disease and stroke.
So what should Do you eat?
“Eat as many natural, organic, green, healthy green vegetables, vegetables, vegetables and fruits (as much as possible) and get all this in your system while you are doing the exercise and you have a smoke and alcohol -free life”, explains the doctor.
Maintaining a healthy weight is another way to reduce your risk of stroke.
Start slow
It should be noted, says Singh, that these changes do not have to occur overnight.
“Even if you take small progressive measures, your risk of a stroke will drop over time when you continue a healthier lifestyle,” she said.
Stroke signs and symptoms
More than three out of 10 Canadians cannot name any of the stroke signs, according to the latest results from the heart survey. It is important to recognize the signs of the stroke so that you can act quickly. FAST is a simple way to remember the signs of racing:
FACE – Is it falling?
ARMS – Can you raise both?
SPeech – Is this doing a problem or completing?
TIME to call 9-1-1 right away.
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