CHARELSTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C –
Many people don't realize that a stroke can change their lives forever. Most strokes are preventable by changes in lifestyle, like not smoking, doing at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise each day, maintaining a healthy weight and eating a heart-healthy diet.
According to the American Heart Association, stroke is the third leading cause of death. Here are seven tips on how to cut the odds of having a stroke:
1. Keep a lid on blood pressure. Eighty percent of the risk of stroke is due to high blood pressure. A blood clot gets stuck in an already clogged artery, blocking the flow of blood to cells, which then die from lack of oxygen. Studies show that lowering blood pressure can cut the risk of stroke by about 40 percent, yet only one out of three people has his or her blood pressure under control - that is, below 140 over 90. Check blood pressure often; high blood pressure is often referred to as the "silent killer" because many people don't even know their blood pressure is high.
2. Don't expect blood pressure to stay normal; blood pressure rises with age. According to the American Heart Association, more than two-thirds of Americans older than 65 have high blood pressure. High blood pressure now may mean an Alzheimer's-like mind later. According to the National Institute on Aging, high blood pressure can damage the brain's blood vessels, and the brains of Alzheimer's patients often have tiny blood clots and small areas of dead tissue the clots cause.
3. Don't assume the amount of sodium can be determined by taste. Sodium raises blood pressure, but the salt shaker isn't to blame in most households. Roughly 75 to 80 percent of sodium people consume comes from processed and restaurant foods. Healthy adults should limit their sodium intake to 2,300 mg a day -- this is about one teaspoon of sodium chloride (table salt). However, most American adults consume three to four times more than this amount.
How can sodium intake be lowered? Choose fresh, frozen or canned food items without added salts. Select unsalted nuts or seeds, dried beans, peas and lentils. Limit the amount of salty snacks, like chips and pretzels. Avoid adding salt and canned vegetables to homemade dishes. If canned vegetables must be used, thoroughly drain and rinse them. This won't get rid of all the salt, but will definitely decrease it. Select unsalted, fat-free broths, bouillons or soups. Select fat-free or low-fat milk, low-sodium, low-fat cheeses, as well as low-fat yogurt. Specify what is wanted and how it should be prepared when dining out. Ask for the dish to be prepared without salt. Use spices, herbs and citrus fruits (lemons and limes) to enhance the taste of food. Pack a homemade lunch more often; a grilled chicken sandwich from a fast-food restaurant packs a whopping 1,240 mg of sodium.
4. People with high blood pressure should eat eight to 10 fruits and vegetables a day. Potassium may help explain why fruits and vegetables seem to protect people from strokes. Experts have known that these foods, in addition to foods rich in calcium and magnesium, lower blood pressure since the 1997 landmark Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension study. In fact, the DASH diet showed that eating eight to 10 fruits and vegetables a day and increasing low-fat dairy foods in a diet that are low in saturated fat can lower blood pressure by about 10 mL of mercury.
5. Eat fish twice a week. New information has emerged about how the omega-3 fatty acids found in fatty fish (salmon, herring, mackerel, sardines, etc.) can help lower blood pressure (slightly), decreases risk of arrhythmias, which can lead to sudden cardiac death, decreases triglyceride levels, and decreases growth rate of artery-clogging plaque. And if fish isn't preferred, people could always opt for fish oil capsules -- but consult a doctor first.
6. Shoot for 30 minutes of exercise a day. Ask a doctor before starting an exercise plan, though. At least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise five days a week can cut the risk of stroke in half.
7. Lose extra weight. If people are overweight, losing just five to 10 percent of that weight can provide significant benefits, including lowering blood pressure. Weight gain, especially around the abdomen, increases the risk for heart disease.
In addition to these seven tips, people could try following the DASH eating plan.
· Grains (bread, cereal, rice, pasta, etc): Eat six to eight servings. Make most choices whole grain. Examples of one serving would be one slice bread, one ounce dry cereal, or ½ cup cooked rice pasta or cereal.
· Vegetables: Eat four to five servings. Choose a variety of colors; the darker, the better. Examples of one serving would be one cup raw or ½ cup cooked vegetables and ½ cup low-sodium vegetable juice.
· Fruits: Eat four to five servings. One serving is like one medium piece of fruit (apple, orange, pear, etc), ¼ cup dried fruit, ½ cup fresh, frozen or canned fruit, and ½ cup fruit juice.
· Milk products: Eat two to three servings. Examples of one serving would be one cup skim or low-fat milk or yogurt, and 1 ½ ounce low-fat cheese (white cheese typically has less saturated fat than hard yellow cheese).
· Lean meats, poultry and fish: Eat six ounces or less. Three ounces is about the size of a deck of cards, which would fit into the palm of a hand. One egg is one ounce.
· Nuts, seeds and legumes: Eat four to five servings per week. One serving is like ½ cup legumes, 1 ½ ounces nuts, 2 tablespoons peanut butter or 2 tablespoons seeds.
· Fats and oils: two to three servings per day. Examples of one serving would be 1 teaspoon trans-free margarine, 1 teaspoon vegetable oil (preferably olive or Canola oil), 1 tablespoon mayonnaise or 2 tablespoons low-fat salad dressing.