Did you know that in every four minutes, a person dies of stroke? In fact, there is an average of 140,000 Americans that die every year because of that, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported.
Add to that pressure are the deaths of celebrities like “Riverdale” star Luke Perry, who passed away at 51, still very young. We have this common notion that as you get older, the risk of stroke increases, which is true. But what’s a more accurate statement is that it can happen to anyone of any age, especially if you came from a family with hypertension history.
More than 30 percent of those who suffered from a stroke and hospitalized were below 35 years old, which proves that age is really just a number when it comes to this. Prevention is always better than cure, which means there are ways to avoid this circumstance.
Keep Moving
A sedentary lifestyle will bring nothing good to you and you know that. Sure, binge-watching on Netflix till the wee hours of the morning may make you feel good, but in the long run, you are sabotaging your health.
Being a couch potato is the same thing, which can increase your risk for diabetes, heart problems, and obesity, and it is best that you must stay active whenever you can. Allotting just 30 minutes every day will bring about a huge difference in your body.
If you spend 8 hours sitting, cardiologist Robert Segal said, then you’re not doing enough movement. He suggested that you take a break within the shift or to squeeze in workouts in the morning or at night just to keep your heart rate up.
Stop Smoking
Smoking may be a stress-relieving activity for you but it harms the body more than it can bring the relaxation benefits you feel.
The expert explained that the chemicals found in a cigarette cause plaque build-up in the arteries, a disease called atherosclerosis. A 2017 study saw that 3,000 men and women who ceased smoking after a stroke had decreased their risk as compared to those who didn’t quit.
Choose the Food You Consume Wisely
There is such thing as heart-healthy food if you prefer taking care of your heart, like salmon, which is filled with omega-3 that reduces the risk of heart failure. Anti-inflammatory food like whole grains, leafy vegetables, and berries aids in lowering the blood pressure.
The doctor further advises patients to stay away from food that are high in cholesterol because these could cause blood clots which could lead to a stroke.
The expert also said to refrain food rich in sodium because these have been linked to an increase in high blood pressure. Those that fall under this are processed meat, canned goods, pickles, and anything that was made to have a longer shelf life. In short, the secret is to just prepare your food at home so that you can make sure that you’re using fewer preservatives.