Have you ever seen someone suffer from a Brain Attack, or for more technical terms, a Brain Stroke, or have been the victim of it yourself? If yes, then it’s still not too late to work on it. Both of them occur due to hereditary risks, or due to patients own lifestyle. Well as you know, one can’t change one’s family history, but following some easy practices can help you prevent a brain stroke, and cuts 80% of the risk in the future.
What are the symptoms of a brain stroke?
- Trouble while speaking and understanding.
Some people may experience confusion while trying to understand speech. Also, you may mumble words which have no meaning.
- Numbness or weakness of any part of the body.
It is one of the common symptoms addressed by patients. You may suddenly develop weakness or numbness on the left or right side of your leg, arm, and face. Sometimes, one side of your face may droop when you smile, causing asymmetry in your face.
- Trouble in seeing with one or both eyes.
You may suddenly have blackened or blurred vision in one or both of your eyes. Sometimes, the patients have also reported seeing double.
- Headache
You can suddenly have a headache, which may result in dizziness, vomiting, or altered consciousness.
- Facing trouble with walking.
If you are having a stroke, then you may stumble, lose your balance or coordination, or experience sudden dizziness.
There are numerous things you need to do to prevent a stroke. You can start it from today onwards, despite your family history or age. If you know that a particular risk factor is damaging your health, and making you prone to stroke, then you can take necessary action to reduce such risks.
So how can we prevent a brain stroke from happening again?
- Lower blood pressure
High blood pressure can double the stroke risk if it is not controlled on time. As per the sources, it is the highest contributor to the risk of brain stroke among everyone. All you can do is, try to maintain your blood pressure of less than 135/85 mmhg or around 140/90 mmhg. Try to reduce salt consumption to no more than 1,500 milligrams a day. Also, avoid high-cholesterol foods, like cheese, burgers, and ice creams. Consume fruits and vegetables daily, exercise regularly, and quit smoking. For home monitoring purposes, buy a Blood Pressure machine, very easily available these days.
- Lose weight
Obesity increases the chances of stroke. Shred the excess weight which is contributing to a brain stroke. Try to at least lose 10 pounds, if you are overweight. You can walk daily, play some sport, and exercise daily. The number of calories burnt can be from 1,500 to 2,000 every day.
- Exercise
Exercise helps in lowering your blood pressure, blood sugar levels, blood cholesterol levels etc. Thus, it eventually reduces the risk of stroke. Wake up early and go for a walk. Try taking the stairs instead of the elevator whenever you can. Sedentary lifestyle has been found to be one of the most important risk factors for stroke.
- Cut down on your drinking
Best is to stop drinking. For those who can’t, learn how to hold your glass. Some studies say, that the safe limit for alcohol consumption is about one to two pegs of hard liquor for men, and one peg for women, but there have always been researches which contradict this. There have been studies that suggest that red wine, is less harmful than other forms of alcohol, this is still controversial.
- Treat atrial fibrillation
Atrial fibrillation can cause clots in your heart, which can travel up to the brain. Consult your doctor if you feel shortness of breath or heart palpitations. You may also need to take blood thinner drug like an anticoagulant drug.
- Treat diabetes
Try to keep your blood sugar under control. Also, ask the doctor to keep your blood sugar levels monitored. Take medicines, follow the diet, and exercise daily to keep the sugar level at a recommended range. Just remember, just taking medicines does not necessarily mean your sugar is under control, regular monitoring is the most essential part in diabetes management. Get yourself a sugar monitor at home if you have diabetes. Self-monitor as per the advice of your physician.
- Quit smoking
Lastly, stop smoking because it thickens your blood and increases clots. Seek your doctor’s advice and use quit-smoking aids like nicotine pills, patches, gums etc.
