If you want to prevent a stroke, you can start with several levers: Healthy diet, regular exercise and abstinence from nicotine are among them. These tips help primarily to counteract arteriosclerosis (atherosclerosis) and thus a stroke. Find out more about how to prevent a stroke here!
How to prevent stroke
Various risk factors can promote a stroke. Some of them can not be influenced, namely older age and a genetic bias. But there are a number of risk factors that you can eliminate or at least reduce yourself.
Eat healthy!
You can achieve a lot through nutrition if you want to prevent a stroke. With the right diet, you can also prevent other health problems, such as obesity or diabetes. Sit down to it regular fruits and vegetables on your menu. You should be against it Fat and sugar only in moderation to eat. This keeps the vessels healthy and prevents “vascular calcification” (arteriosclerosis). This is a very effective stroke prevention, because in “calcified” arteries easily form clots, which can clog a cerebral vessel (or other vessels).
By the way, a healthy diet also enough liquid to eat, such as water or tea. Especially the elderly should be aware of it, because the feeling of being thirsty decreases with age.
Make a lot of exercise and sport!
Regular exercise and sports also counteract arteriosclerosis and can thus prevent a stroke. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that you move for at least 30 minutes at least five days a week. Even a regular brisk walk can help to keep your vessels elastic and consistent. Even better, you do sports like jogging, swimming or cycling.
It is important that you like the sport and give it regular time. There are no peak performance neededif you want to prevent a stroke. A moderate but regular workout is enough to prevent a stroke.
Build overweight!
Healthy diet and a lot of exercise also help you to reduce existing overweight. This can also help prevent a stroke. Because excess kilos increase the risk for cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension and arteriosclerosis. Both significantly increase the risk of stroke!
This is especially true when the fat pads form mainly in the abdominal area and around the internal organs. This fat distribution pattern doctors call “apple type”. But also the “pear type” with fat pads preferred on the hip, buttocks and thighs favors arteriosclerosis and thus a stroke.
To reduce obesity and especially obesity, you should get help from experts: For example, your family doctor, a nutritionist and a sports physician can give you individual advice on how best to get your weight under control – and at the same time negative Consequences such as heart attack and stroke prevent.
Do not use nicotine!
Smoking has many negative health effects. Among other things, it increases the risk of stroke by two to four times! The renunciation of nicotine is therefore an important component of stroke prevention. If you can not stop smoking alone, you should ask your doctor for advice or join a support group.
Drink little or no alcohol!
Alcohol is a poison for the body, which can cause a variety of damage, including in the brain: Even in small quantities increase wine, beer & Co. the risk of cerebral hemorrhage, the second most common form of stroke. With larger quantities of alcohol, the risk of a stroke increases due to reduced blood flow (ischemic stroke), the most common form of apoplexy.
If you otherwise have no risk factors for a stroke, small amounts of alcohol are considered acceptable for your health. Specifically, this means:
- Women should take a maximum of 10 to 12 grams of pure alcohol per day, so about 0.3 liters of beer or 0.15 liters of wine.
- Men should consume a maximum of 20 to 24 grams of alcohol per day. That’s about half a liter of beer or one quarter of a liter of wine.
Even if you stick to these limits, you should not consume beer, wine or sparkling wine every day. Experts advise abstaining from alcohol for three to four days a week. This can not only prevent a stroke, but also the other known health hazards of the stimulant such as cirrhosis, gastritis and cancer.
Avoid stress!
Stress – also of an emotional nature – can have serious health consequences in the long term. Among other things, it increases blood pressure and cholesterol levels, which increases the risk of arteriosclerosis. In addition, people are more likely to use cigarettes or alcohol under stress. All these factors favor a stroke.
Avoid stress triggers in the job and at home, if possible. Be active in relaxing and balancing the hectic everyday life. For example, you can try to delegate tasks and lower your performance requirements (including your own!). Reduce disturbing stimuli such as constant radio dudy in the background at home or at work. Regular rest periods in everyday life and relaxation techniques such as autogenic training can also reduce stress or improve how it works – a valuable aid if you want to prevent strokes.
Let you treat underlying diseases!
Diseases such as high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, atrial fibrillation or diabetes have been shown to increase the risk of stroke. For prevention, one should therefore treat such diseases. Not only the doctor is in demand – you can and should also do your part. For example, give specific advice about diet and exercise. You can not only improve blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels, but also follow-up illnesses like one Prevent stroke.