Reduce your salt intake. This will lower your risk of developing high blood pressure. You can reduce your salt consumption by not sprinkling table salt onto your food, not salting pasta or rice water, and purchasing canned foods that say low sodium. Check the ingredients in processed foods. Many have a high salt content. Eat a low fat diet. A fatty diet increases your risk of clogged arteries. You can easily eat less fat by choosing lean meats like poultry and fish and trimming the fat off of red meats. Drink low fat milk or skim milk instead of whole milk. Eat eggs sparingly because they are high in cholesterol. Check foods labeled “diet” or low fat- they can surprise you with sodium and fat content! Control your caloric intake. Eating a high calorie diet places you at a higher risk for diabetes and obesity unless you are extremely physically active. Limit your intake of highly sugary foods like candies, cookies, and pastries. The processed sugar provides calories without the nutrients that will make you feel full. This can make you prone to overeating. Increase the fruits, vegetables, and whole-grains that you eat. These foods are generally low fat and high in nutrients. They will supply you with the energy that you need without excess fat and calories.
150 minutes per week of moderate physical activity. Moderate physical activity includes things like power walking, biking, or doing water aerobics. This should be in addition to two days per week of weight training. 75 minutes per week of intense physical activity. These activities cause you to work harder than the moderate activities. Examples include jogging, sprinting, swimming laps, and biking up hill. This should also be paired with weight training twice per week. Do three 10 minute periods of exercise per day if you do not have the time for more. This may include walking to work, walking during your lunch break, and walking home from work. The exercise doesn’t have to be done all at the same time. Bring a friend with you to make it more enjoyable.
Talk to your doctor Get support from family and friends Call a hotline when you are feeling the urge to smoke Avoid places where you usually smoke Talk to a counselor Try medications or nicotine replacement therapy Go to residential treatment
One drink per day for women and one to two drinks per day for men. A drink is 12 ounces of beer, a glass of wine (5 ounces), or one and half ounces of liquor.
High blood pressure. High blood pressure is also called hypertension. It makes you one and a half times more likely to have a stroke. If you have high blood pressure talk to your doctor about what the best way to control it would be. Your doctor may suggest dietary changes, exercise, or medication. [7] X Trustworthy Source American Heart Association Leading nonprofit that funds medical research and public education Go to source Atrial fibrillation (AFIB). This kind of irregular heartbeat is most likely to occur in seniors or with people who have heart disease, high blood pressure or diabetes. Because of the irregular heartbeat, your blood pools in your heart. This makes it prone to clotting. If you have this condition, your doctor may suggest treatment with anticoagulant medications or electrical stimulation. [8] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source High cholesterol and fatty deposits in your arteries (atherosclerosis). Cholesterol is a waxy, fatty material in your blood. If you have too much it can clog your arteries and cause a heart attack or stroke. If you have high cholesterol, your doctor will likely suggest that you reduce it through dietary changes, exercise, and possibly medication. [9] X Trustworthy Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services Go to source Diabetes. There are two major types of diabetes: Type 1 where your body doesn’t make sufficient insulin and Type 2 where your body doesn’t react properly to your insulin. People with diabetes often also have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, atrial fibrillation, and difficulty controlling their weight. Your doctor may suggest that you lower your risk of a stroke by making dietary changes, taking medications, exercising, or taking insulin. [10] X Trustworthy Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services Go to source Carotid artery disease. This occurs when the carotid arteries get narrower. Because these vessels provide blood to your brain, this makes you more vulnerable to blockages and strokes. Your doctor will probably suggest testing your for this if you have symptoms of a stroke or significant risk factors. [11] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source
Numbness or weakness in your face, arm, or leg. It may occur on just one side. Difficulty speaking or understanding speech. Confusion. Vision problems. This may occur in both eyes or in just one. Difficulty walking, dizziness, and a loss of coordination. Headache.
Face. Evaluate whether the person is able to smile with both sides of their face. If only one side responds, this is a stroke symptom. Have them stick out their tongue and check for deformities such as pulling to one side, severe, unusual dimpling, etc. This can be a sign of stroke. Arms. Tell the person to raise both arms. If one arm starts to sink, this is suggestive of a stroke. Speech. Have the person repeat a simple sentence. If they slur their words or sound odd, they may be having a stroke. Time. If the person has any of these symptoms, they need immediate medical assistance. Call emergency services.
The person’s medical history Medications the person may be on Exactly when the symptoms started
