Stroke risk factors and how to lower your risk!
Stroke risk factors are determined by heredity, lifestyle, and sometimes the environment. You should be familiar with the risk factors. Knowing whether you are at a higher risk could help you recognize the signs of a stroke faster and save your life. Knowing the risk factors could also help you lower your risk of having a stroke. By making changes in your life that affect the likelihood of your suffering a stroke, you could prevent a stroke from happening to you.
Some risk factors for stroke you cannot change. If you have had a stroke or heart attack before, your chances of stroke are 10 times higher than someone who hasn’t. Men are more likely to suffer a stroke than women. But women are more likely to die from a stroke than a man. A family history of stroke increases your risk of stroke. And the risk of stroke increases with age. The general rule is that after 55 your risk of stroke doubles every ten years.
Although there are risk factors you cannot change, there are many you can. Smoking is a major stroke risk factor. High blood pressure and high cholesterol are also contributing factors to your risk of stroke. Both can be affected by a poor diet. Heart disease and artery disease will raise your risk of heart disease. Diabetes is considered to be a risk factor. It is believed it is because people with diabetes are highly likely to suffer from many of the already named risk factors above. Obesity and sedentary lifestyles are also noted as risk factors.
Other factors are attributed to increasing the risk of stroke. Low income people are more likely to suffer a stroke. Drug use has been associated with the risk of stroke also. Many of the drugs abused are damaging toe the heart and the body in general decreasing your overall health. Alcohol is also linked to strokes. It has also been documented that people in the southeastern United states, sometimes known as the “stroke belt”, has been associated with a higher risk.
What do you do to lower your risk of stroke? The answer is simple, diet and exercise. Oh, and of course don’t forget to quit smoking. Eating the right foods can help lower your cholesterol, your blood pressure, and fortify your body. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. The old adage “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” was popularized for a reason. Cut out saturated fats and lower your sodium intake. Stay away from trans fats. And exercise, exercise, exercise; your body needs exercise. Exercise will also lower cholesterol and blood pressure. Thirty minutes of exercise a day won’t kill you; but not exercising might.
