4 minute read
Mindfulness
Stroke Prevention
On a sunny Sunday afternoon Molly was walking on West Cliff with her friend. All of a sudden her left arm and left side of her face go numb, and she is unable to lift her left arm. Her friend, Rosa, calls EMS and she is transported to Dominican Hospital.
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This is fortunate for Molly as she suffered from a stroke, in particular a large vessel occlusion. Stroke is the leading cause of long term disability. Thus, getting Molly to the hospital in a timely fashion is crucial. Both Molly and Rosa are fictional characters, but this is a potential scenario of an emergency resulting in a stroke.
Luckily, Dominican Hospital is a Primary Stroke Center (PSC). This means that we can treat Molly and others that present with advanced therapy if they come in a timely manner. The advanced therapy available here at Dominican is tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) when administered quickly after stroke onset can help restore blood flow to the brain regions affected by a stroke, thereby limiting the risk of damage and functional impairment.
Although Dominican is a PSC, the best option, as with most health issues, is prevention. Stroke prevention can be categorized broadly as physical and mental.
Physical
A great way to protect yourself against stroke is by protecting your cardiovascular health. Stroke prevention can be summed up with the American Heart Association's “Simple 7”, which includes seven risk factors for improvement of an individual's cardiovascular health.
• Don’t smoke cigarettes or use other tobacco products • Reach and maintain a healthy body weight (body mass index < 25/kg/m2) • Get at least 150 minutes of moderate-to-intense physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity (or a combination) each week • Eat a healthy diet consistent with the American Heart
Association • Get your cholesterol checked and talk to your doctor about your number and they impact your health • Keep your blood pressure below 120/80 • Keep your fasting blood sugar < 100 mg/dl
Mental
The mental aspect of stroke prevention is addressing the psychological stress of stroke. According to the American Institute of Stress, the current stress level experienced by Americans is 20 percentage points higher than the global average. Unfortunately, in the past few years, there have been increased levels of stress due to COVID-19 pandemic.
In evidence-based research, mindfulness-based interventions are showing promise to help with psychological, psychosocial, and physical limitations of strokes. By creating a routine of mindfulness practices, you can help to reduce stress and how you cope with stressful situations.
Mindfulness Practices
• Meditation • Walking • Deep breathing • Gentle yoga or other exercises
Developing a mindfulness practice is advantageous if you have had a stroke and/or for prevention. For our friend, Molly, such a technique would help her remain calmer and more balanced as she is transported to Dominican Hospital compared to if she did not have such practices.
Adopting both physical and mental activities can help greatly with stroke prevention.
Dominican hospital offers a variety of options for both the physical and mental stroke prevention. Including many PEP exercise classes; yoga for stress, Tai Chi, and Mindfulness Stress Reduction Program. Starting with just one from each category can help you along the pathway and start the journey without making the new habit too cumbersome!
NEW YEAR
Dominican Hospital Foundation 1555 Soquel Drive Santa Cruz, CA 95065 831.462.7712 Anthony.Pagliaro@DignityHealth.org www.dominicanhospitallegacy.org
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