MORE THAN MEDICINE: Lifestyle Changes Can Lessen Stroke Chances

Making small daily lifestyle changes, such as adding in a daily walk around your neighborhood, or big lifestyle changes, such as limiting your alcohol intake, will help reduce your stroke risk, which is the leading cause of disabilities in the U.S. A stroke is an attack on the brain and occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain fails. Ths causes brain cells to die from the lack of oxygen and nutrients. When brain cells die, you begin to lose brain function, which affects your ability to move, speak, eat and perform other cognitive functions.

Know Your Risks

High cholesterol – Individuals with high cholesterol are twice as likely to develop heart disease as those with lower cholesterol levels. Too much cholesterol buildup in the walls of blood vessels can cause blood clots — leading to a stroke. Regular screenings can help detect high cholesterol, which often goes otherwise undetected as it typically presents no symptoms.

High blood pressure – One-third of U.S. adults have high blood pressure, a condition that can have potentially life-threatening consequences. It is the leading cause of stroke and the most signifiant controllable risk factor. “Know your numbers and keep them low,” said Dr. Tram Tran, board-certifid family medicine physician with Houston Methodist Primary Care Group in Aliana.

Atrial fibrillation (AFib) – AFib is one of the most common heart arrhythmias — a heart rhythm disorder. An AFib clot can travel to the brain and cause a stroke and heart failure. People with AFib are five times more likely to have a stroke than those without heart disease.

“Strokes are dangerous and can be deadly,” Tran said. “But that doesn’t mean you can’t do anything about them. There are several ways to control and treat certain risk factors.”

Reducing Your Risks

While these health risk factors must be taken seriously, effective treatment options exist for all of them. In addition to medical treatment options, changes to your lifestyle can help increase your odds of stroke prevention.

■ Maintain a healthy weight

■ Exercise regularly

■ Don’t smoke

■ Limit alcohol consumption

■ Treat other health conditions

“Up to 80% of strokes can be prevented through healthy lifestyle changes,” Tran stated. “Knowing and controlling your risk factors early is key to prevention.” •

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