Five Ways To Lower Risk Of Stroke

Epidemiological research is constantly uncovering new risk factors for stroke. People who suffer depression in midlife are at greater risk of stroke. People who are exposed to particulate air pollution, such as smoke and soot, are at greater risk of soot. People who had nosebleeds as teenagers, people who have higher blood pressure in their arms than in their legs, and people on religious pilgrimages (especially women over the age of 40 making their first hajj) are at greater risk of stroke. Even early childhood social status, whether your father worked at a blue collar job (endowing you with a higher risk) or a white collar job (leaving you with a lower risk) 65 years ago has been linked to risk of stroke.

Research epidemiology, essentially an analysis of existing medical records, is useful for telling who is at greater risk for stroke, but clinical studies tell us what we can do to lower our risk of stroke if we are in one of the many groups known to be at higher risk. Here are five key concerns that should be on your mind if you are determined to lower your risk of stroke.

1. Nutrition is key to lowering stroke risk.

Doctors and nutritionists repeat the mantra "low fat, low fat, low fat" when warning us of heart attack risk. But preventing stroke sometimes requires more fat, not less — and it's important to remember that not all fats are unhealthy. In fact, some are essential for optimal functioning.

One way to lower the risk of arterial blockage is to ensure the flexibility of the cells lining the arteries. And to make the chemicals that keep cells flexible, cells need an omega-9 fatty acid called oleic acid.

Oleic acid, as its name suggests, is abundant in olive oil. It's also found in safflower oil, but if you object to GMO foods, you probably want to avoid safflower oil. Oleic acid lowers blood pressure, blood sugar levels, and triglyceride levels, and it also displaces some of the omega-6 essential fatty acids that cause inflammation without displacing the healthy omega-3 essential fatty acids that regulate it.

Getting the right kind of fat isn't enough, however. Your body also has to make enzymes to use it. These enzymes, in turn, require the B vitamins, especially B2, B3, and B6, vitamin C, magnesium, and zinc. It is not necessary and actually is detrimental to overdose any of these nutrients, especially zinc (which displaces copper), but it is also necessary to avoid deficiencies in these nutrients for the body to use healthy fats.

See Also: Ten Essential Facts About Stroke

2. Air filtration may lower stroke risk.

One of the surprising findings of epidemiological research is that exposure particulate air pollution, such as dust, soot, and smoke, increases the lifetime risk of stroke. Cooking over open fires indoors is especially dangerous, but ash from forest fires and volcanoes is equally problematic. If you have other risk factors for stroke, that is, if you smoke, or you have uncontrolled high blood pressure, or you have a personal history or family history of smoke, you should stay indoors when the air is smoky, or even better, use an air filtration system. Indoor air filtration systems have become commonplace in recent years. They don't need to cost much, and in addition to potentially lowering your risk of stroke, they also reduce the risk of allergies. Indeed, cleaner air is great for overall health.

More Ways To Lower Stroke Risk

3. Get tested for and treat hyperhomocysteinemia.

Hyperhomocysteinemia is a condition that is hard to pronounce and potentially devastating to the vascular system but often easy to treat. Hyperhomocysteinemia is a condition of chronically elevated homocysteine, a byproduct of the body's production of the nervous system regulator s-adenosyl methionine, also known as sam-E. 

When there are deficiencies of vitamin B6, vitamin B12, or folic acid, homocysteine can accumulate in the bloodstream. It acts as an inflammatory agent that in effect narrows blood vessels so that they are more likely to catch clots. Simply taking a B vitamin supplement sometimes is enough to reduce homocysteine levels to safe levels, although only blood testing can tell for sure. B vitamin supplements are available in almost all countries and are extremely inexpensive. Ask your doctor to test your homocysteine levels at your next checkup if they are not being tested all together as a matter of routine.

4. If you smoke, quit. If you drink, avoid binge drinking. If you are a couch potato, get up and get at least a little exercise.

Some smokers have strokes, and some do not, but smoking significantly increases the risk of stroke for both men and women. Risk of stroke falls as soon as smokers quit. Some ex-smokers take up vaping instead, but it's important to keep in mind that while this practice may offer harm reduction, it's better to just not use tabacco products at all.

Men who take more than 2 alcoholic drinks per day and women who consume more than 1 alcoholic beverage per day are at increased risk of stroke. Risk of stroke falls when alcohol consumption is controlled for several months or more. 

5. Be especially careful to keep your blood pressure under control if you fall into one of the high-risk groups for stroke.

In the United States, Blacks are 49% more likely to suffer stroke, and significantly more likely to suffer a fatal stroke, than the general population. Hispanics are less likely to suffer fatal strokes, but they have more lacunar or "mild" strokes than non-Hispanic whites at an earlier age. Strokes can occur at any age, about 1/3 of all strokes occurring in people who have not yet reached the age of 65. And in the United States, 26% of all strokes are fatal. If you are Black, it is especially important to control blood pressure. If you are Hispanic, it is especially important to recognize the symptoms of stroke to get timely treatment.

See Also: Stroke in young people

The symptoms of stroke can be remembered by the acronym FAST:

F - Watch for an uneven smile or facial numbness.

A - Arms and legs can become numb or paralyzed.

S - Speech may become slurred or disappear.

T - Time--you don't have a lot of it!

Timely treatment of stroke in the emergency room can prevent permanent damage to the brain, but it is critical to seek treatment immediately when stroke symptoms appear.