5 Tips to Aid in Stroke Prevention

Strokes are prevalent in America, unfortunately. A person dies just over every 3 minutes in the United States from a stroke.

While these statistics are frightening, there are plenty of steps people can take to reduce their stroke risk significantly. This is especially important for older adults, as the risk of stroke increases with age.

5 Tips to Reduce Stroke Risk

Use these five proactive tips to reduce your risk of stroke and stay healthy for years to come.

1. Drink Less and Quit Smoking

If you’re a smoker, anytime is the perfect time to quit. Smoking cigarettes is one of the strongest—yet controllable—stroke risk factors. Need help quitting? Talk to your doctor about nicotine medication, patches, or gum. There are also many online resources and tools that can help you kick the habit for good.

While alcohol does not affect your stroke risk as much as cigarettes, it’s still a good idea to cut back. If you still want to enjoy an adult beverage occasionally, drink red wine, which supports heart health.

2. Move Your Body

The CDC recommends seniors get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise every week or 30 minutes per day. Exercising is one of the best ways to reduce high blood pressure, promote cardiovascular health, and reduce stroke risk.

Haven’t exercised in a while? Start slow. Take a walk around the block and gradually build up your endurance.

3. Act FAST: Recognize the Signs

Knowing the early warning signs of a stroke is as important as taking steps to prevent one. Healthcare professionals urge seniors to memorize FAST, which is a helpful acronym for stroke symptoms:

Face: One side of your smile droops or might go dumb.
Arms: One arm falls back down if you try to lift it, or you might have arm weakness.
Speech: Your speech is slurred, or you are having trouble talking.
Time: Call 911 as soon as possible if you experience any of these symptoms–time is incredibly critical to getting effective treatment.

4. Monitor Your Numbers

There are some critical metrics seniors should monitor to reduce their risk of a stroke, including their blood pressure and cholesterol levels. If either of these is high, it could increase your stroke risk.

Schedule an appointment with your doctor to devise a treatment plan to reduce your cholesterol and blood pressure.

5. Eat Healthy

Better eating choices can reduce cholesterol, blood pressure, and stroke risk. Some tips to try include:

Consume less than half a teaspoon of salt per day.
Eat four to five cups of fruits and veggies daily.
Avoid high-cholesterol foods, like ice cream and burgers.

Related Reading: Top 5 Super Veggies Seniors Should Eat

Visiting Angels SWOKC Helps Seniors Stay Healthy

Visiting Angels of Southwest Oklahoma City is proud to help seniors throughout Southwest Oklahoma City, Moore, Norman, Mustang, Union City, Blanchard, Tuttle, and Newcastle focus on living a safer, higher quality of life. Our in-home caregivers provide assistance and motivation often needed to help seniors remain active and healthy as they age in place. They can happily plan and prepare healthy dishes, provide transportation to the grocery store or doctor appointments, and manage your medications.

« Articles & Advice

Visiting Angels SOUTHWEST OKLAHOMA CITY