11 habits that can prevent a stroke

The brain controls everything the body does – not just movements, but also the way a person thinks, communicates, and feels. A stroke (cerebrovascular accident) happens precisely when the blood supply to a part of the brain is impeded, causing brain cells to become damaged and unable to perform their functions.

A simple example: if a stroke damages the part of the brain that controls limb movement, the person will have that function affected. But it may still, in another case, affect speech, etc.

Gisele Sampaio, a neurologist at Hospital Albert Einstein, points out that there are two types of stroke: ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke. Ischemic ischemia occurs when a clot blocks the artery that carries blood to the brain. Hemorrhagic occurs when an intracranial artery ruptures.

A stroke is usually a very bad experience, both for the patient and for the family or people who live with him.

Gisele explains that after a stroke, patients may have complications such as infections, thrombosis in the lower limbs and bedsores (special type of skin lesions, of variable extension and depth). “But all these complications can be avoided with good medical care and a multidisciplinary team”, she highlights.

Can a stroke be prevented?

Some people, unfortunately, are more likely to have a stroke due to factors that cannot be changed:

• Age: older people are more vulnerable to stroke;
• Family history: the person is more at risk if someone in the family has had a stroke;
• Gender: Men under 75 have more strokes than women (under 75).

But, it is worth noting, stroke is not inevitable. There are, yes, simple measures that can help reduce the risks. They basically boil down to adopting a healthier diet and lifestyle habits.

11 steps you should take to avoid a stroke

1. Don’t smoke. Smoking doubles the risk of having a stroke and, therefore, giving up smoking once and for all is one of the most important measures for those who want to avoid it.

2. Avoid alcohol consumption. Having a glass of beer or wine, for example, socially is not a problem, but drinking too much raises blood pressure, which can be extremely dangerous.

3. Eat vegetables and fruits. A healthy diet, which includes vegetables and fruits, is essential for heart and bloodstream health. The general recommendation is to eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day (but the ideal is to follow the guidelines of your nutritionist).

4. Avoid meats with a lot of fat. Replace, whenever possible, red meat (which in most cases has a lot of saturated fat) with fish, poultry (without the skin) or vegetarian dishes.

5. Reduce your salt intake. Don’t add too much salt to salads and food in general, and avoid processed foods, as salt raises blood pressure.

6. Increase fiber consumption. Present in wholegrain cereals, oatmeal, rice and wholegrain breads etc., fiber helps to control blood fat levels.

7. Do not exaggerate the amount of fat ingested. Try to follow a balanced diet, which contains only the minimum amount of fat, to avoid clogging the arteries and excessively increasing your weight.

8. Control your weight. Follow a healthy diet, if necessary, with the follow-up of a nutritionist, to maintain your ideal weight. Overweight and obesity are risk factors for high blood pressure, coronary heart disease and diabetes – all of which increase the risk of stroke.

9. Exercise. Regular physical activity helps you control your weight, lower your blood pressure, create a healthy balance of blood fats, and offer many other benefits.

10. Visit your doctor often. According to neurologist Gisele, treating high blood pressure, diabetes, dyslipidemia; Knowing the presence of risk factors, such as narrowing of the cervical arteries and arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation (irregular heartbeat) and treating them properly are attitudes that help to reduce the risk of stroke.

11. Try to avoid stress. It’s not always easy, but it’s important to avoid situations that make you nervous, sad. Stress and depression, if left untreated, can lead to long-term health problems. Try to be among your family and people who are, in fact, important to you and do you good.

The main signs of a stroke

Neurologist Gisele highlights the symptoms of a stroke:

• Paralysis on one side of the body;
• Loss of sensation on one side of the body;
• Sudden loss of vision (in a visual field);
• Double vision;
• Sudden difficulty speaking or understanding language;
• Intense headache.

“Given these signs, it is necessary to quickly seek a medical service capable of treating patients with acute neurological diseases”, concludes Gisele.

So remember: simple habits – like improving your diet, exercising, avoiding alcohol and cigarettes, etc. – make all the difference and can prevent a stroke. Always take care!

The information contained on this page is for informational purposes only. They do not replace the advice and follow-up of doctors, nutritionists, psychologists, physical education professionals and other specialists.