How to avoid having a stroke

Diets high in saturated fats, trans fat, and cholesterol have been linked to stroke and related conditions, such as heart disease. Also, getting too much salt (sodium) in the diet can raise blood pressure levels.

Stroke is preventable.

Up to 80% of strokes could be prevented through healthy lifestyle changes and working with your health care team to control health conditions that raise your risk for stroke.

Drinking more water may help prevent a stroke. Many studies have proven that proper hydration at the time of a stroke is linked to better stroke recovery. It is possible that dehydration causes blood to be thicker.

For people who have had a stroke: Aspirin can help prevent a second stroke or a transient ischemic attack (TIA), which is often a warning sign of a stroke. For people who have never had a heart attack or stroke: Talk to your doctor before you start taking aspirin every day. Aspirin lowers the risk of heart attack.

1. Fruits and vegetables

Foods high in potassium, such as sweet and white potatoes, bananas, tomatoes, prunes, melon and soybeans, can help you maintain a healthy blood pressure — the leading risk factor of stroke. Magnesium-rich foods, such as spinach, are also linked to a lower risk of stroke.

Apples. Apples are abundant in the soluble fiber known as pectin, which can lower cholesterol levels. Eating low-cholesterol foods is critical during stroke recovery because it could prevent plaque buildup and increase circulation.

Fortunately, damaged brain cells are not beyond repair. They can regenerate — this process of creating new cells is called neurogenesis. The most rapid recovery usually occurs during the first three to four months after a stroke. However, recovery can continue well into the first and second year.

During the first few days after your stroke, you might be very tired and need to recover from the initial event. Meanwhile, your team will identify the type of stroke, where it occurred, the type and amount of damage, and the effects. They may perform more tests and blood work.

The left side of the brain controls critical thinking, judgment, reasoning, and sequencing, therefore, having a stroke on the left side of the brain can cause someone to have varying levels of cognitive impairments. The left side of the brain controls all oral functions which include chewing and swallowing.

In awake patients, more strokes occurred between 10 AM and noon than during any other 2-hour interval. From 8:00 to 10:00 AM, stroke symptoms were present on awakening in 44% of the patients; for 12% of the patients, it was unknown whether symptoms were present on awakening.