Preventing a Stroke
Here are eight ways to start reining in your risks today, before a stroke has the chance to strike from Harvard Med School.
1 Lower blood pressure High blood pressure is a huge factor, doubling or even quadrupling your stroke risk if it is not controlled. “High blood pressure is the biggest contributor to the risk of stroke in both men and women,” Dr. Rost says. “Monitoring blood pressure and, if it is elevated, treating it, is probably the biggest difference women can make to their vascular health.”
Your goal: Maintain a blood pressure of less than 120 (top number) over less than 80 (bottom number).
How to achieve it:
Reduce the salt in your diet to no more than 1,500 milligrams a day (about a half teaspoon).Avoid high-cholesterol foods, such as burgers, cheese, and ice cream.Eat 4 to 5 cups of fruits and vegetables every day, fish two to three times a week, and several daily servings of whole grains and low-fat dairy.Get more exercise—at least 30 minutes of activity a day, and more, if…
1 Lower blood pressure High blood pressure is a huge factor, doubling or even quadrupling your stroke risk if it is not controlled. “High blood pressure is the biggest contributor to the risk of stroke in both men and women,” Dr. Rost says. “Monitoring blood pressure and, if it is elevated, treating it, is probably the biggest difference women can make to their vascular health.”
Your goal: Maintain a blood pressure of less than 120 (top number) over less than 80 (bottom number).
How to achieve it:
Reduce the salt in your diet to no more than 1,500 milligrams a day (about a half teaspoon).Avoid high-cholesterol foods, such as burgers, cheese, and ice cream.Eat 4 to 5 cups of fruits and vegetables every day, fish two to three times a week, and several daily servings of whole grains and low-fat dairy.Get more exercise—at least 30 minutes of activity a day, and more, if…
