Category: Health

Stroke Awareness: Get the Facts

Luke Perry

Luke Perry  RIP

Learn about the risk factors and how to prevent stroke

A stroke occurs when either too much blood or too little blood disrupts blood flow to part of the brain. This deprives brain tissue of necessary oxygen and nutrients. Within minutes brain cells begin to die and the result is a loss of brain function. Brain damage from strokes can be minimized if they are treated promptly, but it’s common to mistake signs of a stroke for other health problems, which delays treatment.

There are several types of stroke that present a wide range of symptoms:

  • Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA): A TIA is an early warning that a stroke (also called a brain attack) may be coming. A TIA is a temporary stroke. It causes no lasting damage. But the effects of a stroke, if it happens, can be very serious and lasting. If you think you are having symptoms of a TIA or stroke–even if they don’t last–get medical help right away.
  • Ischemic Stroke: Ischemic stroke occurs when an artery that supplies the brain is greatly narrowed or blocked. This can be caused by a buildup of plaque. It can also occur when small pieces of plaque or blood clot (called emboli) break off into the bloodstream.
  • Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: A subarachnoid hemorrhage occurs when a blood vessel on the surface of the brain bursts (hemorrhages). This spills blood into the surrounding tissue. This type of stroke often happens suddenly, with little warning. It is one of the most serious of all types of strokes.
  • Hemorrhagic Stroke: Hemorrhagic stroke occurs when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures. This lets blood spill into nearby brain tissue, which damages the cells. Other brain cells die because their normal blood supply is cut off.

Risk factors for stroke

Certain health and lifestyle issues–called risk factors–increase your chances of having a stroke. The leading risk factor for stroke is high blood pressure. But there are many other factors that also put you at risk. Risk factors are different for each person.

Effects of a stroke on the brain and body

When blood supply is cut off from the brain, cells begin to die from lack of oxygen. Within minutes, skills such as reasoning, speech, and arm or leg movement may be lost. The type of skills and the amount of loss depend on two things: which part of the brain was affected and how much tissue was damaged.

Preventing another stroke with a healthier lifestyle

Breaking old habits can be hard. But when your health is at stake, it’s never too late to make changes for the better. Some lifestyle changes might be easy for you. Others might be tough. If you need help, talk with your health care provider, family, or friends.

Make Healthy Changes

  • Stop smoking. If you smoke, the time to quit is now! There’s no more time for excuses. Smoking raises blood pressure and damages arteries—both of which can lead to a stroke. To stop smoking, ask your healthcare provider for help. Join a stop-smoking program. Make a list of reasons to quit and read it daily.
  • Limit alcohol. Drinking too much alcohol can raise blood pressure and increase the risk of stroke. Alcohol can also react with certain medications. Ask your healthcare provider if it’s safe for you to drink alcohol.
  • Get support. A stroke can leave you feeling frustrated or depressed. Don’t ignore your feelings, but don’t dwell on them either. Focus on what you can do. Talking to family, friends, your healthcare provider, or clergy can also help. Join a group for stroke survivors, if there is one in your community.
  • Reduce stress. Stress can make your heart work harder and raise blood pressure. To reduce stress, try to let go of daily annoyances. Ask yourself if problems will still matter a week from now. Getting proper rest can also help. Finally, don’t be embarrassed to ask for help when you need it.

If You Have High Blood Pressure

One of the most important things you can do to prevent another stroke is to keep your blood pressure under control. If you have high blood pressure:

  • Take all your medications as directed.
  • Get regular exercise.
  • Talk with your healthcare provider about limiting fat and salt in your diet.
  • Check your blood pressure regularly. Write down your numbers and bring them to checkups with your healthcare provider.

Manage Other Health Problems

Strokes are often closely related to certain health problems. These include high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes. If you have any of these conditions, it’s more important than ever to keep them under control. Do this by taking any prescribed medications and having regular checkups. Keep in mind, too, that the same healthy lifestyle choices that prevent stroke will also help control these health problems.

For Family and Friends

It’s much harder for your loved one to make lifestyle changes if he or she is feeling low. So be on the lookout for sadness, depression, or hopelessness. These feelings are not uncommon after a stroke. Talk to the healthcare provider if you have concerns.

http://www.veteranshealthlibrary.org/LivingWith/Stroke/Preventing/142,88896_VA

Risk Factors of Stroke and How to Prevent it

Luke Perry

Luke Perry  RIP

Learn about the risk factors and how to prevent stroke

A stroke occurs when either too much blood or too little blood disrupts blood flow to part of the brain. This deprives brain tissue of necessary oxygen and nutrients. Within minutes brain cells begin to die and the result is a loss of brain function. Brain damage from strokes can be minimized if they are treated promptly, but it’s common to mistake signs of a stroke for other health problems, which delays treatment.

There are several types of stroke that present a wide range of symptoms:

  • Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA): A TIA is an early warning that a stroke (also called a brain attack) may be coming. A TIA is a temporary stroke. It causes no lasting damage. But the effects of a stroke, if it happens, can be very serious and lasting. If you think you are having symptoms of a TIA or stroke–even if they don’t last–get medical help right away.
  • Ischemic Stroke: Ischemic stroke occurs when an artery that supplies the brain is greatly narrowed or blocked. This can be caused by a buildup of plaque. It can also occur when small pieces of plaque or blood clot (called emboli) break off into the bloodstream.
  • Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: A subarachnoid hemorrhage occurs when a blood vessel on the surface of the brain bursts (hemorrhages). This spills blood into the surrounding tissue. This type of stroke often happens suddenly, with little warning. It is one of the most serious of all types of strokes.
  • Hemorrhagic Stroke: Hemorrhagic stroke occurs when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures. This lets blood spill into nearby brain tissue, which damages the cells. Other brain cells die because their normal blood supply is cut off.

Risk factors for stroke

Certain health and lifestyle issues–called risk factors–increase your chances of having a stroke. The leading risk factor for stroke is high blood pressure. But there are many other factors that also put you at risk. Risk factors are different for each person.

Effects of a stroke on the brain and body

When blood supply is cut off from the brain, cells begin to die from lack of oxygen. Within minutes, skills such as reasoning, speech, and arm or leg movement may be lost. The type of skills and the amount of loss depend on two things: which part of the brain was affected and how much tissue was damaged.

Preventing another stroke with a healthier lifestyle

Breaking old habits can be hard. But when your health is at stake, it’s never too late to make changes for the better. Some lifestyle changes might be easy for you. Others might be tough. If you need help, talk with your health care provider, family, or friends.

Make Healthy Changes

  • Stop smoking. If you smoke, the time to quit is now! There’s no more time for excuses. Smoking raises blood pressure and damages arteries—both of which can lead to a stroke. To stop smoking, ask your healthcare provider for help. Join a stop-smoking program. Make a list of reasons to quit and read it daily.
  • Limit alcohol. Drinking too much alcohol can raise blood pressure and increase the risk of stroke. Alcohol can also react with certain medications. Ask your healthcare provider if it’s safe for you to drink alcohol.
  • Get support. A stroke can leave you feeling frustrated or depressed. Don’t ignore your feelings, but don’t dwell on them either. Focus on what you can do. Talking to family, friends, your healthcare provider, or clergy can also help. Join a group for stroke survivors, if there is one in your community.
  • Reduce stress. Stress can make your heart work harder and raise blood pressure. To reduce stress, try to let go of daily annoyances. Ask yourself if problems will still matter a week from now. Getting proper rest can also help. Finally, don’t be embarrassed to ask for help when you need it.

If You Have High Blood Pressure

One of the most important things you can do to prevent another stroke is to keep your blood pressure under control. If you have high blood pressure:

  • Take all your medications as directed.
  • Get regular exercise.
  • Talk with your healthcare provider about limiting fat and salt in your diet.
  • Check your blood pressure regularly. Write down your numbers and bring them to checkups with your healthcare provider.

Manage Other Health Problems

Strokes are often closely related to certain health problems. These include high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes. If you have any of these conditions, it’s more important than ever to keep them under control. Do this by taking any prescribed medications and having regular checkups. Keep in mind, too, that the same healthy lifestyle choices that prevent stroke will also help control these health problems.

For Family and Friends

It’s much harder for your loved one to make lifestyle changes if he or she is feeling low. So be on the lookout for sadness, depression, or hopelessness. These feelings are not uncommon after a stroke. Talk to the healthcare provider if you have concerns.

http://www.veteranshealthlibrary.org/LivingWith/Stroke/Preventing/142,88896_VA

8 Easy Ways to Stop Weight Gain

The answer is not a juice cleanse, detox or quick fix. Please don’t waste your money. It’s much easier than that, trust us (and doesn’t cost a thing). Try one—or all eight—of these tips from the experts and your clothes will be fitting in no time.

1. Add more activity to your day

2. Track your food for a couple of weeks

3. Read nutrition labels

4. Take a break from takeout

5. Step on the scale once per week

6. Build more balanced meals

7. Stop restricting certain foods

8. Go to bed earlier and keep stress low

“Realize that losing weight is not about following a diet, but living a daily lifestyle,” says Dr. Lisa Leslie-Williams B.S., Pharm.D., Founder of The Domestic Life Stylist. “There has to be a mindset shift if you’re employing changes for the long-term. You’re not adapting changes to just lose weight but, to be more energetic, decrease premature aging, limit disease and show up every day at your absolute best. Once you realize that mindset is first, you’re halfway there.”

 

By Lainey Younkin, M.S., RD, LDN

The Surprising Eating Habit That Increases Your Stroke Risk

eating a hamburger

Although your weight loss and workout routine may call for a diet with red meat because it’s a rich source of belly-flattening protein, new research shows just how mind-blowing the connection is to strokes. The numbers are staggering for both men and women, but the worst is for meat-eating males.

According to a study from the University of Wurzburg in Germany, men who consume about 3.3 ounces of red meat each day (that’s a little bigger than the size of your computer mouse) have a 62 percent higher risk of experiencing a life-threatening ischemic stroke than those who consume about 1.7 ounces. An ischemic stroke occurs when the blood vessels that supply the brain with blood become blocked by excess protein, forming a clot and depriving the brain of oxygen and other nutrients. Consuming this protein from red meat increases the chance a person will experience this blockage, whereas protein from poultry, seafood, or vegetable protein sources like nuts and legumes does not.

How the study found the link between red meat consumption and risk of stroke.

To assess the link between protein and stroke risk, lead researcher Dr. Bernard Haring and his colleagues analyzed dietary protein intake data and self-reported food frequency questionnaires of middle-aged Americans who didn’t exhibit common risk factors for strokes like diabetes or heart disease. The study was initiated in the year 1987 and the participants were followed until 2011 to see how many of them suffered strokes. During this 23 year span, 699 strokes were reported among the 11,601 participants.

To see if protein consumption was linked to stroke risk, researchers compared those who consumed the lowest average of protein a day, 1.7 oz, to those who consumed the highest, 3.3 oz, with their incidence of strokes. They found that the risk of strokes was a shocking 41 percent higher for the men and women who consumed highest amount of red meat. For the most common form of stroke, ischemic, that risk was actually 47 percent. Take women out of the equation and the risk was 62 percent higher for men specifically. When rethinking your meal-to-meal choices, be sure to first check out the daily habits that burn belly fat.

Does this mean you shouldn’t eat red meat at all?

Keep calm, carnivores. Because the study was based only on naturalistic observation, researchers have no control over the variables, nor predictions as to how changing your diet might help reduce the risk of future strokes. If you’re going to eat red meat, just do it in moderation: “It’s ok to eat red meat – preferably lean red meat – as long as you limit the amount,” Dr. Haring affirmed.

Eat This! Tip

One way to cut back on red meat is to replace your usual meat-based protein sources with vegetarian protein sources. Vegan, plant-based protein also happens to be higher in satiating and gut-healthy fiber. Add a scoop of vegan protein powder to a smoothie in the morning. Try one of these best smoothie recipes for weight loss, courtesy of Zero Belly Smoothies.  (Or eat red meat, just do it in moderation).

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/nutrition/the-surprising-eating-habit-that-increases-your-stroke-risk/ar-BBUnkyO?ocid=spartanntp

 

 

10 Proven Ways to Fight Inflammation

These 10 ways includes everything from stressing less to cooking with spices and more.

There are two types of inflammation: acute and chronic. Acute inflammation is the body’s natural response to a short-term threat such as an injury, burn, or surgery. Chronic inflammation, on the other hand, is an ongoing response to a longer-term medical condition such as arthritis, asthma, or Chron’s disease, among others. This type of inflammation could cause health issues such as rheumatoid arthritis, hay fever, and even some cancers.

Here are some tips for how to fight inflammation.

Eat a Mediterranean diet

The Mediterranean diet focuses on nutrient-dense, mostly plant-based whole foods and includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, fish, olive oil, legumes, and grains, according to Malina Linkas Malkani, RD, RDN, CDN, media spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Multiple studies show that following a Mediterranean diet has not only an intense anti-inflammatory effect but also improves cardiovascular risk factors such as blood pressure.

Limit heavily processed foods

According to Malkani, creator of the Wholitarian™ Lifestyle, reducing or limiting processed foods is another smart move to fight inflammation. This includes foods high in added sugar, man-made fats, fried goods, processed meats, and salts. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition specifically warns that foods high in processed sugars release pro-inflammatory cytokines—proteins released from certain cells.

Cook with herbs and spices

Embrace herbs and spices in your cooking. In addition to adding flavor, garlic, ginger, cinnamon, and especially turmeric all have anti-inflammatory properties. According to Malkani, turmeric contains the specific compound curcumin which helps lower inflammation levels in the body. Malkani advises pairing it with black pepper to promote better absorption.

Eat fruits and vegetables

Getting your fruits and vegetables in might seem like a no-brainer, but it’s important to reiterate the health benefits of both for inflammation. Malkani says people should focus on adding fruits to their diet because the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compound anthocyanin is in everything from strawberries to cherries. “Try to eat at least one to two cups of whole fruit on a daily basis,” Malkani says. Vernon Williams, MD, a sports neurologist and founding director of the Center for Sports Neurology and Pain Medicine at Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Institute in Los Angeles, California, adds that generally eating larger varieties of fresh, whole, colorful foods can help balance your diet.

Vitamin E-rich foods

An inflammation-fighting diet should include vitamin E-rich foods like nuts and seeds such as hazelnuts, peanuts, almonds, and sunflower seeds, according to Kris Sollid, RD, senior director of nutrition communications at the International Food Information Council Foundation. “Vegetable oils like sunflower and safflower oil as well as green vegetables like broccoli and spinach are also good sources,” Sollid says.

Get in your Omegas

According to Dr. Williams, omega-3 and omega-9 fatty acids reduce and fight inflammation. Sollid adds that omega-3s are a double health whammy since they lower both blood pressure and inflammation while increasing “good” HDL cholesterol. The U.S. dietary guidelines recommend two servings of seafood such as salmon, anchovies, or sardines to reap these Omega benefits.

Try yoga, Tai-chi, or meditation

Mind-body practices such as yoga, Tai-chi, and meditation help reduce stress and fight inflammation. New Scientist reports that meditation and Tai-chi can even impact the body on a cellular level. An analysis of 18 different studies found that genes related to inflammation were less active in people practicing mind-body activities. One of the researchers says the results also suggest these practices can reduce the risk for inflammation-related disorders themselves.

Stand, don’t sit

Prolonged sitting is linked to increased inflammation as well as a higher risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and even death, according to Kristine Arthur, MD, an internist at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California. That’s why Dr. Arthur recommends standing and moving your body as often as possible, even if you do exercise regularly. “The goal is to limit total hours of sitting during the day,” Dr. Arthur says. “Small changes like standing while on the phone or using a standing computer can have a big impact on the total hours of sitting.”

Exercise regularly

Similarly to standing instead of sitting, getting enough regular exercise can do wonders for inflammation. In fact, a study published in the journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity found that just 20 minutes of exercise is enough to reduce inflammation. “Our study shows a workout session does not actually have to be intense to have anti-inflammatory effects,” Suzi Hong, MD, lead author of the study says. “Twenty minutes to half an hour of moderate exercise, including fast walking, seems to be sufficient.”

Get enough sleep

Inflammation is linked to both too little and too much sleep. So yes, it’s possible to have too much of a good thing. Poor quality sleep and insomnia are especially associated with inflammation, per a report published in the journal Biological Psychiatry. The ideal sleep duration is seven to eight hours of shut-eye per night, according to the report.

By Emily DiNuzzo and Everyday Wellness

Originally Published on Reader’s Digest