Six steps to preventing a stroke

Late last year, the NHS revealed that the number of people being admitted to hospital following a stroke had risen by 28% in the last 20 years.

The released data coincided with the launch of a major new campaign, urging the public to call 999 immediately if anyone experiences one of the three most common symptoms of stroke.

Experts say the increase in admissions among ages 50 to 59 may be associated with several factors including better detection and reporting, hypertension, obesity, poor diet and lack of exercise.

As May is Stroke Awareness Month, we wanted to take the opportunity to remind you of the positive steps to preventing a stroke you can take with some simple modifications.

While there are of course some risk factors you can’t avoid, such as age, gender, ethnicity and family history, you may be reassured to know that research has shown that up to 80% of strokes could be prevented through lifestyle changes and careful monitoring.

Six steps to preventing a stroke

1. Stop smoking

This may sound familiar, but smoking is the number one preventable cause of strokes. Nicotine constricts your blood vessels, interrupting the flow of oxygen through the body and causing damage to the brain. In fact, studies have shown that your risk of stroke increases by 12% for every five cigarettes you smoke per day.

2. Reduce your alcohol intake

Again, the message that excess alcohol consumption has a negative impact on your health isn’t exactly news, but according to the American Heart Association consuming two or more drinks per day increases your stroke risk dramatically. So if you must drink alcohol, try to stick to one drink or fewer per day.

3. Exercise regularly

Studies have shown that people who are more active have around a 25% lower stroke risk than those who are sedentary. You don’t need to be running marathons – in fact, aiming too high is the biggest predictor for failure when taking up any new habit. Consider taking a brisk walk for 30 minutes per day, choosing the stairs over the lift, or getting off the bus a stop earlier than usual. Every bit counts, and the more exercise you do, the more you will feel capable of.

4. Eat a healthy diet

This isn’t about weight loss, but about nutrient consumption. Making sure you are eating enough of the right nutrients – found in fruits, vegetables, nuts and wholegrains – and fewer of the wrong ones – saturated fats, cholesterol and trans fats – will help keep your heart healthy and minimise your risk of stroke.

5. Know your numbers

Many of us are entirely unaware of our BMI, blood pressure or cholesterol levels, but knowing these numbers can help us to understand our stroke risk and do something about it. If, for example, we know our cholesterol is high, then we know we need to focus on eating a low-cholesterol diet. If BMI is the problem, then we need to restrict calories and increase our exercise to get back to a healthy BMI. Having some agency in your own health management can help you to feel in control of the situation

6. Have regular health checks

The best way to find out what these numbers are is to book in for a health check with your GP. They can not only measure your blood pressure, cholesterol and BMI, but can talk to you about your lifestyle and family history, and offer some personalised advice on how best to reduce your stroke risk.

In 2017, the International Hypertension Society rolled out ‘May Measure Month’, which has been running every May since, to encourage people to get their blood pressure checked. So why not take this year’s May Measure Month as the incentive you need to book a health check today.