Tips on Prevention of Strokes

by Webmaster, All4NaturalHealth.com

There are some basic foundational tips for the prevention of strokes. At the forefront, before you consider trying certain herbs and supplements, is to ensure that you are eating right and living a healthy lifestyle. Indeed, diet, nutrition, and lifestyle are critical factors.

Eating more fresh fruits and vegetables, cutting down on saturated fats from meat and other animal food products, exercising regularly and cutting down on stress - this is an excellent start for preventing strokes and for an overall health-promoting protocol. More is described on the rest of this page.

Healthy Lifestyle Habits

Exercise not only lowers stroke risk, but also improves one's health and vitality. It protects against many other serious diseases, too, and should form a part of any person's health-promoting lifestyle.

Keeping healthy weight is also important for the prevention of strokes, as obesity and excess weight have been linked to higher risk of getting an attack. Abdominal fat, in particular, may be more dangerous. Of course, physical activity is useful and important for maintaining healthy weight.

Smoking definitely raises stroke risk. In fact, even the inhalation of second-hand smoke has been linked with increased risk of suffering strokes.

Risk Factors

There are specific risk factors which increase one's likelihood of getting a stroke. To keep your risk of stroke down, it is necessary to also reduce or get rid of these factors.

Firstly, the main risk factor for suffering a stroke is hypertension, or high blood pressure, and that is surely the first thing which must be dealt with in your attempts to prevent ever getting hit by an attack. Click here for more information on high blood pressure.

Also, one main underlying cause for the occurrence of strokes is atherosclerosis, a condition whereby the walls of blood vessels in the body thicken or "harden", thereby reducing the cross-sectional area of the passageway available for blood flow. Vital blood supply is thus restricted. The smaller passage also becomes more susceptible to blockage, which often takes place because of the formation of blood clots.

It thus makes sense that preventing atherosclerosis helps prevent strokes, too. A healthy diet low in saturated and trans fats, high in fresh fruits and vegetables, low in refined foods, high in natural and whole foods, high in fiber, low in refined salt, etc, as well as healthy lifestyle habits, go a long way in totally preventing this condition. Click here for more information on atherosclerosis.

Unhealthy cholesterol profiles raise your stroke of risk, too, so improving it is another important step in the prevention of strokes. In my view, there is nothing better than a good dietary and lifestyle protocol in improving cholesterol levels. Of course, certain herbs and supplements can also help to lower cholesterol, which then helps to prevent atherosclerosis, thereby also helping to prevent the occurrence of strokes. Click here for more information on cholesterol.

High levels of homocysteine have been linked to increased risk of strokes, although it is not clear if this is a causative factor, or simply indicative of some other possible risk factor. It has been put forth that the use of folic acid, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 supplements can help to lower homocysteine levels. In my view, to prevent strokes, one should undertake a holistic dietary and lifestyle protocol, and not rely solely on supplements.

Foods to Avoid in the Prevention of Stroke

Saturated fats have been linked with not just strokes, but also heart disease and cancer, and consumption of these fats should thus be cut down on. Again, in today's world, we are eating way too much of such fats, which are found mainly in meat and dairy.

Watching your salt intake is another key step in the prevention of stroke attacks. Indeed, studies have linked high salt consumption with elevated stroke risk. Salt raises blood pressure, too, which in turn again raises stroke risk. On the flip side, potassium intake has been associated with reduced risk of strokes. An excellent way of getting enough potassium in your diet is to consume a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables.

If you may have high risk of suffering a stroke, you may want to avoid a high intake of iron, as there is some indication that too much of this metal may raise one's likelihood of getting a stroke.

The effect of light drinking on one's stroke risk is unclear, with studies being divided. What is very clear, however, is that heavy drinking boosts stroke risk, for it raises blood pressure and also adversely affects the heart.

Foods to Consume More of

The consumption of more fruits and vegetables has been shown in studies to protect against strokes. The best effects for the prevention of strokes were obtained with cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, green leafy vegetables, and citrus fruits.

Research also suggests that eating whole grains helps to protect against strokes. Of course, most of us today consume lots of refined grains, which are virtually devoid of fiber and nutrients, and are practically just empty calories.

Diets which are low in magnesium have been linked to increased risk of stroke. This is possibly due, in part, to the fact that magnesium helps to reduce elevated blood pressure. However, in this regard, the use of magnesium supplementation has not really been investigated. Thus, if you are thinking of the use of this mineral in the prevention of strokes, it is wise and best to obtain it from your food.

Herbs and Foods which Help to Prevent Strokes

It is sometimes not straightforward to categorize a plant as an herb or a food; some herbs, like garlic and ginger, are, after all, used in common everyday recipes. Here are some commonly eaten herbs and foods which are useful for helping in the prevention of strokes. And, these foods not only help in the prevention of stroke, but they come with a host of other health benefits, too.

• Carrots - reduce stroke risk
  
  
• Fish - many studies indicate that eating fish helps in the prevention of strokes - this is almost certainly due to the fact that fish oil is rich in omega 3 fatty acids, an important component of good health. Cold water fish is best.
  
  
• Garlic - garlic is an excellent herb for thinning the blood. It also helps to regulate blood pressure. Other than these effects, garlic is an excellent antibiotic and anticancer herb with many other healthful properties. For maximum benefits, consume at least 3 large cloves of raw, organic garlic each day.
  
  
• Ginger - ginger helps to prevent blood clots. This herb can be used generously in cooking, or prepared and drank as ginger tea.
  
  
• Pineapples - pineapples are rich in the digestive enzyme bromelain, which are believed to be helpful in dissolving blood clots.
  
  
• Spinach - spinach has been shown to help lower the risk of stroke. It is likely that such effects are because of the folate found in spinach. Other plants which have folate include asparagus, cabbage, and parsley.
  
  
• Turmeric - curcumin, a compound which is found in turmeric, is known to have anti-clotting properties.

Useful Herbs and Supplements

While nothing beats a healthy diet and lifestyle, there are numerous herbs and supplements which could be useful for helping to prevent strokes.

Do note that many of these herbs and supplements work by thinning your blood; this way, they help to prevent ischemic strokes (when blood vessels get blocked, often by blood clots). However, if an hemorrhagic stroke occurs (when blood vessels burst and there is internal bleeding), blood thinners may end up worsening the situation. Therefore, it is a delicate balance, something which you must take note of. Another important point to note is that the majority of strokes, said to be about 80%, are ischemic strokes.

• Antioxidants like vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta carotene.
  
  
• Bilberry - contain compounds which help to prevent blood clots as well as get rid of plaque deposits in one's arteries. These benefits help in the prevention of strokes.
  
  
• Bromelain - the digestive enzyme bromelain may help with dissolving blood clots, thereby helping to prevent stroke attacks. A possible dose is 1.5 grams thrice each day, to be taken in between meals.
  
  
• Evening Primrose Oil - this oil is believed to have a compound which helps to prevent blood clotting as well as to lower blood pressure.
  
  
• Feverfew - helps prevent blood clots.
  
  
• Fish oil - fish oil, with its high amounts of omega 3 fatty acids, has been linked to lower risk of strokes. This could be tied to its ability to prevent clotting in the blood, fight inflammation as well as lower bad cholesterol, which all help in the prevention of stroke.
  
  
• Ginkgo - ginkgo is a well-known brain herb found in most brain formulas and tonics. It works mainly because of its ability to boost blood circulation to the brain. Indeed, ginkgo is used in some European countries to treat certain effects of strokes, such as issues with memory, balance and vertigo. In addition, it helps to strengthen blood capillaries in the body, thereby helping to prevent hemorrhagic strokes. A standardized extract of the herb can be consumed, and a suggested dosage is something between 60 to 240 mg each day. This herb is helpful not just for the prevention of strokes, but for overall better brain health, too.
  
  
• Policosanol - policosanol has been shown in numerous double-blind and placebo-controlled studies to help prevent blood clots. Being an effective blood thinner, it can thus help in the prevention of strokes. In one particular study, 20mg of policosanol per day was found to be more or less as effective as 100mg of aspirin, which is a blood-thinning drug.
  
  
• Quercetin
  
  
• Vitamin E - helps prevent blood clots.
  
  
• White Willow - blood thinner. The dried herb can be added to or used to make herbal teas.
  
  

As mentioned earlier on this page, when it comes to the prevention of strokes, there is simply no substitute for an overall healthy diet and lifestyle. The great thing is, good dietary and lifestyle health habits not only help to lower your stroke risk, but also boost your health and wellbeing in many other ways.

For more information on this condition, read the other related stroke pages.

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Some Related Stroke Pages

What is a Stroke - Introduction

Common Cause of Stroke - Causes of Strokes

Signs and Symptoms of Stroke

Tips on Prevention of Strokes

Tips on Management of Stroke