8 ways to prevent a stroke (Gallery)

Go for early morning or evening walks Everyone has a busy life but if you decide to make time for yourself, nothing can be difficult. Walking for 20 minutes daily can help you to prevent strokes. According to a large study comprising of 40,000 women (over a 12-year period), walking for a total of 2 hours in a week can cut your risk of stroke by 30 percent. For added benefits, practice brisk walking. It can reduce the chances of stroke by almost 40 percent. If you want you can break your walking sessions into two, 10-minute each session.Identify the signs of stress and depression Being sad and being depressed are two different things. To feel sad during major life crises like the death of a loved one, losing a job or the ending of a relationship is normal. But depression is a condition where you feel sad for a long period of time without any relation to the events taking place in your life. If you’re depressed, you have a 29 percent increased chance of suffering from stroke, according to study involving about 80,000 women. Depression is also linked to other bad habits like smoking, unhealthy eating, less physical activity and uncontrolled health conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes. These all things increase stroke risk. Feelings like persistent sadness, anxiousness, hopelessness, guilty, irritability, exhaustion, loss of interest in things you used to like, sleep problems need attention.Get the right amount of sleep Inadequate sleep can increase your stroke risk by up to 63 percent, compared with the recommended 7-hour stretch, scientists at Harvard claim. Sleep problems like snoring also raise the risk of stroke, apart from heart diseases and diabetes.Add olive oil to your diet Research shows that olive oil not only prevents heart attacks but also prevents strokes. An observational study of more than 7,600 French adults age 65 and older found that those who regularly use olive oil reduce their chances of stroke by over 40 percent. So, go ahead and use olive oil for sauteing, baking, frying and drizzling foods.Mind the migraine Those having extra-special headaches, the ones coupled with flashes of light and blind spots called migraine headaches have a higher stroke risk. Though there’s no clear evidence indicating that treatment of migraine eliminates stroke, but several experts agree that it’s a good preventive measure. So seek medical advice if you have recurrent migraine headaches. You can also practice stress management, mediation and relaxation techniques.Identify irregular heart beat Signs like increased palpitations, shortness of breath, pain in the chest and light-headedness indicate atrial fibrillation (AF), abnormal heartbeat. And abnormal heartbeat increases the risk of stroke about five-fold.Consume potassium-rich foods Rich sources of potassium including sweet potatoes, bananas, raisins and tomatoes (paste) may reduce the risk of strokes by 20 percent, suggests a report. You can also include other sources like fruits and veggies, fish, poultry and dairy products in your diet.Control your anger A study published in the journal Hypertension suggested that anger and aggression can put you at a higher risk of stroke. It also increases blood pressure and has an overall negative effect on the health. So, practice deep and relaxation techniques to calm you mind.8 ways to keep stroke at bay The average number of people suffering from heart diseases is increasing day by day. Earlier it was thought that stroke is a rare condition but doctors are dealing with several stroke cases on a daily basis. Lifestyle changes like quitting smoking, avoiding alcohol, consuming more fruits and vegetables, maintaining healthy weight, controlling blood pressure and blood sugar are most ways of preventing heart diseases and stroke that we are aware of. But only a few people might know these simple ways to keep strokes at bay.