It’s Time to Learn More About Stroke!
What is stroke?
• A stroke happens when blood flow to an
area of the brain is cut off. Brain cells are
deprived of oxygen and begin to die.
• When brain cells die during a stroke,
abilities controlled by that area of the brain
such as memory and muscle control are
lost.
Symptoms:
• Numbness or weakness (especially on one side of the
body)
• Sudden confusion or trouble speaking
• Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
b • Sudden trouble walking
• Dizziness
• Loss of balance or coordination
• Sudden or severe headache with no known cause
Stroke by the numbers:
• Each year nearly 800,000 people experience a new or recurrent stroke.
• A stroke happens every 40 seconds.
• Stroke is the 5th leading cause of death in the U.S.
• Every 4 minutes someone dies from stroke.
• Up to 80% of strokes can be prevented.
• Stroke is the leading cause of adult disability in the U.S.
Types of Stroke Lifestyle Risk Factors:
Lifestyle risk factors such as diet and exercise are part of controllable
risk factors. Lifestyle risk factors are habits or behaviors people choose
to engage in.
Ischemic Stroke (clots)
1) Diet & Nutrition:
• Accounts for about 87% of all cases A healthy diet can help you reduce the risk of chronic diseases, improve your overall health,
• Occurs as a result of an obstruction within a and help you reach or maintain a healthy weight.
What to Eat! What Not to Eat!
blood vessel supplying blood to the brain
• Dark green, red and orange, legumes (beans
• Saturated fats
• The underlying condition for this type of
and peas), starchy, and other veggies
• Trans fats
obstruction is the development of fatty • Fruits, especially whole fruits
• Added sugars
deposits lining the vessel walls • Grains, at least half of which are whole grains
• Sodium
• Fat-free or low-fat dairy
• A variety of protein foods, including seafood,
Hemorrhagic Stroke (bleeds) lean meats and poultry, eggs, legumes (beans
and peas), and nuts, seeds, and soy products
• Accounts for 13% of stroke cases
• Oils
2) Physical Activity:
• It results from a weakened vessel that ruptures and
Physical activity includes anything that gets your body moving. A recent study showed that people
bleeds into the surrounding brain
who exercise five or more times per week have a reduced stroke risk.
• Two types of hemorrhagic stroke: intracerebral
What are the best ways to exercise?
(within the brain) or subarachnoid hemorrhage
• Moderate Activity. 150 minutes walking, water aerobics, bicycling, etc. a week and two or
• Two types of weakened blood vessels that usually
more days a week of muscle-strengthening activities.
cause hemorrhagic stroke: aneurysms and
• Or, Vigorous Activity. 75 minutes of jogging, running, swimming laps and two or more days
arteriovenous malformations (AVMS)
a week of muscle-strengthening activities.
• Or, An equivalent mix of moderate- and vigorous-intensity aerobic activity
Transient Ischemic Attacks (TIAs)
• Break it up. If you can’t fit a 30-minute activity in at one time, break it up into 10-minute
• TIAs are often labeled “mini strokes”, but the term “warning stroke” is more segments.
appropriate • Make physical activity fun. Walk or bike with a friend, take a dance class, and have fun!
• A third of U.S. adults have symptoms consistent with a TIA
Alcohol & Tobacco Use:
• They can indicate the likelihood of a coming stroke
• Smoking doubles the risk of stroke when compared to a nonsmoker. Smoking
• Caused by a clot or blockage in the brain
increases clot formation, thickens blood, and increases the amount of plaque buildup in the
• The blockage is short-term or temporary during a TIA
arteries.
• Symptoms are similar to an ischemic stroke, but TIA symptoms usually last
• Drinking too much alcohol can increase blood pressure and the risk of stroke. Aim to drink
less than 5 minutes with an average of about a minute
in moderation – no more than two drinks a day for men and one drink a day for
women. One drink is equal to:
https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/All-Disorders/Stroke-Information-Page
12 ounces of beer
http://www.stroke.org/understand-stroke
http://www.strokeassociation.org/STROKEORG/AboutStroke/TypesofStroke/TIA/ 5 ounces of wine (1 glass)
Transient-Ischemic-Attack-TIA_UCM_492003_SubHomePage.jsp 1 ¼ to 1 ½ ounces of liquor