How to Keep Strokes at Bay as You Grow Old

The chances of falling prey to a stroke increase as you age. As worrisome as it sounds, adopting some precautionary measures can go a long way to protect yourself from having a stroke later in life. Here is a list of few things to do to rein in your risks of having a stroke.

The chances of falling prey to a stroke are higher as you age. However, this shouldn’t become a cause for worry especially since there are some precautionary measures that you can start adopting today to protect yourself from having a stroke later in life. Here is a list of the things that can help you stay away from a stroke.

With each new year rolling in, the age counter inches upward, and along with it the probability of getting struck by a stroke also goes up. Unfortunately, we do not have access to the mythical fountain of youth, a quick dip in which could reverse the effects of aging and keep us safe from strokes and their debilitating effects. What we do have though, is knowledge of what can be done to eliminate the factors that make us high-risk candidates for a stroke.

We have gathered a list of a few easy things that you can start doing today to rein in your risks of having a stroke. These are as follows:

1. Cut Down Your Salt Intake – Consuming too much salt over the years can prove to be a significant threat to your overall health, primarily by elevating your blood pressure and hiking your risk of having a stroke. Replace salty processed foods with healthier options like seasonal fruits, fish, leafy veggies, nuts, and raisins.

2. Maintain a Good Body Mass Index(BMI) – By keeping a check on your calorie intake and limiting it to 1500 to 2000 calories a day, you can maintain an acceptable BMI. Regular exercise helps in keeping your weight in control too.

3. Quit Smoking – If you are addicted to the synthetically generated adrenaline rush that those cigarettes give you, its time to find a healthy alternative instead. Smoking is known to promote the processes that lead to blood clot formation. It makes the blood denser and causes arterial contraction due to excessive plaque formation.

4. Keep a Tab on Blood Sugar Levels – An excess of blood sugar for a prolonged period is harmful for the blood vessels as it weakens them and makes them easy prey for clots. Taking your diabetes medication on time, exercising, and maintaining a sugar-free healthy diet can all be beneficial in controlling your sugar level at all times.

Experiencing a stroke can be a very horrifying experience. It can leave you paralyzed, weak, unable to talk, and unable to function the way you used to earlier. It is, therefore, a prudent decision to proactively identify the areas where you need to work harder and impose restrictions to curb your risks of getting hit by a stroke later in life.