Prevent stroke

Martina Feichter studied biology with an elective subject pharmacy in Innsbruck and also immersed herself in the world of medicinal plants. From there it was not far to other medical topics that still captivate her to this day. She trained as a journalist at the Axel Springer Academy in Hamburg and has been working for since 2007 - first as an editor and since 2012 as a freelance writer.

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If you want to prevent a stroke, you can use several levers: a healthy diet, regular exercise and avoiding nicotine are among them. These tips primarily help to counteract hardening of the arteries (arteriosclerosis) and thus also a stroke. Find out more about how to prevent a stroke here!

ICD codes for this disease: ICD codes are internationally recognized codes for medical diagnoses. They can be found, for example, in doctor's letters or on certificates of incapacity for work. I63I64I61I69

How to prevent stroke

Various risk factors can promote a stroke. Some of them cannot be influenced, namely older age and a genetic predisposition. In addition, there are a number of risk factors that you can eliminate or at least reduce yourself.

Eat healthy!

You can do a lot through diet in preventing stroke. With the right diet, you can also prevent other health problems, such as obesity or diabetes. To do this, put fruit and vegetables on your diet regularly. On the other hand, you should only consume fat and sugar in moderation. This keeps the vessels healthy and prevents "vascular calcification" (arteriosclerosis). This is a very effective stroke prevention, because blood clots easily form in "calcified" arteries, which can block a cerebral vessel (or other vessels).

A healthy diet also includes drinking enough fluids, such as water or tea. Older people in particular should be aware of this because the feeling of thirst decreases with age.

Get plenty of exercise and sport!

Regular exercise and sport also counteract arteriosclerosis and can thus prevent a stroke. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that you exercise for at least 30 minutes at least five days a week. Even a regular brisk walk can help keep your blood vessels elastic and consistent. It is even better if you practice sports such as jogging, swimming or cycling.

It is important that you like the sport and that you give it time on a regular basis. There is no need for top performance if you want to prevent a stroke. Moderate but regular exercise is sufficient to prevent stroke.

Lose excess weight!

A healthy diet and plenty of exercise will also help you lose weight. This can also help prevent a stroke. Because excess kilos increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as high blood pressure and arteriosclerosis. Both of these significantly increase the risk of a stroke!

This is especially true when the fat deposits mainly form in the abdominal area and around the internal organs. Doctors call this fat distribution pattern "apple type". But the "pear type" with fat pads preferably on the hips, buttocks and thighs also promotes arteriosclerosis and thus a stroke.

In order to reduce overweight and especially obesity (obesity), you should seek help from experts: For example, your family doctor, a nutritionist and a sports doctor can give you individual advice on how to best get your weight under control - and at the same time negative Preventing consequences such as heart attacks and strokes.

Refrain from nicotine!

Smoking has many negative health effects. Among other things, it increases the risk of stroke by two to four times! So giving up nicotine is an important part of stroke prevention. If you can't quit smoking on your own, you should seek advice from your doctor or join a support group.

Drink little or no alcohol!

Alcohol is a poison for the body that can cause a wide variety of damage, including in the brain: Even small amounts of wine, beer, etc. increase the risk of cerebral haemorrhage, the second most common form of stroke. With larger amounts of alcohol, the risk of a stroke increases due to reduced blood flow (ischemic stroke), the most common form of apoplexy.

If you have no other risk factors for a stroke, then small amounts of alcohol are considered health-wise. In concrete terms this means:

• Women should consume a maximum of 10 to 12 grams of pure alcohol per day, i.e. about 0.3 liters of beer or 0.15 liters of wine.
• Men should consume a maximum of 20 to 24 grams of alcohol per day. That corresponds to about half a liter of beer or a quarter of a liter of wine.

Even if you adhere to these limit values, you should not consume beer, wine or sparkling wine every day. Experts advise avoiding alcohol altogether three to four days a week. This can not only prevent a stroke, but also the other known health hazards of the luxury food such as cirrhosis of the liver, inflammation of the stomach lining (gastritis) and cancer.

Avoid Stress!

Stress - also of an emotional nature - can have serious health consequences in the long run. Among other things, it increases blood pressure and cholesterol levels, which increases the risk of arteriosclerosis. In addition, people are more likely to use cigarettes or alcohol when they are under stress. All of these factors make a stroke more likely.

So if possible avoid stress triggers at work and at home. You should also actively ensure relaxation and a balance to the hectic everyday life. For example, you can try to delegate tasks and lower performance requirements (including your own!). Consciously reduce disruptive stimuli such as constant radio bubbling in the background at home or at work. Regular rest breaks in everyday life and relaxation techniques such as autogenic training can also reduce stress or improve handling - a valuable aid if you want to prevent a stroke.

Get treatment for underlying diseases!

Diseases such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, atrial fibrillation or diabetes have been shown to increase the risk of a stroke. Such diseases should therefore be treated for prevention. This not only involves the doctor - you yourself can and should also make your contribution. For example, heed specific advice on diet and exercise. In this way, you can not only improve blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol values, but also prevent secondary diseases such as a stroke.

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