Stroke - CVA - Cerebrovascular Accident

Identifying

An ophthalmologist may be able to access your stroke risk. In an Australian study, researchers found that people who had blood vessel damage in their eyes were 70% more likely to have a stroke in the next 7 years than those without damage. Study author, Ophthalmologist Paul Mitchell. as reported in Readers Digest January 2006

Using a robot so doctors can access a patient in rural areas remotely. Telestroke

Weather related

"Cold weather, high humidity and big daily temperature swings seem to land more people in the hospital with strokes." Associated Press

Blood thinning

Loma Linda University: drinking five 8-oz. glasses of water a day can reduce your risk of heart attack by 50% compared to drinking only two. (Water thins the blood.) as reported in Woman's World magazine 8/27/12

The New England Journal of Medicine: a 325 mg aspirin, taken every day, works as well as the blood thinning drug warfarin at preventing stroke. as reported in Woman's World magazine 10/29/12

Lowering Blood Pressure

University of Minnesota: eating whole grain oat cereal for breakfast can significantly lower your blood pressure. as reported in Woman's World magazine 8/27/12

Reducing sodium while increasing potassium (under a doctor's supervision!) reduces fluid retention and relieves pressure on blood vessels reducing risk of stroke by 50% - university study as reported in Woman's World magazine 1/6/14

Reducing sodium to 1 tsp. a day reduces chance of stroke by 90% compared to those who consume more than 1 3/4 tsp as reported by Woman's World magazine 7/22/13

Foods that contain tyramine may increase blood pressure. Cured meats, aged cheeses, fermented abage, fava beans. British Heart Journal

Diet

People who ate at least 25g of soluble fiber a day had 50% reduction in strokes. Clinical Nutrition as reported in Prevention December 2013

Eating fish one day a week can cut your risk of stroke by 50% according to Harvard research as reported in Woman's World magazine 7/22/13

Birth Control

Estrogen can increase risk of stroke - if you are taking birth control pills talk to your doctor about taking progesterone-only pills.

Exercise

Walking at a comfortable pace, at least 17 minutes a day, can lower stroke risk by 30%.