1.

GIVE BLOOD – If you happen to eat too much red meat, you may have higher stores
of iron in your blood. People with more iron in their blood tend to get worse after
suffering a stroke as well as suffer more brain damage than other stroke victims. Stop by
the next blood drive in your neighborhood and give blood. You will reduce the amount of
iron in your blood and do a good deed in the process.

2. DO WHAT YOU CAN TO LOSE WEIGHT – extra weight makes your heart work
harder, making you susceptible to heart disease and increases your risk for a stroke. Meet
with a Nutritionist or find a way to eat more fruits and vegetables each and every day.
You will find it is not that hard to lose weight with some tweaks in your diet.

3. QUIT SMOKING – smoking puts you at risk for heart disease and stroke more than
excess weight, poor diet and alcohol use. Do whatever you can to quit. Ask me for a
natural way to quit smoking without a nicotine patch or special gum.

4. EXERCISE – lift weights or commit to walking every single day. Exercise helps the
cells that line your blood vessels to expand, allowing for better circulation throughout the
body.

5. GET HAPPY – easier said than done these days with the economy, however, if you
keep your chin up and have a good attitude about life in general, you are more likely to
live longer. Happy people are less likely to have strokes, so do what you can to lighten
your load and your outlook.

6. EAT FISH – fish oil contains a powerful anti-clot compound so eating fish twice a
week is a great way to help prevent clots from forming. They contain Omega 3’s,
essential fatty acids, however, if you are not a fan of fish, you can find these in ground
flaxseeds, walnuts, spinach, leafy greens, or consider taking an Omega 3 supplement.

Just remember, a stroke is like a “brain attack” because it can do damage to your brain
the way a heart attack can damage your heart. Some are caused by blood clots that block
the flow of blood to the brain, while others happen when a blood vessel in the brain
ruptures.

When the cells in your brain are deprived of oxygen for too long, they die, never to return
again. With a heart attack, fast action can save your life, so here are the symptoms:

- numbness or weakness

- trouble speaking

- confusion

- dizziness

- loss of balance or coordination

- a sudden or severe headache.

Practice prevention of good lifestyle habits and strategies so you are not at risk for a heart
attack or stroke. If the unthinkable does happen, do not panic. Get to the hospital as soon
as possible. You will have a better chance of survival if you get help immediately at the
first sign or symptoms of a stroke.

The direct causes of coronary heart disease and stroke are factors like these:

- Restriction of blood vessels in the heart and the rest of the body by arteriosclerosis.

- High blood cholesterol level.

- High blood pressure.

- Excess weight.

- Diabetes.

- High level of the amino acid homocysteine in the blood.

- High content of low density lipoprotein (LDL) and low-density lipoprotein (HDL) in
blood. Lipoprotein is a combination of protein and fatty substances that are linked to each
other.

- Inflammation in the circulatory system.

- High age.

- Inherited tendencies for high cholesterol and heart disease.

- Men are more likely to get heart disease than women.

These factors are interrelated in complex ways, and are causing or amplifying each other.
For example, arteriosclerosis will cause higher blood pressure, high blood pressure and
will cause even more atherosclerosis. Many of these factors are ultimately caused or
aggravated by the lifestyle of these factors:

A too-high intake of fat, cholesterol and sugar.

-The fat consumption of the wrong type.

-Lack of fiber, vitamins, minerals and other dietary deficiencies.

-The stress at work and in everyday life.

-Smokers.

-Lack of exercise.

Lifestyle adjustments will therefore be the main methods of prevention of heart failure. A
diet with the aim of preventing heart disease is usually the same as a diet to prevent
cancer and other diseases. Here are the general diet advice:

- Avoid or reduce the amount of food that are industrially processed, artificially made or
heavily fried.

- Eating fish at least every second day. Also eat seafood and fouls.

- Do not eat much red meat.

- Eat 5 fruits or vegetables per day. Each piece should be the size of an apple or carrot.
They should be raw or carefully boiled so that nutrients are not washed out.

- Eat full corn bread, whole grain corn, peas, beans and potatoes.

- Eat only a moderate amount of fat.

- Consume cholesterol rich foods like egg, spawn or liver in only moderate amounts.

- Ideally most fat you eat, shall be of the mono-unsaturated. You also need some of the
polyunsaturated omega-3 and omega 6, but not too much of omega-6. The consumption
of saturated fats should be moderate.

- In order to achieve a balance of fat, most of the fat supply should come from a mixture
of sources such as olive oil, canola oil, nuts, sunflower oil, sunflower oil, linseed oil (oil
fiber), fish and fish oil.

- Use only a moderate amount of soy oil and corn oil in the diet. Only using such oil
types will give you too much polyunsaturated fat of the omega-6-type.

- Use only a very moderate amount of fat sources like butter, coconut oil and palm oil. A
high level of consumption of these fat sources gives you a lot of saturated fat.

- Avoid letting the fat has been chemically modified, thus called trans-fat. This type of fat
is often found in margarines, crackers, snack foods, fast food and other food pre-made.

- Consume just a very moderate amount of sugar, refined flour or refined cereals.

- Consume just a moderate amount of tranquilizers and stimulants like alcohol and
caffeine.
- Use only a moderate amount of salt in food. However, in hot weather and the hard
physical work, you will need more salt.

Evidence suggests that it will be helpful to take supplements of some natural remedies to
prevent heart disease and help improve already have heart problems.

Stop smoking
Stroke risk decreases significantly two years after quitting and is at the level of
nonsmokers by five years, research shows. In fact, recent data from the Women’s Health
Study showed that women who smoke a pack a day are at increased risk of hypertension.
What’s more, the nicotine and carbon monoxide damage the cardiovascular system,
.leading to a higher risk of stroke
Exercise regularly
In a study of more than 47,000 men and women in Finland, moderate and high levels of
physical activity were associated with lower stroke risk. Exercise helps reduce blood
pressure by making the heart stronger. And the stronger the heart, the less effort it takes
to pump blood around the body—so the lower the blood pressure. Physical activity also
can help decrease the risk of developing diabetes and control cholesterol levels, both of
which up your chances of a stroke.
Drink moderately
Experts aren’t clear on why alcohol raises blood pressure and increases stroke risk, but
research from the University of Cincinnati has shown that having more than two drinks a
day is associated with subarachnoid hemorrhage, a particularly deadly type of stroke
caused by the rupture of a blood vessel on the surface of the brain; it tends to strike
premenopausal women.

Likewise, Tulane University researchers reported several months ago that the risk of
ischemic stroke rises with greater alcohol intake.

Eat a healthy diet

Diets high in saturated fat and cholesterol can raise blood-cholesterol levels.

“Cholesterol tends to adhere to the arteries, and blood tends to stick to those spots,
increasing the risk of clotting,” Morgenstern says. Excess sodium intake can contribute to
high blood pressure, too. Eating five or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day may
reduce stroke risk.

1. Find Out if You Suffer From High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure is a potent risk factor for stroke, but it almost never produces detectable
symptoms. In fact, for some unfortunate people, the first symptom of high blood pressure is a
stroke. Don't let this happen to you.

No matter how well you feel, you should find out whether you suffer from this insidious
condition. If you don't visit a physician routinely, go to nearest pharmacy and have them take
your blood pressure. If the higher number (systolic) is more than 135, or if the lower one
(diastolic) is more than 90, you should go to a doctor to be evaluated for high blood pressure.
Lifestyle changes and perhaps medication may be in order to bring your blood pressure back
into the normal range.

2. Find Out if You Have Diabetes

Like high blood pressure, diabetes does not cause any obvious symptoms until it is in its
advanced stages. In fact, it is estimated that most people with diabetes have had the disease
several years before they are diagnosed.

If you have not done so recently, go to a doctor and get your blood sugar checked. This is
especially important if you are overweight or if other people in your family have diabetes.

Not sure if you're overweight? Determine your BMI.

3. Quit Smoking

If you have a family history of stroke or any other stroke risk factors, such as high blood
pressure or elevated cholesterol, quitting smoking can significantly reduce your stroke risk. Of
course, this is also the case if you do not have any other risk factors for stroke, as smoking is
often the only identifiable risk factor in people who have suffered one.

Here are a few tips for easier quitting.

• Start preparing mentally for quitting a few months before you plan to stop smoking.
• Lower your nicotine intake slowly to give your body time to adjust.
• Slowly detach yourself from the places where you normally smoke, and clean your
belongings so that the smell of cigarette is completely gone by the time you enact your
plan to quit.
• Use nicotine patches or gum -- they work for many people.
• Focus on being healthy, and understand that living with a stroke is a lot more difficult
than living without cigarettes.

4. Lose Weight and Exercise

If you are overweight, losing a few pounds is an excellent way to minimize your stroke risk.
Eating less and eating healthy is the most effective way to accomplish this, especially when
combined with physical activity. Even a brisk walk for half an hour or so per day can help you
lose weight and decrease your chances of ever suffering a stroke.

What can you do to lose weight this time around? Here are a two easy-to-remember tips:

• Go slowly
Lose 2, 3, or 4 lbs. in one month, not 10 or 20. Most people who lose weight too fast gain
the weight right back.
• Weigh yourself regularly
This will keep you focused and motivated as you keep track of each pound that comes off.

5. Know And Understand Your Cholesterol Levels

Low density lipoprotein (LDL) is the bad kind of cholesterol and a reliable marker of heart
disease and stroke.

Your "normal" LDL level will depend on your overall health and predisposition to heart disease.
You are considered predisposed to heart disease if you have more than one of the related risk
factors, including:

• you smoke
• you have a first-degree relative with heart disease
• you are over age 45 (for men) or 55 (for women)
• you have low HDL ("good") cholesterol

So, for example, if you are a healthy individual with little or no predisposition for heart
disease, your LDL cholesterol should be less than 160. But if you have 2 of the risk factors
mentioned above, then that level is 130. For people with more than 2 risk factors, the normal
LDL level is 100.

6. Eat a Healthy Diet

Eating a healthy diet is probably the most effective way of keeping a low stroke risk, because
it can protect you from developing high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, obesity,
and more. What does "eating healthy" really mean? Here are four quick tips you can go by to
ensure healthy eating.

• Eat small portions

Eating more than the body requires forces your metabolism to store the extra calories and
increases your body weight.
• Eat salt in moderation
Salt makes the body retain fluid, which in turn increases your blood pressure. Try to
eliminate sources of excessive salt from your diet, such as canned foods or soy sauce.
• Make unhealthy meals the exception, not the rule
Keep your urges for fried foods and other delicious, but not-so-healthy dishes under
control, and maintain a healthy diet otherwise. Make fast food, if you crave it, an only
occasional splurge.
• If you drink, do so in moderation
It has been suggested that wine may actually help reduce stroke risk. But don't reach for
that bottle just yet. While studies hint that 1 to 2 glasses of wine per day may be helpful in
reducing risk, further studies are needed. Like anything else, alcohol should be consumed
in moderation.

The management of stroke is long-term and consists of a variety of measures that are
individual specific, depending on the severity of the stroke, its resultant disability and the risk
factors present.

An important aspect of stroke management is exercise. The type of exercise depends on the
severity of the stroke and the muscles affected. It is essential to carry out the exercises. The
initial results may not be obvious but with persistence, the stroke victim should be able to
recover the function of the affected part of the body.
The risk factors will have to be treated to prevent further strokes. The treatment includes diet,
exercise and medicines.

Irregular and rapid heart-beat in atrial fibrillation causes blood clots to form on the heart
valves. If a clot breaks off and is carried to the brain, it will cause an ischaemic stroke. Anti-
coagulants such as warfarin and phenindione will prevent blood clot formation in this
condition

Control your blood pressure

Keeping your blood pressure in check is the single most important way to prevent a stroke. Over time, high
blood pressure damages blood vessels in the brain, increasing the risk of both hemorrhagic and ischemic
strokes. The threat of ischemic stroke is especially severe. The risk of having blockages in the brain is eight
times higher for people with extreme hypertension (180/90 or more) than it is for those with normal blood
pressure, according to the journal Postgraduate Medicine. Even mild hypertension -- slightly above 140/90 --
can raise the odds by 50 percent. Blood pressure that falls between 120-139/80-89 is considered
“prehypertension” and increases your risk of developing hypertension.
If you have high blood pressure, changing your eating habits can bring it down significantly. The American
Heart Association advises adding more fruits, vegetables, and fat-free dairy products to your diet.
Vegetables and fruits are high in potassium, magnesium, and calcium, and these minerals can help lower or
prevent high blood pressure when combined with a low-fat, low-salt diet, according to the AHA.
If your blood pressure is already a little high, recommendations from the National Heart, Lung and Blood
Institute’s DASH diet advise that you consume 4,700 mg of potassium a day, or the equivalent of about
seven large bananas. Fortunately, you can also get plentiful supplies of potassium from other foods, such as
potatoes, avocados, tomatoes, citrus fruits, yogurt, and tuna. (If you have kidney problems, check with your
doctor before increasing your potassium intake.)
Diet in combination with exercise can have an even more profound effect. A report in Sports Medicine
showed that regular exercise can also decrease blood pressure by as much as 10 points. Aerobic exercise
-- like swimming, bicycling, brisk walking, or dancing -- for 25 to 30 minutes at least three times a week can
make the biggest difference.

Avoid smoking

Smoking wreaks havoc on arteries throughout the body, and those in the brain are no exception. Smokers
with high blood pressure are prime targets for a hemorrhagic stroke. According to the National Stroke
Association, smoking doubles the risk for stroke. The more a person smokes, the greater the danger. If
you're a smoker, it's time to quit.

Stay active

Even if you don't have hypertension, regular exercise will strengthen your arteries and prevent the buildup of
plaque in blood vessels. In combination with a healthy diet, exercise can help you to ward off obesity or
excessive weight, which makes people more likely to have high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and
diabetes, all of which increase your risk for stroke. A 2003 issue of Stroke reported that moderate and high
levels of exercise were associated with significantly fewer strokes. In the 2003 report, researchers examined
23 studies over 36 years and found a reduced risk of between 20 and 27 percent. To give your brain a
boost, the National Stroke Association recommends making time each day to exercise, noting that a brisk
walk for 30 minutes a day may reduce your risk for stroke. The benefits of exercise extend to stroke
survivors as well: The American Heart Association has issued guidelines stressing the importance of aerobic
and strengthening exercises for improving overall health and reducing the risk of subsequent strokes.

Go easy on alcohol

One alcoholic drink each day if you're a woman, or two if you're a man, is unlikely to do any harm, and may
even help prevent a stroke. But three or more drinks each day can increase the risk of an ischemic stroke by
up to three times, according to the National Stroke Association. If you have trouble stopping at one or two
drinks, you're better off quitting completely.

Ask about aspirin

This common painkiller may help prevent the blood clots that can cause ischemic strokes or heart attacks.
At least 133 studies involving more than 53,000 subjects have found that daily doses of aspirin cut the risk of
having a stroke or heart attack by about 30 percent. However, a 2005 study reported in the New England
Journal of Medicine suggests that women may not get as much benefit from aspirin therapy as men do. The
women-only study found that 100 mg of aspirin every other day only reduced the risk of stroke by 17
percent. Aspirin can cause ulcers and other stomach problems, so you shouldn't take it regularly unless your
doctor says it's okay. Also, a 2003 study reported in the medical journal Lancet suggests that taking
ibuprofen can interfere with the cardiac benefits of aspirin, so check with your doctor if you use ibuprofen
regularly for pain relief.

Work closely with your doctor

Despite all of your best efforts, lifestyle changes aren't always enough. If diet and exercise don't lower your
pressure to a safe level, your doctor may prescribe blood pressure medication.
Also, if you have diabetes -- a disease that damages blood vessels -- heart disease, or a history of stroke, it
will take a team effort to protect your brain. Patients with diabetes should work carefully with their doctors to
make sure their blood sugar is under control. If you're at risk for blood clots, your doctor may prescribe
blood-thinning drugs or even surgery. With aggressive treatment, your odds of stroke will drop dramatically.
Now that's peace of mind.
-- Chris Woolston, M.S., is a health and medical writer with a master's degree in biology. He is a contributing
editor at Consumer Health Interactive, and was the staff writer at Hippocrates, a magazine for physicians.
He has also covered science issues for Time Inc. Health, WebMD, and the Chronicle of Higher Education.
His reporting on occupational health earned him an award from the northern California Society of
Professional Journalists.

Eat healthy, de-stress yourself, and indulge in regular exercises as they will help you
remain healthy and fit. Preventing yourself from problems like high blood pressure, high
cholesterol, and diabetes is necessary to prevent yourself from stroke.

The basic step for a healthy life is a healthy diet. Fruits and vegetables are extremely
beneficial for your health. Similarly, reduce the intake of salt in your diet as this will help
in reducing your chances of suffering from a stroke.

If you smoke and drink a lot, then you need to give up on these bad habits as they make
you vulnerable to various medical problems, including that of stroke.

People who lead a sedentary and an inactive life are at a higher risk for stroke. You need
to be active and you should indulge in healthy physical activities to shield yourself from
the problem of stroke.

In addition to the above given preventive steps, you should also get regular heart
checkups done as cardiovascular problems increase the chances of stroke.

1. Ride your bike 20 minutes a day. You can handle that, can't you? When
German researchers had 100 men with mild chest pain, or angina, either exercise 20
minutes a day on a stationary bike or undergo an artery-clearing procedure called
angioplasty, they found that a year after the angioplasty, 21 men suffered a heart
attack, stroke, or other problem compared to only 6 of the bikers. Just remember
that if you already have angina, you should only begin an exercise program under
medical supervision.

2. Eat a piece of dark chocolate several times a week. Believe it or not, several
small studies suggest dark chocolate could be good for your heart! The beneficial
effects are likely due to chemicals in chocolate called flavonoids, which help arteries
stay flexible. Other properties of the sweet stuff seem to make arteries less likely to
clot and prevent the "bad" cholesterol, LDL, from oxidizing, making it less likely to
form plaque. Dark chocolate is also rich in magnesium and fiber. But steer clear of
milk chocolate, which is high in butterfat and thus tends to raise cholesterol.

3. Have a beer once a day. A study published in the Journal of Agricultural and
Food Chemistry found that men who drank one beer a day for one month lowered
their cholesterol levels, increased their blood levels of heart-healthy antioxidants,
and reduced their levels of fibrinogen, a protein that contributes to blood clots. Of
course, red wine might be even better. Choose either beer or wine -- not both.

4. Take a B vitamin complex every morning. When Swiss researchers asked

more than 200 men and women to take either a combination of three B vitamins
(folic acid, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12) or a placebo after they had surgery to open
their arteries, they found that levels of homocysteine, a substance linked to an
increased risk of heart disease, were 40 percent lower in those who took the
vitamins. The placebo group had no change. Plus, the vitamin group had wider-open
blood vessels than those taking the sugar pill.

5. Tape-record yourself at night. If you hear yourself snoring (or if your sleeping
partner has been kicking you a lot), make an appointment with your doctor. You may
have sleep apnea, a condition in which your breathing stops hundreds of times
throughout the night. It can lead to high blood pressure and other medical problems,
and even increase your risk for heart attack and stroke.

6. Go to bed an hour earlier tonight. A Harvard study of 70,000 women found

that those who got less than seven hours of sleep had a slightly higher risk of heart
disease. Researchers suspect lack of sleep increases stress hormones, raises blood
pressure, and affects blood sugar levels. Keep your overall sleeping time to no more
than nine hours, however. The same study found women sleeping nine or more
hours had a slightly increased risk of heart disease.

7. Eat fish at least once a week. Have it grilled, sautéed, baked, or roasted -- just
have it. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in April
2002 found that women who ate fish at least once a week were one-third less likely
to have a heart attack or die of heart disease than those who ate fish only once a
month. Other studies show similar benefits for men. Another major study found
regular fish consumption reduced the risk of atrial fibrillation -- rapid, irregular
heartbeat -- a major cause of sudden death.