Develop 8 good habits to prevent stroke from happening to you

Starting today, make your lifestyle healthier and stroke won’t come to you easily.
1. Don’t rush to get up in the morning and remember to keep warm

Strokes most often occur when the seasons change and the temperature difference between morning and evening is large. When you get up in the morning in winter, don't rush out of your warm bed. You can sit for a while or stay in bed to let your body adapt to the outside temperature before getting up.

Remember to bring a coat, hat or scarf when going out to stay warm.

2. Drink a glass of warm water after breakfast

Drinking water in the morning is mainly to help the gastrointestinal peristalsis, so that the bowel movement after breakfast is smooth. Otherwise, insufficient water or excessive force during bowel movement can easily cause a stroke. (*Editor's note: 8 secrets of drinking water that you don't know!)

3. Check your blood pressure regularly

Measuring blood pressure is the most basic principle for preventing stroke. Studies have found that when blood pressure decreases by 10 mmHg, the risk of stroke can be reduced by half. The latest guidelines published in the Journal of Stroke in 2014 further emphasize that not only older people should pay attention to blood pressure, but young women taking birth control pills should also measure their blood pressure before taking them.

4. Do moderate exercise regularly

Just 15 minutes of exercise a day, 90 minutes a week, can reduce the risk of stroke by 24%.Hypertension butPeople who exercise regularly can even reduce their risk of stroke by 34%.

Exercise can also prevent a second stroke for people who have had a stroke. Lin Zigan, chief neurosurgeon at Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, reminds us that people who do not exercise are more likely to have blocked blood vessels. Once blood circulation is poor, even a small movement can cause big problems.

5. Eat a light diet with less oil and salt

A diet low in oil and fat can lower cholesterol and prevent ischemic stroke. The American Heart Association recommends that the calories from fat foods should not exceed 30% of the total daily calories, and the daily cholesterol intake should be less than 300 mg. An egg contains about 260 mg of cholesterol, so it is okay to eat one egg a day.
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Omega-3 fatty acids from high-fat fish can help control blood pressure and prevent vascular inflammation. Or you can have oatmeal with a handful of nuts for breakfast. The water-soluble fiber in oatmeal can reduce intestinal absorption of cholesterol, change the concentration of fatty acids in the blood, and reduce bad cholesterol and triglycerides. Nuts contain polyunsaturated fatty acids, which can maintain the health and elasticity of arteries.

Eating less bacon, smoked meat, marinade, and commercially available stock cubes can reduce excessive sodium intake, avoid water retention and imbalance in the body, and increase blood pressure and heart burden.

6. Measure your pulse regularly, and do electrocardiogram and carotid ultrasound regularly for those over 40 years old

Studies have found that there is a one in four chance of developing atrial fibrillation after the age of 40, and the older you are, the higher the chance.

Atrial fibrillation is a potential killer that causes stroke. If you have atrial fibrillation, the chance of having a stroke is about five times higher than that of an average person, and the risk of death is also twice as high. Therefore, it is recommended to measure your pulse every day. The average heartbeat of a normal person is 5 to 2 beats per minute. The pulse is the same as the number of heartbeats. If you find that your pulse is too low or irregular, you should see a doctor immediately.

In addition, people over 40 years old should also undergo electrocardiograms and carotid ultrasounds during health checks to check for atrial fibrillation, and measure the thickness of the inner layer of the carotid artery and the degree of arteriosclerosis to determine whether there is a risk of stroke.

For those over 45 years old with a family history of stroke, metabolic syndrome, or risk factors such as smoking and migraine, Chen Long, attending physician of the Department of Neurology at Shuanghe Hospital, recommends adding brain magnetic resonance imaging or a full brain examination.

7. The new version of the "Guidelines for the Prevention of Stroke in Women" recommends that pregnant women who have had preeclampsia take low-dose aspirin to prevent stroke

In the past, we mostly regarded aspirin as a drug to prevent second stroke. However, the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association have recently recommended that women who have had preeclampsia or are in a high-risk group can take low-dose aspirin from 12 weeks of pregnancy. Although preeclampsia will disappear after delivery, if a woman has gestational hypertension or preeclampsia during pregnancy, the chances of hypertension and stroke in the future will also increase.

For patients with cardiovascular disease or stroke, the recommended dose of aspirin is 50 to 100 mg. One aspirin pill in Taiwan is about 100 mg, and one pill every two days is enough. If purchased in the United States, one pill is about 81 mg.

When taking the drug, you must pay attention to whether side effects such as ulcers, gastrointestinal bleeding or perforation occur. If these occur, the drug must be discontinued.

In addition, forWomen aged 65 to 79 years oldThe new guidelines also recommend that they take 81 mg of aspirin daily to prevent blood clots.

8. Medication + lifestyle changes can effectively prevent a second stroke

Studies have shown that to prevent a second stroke, taking medication and changing lifestyle habits (such as exercising, avoiding obesity, quitting smoking, etc.) are more effective than implanting a vascular stent in the brain to dilate the arteries and increase blood flow.

People with high blood pressure and high blood lipids must take blood pressure and blood lipid-lowering drugs regularly to prevent another stroke.

Lian Liming, director of the Neurology Intensive Care Unit at Shin Kong Hospital, pointed out that stroke patients who take antithrombotic drugs after discharge from hospital have a 3% lower risk of another stroke within three months. If patients with atrial fibrillation take anticoagulants after a stroke, the risk of death from another stroke within three months can also be reduced by half.