10 Best Ways to Reduce Stroke Risk (Backed by Science)

Picture 1: Eating green leafy veggies such as tarot leaves can help you to reduce your stroke risk

Globally, stroke kills millions each year. According to the World Health Organization, stroke kills more than 6.2 million people each year.

And in the United States, more than 795,000 Americans have a stroke every year , with about 14,000 of them dying from the disease, that’s according to the US CDC.

However, there are simple and easy things you can do to avoid stroke. Developing good eating habits, eating the right foods, and making adjustments to your lifestyle, can help you to reduce stroke risk to keep you far away from your doctor.

In this article, I want to share some tips you can use to reduce stroke risk, and steps you need to take to ensure that for time and eternity, you will never have a stroke.

So, what should you do?

Related: How To Reduce Stroke Risk

Figure 1: The majority of strokes that occur in the United States are Ischemic Strokes

1.    Consume Fish Every Day

A study published in the journal of the American Medical Association has revealed that eating wild trout, salmon, haddock and so on at least once in a week can help to reduce the risk that you can have a stroke by about 33%.

Another study carried out in the US, as well as Japan and China, and published in the journal Stroke, has revealed that people who eat fish often are 12% less likely to have a stroke than people who don’t consume fish very often.

Fish packs omega-3 fatty acids, selenium, and vitamin D, which can help to lower the levels of bad cholesterol in the arteries, as well as protect the walls of your arteries from getting damaged.  

                               Figure 2: Quiz Number One. What is one way in which  an Ischemic stroke can occur?

2.    Gnaw Apples, Pears, And Cucumbers

Research carried out by scientists at the Wageningen University has revealed that eating 25 grams (about ¼ of an apple) of white-fleshed fruits can reduce one’s risk of having a stroke, and other cardiovascular diseases, by 9%.

The white portion of these fruits contain flavonoids, which according to a study published by Katerina Vafeiadou  et. al. in the US National Library of Medicine, prevents the walls of the arteries of the brain from becoming inflammed so that blood can flow freely in the brain.

Figure 3: Quiz Number Two. Do you know one way in which a Hemorrhagic stroke occurs?

3.    If You’re Overweight, Or If You Smoke, Take An Aspirin

Have you had a stroke before? Do you have hypertension? Then you might want to consult your doctor about the possibility of taking an aspirin a day.

That’s because scientists at the University of Carolina have discovered that those who have an increased risk of having a stroke, who are overweight, or who smoke, can reduce their risk of having a stroke by taking these tablets every day.      

4.    Cut Down On Your Salt Intake

Several studies have revealed that reducing your salt intake can help to reduce your blood pressure, thereby decreasing one’s risk of having a stroke.

You can reduce your intake of salt by

• reading food labels and choosing to buy foods whose sodium content is very low;
• eating natural foods, which contain very little salt, as often as possible; and
• by adding herbs and spices to your food instead of table salt.

However, if you choose to add table salt to your diet, the Mayo Clinic recommends adding about ¾  of a teaspoon  to your diet.

5.    Reduce Your Intake Of Sugar-sweetened Beverages, and Processed Foods

 According to a study published in the journal Open Heart, cutting down on the  sodas, kitchen sugar, ketchup and so on, prevents your body from producing too much insulin and leptin. Furthermore, it helps to prevent  uric acid ( a by-product of sugar metabolism) levels in your body from rising. Consequently,  your arteries can relax better and that can help to reduce blood pressure.

Related:  Superfoods That Help Prevent Stroke

6.    Work To Lose Weight

If you are overweight, you might consider swimming, playing basketball with friends or with your spouse, or walking briskly for one hour every morning before you head off to work to help you stay healthy.

That’s because according to research, as a person sheds extra weight , his blood pressure decreases, decreasing the risk that he can have a stroke.

Another good way you can lose weight is to limit the amount of calories you consume every day. The Harvard Medical School suggests that eating no more than 2000 calories in a day can help you to lose weight.

7.    Check Your Blood Sugar Regularly

Several studies have shown that diabetes patients are more likely to have a stroke than men and women without the disease.

High levels of sugar in the blood damage the walls of the arteries that supply blood to the brain. And that increases the probability that the blood may clot and be transported through the blood to the brain to cause an ischemic stroke.    

8.    If You Smoke, Stop Smoking

According to Dr. Natalia Rost, an associate professor of neurology in an article published by the Harvard Health Publishing of the Harvard Medical School, smoking makes the blood become and increases the buildup of plaque in the arteries, and that can increase the risk that the blood will clot, a major risk factor for ischemic stroke.

So make friends with people who have successfully quit smoking for them to influence you positively, consult a therapist, see a deliverance pastor and let him pray for you, or pray to God ,who is able to do all things, yourself to help you quit the habit.

9.    Consume ½ Cup Of Green Leafy Vegetables A Day

A study done in China, and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, has revealed that this B vitamin lowers stroke risk in people with high blood pressure.

Green leafy vegetables are packed with folate, which helps to break down an amino acid in the body known as homocysteine that scientists believe damages the inner walls of arteries.

10.                      Drink Non-Alcoholic Red Wine

A study published by the American Heart Association, and published in the journal Circulation Research, has revealed that men who drink the “non-alcoholic brother” of the famous alcoholic red-wine can lower their blood pressure.

The sparkling drink increases the levels of nitric oxide in the blood of those who drink it. Nitric oxide helps the arteries of the brain to relax and that can enhance the flow of blood in the brain.

Furthermore, this type of wine is rich in polyphenols, which are antioxidants that several studies have shown help to reduce blood pressure.  

Related: How to Prevent Stroke

In Wrapping Up…

Remember that if you want to reduce your stroke risk, consume fish and green leafy veggies every day, eat at least a ¼ of an apple for dessert daily, cut down on the amount of salt and sugar you consume, and shed the extra pounds if you are overweight.

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