As you grow older and engage in risky behaviors throughout your lifetime, your risk of serious health episodes and diseases increases. Heart attacks, various forms of cancer, and strokes are all major health risks that are posed to humans as they age. Strokes occur in different severity levels and types. All strokes have the potential to be extremely damaging to the body and mind, and they often result in death for the victim as well.
Smoking
A great amount of research has been done by reputable universities, hospitals, and other institutions when it comes to stroke risk. One factor that has been proven to directly increase your stroke risk is smoking. If you are unable to quit cold turkey, as it is often dangerous to do so when you are addicted to nicotine, it is important to find resources that will help you to quit in a safe and healthy manner. Consult with your doctor for the best methods to quit smoking and decrease the levels of nicotine in your body over time. Resources such as nicotine patches can be used to taper off your nicotine consumption without continued use of cigarettes and their damage to your lungs. If you have trouble with quitting the smoking part itself, many find it useful to chew gum or eat pretzel sticks to replace that habitual motion.
Unhealthy Diet
An unhealthy diet often consists of fried foods, foods that are high in added sugar, foods that are high in cholesterol, trans fats, processed foods, and foods that are high in sodium. When trying to avoid diseases and health episodes, it is a much better idea to consume healthy, whole foods. A balanced and healthy diet will only feature unhealthy foods sparingly and will primarily consist of whole foods like fruits, vegetables, proteins, beans, legumes, nuts, and whole grains. Eating foods full of plant fibers help clean out your veins and arteries of cholesterol that can build up over time and lead to strokes. By eating like this you will be able to minimize your stroke risk and also enhance your overall wellness.
Inactivity
Being active does not mean you need to do difficult workouts every day. If you are trying to lower your stroke risk or maintain overall health, try to do at least 3 hours of mild cardiovascular exercise per week. Doing so improves the strength of your heart so that it doesn’t have to work as hard to maintain a healthy blood flow. This also improves the health and strength of your lungs, allowing for more oxygen in your bloodstream to maintain a healthy heart and brain. Having an out-of-shape heart and lungs can severely increase your risk of stroke, especially when exerting yourself.
If you are trying to avoid your risk of major health scares like heart attacks or strokes, it is very important to pay attention to your lifestyle factors. It is beneficial to make positive choices such as drinking enough water, eating whole foods, and staying active. You can also consult with a locum tenens stroke doctor in your area to help you set up a health plan should you have a severe risk or a history of a stroke.
