The doctor talked about effective ways to reduce the risk of stroke.
Blood pressure control, a Mediterranean diet, and regular physical activity remain the main tools for stroke prevention. This was reported on June 8 in the journal Medical Xpress.
According to neurologist Rebecca DiBiase Blumenreich, the most common risk factor is poorly controlled high blood pressure, which can trigger both ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke. The risk group also includes people with diabetes, high cholesterol and atrial fibrillation: the latter condition requires special drug prevention.
"Everything we do to prevent stroke simultaneously works to prevent cardiovascular diseases in general," Blumenreich explained.
As a basic diet, the neurologist recommends the DASH diet, a Mediterranean style of eating with a minimum of red meat and replacing butter with olive oil. She calls daily walks a huge contribution to vascular health. The doctor evaluates smartwatch technologies carefully: they help to track the pulse and heart rhythm, but they do not replace a conventional blood pressure monitor.
A separate problem, according to her, is the cognitive consequences of strokes — speech disorders, chronic fatigue, depression and anxiety. The neurologist acknowledged that specialists are not yet well enough able to measure this and have practically no tools to help, expressing the hope that in the coming years this particular area will become a priority for the industry.
On March 23, Medical Xpress magazine reported on the effects of the Mediterranean diet on heart and brain health. The study showed that the benefits of such a diet may be related to the mitochondrial micro—proteins humanin and SHMOOSE, which are involved in protecting the brain and heart.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
