So the word for today is "FAST" . . . Why???
Because with a "stroke" . . . we must be "quick" to respond.
We must look for the signs of . . .
F - face drooping
A - arm weakness
S - speech difficulty
T - time to call 911 because this could save a life!
So what do we "need" to know???
Well . . . a stroke occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is interrupted or reduced, which prevents the brain tissue from getting enough oxygen and/or nutrients.
Did you know that without ample oxygen . . . brain cells begin to die in just a "few minutes"???
So what can cause a "stroke???
Well . . . one of the biggest offenders is . . . High blood pressure in people with diabetes.
You see . . . a "stroke" occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or ruptures. And when this happens . . . part of the brain can't get the oxygen it needs . . . therefore brain cells start to die.
Okay , . , so what are the signs we need to look for???
Well . . . that would be . . . a weakness or numbness on one side of the body, confusion and/or trouble with speech, dizziness, sudden headache and/or head pain and difficulty seeing with blurred or obstructed vision.
Now . . . how does the body get to this point you ask???
Well . . . unfortunately . . . this Western diet we love so much!
You see . . . a diet high in saturated fats, trans fats and cholesterol all have a hand in a stroke and related conditions such as heart disease.
Another factor would be consuming too much salt in the diet because this can raise blood pressure levels also.
Okay . . . so how do we help to fix this problem???
Well . . . for one . . . clean up our Western diet. Lifestyle changes are a must when trying to decrease the risk of a stroke and these risk factors include . . . high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, smoking, drinking alcohol, consuming high amounts of salty foods and high fat foods and lack of exercise.
And one of the biggest elements we as Americans deal with is . . .
"NOT DRINKING ENOUGH WATER"
You see . . . water helps to thin the blood, which in turn . . . makes it less likely to form clots. But for water to accomplish this mission . . . we "must" sip our water throughout the day.
That means . . . chugging your water all at once doesn't work. It's the constant fluid intake that hydrates the body. And to hydrate the body fast . . . you would want to take a sip of water and swish it in your mouth before swallowing. Getting the water into the saliva glands is the fastest way to hydrate the body and maintain the process of keeping our blood healthy and thin.
And many studies have proven that hydrating the body at the time of a stroke is linked to better stroke recovery.
You see . . . viscous blood (thick, sticky, solid) causes the body to retain sodium and increase blood pressure. And drinking water on a regular basics can help to prevent dehydration and viscous blood.
And the Stroke Recovery Foundation states that stroke professionals claim that 80% of strokes are preventable with lifestyle changes.
Okay . . . so what else can we do to help prevent a stroke???
Well . . . tomorrow we'll continue and explore the possibilities
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