Published on May 01, 2023

Stroke Awareness Month

physician holding a paper cut out of a brain

By Dani Rodriguez, Director of Clinical Nutrition, and Marco Pech, Stroke Program Coordinator Comprehensive Stroke

Did you know that every 40 seconds someone suffers a stroke and every 3.5 minutes someone dies of a stroke? That equates to more than 795,000 strokes every year, making it the 5th leading cause of death in United States.1 With May being National Stroke Awareness Month, Torrance Memorial is aiming to raise awareness and provide the community with tips in stroke prevention.

A stroke can occur when blood vessels in the brain are blocked or damaged, preventing oxygen from reaching the brain. The brain is a very complex organ in the body that is responsible for numerous functions.2 Because of this, dealing with recovery after a stroke is specific to each individual. Some potential consequences from a stroke can include memory loss, speech/language problems, changes in behavior, vision problems, and paralysis.2

Risk Factors

Experiencing a stroke can have a dramatic impact on one’s day to day life. Fortunately, there are certain risk factors that can be controlled to decrease the chances of a stroke from occurring. There are two types of risk factors: controllable and uncontrollable. Controllable risk factors are ones that you have the power to change, such as what you eat and how often you exercise. Uncontrollable risk factors are variables that we cannot change, such as age or family history.

Below is a list of the most common controllable and uncontrollable risk factors that have been associated with strokes:

Controllable Risk Factors

  • High blood pressure
  • Smoking
  • Diabetes
  • Diet
  • Physical Inactivity
  • Obesity
  • High cholesterol
  • Heart Disease

Uncontrollable Risk Factors

  • Age
  • Family history
  • Gender
  • Race

Signs/Symptoms

Learning the signs/symptoms of a stroke can help save a life. All you have to do is remember “BE FAST” when thinking of stroke symptoms.

B.E. F.A.S.T Warning Signs

  • B= Balance (sudden loss or unsteadiness)
  • E= Eyes (loss of vision in one of both eyes)
  • F= Face Drooping
  • A = Arm Weakness
  • S = Speech Difficulty
  • T = Time to Call 911

Other stroke symptoms include numbness, confusion, vision impairment, severe headache, and difficulty walking.2 If you, or someone you know, is experiencing these symptoms, make sure to seek medical help right away.

7 Ways to Reduce Your Risk of Stroke

Did you know 80% of strokes could have been prevented with proper diet and exercise?2 Strokes can affect everyone differently, however there are common tips to help prevent a first or second stroke from happening.

1. Eat a Variety of Foods

Prioritize balance within your diet, aiming to include each food group on your plate when preparing a meal. MyPlate can be used as a helpful visual to guide your meals, making them packed with all the energy, protein, and micronutrients you need.

Food Groups within MyPlate:

  • Fruits: Eat a wide variety of fresh, canned, frozen, or dried fruits each day
  • Vegetables: Choose from a wide variety of colored veggies, from dark leafy greens to bright orange carrots
  • Grains: Prioritize whole grains most of the time when making grain selections
  • Protein: Remember to stick to lean, low-fat meat, seafood, and poultry options. Other plant-based protein sources are beans, lentils, legumes, nuts, and seeds
  • Dairy: Choose low-fat or fat-free dairy options, and remember to make sure they are fortified with calcium

For more information on the MyPlate food groups, visits www.myplate.gov

2. Focus on Colorful Fruits and Vegetables

Eat the rainbow! Different fruits and vegetables have different benefits based on their colors. The colors help to determine what phytonutrient the fruit / vegetable contains:

  • Beta Cryptothanxin (orange): carrots, sweet potatoes, winter squash, peaches, apricots, oranges, and bananas
  • Sulforaphane, Isocyanate, and Indoles (green): spinach, avocados, collard greens, green tea, kiwi fruit, kale, brussel sprouts, and broccoli
  • Anthocyanins (purple and blue): blueberries, blackberries, elderberries, purple cabbage, eggplant, figs, and prunes
  • Allicin (white and brown): onions, cauliflower, garlic, mushrooms, and leeks
  • Lycopene (red): cranberries, raspberries, tomatoes, strawberries, red peppers, red onions, cherries, apples, beets, watermelon, and red grapes

Aim to add as many colors on your plate as you can! Each color has a purpose in preventing chronic conditions related to an increased risk of having a stroke.

3. Choose 5 (or more) Servings of Fruit and Vegetables Each Day

Unfortunately, there isn’t 1 magical fruit or vegetable that can give you all the nutrients your body needs. Because of this, your body needs multiple servings of different fruits and vegetables in order for it to reap all of the health benefits. Try and get at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day.

One serving of a fruit is equal to:

  • 1 medium sized fruit
  • ½ cup fresh, frozen, or canned fruit
  • ¼ cup dried fruit
  • ¼ cup 100% fruit juice

One serving of a vegetable is equal to:

  • 1 cup raw leafy vegetables
  • ½ cup fresh, frozen, or canned vegetables
  • ½ cup vegetable juice

4. Whole Grains and Fiber

Increasing your fiber intake is a great way to help lower cholesterol, control blood pressure, and reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke. Both men and women should try and get at least 25-30 grams of fiber each day.

Getting enough fiber in your diet can be as easy as making simple swaps:

  • Enriched white breads → 100% whole grain bun, bagels, English muffins
  • Enriched white pasta → chickpea pasta, brown rice, whole-grain pasta
  • Fruit juice → whole piece of fruit
  • Crackers / Chips → multigrain or multi-seed crackers

5. Limit Sodium Intake

Reducing your sodium (or salt) intake can be hard! Sodium is hidden in so many packaged foods and restaurants meals, which is a reason why most Americans eat more salt than they actually need. One way to become familiar with your sodium intake is to learn what to look for when reading labels.

Understanding food labels when it comes to sodium levels:

  • Low sodium: contains 140 mg or less of sodium per serving
  • Very low sodium: contains 35 mg or less of sodium per serving
  • Reduced sodium: contains 25% less sodium than the original brand
  • “Light or lite” sodium: contains 50% less sodium than the original brand

Generally, it is recommended to consume 2000mg or less of sodium each day; however, amounts may vary based on the individual.

6. Exercise

Move your body! Getting enough exercise is an essential part of reducing your changes of developing a chronic condition, or even having a stroke. It is recommended to get at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise per week. This can be broken up between multiple days, for example, you could do 30 minutes a day for 5 days or 75 minutes a day for 3 days.

7. Set S.M.A.R.T Goals

Healthy habits can sometimes be viewed with an “all or nothing” mentally, which doesn’t have to be the case. Start small and focus on what you can add, rather than what you need to eliminate. For example, if you love having pizza for a Friday night dinner, try adding a side salad next time to boost your vegetable intake.

When setting diet and exercise goals, stick with the S.M.A.R.T Goal Method:

S = Specific

M = Measurable

A = Achievable

R= Realistic

T= Timely

Setting a few realistic goals is a great way to incorporate these steps into your daily routine.

To connect with a healthcare expert to learn more please visit: 

Torrance Memorial's Nutritional Services

Torrance Memorial's Stroke Care Team

Sources:

  1. Stroke facts. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/stroke/facts.htm. Published October 14, 2022.
  2. American Heart Association: About stroke. www.stroke.org. https://www.stroke.org/en/about-stroke. Published 2023.