A stroke of luck: Five ways to beat a stroke

by William Atkins

Thursday, 14 August 2008

Page 2 of 3 The research team defined a healthy lifestyle, which was conducive to the lowered risk of stroke at the beginning of the study. It included the following five factors: 1.    Being a non-smoker (not currently smoking) 2.    Having a body mass index (BMI) of less than 25 kilograms per square meter (A BMI, a ratio of height and weight, of over 25 is considered either overweight or obese.) 3.    Performing 30 minutes or more of moderate to vigorous exercise each day 4.    Consuming modest amounts of alcohol (5 to 30 grams per day for men [about two drinks] and 5 to 15 grams per day for women [about one drink]) 5.    Scoring within the top 40% with respect to a healthy diet, which includes such "good" foods as vegetables, fruits, lean chicken and fish, nuts, legumes, and nuts, but avoiding "bad" foods containing LDL (low density lipoprotein), or “bad” fats. The participants reported on their lifestyle habits and medical state between 1986 and 2002. Throughout the study, 1,559 strokes occurred in women and 994 strokes occurred in men. During the study, conducted between 1986 and 2002, the participants reported on their lifestyle habits and medical conditions. The researchers found that the women had 1,559 strokes (853 ischemic and 278 hemorrhagic) and men had 994 (600 ischemic and 161 hemorrhagic). A stroke is defined generally as the loss of brain functions due to a disturbance in the blood vessels supplying blood to the brain. Specifically, an ischemic stroke is classified as a type of stroke that occurs when an artery in the brain becomes blocked, thus causing a loss of blood supply to the brain. An hemorrhagic stroke is defined as a stroke in which blood accumulates anywhere within the skull, which surrounds the brain. It can occur outside of the brain, but within the skull, and inside the brain. The specific percentages for reduced risk of having a stroke for both men and women, as found by the Massachusetts team, is found on page three. << First page <   1 2 3 Next page > Last page - Post your comment >>

 

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