Stroke is the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S. and one of the leading causes of long-term disability. Nearly 800,000 people suffer a stroke every year. Women, African Americans, and Hispanics are at higher risk for experiencing a stroke. One in three deaths in Hispanic women is the result of a stroke. However, experts say that almost 80% of strokes are preventable.

Preventative Tips

Begin by taking this Stroke IQ test developed by the American Heart Association. This test will help you separate the facts from the myths. There are also preventable risk factors that everyone should know.

Lifestyle choices and other diseases contribute to strokes. Knowing what those choices are and taking steps to manage them can help cut your risk.

• Alcohol plays a role in stroke prevention. Some studies have shown that one glass of wine each day can help reduce risk, but two or more increases your risk.
• Atherosclerosis is a leading cause of strokes. This disease is caused when fatty deposits build up in artery walls. High cholesterol, high blood pressure, and diabetes all contribute to it. Find ways to manage each.
• People with Atrial Fibrillation (Afib) are five times more likely to experience a stroke. This condition is caused when the upper two chambers of the heart beat in an unpredictable pattern. Many people don’t even realize they have Afib. Talk with your doctor for advice on how to determine if you have this condition that affects 2.5 million Americans.
• Inflammation caused by diseases such as Lupus and Rheumatoid Arthritis can increase the odds that you will experience a stroke. If you live with chronic diseases like these, talk with your physician to see how they can evaluate you for inflammation and help find ways to control your risk.
• Diet and exercise also play a role in managing your risk. Many conditions such as obesity, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol are caused by poor diet and lack of exercise. Reducing salt and sodium can help decrease risk.
• One of the lesser known health conditions that can lead to a stroke is sleep apnea. It occurs when people have pauses in their breathing while they are asleep. It causes oxygen levels to fall, which can lead to a stroke. The good news is sleep apnea is generally treatable and controlling it can decrease your risk.
• Finally, we come to smoking. It is one of the leading causes of stroke. Smokers have double the stroke risk of non-smokers. That is because smoking decreases the amount of oxygen in the blood, causing the heart to work harder and blood clots to form more easily.

To learn more about prevention, warning signs, and risk factors, visit the Resource Center at the National Stroke Association.

After a long, cold winter, warm weather has finally arrived in Central Ohio! If you are like most seniors and caregivers, too many snowy days led to a lack of exercise and too much indulging in comfort foods that aren’t very healthy. We thought the month of June would be a great time to help you build a healthier lifestyle.

Our Change Your Life this Summer series will focus on nutrition, exercise, important prevention screenings and the health benefits of having an active social life. We hope you will follow along and share this information with family and friends.

Nutritional Needs Change as You Age

You’ve been hearing it since childhood. Eat your veggies. Drink your milk. Healthy eating habits are even more important as you age. As you get older, what your body needs to stay fit changes.  While a decrease in physical activity often means you need fewer overall calories, you might need to increase your intake of some vitamins and minerals. For example, older adults are at increased risk for vitamin D deficiency. That generally means you should increase your vitamins B12 and D intake, as well as your calcium.

Determining what your personal nutritional needs are is a great discussion to have with your primary care physician during your next appointment. They might want to order blood work to see if you are vitamin D deficient, low in iron, or anything else.

Four Tips to Improve Your Diet this Summer

To help our senior friends and caregivers in the Columbus area improve your diet this summer, we’ve pulled together four easy tips to get started:

1.    Adopt the DASH diet or the Mediterranean diet. Both of these lifestyles rank high with nutritionists and physicians. They are rich in vitamins, nutrients, and minerals because they are plant-based. Each also encourages low consumption of red meat and higher intake of omega-3 rich fish such as tuna and salmon. Olive oil is the primary cooking base.

2.    Make your plate look like a rainbow. This is one of the easiest tips to evaluate how balanced your diet is. Your goal should be to eat between five and seven fruits and vegetables a day. You will want to incorporate fruits and vegetables ranging from dark green vegetables to bright orange fruits.

3.    Have a cup of Joe. Coffee has earned some bad press over the years. More recent studies have shown that the bad reputation isn’t really deserved. Some Alzheimer’s studies have actually shown that drinking one or two cups of coffee a day may prevent the brain inflammation commonly linked with Alzheimer’s. Before you race off to Starbucks though, consider other health conditions and medications you may be taking. Cardiologists often restrict heart patients’ caffeine intake.

4.    Lock up the salt shaker. For many older adults, this is one of the hardest habits to break. But the link between salt and sodium and hypertension has been proven time and again. Instead of using salt when you are cooking, try fresh or dried herbs and spices. Another tip is to keep the salt shaker in the cupboard and not on the table. That will keep you from automatically reaching for the shaker.

Two great resources for learning more about senior nutrition are MyPlate and MyFoodPyramid from Tufts University. Both were developed by researchers especially for older adults.

How are you planning on changing your diet this summer?