When it comes to health concerns in older adults, stroke is undoubtedly one condition that surfaces in people’s minds. After all, while strokes can occur to anyone of any age, statistics have shown that 75% of all strokes occur in adults that are over the age of 65. In America, stroke is also known to be the third leading cause of death, killing approximately 140,000 people a year. While only 18% of strokes are fatal, they can potentially lead to temporary or permanent disabilities. Read on to find out some of the things older adults can do to reduce their risk of developing a stroke.
Stroke
A stroke occurs when a person’s brain is unable to receive a sufficient amount of fresh blood and can be caused by several issues. To better understand how to reduce the risk of developing a stroke, let us first understand the common underlying risk factors responsible, which include diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, untreated stress, as well as a lack of physical activity. If you know of an older adult that has the above conditions, it is imperative to take the steps below to reduce the risk of a stroke developing.
Consuming More Vegetables
When the human body is deficient in nutrients such as folic acid, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12, it produces homocysteine, an amino acid. When homocysteine levels increase and get too high, so does our risk of developing a stroke. As such, consuming foods that are rich in the above nutrients will help to reduce the risk of developing a stroke. This includes spinach, okra, collard greens, as well as other similarly leafy green vegetables.
Should older adults find it to be difficult or troublesome to constantly prepare such diets, then Sensations Dining may be able to help, a place where nutritious meals are prepared daily for older adults.
Exercising
Raising our heart rates through simple exercise for a few hours every week can greatly aid in reducing the chances of developing a stroke. This can be something as simple as taking a walk for 10-20 minutes in the park, something that isn’t too time-consuming. Apart from lowering the risk of a stroke, spending time with Mother Nature has also been linked to a variety of other health benefits.
Should that not be possible, you can also consider Dimensions Health and Fitness program and a state-of-the-art fitness center that focuses on improving the spiritual, mental, as well as physical health of older adults.
Cutting Down on Smoking
If you or your loved one has a habit of smoking, then the risk of developing a stroke is undeniably higher. Apart from a stroke, smoking has also been linked to being responsible for the increased likelihood of developing conditions such as heart disease and heart attacks. In fact, studies have shown that those that smoke at least 2 packs of cigarettes a day are nine times as likely to develop a stroke as compared to someone who doesn’t smoke.
While immediately quitting smoking may be difficult for long-term smokers, they may use different methods to break the addiction such as nicotine gums and patches.
