Are you worried that you’re at risk for a stroke? Do you want to take measures in order to ensure you can minimize long term damage or even save your life if you do experience one? A lot of people fear having a stroke more than they do a heart attack.
A stroke can leave you paralyzed on one side of your body and impact your ability to speak or experience life normally again as a result. Strokes tend to happen as a result of people either being at higher risk due to race or due to having high blood pressure.
Here are some clear warning signs you shouldn’t ignore:
Different muscular problems which would include having a hard time walking, instability, paralysis with weak muscles, issues with coordination, stiff muscles, reflexes that are overactive or paralysis of one side of the body.
Visual problems. These could include blurred vision, double vision, a sudden loss of vision or just temporary loss of sight in one eye.
Speech problems. having a hard time getting words out. Speech that’s slurred or even speech loss. Whole body issues such as fatigue, lightheadedness or vertigo.
You might also have a hard time with swallowing, experience serious headaches, have a hard time understanding, and experience mental confusion or experience rapid or what’s called involuntary eye movement.
Here are a few ways to minimize your overall risk:
You’ll want to take measures to reduce your blood pressure. If high blood pressure runs in the family, then you need to be even more proactive. This might mean taking blood pressure medications along with taking measures to reduce the amount of salt you consume. Drinking more water also helps as it tends to help your body eliminate salt better.
Try to get your weight down to a healthier level. Weight is one of the primary factors in increased risk for stroke. It causes complications with diseases such as Diabetes, but it also makes it tougher to exercise and have the proper blood flow. Even a small reduction in weight can reduce your risk of a stroke dramatically.
Make attempts to get more exercise. We know that exercise for a lot of people fills them with dread, but it’s something you have to take seriously. Try to find exercise that you can enjoy.