Preventing a stroke

There is a great deal you can do to reduce your risk of having a stroke. In particular, you should take a close look at your diet, exercise and lifestyle. Some risk factors are within your control. These are lifestyle factors such as:

• Smoking - smokers are twice at risk
• Inactivity - people who are physically inactive are at twice the risk than those who are moderately active
• Alcohol - binge drinking and regular heavy alcohol intake increase the risk of stroke
• Diet
• Losing weight - this can reduce substantially the chances of developing diabetes and high blood pressure, two major risk factors for stroke

Making healthy choices in your everyday life reduces your risk of a stroke. It needn't be difficult if you set yourself realistic goals. Once you've got into the swing of it, you'll probably find you feel much healthier for it.

Improving your diet

A diet rich in fruit and vegetables (which contain antioxidants to help protect the blood vessels against atherosclerosis), unsaturated fats (found in nuts, seeds and oily fish) and fibre can help lower the risk of a stroke. It has been estimated that consuming one to two servings more of fruit and vegetables a day, combined with a normal body mass index (BMI), can reduce the risk by up to 40 per cent.

Too much salt (sodium) and saturated fats (found in animal fats such as red meat, cheese and butter) increase your risk of a stroke.

Diet checklist

Take steps to improve your diet and reduce you risk of a stroke and generally feel healthier.

Do:

• Eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day
• Base your diet around starchy foods, such as potatoes, wholegrains (such as brown rice), couscous, pasta, yams and sweet potatoes
• Choose low-fat meat and poultry, such as chicken, turkey, rabbit and game
• Include oily fish, a good source of omega-3 fats, which help protect blood vessels
• Have skimmed milk and low-fat yoghurts and cheese, such as cottage cheese
• Save fatty, sugary foods for occasional treats

Don't:

• Consume too many fats, especially saturated fats and transfatty acids found in some margarines
• Fry - grilling, steaming, baking or microwaving are healthier
• Eat too many processed foods and snacks, which are usually high in salt (as well as sugar and saturated fat)
• Consume more than the recommended amount of alcohol - 21 units a week for men and 14 units a week for women

It has been estimated that consuming one to two servings more of fruit and vegetables a day can reduce the risk of stroke by up to 40 per cent.