Come on, Start Implementing a Healthy Lifestyle to Prevent Stroke

Stroke is one of the main causes of death and disability in almost all hospitals in Indonesia. However, stroke can still be prevented, namely by implementing a healthy lifestyle in everyday life.

Not only the elderly, stroke can also occur at a much younger age. Stroke can occur when blood flow to the brain is interrupted due to bleeding or blood clots.

Stroke in young adults is considered more dangerous because it does not always have specific symptoms. This makes the diagnosis often late and leads to permanent disability.

Healthy Lifestyle to Prevent Stroke

The risk of having a stroke can increase if you adopt an unhealthy lifestyle. Those of you who are overweight or obese, have high cholesterol levels, and high blood pressure are at high risk for stroke.

For this reason, so that the risk of having a stroke can be minimized, you need to live a healthy lifestyle every day. The application of a healthy lifestyle can be done by:

1. Improve diet

An unhealthy diet can increase blood pressure and cholesterol levels thereby increasing the risk of stroke. Therefore, from now on limit salt consumption, which is no more than 1 teaspoon a day.

In addition, apply a healthy diet with balanced nutrition, such as eating lean meat, increasing consumption of vegetables, fruit, whole grains and grains.

Instead, avoid or limit consumption of fast food, processed foods, oily foods, and alcoholic beverages. The reason is, consumption of these foods or drinks can increase blood pressure, gain weight, and increase the risk of stroke in the long term.

2. Exercise regularly

Being overweight and being inactive can increase the risk of stroke. In order to control your weight, you need to get used to regular exercise at least 30 minutes per day or the equivalent of 2.5 hours per week.

Regular exercise can not only help you maintain your weight, but it can also help control your blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

3. Quit smoking

Smoking can constrict arteries, increasing the risk of blood clots and strokes. Therefore, you should immediately stop smoking.

For those who do not smoke, try not to become passive smokers. Secondhand smoke inhaled by secondhand smoke can also increase the risk that he will experience narrowing of the blood vessels that triggers a stroke.

4. Manage stress

Excessive stress that is not managed properly in the long term can increase the risk of stroke. This is because stress can trigger the body to release hormones that can increase blood vessel tension, so blood pressure rises.

So that you don't get stressed easily, make it a habit to focus on one task at a time. Then, apply a healthy lifestyle and when you experience stress, try to tell the people closest to you about how you feel.

When you feel stressed, try to take a few deep breaths or leave the room to calm yourself down.

Apply the healthy lifestyle above and invite your family to participate in it, so that the risk of having a stroke is reduced. Changes in lifestyle that are lived together tend to be easier to do.

If you have risk factors for stroke, consult your doctor for proper treatment.