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Tips for Reducing Your Stroke Risk

A stroke can strike at any age — it isn’t just a problem for senior citizens. Women between the ages of forty-five and fifty-four are at especially high risk of a stroke.

What can you do to protect yourself? Here are some tips from the American Stroke Association.

  • Manage blood pressure. High blood pressure encourages plaque build-up… plaque can form clots that cause stroke. Get your blood pressure levels checked at least every other year.
  • Manage cholesterol. High cholesterol also encourages plaque build-up… plaque can form clots. Get your cholesterol levels checked at least every five years.
  • Quit smoking! Lighting up can double your risk of stroke. The Families.com Health Blog has lots of great tips to help you give up smoking in the Quitting Smoking section!
  • Exercise regularly. This can help you manage blood pressure and other factors that contribute to your stroke risk. The Families.com Fitness Blog has lots of information about exercising — from getting started to staying motivated and beyond.
  • Make sure you eat your fruits and veggies. Studies have shown that every serving of fruits and vegetables can reduce your stroke risk. The Families.com Food Blog is full of delicious recipes that can help you increase the amount of fruits and veggies in your diet.
  • Talk to your doctor about the pros and cons of taking hormones. Whether you’re looking at birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy, you and your doc should talk about the effect on your stroke risk. If you have other risk factors (like a blood clotting disorder or a smoking habit), you should point those out to your doctor.
  • Think about low-dose aspirin. A study from the Center for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention at Brigham found that taking a low-dose aspirin every other day can help reduce stroke risk by 17%.
  • Eat your seafood. Even occasional fish in your diet can reduce your stroke risk by twelve percent, according to a Harvard University study. Try to eat fish once a week or try a fish-oil supplement daily.