'More bananas and fewer crisps can help ward off strokes', the Daily Mail reports, saying a study has found that people with high potassium intake have a 24% reduced risk of stroke. Researchers are also reported to say that lowering salt intake could increase benefits further.
Bananas. One of the most common risk factors in the development of a stroke is high blood pressure. The mineral potassium is thought to have a positive effect on hypertension. Potassium-rich foods should be incorporated into your loved one's diet after he or she experiences a stroke.
Potassium: Potassium controls blood pressure and may result in a better outcome after a stroke. Bananas, which can be easily eaten when pureed, are rich in potassium.
Limit foods high in saturated fat such as biscuits, cakes, pastries, pies, processed meats, commercial burgers, pizza, fried foods, potato chips, crisps and other savoury snacks. Limit foods which contain mostly saturated fats such as butter, cream, cooking margarine, coconut oil and palm oil.
Physical therapy uses exercises to help you relearn movement and coordination skills you may have lost because of the stroke. Occupational therapy focuses on improving daily activities, such as eating, drinking, dressing, bathing, reading, and writing.
Promote dairy products such as milk, cheese and yoghurt which are high in calcium and have protein. Avoid low-calorie, low-fat and low-sugar foods as these are “empty calories”.
Researchers found that people who ate an egg every day had an 18% lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease and a 28% lower risk of experiencing a deadly hemorrhagic stroke, compared with people who didn't eat eggs.
Foods high in fiber, potassium, or magnesium
Apples (and pears) also are rich in an antioxidant called quercetin, which can help prevent blood clots, relax arteries, and improve blood flow. They are also a source of potassium, which can further help to lower blood pressure, Bayat explains.
Fruit, whole-grain crackers and a piece of cheese. A homemade muffin from the freezer; cheese string and clementine. Hard cooked egg, whole grain mini bagel and an apple. Homemade cereal bar, plain yogurt cup and grapes.
The initial recovery following stroke is most likely due to decreased swelling of brain tissue, removal of toxins from the brain, and improvement in the circulation of blood in the brain. Cells damaged, but not beyond repair, will begin to heal and function more normally.
Your parent should avoid eating white rice and other refined carbohydrates while recovering from a stroke and instead choose healthy whole grains, such as brown rice, quinoa, and oats.
To recap, your best choices are hydrating beverages that contain minimal calories, sugar or salt. Reach for water, coffee or tea most often. And keep a water bottle handy – the visual cue reminds you to keep sipping.
Loss of appetite.
Or the stroke could have damaged the part of your brain that controls your senses, which can affect your sense of taste or smell. To work up a stronger appetite, try to: Choose foods with strong flavors. Look for options that are low in saturated fat and salt, like citrus fruits, herbs, and spices.
A study published in the journal Evidence Based Complement Alternative Medicine demonstrated how ginger (Zingiber officinale) mitigates brain damage and improves memory impairment in focal cerebral ischemic rat.
Yogurt gives you probiotics, which boost the gut-brain axis – which is how your brain and gut communicate. Boosting your gut health will in turn improve your brain health, the basis of preventing stroke.
A study of close to 70,000 people found that ingesting whole lemon or fresh lemon juice can reduce stroke risk by up to 19 percent. This is in part because flavanones also fight free radicals. Free radicals can cause oxidative stress and can contribute to a loss of blood flow to the brain.
Apples and pears may keep strokes away. That's the conclusion of a Dutch study published in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association in which researchers found that eating a lot of fruits and vegetables with white flesh may protect against stroke.
Because your loved one may feel weak and tired after a stroke, lean sources of protein such as chicken breast should be consumed. Low in fat, chicken breast also contains vitamin B-6, magnesium, and potassium, all of which may reduce the risk for another cerebrovascular event.
Lean Protein
Avoiding pork and red meat can help your loved one remain healthy while recovering from a stroke. Lean meats such as chicken, salmon, and low-mercury varieties of fish are high in omega-3 fatty acids and low in saturated fats, which limit cholesterol levels.
Foods high in potassium, such as sweet and white potatoes, bananas, tomatoes, prunes, melon and soybeans, can help you maintain a healthy blood pressure — the leading risk factor of stroke.
Studies examining the association between coffee and stroke have had mixed results. While most of the evidence seems to indicate that coffee can actually help reduce the risk of stroke, it can also increase stroke risk in people with certain conditions.
Alcohol can increase the impact of changes to speech, thinking, vision and balance caused by your stroke. If fatigue is an issue for you, alcohol may make it worse. Alcohol can interfere with some medicines.
Avocados
The soluble fiber found in avocados regulates the body's use of sugars and lowers the blood cholesterol levels of senior stroke survivors. Avocados contain fiber, monounsaturated fat, minerals, and vitamins that keep the heart healthy.