Consider red wine as your first choice, which some studies suggest might help prevent heart disease and stroke. Watch your portion sizes. A standard-sized drink is a 5-ounce glass of wine, 12-ounce beer, or 1.5-ounce glass of hard liquor.
1. Fruits and vegetables
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. Magnesium-rich foods, such as spinach, are also linked to a lower risk of stroke.
Vitamin D
Research studies show that vitamin D is one of the best vitamins for stroke recovery. By getting your daily dose of vitamin D, you can reduce your risk of another stroke while aiding your brain's recovery.
Ischemic stroke, the most common type of stroke, is treated with the 'clot-busting' drug known as tPA. The drug must be given to patients within three- to four-and-a-half hours after the onset of stroke symptoms, and preferably sooner.
For each 100 mg/day increase in magnesium, the risk for total stroke was reduced by 2% and the risk for ischemic stroke was reduced by 2%.
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.
(10) Get enough potassium
Potassium is abundant in fruit, vegetables, and milk products. Therefore, if you consume recommended amounts of these food groups, you should achieve an adequate intake of potassium. Good fruit choices include bananas, apricots, oranges, cantaloupe, and apples.
Your risk of stroke might be reduced if it is, according to a new Swedish study that found that older adults who ate more low-fat dairy foods — including skim milk and low-fat yogurt and cheese — had a lower risk of stroke.
This meta-analysis of 11 816 strokes provides strong evidence that the onset of stroke symptoms has a circadian variation, with a higher risk in the early morning hours (6 am to noon), and lower risk during the nighttime period (midnight to 6 am).
Sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body. Sudden confusion, trouble speaking, or difficulty understanding speech. Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes. Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance, or lack of coordination.
The warning signs of stroke include: Weakness or numbness of the face, arm or leg, usually on one side of the body. Trouble speaking or understanding. Problems with vision, such as dimness or loss of vision in one or both eyes.
Avocados. The addition of avocados in daily meals is another good way to help with stroke recovery. The fatty acids in avocados help reduce the risk of inflammation in the body, improve fine motor skills and mental wellbeing.
Ikehara et al51 remind us of a combined analysis of the US Nurses' Health Study and the Health Professions Follow-up study; participants who consumed peanuts ≥2× a week had a 10% reduction in risk for stroke. At least one other large cohort study also suggests a specific benefit of peanuts on stroke risk.
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.
If you've had a heart attack or stroke or you have known heart disease, your health care provider may recommend that you take a daily aspirin to prevent heart attacks or strokes unless you have a serious allergy or history of bleeding.
The inverse association of magnesium intake and stroke is consistent with a meta-analysis of 7 prospective studies. They reported an 8% reduced stroke risk per 100 mg/d dietary magnesium increment.