Stroke can lead to impairment, loss of memory and death. However, the good news is that if you follow doctors’ instructions, you can prevent this deadly ailment.  

According to Delphine Mushimiyimana, a physiotherapist at University of Rwanda’s Polyclinic, Kiyovu, a stroke is a non-communicable disease which emerges when the blood supply to part of the brain is interrupted, insufficient or even reduced, cutting out the brain tissue of oxygen and nutrients. This injures brain cells which die with time. A stroke is a medical emergency. It is important to get the necessary treatment immediately to lessen brain damage and possible impediments.

She also notes there are three types of stroke and one of them is a haemorrhagic stroke, which is when blood from an artery begins bleeding into the brain. This happens when a debilitated blood vessel bursts and bleeds into the surrounding brain. Pressure from the leaked blood damages brain cells — here, the damaged area is unable to function properly.  

Sheila Wibabara, a physiotherapist at PHYSIQUE LTD, Remera, says the other two types of stroke include; ischaemic stroke – this stroke can be caused by a blood clot that forms in the heart and travels to the brain or by atherothrombosis.

She says, transient ischaemic attack (TIA) is another stroke type that is caused by a blood clot that temporarily interrupts blood flow in the brain, and is a major risk factor for future strokes that could cause more serious damage.

Mushimiyimana says, a stroke can occur when someone is stressed, overworked and not rested enough, or has high blood pressure. The high blood pressure can cause the blood vessel to burst. This needs an immediate emergency to handle it.

Wibabara says that the people who are prone to stroke are those who are; overweight, those who rarely or don’t do physical exercises, diabetics and people that have been majorly operated.

If you have a problem with the right side of the brain, Mushimiyimana notes that the paralysis will be presented by the left side of the body. Stroke affects people emotionally, economically and physically, she says.

RISK FACTORS

Mushimiyimana notes that high cholesterol, cardiovascular disease, for instance, heart failure, heart defects, heart infection, can lead to stroke.

Wibabara states that stroke risk factors are mainly family history of heart disease. This may include; defective heart valves, and irregular heartbeat. High blood pressure typically 140/90 or higher, tobacco users. Nicotine makes your blood pressure go up. Cigarette smoke causes a fatty build up in your main neck artery. It also thickens your blood and makes it more likely to clot.

She also adds that people with diabetes have high blood pressure and are more likely to be overweight. Both raise the chance of a stroke. Diabetes damages your blood vessels, which makes a stroke more likely. If you have a stroke when your blood sugar levels are high, the injury to your brain is greater.

COMPLICATIONS

Mushimiyimana explains that a stroke patient can become paralysed on one side of their body, or fail to control certain muscles, for example, those on one side of their face or on the arm.

“A stroke might affect control of the muscles in one’s mouth and throat, thus making it hard for you to talk clearly, swallow or eat. You also may have difficulty with language (aphasia), including speaking or understanding speech, reading, or writing,” she states.

She says that some people who experience stroke might have memory loss, trouble thinking, reasoning and understanding some notions, while others may have more struggle controlling their emotions, or may even develop depression or become mentally disturbed.

Mushimiyimana carries on that stroke can come with numbness, or other strange feelings, for example, someone suffering from a stroke might lose feeling in their left or right arm, may develop an uncomfortable burning sensation in that arm.

She further says that these patients might find it hard to control their urine and faeces, and most of them have to depend on people for everything. Some stroke patients even feel irritated, especially if they fail to say what they want and wonder why they are helpless.

TREATMENT

Mushimiyimana says exercise is very important for strengthening and stretching, these exercises are known as proprioception. This is also known as kinaesthesia, which is the sense of self-movement and body position.

She also notes that physiotherapy works effectively if it is done consecutively.

PREVENTION

Mushimiyimana adds, to prevent stroke, you must exercise at least 30 minutes every day, you can do aerobics, swim, walk, and run. However, it is important to know your health status to know the kind of exercise suitable for your weight.  

To avert stroke, Wibabara explains that people need to be sensitised about it, frequent check-ups with your doctor, especially when you are diabetic or have heart disease.

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Almost 25 per cent of the people tested during the Big Blood Pressure Check in South Canterbury last month were referred to a general practitioner due to a high blood pressure reading, the Stroke Foundation says.

The Foundation’s health promotion manager, Julia Rout, said a free blood pressure check testing site was set up on October 5, and as high blood pressure was one of the leading causes of stroke this information could have saved lives, she said.

“Timaru saw 253 people had their blood pressure tested at the Timaru Pak ‘n Save and of those, 63 were referred to a GP for a high reading.

“While this is a high figure, we can see that the work we are doing is having a positive impact. We have been able to help more people to better manage their health and equip them with the tools and knowledge to reduce their risk of stroke.”

Of the 12,000 people tested by Stroke Foundation volunteers nationally, one in six had to be referred to a GP due to a high blood pressure reading, she said.

Rout said a person with high blood pressure is up to seven times more likely to have a stroke than someone with normal or low blood pressure which was why check ups were vital.

“This is why the work that we do is so important in reducing the devastation stroke can cause, especially for those communities most at risk.

“High blood pressure doesn’t have any symptoms, so having an annual check is incredibly important, much like a car warrant of fitness. Our focus for the coming year will be around building our engagement with these communities, so we can better equip them with the tools to reduce their risk of stroke.”

High blood pressure was the number one modifiable risk factor for stroke, but could be managed and controlled with regular check ups, Rout said.

The Big Blood Pressure Check was launched 11 years ago and for the first time this year the campaign was extended to last the whole of October.

“The Stroke Foundation encourages everyone over the age of 45 to have an annual blood pressure check. Getting a check is a quick and simple step to help avoid a stroke.” 

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High blood pressure aka hypertension is one of the common ailments in the world and unfortunately, the number is only rising. If left untreated, one can suffer other health issues such as stroke, heart, eyes, brain and kidney-related disorders. So if you see any symptoms of high blood pressure, then get your BP levels checked by your GP or pharmacist. Aside from medications, one should also bring in simple lifestyle changes for better and safe BP levels. Reducing the amount of salt, eating veggies, fruits, exercising are some of the common recommendations. Some food items help to bring down BP levels safely as they have a key ingredient called potassium. This particular nutrient negates the effects of sodium.

For the unversed, our kidneys control BP by controlling the amount of fluid we have in our body. The more fluid, higher will be the BP. Kidneys filter our blood and suck out the extra fluid and in the same gets out from our body in the form of urine.  And if the sodium is more than the water retention will be more too and potassium helps to bring in the right balance.

Bananas, oranges, prunes, raisins, and dates, spinach, broccoli, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, tomatoes and low-fat dairy are some of the best sources of potassium. Today we are talking about coconut water, this particular fruit water has more potassium than bananas and the same has a positive effect on BP. For the unversed, 240 ml of coconut water has 600 mg of potassium. As per a study,71 percent of participants who drank coconut water showed improved in their systolic blood pressure.

As per another study, coconut water leads to an anti-thrombotic activity and the same prevents the formation of blood clots. Apart from coconut juice, tomato juice is also a great inexpensive way to treat high BP naturally.

Exercising is also important for hypertension patients

Aside from a healthy diet, being active and management of weight is of utmost importance as obesity is one of the causes of high blood pressure. Regular exercising keeps both heart and blood vessels in good condition and ultimately reduce weight as well.

Ideally, adults should at least indulge in any form of physical activity for 150 minutes per week. Brisk walking, jogging, running, swimming and cycling among others are some of the best moderate-intensity workouts one can do.

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High blood pressure or also known as hypertension, affects millions of people all across the globe. High blood pressure is the number one risk factor for heart stroke. Fortunately, once diagnosed, hypertension can be easily treatable. Simple lifestyle changes such as a healthy diet, limiting the intake of alcohol and cigarette smoking and regular physical exercise can help manage high blood pressure. A healthy diet to lower high blood pressure should include foods rich in potassium, calcium, magnesium and fiber. Also, foods high in sodium should be avoided as they can negatively impact your health. Apart from these nutrients increasing protein intake can also help patients to lower their blood pressure.

Delhi based nutritionist Monisha Ashokan says, “High blood pressure is the high amount of pressure with which the blood is pumped by the heart. This is a result of age or lifestyle. A higher amount of sugar level in the blood due to high amount of carbohydrates can cause rise in insulin. This can raise the blood pressure. Also a high level of cholesterol is associated with high blood pressure.”

The wonder nutrient proteins are the building block of the body. Proteins play an important role in the cells and fluids in our bodies. Foods rich in proteins are used by every part of the body for growth and development. Protein-rich diet helps in quick weight loss, better metabolism, bone health, strong immune system, muscle mass, tissue repair, hair and skin, better sleep and overall health. Therefore, it is important that you get adequate proteins through your diet.

Some heart-healthy proteins which should be included in your diet are fish, chicken, beans, poultry, nuts, and low-fat dairy as these may help prevent heart disease. The nutrients in these forms of protein can help lower cholesterol and blood pressure which is beneficial for the overall health of the body. By choosing these heart-healthy proteins over high-fat and processed meat options, you can reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke.

“A high protein diet helps to check the blood pressure as it gets digested slowly compared to carbohydrates causing less insulin and leptin production in the body.

Hence, the heart undergoes less pressure to pump blood resulting in lower blood pressure. Unlike the common belief, the bigger reason for blood pressure is intake of high sugar which is a bigger white monster than salt. So a high protein and moderate carbohydrate diet with sufficient amount of water intake keeps the sodium levels under control leading to stabilized blood pressure,” adds nutritionist Monisha Ashokan.

Delhi-based nutritionist Nmami Agarwal says, “The latest addition to high blood pressure diets is “High Protein Diet” as it helps in keeping insulin levels low by preventing sodium retention and angiotensin activation which may also condense the risk of cardiovascular diseases. High blood pressure is a condition majorly linked to cardiovascular disease and renal failure. Number of researches and studies reviews that dietary consumption of protein may benefit lowering the condition of high blood pressure concluding the comparison of carbohydrates with higher dietary protein.”

“Dairy proteins consist of certain compounds which plays a role of natural ACE inhibitors, one of the chief categories of blood pressure medications. Other than dairy protein, protein (found in eggs) contains sky-scraping levels of arginine, which open ups the blood vessels and lowers blood pressure levels,” Nmami adds.

Have a look at some proteins which can help lower high blood pressure:

1. Dairy products

Dairy products like milk, yogurt, cheese and other products are major sources of calcium, vitamin D and protein. You must include them in your diet. But make sure that you choose dairy products that are low in fat or fat-free.

1. Meat

Meat is again a a rich source of protein and other vitamins and minerals like B vitamins, iron and zinc. You must opt for lean varieties of meat. Eat heart-healthy fish, such as salmon, cod, herring and tuna. These types of fish are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which can help lower your cholesterol levels as well.

1. Healthy nuts and seeds

Some nuts and seeds which should be a part of your hypertension diet are almonds, sunflower seeds, and peanuts.

1. Lentils

Lentils and other foods in this family like kidney beans, chickpeas, pulses are good sources of magnesium, potassium and protein.

1. Soya products

Soybean-based products, such as tofu and tempeh, can be a good alternative to meat and can be consumed by vegans or vegetarians because they contain all the amino acids your body needs to make a complete protein, just like meat.

Nutritionist Nmami Agarwal further adds, “Nonetheless, high protein diet is also low in calories (sugar) which aids in losing weight- directly associated to help control blood pressure. Last but not the least, one must know that a diet with significant levels of protein must comprise of 20-25% calories derived from it.”

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