World Stroke Day is celebrated each year on October 29. Did you know that someone in the U.S. has a stroke every 40 seconds, which means almost 800,000 strokes occur each year? Here is what you need to know to prevent a stroke before it happens because it can be devastating.
Age is not always a factor
A friend had a stroke several years ago and it took her years to recover. She was only in her late 50s at the time. For a while, we weren’t sure she’d make it. She survived but it took much physical therapy to gain back her mobility and strength because she was partially paralyzed. What is puzzling is that she was in good health and seemingly fit before it happened.
Blood pressure monitoring matters
It’s imperative to monitor your blood pressure often because 75% of Americans who’ve had a stroke also experienced high blood pressure. Omron Healthcare is a global leader in at-home heart devices and blood pressure monitors. Every senior should have a blood pressure monitor in their home and test themselves regularly because the chance of stroke doubles every 10 years after age 55.
Omron Healthcare’s Mission
“Going for Zero” is Omron Healthcare’s mission to eliminate strokes and heart attacks. It is educating the public about the importance of blood pressure monitoring because it’s a key factor to prevent stroke. It also emphasizes living a healthy lifestyle.
4 ways to regulate your blood pressure and keep it at bay
- Stay physically active – Find an activity you can do several times a week like walking, swimming, or biking. Avoid sitting on your duff for too long and move throughout the day.
- Eat a low-fat and low-sodium diet – I always recommend eating “real food” as opposed to anything packaged or processed, with an emphasis on vegetables. “Real food” has no ingredient list because nothing else has been added to it. You can eat “healthy fats” in moderation like extra virgin olive oil, avocado, and Omega 3-rich fish because they’re healthy for your heart. Hibiscus tea is also excellent for reducing blood pressure.
- Stop smoking and go easy on drinking alcohol – If you don’t smoke, don’t start. If you do, the sooner you quit, the better. Moderate drinking can lower blood pressure but heavy drinking is hazardous to your health.
- Reduce stress – As we all know, stress causes your blood pressure to soar. Do what you can to reduce it. That may mean watching less of the TV news. Yoga, meditation, Tai Chi, massage, and a relaxing bath will all help.
How to monitor your blood pressure
Besides a standard at-home blood pressure monitor, you can also wear a wireless blood pressure monitor that syncs with an app on your smartphone. That way you can check your blood pressure throughout the day, especially if you’re in a stressful situation.
Get regular doctor checkups to prevent a stroke
If high blood pressure is a chronic issue, you need to be monitored by your physician who may prescribe blood pressure medicine to prevent stroke or heart attack. Blood pressure monitoring at home will assist your doctor in determining what treatment options are best for you.
I hope you will observe World Stroke Day by putting your own health as a priority. Please share this information with everyone you know.
Have you or someone you know experienced a stroke? Please leave a comment below.
This post was in collaboration with Omron Healthcare. I received an Evolv blood pressure monitor and received compensation for my review.
This is such good information, Rebecca. I am on BP meds and my entire family is…runs sorta in the family. So important to us.
Glad you appreciated it, Carol. So important for those of us over 50 to be aware of.
Definitely good info to have. My cousin recently had a stroke at only 58, with no warning. Luckily his wife is a nurse. He got help quickly which will make a huge difference in his long-term outlook
So sorry about your cousin, Donna but glad he survived. I hope he’s feeling better. Thanks so much for your comment.
Thanks for sharing. I’m also on BP meds and have been since my early 40’s. I got diagnosed with it after losing more than 50 pounds and quitting smoking. I couldn’t understand how that could happen. My Dr. pointed out that with my family history (my mother’s been on BP meds since her 20’s and my older sister was also on meds) that it was probably “a bullet I couldn’t dodge.” But I don’t have my own device to check my BP time to start doing something about that.
I’m glad you found value in the post, Jennifer and hope you consider getting a device to use at home. It’s well worth it. In the meantime, stay healthy and congrats on losing the extra weight and quitting smoking!