Stroke is the interruption of blood to the brain. The most common type of stroke is ischaemic, caused by a blood clot blocking an artery or vessel. The brain cells in the immediate area are permanently damaged and those in the surrounding areas are affected by the reduced blood flow. Once brain cells are permanently damaged, their functions stop with them. The functions lost depend on which areas of the brain were affected by the stroke and how severely.

A person who suffers from a small stroke may recover with only minor disabilities, while a major stroke can permanently disable or even kill. Many survivors also have emotional changes with a tendency to laugh or cry for no apparent reason, and then to stop just as suddenly.

Living with the effects of stroke
In some cases, the effects of a small stroke can be overcome, and the person can live an almost completely normal life. In other cases, the disabilities are severe and permanent. However, support and understanding from family and friends, plus intensive rehabilitation from health care professionals, can always improve a stroke survivor’s quality of life. Some of the health care professionals who can assist include:

Speech therapists – to maintain or improve speech and communication and assess swallowing difficulties.
Occupational therapists – to teach coping strategies and new skills, and help adapt the family home to better cater for the needs of the stroke survivor.
Physical therapists – to maintain or improve the movement and functioning of the body.

Preventing stroke
There’s a lot we can do to reduce the risk of having a stroke. One third of people die within three months and many more are permanently disabled.

Here are some tips on how to lower the risk.
Eating to help prevent a stroke – Enjoying a diet that includes plenty of wholegrain bread, pasta, rice and other grains, a variety of vegetables and fruits – but eating less fat helps prevent stroke in two ways. Cutting down on fat – for example trimming fat from meat, fat and skin from poultry, using low-fat dairy products, using only a little butter, margarine and oil and avoiding too many fatty snack foods and take-away foods helps reduce cholesterol in your blood. Eating less fat also makes it easier to maintain a healthy weight. Overweight people are more likely to have high blood pressure, which increases the risk of stroke.

Avoiding too much salt help as well. Eating a lot of salt can increase blood pressure in some people. Good ways to eat less include substituting the salt you normally add to food (either at the table or when you cook) with other flavourings.
Regular exercise – Walking half an hour a day can help reduce blood pressure and maintain a healthy weight. Besides making you feel and look better, you are less likely to develop high blood pressure or heart and artery disease.
Quit smoking – Smoking is one of the main risk factors for both stroke and heart disease.
Alcohol – Binge drinking and excessive drinking will increase blood pressure.

Things to remember
A stroke has different effects, depending on which part of the brain is targeted during the attack.
Health care professionals who can help improve a stroke survivor’s quality of life include speech, occupational and physical therapists.

By: LifeStyleGuru

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Belinda Asonganyi CSci LifeCoach & Author stayathome-income-opportunity.blogspot.com/ www.lulu.com/healthcoach

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