Posts Tagged ‘stroke symptoms’

Dr. Manohar on Stroke Prevention (part 2 of 2)

Tuesday, January 12th, 2010

Dr. Prerana Manohar of the Heart and Wellness Institute of Grand Rapids Explains the Risk Factors of Stroke and How to Prevent one from Happening.

 

Dr. Manohar with The Heart and Wellness Institute discusses stroke prevention on Family Health Matters.  There are risk factors that play a key role in stroke victims.  These risk factors include:

  • High blood pressure
  • Diabetes
  • Smoking
  • Abnormal cholesterol
  • Poor body composition
  • Physical inactivity
  • Stress

Working on improving these conditions can help prevent the occurrence of a stroke.  Anyone suffering from high blood pressure has an increased risk of stroke, up to 1 ½ to 3 times.  That risk can be reversed if properly treated.

 Some common symptoms to look for include:

  • Loss of  limb control (arms or legs)
  • Slurred speech
  • Loss of balance
  • Visual changes

Dr. Manohar emphasizes the importance of going to the hospital within one hour of any observed symptoms. If a person waits too long, then s/he may not qualify for certain therapies that can prevent long-term, permanent damage.  However, there are those who do suffer from damaging effects.  It is also crucial to note that not all damage can be reversed, but rehabilitation can help with the recovery process.

Diet plays a key role in stroke prevention.  Certain foods can help lower blood pressure and cholesterol; foods that are rich in antioxidants are also beneficial.  Foods that are rich in antioxidants can help reduce inflammation of the blood vessels, thus reducing the chance of stroke.  Here are some foods that can help:

  • Low calorie fruits and vegetables
  • Berries
  • Oranges
  • Papaya
  • Pomegranates
  • Asparagus and Broccoli
  • Garlic (a natural blood thinner/rich with antioxidants)

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Dr. Manohar on Stroke Prevention (part 1 of 2)

Tuesday, January 12th, 2010

The Heart and Wellness Institute’s Dr. Manohar Talks About Preventing a Stroke (1 of 2)

Today on Family Health Matters, the topic of discussion is strokes. The guest speaker is Dr. Prerana Manohar with The Heart and Wellness Institute.

According to Dr. Manohar, strokes and heart disease are connected and the risk factors for both are interrelated.  It is vital to be aware of the symptoms because timing can mean all the difference.  The symptoms of a stroke include:

  • inability to speak
  • loss of balance
  • falling down
  • and losing control of your legs

The most common symptom is numbness or tingling in one’s arms or legs.  These symptoms need to be addressed within hours (3 or less) as opposed to days.  Dr. Manohar quickly adds that as soon as a person notices any symptoms s/he should go directly to the emergency room.  The sooner treatment is administered, the less chance there is of immediate damage. Also, treatment received within the first hour of any observation of these symptoms reduces the chance of long-term damage.

Dr. Manohar explains what happens to the brain during a stroke.  The blood supply shuts down in a section of the brain due to a blood clot or a piece of cholesterol plaque that has broken off and clogged an artery of that part of the brain.  When this occurs, that area of the brain is not receiving enough blood flow and begins to die.

As far as which age group is at risk for suffering a stroke- there is no specific age group that is affected more than another.  Anyone can suffer from a stroke, whether they are in their twenties or in their sixties.  In fact, 4 in 100 people are susceptible to suffering a stroke.  High risk factors include:

  • Smoking
  • Diabetes
  • High blood pressure
  • Abnormal cholesterol
  • Obesity
  • Abnormal weight change
  • History of stroke or heart disease
  • Peripheral vascular disease

There are some risk factors that we clearly can control. These factors include, but are not limited to, losing weight and quitting smoking.  One high risk factor that needs to be mentioned is stress.  Stress is a crucial component we often feel that we can not control, but it does need to be controlled.  Dr. Manohar emphasizes the importance of not allowing stress to manage us and explains that the ideal situation would be for us to manage our stress.

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