Six Warning Signs of Stroke – and the Three Questions
Strokes are a leading cause of severe, long-term disability, and addressing the associated risk factors can be beneficial. Consider the following suggestions from Dr. Andrew Weil:
1. Control your blood pressure either through lifestyle changes or medication.
2. Exercise. People who exercise consistently have a lower risk of suffering a stroke.
3. If you smoke, quit.
4. Limit alcohol intake. If you drink alcohol, do so only in moderation. Moderate alcohol intake is defined as no more than one drink per day for women and two drinks a day for men.
5. Manage diabetes and keep tight control of blood sugar levels.
6. Lower cholesterol into a healthy range.
7. Focus on your diet. Follow a diet designed for those with high blood pressure and heart disease – it may be helpful in preventing strokes.
8. Take calcium and magnesium. These minerals are helpful in controlling high blood pressure, one of the strongest risk factors for stroke.
Do you know the warning signs of a stroke? It is important to recognize them, since speedy treatment is necessary to help reduce the potential damage to brain tissue and improve the odds of a full recovery. Here are the typical stroke symptoms:
1. Sudden loss of vision in one or both eyes
2. Weakness or numbness on one side of the body, including the face
3. Difficulty speaking
4. Disorientation, confusion, or memory loss
5. Dizziness, loss of balance, or loss of coordination
6. Severe headache that comes on suddenly with no apparent cause
The American Stroke Association suggests that anyone can identify a stroke by checking for the signs of facial weakness, arm weakness, and speech problems. As a bystander, you can help to determine if someone is having a stroke by asking them to perform three simple actions:
1. Ask the person to smile.
2. Ask the person to raise both arms above his or her head.
3. Ask the person to speak a simple sentence.
If the person has any problems completing any of these steps, call 911 immediately and describe these symptoms.
Reprinted with permission from Dr. Andrew Weil’s newsletter
Wellness Committee
Clover Park Technical College
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