How to avoid a stroke

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Gym’ll fix it
Another reason to pump iron: an eight-year study of 8000 men at Erasmus Medical Centre in the Netherlands found men with high testosterone levels are less likely to suffer strokes. Boost your levels with lunges, squats and dead-lifts for the greatest gains.

Berry your problems
Like puppies and Bond movies, cranberries shouldn’t just be for Christmas. According to University of Massachusetts scientists, the wonder fruit protects your grey matter with artery-cleansing flavanoids. For maximum protection, down 250ml of juice a day.

Get a round in
Sounds too good to be true, but Dutch researchers from TNO Nutrition and Food Research in Zeist found men who drank one pint every night substantially reduced their levels of fibrinogen, which contributes to blood clots. The willing subjects also saw their levels of HDL (’good’) cholesterol rise. Further research, as if we needed any more encouragement, is continuing to isolate the exact mechanism at work. 

Stay indoors
High pollution levels can cause arteries to harden and clots to form, dramatically increasing stroke risk, according to research from Dr Shin Yamazaki of Kyoto University in Japan. His team found mortality rates doubled when pollution levels were highest.

Floss
A foul mouth can really get you in trouble, according to research published in the Journal Of Periodontology. “Bacteria that causes gum disease can set up an immune reaction that attacks your arteries,” says study author Dr Michael Roizen. The tell-tale sign is multiple spots in your mouth. Avoid gum disease with daily flossing and plaque removal.

Get your oats
Soluble fibre – found in porridge oats – strips fatty deposits from your arteries, lowering cholesterol and stroke risk. ‘Pinhead’ or ‘steel-cut’ oats contain the whole grain for maximum benefits. “Add chopped apple to your porridge,” advises nutritionist Ian Marber. “It’s rich in pectin, which lowers fat levels in the blood.”

Turn shellfish
A US study at Johns Hopkins University found depressed men have higher levels of C-reactive protein, a key stroke-predictor. Get over your boys’ ignominious FA Cup exit with the mood-lifting amino acid selenium. You’ll find the highest concentrations in shellfish, advises Margaret Rayman from the Centre for Nutrition and Food Safety at Surrey University. Other foods rich in selenium include kidney, liver and avocados.

Breathe easy
It’s not just your weary bedmate’s life that’ll seriously improve if you stop your snoring. University of California research found that men who snore suffer from hardened carotid arteries lining the sides of the neck, blocking the flow of blood to the brain, potentially leading to a massive stroke. The most effective remedy? Sewing a tennis ball into the backs of their night-shirts, the UCLA scientists found. Looks real stylish too.

Stay hitched
You may think her nagging will drive you into an early grave, but hang in there. Divorced and widowed men are a quarter more likely to suffer strokes, say Swedish scientists from Malmo” University Hospital. Risk is highest within 12 months of a divorce, probably due to the resulting stress, depression and lifestyle changes. On the other hand, men who had never married showed no increase, and divorcees’ risk returns to bachelor levels after three years.

menshealth.co.uk

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Hemoglobin and Blood Pressure Levels, Male Gender Linked to “Silent” Strokes in Children with Sickle Cell Anemia   Moderate-to-Heavy Exercise May Reduce Risk of Stroke for Men   Taking AIM at post-stroke depression   Infections in childhood linked to high risk of ischemic stroke   Hyperthyroidism ups young adults’ stroke risk   New tool improves prediction of stroke risk   Eating Fish May Prevent Memory Loss and Stroke in Old Age   Treat all patients with rare lung disease to prevent stroke, say doctors   Virtual Reality, Computer Technology Improve Stroke Rehabilitation   Fishy diet comes with lower risk of stroke   Green, Black Tea Can Reduce Stroke Risk   Secondary Stroke Prevention Needs Improvement

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