I’m a stroke expert — the ‘essential 8’ ways to reduce your risk

An stroke this year — but you don’t have to be one of them.

With nearly 80% of strokes considered preventable, you’d think we’d all be on high alert. But as Siobhan Mclernon found during her time as a nurse in a neurocritical care unit, most people are still in the dark about key risk factors.

“Adopting these eight simple lifestyle changes can help to reduce stroke risk and optimize both heart and brain health,” Mclernon, now a senior lecturer in adult nursing at London South Bank University, wrote on TheConversation.com.

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A stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is disrupted or when a blood vessel bursts, causing damage to the brain.

In 2023, stroke was the fourth leading cause of death in the US, claiming 162,639 lives. It’s also a leading cause of disability worldwide.

While the risk of stroke increases with age, Mclernon said it can happen at any time — and incidents among adults 55 and younger are on the rise. Even more alarming, once you’ve had a stroke, your risk of having another spikes.

Read on to discover Mclernon’s “essential eight” tips for preventing the first one.

Put down the cigarette

People who smoke a pack of cigarettes are six times more likely to have a stroke. 

Smoking increases your stroke risk because the harmful chemicals in tobacco contribute tot he buildup of plaque in your arteries, increasing the risk of blood clots, reducing the amount of oxygen in your blood and making your heart pump harder. 

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If that’s not enough to get you to quit, know that the people around you breathing in the secondhand smoke are also at an elevated risk. In fact, secondhand smoke exposure causes more than 8,000 deaths from stroke annually, according to the CDC.

Get your levels in check

The American Stroke Association urges healthcare providers to screen for high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol and high blood sugar — each a major player in preventing that first stroke.

high blood sugar both weaken blood vessels over time, creating the perfect environment for clots to form and travel to the brain.

Meanwhile, high cholesterol leads to the buildup of fatty deposits in your arteries, narrowing and stiffening them, setting the stage for clots that block blood flow to the brain.

Individually, each of these risk factors increases your chances of a stroke. But together, the risk soars and so does the likelihood of poor outcomes, including death, disability and recurrent strokes.

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“If you’re over 18 years of age, get your blood pressure checked regularly so, if you do show signs of developing high blood pressure, you can nip it in the bud and make appropriate changes to your lifestyle to help reduce your risk of stroke,” Mclernon said. 

To reduce blood sugar levels, she recommends regular exercise, a balanced diet rich in fiber, staying hydrated, maintaining a healthy weight and managing stress.

“To lower cholesterol, aim to keep saturated fat — found in fatty meats, butter, cheese, and full-fat dairy — below 7% of your daily calories, stay active and maintain a healthy weight,” Mclernon said. 

Maintain a healthy weight

Being overweight or obese is a major stroke risk factor, increasing the likelihood of a stroke by 22% and 64%, respectively, according to Mclernon. 

But it’s not just about how much extra weight you carry — it’s where you carry it. Belly fat, in particular, can elevate your risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, and other health issues, all of which contribute to a higher stroke risk.

The good news? Losing just 5% to 10% of your starting weight can lower blood pressure and reduce other stroke risk factors, according to Harvard Health. 

Be mindful of what you eat

A balanced diet is one of the best ways to maintain a healthy weight and lower your stroke risk.

Mclernon recommends the studies showing that a pro-oil, fish, lean protein, and vegetable-focused lifestyle can significantly reduce stroke risk, especially in women.

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Certain foods can also help tackle other stroke risk factors.

For instance, foods rich in potassium — like sweet potatoes, bananas and tomatoes — are great for maintaining healthy blood pressure. And fish such as salmon, albacore tuna and trout can help keep your cholesterol in check.

Keep moving

Federal guidelines recommend that US adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each week, plus muscle-strengthening exercises at least two days a week.

Unfortunately, many of us aren’t hitting the mark. A CDC study found that only 24.2% of adults met both physical activity targets in 2020.

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Regular physical activity has been shown to reduce stroke risk by up to 30%, helping lower blood pressure, improve cholesterol levels and stabilize blood sugar.

Catch some ZZZs

Striking the right sleep balance is key.

“Too little sleep can lead to high blood pressure,” McClernon explained. “Too much sleep, however, is also associated with increased stroke risk.”

For example, one study found that people who sleep nine or more hours a night face a 23% higher stroke risk compared to those getting less than eight hours.

Researchers suggest this could be because oversleeping may signal underlying issues like depression or sleep apnea — both of which raise stroke risk.

McClernon recommends aiming for seven to nine hours of sleep each night for optimal health.