Already ten years ago, 38% of strokes affected people under the age of 65. And the trend is growing, particularly because of diabetes and heart disease among young adults. The good news? Simple actions when waking up can significantly reduce this risk, according to Dr. Christie M. Ballantyne, a cardiologist at Baylor College of Medicine and the Texas Heart Institute.
Take your treatments and monitor your blood pressure
If you have treatment for high blood pressure or cholesterol, don’t forget it! The good idea? Store your treatment in a pillbox on your sink, next to your toothbrush.
“The optimal blood pressure, if you are at high risk, is less than 120”recalls Dr. Ballantyne. Keeping an eye on your treatment, but also on your self-measurements is therefore far from superficial.
Relax…or hug someone
A few minutes of meditation or inspirational reading can lower blood pressure. A simple hug, with a loved one or even an animal, also helps lower cortisol. And if you’re not tactile, a text or call to a friend can be enough to reduce stress.
Be careful of sweeteners in coffee
Morning coffee should not be banned, as long as you limit your caffeine consumption to less than 400 mg (around 4 cups of coffee). But avoid artificial sweeteners like sorbitol or xylitol, linked to an increased risk of blood clots and stroke. It is therefore better to avoid them
Get moving as soon as you wake up!
No need for an intense session: walk, take the stairs, park further away… The goal? Achieve at least 7,000 steps per day. Prolonged inactivity is indeed a proven risk factor. Getting active first thing in the morning allows you to get a head start on these steps!
Avoid cigarettes… and vaping
Smoking remains one of the worst behaviors for vascular health. And vaping is not a harmless alternative. “These substances pass directly into your bloodstream.alerts Dr. Ballantyne. Starting your day with a cigarette is therefore the worst habit for your cardiovascular health.
Opt for a balanced breakfast
Finally, Dr. Ballantyne recommends a simple mixture: cottage cheese, fresh fruit and flax seeds, rich in omega-3 and fiber. Of course, there are many other healthy breakfast options. Most important, the expert said, is to watch for breakfast foods high in added sugars, which could increase the risk of diabetes, another major risk factor for stroke.
Stroke: recognize the signs and react quickly
Do you know you are at risk? Be aware that a stroke can be ischemic (80% of cases, caused by a clot) or hemorrhagic (20%, following an artery rupture). In both cases, every minute counts.
Professor Sonia Alamowitch (French Neuro-Vascular Society) recalled this in a previous article: “Every minute of interruption of blood circulation causes the death of 2 million neurons.” And to add: “Existing treatments are only effective a few hours after the onset of symptoms, as long as the lesions are not too extensive.”
As a guide, a stroke is manifested by “the sudden onset of a loss of neurological functions”, may affect:
- The movement: “Paralysis that affects half of the body, or hemiplegia” ;
- Sensitivity: “You no longer feel a significant part of your body” ;
- The language: “An inability to express oneself or understand” ;
- The vision: “Sudden loss of vision on one side“.
In case of subarachnoid hemorrhage, a typical symptom should alert: “an extremely sudden, violent and unusual headache“, insists the neurologist.
Too many patients delay calling for help. Yet,
“the reaction in the first minutes, the first hours, is what allows us to treat patients as quickly as possible”alerts Professor Alamowitch. “You must immediately contact the SAMU by dialing 15”.
FAST: the acronym to remember
Dr. Gérald Kierzek, emergency physician, recalls the mnemonic tool FAST to detect a stroke:
- F For Face : paralysis of the face;
- HAS For arm : weakness of one arm;
- S For Speech : speech disorders;
- T For Time : time is running out.
Even if the symptoms disappear, don’t wait: every second can save a life.