Stroke Prevention
Provided by the Mayoclinic.com

Knowing your risk factors and living healthfully are the best steps you can take to prevent a stroke. In general, a healthy lifestyle means that you:

Control high blood pressure (hypertension). One of the most important things you can do to reduce your stroke risk is to keep your blood pressure under control. Exercising, managing stress, maintaining a healthy weight, and limiting sodium and alcohol intake are all ways to keep hypertension in check. In addition, your doctor may prescribe medications to treat hypertension.

Lower your cholesterol and saturated fat intake. Eating less cholesterol and fat, especially saturated fat, may reduce the plaques in your arteries. If you can't control your cholesterol through dietary changes alone, your doctor may prescribe a cholesterol-lowering medication.

Don't smoke. Quitting smoking reduces your risk of stroke. Several years after quitting, a former smoker's risk of stroke is the same as that of a nonsmoker.

Control diabetes. You can manage diabetes with diet, exercise, weight control and medication. Strict control of your blood sugar may reduce damage to your brain if you do have a stroke.

Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight contributes to other risk factors for stroke. Weight loss of as little as 10 pounds may lower your blood pressure and improve your cholesterol levels.

Exercise regularly. Aerobic exercise reduces your risk of stroke in many ways. Exercise can lower your blood pressure, increase your level of good cholesterol (HDL), and improve the overall health of your blood vessels and heart. It also helps you lose weight, control diabetes and reduce stress. Gradually work up to 30 minutes of activity — such as walking, jogging, swimming or bicycling — on most, if not all, days of the week.

Manage stress. Stress can cause a temporary spike in your blood pressure. It can also increase your blood's tendency to clot, which may elevate your risk of ischemic stroke. Simplifying your life, exercising and using relaxation techniques are all approaches that you can learn to reduce stress.

Drink alcohol in moderation, if at all. Alcohol can be both a risk factor and a preventive measure for stroke. However, drinking small to moderate amounts of alcohol can increase your good cholesterol (HDL) and decrease your blood's clotting tendency.

Don't use illicit drugs. Many street drugs, such as cocaine and crack cocaine, are established risk factors for a TIA or a stroke.

Follow a healthy diet
Eat healthy foods. A brain-healthy diet should include:
Five or more daily servings of fruits and vegetables
Foods rich in soluble fiber
Foods rich in calcium
Soy products (tofu and soy milk)
Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids (cold-water fish, like salmon, mackerel and tuna)

You obviously can't change some risk factors for a stroke — family history, age, sex and race. But knowing you're at risk can motivate you to change your lifestyle to reduce other risks. First-time heart attacks and strokes are often fatal or disabling; therefore, prevention is critical. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends:

Early risk factor screening. The AHA recommends that all people, beginning at age 20, undergo risk factor screening that includes recording blood pressure, body mass index, waist circumference and pulse at least every two years, and cholesterol and glucose testing at least every five years.

Risk estimation. The AHA recommends that doctors estimate each person's percentage risk of developing cardiovascular disease within the next 10 years. The estimate would be based on the risk factor screening. The AHA recommends estimation of risk every five years for people age 40 or older, or for anyone with two or more risk factors.