Strokes: Prevention Through Nutrition

Health

In resent years, the number of stroke-related deaths in the United States has been on the rise, despite the powerful effects of modern medical drugs used to to treat the disease. In fact, the majority of the deaths due to strokes, could have been prevented or significantly reduced through nutrition, a simple prevention strategy that has been underestimated by many physicians and patients alike. The cloud of uncertainty was due to the lack of compelling scientific evidence to support the significants of antioxidants and a healthy diet to prevent further damage of brain and nerve cells after a stroke. 

In the distance past, physicians knew in the event of a stroke, the brain was deprived of precious oxygen and brain cells begin to break down, creating an oxidative environment (unstable chemicals or free radicals). This environment makes the brain and nervous systems more vulnerable to damage after a stroke. Two questions that remained unanswered: How do you protect the brain and nerve cells from an oxidative environment? Better yet–how do you prevent strokes by nutrition?

To date, many medical doctors are armed with powerful new research data to widen their scope toward preventing and treating stroke, especially through nutritional means. For example, current research has shown that prevention and treatment of strokes can effectively be accomplished if a person consumes fresh vegetables, fruits, lean meats and fish that are high in vitamin B6, folate, vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin C, vitamin E, beta carotene, omega-3, and potassium. If a person has high amounts of these nutrients in the blood stream at the time of a stroke, brain and nerve damage, as well as death, can be significantly reduced.

Here is another interesting fact. If a stoke patient is admitted to a hospital, it is critical that doctors administer vitamin A and betacarotene no later than 24 hours after a stoke. The reason being, patient will greatly benefit from the antioxidant  properties of these specific nutrients. It is important to remember—a person who had a stroke or at risk of one, can highly benefit from a combination of a healthy diet and antioxidants. This combo may just save your life!

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