World Stroke Day: A stroke typically occurs when blood supply to a part of the brain is interrupted or reduced which may damage the brain tissues. There are many lifestyle factors that could increase your risk of stroke from unhealthy food habits, obesity, to lack of exercise or sedentary lifestyle.
It is possible to reduce the risk of a stroke by managing certain health conditions like blood pressure, cardiac diseases, diabetes, cholesterol, obesity, refraining from tobacco, staying away from alcohol and reducing stress. Regular exercise and balanced diet could also help.
“Stroke is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the world. Various lifestyle habits can increase the risk of stroke. Food habits are not far behind so let’s look at food stuff that we may eat routinely that increases our risk of stroke,” says Dr Praveen Gupta, Principal Director & Head, Department of Neurology, Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurugram.
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Here are five foods you should avoid to prevent risk of stroke:
1. Processed foods
If you begin and end your day with junk food and look for excuses to indulge in trans-fat laden food, you should be very careful as you are increasing your risk of getting a stroke. “Processed foods or junk foods, such as crackers, chips, store-bought goods and fried foods, typically contain a lot of trans fat, which generates bad cholesterol called LDL which deposits in the wall of arteries leading to blockage. It also leads to inflammation in the body. It is this increase in the inflammation of the body that is a foundation of many diseases like stroke and heart attacks,” says Dr Gupta.
2. Smoked and processed meats
There are certain preservatives in smoked and processed meats like sodium nitrite that can damage