- Strokes usually happen when a person's brain can't get the oxygen it needs. They can also be prompted by sudden bleeding in the brain.
- When the brain can't get oxygenated blood, brain cells die or suffer damage, and the parts of the body those brain cells control can go haywire.
- This can result in paralysis, numbness, weakness, dementia, difficulty communicating, or trouble seeing. Strokes can be fatal.
- There's a lot people can do to reduce their risk of having a stroke: Moving around, eating fresh foods, and breathing clean air are some of the best strategies.
When our brains can't get the oxygen they need, strokes can happen.
Strokes are a result of damage to brain cells. Most commonly, that's prompted by a lack of oxygenated blood flow - an event called an ischemic stroke. Bleeding in the brain can also cause a different kind of brain attack called a hemorrhagic stroke.
This sudden brain change can be fatal: Strokes are the fifth leading cause of death in the US. More than 142,000 Americans died from strokes in 2016. This means that on average, someone dies from a stroke every four minutes in the US.
A person having a stroke might show some outward signs, such as slurring their speech or having trouble speaking or seeing. A couple other tell-tale indicators can be if half of a person's face droops when they try to smile or they're unable to raise both of their arms and keep them at the same level.
But according to the National Stroke Association, 80% of strokes are preventable. That means there's a lot you can do to reduce your risk. What's more, the steps people can take to avoid strokes are some of the best ways to keep your body and brain healthy as you age overall.
Here are 11 straightforward things that