Midlife
women are twice as likely as men to have strokes, an alarming fact in and of
itself. But what's even more alarming is that if you crunch the numbers, it
just doesn't make any sense. Men smoke more, drink more, and see their doctors
less—probably to avoid confessing their sins. Cigarettes and alcohol up the
risk of stroke, yet each year, about 55,000 more women than men suffer from
them.
Part of
the reason these numbers are so out of whack is babies. Being pregnant ups your risk, as does
pregnancy-related complications, like preeclampsia and gestational diabetes. Prebaby birth control pills also increase your
chances—so do hormone replacement therapies to relieve menopause
symptoms later in life. Mood might factor in as well: new research suggests
depression could boost women's stroke risk; and women are 70% more likely than
men to get depressed.
If you
quit smoking, limit alcohol, eat more fruits and vegetables, and keep
your weight, blood pressure, and blood sugar in check, you lower your
likelihood of stroke. Here are eight lesser-known ways to protect yourself,
based on the latest research:
1. Walk 45 minutes a day. Make
the time. Even if you break it up into two 20-minute sessions, it's worth it:
Walking a total of 2 hours a week can cut your stroke risk by 30%, according to
a large study of nearly 40,000 women, conducted over a 12-year period. Walk
briskly (so you can talk but not sing) and your chances are reduced by almost
40%.
2. Know the difference between sad and depressed. The
latter makes you 29 percent more likely to suffer from stroke, says a new study
of more than 80,000 women. Why? Depressed women tend to smoke more, weigh more
and exercise less;
plus, they're more likely to have uncontrolled medical issues, like high blood
pressure and diabetes, which can also increase stroke risk.
Recognize depression
symptoms and you can get proper
treatment. Talk to your doctor if you: feel persistent sadness, anxiousness, or
"emptiness"; hopeless; guilty, worthless or helpless; irritable;
exhausted; if you lose interest in things you used to like; can't concentrate
or sleep; overeat or lose your appetite; think about suicide or have aches and
pains that don't go away even with treatment.
3. Set your alarm for 7 hours of sleep. More
than 10 hours a night may increase your
stroke risk by up to 63%, compared with the recommended 7-hour stretch, say
scientists at Harvard. And if you're especially loud in bed—while snoring, that
is—studies suggest you're twice as likely to develop metabolic syndrome, which
is a cluster of conditions that raises your risk of stroke, as well as heart
disease and diabetes.
4. Make olive oil your go-to ingredient...for
sautéing, baking, drizzling, and salads. You know it helps lower your risk of
heart attacks; new research now shows it extends its protective branch to
strokes as well. An observational study of more than 7,600 French adults age 65
and older found that those who regularly use olive oil cut their chance of
stroke by just over 40%.
5. Mind the migraine. Headaches
particularly the ones that come with flashes of light and blind spots appear
linked to a higher stroke risk in women; and most migraine-sufferers
are women, due to hormonal fluctuations and hormone medications. Though there's
no clear proof that indicates treating a migraine means no stroke, experts
agree it's reasonable to try and reduce their frequency. Talk with your
doctor—she may prescribe preventive meds or suggest stress management
techniques.
6. Pay attention to palpitations...especially
if the heart flutters occur with shortness of breath, lightheadedness, and
chest pain—those are all signs of atrial fibrillation (AF), an abnormal
heartbeat that boosts risk of stroke about five-fold. More than 2 million
Americans live with AF; taking anticlotting medication can help reduce your
stroke risk.
7. Eat sweet potatoes. And raisins and
bananas and tomato paste. Not all on the same plate but individually, each is
loaded with potassium—and a diet rich
in foods with this nutrient may reduce stroke risk by 20%, suggests a recent
report. More good sources: fruits and veggies, fish and poultry.
8. Lengthen that short fuse. No matter how many
times you told him to pick up his dirty socks and asked the kids to shut the
front door on their way out, take a deep breath before you blow a gasket: A
study published in the journal Hypertension suggests that
angry and aggressive people may be at a higher risk of stroke. Researchers
found those who scored high for antagonistic traits on a standard personality
test had greater thickening of the neck arteries (a risk factor for stroke)
compared with people who were more agreeable.
9. Think FAST. Most women don't: surveys
show less than 30% can name more than two symptoms of a stroke. Use the handy
mnemonic FAST to recognize the symptoms:
·
F (face): uneven smile, facial droopiness, numbness, vision
disturbance
·
A (arm & leg): weakness, numbness, difficulty walking
·
S (speech): slurred, inappropriate words, mute
·
T (time): Realize that time is critical. If you notice any of
the above symptoms, immediately call 911—studies show that you get faster care
if you arrive at the hospital in an ambulance than if someone drives you. With
strokes, time lost is brain lost—simple as that.
