Stroke is said to be one of the leading causes of death all over the world.
This medical condition is the brain’s equivalent of a heart attack and it happens when the blood flowing to a part of the brain encounters some issues such as a blood clot or ruptured blood vessel cutting the blood supply to a person’s brain.
Thankfully there are some foods that can reduce your risk of getting a stroke. Here are three of them;
1) Potatoes
Potatoes are high in potassium, and eating them helps maintain healthy blood pressure which is the leading risk factor of stroke.
Eating foods high in potassium helps the body maintain fluid balance and also regulate blood pressure. Some studies have also emphasised that a potassium-rich diet can help in reducing the risk of ischemic strokes which accounts for about 80% of all strokes.
2) Tomatoes
Tomatoes are another food that has been shown to reduce the risk of getting ischemic stroke. This is because the consumption of tomatoes gives your body lycopene and antioxidants, both of which play key roles in preventing stroke.
3) Garlic
Garlic seems to be the one plant that has so many medicinal advantages and preventing stroke is one of them. Garlic contains ajoene – a molecule that helps prevent blood platelets from accumulating in one place and forming a blood clot, which usually results in a stroke.
In addition to this, garlic can also help to reduce high levels of bad cholesterol in the body which is another risk factor for stroke. Eating garlic raw is the best means to prevent stroke. If you can’t deal with the smell, you can swallow tiny bits like a pill, which could also help.
There are also other foods such as fruits, vegetables, oats and lean meat that can also help in reducing the risk of stroke. While eating these foods, there is also a need to reduce the intake of foods high in cholesterol, saturated fats, and trans fats.
To also prevent stroke, certain lifestyle modifications such as avoiding smoking and a healthy weight also play a key role.
