Make Small Changes! – World Stroke Day 2021

“Take a stand. Make small changes to improve your brain function and prevent stroke.”

No discrimination – no bias – A stroke can happen to anyone anytime!

As rightly stated by the World Stroke Organization, every minute matters, and minutes can save lives when it comes to stroke.

Many factors can lead to a stroke, of which few are in a way out of your hands, like genetics, race, age, and gender. However, there are some well under our control, including a healthy lifestyle.

FAST Campaign

Face-Check if one side of the face is drooping or numb.

Arm-Check if any one arm is numb.

Speech-Check if speech is slurred and there is difficulty in speaking.

Time-Time to call the emergency helpline number (112 for India).

FAST campaign plans to go as the literal meaning of the word. Previous apt usage of such campaigns has shown to be helpful and working in a way to reduce the overall stroke treatment time.

Apart from the basics and initial symptoms of face, arm, and speech; other typical symptoms of a stroke are:

• Confusion, specifically while speaking or listening
• Numbness on one side of the body
• Dizziness, loss of balance, and trouble while walking
• Unclear vision
• Extreme headache

Stroke Prevention 

It’s not that we think about a stroke every day and live in a fear of having one someday – and neither should we. However, as mentioned earlier, living a healthy lifestyle is something we can do – simple yet brilliantly effective in turning down the risk of several health issues, stroke being one of them.

• Monitor your weight: You might look cute as a panda 🐼 but it doesn’t help in the normal functioning of your body organs.
• Monitor your blood pressure (BP): Maintaining a stable BP (~120/80 mm Hg) ensures a stable body. Neither too low is good nor too high as an elevated blood pressure always carries the risk of severe conditions like a stroke.
• Monitor your cholesterol levels: Though the ideal cholesterol level for you depends on your age, gender, underlying health conditions, and various other factors, a value less than 200 mg/dL is something that is recommended. Well, all these points are interdependent and ultimately ask for you to maintain a healthy lifestyle and consume a healthful diet.
• Monitor your blood sugar: Another very critical factor that is the root cause of many severe health problems is the uncontrolled blood sugar content. A diabetic patient is always susceptible to infections, fever, cancers, and stroke, among others.
• Monitor your physical activity: Being physically active, taking a walk every now and then (especially if you have a sedentary work-life), and having an exercising routine, combined is a step towards your fitness. Now, the type of exercising routine one follows can be person-specific. Some are gym freaks, while some go for a run. Some do yoga; some follow a rigorous/casual pattern for home exercises. Whatever it is, something should be there that keeps you active and MUST be as per your overall body type/health. I would never ask an asthma patient to do HIIT.
• Monitor your diet: A healthy lifestyle will always be unhealthy if not accompanied by a regulated diet.
• Monitor your habits: While I have no right to comment on anyone’s habit – but two things that are likely to finish you like slow poison are uncontrolled smoking and unprescribed medications. You know what to do!

Act FAST!

Avani Raj Arora