“A stroke can have a major impact on your life. Not only are strokes a leading cause of death in Australia, but strokes can also cause a range of disabilities, including loss of mobility, impaired speech, and cognitive problems,” said Diabetes Australia CEO Professor Greg Johnson.
While stroke is a serious condition related to diabetes, some simple lifestyle changes can be made to reduce the risk. The most important place to start is by staying on top of your diabetes management and making sure your glucose levels stay in a healthy range.
Blood Pressure Management
Monitoring blood pressure is also a critical part of managing stroke risk in diabetes patients. Be sure to keep it within a healthy range. No matter your age, your blood pressure should be less than 120/80 mmHg.
Blood pressure can be heavily affected by diet, so watch what you eat. Make healthy food choices and limit those that are high in saturated fats and salt. Try to avoid processed foods that are high in sugar and eat as many whole foods as possible.
Along with a healthy diet, it is important to get plenty of physical activity. Engaging in moderate-intensity exercise for 20 minutes a day can go a long way towards lowering blood pressure.
Eating a healthy diet and practicing daily physical activity can help keep your weight in a healthy range. If you are overweight, losing even a few pounds can help to reduce blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels.
The best place to start is by speaking with your doctor. They can offer advice and guide you through the best method of weight loss and managing blood pressure for you.
They can also help with quitting smoking, which is an important factor when reducing the risk of stroke. There are also new treatments available that they can provide to help reduce your risk of stroke and other cardiovascular conditions.