From drinking a glass of water while sitting to enjoying a pack of chips while watching your favourite web series – our lifestyle habits literally define who we are and what we can become. But as adults, ever figured how little things could be impacting your risk of suffering from a brain stroke?
A brain attack, stroke can occur at any age and affects men and women alike. However, as per experts at the John Hopkins Medicine, contraceptive pills increase risk of a stroke thereby making women more prone to it than men. This is attributed to the estrogen hormone which is linked to a higher risk of stroke. However, this is not the only risk factor linked to an increase risk of brain stroke. Keep reading to learn more
- Smoking: Be it heart health, obesity or lung function – smoking in no way can benefit your health. And as it turns out, it could be a major contributor responsible for an increased risk of stroke. Experts at John Hopkins Medicine blame this habit for making you twice as likely to suffer ischemic stroke – a condition wherein a blood clot blocks a blood vessel in the brain. Chewing tobacco and even exposure to second hand smoke can up your risk of stroke.
- Not exercising regularly combined with alcohol intake: Exercising raises your heart rate, induces sweating, promotes weight loss and helps you stay fit and active. One simply can’t run out of reasons why working out is beneficial for health. However, if you are avoiding the idea of going for a run every morning or hitting the gym regularly, and then combine it with excessive alcohol intake, it can result in a stroke over time. More than two drinks a day can spike blood pressure and binge-drinking is associated to stroke risk.
What is binge drinking?
Binge drinking is when one ends up drinking too much alcohol in one go to get intoxicated. For women, six units of alcohol or more is classified as binge drinking; for men the same is quantified by eight drinks or more.
Drugs intake is also associated to stroke risk. Therefore, if you are getting assessed for brain stroke risk, be open to your doctor about drinking, smoking and drug habits to get the best diagnosis and treatment.
Combine no smoking habits with sensible or no drinking and regular workouts to minimize brain stroke risk. And to top it all, follow a diet that helps manage your blood pressure and cholesterol levels to prevent the slightest chance of suffering from a brain stroke in life.
