Stroke

A stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is reduced or interrupted, which in turn, deprives brain tissue of nutrients and oxygen. And in a matter of minutes, the brain cells die off. According to the World Health Organization, stroke causes the death of 6.2 million people in a year. Globally, stroke claims six lives every 60 seconds. Symptoms Of Stroke Check out these symptoms of stroke if you suspect you or someone may be having stroke:

A difficulty with speaking and understanding.
Paralysis of the arm, face or leg which happens on one side of the body.
Difficulty seeing with one eye or even both.
Vision suddenly becomes blurred or blackened.
Severe headache accompanied by dizziness, vomiting or obstructed consciousness.
A difficulty with walking.
A new test to check for stroke: Ask the person to ‘stick’ out their tongue. If it is crooked (turning towards one side or the other) that’s a sign they’re having a stroke.

Causes of stroke Strokes typically occur when the artery is blocked or when the blood vessel leaks or bursts. However, some patients only experience a temporary alteration of blood flow to the brain. This does not lead to permanent damage. Risk Factors For Stroke Several factors increase your chances of having a stroke. In fact, some strokes lead to a heart attack. Below are the potentially treatable risk factors of stroke:

Being overweight
Inactivity
Heavy drinking
Using illicit drugs like cocaine.
Diabetes
High blood pressure
Age- aged people have a higher risk of stroke than younger people.

Preventing Stroke

Control your high blood pressure: This is a very important step you can take to reduce your stroke risk.
Exercising, maintaining a healthy weight, and reducing the amount of alcohol and sodium you drink can go a long way into maintaining the high blood pressure.
Reducing your intake of fat and cholesterol, especially trans fats and saturated fats help reduce plaques in the arteries.
Quit Tobacco: Smoking increases the chances of stroke. Quit the use of tobacco and have your chances of stroke reduced.

Going beyond in the holistic approach Louise Hay, Motivational leader and empowerment coach who has done pathbreaking work in supporting HIV/AIDS patients and their families, has said that, “Illness however mild or severe is an indicator of your emotional state, caused by your thoughts and focus.” According to her, the main cause of stroke is: Giving up. Resistance. Rather die than change. Rejection of life. One of the ways of healing this is through saying or writing affirmations. Her affirmation for healing stroke is: I am free to speak up for myself. I am now secure in my own expression. I only communicate with love. Read less