HHS HealthBeat (November 28, 2011)

Staving off stroke

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Nicholas Garlow with HHS HealthBeat.

One way to reduce your risk of stroke is to maintain your brain. Strokes are often caused by a blockage in an artery that carries blood to the brain, so keeping your arteries healthy can reduce your risk of a stroke.

At the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Amy Valderrama shares some ways on how to do it:

``Eat a healthy diet that’s low in saturated fat and cholesterol, high in fiber, and low in salt or sodium. Maintain a healthy weight. Be physically active. Don’t smoke. And limit alcohol use.’’ (12 seconds)

If you or someone you know seems to be having a stroke, call 911 immediately. The sooner you get help, the greater the chances of recovery. And although strokes are more common among older people, they can happen at any age.

Learn more at hhs.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I’m Nicholas Garlow.

Last revised: November 28, 2011