Page 27 - Healthy food

Health

sudden and blurred vision in
one or both eyes.
Caroline Watkins, professor
of stroke care at the University of
Central Lancashire, warns that
stroke symptoms can be
misdiagnosed and overlooked.
‘People will dismiss their
symptoms as a migraine or
dehydration. Sometime
observers may even thi
they are drunk,’ she say
EATING JUST
The risk ONE EGG A DAY
factors lowers stroke risk by
The risk factors for a 12%, according to a review
TIA are the same as by the EpidStat Institute in
those for a stroke. Michigan, published in the
Being overweight and American Journal of
smoking are high-risk Clinical Nutrition.
factors and undiagnose
high blood pressure is
major contributory facto
(around 40% of all strokes
in the UK are caused by high
blood pressure).
Other risk factors include high
cholesterol, diabetes, previous know the signs
stroke and atrial fibrillation of a stroke so
(a condition where the heart they can seek
beats irregularly). medical help
immediately. It’s
Get your blood hoped that these
pressure checked combined actions
As there are no obvious signs could cut the
of high blood pressure, it’s number of strokes
important to get it checked across Wales by 50%.
regularly. These days, you don’t
have to make an appointment at Tell your GP
your GP surgery, as many now HFG expert and GP Dawn
have easy-to-use DIY machines. Harper makes the point that
You take three readings and pass GPs needs to be made aware if a
the printout to the receptionist or patient thinks they’ve suffered a
nurse, who will log them. Ideally, TIA. Confirming that not enough
a healthy reading is 120/80. Be people come to see her if they’ve
aware that should your reading had these symptoms, she says,
get to 135/85, your chance of ‘Many people feel they don’t
having a stroke is doubled. need to bother their GP as their
Keen to raise awareness of this symptoms have resolved.
link, the Stroke Association began ‘The risk of having a full-blown
a campaign in 2015 throughout stroke in the three months after a
Wales to raise awareness of the TIA is between 2% and 17%, but
risk factors. Ana Palazon, director as a TIA is a major risk factor for
Cymru of the Stroke Association, a stroke, we need to know it has
urges people to get their blood happened so we can start
pressure tested annually, check treatment aimed at preventing a
their pulse for irregularities and subsequent full-blown stroke.’

FEBRUARY 2018 HEALTHY FOOD GUIDE 27