|
5 Ways to Avoid the Third-Leading Cause of Death in the U.S.
By Jon Herring
Thousands of studies have shown that a healthy lifestyle can reduce the risk of heart disease. But relatively few have addressed the effect of a healthy lifestyle on your risk of having a stroke.
Stroke is the third-leading cause of death in the United States (behind cancer and heart disease). And while men are stricken more frequently than women, it is still a concern for all of us. Unfortunately, until recently, much of the research on prevention has been performed only in men. But new research has helped to isolate the risk factors for women.
Researchers from Harvard Medical School studied over 35,000 women to determine which healthy lifestyle attributes can be associated with a reduced risk of stroke. They determined that women should focus on the following:
- Never smoking
- Having no more than 10 drinks per week
- Exercising at least four times per week
- Maintaining a low but healthy body mass index
- Eating a healthy diet high in fiber, folate, and omega-3 fatty acids, and low in trans-fats and glycemic load
Sounds like common sense to me. And, I assure you, if you follow the suggestions above, you will not only reduce your risk of stroke but just about every degenerative disease known. |
