Diet and exercise
Eat right and exercise: With every meal you fix you can reduce your cholesterol, reduce your weight and help to reduce your blood pressure. If you are diabetic, healthy eating may reduce complications.
Stay trim and fit: Adding physical activity to your daily schedule will also help to hold down your blood pressure. If you are overweight, talk to your doctor about establishing a weight loss program. A typical goal is to lose a pound a week by exercising for 30 minutes three times a week.
Sleep apnea
Most of these preventive measures are common sense; however, one risk factor you would not expect is sleep apnea – the collapsing of the back of the throat during sleep – putting you at a higher risk of stroke.
If you snore heavily, you may have sleep apnea. If your spouse reports that you sometimes stop breathing for a minute or two when you sleep – then come up with a snort for the next breath – you should tell your physician and your care team.
Sleep apnea can be treated with an air pump and face mask that keeps the airway open.
In short, leading an active lifestyle, developing good habits and kicking the bad ones, and getting a good night of sleep are your best measures for preventing a stroke.