Stroke, an infarct in the brain, is the 5th-leading cause of death in the US [14]. An estimated 87% of strokes are ischemic in origin and result from occlusion of a cerebral artery by an embolus or thrombus [15].
Prevalence of Stroke
Every 40 seconds someone in the United States will have a stroke. That adds up to 800,000 people every year. And of those, 140,000 will die. With those numbers, it’s no surprise that strokes rank among the top five leading causes of death in the U.S.
Plant-based eating patterns may reduce the risk of stroke by reducing the risk of hypertension, the prevalence of atrial fibrillation, and the risk of obesity, obstructive sleep apnea, diabetes, atherosclerosis, and systemic inflammation. Further, plant-based eating may reduce trimethylamine-N-oxide, improve endothelial function, and increase endothelial progenitor cells.[32]
Modifiable Risk Factors
*Hypertension. A very important risk factor, specifically with hemorrhagic stroke, increased risk is associated with both systolic and diastolic hypertension. Ranges for optimal BP systolic <120 and diatstolic <80
*Smoking. Cigarette smoking increases risk for ischemic stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage, and subarachnoid hemorrhage.
*Overweight. Excess body weight is associated with increased ischemic stroke risk [18]. Normal weight: BMI is 18.5 to 24.9 [69].
*Diabetes. According to the American Diabetes Association, people with diabetes have a 1.5-times-greater risk of having a stroke. High blood glucose levels are associated with worse outcomes and higher rates of mortality especially after an ischemic stroke [19].
*Sedentary lifestyle. Higher levels of occupational or leisure-time physical activity protect against stroke[20]. A study of women undergoing coronary angiography found that those with higher activity levels were at significantly lower risk for cardiovascular events, including stroke[21].
*Poor nutrition. High-fat, high-sodium diets and a lack of key nutrients such as folic acid have been associated with increased risk for stroke.
*Drug abuse. Use of cocaine and amphetamines may result in ischemic or hemorrhagic strokes.
*Alcohol abuse.
Change What You Eat, Change Your Risk of Having a Stroke
Consuming unrefined plant-based foods and limiting processed food and red and processed meat should be indicated for primary and secondary prevention of stroke. When following a vegetarian or vegan eating pattern, a vitamin B12 supplement should be recommended.
Nutrition recommendations
*Replacement of saturated fat and cholesterol with monounsaturated fat from olive oil
[33][34][35][36][37][38][39]
*Diets rich in fruits, vegetables, and dietary fiber and low in refined carbohydrates [42][43] [44][45][46][47][48][49]
**Dietary fiber intake is inversely associated with stroke risk, although this effect is not attributable to the intake of whole grains [41][50][51]
*Consuming less sodium, less than 2 g daily, and more potassium [52][53]
*Maintenance of healthy body weight [54][55][56]
*Limiting alcohol consumption [57]
*Adequate Vitamin D status [58]
*Tea and coffee [59][60]
*Caution with vitamin E and calcium supplements [61][62]
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