Quit smoking. Compared with nonsmokers, smokers on average have double the risk of ischemic stroke. And a study in an August issue of the journal Stroke found a dose-response in female subjects, meaning that the more cigarettes a woman smoked per day, the higher her odds of suffering a stroke. Two packs per day boosted risk of stroke to nine times that of nonsmokers. The same study found that when subjects quit smoking, their risk of stroke returned to normal within two years.
Eat your veggies. As if you need yet another reason to eat your vegetables, the American Heart Association recommends people at elevated risk of cardiovascular disease, which includes stroke, should make sure they get several servings a day. One reason is to increase intake of folic acid and vitamins B6 and B12, which have been associated with lower blood levels of homocysteine. Epidemiological studies suggest that high levels of this amino acid are associated with elevated rates of heart disease and stroke. Folic acid and vitamins B6 and B12 can also be found in fortified grains and cereals.
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