Facts

• The loss or alteration of bodily function due to a lack of oxygenated blood supply to one or several parts of the brain is called a stroke.

• Stroke is one of the leading causes of death and a leading cause of long-term major disability around the world.

• Stroke is also known as brain attack.

• Stroke is caused by a lack of blood supply to one or several parts of the brain. The brain needs a constant supply of energy and obtains it from oxygen and nutrients found in the blood. When blood flow from the heart to the brain is restricted or stopped, the brain cells will be permanently damaged and the tissue in the affected region dies.

• There are two main types of stroke: Ischaemic Stroke and Haemorrhagic Stroke.

• Ischaemic stroke is caused by an obstruction in the arteries particularly the carotid arteries in the neck, responsible for bringing blood from the heart to the brain.

• A Transient Ischaemic Attack (TIA) is a mini stroke that precedes a Ischaemic Stroke. TIA lasts for a few minutes. Most of the TIA symptoms will go away within an hour or may last for up to 24 hours.

• Haemorrhagic stroke occurs when one or more blood vessels with the brain rupture. The spilling of blood into the spaces around the brain cells compresses the other blood vessels and deprives them of oxygen. This type of stroke is more severe as it tends to affect larger areas of the brain.

• The right side of the brain has control over the left side of the body. Therefore when the right side of the brain has a shortage of blood supply, the left side of the body will display the symptoms of a stroke.

• Insulin resistance can progress to diabetes, strokes, and heart attacks.

• Sleep apnea, also known as obstructive sleep apnea syndrome or sleep apnea syndrome, is a condition where the snorer stops breathing for a couple of seconds (10-30 seconds) at a time, long enough to deplete oxygen in the blood and brain, then followed by loud snorts. This condition may contribute to heart disease, stroke and hypertension.

• Anyone who uses the telephone for a very long time, especially the elderly should often switch sides or use a hands-free telephone to avoid sustained provocative neck positions. A 63 year old man in Northern Ontario, with a history of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and ischaemic heart disease developed symptoms of slurred speech, unsteadiness, and left-side weakness immediately after a 56-minute phone conversation. Investigation showed calcification of the sellar area of the brain and small atherosclerotic plaques at the neck arteries. The man had kept his neck bent to the right side throughout the conversation, which caused compression of the already calcified right vertebral artery and resulted in a stroke. Telephone stroke can be related to other similar conditions caused by chiropratic manipulation of the neck, protracted dental work, intubation (the insertion of a tube), x-ray positioning, and beauty parlor stroke syndrome.
  Source: "Telephone stroke" MS. Parmarl. Canadian Medical Association Journal (Nov 2002 and Feb 2003) 1670:1104

• High levels of lead have been linked to heart disease and strokes.

• Researchers found that high levels of a blood protein cardio-CRP (C-reactive protein), also called highly sensitive CRP (hs-CRP), may be the most significant risk factor for developing a heart attack. Women with the highest levels of cardio-CRP were 4.4 times more likely to experience a fatal or non-fatal heart attack, stroke or needing bypass surgery or angioplasty. Women with the highest levels of cardio-CRP and unfavorable cholesterol levels were almost nine times more likely to suffer likewise.
  Source: "C-reactive protein adds to the predictive value of total and HDL cholesterol in determining risk of first myocardial infarction." Ridker PM, et al. New England Journal Medicine (2000) 342(12):836-43

• Well-known brands of cold remedies were recalled from store shelves after the FDA warned that they contain a substance called phenylpropanolamine linked to "very rare" cases of stroke.

Symptoms

• Sudden weakness, numbness or tingling in the face, arm or leg, especially on just one side of the body.

• Sudden loss of vision in one or both eyes.

• Sudden confusion, loss of speech, difficulty in understanding speech.

• Sudden loss of balance or co-ordination, walking difficulty. Dizziness.

• Sudden severe headache.

Nutrients

• Vitamin C reduces the risk and limit brain damage from strokes. In a study of 2100 Japanese men and women, researchers of the Tokyo Medical and Dental University noted that those with the highest blood levels of vitamin C at the beginning of the study had the lowest risk of stroke after the age of 40. Those who were over 64 with high levels of vitamin C were 41% less likely to have a stroke compared with those who had the lowest levels of vitamin C.
  Source: "Serum vitamin C concentration was inversely associated with subsequent 20-year incidence of stroke in a Japanese rural community: the Shibata study" Yokoyama T, et al. Stroke (2000) 31:2287-2294

• Folic acid, vitamin B6 and B12 prevent high levels of homocysteine which increases risk of heart disease and stroke.

• Epidemiological evidence suggests that regularly eating apples reduce the risk of stroke and chances of dying from a heart attack.

• Linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid, may reduce stroke chances according to Japanese researchers. Good sources of linoleic acid include flaxseed, noni, pumpkin, soybean, spirulina and wheat germ. Other sources are the omega-6 polyunsaturated fats like corn, safflower, sesame and sunflower oils should be used sparingly because polyunsaturated fats have been linked to an increase risk of cancer.
  Source: "Linoleic acid, other fatty acids, and the risk of stroke." H. Iso, et al. Stroke (2002) 33:2086-2093

• Natto, a fermented soy food common in Japan, contains a potent fibrinolytic enzyme called nattokinase. Nattokinase acts like plasmin, which is a specific enzyme used by the body for dissolving blood clots. It breaks down the fibrin (the protein formed during normal blood clotting) strands that hold a blood clot together. This ability to dissolve blood clots makes natto useful in preventing or treating strokes, heart attacks, angina, blocking of blood vessels in the eyes or lungs, hemorroids and other similar blood clotting problems.

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