Current research shows that when women change their lifestyles for the better, it considerably lowers the risk of stroke that they face later on. These lifestyle changes can even be made later on in life, which is quite promising for older adults that know or suspect that they are at risk of heart disease. It’s even helpful for those that currently do have some sort of heart disease because it improves the likelihood that they will not suffer from a major cardiac event or stroke in the future.
According to researchers at the American Heart Association, these changes included quitting smoking, getting more exercise, keeping within a healthy range of weight, and eating a healthier diet. This information is helpful for women especially as they are more likely to suffer from a stroke than men are. The average age of a first stroke in women is 75 years old. Making these healthy lifestyle changes before a stroke occurs can go a long way toward reducing the odds that one will happen.
To arrive at this conclusion, lifestyle habits of a group of women were tracked for a period of about 26 years. The average age of women at the beginning of this study was 56, making participants an average of 82 years old at the conclusion of the study. Of those women that did not make a lifestyle change, 4.7 percent of them suffered from a stroke. Those that changed their diet reduced the risk of stroke by 23 percent. Making three non-dietary changes reduced the risk of stroke by 25 percent.
This is strong evidence that making small changes now can have big payouts later. At the very least, other health factors will be improved, giving each one of us a better future and a healthier life during our retirement years.
At this point, it’s assumed that we all know that these things are good for us. We all know that we should do them. But a lot of us don’t see the immediate risk of continuing in these habits–and we don’t see the long term benefits of complying with these things. However, just because we don’t see them does not mean that they are not there. This research helps to confirm that. Just because we don’t see the gains that we make immediately when we adopt healthier habits does not mean that we are not benefitting. Smarter lifestyle choices can help each one of us to live a longer, healthier life. And it’s never too late to start.
It’s exciting news, and it has a direct bearing on both the life of an elderly loved one, and everyone else reading this. Making healthy changes in how we live has a positive payout later on–no matter how old we are or what kinds of unhealthy things we have done to our heart and bodies. A stroke can severely impact the quality of life for a senior citizen, making intensive senior care necessary. The best time to help alleviate this issue is long before a health problem ever occurs.
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