<s>[INST] How to reduce your risk of a stroke? [/INST] a) Cut down on alcohol

Regularly drinking too much alcohol raises your risk of a stroke. In the UK, the government advises that to keep health risks low, it’s best to drink no more than 14 units a week, and to spread the units over the week. The limit is the same for men and women.

b) Stop smoking

Smoking doubles your risk of dying from a stroke. But the minute you quit, your risk of a stroke starts to drop right away. Stopping smoking could be one of the best things you ever do for your health, and there is lots of help available.

c) Reduce your waist size

Being overweight makes you over 20% more likely to have a stroke, and your risk goes up with your weight. Being obese puts your risk of a stroke up by 64%. Extra weight affects your body in many ways, such as raising the risk of high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes, which are both linked to stroke. If your waist is larger than 94cm (37 inches) in men, or 80cm (31.5 inches) in women you could be overweight.

BMI, or body mass index, shows whether you are the right weight for your height. Your BMI should be below 25, although people from African/Caribbean and South Asian ethnic groups should aim for a lower BMI of 23. This is because people in these groups are more likely to have conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure.

If you are advised to lose some weight or you want to make some healthy lifestyle changes, you don’t have to do it alone. There are some great resources online such as NHS One You and apps for stopping smoking. Your local pharmacist may be able to help. Your family and friends could give support by encouraging you, or joining in with your healthy eating and exercise plans.

d) Eat healthily

Reduce salt
Reduce sugar
Eat less fat
Boost your fibre
Balance your die
e) Be as active as you can

Being physically active can help to reduce your risk of a stroke. Moving around can also help your emotional wellbeing by releasing chemicals into your brain that make you feel better. If you are able to increase your levels of physical activity, it can make a difference to your health and wellbeing. For some people, staying active could mean walking around the room, and for others it means joining a fitness class or doing some gardening. Source: MALAYSIA STROKE COUNCIL . Link: https://www.strokecouncil.org/stroke-faq/. Field: Neurology. Disease: Stroke </s>