3-Week Plan to Lower Stroke Risk
December 27th 2010 22:07
Your body's ability to stop a stroke before it starts could be greatly enhanced if you simply rode an exercise bicycle a few times each week.
When older, inactive women in a recent study hopped on their bikes for just 35 minutes three times a week, that's exactly what happened. Their bodies' ability to bust up stroke-provoking clots got significantly better after just 21 days on the pedal-now-and-then program.
Stroke Stopper
The risk of stroke creeps up as we get older because our body's ability to break up blood clots diminishes with age -- especially in postmenopausal women, who are particularly at risk of ischemic strokes. This kind of stroke happens when a blood clot blocks blood flow to a part of the brain. About 90 percent of all strokes are ischemic strokes. Makes it all the more comforting to know that sticking with a few simple habits as we age -- like engaging regularly in some form of aerobic exercise -- can help boost our clot-busting powers.
Back into Balance
For best results, you'll want to make sure you work up a small sweat when you ride, walk, or hike. The women in the study experienced blood-clot-clearing improvements when they worked out at about 70 percent of their maximum heart rate for each 25-minute session. So be sure to kick it up a notch or two above a leisurely pace -- assuming that your health and your doctor allow it.
Another good way to slash stroke risk is to control your sodium intake. Too much salt in the diet may lead to high blood pressure, a risk factor for stroke. And limit alcohol, too.
From: Real Age
| 31 |
| Vote |
Add To: 
subscribe to this blog
