DID YOU KNOW?

• ·         Strokes are the 5^th leading cause of death for women.  1 out of 5 women between the age of 55 and 75 will have a stroke. Surprisingly, many women do not understand their risk of having a stroke.
• ·         Over 80% of strokes can be prevented by controlling your blood pressure, managing your cholesterol, diabetes and not smoking. That means 4 out 5 strokes can be prevented.
• ·         Know your risk for stroke and get back on track with some small steps to protect your health:
• o   Schedule your medical appointments.  Testing your cholesterol levels at least once every three years. Check for high blood pressure on a regular basis. If you have certain heart conditions, seek adequate medical treatment.
• o   Get active and keep a healthy weight. Being obese increases your risk for stroke. Schedule time for at least 2.5 hours of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity each week.  Determine what your healthy weight range is by calculating your body mass index (BMI). If you know your weight and height, you can calculate your BMI here: CDC’s Assessing Your Weight website
• o   Eat healthy – Eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. Eat foods low in saturated fats, trans fat, and cholesterol and high in fiber.  Limit your sodium intake.

National High Blood Pressure Education Month:  Control Your Blood Pressure

Running a business can cause you to have stress, not eat healthily, and even get inadequate sleep which can contribute to high blood pressure. High blood pressure usually has no symptoms, so be sure to have it checked on a regular basis. Talk to your health care team about how often you should check your levels. You can check your blood pressure at home, at a doctor’s office, or at a pharmacy.

If you have high blood pressure, your doctor might prescribe medicine, suggest some changes in your lifestyle, or recommend that you choose foods with lower sodium (salt).