Healthy living

A healthy balanced diet includes lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, grains, and a moderate amount of lean meat or low fat protein. It also includes low fat dairy foods, soy or legume products.

Each day try to eat fruit, vegetables and legumes of different colours. Fruit and vegetables contain antioxidant vitamins and potassium, both good for the arteries. Fibre, such as in cereals, whole grain bread, beans, peas, nuts and seeds, helps reduce cholesterol. Dairy products, such as low fat milk, yoghurt and cheese, contain both protein (to help growth and repair of our bodies) and calcium (to help keep bones strong).

Regular exercise will help to maintain a healthy blood pressure. Aim for 30 minutes of moderate exercise (enough to make you slightly warm and a little out of breath) on most days of the week.

Exercise can be walking, swimming, cycling, dancing - but it can also be activities like gardening, doing housework, or using the stairs instead of the lift.

Any regular physical activity is good – and it can lower your stroke risk by 25%!

Maintaining a healthy body weight protects you against risk factors for stroke, like developing high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes. A good balance between healthy eating and regular exercise can help you maintain a healthy weight.

If you find it hard to maintain your weight, ask your doctor or nutritionist for advice.

Every year, excess alcohol consumption is linked to 1 million strokes globally. Drinking too much alcohol can increase your stroke risk because it increases your risk of developing other conditions that are linked to stroke, like high blood pressure and atrial fibrillation.

Limiting the amount of alcohol you drink is an important way to reduce stroke risk.