World Stroke Day 2024
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This October, we're getting active every day to be #GreaterThan stroke!
The Stroke Foundation of New Zealand are choosing to celebrate across the entire month to highlight the importance of being active to reduce stroke.
1 in 4 of us will have a stroke in our lifetime.
Stroke is a leading cause of death and devastating disability in New Zealand.
For stroke survivors, the effects can be devastating. Families shattered, lives changed forever, and yet, stroke remains a silent epidemic that desperately needs a louder voice.
Hope still remains, as 90% of strokes could be prevented. By addressing a handful of manageable risk factors (physical inactivity being one of the top stroke risks) and increased public awareness, we can be #GreaterThan stroke.
This World Stroke Day let's get active every day to drive awareness and reduce the risk of stroke.
Watch the video below from the World Stroke Organization:
Exercise:
- One million strokes a year are linked to physical inactivity.
- With just 30 minutes of exercise five times a week, you can reduce your risk of stroke by 25%
Exercise plays an important role in reducing several stroke risk factors, including blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol, depression and stress. If you are a stroke survivor, regular exercise can reduce your risk of having another stroke, your risk of developing dementia, improve your recovery, help with fatigue and improve your general well-being. Even if your mobility is affected by stroke, there is likely to be some kind of exercise that works for you. A physiotherapist or occupational therapist should be able to help you find exercise that works for you.
Reduce your risk of stroke:
Sit less, move more. Being active will help to maintain 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. You can break activity into chunks, for example 10-minute periods. Consider trying these forms of physical activity:
- Walking
- Gardening
- Dancing
- Swimming
- Cycling
- Doing housework
- Using stairs instead of the lift
October Newsletter - World Stroke Day edition