Regular exercise can reduce the risk of a heart
attack, but studies show that it might also play an
important part in helping prevent stroke.
Stroke, also known as a "brain attack," is America's
leading cause of adult disability. It occurs when a
blood clot blocks a blood vessel or artery, or when a
blood vessel breaks, interrupting blood flow to an
area of the brain. Lifestyle factors that contribute
to stroke risk include being overweight, smoking,
excessive alcohol consumption and a diet high in fat
and sodium.
The five most common stroke symptoms are:
• Sudden numbness or weakness of face, arm or leg,
especially on one side of the body.
• Sudden confusion or trouble speaking or
understanding.
• Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes.
• Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance
or coordination.
• Sudden severe headache with no known cause.
Studies have shown that people who burned 2,000
calories each week with exercise, or the equivalent of
a one-hour brisk walk five days per week, had a 46
percent lower risk of stroke than those who did little
or no exercise.
Individuals who expended 1,000 calories a week, the
equivalent of walking briskly for 30 minutes a day
five days a week, had an approximate 24 percent
reduction in risk.
