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.