“When diet is wrong, medicine is of no use. When diet is correct, medicine is of no need.”

Ayurvedic Proverb

After a stroke, a lot of things change about you and this includes your diet. What you choose to eat has profound effects on your overall health. Your healthy food intake does not only help you heal faster, it helps you prevent another stroke from happening. Yes! You read that right. If you do not control what goes into you after a stroke, another one can follow. Hence, the importance of leading a healthy life after stroke.

Tips to eating healthy after a stroke

An unhealthy diet can lead to an increase in your blood pressure and cholesterol levels, which in turn exposes you to another stroke. We have outlined some tips to make you eat right while living after a stroke.

Eat Fruit and Vegetables

A low-fat, high-fibre diet is usually recommended, including plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables. For instance, apples are known to be rich in soluble fiber, which can lower cholesterol levels. Eating low-cholesterol foods such as this can prevent plaque buildup, increase circulation, and thereby, speed up the recovery rate.

Ensure a Balance in your Diet

Do not at too much of any single food. Consuming more calories than your body can burn can make you store excess fat and subsequently become overweight. Being overweight is something you want to avoid because it is one of the risk factors for stroke. Create a balance in your diet.

Cut Down Processed Foods, Sugar and Salt Intake

Processed foods contain high quantities of sugar, salt, and fat that can increase the risk of stroke, even in healthy individuals. It is recommended that suagry meals or drinks are replaced with fruits, vegetables, and water. Even while avoiding processed foods, you should limit the amount of salt in your cooked meals to no more than 6g (0.2oz) about 1 teaspoonful per day.

Eat Right and Get Active

The importance of staying active cannot be overemphasized. If you followed our posts last month, we detailed why stroke survivors and everyone else should stay active. See post here.

Combining a healthy diet with regular exercise is the best way to maintain a healthy weight.

Again…

In all you do, be moderate. Too many good things can also be bad for you. If you need more guidance as to what you should eat after surviving a stroke, reach out to us. SSSRCN can link you up with a certified Neurology Dietician.

Thank you for reading to the end. At SSSRCN, we have more posts on eating right after stroke for you this November. Until then, stay safe and EAT RIGHT!

Author: SSSRCN MEDIA TEAM