Since June is National Men’s Health Awareness Month, this article will focus on things men can do to reduce their chances of having a stroke, which is a sudden interruption in blood flowing to the brain. Many strokes are caused by a blockage of arteries leading to the brain. Strokes are very serious as they are the second leading cause of death in the world and fifth in the United States, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. Here are eight stroke prevention tips:

1. Lose weight. Obesity is linked to diabetes and high blood pressure, both of which increase your risk of stroke. To determine if you are at a healthy weight, health professionals will typically calculate your body mass index (BMI). The ideal BMI is 25 or less.
2. Lower blood pressure. High blood pressure, which gradually damages the arteries that feed the brain, is the No. 1 contributor to the risk of stroke in both men and women. A home blood pressure machine can help you stay on top of your blood pressure.
3. Lower cholesterol. High cholesterol clogs arteries with plaque which can lead to stroke. Exercise and diet are effective ways of lowering LDL (bad cholesterol) and increasing HDL (good cholesterol).
4. Exercise. Try to exercise 5 days a week if you can, as little as 30 minutes a day can make a significant difference in lowering your blood pressure and cholesterol. The Surgeon General recommends 2 and a half hours a week of moderate to intense aerobic physical activity.
5. Drink in moderation. If you’re going to drink alcohol, do it in moderation. Alcohol can raise blood pressure.
6. Don’t smoke. Smoking cigarettes increases your risk of stroke. Stopping smoking will ease the stress on the blood vessels in your brain, your heart, and elsewhere.
7. Take your medicine. If your provider prescribed you medication to help control your diabetes, cholesterol, or blood pressure, make sure you take it. Don’t skip doses. According to a study of patients with heart disease, the patients who took 75% or less of their prescribed medications had a risk of stroke that was four times greater than patients who took their medications as directed.
8. Treat atrial fibrillation. An irregular, often rapid heartbeat that leads to blood clots in the heart, which can travel to the brain and cause a stroke. Atrial fibrillation can increase your risk of stroke by nearly five times, so if you are experiencing symptoms, see a provider immediately. 

We hope you found those stroke prevention tips helpful. Strokes can be fatal, so you should do anything you can to help prevent them. Another thing that can do to decrease your risk of stroke is taking a Vitamin D supplement. Conditions linked to a Vitamin D deficiency include cardiovascular disease and insulin resistance, both of which are associated with strokes. A study of Vitamin D deficiency in India found that low Vitamin D levels are associated with worse outcomes in ischemic strokes, which occur when arteries to the brain become blocked or narrowed, severely reducing blood flow (ischemia).

How Natural Bio Health Can Help

Most people do not get enough Vitamin D. Statistics from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) found that over 90% of the population with pigmented skin, and 75% of the white population, have a Vitamin D insufficiency. Fortunately, there’s Natural Bio Health’s NBHDK7, a dietary supplement that provides a combination of Vitamin D and Vitamin K. Order a bottle of NBHDK7 today to improve your Vitamin D levels and help reduce your risk of stroke.