Eat fibre rich food to avoid brain stroke: Expert

Vijayawada: The change in life styles brought by the modern age along with morbid obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol and hyper tension are leading to brain stroke, said noted neurologist Dr Ch Murali, while addressing the health education programme at Vasavya Nursing Home here on Saturday with Dr G Samaram in chair.

Expressing concern over the growing incidence of brain stroke, he said that 1.5 crore people from all over world are affected by brain stroke every year. “Fifty lakh people are dying while 50 lakh more people are becoming physically challenged,” he added.

According to World Health Organisation statistics, one person is affected by brain stroke every six seconds. Ten per cent of deaths are caused by brain stroke only, he averred.
Comparatively, urban people are falling prey to brain stroke rather than rural people, the neurologist said.

Citing the causes of brain stroke, the specialist said that blood clot in the brain, embolism also known obstruction of an artery due to air bubble or blood clot, burst of blood vessels generally cause brain stroke. “Burst of blood vessels due to congenital aneurysm is also one of the causes,” he added.

Generally, brain stroke occur among elders, he said and added that hyper tension, high cholesterol and diabetics also face the problem of brain stroke.

Smokers, poor physical exercise, heart patients and anemic persons are vulnerable to brain stroke, he  said.

People affected by brain stroke called transient ischemic attack are likely to suffer crooked mouth, weakened leg and arm, and no clear speech but likely to recover in hours, he said and added that if the right cause was not investigated among these people they might get severe brain stroke leading to paralysis.

The specialist said that brain stroke mainly damages the brain and blood supply would be affected resulting in quadriplegia.

If tests like MRI CT Scan are conducted immediately apart from blood sugar and cholesterol tests the extent of damage could be found, he said.
  
People who suffer from malfunction of heart’s electrical system known as arrhythmia are also vulnerable to brain stroke and they should take precautionary medicines, he added. 

Referring to the food habits, he said that low fat and fibre rich food is suggested to avoid brain stroke and smoking and alcohol should be avoided.

Keeping obesity under control and regular exercise are important to keep brain stroke away, he added.