Rosalee Brown
ANECDOTAL REPORTS say that many Jamaicans fear a stroke even more than a heart attack, since a heart attack is associated with sudden death in many cases, but a stroke leaves you paralysed and dependent. Stroke is one of the leading causes of death and disability in adults and often is associated with
high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity.
The results of various studies indicate that healthy lifestyle practices, which lead to the control of high blood pressure, diabetes and the reduction of obesity, will reduce the risk of a stroke and heart attack. The seventh report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (U.S.A.), says that a weight reduction of 10 kg for overweight and obese individuals, can reduce systolic blood pressure by five to 20 mmHg (millimetre of mercury) and consuming a diet high in fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy with reduced saturated and total fats, can reduce systolic blood pressure by eight to 14 mmHg.
REGULAR AEROBIC ACTIVITY
A reduction of dietary sodium intake to no more than 100 mmol per day (6g sodium chloride) can reduce systolic blood pressure two to eight mmHg and getting involved in regular aerobic physical activity such as brisk walking for at least half an hour most days of the week can reduce systolic blood pressure by four to nine mmHg. Limiting consumption of alcohol to no more than two drinks per day (one ounce ethanol - for example, 24 ounces beer, 10 ounces wine, three ounces, 80-proof whiskey) in most men and one drink in women and lighter weight persons, can reduce systolic blood pressure by another two to four mmHg.
THE LANCET (January 28, 2006 Vol. 367) reported that persons who eat more than five servings of fruits and vegetables daily, had the lowest risk of stroke. The research had pooled data from eight studies which included more than250,000 persons followed for 13 years.
What do five servings of
vegetables look like?
A serving of raw salad is the amount that will fill an eight-ounce cup and for cooked vegetables, the amount that will fill a four ounce cup (half cup); four ounces of vegetable juice is a serving. So a breakfast of one cup of steamed callaloo, lunch which includes one cup tossed salad and dinner with half cup string beans, half cup carrots and one cup tossed fresh salad, would be five servings for the day of vegetables.
A SERVING OF FRUIT
One serving of fruit is one small fruit or half of a large one (if you were to fit it into a cup measure, it would be half a cup) or quarter cup dried fruits or four ounces of fresh juice. So one orange at breakfast, quarter cup dried fruits for mid-morning snack, one small apple with lunch, quarter cup dried fruits for afternoon snack, and half a grapefruit after dinner would be five servings for the day.
You must remember that the intake of five or more servings of fruits and vegetables should form part of a healthy lifestyle. Therefore, increasing these foods will mean reducing some of the others which you can do without, such as excess high-fat, high-sugar foods, juices et cetera. It is also recommended to have a variety, especially in different pigmentation, as these are also sources of vitamins, minerals, fibre and other phyto-nutrients, which enhance cardiovascular health and can help prevent strokes.
Rosalee Brown is a registered dietitian/nutritionist who operates Integrated Nutrition and Health Services; email: yourhealth@gleanerjm.com.
