Aside from the heart, the brain is considered as one of the most important organs in the body. Because of the role that the brain plays, many individuals are always on the lookout for different ways on how to make sure that their brain is healthy. While most people subscribe to eating certain foods that are considered to be “nutritious” for the brain, there are those who take a different route – they take care of their heart instead. Not many people may know it but taking care of your heart actually leads to a healthier brain. You might be wondering how this is so.
Before we look into how the heart can affect the brain, we first must understand what stroke is all about. There are two types of strokes that one can suffer from – ischemic and hemorrhagic. In an ischemic stroke, the blood vessels in the brain becomes blocked which leads to the brain starving from oxygen that was supposed to be supplied to it by the blood. On the other hand, in a hemorrhagic stroke, the blood vessels get ruptured and blood leaks all over the area. Now, if the heart as well as the blood vessels leading to and from it are healthy, the needed oxygen would be able to reach the brain without any problem. Keep in mind that organs such as the brain rely on the oxygen for their nutrition.
Although stroke is something that can happen to both sexes, how they take place differ between a man and woman. For instance, in women, migraine headaches that come with aura is most likely a sign that she has a higher risk for ischemic stroke. If that person happens to be under 45 years of age and makes use of birth control pills, the risk is increased. Now, if the said person happens to be a smoker, the risk is remarkably increased again.This was the result of a study done by the British Medical Journal.
Women who are also undergoing Hormone Replacement Therapy are far more likely to suffer from ischemic stroke as opposed to the hemorrhagic one. Once they suffer from an ischemic stroke, there is also a significant likelihood that they would not be able to pull through positively.
Being a woman with an auto-immune disorder also increases the risk of stroke. Certain auto-immune disorders such as the antiphospholipid syndrome can cause the blood vessels to weaken. In their weakened state, these vessels could rupture anytime especially if the person is under stress and there is a rush of blood through the vessels. Clots could also form along the blood vessels which, in turn, could block the pathways being used by the blood.
If you think you are at a significant risk for a stroke, you should focus first on taking care of your heart. That would also mean making sure that you are ready for situations that would call for the application for a CPR. If you do not have the time to undergo a CPR training, your best move would be to make sure that you have an AED unit at home.
