Our Summer 2016 Newsletter

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Summer 2016 Newsletter

June is Stroke Awareness Month

Exercise and Stroke Correlation

One of the main risk factors for having a stroke is having unmanaged high blood pressure. One of the benefits of being physically active (at least 150 minutes per week) on a regular basis is lowering blood pressure. There is a correlation between staying active and reducing your risk of  a stroke.

Regular exercise helps keep arteries elastic (flexible), even in older people. This, in turn, ensures good blood flow and normal blood pressure. Sedentary people (those who do not engage in regular physical activity) have a 35% greater risk of developing high blood pressure than those who are physically active.

When people suffer from a stroke, it is usually recommended to take part in a rehabilitation program involving regular exercise sessions. This helps in recovery and can help prevent another stroke from happening.

Activity such as walking, bending and stretching are forms of exercise that can help strengthen your body and keep it flexible. Mild exercise, which should be done every day, can take the form of a short walk or a simple activity like sweeping the floor. Stretching exercises, such as extending the arms or bending the torso, should be done regularly. Moving weakened or paralyzed body parts can be done while seated or lying down. Swimming is another beneficial exercise if the pool is accessible and a helper is available. 

Fatigue while exercising is to be expected. You can modify these programs to accommodate for fatigue or other conditions. Avoid overexertion and pain.

Simple stretching routines can be very effective in post stroke rehabilitation in order to improve range of motion. Regular strength and balance exercises help with bone strength and health are very beneficial.  Keeping a strong core is important in order to maintain balance and promote an upright posture.

If you are not exercising regularly you should consider getting started. Any amount of increased activity is a positive change  and will start providing health benefits immediately. 

Corinne Cutler is an Exercise Specialist at the Leduc Beaumont Devon Primary Care Network.

June is Stroke Awareness Month

When you or someone around you is experiencing these signs, call an ambulance to get help. Do not drive yourself to the hospital as the Paramedic has the skills and equipment to treat you. This is vitally important as the quicker you can get help, the better the outcome can be. 

What is the difference between a Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) and a stroke?  Both are medical emergencies and require you to be seen by a medical professional. A TIA is caused by a small clot that briefly blocks an artery that leads to your brain. It is sometimes called a mini-stroke or warning stroke. TIA symptoms might last only a few minutes or hours. No lasting damage occurs, but TIAs are an important warning that a more serious stroke may occur soon. A stroke happens when blood stops flowing to any part of your brain. This interruption causes damage to the brain cells which cannot be repaired or replaced. The effects of your stroke depend on the part of the brain that was damaged and the amount of damage done.

For more information, please visit www.heartandstroke.ca

Cherie deBoer is a Registered Nurse at the Leduc Beaumont Devon Primary Care Network.