Strokes
Prevention & Awareness

Thick or stagnant blood is involved in a wide variety of conditions such as varicose veins, hemorrhoids, uterine fibroids, prostate problems and more.

Blood that is too "thick" also increases our risk of thrombosis (the formation of blood clots in the circulatory system) which causes heart attacks, strokes and other diseases of impaired circulation. Medical doctors put people on blood thinners to reduce the risk of these disorders.
Fortunately, there are herbs available that work as natural blood thinners.

 

Prevention

Mega-Chel (Key Product) For Oral Chelation (highly recommended in case of heart/circulation related issues), visit this page Oral chelation is not just for improving circulation. It can help a wide variety of health problems, including helping to detoxify the body from heavy metals. When we talk about chelation therapy, we are talking about ”clawing,” “grabbing” or otherwise binding toxins, heavy metals, metabolic wastes and unhealthy buildup in the circulatory system. This allows these to be taken off the artery walls and out of the tissues so they can be flushed from the body.

 

Alfalfa Blood purifiers generally help to thin the blood, but there are some more specific herbal remedies that help to filter the "sludge" from our life-stream. Alfalfa seems to stimulate the body to remove toxins from the blood while reducing cholesterol and balancing blood sugar levels.  Alfalfa grows a very deep tap root (as much as 60 feet!) and thus has access to mineral nutrients that may not be found in the topsoil. It contains eight digestive enzymes for improved assimilation and is an important alkalizing food.  Alfalfa contains natural blood thinning agents called coumarins. Taken in capsules or eaten as sprouts, Alfalfa can be very beneficial in thinning the blood.

 

Ginkgo/Hawthorn For Brain and Peripheral Circulation Ginkgo enhances peripheral circulation and improves blood flow to the brain. It also helps prevent blood clots from forming. General strengthening for effects of aging.  Ginkgo has been used by Chinese for centuries to build vitality and alertness.  Hawthorn berries build the heart and improve vascular and coronary blood flow. Together, the combination is used to help recover from a wide range of diminished mental and physical capacities.  It is combined with hawthorn, one of the best general herbs for heart health.

 

Potassium Increasing potassium intake can help prevent heart disease, according to Louis Tobian of the University of Minnesota, and Paul Whelton of Johns Hopkins University. (Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology, vol. 64, pp. 840-848) "It is one of the myriad nondrug approaches" to decreasing hypertension says Whelton. Potassium does more than just lower blood pressure, adds Tobian. "It keeps the arteries healthy in the face of high blood pressure." A potassium-rich diet may help prevent stroke according to a 12-year dietary study reported in the New England Journal of Medicine, Jan. 29, 1987. "We found a 40% reduction in stroke risk associated with one extra serving per day of potassium-rich food," reports researcher Elizabeth Barrett Conner of the University of California, San Diego. She points out, there is no doubt that "sodium (salt) sends blood pressure up, and potassium sends it down. " And high blood pressure can lead to stroke.

Magnesium Magnesium is an essential mineral for organs and tissues throughout the body. Stroke prevention is among its potential benefits. High blood pressure and cholesterol are risk factors of stroke. Magnesium helps to relax the muscles in blood vessels to reduce the risk of high blood pressure. Magnesium is the central atom in the chlorophyll molecule and in physiology it activates the ATP energy system. More than 300 enzymes require the presence of this mineral. Seventy percent is found in the bones, and the rest mainly in the soft tissues and blood. There is more magnesium than calcium in muscle tissue. The brain also has twice as much as any other tissue. Magnesium is necessary for the metabolism of vitamin C, phosphorus, potassium and sodium. It is important to the nervous system and the synthesis of certain proteins. It governs how calcium is used in the body.

 

To understand stroke, it helps to understand something about the brain. The brain controls our movements; stores our memories; and is the source of our thoughts, emotions, and language. The brain also controls many functions of the body, like breathing and digestion. To work properly, your brain needs oxygen. Although your brain makes up only 2% of your body weight, it uses 20% of the oxygen you breathe.
Your arteries deliver oxygen-rich blood to all parts of your brain.

 

Stroke in the United States
(sources CDC)

Stroke kills almost 130,000 Americans each year—that’s 1 out of every 20 deaths.

On average, one American dies from stroke every 4 minutes.

Every year, more than 795,000 people in the United States have a stroke.

About 610,000 of these are first or new strokes.

About 185,00 strokes—nearly one of four—are in people who have had a previous stroke.

About 87% of all strokes are ischemic strokes, when blood flow to the brain is blocked.

Stroke costs the United States an estimated $34 billion each year. This total includes the cost of health care services, medications to treat stroke, and missed days of work.

Stroke is a leading cause of serious long-term disability.

What Happens During a Stroke

If something happens to interrupt the flow of blood, brain cells start to die within minutes because they can’t get oxygen. This is called a stroke.
Sudden bleeding in the brain also can cause a stroke if it damages brain cells.
A stroke can cause lasting brain damage, long-term disability, or even death.
If brain cells die or are damaged because of a stroke, symptoms of that damage start to show in the parts of the body controlled by those brain cells.

During a stroke, every minute counts! Fast treatment can reduce the brain damage that stroke can cause.
By knowing the signs and symptoms of stroke, you can be prepared to take quick action and perhaps save a life—maybe even your own. 

Signs of Stroke in Men and Women

Sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body.

Sudden confusion, trouble speaking, or difficulty understanding speech.

Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes.

Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance, or lack of coordination.

Sudden severe headache with no known cause.

Call 9-1-1 immediately if you or someone else has any of these symptoms.

Note the time when any symptoms first appear. Some treatments for stroke only work if given in the first 3 hours after symptoms appear. Do not drive to the hospital or let someone else drive you.
Call an ambulance so that medical personnel can begin life-saving treatment on the way to the emergency room.

Preventing Another Stroke

If you have had a stroke, you are at high risk for another stroke:

1 of 4 stroke survivors has another stroke within 5 years.

The risk of stroke within 90 days of a TIA may be as high as 17%, with the greatest risk during the first week.

That is why it's important to treat the underlying causes of stroke, including heart disease, high blood pressure, atrial fibrillation (fast, irregular heartbeat), high cholesterol, and diabetes. Your doctor may give you medications or tell you to change your diet, exercise, or adopt other healthy lifestyle habits. Surgery may also be helpful in some cases.

TIA
A transient ischemic attack (TIA) is like a stroke, producing similar symptoms, but usually lasting only a few minutes and causing no permanent damage. Often called a ministroke, a transient ischemic attack may be a warning.
About 1 in 3 people who have a transient ischemic attack will eventually have a stroke, with about half occurring within a year after the transient ischemic attack. A transient ischemic attack can serve as both a warning and an opportunity — a warning of an impending stroke and an opportunity to take steps to prevent it.

Family History and Other Characteristics That Increase Risk for Stroke

Family members share genes, behaviors, lifestyles, and environments that can influence their health and their risk for disease.
Stroke risk can be higher in some families than in others, and your risk for stroke can increase based on your age, sex, and race or ethnicity.

Genetics and Family History

When members of a family pass traits from one generation to another through genes, that process is called heredity. Genetic factors likely play some role in high blood pressure, stroke, and other related conditions. Several genetic disorders can cause a stroke, including sickle cell disease. It also is likely that people with a family history of stroke share common environments and other potential factors that increase their risk.

The risk for stroke can increase even more when heredity combines with unhealthy lifestyle choices, such as smoking cigarettes and eating an unhealthy diet.

Take note of your family history (Important)

Getting Blood to Your Brain

The brain does not just need sugar, however, it also needs a constant supply of oxygen and other vital nutrients carried by the blood. Circulation to the brain is another major factor in brain power. Perhaps you have noticed that when you have been sitting for a long time you start to feel sleepy and have a difficult time concentrating. After taking a walk, however, your mental alertness returns and the fatigue vanishes. This is because the pumping action of the muscles in your legs gets more blood to the brain. (see note 3)

Hence, a sedentary life-style can diminish your thinking capacity. Something as simple as a gentle exercise program (even walking) can enhance your mental ability. Many Americans, however, suffer from an even more serious circulatory problem — atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries. If you enjoy a diet rich in saturated fat and low in fiber you are just asking for this condition. Atherosclerosis is the result of cholesterol formations in the arteries of the body, especially the arteries leading to the heart and brain. As the arteries which carry blood into the brain become “plugged” the amount of oxygen and nutrients reaching our thinking center diminishes. The result — loss of memory.

The same diet that helps control hypoglycemia also helps to prevent the clogging of your brain’s blood vessels and hence, your “constipated” thought processes. Whole grains, fresh vegetables and other foods rich in natural fiber help to keep your cholesterol levels down and your brain power up. If you already have this problem, there is a solution. Oral chelation can remove the plaque lining your arteries and get your blood (and your thoughts) flowing freely again.

MegaChel is a product loaded with high doses of antioxidant vitamins and nutrients that helps your body break down arterial plaque. It works best taken with liquid trace minerals (Mineral Chi). When using MegaChel, start slowly with one tablet two times daily and gradually increase to a full dose (5-6 tablets twice daily) over a period of 3-4 weeks. Divide your age by 10 and stay on the full dose for that many months (i.e., 3 months for age 30, 7months for age 70). Taper off gradually.