February is Heart and Stroke Month; what should you know about Stroke?

Stroke is a brain attack! Stroke occurs when blood flow to a part of the brain is cut off and brain cells die or become damaged.  The two main types of stroke are ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke. Both of these types of stroke result in a lack of blood flow to the brain, where a buildup of blood puts too much pressure on the brain.

Anyone can suffer from a stroke. Although many risk factors for stroke are out of our control, several can be kept in line through proper nutrition and medical care.

Some risk factors for stroke include the following:

· Over age 55  - A family history of stroke - High blood pressure - High cholesterol

· Excessive Alcohol Consumption- Smoking  - Diabetes - Obesity and overweight

· Cardiovascular disease - High Blood - Cholesterol - High Stress

Common symptoms include:

· Dizziness - trouble walking - loss of balance and coordination - Speech problems –Numbness

· Weakness - or paralysis on one side of the body - Blurred, blackened - double vision

·  Sudden severe headache

The good news is something can be done about stroke as it is one of the most preventable and treatable of all life threatening health problems. You can reduce your risk for a stroke by: having your blood pressure checked regularly by a health care professional, quitting smoking, reducing your weight if you are overweight, reducing your fat and salt intake, eating more grains, fruits and vegetables, and be physically active.

Within a few minutes of having a stroke, brain cells begin to die and symptoms can become present. It is important to recognize symptoms, as prompt treatment is crucial to recovery.  Major advances have occurred in stroke care over the past decade and we now have a number of highly effective treatments for stroke and programs to prevent stroke.

January is Alzheimer Awareness Month in Canada; what should we be aware of?

After reading many news releases related to January being Alzheimer Awareness Month in Canada, the message that I see being consistently put out there is for people experiencing signs of dementia, is to be diagnosed as early as possible. An early diagnosis is hugely important as it enables people with dementia to understand their condition and access treatments that could help relieve their symptoms.

After the age of 65 the risk factor of developing dementia increases by 50 percent every five years.To date, there are many forms of dementia, with Alzheimer’s being the most common. Forgetfulness is the most known symptom of dementia, though this alone should not be cause for concern.

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive and degenerative disease and the most common early symptoms are:

—Frequent memory loss affecting day-to-day function, such as continually forgetting where you put things or what you were doing or why you were doing it.

—Disorientation of time and place, including getting lost even in familiar places or not knowing what month or year it is.

—Changes in personality or acting out of character, such as becoming suspicious, fearful or confused.

 It is important to see a doctor when you notice any of these symptoms as they may be due to other conditions such as depression, drug interactions or an infection. If the diagnosis is Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia, your medical professionals and or your local Alzheimer Society can help.

If you or someone you know is experiencing problems with memory loss, make an appointment to see your doctor right away. Many visits to your Doctor are short and it may be difficult to think of all the things you want to ask or present. To help you prepare for you Doctors visit you may download a checklist by going to The Alzheimer Society of Canada link below.

http://www.alzheimer.ca/en/About-dementia/Diagnosis/Getting-a-diagnosis/Doctor-s-visits