World Stroke Day: How To Read The 'BE FAST' Signs, And What Diets Can Help Protect Us

World Stroke Day 2022: The best way to recognise if someone is about to have a stroke is to remember the ‘BE FAST’ signs, experts say.

World Stroke Day 2022: A stroke or brain attack occurs when blood supply to a part of the brain is blocked or when a blood vessel in the brain bursts, as a result of which parts of the brain become damaged or die. 

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World Stroke Day is observed every year on October 29. A stroke or brain attack occurs when blood supply to a part of the brain is blocked or when a blood vessel in the brain bursts, as a result of which parts of the brain become damaged or die. 

In order to identify the signs of a stroke, one needs to ‘BE FAST’, experts say. 

What are the ‘BE FAST’ signs?

The best way to recognise if someone is about to have a stroke is to remember the ‘BE FAST’ signs, Dr. Vipul Gupta, Chief, Neurointerventional Surgery & Co-Chief Stroke Unit, Artemis Hospital, Gurugram, told ABP Live. 

“F means drooping of one side of face, A means inability to lift up one of the arm, S means speech disturbance, T means that if the signs are present, then it is an emergency situation and one should be rushed to a hospital immediately,” Dr Gupta said. 

Before having a stroke, a person shows signs such as imbalance while walking, vision impairment, facial weakness, and slurred speech, among others, Dr Prashant Makhija, Consultant, Neurologist, Wockhardt Hospital, Mumbai Central, told ABP Live.

In short, BE FAST stands for the following: 

B - imbalance while walking 

E - vision(eye) impairment or double vision 

F - facial deviation/weakness 

A - arm/limb weakness 

S - slurred speech 

T - if patient has above signs/symptoms, it’s time (T) to rush patient to hospital 

What is the relationship between heart diseases and strokes?

Both heart diseases and stroke have common risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol, obesity, smoking and poor dietary habits, Dr Gupta said. Certain heart diseases can lead to stroke. For instance, atrial arrhythmia, which refers to irregular heart beats, leads to clot formation in the heart. The clot can break off and go into the brain, resulting in stroke, Dr Gupta explained. Therefore, patients with stroke should regularly undergo heart check-ups. Also, patients with heart disease should watch out for the signs and symptoms of stroke. 

Blockages in heart blood vessels are responsible for heart attacks, and those in brain blood vessels result in stroke. The factors responsible for blockages in heart and brain blood vessels are similar, Dr Makhija said. These factors can be segregated as non-modifiable and modifiable. 

The non-modifiable factors are age and family history, while the modifiable factors include hypertension, diabetes, smoking/tobacco, alcohol and sedentary lifestyle. “We should focus on controlling modifiable risk factors to reduce our risk of heart attack and stroke,” he added.

“Diseases of heart valves or heart rhythm abnormalities can result in blood clots getting dislodged from heart and blocking blood supply to the brain. This is known as cardioembolic stroke,” Dr Makhija said. 

Foods and lifestyle habits that increase the chances of stroke

Food is a very important factor that can increase the risk of stroke. An unhealthy diet that includes fats and oils and fried foods can lead to increased risk of stroke, Dr Gupta said. 

“One should have a healthy diet and non-vegetarians should avoid red meats,” Dr Gupta added. Instead, non-vegetarians should choose healthier options such as fish and chicken. 

“Also, one should follow the Mediterranean diet with multiple helpings of vegetables and fruits along with nuts. One should also take care not to have heavy meals in the evening and to have their dinner two hours before going to sleep. Asians with hypertension should avoid excessive salt,” Dr Gupta said. 

Lifestyle changes to reduce the risk of stroke

In order to reduce the risk of stroke, people should avoid smoking, and exercise regularly. This means 45 minutes of brisk walk or equivalent should be performed at least five days a week.

“One should also avoid alcohol as much as possible. They should keep their weight in check and particularly avoid having abdominal obesity,” Dr Gupta added.

Excessive screen time also increases the risk of stroke. People should follow a proper sleep pattern because lack of sleep can result in stroke. Stress also puts people at increased risk of stroke and cardiovascular disease. “One can meditate, do yoga, exercise regularly, and have an enriching social life to avoid stress,” Dr Gupta said. 

Foods to consume to reduce the chances of having stroke

Non-vegetarians should consume only white meat such as fish and chicken and avoid red meats. One should avoid eating fried and fatty foods. Ideally, home-cooked food is the best, Dr Gupta said. People should consume fruits and vegetables every day along with nuts. 

“Following the Mediterranean diet has been shown to be very healthy. Taking millets instead of wheat and rice is also healthier in the longer term,” Dr Gupta added.