Why are Green Vegetables so good for you. We look at their nutritional content here.

 

Chances are, you grew up in a household where your mother would (over)cook vegetables and you would refuse to eat them. I recall vividly plates of “greens” that smelt as bad as they looked. Nowadays, parents often have a different problem: Kids love vegetables as long as they're deep fried, smothered in some kind of dressing or covered with cheese. But here's the deal: All of us (yes, that means you!) need to eat some greens on a regular basis (without the unhealthy extras).

So be a grown-up and get over your green-avoiding excuses. Excuses like... 

But, they don't taste good.  Unless you're severely allergic, there's no reason you shouldn't at least try a variety of greens before banishing them from your plate forever. Everyone's taste buds differ, and our flavour preferences can change over time, so a food you may have tried and hated when you were 11 might turn out to be your new favourite dish. So, give greens a second (or third, or tenth) chance.  I know I hated mushrooms as a child, and cabbage. I like both now.

But, they're expensive.  Let's differentiate between non-organic and organic veggies. Non-organic vegetables can be found at any supermarket and are relatively cheap. Organic vegetables aren't coated in synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilizers, but they are a bit costlier. You don't have to eat organic greens. Do they have less pesticide residue than non-organic? Yes. Are they absolutely necessary to great health? No.

But, I don't know how to cook.  Who said anything about cooking? Sure, vegetables (and most everything else) tend to taste better when there's some kind of fat involved, but they're also delicious when eaten raw in a salad or even blended up with some fruit or yogurt in a smoothie. If you feel like you must cook them, try sautéing them in a pan that's been coated with a little bit of non-stick spray. Voila!  Most vegetables are boiled in water anyway.

But, I don't know which ones have which health benefits.  You do know that they all have health benefits of some sort, right? Leafy greens, like romaine, kale, and spinach, are low in calories and are a fantastic source of fibre and vitamins A, C and K. Broccoli's rich in vitamins A and C as well, and Potassium.   But we will look at some vegetables here for you.

KALE:  is considered one of the most nutrient-dense vegetables on the planet due to its many vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.  For example, one cup (67 grams) of raw kale packs 684% of the Daily Value (DV) for vitamin K, 206% of the DV for vitamin A and 134% of the DV for vitamin C.  It also contains antioxidants such as lutein and beta-carotene, which reduce the risk of diseases caused by oxidative stress.  To benefit most from all that kale has to offer, it’s best consumed raw since cooking can reduce its nutrient profile.

MICROGREENS:  are immature greens produced from the seeds of vegetables and herbs. They typically measure 1–3 inches.  Since the 1980s, they have often been used as a garnish or decoration, but they have many more uses.  Despite their small size, they’re full of colour, flavour, and nutrients. In fact, one study found that microgreens contain up to 40 times more nutrients compared to their mature counterparts. Some of these nutrients include vitamins C, E and K.  Microgreens can be grown in the comfort of your own home all year round, making them easily available.

COLLARED GREENS  are loose leaf greens, related to kale and spring greens. They have thick leaves that taste slightly bitter.  They’re similar in texture to kale and cabbage. In fact, their name comes from the word “colewort.”  Collard greens are a good source of calcium and the vitamins A, B9 (folate) and C. They’re also one of the best sources of Vitamin K when it comes to leafy greens. In fact, one cup (190 grams) of cooked collard greens packs 1,045% of the DV for vitamin K.  Vitamin K is known for its role in blood clotting. In addition, more research is being done regarding its ability to improve bone health.  One study in 72,327 women aged 38–63 found that those with vitamin K intakes below 109 mcg per day had a significantly increased risk of hip fractures, suggesting a link between this vitamin and bone health.

SPINACH  is a popular leafy green vegetable and is easily incorporated into a variety of dishes, including soups, sauces, smoothies, and salads.  Its nutrient profile is impressive with one cup (30 grams) of raw spinach providing 181% of the DV for vitamin K, 56% of the DV for vitamin A and 13% of the DV for manganese.  It’s also packed with Folate, which plays a key role in red blood cell production and the prevention of neural tube defects in pregnancy.  One study on the neural tube defect spina bifida found that one of the most preventable risk factors for this condition was a low intake of folate during the first trimester of pregnancy.  Along with taking a prenatal vitamin, eating spinach is a great way to increase your folate intake during pregnancy

CABBAGE  is formed of clusters of thick leaves that come in green, white and purple colours.  It belongs to the “Brassica” family, along with Brussels sprouts, kale, and broccoli.  Vegetables in this plant family contain glucosinolates, which give them a bitter flavour.  Animal studies have found that foods that contain these plant compounds may have cancer-protective properties, especially against lung and oesophageal cancer.  Another benefit of cabbage is that it can be fermented and turned into sauerkraut, which provides numerous health benefits, such as improving your digestion and supporting your immune system. It may even aid weight loss. 

BEET GREENS  Since the Middle Ages, beets have been claimed to be beneficial for health.  Indeed, they have an impressive nutrient profile, but while beets are commonly used in dishes, the leaves are often ignored.  This is unfortunate, considering that they’re edible and rich in potassium, calcium, riboflavin, fibre and vitamins A and K.  Just one cup (144 grams) of cooked beet greens contains 220% of the DV for vitamin A, 37% of the DV for potassium and 17% of the DV for fibre.  They also contain the antioxidants beta-carotene and lutein, which may reduce the risk of eye disorders, such as macular degeneration and cataracts.  Beet greens can be added to salads, soups or sauteed and eaten as a side dish.

WATERCRESS  is an aquatic plant from the Brassica family and thus similar to arugula and mustard greens.  It’s said to have healing properties and has been used in herbal medicine for centuries. However, no human studies have confirmed these benefits so far.  Test-tube studies have found watercress extract to be beneficial in targeting cancer stem cells and impairing cancer cell reproduction and invasion.  Due to its bitter and slightly spicy flavour, watercress makes a great addition to neutrally flavoured foods.

ROMAINE LETTUCE  is a common leafy vegetable with sturdy, dark leaves with a firm centre rib.  It has a crunchy texture and is a popular lettuce, particularly in Caesar salads.  It’s a good source of vitamins A and K, with one cup (47 grams) providing 82% and 60% of the DVs for these vitamins respectively.  What’s more, research in rats showed that lettuce improved their levels of blood lipids, potentially reducing the risk of heart disease. Further studies need to investigate these benefits in people.

SWISS CHARD  has dark-green leaves with a thick stalk that is red, white, yellow, or green. It’s often used in Mediterranean cooking and belongs to the same family as beets and spinach.  It has an earthy taste and is rich in minerals and vitamins, such as potassium, manganese and the Vitamins A, C, and K.  Swiss chard also contains a unique flavonoid called syringic acid:  a compound that may be beneficial for lowering blood sugar levels.  In two small studies in rats with diabetes, oral administration of syringic acid for 30 days improved blood sugar levels.  However, it’s important to note that these were minor animal studies and that human research supporting the claim that syringic acid may aid blood sugar control is lacking.  While many people typically throw away the stems of the Swiss chard plant, they’re crunchy and highly nutritious.  Next time, try adding all parts of the Swiss chard plant to dishes such as soups, tacos, or casseroles.

ARUGULA  is a leafy green from the Brassica family that goes by many different names, such as rocket, colewort, roquette, rucola and rucoli.  It has a slightly peppery taste and small leaves that can easily be incorporated into salads or used as a garnish. It can also be used cosmetically and medicinally.  Like other leafy greens, it’s packed with nutrients such as pro-vitamin A carotenoids and vitamins B9 and K.  It’s also one of the best sources of dietary nitrates, a compound that turns into Nitric Oxide in your body.  Though the benefits of nitrates are debated, some studies have found that they may help increase blood flow and reduce blood pressure by widening your blood vessels.

ENDIVE  belongs to the Cichorium family. It’s less well known than other leafy greens, possibly because it’s difficult to grow.  It’s curly, crisp in texture and has a nutty and mildly bitter flavour. It can be eaten raw or cooked.  Just one-half cup (25 grams) of raw endive leaves packs 72% of the DV for vitamin K, 11% of the DV for vitamin A and 9% of the DV for folate.  It’s also a source of kaempferol, an antioxidant that has been shown to reduce inflammation and inhibit the growth of cancer cells in test-tube studies.

BOK CHOY  is a type of Chinese cabbage.  It has thick, dark-green leaves that make a great addition to soups and stir-fries.  Bok choy contains the mineral selenium, which plays an important role in cognitive function, immunity, and cancer prevention.  In addition, selenium is important for proper thyroid gland function. This gland is located in your neck and releases hormones that play a key role in metabolism.  An observational study associated low levels of selenium with thyroid conditions such as hypothyroidism, autoimmune thyroiditis and enlarged thyroid.

TURNIP GREENS  are the leaves of the turnip plant, which is a root vegetable similar to beetroot.  These greens pack more nutrients than the turnip itself, including calcium, manganese, folate and the vitamins A, C and K.  They have a strong and spicy flavour and are often enjoyed cooked rather than raw.  Turnip greens are considered a cruciferous vegetable, which have been shown to decrease your risk of health conditions, such as heart disease, cancer, and inflammation.  Turnip greens also contain several antioxidants including gluconasturtiin, glucotropaeolin, quercetin, myricetin and beta-carotene, which all play a role in reducing stress in your body. Turnip greens can be used as a replacement for kale or spinach in most recipes

How can I improve my Immune System: Research here for more information

 

How can you improve your immune system?  Your immune system does a remarkable job of defending you against disease-causing microorganisms. But sometimes it fails: A germ invades successfully and makes you sick. Is it possible to intervene in this process and boost your immune system?  What if you improve your diet? Take certain vitamins or herbal preparations? Make other lifestyle changes in the hope of producing a near-perfect immune response?

What can you do to boost your immune system?

The idea of boosting your immunity is enticing, but the ability to do so has proved elusive for several reasons. The immune system is precisely that:  a system, not a single entity. To function well, it requires balance and harmony. There is still much that researchers don't know about the intricacies and interconnectedness of the immune response. For now, there are no scientifically proven direct links between lifestyle and enhanced immune function.

But that doesn't mean the effects of lifestyle on the immune system aren't intriguing and shouldn't be studied. Researchers are exploring the effects of diet, exercise, age, psychological stress, and other factors on the immune response, both in animals and in humans. In the meantime, general healthy-living strategies are a good way to start giving your immune system the upper hand.

Healthy ways to strengthen your immune system

Your first line of defence is to choose a healthy lifestyle.  Following general good-health guidelines is the single best step you can take toward naturally keeping your immune system strong and healthy. Every part of your body, including your immune system, functions better when protected from environmental assaults and bolstered by healthy-living strategies such as these:

Don’t smoke

Eat a diet high in fruits and vegetables.

Exercise regularly.

Maintain a healthy weight.

If you drink alcohol, drink only in moderation.

Get adequate sleep.

Take steps to avoid infection, such as washing your hands frequently and cooking meats thoroughly.

Try to minimize stress.

Increase immunity the healthy way

Many products on store shelves claim to boost or support immunity. But the concept of boosting immunity makes little sense scientifically. In fact, boosting the number of cells in your body, immune cells or others, is not necessarily a good thing.

For example, athletes who engage in "blood doping" - pumping blood into their systems to boost their number of blood cells and enhance their performance - run the risk of strokes.

Attempting to boost the cells of your immune system is especially complicated because there are many different kinds of cells in the immune system that respond to many different microbes in many ways. Which cells should you boost, and to what number?  So far, scientists do not know the answer.  What is known is that the body is continually generating immune cells. Certainly, it produces many more lymphocytes than it can possibly use. The extra cells remove themselves through a natural process of cell death called apoptosis, some before they see any action, some after the battle is won. No one knows how many cells or what the best mix of cells the immune system needs to function at its optimum level.

Immune system and age

As we age, our immune response capability becomes reduced, which in turn contributes to more infections and more cancer. As life expectancy in developed countries has increased, so too has the incidence of age-related conditions.

While some people age healthily, the conclusion of many studies is that, compared with younger people, the elderly are more likely to contract infectious diseases and, even more importantly, more likely to die from them. Respiratory infections, influenza, the Covid 19 virus and, particularly, pneumonia are a leading cause of death in people over 65 worldwide. No one knows for sure why this happens, but some scientists observe that this increased risk correlates with a decrease in T cells, possibly from the thymus atrophying with age and producing fewer T cells to fight off infection. Whether this decrease in thymus function explains the drop in T cells or whether other changes play a role is not fully understood. Others are interested in whether the bone marrow becomes less efficient at producing the stem cells that give rise to the cells of the immune system.

A reduction in immune response to infections has been demonstrated by older people's response to vaccines. For example, studies of influenza vaccines have shown that for people over age 65, the vaccine is less effective compared to healthy children (over age 2). But despite the reduction in efficacy, vaccinations for influenza and pneumonia have significantly lowered the rates of sickness and death in older people when compared with no vaccination.

There appears to be a connection between nutrition and immunity in the elderly. A form of malnutrition that is surprisingly common even in affluent countries is known as "micronutrient malnutrition." Micronutrient malnutrition, in which a person is deficient in some essential vitamins and trace minerals that are obtained from or supplemented by diet, can happen in the elderly. Older people tend to eat less and often have less variety in their diets. One important question is whether dietary supplements may help older people maintain a healthier immune system. Older people should discuss this question with their doctor.

Diet and your immune system

Like any fighting force, the immune system army marches on its stomach. Healthy immune system warriors need good, regular nourishment. Scientists have long recognized that people who live in poverty and are malnourished are more vulnerable to infectious diseases. Whether the increased rate of disease is caused by malnutrition's effect on the immune system, however, is not certain. There are still relatively few studies of the effects of nutrition on the immune system of humans.

There is some evidence that various micronutrient deficiencies, for example, deficiencies of zinc, selenium, iron, copper, folic acid, and vitamins A, B6, C, and E, alter immune responses in animals, as measured in the test tube. However, the impact of these immune system changes on the health of animals is less clear, and the effect of similar deficiencies on the human immune response has yet to be assessed.

So, what can you do? If you suspect your diet is not providing you with all your micronutrient needs (maybe, for instance, you don't like vegetables) taking a daily multivitamin and mineral supplement may bring other health benefits, beyond any possibly beneficial effects on the immune system. Taking megadoses of a single vitamin does not. More is not necessarily better.

Improve immunity with herbs and supplements?

Walk into a store, and you will find bottles of pills and herbal preparations that claim to "support immunity" or otherwise boost the health of your immune system. Although some preparations have been found to alter some components of immune function, thus far there is no evidence that they actually bolster immunity to the point where you are better protected against infection and disease. Demonstrating whether an herb, or any substance, for that matter, can enhance immunity is, as yet, a highly complicated matter. Scientists don't know, for example, whether an herb that seems to raise the levels of antibodies in the blood is actually doing anything beneficial for overall immunity.

Stress and immune function

Modern medicine has come to appreciate the closely linked relationship of mind and body. A wide variety of maladies, including stomach upset, hives, and even heart disease, are linked to the effects of emotional stress. Despite the challenges, scientists are actively studying the relationship between stress and immune function.

For one thing, stress is difficult to define. What may appear to be a stressful situation for one person is not for another. When people are exposed to situations they regard as stressful, it is difficult for them to measure how much stress they feel, and difficult for the scientist to know if a person's subjective impression of the amount of stress is accurate. The scientist can only measure things that may reflect stress, such as the number of times the heart beats each minute, but such measures also may reflect other factors.

Most scientists studying the relationship of stress and immune function, however, do not study a sudden, short-lived stressor; rather, they try to study more constant and frequent stressors known as chronic stress, such as that caused by relationships with family, friends, and co-workers, or sustained challenges to perform well at one's work. Some scientists are investigating whether ongoing stress takes a toll on the immune system.

But it is hard to perform what scientists call "controlled experiments" in human beings. In a controlled experiment, the scientist can change one and only one factor, such as the amount of a particular chemical, and then measure the effect of that change on some other measurable phenomenon, such as the amount of antibodies produced by a particular type of immune system cell when it is exposed to the chemical. In a living animal, and especially in a human being, that kind of control is just not possible as there are so many other things happening to the animal or person at the time that measurements are being taken.

Despite these inevitable difficulties in measuring the relationship of stress to immunity, scientists are making progress.

Does being cold give you a weak immune system?

Almost every mother has said it: "Wear a jacket or you'll catch a cold!" Is she right? Probably not as exposure to moderate cold temperatures doesn't increase your susceptibility to infection. There are two reasons why winter is "cold and flu season."  In the winter, people spend more time indoors, in closer contact with other people who can pass on their germs. Also, the influenza virus stays airborne longer when air is cold and less humid.

But researchers remain interested in this question in different populations. Some experiments with mice suggest that cold exposure might reduce the ability to cope with infection. But what about humans? Scientists have dunked people in cold water and made others sit nude in subfreezing temperatures. They've studied people who lived in Antarctica and those on expeditions in the Canadian Rockies. The results have been mixed. For example, researchers documented an increase in upper respiratory infections in competitive cross-country skiers who exercise vigorously in the cold, but whether these infections are due to the cold or other factors, such as the intense exercise or the dryness of the air, is not known.

A group of Canadian researchers that has reviewed hundreds of medical studies on the subject and conducted some of its own research concludes that there's no need to worry about moderate cold exposure. It has no detrimental effect on the human immune system. Should you bundle up when it's cold outside? The answer is "yes" if you're uncomfortable, or if you're going to be outdoors for an extended period where such problems as frostbite and hypothermia are a risk. But don't worry about immunity.

Exercise: Good or bad for immunity?

Regular exercise of at least moderate intensity is one of the pillars of healthy living. It improves cardiovascular health, lowers blood pressure, helps control body weight, and protects against a variety of diseases. But does it help to boost your immune system naturally and keep it healthy? Just like a healthy diet, exercise can contribute to general good health and therefore to a healthy immune system. It may contribute even more directly by promoting good circulation, which allows the cells and substances of the immune system to move through the body freely and do their job efficiently.

 

Vaccines: What are they, how do they work, and different kinds: Great research here.

 

A vaccine works by training the immune system to recognize and combat pathogens, either viruses or bacteria. To do this, certain molecules from the pathogen must be introduced into the body to trigger an immune response.

These molecules are called Anitgens, and they are present on all viruses and bacteria. By injecting these antigens into the body, the immune system can safely learn to recognize them as hostile invaders, produce antibodies, and remember them for the future. If the bacteria or virus reappears, the immune system will recognize the antigens immediately and attack aggressively well before the pathogen can spread and cause sickness.

 

The Herd Immunity Imperative

Vaccines don't just work on an individual level. They protect entire populations. Once enough people are immunized, opportunities for an outbreak of disease become so low even people who aren't immunized benefit. Essentially, a bacteria or virus simply won't have enough eligible hosts to establish a foothold and will eventually die out entirely. This phenomenon is called "Herd Immunity" or "Community Immunity," and it has allowed once-devastating diseases to be eliminated entirely, without needing to vaccinate every individual

This is critical because there will always be a percentage of the population that cannot be vaccinated, including infants, young children, the elderly, people with severe allergies, pregnant women, or people with compromised immune systems. Thanks to herd immunity, these people are kept safe because diseases are never given a chance to spread through a population.

 

However, if too many people forgo vaccinations, herd immunity can break down, opening-up the population to the risk of outbreaks. That is why many officials and doctors consider widespread immunisation a public health imperative and blame recent disease outbreaks on a lack of vaccination.

For example, in 1997, prominent medical journal The Lancet published research claiming to have found a link between the measles vaccine and autism. As a result, in following years the parents of over a million British children decided not to vaccinate their kids. The research has since been thoroughly debunked, but the number of measles cases has skyrocketed from just several dozen a year in 1997 to over 2,000 cases in 2011. Similar outbreaks have occurred throughout the United States, involving both measles and whooping cough, with doctors and officials blaming low rates of vaccination.

 

Types of Vaccines

The key to vaccines is injecting the antigens into the body without causing the person to get sick at the same time. Scientists have developed several ways of doing this, and each approach makes for a different type of vaccine

Live Attenuated Vaccines:

For these types of vaccines, a weaker, asymptomatic form of the virus or bacteria is introduced into the body. Because it is weakened, the pathogen will not spread and cause sickness, but the immune system will still learn to recognize its antigens and know to fight in the future.

Advantages:  Because these vaccines introduce actual live pathogens into the body, it is an excellent simulation for the immune system. So live attenuated vaccines can result in lifelong immunity with just one or two doses.

Disadvantages:  Because they contain living pathogens, live attenuated vaccines are not given to people with weakened immune systems, such as people undergoing chemotherapy or HIV treatment, as there is a risk the pathogen could get stronger and cause sickness. Additionally, these vaccines must be refrigerated at all times so the weakened pathogen doesn't die. 

Specific Vaccines:

• Measles
• Mumps
• Rubella (MMR combined vaccine)
• Varicella (chickenpox)
• Influenza (nasal spray)
• Rotavirus

 

Inactivated Vaccines: For these vaccines, the specific virus or bacteria is killed with heat or chemicals, and its dead cells are introduced into the body. Even though the pathogen is dead, the immune system can still learn from its antigens how to fight live versions of it in the future.

• Advantages:  These vaccines can be freeze dried and easily stored because there is no risk of killing the pathogen as there is with live attenuated vaccines. They are also safer, without the risk of the virus or bacteria mutating back into its disease-causing form.
• Disadvantages:  Because the virus or bacteria is dead, it's not as accurate a simulation of the real thing as a live attenuated virus. Therefore, it often takes several doses and "booster shots" to train the body to defend itself.
• Specific Vaccines:
• Polio (IPV)
• Hepatitis A
• Rabies

 

Subunit/conjugate Vaccines:  For some diseases, scientists are able to isolate a specific protein or carbohydrate from the pathogen that, when injected into the body, can train the immune system to react without provoking sickness.

• Advantages:  With these vaccines, the chance of an adverse reaction in the patient is much lower, because only a part or the original pathogen is injected into the body instead of the whole thing.
• Disadvantages:  Identifying the best antigens in the pathogen for training the immune system and then separating them is not always possible. Only certain vaccines can be produced in this way.
• Specific Vaccines:
• Hepatitis B
• Influenza
• Haemophilus Influenzae Type B (Hib)
• Pertussis (part of DTaP combined immunization)
• Pneumococcal
• Human Papillomavirus (HPV)
• Meningococcal

 

Toxoid Vaccines: Some bacterial diseases damage the body by secreting harmful chemicals or toxins. For these bacteria, scientists are able to "deactivate" some of the toxins using a mixture of formaldehyde and water. These dead toxins are then safely injected into the body. The immune system learns well enough from the dead toxins to fight off living toxins, should they ever make an appearance.

• Specific Vaccines:
• Diphtheria
• Tetanus

 

Conjugate Vaccines:  Some bacteria, like those of “Hib DVisease”, possess an outer coating of sugar molecules that camouflage their antigens and fool young immune systems. To get around this problem, scientists can link an antigen from another recognizable pathogen to the sugary coating of the camouflaged bacteria. As a result, the body's immune system learns to recognize the sugary camouflage itself as harmful and immediately attacks it and its carrier if it enters the body.

• Specific Vaccines:
• Haemophilus Influenzae Type B (Hib)
•  

DNA Vaccines:  Still in experimental stages, DNA vaccines would dispense with all unnecessary parts of a bacterium or virus and instead contain just an injection of a few parts of the pathogen's DNA. These DNA strands would instruct the immune system to produce antigens for combating the pathogen all by itself. As a result, these vaccines would be very efficient immune system trainers. They are also cheap and easy to produce.

• Specific Vaccines:
• DNA vaccines for influenza and herpes are currently in human testing phases.

 

Recombinant Vector Vaccines:  These experimental vaccines are similar to DNA vaccines in that they introduce DNA from a harmful pathogen into the body, triggering the immune system to produce antigens and train itself to identify and combat the disease. The difference is that these vaccines use an attenuated, or weakened, virus or bacterium as a ride, or vector, for the DNA. In essence, scientists are able to take a harmless pathogen, dress it in the DNA of a more dangerous disease, and train the body to recognize and fight both effectively.

• Specific Vaccines:
• Recombinant vector vaccines for HIV, rabies, and measles are currently being developed.

Strokes can be deadly. Let's look at the facts

Around 85% of all strokes are due to a blockage cutting off the blood supply to the brain.

This is called an Ischaemic Stroke.

Causes

A blockage can be caused by a blood clot forming in an artery leading to the brain, or within one of the small vessels deep inside the brain.  Blockages in the brain can also be caused by a clot moving through the blood stream from another part of the body.

There are several reasons why blockages can form and cause an ischaemic stroke.

These include:

Atherosclerosis, which occurs when fatty deposits build up on the inside walls of your arteries. They cause your arteries to become harder and narrower, making them more likely to become blocked. Sometimes, a blood clot forms on the fatty deposit. If this clot breaks away it can travel to the brain and cause a stroke.

Small vessel disease, which is when the tiny blood vessels deep within your brain are damaged.

Atrial fibrillation and other heart conditions, which can cause blood clots to form in your heart, which can then move through your blood stream up into your brain.

Arterial dissection, which occurs when tears develop in the lining of an artery and allow blood to get between the layers of your artery walls. This can happen for no clear reason or it can happen because of an injury to the neck.

Symptoms of a stroke.

The main symptoms of stroke can be remembered with the word FAST:

Face:               The face may have dropped on 1 side, the person may not be able to smile, or their mouth or eye may have dropped.

Arms:             The person with suspected stroke may not be able to lift both arms and keep them there because of weakness or numbness in 1 arm.

Speech:          Their speech may be slurred or garbled, or the person may not be able to talk at all despite appearing to be awake; they may also have problems understanding what you're saying to them.

Time:             It's time to dial 999 immediately if you see any of these signs or symptoms

Treatment

If your ischaemic stroke is caused by a blood clot, you may be given a clot-busting treatment known as Thrombolysis.

Thrombolysis can break down and disperse a clot that is preventing blood from reaching your brain. However, for it to have the best effect, it needs to be given within four and a half hours of your stroke symptoms starting.

Thrombectomy is a treatment that removes the clot with a mechanical device. Only a small proportion of strokes are eligible for Thrombectomy, but it can have a big impact on reducing disability after a stroke.

Most people who have an ischaemic stroke will be given anti-platelet medication, which helps to prevent blood clots from forming.

After a stroke you will be checked for health conditions linked to stroke, such as atrial fibrillation, diabetes and high cholesterol. If you have any of these conditions you will be given treatment and advice. This is important to help reduce the chance of having another stroke.

 

Recovering from a stroke

People who survive a stroke are often left with long-term problems caused by injury to their brain.

Some people need a long period of rehabilitation before they can recover their former independence, while many never fully recover and need ongoing support after their stroke.

Local authorities should provide free reablement services for anyone assessed as needing them.

These services help the person recovering from a stroke learn or relearn the skills they need to live at home independently.

Some people will continue to need some form of care or help with their daily activities.

For example, a care worker may come to the person's home to help with washing and dressing, or to provide companionship