Hello, I wondered if people were more careful about their diet after stroke? The medical professionals can’t find any reason I had a stroke, Im 59, never smoked, fairly active, cholesterol is 2.9, no issue with high blood pressure, and Im not overweight. My heart is fine, Ive had multiple tests and ECGs. I only drink a little alcohol, some weeks none at all. My father had a stroke in 1977 but he was a very heavy smoker and drinker and had clogged up arteries. For ages after my stroke I was obsessive about my diet, I have relaxed it a little after a few months but am still careful. On the rare occasion I have eaten out Im careful what I choose and ask for no salt to be added. My GP says my diet was never an issue so I could go back to whatever I ate previously- I was careful then but had a more relaxed attitude. I just wonder how others manage their diet?
Hi Nigel @Pinch i had high cholestetol, although wasn’t responsible for my stroke, so i altered my diet to one low in saturated fats. I am on high dose statins so I have relaxed on this a little but that’s also because i have lost a lot of weight & need to increase my calorie intake.
I think if your diet wasn’t an issue then as long as you are reasonably sensible with what you eat then you should be ok & I wouldn’t worry too much about it.
Those seem to be the standard meds post Ischaemic stroke. Your cholesterol reading is very good. As long as you don’t over indulge on all the bad foods you should be ok.
Strokes can also be genetic and will strike regardless, healthy lifestyle choices can only reduce the risk of stroke by a percentage.
I am diabetic so I naturally have to manage my diet, a stroke is always a risk because of that. And age plays a big part too. So when we get to a certain age the NHS will start putting you on bp and statin meds, maybe even blood thinners for some just in order to reduce those risks too if they run in the family.
I think, if your current diet was as good as your gp thinks, then there’s not much more you can do in that area.
Years before the Stroke I was involved in the eating disorders world, my daughter having had anorexia. There is all sorts of information and mis-information out there about food and diet. Some abhor any kind of “diet talk” preferring a health at every size, all foods are good foods approach, others are researching the possibility of high fat diets and ketosis and have joined the war on Ultra-Processed Foods.
I drank in moderation, exercised, have never smoked and passed all the “NHS Health Checks” although I might have been considered a bit overweight and I still had a stroke. After it I do watch my diet a little more and am taking my statins. I also don’t bother with artificial sweetners and have cut down on sugar but all in all I still tend to take any extreme ideas with a pinch of salt - only a pinch of course!
@Mahoney Yes, I totally get that. I think by being over careful Im doing something to help, but I am probably depriving myself for no reason sometimes so could relax a bit.
Hi Nigel
I’ve always suffered from high blood pressure ( hereditary) and was on ramiprill and Amlodipine prior to my stroke last year. I never really thought about cholesterol even down I always over did it on crisps and salty and sugary foods.
The experts have told me my stroke was caused mainly through smoking. To be honest I think it’s rubbish cos I only used to smoke about 5 a day. I have given up though. Both me and my wife are convinced it was caused through stress at work and my diet. I have started eating more healthy and as a result my cholesterol level is normal and my blood pressure is ok. I am taking a lot of medication obviously but eating better is definitely helping. I used to eat about 3/4 bags of crisps a day. I’ve basically cut crisps out completely now
Hello @Pinch I believe there is a lot of research on the importance of good glucose control in most diseases but particularly stroke risk. I have bought a continuous glucose monitor from dexcom to see how my body reacted to different foods. Although the finger prick monitors are more accurate. I have found cutting down on my sugar levels to have helped my energy levels and how I feel in general. Best wishes
@Loshy I am not a diabetic. There is a good article on stroke.org on diabetes and stroke I will try posting the link but if it does not work google Diabetes and stroke risk. My particular stroke was a lacunar stroke and while researching it I found some work by a Professor Joanna Wardlaw who is a professor of neuroimaging of the University of Edinburgh and is currently undertaking research with the BHF into stroke risk etc. Her work is definitely worth a look. I have a friend who is a Biochemist and when I first had my stroke his first words to me were get your metabolic health under control. Sweet blood is sticky blood I have never forgotten those words. I bought the Dexcom G7 directly from the company website. It was around £67 for 10 days use but I also check my sugars with an accuchek you can buy in boots. The reason I cought the CGM was to check which foods were spiking my blood sugars as we are al different things that would raise my blood sugar might not elevate yours. I also bought a book by a french biochemist called Jessie Inchauspe called The Glucose Revolution she explains how to minimise blood sugar spikes and maintaining healthy sugar levels by combining your carbs with protein and fibre. Best wishes
@Loshy Very easy to see why there is an increase in patients attending the NHS clinics when there is so much sugar in so many foods. I suppose we will all revert back to how our grandparents lived in eating good wholesome unprocessed foods.
Cause of my stroke (2 years ago) was never found.
I put it down to stress at work and high blood pressure.
BP now managed by meds.
Have changed the way I work - more time at home, things don’t get to me like they used to. I can’t control everything so why try?
My cholesterol is thru the floor, I eat well, drink very little & aim for minimum 7,000 steps per day.
Stay well
I had a stroke aged 52 and like you a non-smoker and pretty active. I too became pretty obsessive about diet along with other things after my stroke, even though my cholesterol was ok, blood pressure low and haven’t eaten meat for over 5 years.
I think I was trying to hard to find reasons why this had happened which was probably adding more stress than needed which, may have contributed to my stroke in the first place!
I’m no expert but I would say moderation is the key, if you fancy something have it… probably just not every day, and if you go out treat yourself, you deserve it!
My diet is simple really because I’m diabetic and my medication for it supresses the appetite.
Breakfast just consists of a bowl of jumbo oats and a slice of toast - seeded bread (2 slice if I’m going straight out to the gym). That sees me just nicely through to lunch without my blood sugar dropping too low.
Lunch can be any combination of a poach egg, a piece of toast, plain nuts, cheese, grapes, a banana; I’ll just graze on things like that until teatime.
Evening meals the majority are made from scratch so I know what’s in them and won’t spike my blood sugar. They tend to be meat/fish/chicken either fried or baked depending, with 2 or 3 varieties of veg steamed with new potatoes and whatever sauce we’re in the mood for. Alternatives are stir-fries, spaghetti bolognas or stroganoff; the spaghetti is the dried store bought stuff (which I eat very little of) or basmati rice (which I only have a table spoon of).
We also have a lazy night once a week when we tend to buy ready meals/eat out/takeaway and a small treat for afters.
And I also keep things like tined and frozen veg, frozen sausages, bacon, chicken grills, chips for those odd occasions when you need something quick.
I don’t tend to bother with snacks in the day time, but I do have a cake and latte with my mother-in-law once a week. I like plane rice cakes or plane popcorn occasionally in the evening, especially when watching a movie. Never drunk alcohol but am a bit of a tea-jenny.
And that is how I manage my diet…fairly boring and uneventful until the evening meal But it works for me.
As @Mullini says it’s all about moderation, you can’t really do much more than that. A stroke has no favourites; it doesn’t see a person and decide they live a healthy lifestyle better not touch them. I believe it can even strike a baby in the womb, no one is immune, no one is exempt. Life is like a game of russian roulette really.
Hi @SimonInEdinburgh apologise for only responding now. What information did they glean from the retina of both eyes if any?. My tia April 22 presented in my left eye. My lacunar stroke this year was in the basal ganglia. I have a sister with dementia so would be good to know if these two tablets they are using were successful. Many thanks
Any advice on how to get metabolic health under control would be welcome, may well help with my eating issues. noticed the thread and googled metabolic health and got load of stuff I do not understand and lots of it!! All donations welcome
Many thanks
Wattsy
Walking is the best one at this early stage post stroke I think…every day! And we’re starting to get more good days than bad now weather wise so it’s a good time to start And unless you can already do an hours walk, then I’d suggest a half hour a day and build up gradually over the coming weeks.
I don’t know what part of the country you live in, but Age UK run Strength & Balance classes in many areas around the country (some districts may call it something slightly different). They are for the over 50’s age group and are to help keep you reasonably fit and active.
The exercises can be chair based or free standing depending on an individuals physical abilities and they are aimed at everybody not just stroke recovery. And that’s the beauty about these types of classes because there is no pressure to keep up, you go at your own pace and the instructors usually have an alternative exercise for any you can’t do. It’s a good social atmosphere too and you find the member are very supportive and encouraging of each other too.
The key piece of advice I can give you for exercise is to eat before you start, don’t exercise on an empty or near empty stomach. Both your body and brain need fuel to run just like a car! And carry a snack such as cereal bar or little bag of nuts or mini bar of chocolate to bring your blood sugar up if you find yourself flagging.
But it works for me. 
And unless you can already do an hours walk, then I’d suggest a half hour a day and build up gradually over the coming weeks.