Feet..

 

But about 80 percent of all strokes are preventable, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And the lifestyle steps you take can be especially powerful in fending off stroke. Here’s what you can do to reduce your risk.

Keeping certain conditions at bay or managing them properly can cut the likelihood of a stroke. Take high blood pressure, which some research suggests is responsible for almost half of strokes. A heart-healthy eating plan may help control it. 

Also, try to limit sodium to less than 1,500 milligrams a day, maintain a healthy weight and exercise regularly, says Sahil Khera, an interventional cardiologist at the Mount Sinai Hospital in New York.

Exercise can help you maintain a healthy weight, and being overweight or obese is itself a stroke risk — especially for those who carry a lot of fat around their midsection. (Even normal-weight women with abdominal fat may have a higher stroke risk, the American Stroke Association says.)

The CDC recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate activity, including walking, each week. Small bursts of movement, such as vacuuming, count, Goldberg says. 

And stay on your feet as much as you can. A study in the JAMA Network Open in 2022 found that people who sat for 13 hours a day or more had a 44 percent higher risk of stroke.