The disease I chose to do my assessment on was a stroke which can be a debilitating or even fatal condition. Stroke occurs when the blood supply that flows to part of the brain is temporarily interrupted. A blood clot blocks an artery, or a blood vessel breaks which stops blood flow to an area of the brain. When either of these things happen and the blood stops, brain cells begin to die and brain damage occurs. When brain cells die, abilities that are controlled by that are of the brain are no longer functional. These abilities can control speech, movement, and memory. Strokes can also cause death in some individuals. How a stroke affects someone depends on what part of the brain it occurs in and how much of the brain it damages. Many of the damages caused by a stroke can be can be treated with rehabilitation, but in many cases treatment is only partially effective, and some treatments can carry risks to an individual. It is best for individuals to reduce the risk factors of having a store and improve their chances of preventing one, than trying to treat one afterwards.
The risk factors that increases the chances of having a stroke include tobacco use and exposure to second hand smoke, illicit drug use, alcohol abuse, poor diet, obesity, and physical inactivity. Other preexisting medical conditions such as cardiovascular disease, atrial fibrillation, and high blood pressure can also play a role in increasing an individuals risk for stroke.
The lifestyle changes I can make in my to decrease my risk factors for a stroke are to eat more servings of fruits and vegetables. Although I do consume lots of fruits and vegetables it is recommended that I eat five to seven servings of vegetables a day when I only consume about three to four and about five servings of fruit a day when I only eat about three a day. Also since I do not eat fish I need to find other sources to get more Omega fatty 3’s in my diet. I also need to lose weight to reduce my risk. I gained a...