Did you know that laughing with your friends, as part of a healthy lifestyle, may prevent you from having a stroke?

May is National Stroke Awareness Month. Kendall Regional Medical Center is committed to providing high-quality healthcare to the west Miami-Dade community we serve. As part of that excellent care, we provide education about staying healthy. All this month, we’ve made you aware of the dangers and risk factors for stroke, which is the third leading cause of death in the United States. Every 45 seconds, someone suffers a stroke, according to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association.

Stroke can occur when the blood supply to part of the brain is suddenly interrupted (in an ischemic stroke), or when a blood vessel in the brain bursts (in a hemorrhagic stroke). Brain cells die when they no longer receive oxygen from the blood or are damaged by sudden bleeding in the brain.

Kendall Regional Medical Center is proud to be a certified Primary Stroke Center by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations. Our program complies with the highest national standards for safety and quality care in the rapid response and treatment of acute stroke patients.

You play an important role in preventing stroke. To reduce your risk of disability or death from a stroke, maintaining a healthy lifestyle is the best thing you can do. That includes eating right, exercising regularly, avoiding tobacco or illegal drug use, drinking alcohol in moderation, lowering high cholesterol, and managing blood sugar if you’re diabetic.

That also includes reducing your stress. Stress is a normal part of life, but long-term, chronic stress can lead to physical problems, not just emotional ones.

How should you handle stress?

1. Relax and do something you enjoy every day; connect with others.
2. Get enough sleep.
3. Maintain your sense of humor.
4. Focus on the positive, look for the upside.
5. Avoid stressors if possible, particularly hassles and minor irritations.
6. Know your limits and stick to them.
7. Learn to manage your time effectively.
8. Ask for help; share your feelings.
9. Express your feelings instead of bottling them up.
10. Have a healthy sense of self-esteem; be more assertive.
11. Keep the situation in perspective and be willing to compromise.
12. Learn to forgive.

Reducing your stress and doing everything else to maintain a healthy lifestyle will help control your blood pressure and, consequently, your risk of stroke. People who have high blood pressure are much more likely to have a stroke.

You can also help yourself by staying informed about good health. Feel free to browse our large library of health information on our website. Visit www.kendallmed.com and go to “Health Info” at the menu at the top of the page. You can also speak with one of our nurses, 24/7, at our free Consult-A-Nurse ® healthcare referral service. Call toll-free 1-866-4-HCA-DOCs (1-866-442-2362).

Symptoms of Stroke

If you notice any of the symptoms below, call 9-1-1 right away. Symptoms occur suddenly and differ depending on the part of the brain affected. Also, multiple symptoms can happen at the same time.

• Sudden weakness or numbness of face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body
• Sudden confusion
• Sudden trouble speaking or understanding
• Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
• Sudden dizziness, trouble walking, loss of balance, or coordination
• Sudden severe headache with no known cause