Increase your intake of vegetables and fruits. Green leafy vegetables are packed with vitamins, all of which not only improve your health but reduce your risk of having a stroke. To make sure you are getting at least 6 servings of fruits and vegetables, start drinking some vegetable or fruit juice. V-8 has created new fruit juice drinks that have vegetables in them but you cannot taste them, making the drink sweet and tasting like peaches or strawberries versus tomatoes.

Always eat whole grain bread and cereal. Healthier choices like Kellogg's Frosted Mini Wheat's have lots of whole grains and fiber, which help to keep your body regular. Cheerios are another great whole grain cereal option and they also help to reduce your cholesterol.

Reduce your intake of salt. While salt is a great way to flavor your foods, it actually increases your risk of a stroke. Your sodium intake should be minimal, less than 2400 mg per day. Most people go over on their sodium intake because they do not pay attention to their food labels.

Have regular blood pressure screening to make sure you are maintaining control of your blood pressure to reduce your risk of a stroke. A normal blood pressure reading is 120/80. If you are over the normal reading, start taking steps to reduce your blood pressure. Even reducing your blood pressure by 10 points will reduce your risk of a stroke by 80%. So what can you do to reduce your blood pressure and reduce your risk of a stroke? Here are a few simple things you can include in your diet and other things you can do that will help:

• Increase your Vitamin C intake. Start eating more oranges and other foods that are rich in Vitamin C. Vitamin C will fight off any intruders to the blood vessels, especially the blood vessels in the brain. They help to keep your blood vessels strong and healthy, thereby lowering your risk of a stroke. Broccoli is a great vegetable to start eating more of because it has a high amount of Vitamin C.


• Vitamin A - Another vitamin that will reduce your risk of a stroke is Vitamin A. Vitamin A can be found in foods like red grapefruit, fish, eggs, and liver. Watch your fat intake when you are consuming foods rich in Vitamin A. Vitamin A helps to keep the arteries healthy, allowing the blood to properly move throughout the body.


• Calcium - Always take plenty of calcium. Once you pass through your twenties, your body starts to "eat" calcium from the deposits in your body that are found in the bones and muscles. If you aren't consuming enough calcium each day, you will increase your risk for osteoporosis and a stroke. Milk is a great source of calcium, just be sure to get some Vitamin D in your diet so that the calcium will properly absorb into the bones and the muscles.