Diet Changes to Prevent Stroke is a life-changing event that can damage your brain, brain stem, and spinal cord. The good news is that you can help prevent stroke by eating healthy and working with your healthcare team to control health conditions that raise your risk for stroke.

Diet Changes to Prevent Stroke

Some diet changes can help reduce your risk of stroke, according to Ursula Ridens, RD, LD, RDN, a registered dietitian nutritionist and certified intuitive eating counselor affiliated with Sharp Grossmont Hospital in El Cajon, Calif. Her top recommendations include following a Mediterranean diet, which includes olive oil and canola margarine, Omega-3 fish oils, balsamic vinegar, fruits and vegetables and whole grains and cuts out foods high in saturated fats, trans fats, sugar, cholesterol and salt.

The Mediterranean diet is also rich in potassium, which can lower your blood pressure, a major risk factor for stroke. “Too much salt can lead to a blood vessel bursting and bleeding into the brain (hemorrhagic stroke), so limiting your intake of sodium is key,” Ridens says.

Other nutrients to focus on are prebiotics, which promotes the growth of beneficial bacteria in your gut, and omega-3 fatty acids, which can improve brain function by reducing inflammation. Try to get more of these fatty acids from salmon, walnuts and flax seeds. Another antioxidant to consider is resveratrol, found in red grapes and wine, which has been linked to a lower risk of stroke.