Every year, about 610,000 Americans experience a stroke for the very first time. Fortunately, the guidelines published by the American Stroke Association (ASA) and American Heart Association (AHA) could help in first-time stroke risk reduction, by highlighting factors that could significantly lower the risk of a stroke.

Strokes are the fourth biggest cause of death within the United States and they kill around 130,000 Americans each year. A stroke takes place when a blood clot blocks a vessel or artery, restricting the amount of blood flow to the brain. An important thing to remember in when attempting first time stroke risk reduction, is that age can be an important factor, as it is more likely to take place in people older than 55. Strokes are also more common amongst men, and people who have a history of strokes or mini-strokes.

Although it is impossible to control every risk factor, there are some aspects that you can control.

What Do the ASA/AHA Recommend?

For first time stroke risk reduction, the ASA/AHA are currently recommending DASH (dietary approaches to stop hypertension) style or Mediterranean diets supplemented with plenty of nuts. The Mediterranean diet has received a lot of commendation recently for its numerous health benefits. Recently, studies have suggested that when it is supplemented with olive oil and nuts, this diet can actually reverse metabolic syndrome. Last year, a study discovered that the diet can reduce stroke risk, as well as the chances of a heart-attack in higher-risk patients.

Both DASH-style diets and Mediterranean diets contain a lot of vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, fish, poultry, seeds and nuts. The diets are also careful to limit an individual's red meat consumption, while incorporating foods that are naturally low in saturated fat.

Better Activity and Reduced Smoking

The first time stroke risk reduction guidelines also suggest that taking part in regular activity can be helpful in lowering blood pressure. Reports have been released that individuals who take part in more than four hours of exercise a week could have a 19% lower risk of suffering from high blood pressure. On average, adults should take part in at least one hundred and fifty minutes of moderate exercise each week.

Furthermore, it has been noted that smoking can increase the risk of a stroke significantly, especially for women. As such, the recently introduced guidelines have suggested that people quit smoking if possible when they want to reduce their chances of suffering from a stroke.

Checking Blood Pressure Regularly

A final way to make sure that you stay away from the risk of a stroke as much as possible is to visit your health care provider regularly for an evaluation of your blood pressure. Go to your doctor's office at least once a year to check your blood pressure, and monitor your own blood pressure at home to ensure that it is kept under control.

Individuals who are already using medication to lower their blood pressure should see their healthcare provider more often, especially if they feel that the medicine is not working properly.