Stroke
Description
Stroke refers to an interruption of the blood supply to the brain. Any part of the brain may be affected, so symptoms vary widely.
It may be caused by any of three mechanisms:
1. In cerebral thrombosis, a thrombus (blood clot) blocks an artery. This accounts for almost half of all strokes.
2. A cerebral embolism is blockage by an embolus (clot) brought to the brain via an artery from somewhere in the body. It accounts for some 35% of strokes.
3. In cerebral hemorrhage, the blood vessel in the brain is not blocked but ruptures. This accounts for the remaining quarter of strokes.
The real role of prevention is not to intervene on the eve of a likely attack but to defuse all of the risk factors before this state is reached. Sadly, even a minor stroke does not cause sufficient alarm in patients to change their lifestyles. What chance is there in achieving such a prophylactic change of the whole society decades in advance and during the intervening years, as well?
In fact, there has already been a decline in stroke mortality resulting from favorable trends in several risk factors including the reduction in cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption.
Causes
The incidence of stroke in the general population is quite small but increases with age. As a cerebrovascular problem, it shares several risk factors with coronary disease: atherosclerosis, arteriosclerosis and high blood pressure, especially for men, or women taking estrogen.
Excess alcohol may increase the chance of hemorrhagic stroke (while moderate drinking may reduce stroke risk!).
Chronic elevated circulating insulin is common in some forms of stroke.
Signs & Symptoms
Symptoms usually develop quickly, in minutes but may take several days. Loss of circulation causes infarction, or tissue death. Some symptoms are barely noticeable, the person may not realize they have had a stroke, nor will anyone close to them. They may dismiss it as a headache, or a bout of dizziness.
More typically, there will be one-sided (hemiplegic) symptoms, opposite the side of the brain incurring the insult.
More serious cases (one-third) involve unconsciousness, coma and death. Death may also result from complications, notably pneumonia and pulmonary embolism.
Many patients are able to rehabilitate themselves. Only 5% require long term care.
Nutritional Supplements
Structure & Function:
Cardiovascular Support &
Essential Fatty Acids
---------------------------------
General Supplements
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| Fish Oils | 4-10 g |
| Magnesium | 400-800 mg |
| Vitamin B-6 | 25 mg |
* Please refer to the respective topic for specific nutrient amounts.
Note:
All amounts are in addition to those supplements having a Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA). Due to individual needs, one must always be aware of a possible undetermined effect when taking nutritional supplements. If any disturbances from the use of a particular supplement should occur, stop its use immediately and seek the care of a qualified health care professional.
Dietary Considerations
Mainstream research has finally recognized that most chronic diseases are lifestyle related and therefore preventable. The root problem lies in food production and processing practices and not by dispensing designer drugs or opening more hospital beds.
For the prolongation of life expectancy and reduction of ischemic heart disease, dietary guidelines generally recommend lowering saturated mammalian fat with partial replacement by vegetable oils and generous increases in vegetables, legumes and fruits, which provide more essential antioxidants. The objective is agreed upon: an optimal status of all essential and synergistically linked antioxidants. However, the details remain to be worked out.
Unfortunately, while animal fats (as well as partially hydrogenated vegetable oils) may contribute to several risk factors, phytoestrogens can be just as damaging, since they may penetrate the blood/brain barrier. Soybeans and peanuts are common examples.
Fish oils are recommended as a source of fatty acids. Additional vitamin E is recommended to offset any increased membrane peroxidation and cellular damage brought on by the fish oils. However, fish consumption has not been found to be helpful, possibly because it is often fried, or served with French fries.
Fruits and vegetables, otherwise, are beneficial, providing vitamin C, bioflavonoids and having antioxidant effects. In elderly people vitamin C concentration, whether measured by dietary intake or plasma concentration of ascorbic acid, is strongly related to subsequent risk of death from stroke but not from coronary heart disease.
A study from China found a negative association between plasma ascorbic acid and mortality from stroke.
The “French paradox” of rich foods and wine with low rates of cardiovascular disease, is currently being explained by the presence of antioxidants in the wine. Moderate consumers of alcohol have the lowest rates of stroke, below that for teetotalers!
While cholesterol has been prominent for some time, renewed interest is being devoted to a similar substance: homocysteine. Vitamin B6 facilitates its decomposition.
Minerals are also important, although calcium is quite complex being associated with other cardiovascular disorders and medications e.g. hypertension and calcium channel blockers. Calcium intake is negatively correlated with the incidence of thromboembolic strokes.
Dietary calcium is considered to provide protection against hypertension. In the Honolulu Heart Program, men (middle aged of Japanese descent) who did not drink milk experienced stroke at double the rate of men who consumed at least a pint (at the time of the study this was likely whole milk). Nondairy calcium did not seem to provide the same benefits. Other milk factors must be important, beyond calcium. Calcium intake within this sample was also disproportionately low relative to dominant mainland cultures in the United States, or Europe.
Another ethnic group, Blacks, shows an increased risk for cerebral infarction which can be explained by their higher prevalence of stroke risk factors, especially diabetes, hypertension, and lower educational attainment.
The authors of this study do not recommend milk consumption as the solution to stroke risk. However, they regard milk consumption in middle age as a positive reflection of a balanced diet, generally, together with weight control and physical activity. They concede the difficulties of controlling for every extraneous factor in such a large-scale epidemiological study.
Usually paired with calcium is magnesium, which has demonstrated benefits in cerebral vasospasm and ischemia. Magnesium may act by opposing calcium-dependent cerebral arterial vasoconstriction.
Sodium is widely associated with hypertension although the relationship is complex. A high sodium diet accelerated cerebral arterial disease even when no increases in blood pressure could be detected. Certainly, in Western society sodium intake tends to be excessive, as well as disproportionate to potassium. Hence, potassium intake tends to be the variable which most clearly reduces stroke-associated mortality. In one animal study, the mechanism was elucidated as follows: high potassium diets reduce macrophage adherence to the vascular wall in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats.
Stroke mortality has been positively related at a significant level to the 24-hour sodium excretion rate in men and to the sodium/potassium ratio in both sexes.
While diabetes is a risk factor for stroke and chromium supplementation is often recommended for diabetics, elevated chromium levels have been measured in patients with cerebral hemorrhage and cerebral thrombosis.
Studies are accruing which suggest a protective effect of serum selenium against subsequent stroke.
Another risk factor, stress, can impact the endocrine system, via adrenal burnout and thyroid disorders. Iodine is associated with the thyroid gland and studies have shown a benefit in reducing anxiety and depression associated with cerebral atherosclerosis.
As the incidence of stroke rises dramatically with age, another factor may, eventually, need to be weighed, carefully, residential, or hospital care. Certainly, nutritional status is known to deteriorate during hospital stay, mostly in physically dependent patients. This also applies to victims of stroke, who have another hurdle to negotiate, protein-energy malnutrition which is a risk factor for poor outcome.
Finally, a revolutionary view has been developed in England, in which a life event such as stroke, is actually programmed in utero. The availability of a limited supply of nutrients forces the fetus into a permanent change to their physiology and metabolism predisposing them to stroke, for example.
Herbal Approaches
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Herbs
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Feverfew
Ginkgo biloba
Note: The misdirected use of an herb can produce severely adverse effects, especially in combination with prescription drugs. This Herbal information is for educational purposes and is not intended as a replacement for medical advice.
Discussion:
The best-known herbal supplement is Ginkgo biloba, which acts as a cerebrovascular (and peripheral) vasodilator.
Feverfew may have similar benefits, best-kown in relation to migraine.
Homeopathic Remedy
Arnica montana tinct.
Melilotus officinalis
Treatment Schedule
Over-the-counter homeopathic remedies may be single strength (of fairly weak potency e.g. 6X) or a blend of several weaker strengths (6X, 8X, 10X).
This may comprise a single remedy, or several remedies.
Doses are administered on a 3 times daily (tid), between meals,schedule and continued for 3 days.
Liquid preparations usually use 8-10 drops per dose.
Solid preparations are usually 2 or 3 pellets per dose.
Children use 1/2 dose i.e. 1 pellet.
If there is aggravation of the symptoms, stop taking the remedy and consult a homeopath.
References
Murphy, R. : Homeopathic Medical Repertory. Hahneman Academy, Pagosa Springs, Colorado. 1993.
Murphy, R. : Lotus Materia Medica. Hahneman Academy, Pagosa Springs, Colorado. 1995.
Pert, J.C.: Homeopathy for the Family. The Homoeopathic Development Foundation, London. 1985 edition.
Aromatherapy - Essential Oils
Cerebral congestion:
Onion Essence.
Other essential oils recommended, may include:
| Birch Essence, | Cardamom Essence, |
| Clove Essence, | Cypress Essence, |
| Frankincense Essence, | Marjoram Essence, |
| Myrrh Essence, | Peppermint Essence, |
| Rosemary Essence, | Sandalwood Essence, |
| Ylang-Ylang Essence. |
Related Health Conditions
Arteriosclerosis
Atherosclerosis
Deep vein thrombosis
Hypertension
Pneumonia
Pulmonary embolism
References
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