Study links fruits, vegetables to fewer strokes

While many people discount the danger posed by strokes, believing they can only happen to the very old or the very sick, this is far from the reality. In fact, statistics show that strokes are the fourth leading cause of death here in the U.S. and, perhaps more significantly, one of the primary causes of disability.

The good news, however, is that there are steps that people can take to reduce their risk of stroke and that at least one of them may be as easy as introducing something new into your diet.

According to a recently released study by researchers in China, eating a minimum of two hundred grams of fruit a day -- roughly two small apples -- can reduce the risk of a stroke by 32 percent, while eating a minimum of two hundred grams of vegetables a day can reduce the risk of stroke by 11 percent.

The study, published in the latest edition of the medical journal Stroke, arrived at this conclusion after examining the results of 20 studies involving over 760,000 people conducted across the globe over the last 19 years.

"Improving diet and lifestyle is critical for heart and stroke risk reduction in the general population," said the primary author of the study. "A diet rich in fruits and vegetables is highly recommended because it meets micronutrient and macronutrient and fiber requirements without adding substantially to overall energy requirements."

The researchers found that the reduced stroke risk held true for both hemorrhagic (i.e., bleeding) strokes and ischemic (i.e., blood clot) strokes, and that factors like age, gender, body mass, high blood pressure and physical activity generally had no bearing on the conclusions reached.

Furthermore, they identified apples, pears, leafy vegetables and citrus fruits as being those most closely associated with a lowered risk of stroke.

Figures from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reveal that Americans typically eat less than half of the daily recommended intake of fruits and vegetables despite the fact that it is already known to lower blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and body mass index. Here's hoping that this new study finally proves to be enough to convince people to change their diets.

If you've suffered a devastating stroke that has left you permanently disabled and unable to work, consider speaking with an experienced legal professional to learn more about your options as they relate to Social Security disability benefits.

Source: The Philadelphia Inquirer, "Fruits and veggies may lower stroke risk," May 9, 2014