Stroke is among the preventable causes of death and disability worldwide, striking millions each year. Though people have a general awareness of some risk factors, according to a new study published in the journal Neurology, three significant risk factors do not only increase the chances of having a stroke but also increase the possibility of it leaving a person debilitated or fatal. The three major risk factors are smoking, high blood pressure, and atrial fibrillation-symptoms, all of which, when poorly managed, can lead to a severe stroke, thereafter requiring lifelong care.

It followed nearly 27,000 participants from 32 countries at a mean age of 62. Half of them had experienced a stroke with 4,800 being severe and the 8,600 others mild to moderate strokes. After adjusting other aspects of the study, they find a tight association between high blood pressure, atrial fibrillation, and smoking with the severity of the stroke.

This is a priority area according to Reddin; its management is a priority, more so for low- and middle-income countries that are witnessing an alarming surge in hypertension and stroke rates. For such countries, where access to health care may not be readily available, public health approaches with a focus on lifestyle changes and adherence to antihypertensive medication can significantly lower the chances of stroke, especially among the younger population.

3 Main Risk Factors for Stroke

1. High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)

For quite some time, high blood pressure has been recognized as one of the major risks associated with stroke. According to the new study, the patients suffering from high blood pressure were 3.2 times more likely to suffer from a severe stroke and 2.9 times more likely to suffer from minor to moderate stroke than normal-blood-pressure patients. The opening and weakening of blood vessels due to hypertension can pave way for clots to form and begin their journey towards the brain.

2. Atrial Fibrillation (AFib)

It is also now known that AFib, an abnormal heart rhythm results in poor blood circulation, while increasing severe stroke risk. Such a patient, however, stands to have a 4.7 times chance of experiencing severe stroke and a 3.6 time chance of a mild or moderate stroke. AFib therefore increases the propensity for the formation of blood clots within the heart, which may be circulated to the brain, resulting in a stroke. This is a vicious combination - AFib coupled with high blood pressure is more lethal. It is well known that smoking the risk for patients with AFib to suffer a stroke.

3. Smoking

It is a potentially avoidable risk factor. In general, an enormous risk for stroke is associated with smoking. A smoker has a 1.9-fold greater risk to have an ischemic severe stroke and a 1.7-fold higher risk for an ischemic mild to moderate stroke than a nonsmoker. Smoking may cause an ischemic stroke by damaging vessels, lowering the oxygen-carrying capacity of blood, and increasing the risk of thrombosis.

Have Strokes Become more Rampant?

While any stroke is serious, the study indicates that severe strokes are the most shattering type of strokes because it usually leads to long-term disabilities like inability to walk or self-care. Those who suffer from a severe stroke usually need nursing care round the clock for the rest of their lives. According to lead author of this study, Catriona Reddin, a geriatrics researcher at the University of Galway in Ireland, managing these risk factors can prevent not only strokes, but disabling strokes that drastically cut down on quality of life.

Practical Strategies to Help Lower the Risk of a Stroke

Armed with the result of this particular research, here are a few practical steps that you can take to lower your stroke risk:

1. Keep Your Blood Pressure in Check

High blood pressure is the most critical modifiable stroke risk factor. Regular checkups and maintaining healthy blood pressure with medication, diet, and exercise are required to lower risks from a stroke.

2. Control Atrial Fibrillation

When you have atrial fibrillation, managing this condition is very important, but your health care provider is to be of great support. Controlling your heart rate and preventing clots with medication, combined with lifestyle changes, will dramatically reduce the risk of stroke.

3. Quit Smoking

Quitting smoking is the best hope for recovery after a stroke and the best reduction of your risk to have a stroke in the future. It is one of the biggest risks for having a stroke, and quitting will greatly reduce your opportunities of having a stroke. Seek help whether through counseling, nicotine replacement therapy, or other quit programs to give your body the best opportunity to recover and decrease your chance of having another stroke.

4. Eat a Healthy Heart Diet

A diet high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins helps control your blood pressure, prevents heart disease, and therefore reduces your risk for stroke. Consume less sodium, saturated fats, and added sugars to maintain a healthy cardiovascular system.

5. Be Physically Active

Be physically active to ensure heart health, including the maintenance of healthy blood pressure, as well as overall general well-being. Try doing at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week.

Going through chemotherapy can be very difficult for one’s body. To get better, chemo patients get sick regularly to ensure they get better. The Cleveland Clinic explains that side effects of chemo happen as the medicine used to destroy cancer cells can also often affect healthy cells. People experience extreme fatigue, nausea, hair loss, loss of appetite, weakened immune system etc. One of the reassurances is that normal cells can repair themselves allowing your body time to recover.

Another side effect of the treatment is the ‘brain fog’. According to the Mayo Clinic, it is characterized by trouble thinking and creating memories during and after the treatment. Some other symptoms of brain fog include trouble recalling what you’ve said to others or seen particular images and short-term memory loss issues. Experts do not know the cause of this side effect.

However, a new study revealed that having a loving and devoted partner can drastically improve brain fog symptoms in chemo patients.

A Partner’s Role In Chemo Management

Published in the Psychoneuroendocrinology journal, the research found that patients who reported having a fulfilling and happy intimate relationship were more likely to maintain their cognitive abilities and experience less of the mental fogginess often associated with chemotherapy treatment.

Based on their findings, the researchers suggest that therapy focused on strengthening the quality of a patient's relationship with their partner might be a helpful way to improve how well they handle the impact of chemotherapy on their thinking and memory skills.

For the study, researchers followed 48 women with breast cancer who were participating in a larger investigation looking at how chemotherapy affects the gut and brain. These patients underwent tests to assess their verbal skills, attention span, and short-term memory both before and after chemotherapy.

Satisfied Relationship = Preserved Brain Function

The key finding was that the more satisfied patients were with their relationship with their partner, the better their brain function held up while they were undergoing chemotherapy. This suggests a strong protective effect of a positive intimate connection on cognitive abilities during this challenging treatment period.

While general social support from friends and family also seemed to offer some benefit, the researchers noted that the link between a highly satisfying relationship and protected brain function was stronger and more consistent. This led them to believe that the intimate partnership is the most crucial social connection for cognitive well-being during chemotherapy.

Love Can Affect Chemo Treatment

The study also revealed that chemotherapy has an impact on the hormone oxytocin, often referred to as the "love hormone." Researchers found that levels of oxytocin in the blood significantly decreased while patients were receiving chemotherapy but returned to normal after the treatment was completed.

This temporary drop in oxytocin levels suggests that chemotherapy might be affecting the hypothalamus, which is the area of the brain responsible for producing this hormone that plays a role in social interactions and various other bodily functions.

Overall, the researchers concluded that supporting the intimate relationships of cancer patients through couples therapy could be just as important as providing other forms of support, such as support groups specifically for chemotherapy patients.

Incorporating enough fruits and vegetables into your daily meals can be a challenge—especially for those with picky palates. Yet, these plant-based foods are nutritional powerhouses, and one often overlooked leafy green in particular may deserve a second look: turnip greens.

A cup of cooked turnip greens contains fewer than 60 calories, but don’t let that fool you. This humble vegetable delivers an impressive 4.87 grams of protein, 5.05 grams of fibre, 39.1 milligrams of magnesium, 209 milligrams of calcium, and 29.7 milligrams of vitamin C. Despite this, its naturally bitter taste can be off-putting for many.

Kathleen Benson, a registered dietitian-nutritionist with Top Nutrition Coaching, says preparation is key. “You can toss turnip greens into soups or add them to a grain bowl with a tangy dressing to balance out the bitterness,” she suggests. A little creativity in the kitchen can go a long way in making these greens more palatable—and more beneficial to your health.

Why bother with turnip greens? Beyond their robust nutrient profile, they belong to the Brassicaceae family, also known as cruciferous vegetables. This puts them in the same league as kale, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts when it comes to health benefits. Among the most noteworthy is their potential to prevent cancer.

The cancer-fighting power of turnip greens is attributed to their glucosinolate content—naturally occurring compounds that can interfere with cancer development. A 2023 review in Medical Oncology emphasized their usefulness for both cancer prevention and treatment. Another review published in 2009 in Molecular Nutrition & Food Research noted a decreased cancer risk among people who regularly consumed these sulfur-rich compounds.

But the benefits don’t stop there. The calcium and magnesium in turnip greens support strong bones and play a vital role in maintaining healthy muscles, circulation, and nerve function. A 2011 study in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition also found that eating cruciferous vegetables like turnip greens may lower the risk of cardiovascular death for both men and women.

Vitamin C, another major nutrient found in turnip greens, is known for boosting immune health and aiding in tissue repair. This makes the vegetable an excellent ally in fighting off illness and helping the body heal from injury.

To make turnip greens more enjoyable, Benson recommends cooking methods that enhance their taste while preserving nutrients. Acidic ingredients like vinegar or lemon juice can "cut the bitterness." Garlic and olive oil not only add flavor but help the body absorb fat-soluble vitamins such as A and K. While cooking may slightly reduce the greens’ vitamin C content, Benson has a fix: "Adding a squeeze of lemon at the end can brighten the flavor even more and help preserve some of the vitamin C in the dish."

Turnip greens might not be the first vegetable that comes to mind, but with the right preparation, they can be both delicious and incredibly good for your health.

Flying was once a distant dream, but with the invention of aeroplanes, it has become a routine and widely accessible means of travel. According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), nearly 100,000 flights take off around the world each day. In 2024 alone, an estimated 4.4 billion passengers flew globally. In the United States, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) recorded a historic peak of 848 million passengers in the same year.

The popularity of air travel has not only grown in volume but also in safety. The IATA reported that the global accident rate in 2023 was just one accident per 1.26 million flights — the safest it has been in decades. Research consistently shows that air travel is statistically safer in terms of fatalities than any other common mode of transport.

Yet for some, flying remains a source of significant distress. Known as aviophobia, the fear of flying is a persistent and intense anxiety that goes far beyond typical nervousness. People with aviophobia often dread flying days or even weeks in advance, and their fear can become overwhelming.

How To Manage Aviophobia

If you suffer from a fear of flying, several techniques may help ease your discomfort.

Stay Centered

Try deep breathing exercises—inhale for four counts, then exhale for six. Repeat a calming mantra, such as reminding yourself that air travel is the safest form of transportation. Reframe your focus by thinking about the excitement awaiting you upon arrival instead of dwelling on your fears.

Find A Focus

Engage in grounding techniques, such as crossing your arms and ankles while breathing deeply. Use your senses: observe five things you can see, four you can touch, three you can hear, two you can smell, and one you can taste. Hold a comforting item like a stress ball or smooth stone. Listening to calming audio, like music or meditation, and visualizing peaceful places can also help.

Reduce External Stressors

Pull down the window shade to avoid watching the scenery fly by. Use noise-canceling headphones to block out cabin noise, and wear an eye mask to minimize bright lights.

Prepare For Anxiety

Practice mindfulness or meditation for a week or two before your flight. If needed, speak to a therapist before flying. If possible, visit the airport in advance or visualize the process of checking in and boarding to feel more in control.

Distract Yourself

Load your device with movies or shows, bring a book, work on puzzles, journal, listen to a podcast, or play a mobile game to occupy your mind during the flight.

Avoid Added Anxiety Triggers

Steer clear of caffeine, sugary snacks, and energy drinks before flying, as these can increase feelings of anxiety.

Understand Your Specific Fear

Pinpoint what aspect of flying scares you. If it's the fear of losing control, reading about aviation safety might help. For claustrophobia, consider booking an aisle seat or requesting early boarding.