Know Your Symptoms with Your Health Buddy: HEALTHY LIFE

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Know It in Advance, Be Prepared! Causes, Symptoms, and Prevention of Stroke

Hello, it’s your health buddy! Let’s feel better together. Today, I’m here to share some symptom insights and helpful tips about Stroke. Let’s dive in!

Stroke is a sudden condition that can leave behind serious complications.
It doesn’t only occur in older people—it can affect anyone due to poor lifestyle habits. Just a few days ago, Pope Francis passed away due to heart failure caused by a stroke.

But the good news is that stroke is largely preventable through proper health management. So, knowing the signs and preparing in advance is more important than anything else.

In this post, we’ll go over the causes, symptoms, and prevention methods for stroke.

| What is a Stroke?

Stroke refers to a group of brain-related vascular disorders. It occurs when the blood flow in the brain is suddenly disrupted, leading to symptoms like loss of consciousness, motor issues, sensory problems, or disruption of vital functions. This can result in death or serious long-term effects.

| Types of Stroke by Cause

There are many causes of stroke, but most fall into two main categories: ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke.

Ischemic stroke happens when a blood vessel in the brain is blocked, preventing blood flow to certain parts of the brain. This includes cerebral thrombosis, cerebral embolism, and transient ischemic attacks (TIA).
Hemorrhagic stroke occurs when a blood vessel bursts, blocking blood flow and putting pressure on the brain due to the bleeding.

Among ischemic strokes, cerebral thrombosis is the most common. It’s often caused by arteriosclerosis as we age, narrowing the arteries and reducing blood flow. When a clot made of cholesterol and platelets forms in the brain vessels, it gradually blocks the area, leading to stroke—especially in people with high blood pressure. It often occurs during rest.

Cerebral embolism is when a clot formed outside the brain travels to the brain and blocks a vessel suddenly. It usually happens in people with heart conditions like valve disease or arrhythmia.

Transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) are temporary disruptions in blood flow to the brain. They can cause short-term numbness or speech problems that recover within hours. However, repeated TIAs significantly increase the risk of a full stroke.

Hemorrhagic stroke has a high fatality rate. It often presents as sudden dizziness, headaches, vomiting, and limb numbness, sometimes leading to coma. It tends to happen during activity, especially in people with high blood pressure, stress, or physical strain, and occurs more often during the day than at night.

When the bleeding is limited to the membrane surrounding the brain, it’s called a subarachnoid hemorrhage. It often causes extreme headache and vomiting. It has an even higher fatality and recurrence rate than regular brain bleeding. It’s usually triggered by congenital brain aneurysms or malformations, and can also occur during bowel movements, lifting heavy objects, or intense physical activities—especially in younger people.

| 7 Rules to Prevent Stroke

Manage your blood pressure.
High blood pressure is the most dangerous risk factor. Ignoring it is like waiting for a stroke to happen.
Maintain a healthy weight.
Obesity and excess weight are key causes of stroke and other chronic diseases.
Quit smoking.
Once you quit, your risk for stroke, heart disease, and cancer starts to drop. After 1 year, the risk is cut by 50%, and after 5 years, it’s similar to a non-smoker’s.
Exercise regularly.
Those who exercise for at least 30 minutes a day are about 2.7 times less likely to suffer a stroke.
Improve your diet.
Eat low-sodium, low-calorie meals, and focus on vegetables and fish. Avoid salty or cholesterol-rich foods. Eating fruits, vegetables, and fish rich in folic acid and vitamins can reduce stroke risk by up to two-thirds.
Stop drinking alcohol.
While a glass of wine may aid circulation, habitual drinking—regardless of the type—raises stroke risk by three times.
Keep your body and mind warm.
Kind and happy people are less likely to experience strokes. Protecting your body temperature, especially in winter, is crucial, as stroke rates rise in colder weather.

| Foods That Help Prevent Stroke

Diet plays a crucial role in stroke prevention.
Avoid high-calorie animal fats and salty foods. Eat a balanced diet with fresh vegetables, seaweed, and whole grains.

Common foods in our diet that promote blood circulation and reduce stroke risk include garlic, onions, chives, and wild chives. These contain enzymes that transform into allicin, which increases HDL (good cholesterol) and lowers triglycerides and LDL (bad cholesterol).

Nutrients like anthocyanins, beta-carotene, vitamin A, and vitamin C found in black beans, pumpkin, tomatoes, carrots, tangerines, and lemons help blood flow, prevent blood vessel aging, and promote energy and vitality.

Salmon, mackerel, oysters, clams, shrimp, and seaweed are rich in DHA, omega-3 fatty acids, taurine, and tyrosine, all of which help prevent blood clots and arteriosclerosis.

| Changing Daily Habits

A stroke can destroy brain tissue, lead to death, or cause irreversible damage. That’s why ancient wisdom emphasized prevention over cure. Recognizing your personal risk factors and changing your lifestyle before a stroke occurs is essential.

Stroke can happen to anyone. Though it seems sudden, most strokes develop slowly over time.
Check your current lifestyle and environment. If you take active steps now, you can avoid the fear of stroke altogether.

Your health buddy is here for you. Wishing you a healthy and happy day ahead. Stay well!💖

This content is for informational purposes only and does not hold any individual or entity legally responsible. For accurate diagnosis and treatment of symptoms, please visit a nearby medical institution. This does not represent my final medical opinion and may vary depending on specific circumstances and evolving medical perspectives.

Teenagers Longing to Be “Skin and Bones”

Hello, it’s your health buddy! Let’s feel better together. Today, I’m here to share some symptom insights and helpful tips about Skin and Bones. Let’s dive in!

A Rising Trend Among Teens

More and more teenagers today are idolizing extremely thin celebs and trying to become skinny through unhealthy dieting. Even teens with a normal weight are taking on extreme methods just to achieve a thinner appearance.

In one recent report, teenagers were found sharing photos of ultra-thin celebrities and "motivating" each other to achieve similar body shapes. They would take daily "body check" photos—what they call “eye-body” checks—to see who lost more weight or to encourage one another when progress seemed to stall.

The Dangerous Desire for “Skin and Bones”

While it’s great when young people adopt healthy eating and exercise habits to stay fit, the concern is that many are obsessed with rapidly losing weight at any cost. Among teens, the phrase “skin and bones” has become trendy—referring to admiring bodies that are thin enough to reveal bone structure.

This obsession can lead to eating disorders. Some teens force themselves to vomit after eating, experiencing symptoms of anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa.

Causes, Symptoms, and the Importance of Treating Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Hello, it’s your health buddy! Let’s feel better together. Today, I’m here to share some symptom insights and helpful tips about Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Let’s dive in!

Janet (41), who lives in New York, finally visited a mental health clinic she had been meaning to go to for a long time. Whenever she got fixated on something, she found herself trapped in those thoughts all day long, unable to focus on work, and even losing sleep. She felt her symptoms were getting worse and finally gathered the courage to seek help.

Recently, she had a new bathroom sink installed due to a leak. But even after the repair, she couldn’t stop worrying that it might be leaking again. She kept checking it every few minutes, but the anxiety wouldn’t go away. There were even several times when she went back home from work just to make sure the air conditioner or heater was turned off. Sometimes, she would jump out of bed in the middle of the night to check if her belongings were in the right place, just to feel at ease.

She also experienced frequent anxiety about events that hadn’t even happened yet, excessive health worries, and insomnia triggered by endless “what if” thoughts. Although she had gone through this for over a decade, she dismissed it as part of her sensitive and perfectionist personality. But when her symptoms led to heart palpitations and dizziness, she finally consulted a specialist. She was diagnosed with a combination of OCD, anxiety disorder, and panic disorder. She is now undergoing treatment with two types of prescribed medication.

OCD is more common than we think — and easy to overlook

Most people experience a little bit of obsession or compulsiveness. But even when anxiety, depression, or obsessive thoughts become persistent, many people simply brush it off as a passing mood. If someone is known for being “a perfectionist” or “detail-oriented,” they might think it’s just their personality. However, if the symptoms continue to worsen, start affecting others, or interfere with daily life, that’s when it becomes a condition that requires professional help.

What exactly is OCD?

Simply put, OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder) involves repeated thoughts or actions that feel impossible to control. These compulsions create anxiety or discomfort unless acted upon. OCD is classified under what’s commonly known as “neuroses.”

A small amount of obsessive behavior can actually help in daily life, but when it becomes too intense, it turns into a disorder that not only affects the person suffering but also those around them. Although those with OCD often recognize that their actions or thoughts are irrational, they still feel compelled to act on them. Trying to suppress these impulses often worsens the anxiety.

How common is OCD?

OCD is relatively common. Lifetime prevalence is estimated at around 2–3%, and about 10% of psychiatric outpatients suffer from it. Despite being widespread, only a small number of those affected seek treatment. On average, people don’t get help until 7.5 years after their symptoms begin. It often starts during adolescence or early adulthood, but adult-onset is also possible.

It frequently coexists with other mental health conditions such as depression and social anxiety disorder. OCD may also occur alongside alcohol abuse, specific phobias, panic disorder, eating disorders, autism, and Tourette’s syndrome.

What are the symptoms of OCD?

Symptoms vary widely, but a common trait is repeating certain thoughts or behaviors even when the person knows they’re irrational. About 75% of people with OCD experience both obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors.

Common symptoms include:

Obsessive thoughts about contamination (e.g., repeated handwashing, avoiding “dirty” objects)
Doubting thoughts that lead to compulsive checking (e.g., checking locks, appliances)
Repetitive thoughts involving inappropriate sexual or violent content
A need for symmetry or precision (e.g., arranging objects in a specific order)
Intrusive, uncontrollable thoughts about existential matters like life, death, or religion

What causes OCD?

From a biological standpoint, OCD is thought to be linked to abnormal activity of serotonin in the brain. That’s why medications targeting serotonin are often used in treatment. On the other hand, OCD can also be learned behavior reinforced by trauma or repeated experiences. For example, someone who has experienced a serious accident might become obsessively focused on preventing a similar event.

So although it may seem like a psychological issue, OCD has strong biological roots.

When should you seek treatment?

This is an important question. Some people think their behavior is just a personality trait or a quirk, and they try to live with the discomfort. But if the distress is long-term and affects daily life, seeking help can make a significant difference.

If you suspect OCD, it's important to get evaluated and determine whether it’s a personality trait or something that requires treatment.

Initially, people may wonder if treatment can even help. But once they receive the right medications and therapy, many find that their symptoms improve and their quality of life changes dramatically. If you suspect even mild OCD, it’s worth visiting a clinic, speaking to a professional, and starting treatment tailored to your needs.

Your health buddy is here for you. Wishing you a healthy and happy day ahead. Stay well!💖

Know Your Symptoms with Your Health Buddy

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