The RTH Stroke Foundation was honored last month by the City of Laguna Hills, which gave the RTH Stroke Foundation a city proclamation for Stroke Awareness Month. Guy Navarro of the Foundation, was honored to accept the proclamation issued by Mayor Cynthia Conners on 5/27/15.
This was an important milestone for the Foundation which set out in 1996 under the late Roxanna Todd Hodges, to significantly reduce the impact of Stroke in the Southern California Region.
Downey Patriot, September 26, 2013 More than 100 residents received free stroke prevention screenings Wednesday.
74-year-old Albert Nosal came to the Primary Stroke Prevention Screening at RioHondo Event Center Wednesday looking for hope. His blood pressure soaring out of control at188/98 and having already suffered four “mini-strokes”, Albert was looking for new ideas about how to get his life back.
He found plenty of great diet, exercise and lifestyle tips from Yaga Szlachcic, MD, a highly respected cardiologist, clinical leader and researcher from Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center who delivered a brilliant presentation on controlling an irregular heartbeat (known as atrial fibrillation or “a-fib”) and stroke prevention.
Albert was one of more than 100 Downey-area residents who marveled as Dr. Szlachcic explained the importance of modifying behaviors to help limit the risk of having a stroke. Like most of those in attendance, he learned a lot.
“I’ve been prescribed 14 different medications, some with disastrous side effects,” he said. After hearing Dr. Szlachchic, he said now has hope that he can work with his doctor to lower my blood pressure not only with drugs, but with diet, exercise and even meditating before going to sleep at night.
“She spoke at our level, and answered our questions in a way we could all understand,” Albert said. Her presentation was simply outstanding.”
The seminar was the fourth of five free Primary Stroke Prevention events in Downey that have provided free carotid artery, aortic abdominal aneurysm and blood pressure screenings for more than 850 people. These free screenings have been valued at more than $335,000. The seminars are sponsored by the RTH Stroke Foundation, Rancho Los Amigos Foundation, The Downey Patriot and the Rio Hondo Event Center.
Many lives have been saved because of these seminars, which USC’s Nerses Sanossian, MD, Director of the Roxanna Todd Hodges Comprehensive Stroke Clinic at the Keck School of Medicine of USC, called “the most successful Primary Stroke Prevention seminar series our nation has ever had.”
The final 2013 seminar will be held on Wednesday, November 6 from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Rio Hondo Event Center. The speaker will be the world-renowned neurologist Helena Chui, MD, who is the Chair of Neurology of the Keck School of Medicine of USC. One of the world’s foremost researchers in Alzheimer’s Disease, Dr. Chui will discuss her groundbeaking research and the relationship between Alzheimer’s, vascular dementia and stroke.
This free seminar is certain to be “sold out” very quickly,” said RTH Stroke Foundation President Deborah Massaglia. “Dr. Chui is a tremendous speaker, and in addition to hearing her presentation, attendees will also receive a complimentary blood pressure screening.”
Since high blood pressure is the number one cause of strokes, this screening is especially important,” she said. Reservations may be made online at rthstrokefoundation.org or by phone at (888) 794-9466.
At Wednesday’s event, Dr. Szlachcic explained how many medications can cause irregular and/or accelerated heartbeats. “You can recognize a-fib with several common symptoms, including an abnormal feeling in the chest, a rapid and strong heartbeat or an irregular heartbeat. Other symptoms include dizziness, chest pain or shortness of breath, fainting or passing out or anxiety.
“Anxiety is a very important symptom, because people have panic attacks, sweaty palms and sometimes even a feeling of impending doom,” Dr. Szlachcic said. “If you have these symptoms or any time you feel that something isn’t right with your heart, you should contact your doctor.”
Of course, before a person’s health deteriorates to that level, there are many things that can be done to live healthier lifestyles beyond the normal caution to avoid smoking, Dr. Szlachcic said.
Event attendees Elsa Van Louiven and Shirley McConnell each said they planned to eat more fruits and vegetables. “It really opened my eayes to know that a-fib can cause a clot that travels to your brain and causes a stroke,” Shirley said. “I am going to eat a more healthy diet from now on.”
“I learned some things that will help me become healthier,” Elsa said. “It was well worth the trip to Rio Hondo, because what I learned could help save my life.”
“This was my second Stroke Prevention Seminar, and I picked up quite a bit more important information from this very helpful event,” said Tom Riddell.
One strategy Dr. Szlachcic discussed was “eating real food, not food products. This most often means eating from the sides of the market, not from the center aisles.” Another idea she spoke about was adding cinnamon to the diet. “Cinnamon has a positive effect, and cinnamon tea is especially effective. You simply make a cup of tea, put a cinnamon stick in the cup and wait for it to cool down. Then you remove the stick and you can use it several more times. The cinnamon adds a sweet taste, but doesn’t contain sugar.”
She also debunked some myths about the relative value of ginko, garlic and ginger. “Ginko does not improve memory, but it affects the blood in a negative way. Garlic can negatively affect how your blood thins, and in some cases, with certain medications, ginger can also have a negative affect on how your blood thins. Beware of the 3 Gs!”
Dr. Szlachic exhorted the audience to walk for at least a half hour at least five days a week. “Walking is the most healthy, natural and wonderful way to get the exercise your body needs to avoid a stroke. You can also swim or do Zumba, but the key is that you have to move your body to stay healthy.”
She also recommended meditation before going to bed at night, although she said, “the best time to meditate is when you need it. You can just sit down, relax, breathe deeply and count slowly from 1 to 10. You can find lots of techniques online, but I would suggest you keep it very simple as you begin.”
“Living a healthy lifestyle is the key,” Dr. Szlachcic said. “If you are also doing something that makes you feel fulfilled, you will be on the way to living well, and having a healthy, productive life where you will never have a stroke.”
See the article below for information on how to reduce the risk of Diabetes and Stroke by improving your diet. Article by Jamie Mok of the Long Beach Memorial Medical Center.
The Diabetes Prevention Program, a large study conducted by the National Institutes of Health, found that high-risk individuals who lost 5-10% of body weight with diet and exercise significantly reduced their chance of developing type 2 diabetes by 58%. If the word “diet” makes you want to throw in the towel, do not give up hope! The old-fashioned “diabetic diet” is far off from today’s nutrition recommendations. Diabetes experts recognize that nutrition for diabetes is not “one size fits all”. Successful meal plans should consider age, gender, height, weight, physical activity, medical history, medications, and personal goals. Low carb? Sugar-free? Gluten free? Wheat free? With over 100 million Americans trying to lose weight, this $80 million dollar industry keeps new fad diets trending. Subscribing to one “miracle diet” after another is unhealthy and can be harmful, especially to those with medical conditions like diabetes. So what should we be eating? A healthy diet for a diabetic is generally the same as someone who is not diabetic. The key to eating for better health is a matter of quality and quantity. It’s important to understand that not all nutrients are created equal. A healthy meal plan is a balance of high quality carbs, proteins and fats. The majority of carbs we eat should be minimally processed. Whole grain breads, cereals, crackers and pasta; brown and wild rice, oat bran, beans, lentils, sweet potatoes, fresh fruits and vegetables are examples of high quality carbs rich in vitamins, minerals and soluble fiber, which slows the rise of blood sugars. On the contrary, low quality carbs, or refined sugars, are discouraged as they offer little nutritional value. Foods like white breads, cereals, crackers, pasta and rice; chips, cookies, cakes, candy, soda and juice hit the blood stream quicker causing blood sugars to rise more rapidly. Pairing high quality carbs with high quality proteins and fats further slows the rise blood sugars as the body works on digesting and absorbing all three nutrients at once. Fish, skinless chicken and turkey, lean pork and beef, egg whites, nonfat milk, yogurt, and cheese; beans, lentils, peas, soybeans, tofu, tempeh, soybeans, nuts and seeds are delicious sources of high quality protein. In addition to blunting the rise of blood sugars, high quality fats, namely monounsaturated fats and omega 3 fatty acids, offer cardiovascular benefits including improve blood cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, reduce blood clots and decrease inflammation. Therefore consuming more high quality fats reduces risk for type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke. Olive oil, canola oil, avocado, peanuts, pecans, almonds, Brazil nuts, and all-natural nut butters are good sources of monounsaturated fats. Omega 3 fatty acids are found in wild-caught coldwater fish like salmon, herring trout, tuna, mackerel, sardines, anchovies, ground flaxseed, flaxseed oil, chia seeds, walnuts, walnut oil and canola oil. We can see that the “super-sized” shift in our eating patterns correlate to the rise in obesity and numerous related chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes. Portion control is equally as important as the quality of food we eat. As mentioned earlier, every body is different therefore the “right” meal plan varies between individuals. Advise a registered dietitian for nutritional guidance to customize a meal plan that’s right for you. To get started, visit the American Diabetes Association website (diabetes.org) and Joslin Diabetes Center (joslin.org) for diabetes and nutrition resources.
~Jamie Mok, MS, RDN Clinical Dietitian II, Long Beach Memorial Medical Center
Stroke is the 5th leading cause of death in the United States and the leading cause of disability. When considering risk factors for any disease, the approach of most people is to lower their risk of death, but stroke offers a whole host of other maladies to take into consideration. Granted a person survives their stroke, they are at a 90% chance of suffering permanent disability – often of which, is quite frightening. One of the most common side effects of a stroke is Aphasia – the condition in which a survivor is unable to communicate at no loss to their former intelligence. The condition is looked at in many ways, as being stuck inside of one’s body.
A recent article published by the Washington Post, in light of Stroke Awareness Month, details a Brain Stem Stroke Survivor’s feeling of ‘being trapped inside’ of her body post stroke. She endured a long and daunting road to recovery and suffered from a paralyzing condition called ‘Locked-in Syndrome,’ in which, she was fully aware of her surroundings but completely paralyzed and unable to communicate.
‘Locked-in Syndrome’ is just another after effect of stroke to consider in this month dedicated to raising awareness. To read the article on Alfaro and her experience with ‘Locked-in Syndrome’, click on the link below. Another aspect of Alfaro’s story to take into account is that she was just 32 when she experienced the stroke that left her temporarily paralyzed.
http://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/%E2%80%98i-was-still-in-there%E2%80%99-a-32-year-old-learns-what-it%E2%80%99s-like-to-be-trapped-inside-her-own-body/ar-BBswF4i?li=BBnbfcL
Stroke warning signs:
Get to the Hospital within 3 hours and as soon as possible by calling 911 if any of these signs are noticed. 3 hours is the Goldilocks window to save yourself or another person from permanent brain damage or death in the event of a stroke.
Also, consider the core 4 risk factors of stroke:
A recent article published by The Huffington Post Australia and written by stroke survivor David Roland, details how life after a traumatic event can – if the sufferer chooses it, become more positive. In the article, David Roland explains how the advent of his stroke made him question the bigger things in life, such as who he wanted to be and who he wanted to spend time with. David then went on further to explain that after the ‘dark years’ of questioning and healing had passed, he grew to appreciate the person he had become, rather than the person he was. The phenomena is known as ‘Posttraumatic Growth’ in which essentially the sufferer of a traumatic event becomes stronger and more positive as a result of the trauma. Roland finished off by explaining that now he’s learned to appreciate the simpler things in life that we all take for granted. For a link to this insightful article that would be of value to any stroke survivor reeling from a recent stroke, see the url below.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/david-roland/disability-sucks-sometimes_b_9154614.html
In February of 2016, the foundation entered into a new frontier of stroke prevention and awareness. Since 1998, the Foundation has been focused on educating an 18+ demographic, but February saw the Foundation entering into high schools to educate the youth on the dangers of America’s top five killer. For three straight weeks the SMART Staff of the RTH Stroke Foundation entered into Anaheim High School and educated a body of four hundred ninth grade students on stroke. The first week was a summation of stroke and what causes stroke, the second week was an interactive session where the students performed activities that would make them relate to stroke and understand it, and the third week consisted of video testimony of stroke survivors.
The program received and overwhelmingly positive response and the body of four hundred students are now well versed in stroke signs and symptoms, what leads to them, and how to prevent them. The SMART Program will be returning to Anaheim in March and April with the groundwork already laid out for sessions to continue during the next school year.
Our second seminar of the year which was conducted in partnership with the Downey Patriot, PIH, Rio Hondo Event Center, and USC, saw a record number of attendees. Around 200 people hungry for stroke information and screenings packed the venue and sat for the presentation given by Dr. Tara Dutta. Don’t miss out on our next big event. All of our seminars and screenings are offered at no charge to attendees. See the events calendar below for a list of upcoming seminars and sign up for one today.
https://rthfoundation.org/events-calendar/
Our stroke support group broke new ground this year with dozens of new attendees and two exciting holiday parties. Our Halloween office party saw dozens of stroke survivors and their caregivers dressed in costumes and enjoying themselves over the potluck menu. This Tuesday, we held another stroke support group party for Christmas etc. Many of the group members enjoyed themselves over conversation, sandwiches from Steffanos, and holiday Christmas caroling courtesy of Laguna Hills High School and their talented students. Our stroke support group hosted by Tiffanie and Donna went above and beyond this year to ensure that those who may have started off the year with many challenges in the aftermath of their strokes, ended the year with clarity and enjoyment in their lives. The RTH Stroke Foundation is fiercely committed to preventing strokes just as much as it is dedicated to mitigating their after effects. The stroke support group was fundamental this year in accomplishing that goal.
