It’s every person’s worst nightmare: A sudden, unexpected stroke. Yet every year, that’s a reality for 795,000 people, a leading killer of older adults in the United States.
For many Americans, preventing it isn’t easy either–especially if the condition is genetic. But now a new study presented at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference says there may be a new way to lower a woman’s risk by as much as 20 percent.
The solution? Moderate physical activity.
“The effects of physical activity and hormone therapy appear immediate and the benefits of physical activity are consistent in premenopausal and postmenopausal women,” says Sophia Wang of the Beckman Research Institute, who led the study. “The types of activities we’re talking about are accessible to most of the population. Physical activity, obesity and diabetes are all highly correlated with one another.”
The Study
In her analysis this week, Wang reports her colleagues looked at the health information of over 100,000 women who participated in the California Teachers Study, which examined public school teachers and administrators participating in the California State Teachers Retirement System. From there, she looked at how many of them suffered from a stroke between 1996 and 2010, and how it correlated with their rate of regular physical activity.
The news bode well at first for those who exercised vigorously, says Wang–they faced a lower stroke risk.
However, after analyzing the data even further, she found that moderate exercise, such as walking, was just as effective at lowering a woman’s stroke risk.
“I was surprised that moderate physical activity was most strongly associated with a reduced risk of stroke,” says Wang. “More strenuous activity such as running didn’t further reduce women’s stroke risk. Moderate activity, such as brisk walking appeared to be ideal in this scenario.”
In addition, Wang found that moderate exercise also helped lower a woman’s risk of stroke if she was post-menopausal and taking hormones–although, she notes, the effects weren’t as strong.
Still, as a conclusion, Wang says that moderate exercise should be a recommendation for women to lower their risk of stroke. She also notes that staying moderately active isn’t as hard as people make it out to be.
“You don’t have to do an extreme boot camp,” says Wang. “The types of activities we’re talking about are accessible to most of the population. Power walking and recreational tennis, for example, do not necessarily require special memberships to gyms.”
What You Should Do
To stay physically active, ease it with activities you already enjoy, such as swimming, walking, or playing tennis. Even normal activities, such as raking the lawn or gardening, also qualify as moderate physical activity. Of course, make sure to do so under medical supervision–those with heart problems, for instance, may not be able to participate in these activities.
Readers: What other activities do you do to stay moderately active throughout the week?
Sources:
Moderate Exercise Cuts Stroke Risk in Women According to New Study – Heart.org
Lower Stroke Risk Tied to Moderate, Not Vigorous, Exercise in Older Women – MedicalNewsToday.com
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