Nutritional Prevention of Stroke

Author: Yu Wei
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-05-01
Features: Life depends on nutrition. Since the existence of organisms, the presence and continuation of life have been inseparable from dietary nutrition. Ancients long recognized this truth, pointing out "When one is well-nourished, they thrive; when one starves, they face danger," demonstrating its great value. Hence, there is the saying "Food is the foundation of the people." Modern science further recognizes that the abundance or deficiency of nutrients is a major cause of various diseases. Insufficient or lack of nutrition can lead to conditions such as anemia, rickets, dementia, goiter, blindness, osteoporosis, and congenital deformities; conversely, excessive nutrition can give rise to so-called "diseases of abundance," such as obesity, atherosclerosis, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, coronary heart disease, and diabetes. Mild cases affect health and reduce quality of life, while severe cases can endanger life. With the development of China's national economy and the gradual improvement of people's living standards, the aforementioned nutritional imbalances have become increasingly prominent, leading to greater attention being paid to nutrition and health. In this regard, the Chinese Nutrition Society formulated the "Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents" in 1997, based on scientific research findings and addressing the nutritional needs and main deficiencies of the Chinese population, with universal guiding significance. The purpose of this series of books is to further popularize scientific knowledge about nutrition and health, enabling the general public to correctly master balanced diets to achieve stronger bodies, longer lifespans, and improved and enhanced national quality. The content of the series is divided into two main parts: one is how nutrition prevents and treats various common diseases, and the other is the relationship between dietary nutrition and different life stages. The contributors to the series are all professionals who have long been engaged in nutritional work in clinical, teaching, and research settings. In their daily work, they have a deep understanding and rich experience in correctly handling the relationship between nutrition and health. Therefore, the writing is clear, practical, and easy to understand, making it convenient to apply. We hope that readers can gain a wealth of nutritional knowledge from this series and apply it in their daily lives, contributing to disease prevention, health improvement, and strengthening their physical fitness to better achieve a well-off society.
Moderate nutrition, avoid overeating; maintain a healthy weight, don’t exceed the limit; regular exercise is essential, avoid overexertion; quit smoking, reduce alcohol, follow advice; cultivate good habits, remember prevention; seek medical attention early if sick. — Advisory Board Member Wang Minqing
Conduct high-intensity educational campaigns to enable healthcare workers and all populations to master the requirements of healthy eating, thereby achieving the goal of health and longevity. — Advisory Board Member Chen Xiaoshu
As long as the principles of the "Dietary Guidelines" are followed for reasonable dietary adjustments, even ordinary foods can achieve the goals of disease prevention, health improvement, and longevity. — Editorial Committee Chair Gu Jingfan
Prevention is better than cure; strengthening the publicity and education of reasonable nutrition and balanced diets is the primary task. — Advisory Board Member Zhou Wenjin
Cerebrovascular diseases, commonly known as strokes or cerebral strokes, have high incidence, mortality, and disability rates, ranking among the top three causes of global mortality alongside malignant tumors and heart disease. According to the latest epidemiological data, China has 1.5 million stroke cases annually, with a disability rate as high as 75%, including 40% with severe disabilities, severely impacting patients' health and quality of life. Strokes are often caused by comorbid conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, atherosclerosis of cerebral blood vessels, obesity, and bacterial endocarditis (embolism detachment) caused by rheumatic heart disease. Most of these diseases are related to imbalanced nutritional factors, such as nutritional excess, unscientific dietary intake, and misconceptions about nutritional health. Therefore, effective nutritional prevention and treatment for strokes are crucial. After a stroke occurs, providing patients with reasonable and timely nutritional therapy can improve their post-stroke stress response, maintain their physical condition, enhance immunity and resistance to infection, and increase survival rates and recovery opportunities. This book provides some discussions and introductions on the nutritional prevention and treatment of strokes for reference, and we hope it will be helpful to readers.