Chronic stress is a major cause of stroke and is one of the 10 factors identified by the INTERSTROKE study that cause 90% of strokes. However, most people have no way to catch rising stress. We usually spot it when it's too late. So today's tip: Once a day ask yourself: “Am I reacting more than I’m responding?” If yes → use 30 seconds of slow breathing or a short walk. It’s a simple cue that interrupts stress-driven cortisol surges. Then use the headspace you've bought to do something constructive that will meaningfully reduce your stress going forward. Tackle the underlying cause of your stress.

Hi. I'm talking at the UK Stroke Forum tomorrow and Wednesday. One of the talks will be on the environment and stroke. In preparing the talk I learned that in the UK there is a 7% difference in stroke rate between those living in the 10% most air polluted areas Vs those in the 10% least polluted. So my tip for today is to avoid air pollution. Try to exercise and socialise away from busy roads and avoid smoggy areas if you can. I know it's maybe hard to do if you live somewhere polluted, but well worth at least being aware of.

Every snack you choose can support your wellbeing - or quietly work against it. Becoming aware of what’s really in our food is the first step toward reducing stroke risk and making healthier choices. 📢 A recent review by Action on Salt & Sugar (2025), based at Queen Mary University of London, reveals that many snacks marketed as “better for you” — such as crisps, popcorn, and nuts — actually contain far more salt and sugar than expected. Full report: https://www.actiononsalt.org.uk/media/action-on-salt/surveys/Crisps,-Nuts-&-Popcorn-Opportunities-for-Reformulation_March2025.pdf 🔍 Key Findings & Worst Offenders 🍿 Popcorn - Over 1 in 4 products contain too much salt, and 2 in 5 are high in sugar - Morrisons Market Street Toffee Flavour Popcorn: 59.1g sugar per 100g. That’s 7+ teaspoons of sugar per serving - more than a child’s recommended daily intake. 🥔 Crisps - Around 1 in 3 products would receive a red salt warning - Eat Real Lentil Chips Chilli & Lemon: 3.6g salt per 100g. That’s saltier than seawater. 🥜 Nuts - Plain nuts = excellent choice - Many flavoured nuts are high in salt and/or sugar, even in small servings - Forest Feast Slow Roasted Colossal Cashews: 2.6g salt per 100g - over double the government’s salt target ❤️ What You Can Do ✔ Read nutrition labels ✔ Don’t rely on buzzwords like “natural”, “lentil”, “veggie”, “air-popped” ✔ Choose plain nuts, fruit, veg sticks, yoghurt, oatcakes, or uncoated popcorn ✔ Keep processed snacks occasional, not daily! 👉 Smart snacking isn’t just a habit - it’s stroke prevention in action. Make your next choice count!

This tip is a little different. I wanted to share something I've been using recently during the resident doctor strikes that has really helped me to make sure I'm not missing anything for our stroke patients. It's a mnemonic that covers most of the things we need to check in stroke patients to help prevent future strokes. You might use it to make sure you had all the right tests, or medical professionals in the group might want to use this on the ward. BALD DADDIES B - Blood pressure optimised A - Antiplatetlets (Aspirin or Clopidigrel) or Anticoagulation L - Lipids (cholesterol) treatment D - check for or optimise diabetes D - Doppler scan of neck arteries A - AF screen - ECG and heart monitor D - Diet and Drink advice D- Driving advice I - Info leaflet on Stroke E - Exercise advice S - Smoking cessation advice Let me know what you think!!

Hi. I've been reading a bit about allostatic load and thought I'd share it. This is the term for the wear and tear we suffer because of all the stresses we go through that eventually have a negative impact on our health. For example chronic stress leads to high cortisol and blood pressure which eventually leads to a stroke. I encourage you all to think about your allostatic load. Is there something you can do to reduce it? It might be reducing your workload, getting better sleep, eating better or doing meditation. Anything that eases the load on your body and mind.