Have a look at this week’s simple, brain‑healthy challenges. No pressure, no perfection. Small steps still count. 🌿 1. Nature Steps Week Walk for Your Brain The challenge: Spend 20–30 minutes walking in nature, at least 3 times this week. Parks, beaches, woodland trails, gardens, riverside paths - every step counts. Personalise your walk 🌅 Start the day with a morning walk 📵 Try a phone‑free stroll 👟 Set yourself a step goal 👯 Walk with a friend Why it matters Regular walking: - changes the structure of the brain, boosting areas linked to memory and learning - increases “feel‑good” neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin, helping reduce stress and improve mood - lowers blood pressure - improves circulation - helps reduce blood glucose levels 🌙 2. “3 Hours Before Bed” Week Close the Kitchen Early The challenge: Finish eating at least 3 hours before bedtime, every evening this week. Evening swaps 🍵 Herbal tea instead of late‑night snacks 📖 Reading instead of grazing 🕯️ A relaxing bedtime routine Why it matters Avoiding late‑night eating may help to: - improve sleep quality - support better blood sugar balance - aid digestion Small changes in the evening can make a big difference overnight. 🌈 3. Eat the Rainbow Week Colour Your Plate for Brain Health The challenge: Add different‑coloured fruits and vegetables to your meals during the week. Think in colours 🥦 Green: Avocado, broccoli, cabbage, cucumbers, green beans, herbs, pears, green apples, okra 🫑 Red: Tomatoes, beetroot, red onion, red peppers, strawberries, raspberries, red cabbage 🥕 Orange: Carrots, oranges, mangoes, sweet potato, pumpkin, orange peppers, peaches 🌽 Yellow: Potatoes, squash, onions, yellow peppers 🫐 Blue & Purple: Blueberries, blackberries, purple grapes, plums, aubergine, purple potatoes Fun ideas 🥗 Try a rainbow salad 👩‍🍳 Add one new vegetable this week 🥣 Add extra vegetables to soups, wraps, or pasta Why it matters

👋 Welcome to the Stroke-Proof Community! We’re building something special here — a movement to prevent 1 million strokes. To make this a safe, supportive, and inspiring place, we ask every member to live by this simple pledge: 🫶 Our Community Pledge ✔️ Respect first — we’re survivors, families, doctors, and prevention-minded people. Everyone’s story matters. ✔️Engage with with group. This isn't about one doctor lecturing a group. We all have important information and experience to share. ✔️ Evidence over hype — we share strategies backed by science, not fads or fear. To help others tell the difference we cite our sources, even if the source is just personal experience. ✔️ No diagnoses or prescriptions — support each other, but leave medical decisions to your own doctor or message me for a private consultation. ✔️ Protect privacy — what’s shared here, stays here. ✔️ No spam — we’re here to help, not hustle. ✔️ Stay positive & constructive — we’re here to build each other up and take real action. ✔️ Share the message - If you think this group has the potential to help you or others to avoid having a stroke, please share a link to others to join us.

Just a quick reminder that we have our monthly check in tomorrow. A chance to catch up or make new acquaintances for those new to the group. We're all very friendly. Also a chance to talk about what we'll do this month to reduce our stroke risk and how we got on last month. See you tomorrow.

Happy Sunday everyone 🙌 This week is your chance to take one small step that can genuinely reduce your stroke risk - simple, doable, and powerful. 🧂 Challenge 1 The Salt Detective High salt raises blood pressure - the leading risk factor for stroke. Flip over one packaged food each day and check the salt content 🔍 It’s often far higher than you'd expect and most of what we eat comes from processed food, not the salt shaker. Watch out especially for bread, cereals, soups, sauces, and ready meals 🥖🥣🍲 Daily limit: Adults should have no more than 6 g of salt per day (roughly one level teaspoon). Reading the label:≤ 0.3 g per 100 g = low 1.5 g per 100 g = high - be mindful 🐟 Challenge 2 The Oily Fish Swap Swap one or two meals this week for oily fish: salmon, mackerel, sardines, herring, or anchovies 🐟 Aim for up to 2 portions per week. They’re rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which support both heart and brain health, and lower stroke risk. Easy meal ideas: - Tinned mackerel on wholegrain toast - Salmon with cherry tomatoes, avocado,  quinoa or brown rice, and olive oil & lemon drizzle Try this: Sardine & Egg Spread - 3 hard-boiled eggs - 1 can sardines (in oil) - 5–6 olives, sliced - 1–2 tbsp fresh parsley - 1 tsp Dijon mustard - Salt, pepper, smoked paprika - Optional: drizzle olive oil Blend until smooth and enjoy on wholegrain toast or oatcakes, or try it with salad, in a wrap, or as a dip with veggie sticks. Don’t eat fish? No problem. Try these instead: Walnuts, chia seeds, flaxseeds/linseed oil , hemp seeds (plant omega-3s) Try: avocado & chickpea bowl with olive oil and lemon, or Greek yogurt with berries and chia seeds 😤 Challenge 3 The 4–7–8 Breath Chronic stress raises blood pressure - a key stroke risk factor. Once a day, when stress hits, try this breathing technique - it helps calm the nervous system and ease tension. 4 — Inhale 7 — Hold 8 — Exhale The extended exhale activates your parasympathetic nervous system - your body’s natural calming response

Thanks to everyone for today's meeting. It was a real pleasure to catch up as always. Could I ask a small favour please? I've recently joined a website where doctors get online reviews. As I have only just joined I currently haven't got any reviews and wanted to start with yourselves to get the ball rolling. Would you mind please clicking on this link and submitting a review for me? Thanks for your help. https://www.doctify.com/uk/review/JWE8oi/single