A group of nine members from Merseyside Life After Stroke Group went to McLaren Leeds as guests of Gary Booth who runs Chequered Flag Motorsport. It was a great day and everyone enjoyed it. We were supposed to drive the simulator but unfortunately it was broken in the morning (before we arrived so we did not break it!😂).

Yesterday I had the pleasure of attending the Warrington Moving On Stroke Group for their Make May Purple dinner. And, as always, I came away genuinely motivated. Groups like this do something incredibly powerful. They bring people together after one of the most frightening and life-changing events imaginable. They offer friendship, confidence, humour, shared experience, encouragement, accountability, and hope. They help people feel less alone. I don't see it as a “nice to have”. But as a real part of health, so I looked at the research this morning: Poor social contact and stroke risk A 2024 systematic review and meta-analysis pulled together date from 19 studies, including more than 1.6 million people, and found that poor social relationships were associated with around a 30% higher risk of stroke. The same review also found that poor social relationships were associated with increased post-stroke mortality. Lim, M. H., et al. (2024). Poor social relationships and the risk of stroke and post-stroke mortality: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Public Health, 24, 2287.Available at: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11373457/ There was another earlier major meta-analysis by Valtorta and colleagues, published in Heart in 2016, which found that loneliness and social isolation were associated with a 32% increased risk of stroke. In the same analysis, poor social relationships were also associated with a 29% increased risk of coronary heart disease. Valtorta, N. K., Kanaan, M., Gilbody, S., Ronzi, S. and Hanratty, B. (2016). Loneliness and social isolation as risk factors for coronary heart disease and stroke: systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal observational studies. Heart, 102(13), 1009–1016. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27091846/ There are several possible reasons for this. People who are socially connected are often more likely to stay active, eat better, attend appointments, take medication, notice changes in their health, and seek help earlier.

Happy Sunday! This week we’re focusing on calming the nervous system, improving sleep, and protecting our blood vessels. Pick ONE of the challenges below and commit to it from Monday. Share in the group what you’re choosing and how you’ll make it stick 👇 🧘 1️⃣ Mindfulness Reset Stress and depression more than double your stroke risk. Perhaps you can do something to give you some time back and take the edge off it. Do 5 minutes of slow breathing or mindfulness each day Try: - Box breathing (4-4-4-4) - Physiological sigh (2 short inhales + long exhale) - A quiet 5-minute body scan before bed Why it matters: lowers stress hormones, reduces blood pressure, improves focus and emotional regulation. 😴 2️⃣ Sleep Upgrade Protect your sleep window this week Choose one: ✅ Go to bed 30 minutes earlier ✅ No screens for 30 minutes before sleep ✅ Keep your bedroom cool & dark ✅ Avoid caffeine after 2pm Why it matters: poor sleep increases blood pressure, insulin resistance, and weight, whilst making it harder to eat healthy and exercise and worsens our mood - all of which add up to greater stroke risk 🩺 3️⃣ Know Your Numbers Check your blood pressure. If you don't have a home blood pressure monitor think about getting one. - Measure at home or at a pharmacy - Take 2 readings morning & evening for 3 days - Record the average Targets: ✔ Ideal: <120/80 ✔ Acceptable: <130/80 ✔ Take action: ≥135/85 (home readings) If elevated repeatedly, speak to your GP and begin lifestyle changes. Why it matters: High blood pressure is the #1 modifiable cause of stroke. 💬 Action step: Post in the group: ✅ Which challenge you’re doing ✅ When you’ll do it ✅ What might get in the way (and your plan to avoid anything stopping you) Small actions, repeated weekly lead to a massive lifetime impact.

Morning all The pain in my left hand got so bad last night that I struggled to sleep. I had to remove my wedding ring at one point. I’ve been prescribed amitrypiline but I don’t like taking i. It does relieve the pain. But the affect it has in me the next day is horrific. Tends to take me 6/8 hours to come around. I was told to try Viltarol last week. Any other suggestions. It’s certainly getting worse worse

👋 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.