Changing Your Diet After a Stroke: 8 Important Tips

Every year, roughly 800,000 Americans suffer from strokes, a leading cause of death in the United States. If you’ve had a stroke, it’s important to stick to your treatment plan afterward, and in most cases, that includes making some changes to your eating habits.

The neurology team at Advanced Medical Care provides cutting-edge care for patients who’ve had a stroke, including helping them make healthy lifestyle changes. Here, learn eight important tips for optimizing your eating plan after a stroke.

1. Prioritize heart-healthy foods

Strokes are often associated with high blood pressure and atherosclerosis, a hardening of the arteries that’s due in part to high levels of plaque and cholesterol. Adopting a heart-healthy eating plan, like the DASH diet or the Mediterranean diet, helps you manage your blood pressure and your cholesterol levels while reducing your risk of stroke in the future.

2. Limit sodium intake

Excess salt in your diet can raise your blood pressure, increasing your risk of stroke. The daily recommended value for sodium is no more than 2,300 mg per day, but your doctor may encourage you to consume far less. To keep sodium levels in check, read food labels, replace table salt with a salt substitute, and avoid packaged and processed foods. 

3. Choose lean proteins

Protein is important for good health and for staying active, but you need to choose lean sources to avoid consuming too much unhealthy saturated fat. Poultry and low-fat dairy are great choices. Avoid highly processed meats like bacon, hot dogs, sausage, and deli meats.

4. Embrace plant-based options

Foods derived from plant sources are high in fiber that help you manage your weight and maintain a healthy blood pressure. Leafy greens and colorful fruits and vegetables are full of antioxidants, substances that protect your cells. Beans, nuts, and legumes provide you with plenty of protein without unhealthy saturated fats.

5. Limit processed foods and sugary snacks

Processed foods and sugary snacks are chock full of empty calories that add to weight without adding to nutrition. Sugars and refined carbohydrates from white flour foods — such as bread, pastries, and pasta — contribute to inflammation, a risk factor for strokes.

6. Add in healthy fats

Not all fats are unhealthy. Omega-3 fatty acids found in avocados, olive oil, and fatty fish like tuna and salmon protect against cholesterol buildup and support cardiovascular and cerebrovascular health. 

7. Practice portion control

Watching your weight is wise anytime, but it’s especially important following a stroke. One of the simplest ways to keep your weight in check is to practice portion control. A useful tip is using smaller dinner plates and bowls. This site offers some simple guidelines to make portion sizing simple.

8. Be mindful of swallowing changes

This last tip isn’t so much about diet as it is about physical changes that can have an effect on eating. If your stroke has affected your ability to swallow, consider focusing more on pureed or soft foods, and work closely with your doctor to ensure your food choices are optimized for your nutritional and physical needs.

Our team is committed to helping you enjoy a healthier life following stroke. To learn more, request an appointment online or over the phone with the team at Advanced Medical Care in Forest Hills, Queens, and Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, New York.