Do You KNOW the FAST Facts???

      Good evening, Family...  I am here to ask you, do you know the FAST facts???  So, you want to know what the heck I'm talking about...  I am talking about the FAST symptoms of a S-T-R-O-K-E.   May is National Stroke Awareness Month and a lot of information has been published, posted, and printed for the general public to alert us ALL about STROKES.

     A stroke, happens when there is a blockage that stops the flow of blood to the brain or when a blood vessel in or near the brain bursts.  According to the Stroke Association, EVERY 40 SECONDS someone in the US has a stroke and 1 out of every 6 people will suffer a stroke in their lifetime and STROKE is the #5 cause of death in the United States.  Strokes can lead to some major issues including:

• Problems with thinking, attention, learning, judgement, and memory
• Paralysis or weakness on one side of the body
• Pain in the hands and feet
• Numbness or strange sensations
• Problems expressing or controlling emotions
• Depression

     I recently had a distant friend have a stroke.  I am SURE she had no idea what was happening and I know those that had contact with her immediately prior to her stroke did not have or see any indication that this process was happening.  Why?  Because they didn't recognize the signs.  The National Institutes of Health suggest that if you see or have one or more of the following symptoms that you call 911 right away...

• Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body
• Sudden confusion or trouble speaking or understanding speech
• Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
• Sudden severe headache with no known cause

    Another way to look at STROKE symptoms is with the acronym F.A.S.T...  

• F--Face drooping
• A--Arm weakness
• S--Speech difficulty
• T--time to call 911

     At the end of the day we CAN protect ourselves from stroke by knowing the risk factors, warning signs and symptoms.  There are some things in our lives that can't be changed, like our family history, age, gender, and race, but the factors that we can control should be taken care of.  The things we can work on include taking control of management of high blood pressure by getting it treated and eating a balance diet and maintaining a healthy weight and getting some exercise.  We cannot continue to be couch potatoes.  Get up and moving.  Get those smoking habits in check by quitting.  Get your diabetes and cholesterol under control.  Finally get alcohol overuse under control.