In a report published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), we learned a surprising fact that the incidence of cerebral infarction in China has reached a staggering 40%, ranking first in the world.
In contrast, the incidence of cerebral infarction in the United States has also increased, but it is still at a low level globally, and it is worth noting that although the average age of onset of cerebral infarction in Chinese men and women is nearly 10 years earlier than in the United States, even accounting for this factor, the incidence of cerebral infarction in China still far exceeds that in the United States.
Cerebral infarction is a serious cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease, its onset is often relatively sudden, if the rescue is not timely, it may pose a serious threat to life, even if the rescue is timely, it may also leave serious sequelae due to brain tissue injury.
Many factors may cause cerebral infarction, the most common of which is obesity. However, although the obesity problem in the United States ranks first in the world, from 1962 to 2010, its obesity rate soared from 13% to 35.7%, and the number of obese people also increased from 100,000 to 400,000, even so, the incidence of cerebral infarction has shown a continuous decline compared with China.
So why is the rate of brain infarction in fatter Americans continuing to decline? A number of factors may be involved.
What is a cerebral infarction?
Cerebral infarction, also known as ischemic stroke, is a necrosis and softening lesion caused by cerebral ischemia and hypoxia due to the obstruction of the blood supply to the brain.
The disease is usually caused by a blockage in the arteries that supply blood to the brain, so that the brain does not get enough oxygen and nutrients, which leads to the death of brain cells.
Are cerebral infarction and stroke the same thing?
While cerebral infarction and stroke have some things in common, they are not exactly the same thing.
Cerebral infarction and stroke are both cerebrovascular diseases, and they can both be caused by blocked or ruptured blood vessels, but they occur for slightly different reasons and mechanisms.
Cerebral infarction is usually caused by a blockage in the blood vessel that prevents blood flow to a region of the brain, causing brain cells in that region to die. A stroke, on the other hand, is caused by a rupture in a blood vessel that causes blood to flow into the brain and cause inflammation and brain damage.
There are 5 factors that induce cerebral infarction, which should be paid attention to
hypertension.
High blood pressure is one of the main risk factors for cerebral infarction. Long-term high blood pressure will damage the cerebrovascular wall and increase the risk of blood vessel rupture and thrombosis.
hyperlipemia
Hyperlipidemia refers to high levels of lipids such as cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood, which can cause hardening of blood vessel walls and increase the risk of thrombosis.
diabetes.
Diabetes damages endothelial cells in blood vessels, leading to hardening of the arteries and the formation of blood clots, and people with diabetes are at higher risk of developing a brain attack.
smoking
The chemicals in tobacco damage the endothelium of blood vessels, increasing the risk of blood clots, and smokers have a higher risk of cerebral infarction than non-smokers.
Heart disease and cardiovascular disease
Heart disease and cardiovascular disease, such as valvular heart disease, irregular heartbeat, heart failure, etc., increase the risk of blood clots and brain infarction.
Why do Americans have more fat people but less cerebral infarction?
Obesity is one of the important risk factors for cerebral infarction, because fat accumulates on the blood vessel wall, which will lead to blood vessel narrowing, thereby increasing the risk of cerebral infarction, however, the phenomenon of more fat people in the United States but the low rate of cerebral infarction may be related to the following factors.
- American diet is different from Asian diet
The American diet is rich in high-fat, high-calorie foods, such as hamburgers, fried chicken, and French fries, which can lead to problems such as obesity and high blood pressure.
But compared to Asians, Americans eat relatively little fiber and fruit, which can promote intestinal motility, lower blood pressure and prevent cerebral infarction.
- Americans have better exercise habits
Americans generally like sports, and gym, swimming pool and other sports places are more popular, moderate exercise can promote blood circulation, enhance cardiopulmonary function, reduce blood pressure and lipid, thereby reducing the risk of cerebral infarction.
In addition, the incidence of brain infarction in the United States is low, and it is also related to "1 more than 1 less", which is worth learning from and learning from:
Doctor: "1 more, 1 less" is worth learning and learning
"1 more" - too much folate
Folic acid is a water-soluble B vitamin, the importance of the human body is self-evident, unfortunately, our body can not synthesize this vitamin, it can only be obtained through the intake of external food.
Folic acid plays multiple roles in the body. It is involved in the metabolism of amino acids, helps the body form hemoglobin, and is an essential component of the body's use of sugars and amino acids.
Although folic acid itself is not directly used to treat cerebral infarction, it does reduce blood homocysteine levels, thus effectively preventing and treating cerebral infarction.
In the United States, for example, they pay more attention to folic acid, so the incidence of cerebral infarction is relatively low, which undoubtedly reminds us that in daily life, we should pay more attention to the intake of folic acid and ensure that the body gets adequate folic acid supplement.
After all, folic acid plays an important role in preventing diseases such as macrocell anemia, fetal malformations and heart defects, while lowering blood homocysteine levels also helps prevent cerebral infarction and protect our health.
"1 less" - less salt
High salt intake can lead to an increased risk of high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease, and high blood pressure is one of the leading causes of cerebral infarction, but Americans consume relatively little salt in their diet, which may be one reason for their lower incidence of cerebral infarction.
In addition, the American diet is high in fat and sugar foods, these foods are prone to obesity and cardiovascular disease, but because Americans eat less salt, which helps to reduce blood pressure and cardiovascular disease risk, thereby reducing the occurrence of cerebral infarction.
Therefore, we should pay attention to healthy diet and maintain a proper and reasonable diet to help enhance blood vessel health and reduce the risk of cerebral infarction.
Doctor reminds: Folic acid to prevent cerebral infarction? It's not for everyone
Doctors warn that folic acid supplements are not suitable for everyone.
Folic acid is a water-soluble vitamin, and for pregnant and nursing women, supplementing with a moderate amount of folic acid can reduce the risk of neural tube defects in the fetus, but for other populations, excessive intake of folic acid may have side effects.
Secondly, the metabolism of folic acid in the body needs to go through a series of complex enzymatic reactions, if the body lacks the corresponding enzymes, it may lead to folic acid metabolism disorders, and then lead to a series of health problems.
Therefore, folic acid supplementation may not be appropriate for certain groups of people, such as those with genetic or chronic diseases.
Therefore, doctors recommend that before supplementing folic acid, it is best to consult a professional doctor or nutritionist, at the same time, pay attention to control the intake of folic acid, maintain a balanced and diversified diet, and avoid excessive intake.
If the body has 5 precursors, nine out of ten are "cerebral infarction", please seek medical attention as soon as possible
Sudden onset of headache: Sudden onset of severe, prolonged headache, may be a sign of cerebral infarction.
Sudden numbness or weakness on one side of the face or limb: Sudden numbness or weakness on one side of the face, arm, or leg may be a symptom of a cerebral infarction.
Sudden blurry or loss of vision: Sudden blurry vision, loss of visual field, or complete loss of vision may be a symptom of a cerebral infarction.
Sudden dizziness or loss of balance: Sudden dizziness, loss of balance, unsteady gait, or inability to control body posture may be a sign of a cerebral infarction.
Sudden onset of severe dizziness or coma: Sudden onset of severe dizziness, loss of consciousness, or coma, which may be a sign of a cerebral infarction.
Prevent cerebral infarction, can often eat 4 kinds of "natural folic acid", dredge blood vessels, good for health
spinach
Spinach is a vegetable rich in folic acid, every 100 grams of spinach contains about 400 micrograms of folic acid, folic acid helps reduce the level of homocysteine in the blood, thereby reducing the risk of cerebral infarction, it is recommended to eat a moderate amount of spinach every day, such as stir-frying, cooking soup and so on.
beans
Legumes such as soybeans and black beans are also rich in folate. Soy contains about 130 micrograms of folic acid per 100 grams, while black beans contain about 100 micrograms.
The folic acid in beans helps to lower blood cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of blood clots, and it is recommended to eat a moderate amount of beans every day, such as tofu, soy milk, etc.
nut
Nuts such as almonds and walnuts are also rich in folate, with about 280 micrograms of folate per 100 grams of almonds and about 100 micrograms of walnuts.
Folic acid in nuts helps to reduce blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels, keep blood vessels open, it is recommended to eat a moderate amount of nuts every day, such as almonds, walnuts, etc.
Citrus fruit
Citrus fruits such as oranges and pomelos also contain folic acid, with about 40 micrograms of folic acid per 100 grams of orange and about 30 micrograms of pomelo.
Folic acid in citrus fruits helps reduce homocysteine levels in the blood, reducing the risk of blood clots.
