The connection between excessive belly fat and risk of heart diseases has been well established; most people are aware of it, no one really seems to care.
Recent research, however, shows that there's more to that overly-rounded waistline. Apparently, "people who have large waistlines in their 40s are more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease and other dementia conditions in their 70s." How's losing loosing a good chunk of your cognitive functions grabs you? Makes you think? What's that you say, the dementia has already set in and you can't?
Well, then, here's something else to jag your grey cells - yet another study (done by University of Southern California) connected "excess abdominal fat among women 35 to 54 to a fast-rising rate of stroke among females in that age group." Female waistlines, on average, are two inches bigger than they were a decade ago and there is a sudden spike in middle-age female strokes.
For women with migraines, stroke-related statistic is even more alarming. "Women who have regular migraine headaches with an aura, plus use birth control and smoke, are seven times more at risk for stroke than women who have regular migraines with an aura but don't smoke or use birth control. It's 10 times the risk if compared to women who don't have migraines," - said Corinne Taraska of University of Washington.
Migraines, in essence, are already very similar to mini-strokes. We hardly need the "big" kind as well. If you happen to get one, it's important to know the symptoms to get it treated as early as possible, says Dr. Bill Likosky, director of the stroke program at Swedish Medical Center. Here's an easy to remember mnemonics - acronym FAST:
F is for face (numbness or weakness)
A is for arms (numbness or weakness)
S is for speech (or slurring) and
T is for 'time is brain', meaning hurry up and get it fixed FAST.
related article: Migraines destroy the brain
link: Living Well: No belly full of laughs: Bigger waistlines and stroke linked
Monday
Fat waist equals stroke, more so in migraine patients
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