Furthermore, the WSO states that the “incidence of stroke increases significantly with age, however, over 60% of strokes happen to people under the age of 70 and 16% happen to those under the age of 50”. What you CAN do to prevent a stroke: 1. Make healthy food choices. 2. Maintain a healthy weight. 3. Be physically active. 4. Limit alcohol use. 5. Stop smoking. 6. Take your prescribed medication (if any)

If someone has a stroke, know the signs and act F.A.S.T. Facial drooping to one side or feeling numb. Arm weakness on one side - ask the person to lift both arms. Is one arm weaker than the other? Does one arm drift downwards? Speech difficulty e.g., slurring words or not making sense - ask the person to repeat a simple sentence like “the sky is blue.” Time to call for an ambulance or get them to a hospital immediately even if the symptoms go away.

The first thing that you may think about dementia is that it’s what old people get as they become older. But did you know that it affects half a million Australians, and this is estimated to double by 2045?

Did you know that there are 4 common forms of dementia? I didn’t. 1. Alzheimer’s disease 2. Vascular dementia 3. Fontotemporal dementia 4. Lewy body disease. Read more to find out the symptoms and how you can reduce your risk of Dementia by taking better care of your body, heart and mind.