How to Protect Your Brain During Spring Festival Celebrations

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Title: How to Protect Your Brain During Spring Festival Celebrations

Introduction: The Spring Festival raises stroke risks due to irregular habits; this guide offers tips on diet, emotions, and first aid for safety.

The Spring Festival is the most grand celebration for the Chinese people, with families adorning their homes with lights and decorations, and dining tables filled with toasts and laughter. However, behind this festive atmosphere lies a health 'killer' that cannot be overlooked — stroke.

Clinical data shows that during the Spring Festival, there is often a slight peak in the incidence of strokes. Factors such as cold weather, overeating, emotional excitement, and disrupted routines significantly increase the risk of cerebrovascular accidents. To ensure a safe and healthy New Year, please make sure to keep these five 'brain-protecting' tips in mind.

Firstly, stabilize the 'three highs' and do not stop medication without authorization.

In traditional Chinese culture, taking medicine during the New Year is considered 'unlucky,' which has led many elderly people to stop their medication on their own. This is an extremely dangerous misconception!

Why is it dangerous? High blood pressure, high blood sugar, and high blood lipid levels are the main risk factors for stroke. Suddenly stopping medication can cause severe fluctuations in blood pressure and blood sugar levels, much like repeatedly conducting pressure tests on a rusted water pipe, which can easily lead to the pipe bursting (cerebral hemorrhage) or becoming blocked (cerebral infarction).

The correct approach is: 'Do not stop taking your medication!' During the Spring Festival, it is essential to take your medicine on time. You can set an alarm to remind you. If you have plans to go out, be sure to prepare an adequate amount of medication in advance and carry it with you to ensure that your treatment is not interrupted.

II. Control your mouth: Moderation is key when it comes to rich foods and meats.

During the New Year celebrations, the dining table is often filled with foods that are high in salt, oil, and sugar, such as cured meats, sausages, fried meatballs, and various desserts.

Why is it dangerous? Excessive salt intake can raise blood pressure, and too much fat can make the blood viscous, increasing the risk of forming blood clots.

Proper practice: Balance between meat and vegetables, and eat until you are about 70% full. Try to consume more vegetables to ensure adequate dietary fiber intake. When cooking, use less salt, and you can enhance flavor with vinegar and spices. Drink plenty of plain water or weak tea, and reduce the intake of sugary drinks; sufficient hydration can help dilute the blood and promote circulation.

3. Preventing Cold; Be Aware of the 'Late Spring Chill.'

Although the beginning of spring has passed during the Spring Festival, the weather remains cold, and there can sometimes be a 'late spring chill.' The cold stimulus can cause blood vessels to constrict and increase blood pressure, significantly adding to the burden on cerebral blood vessels.

Why is it dangerous? The large temperature difference between indoors and outdoors, combined with the poor vascular elasticity in elderly people, makes them highly susceptible to strokes when exposed to sudden changes in temperature.

The correct practice is to wear a hat, scarf, and gloves when visiting relatives and friends or going out for activities to protect your head and neck from the cold. When returning indoors from outside, do not immediately take off your clothes; give your body some time to adjust.

Four, Avoid Excitement: Maintain a Calm Mind During the New Year Celebrations.

During the New Year period, family and friends gather to play cards, Mahjong, and chat, which inevitably leads to emotional fluctuations. Winning money brings great joy, while losing money can lead to deep sorrow; some people even stay up all night playing cards.

Why is it dangerous? Intense emotional fluctuations can lead to an accelerated heartbeat and a sudden rise in blood pressure. Additionally, excessive fatigue and lack of sleep can put the body in a state of stress, all of which are direct triggers for a stroke.

The correct approach is to maintain a calm mindset, engage in entertainment activities in moderation, and try to avoid staying up late. If you have high blood pressure or heart conditions, it is even more important to avoid participating in overly stimulating activities.

Fifth, learn to identify: remember the '120' mnemonic.

Time is brain! Once a stroke occurs, for every minute of delay, 1.9 million brain cells die. Therefore, learning to quickly identify stroke symptoms is crucial. Here's a simple mnemonic to remember: '120' (Be quick):

'1' indicates 'seeing an asymmetric face.' Observe whether the patient shows signs of facial asymmetry, such as drooping of the mouth corners or one side of the face being lower than the other.

'2' represents 'check for unilateral weakness in both arms.' Ask the patient to try to raise both arms; if one arm cannot be lifted or it drops quickly after being raised, be alert to this situation.

'0' represents 'listening to whether the patient has slurred speech.' Have the patient say a complete sentence, such as 'The weather is really nice today.' If they exhibit slurred speech, difficulty expressing themselves, or are unable to understand what others are saying, you should immediately call emergency services at 120.

By following these three simple steps, one can quickly assess whether a stroke has occurred, allowing valuable time for the patient to receive crucial treatment. Health is the greatest blessing. On this warm and heartfelt festival, I wish every friend to stay away from illness, enjoy good food and drink, rest well, and have a healthy, safe, joyful, and peaceful New Year!

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