Stroke

Eating too much salt can raise your blood pressure, which triples your risk of having a stroke, whatever your age.

Stroke causes about 50,000 deaths in England each year.

More than 130,000 people every year in England and Wales have their first stroke. About 10,000 of these people are under retirement age.

What causes stroke?
Stroke affects the blood vessels that supply blood to the brain. A stroke is caused by one of these blood vessels bursting or becoming blocked by a blood clot. When this happens, the part of the brain supplied by the blood vessel doesn't get enough oxygen and is damaged.

Stroke affects people in different ways, depending on what part of the brain is damaged. The part of the body linked with the damaged section of the brain is affected. Strokes often cause paralysis, usually on one side of the body.

Reducing your blood pressure reduces the risk of having a stroke, even if your blood pressure is already within the normal range. Evidence shows that cutting down on salt can reduce blood pressure, especially as part of a healthy diet including plenty of fruit and vegetables.

See Hidden salt to find out what foods are high in salt.

Visit The Stroke Association site for more information about stroke.