Overhead presses, lateral raises, and rows are just some of the simple exercises that can help build stability in your shoulders. By engaging in regular resistance training for your shoulders, specifically your deltoids, you can help remain functionally fit. Your deltoids are the rounded muscles that cover your shoulder joint. Spending time strengthening your deltoids can not only help you develop shoulder strength and mass, but also increase stability, which reduces the risk of injury. 

Lateral Raise

Overlooking the medial deltoids is easy to do, as traditional “push” and “pull” lifts target anterior and posterior deltoids. Lateral raises can help round out your shoulder workout by engaging the middle deltoids that work to stabilize the shoulder. To do this exercise:

• Grab a set of dumbbells and stand with your feet hip-distance apart and arms by your sides. Your palms should face inward. 
• Stabilize your core and raise your arms to about shoulder height, maintaining a slight bend in your elbows. Make sure the weight is not too heavy that it causes you pain in the shoulder joints. 
• Pause for a second at the top and lower your arms slowly. Complete three sets of 10 reps. 

Front Raise Pull-Apart

This exercise calls for a resistance band and is a two-part shoulder exercise that engages all three heads of the deltoid: the posterior, anterior, and medial. Here’s how you do it:

• Grab a large resistance band of your desired tension and loop it under the arches of your feet, which should be hip-distance apart. 
• Stand up straight and hold the other end of the resistance band with your hands about shoulder-width apart. 
• Keep your core engaged as you lift your hands to shoulder height, keeping your arms straight. It’s totally fine if you bend your elbows a little. 
• From this position, keep your arms straight as you pull the band apart and bring your arms slightly out to the sides. Pause for a second and then draw your arms inward and lower them to the starting position. Complete three sets of 10 reps. 

Overhead Press

According to research, the overhead press activates the anterior and medial deltoid more than other popular shoulder exercises. You have the freedom to use a barbell or dumbbells, but using a barbell can help you lift heavier loads with more stability. To do the exercise:

• Stand up straight with your feet hip-distance apart. You can be seated on a shoulder press bench with a barbell, seated under a Smith machine, or holding two dumbbells in front of each shoulder. Your elbows should be out to the sides. 
• Keep your core engaged and spine straight as you press the dumbbells or bar overhead to straighten your arms. 
• Pause for a second before lowering the weight to the starting position. Complete three sets of 10 reps. 

Face Pull

This is another exercise that calls for a resistance band, but you can also do this with a cable machine at the gym. The banded face pull works to enhance stability and strength, especially in the posterior deltoids. To do the exercise:

• Secure your resistance band to a pole or stationary object and ensure that it is eye level. 
• Grab the other end of the resistance band with your hands, ensuring they are shoulder-width apart. Keep your arms straight and step back until there is tension on the band.
• Keep your core engaged and pull the band back toward your face, squeezing your shoulder blades together. 
• Hold for a second and then return to the starting position. Complete three sets of 10 reps. 

Bent-Over Row

Engage your upper body, core, and your shoulders with the bent-over row exercise. Leaning forward requires strength and stability in your core and lower back, while the rowing motion activates your upper- and mid-back, shoulder, and arm muscles. To do the exercise:

• Grab a pair of dumbbells and hold them by your sides as you stand with your feet hip-distance apart. Face your palms toward your body. 
• Hinge at the hips, pushing your butt back and lowering your chest so that your torso is at a 45-degree angle. 
• Drop your arms down toward the floor and then pull the dumbbells toward you, keeping your elbows close to your body.
• Pause and then slowly lower the dumbbells back down. Complete three sets of 10 reps.

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is currently monitoring a deadly hantavirus outbreak, which took place on a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean on May 2, 2026. The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that the type of hantavirus responsible for the outbreak is the Andes virus. This virus can lead to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), which is a severe and potentially life-threatening disease that affects the lungs. 

The latest reports confirm that 18 passengers from the cruise ship at the center of the hantavirus outbreak are back in the U.S. They are being monitored at various medical units. Reporters say that 16 of those 18 people, including at least one who tested positive, are in Nebraska. Two others are at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. All 16 people in Nebraska are asymptomatic, and one person in Atlanta is experiencing symptoms, according to health officials. 

What Is Hantavirus?

The first case of this class of virus was identified in the Hantaan River area in Korea. Mice and other rodents tend to carry the hantavirus, although humans can contract the disease when they come in contact with infected rodents or their urine, droppings, or saliva. Researchers first identified hantavirus in the U.S. in 1993, but has since been identified throughout the country. It is quite rare, but the disease is potentially deadly, especially if it involves the kidneys, lungs, or heart. 

What Are The Symptoms?

Hantavirus is interesting because it can have a long incubation period (the time between a person is infected and when they experience symptoms). It typically ranges from two to three weeks, but it can be as long as eight weeks. Health experts note that early symptoms include fever, fatigue, and muscle aches, especially in larger muscle groups, such as the hips, thighs, and back. Roughly 50% of infected people experience headaches, chills, dizziness, and stomach troubles, such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. It’s possible for coughing and shortness of breath (as the lungs fill with fluid) to occur four to 10 days following the onset of mild symptoms. 

How Do You Contract Hantavirus?

Researchers explain that hantavirus is primarily contracted when people come in contact with rodents like rats or mice, especially when exposed to their urine, droppings, or saliva. Human-to-human spread of hantavirus is highly unusual, but it may have occurred in the current outbreak on the cruise ship off the coast of Cape Verde. This is a rare type of hantavirus, the Andes virus, which still may rarely spread from person to person. Typically, hantavirus infections are not considered high risk to the public because of how rare they are and how rarely the virus spreads between people.

Treatment For Hantavirus

There is no specific treatment for hantavirus infection. The antiviral drug ribavirin is occasionally recommended because it has proven efficacy for a specific type of hantavirus infection that causes kidney failure. That said, it has not proven effective for heart and lung involvement. People who recognize signs of the infection early and seek care immediately may have a better outcome than those who wait to seek care. If healthcare professionals recognize the illness early, patients receive oxygen therapy to help get them through the period of respiratory distress. 

This is an evolving situation and health experts aim to learn more about the Andes hantavirus as things progress. Current assessments show no increased signs of risk of people who are traveling, though.

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In the world of biohacking, contrast therapy is one of the most popular options. It involves sitting in a sauna or warm shower/bath and then transitioning to a cold bath. Ideally, you go back and forth to improve circulation and accelerate muscle recovery. Many physical therapists and sports medicine specialists use this therapy, but a lot more facilities are becoming available to the general public. 

According to research, contrast therapy can help reduce muscle spasms, pain, fatigue, lactic acid buildup, and swelling following intense exercise. It may also assist with functional mobility of joints and improve range of motion. In this article, we will explore how contrast therapy works and the standout benefits. 

How Does It Work?

Contrast therapy involves alternating between warm and cold temperatures. The science is based on thermotherapy (using heat) and cryotherapy (using cold). The warmth of a sauna causes blood vessels to widen, while the cold of a plunge causes them to narrow. By going back and forth between the two extreme temperatures, you create a pumping effect within the body that may reduce inflammation. This process may also relieve pain and improve joint mobility. 

Most people with soft tissue or joint injuries will benefit from contrast therapy. Some physical therapists also encourage contrast therapy to accelerate healing following orthopedic surgery. Other injuries that may benefit from contrast therapy include:

• Plantar fasciitis
• Dislocated elbow
• Ankle and leg fractures
• Torn meniscus
• Achilles tendonitis
• Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries

May Alleviate Pain And Accelerate Healing

A 2022 review of studies suggests that contrast therapy is highly effective at easing arthritis pain and stiffness. Researchers noted that it was more effective than a hot bath alone. The extreme cold works to block pain signals as well. Separate research found that it helps reduce muscle tension, inflammation, and accelerate recovery post-exercise. A 2018 study observed the effects of contrast therapy using infrared spectroscopy and other tools. Researchers found that it promoted healing by increasing oxygen delivery to bodily tissues, while also decreasing tissue swelling. 

Helps Enhance Circulation

The heat component of contrast therapy works to increase blood flow. As mentioned earlier, blood vessels expand in the heat, allowing more blood to enter your muscles and supply them with minerals and oxygen. Oxygen serves as fuel for the muscle repair process, while the nutrients encourage robust, healthy muscle tissue. Your muscles are not the only things receiving more nutrients and oxygen during contrast therapy. It also aids the transfer of immune cells and other restorative components to wounded tissues. Enhanced circulation also works to regulate body temperature. 

Improved Range Of Motion

Contrast therapy works to enhance range of motion in two ways. The cold plunge works to reduce inflammation and enhance joint mobility, while the sauna helps relax muscles and increases suppleness. Doing so can help you have more flexibility and mobility, making your body more able to do workouts with better form. That ultimately lowers your risk of injury and can help enhance overall performance. 

Mental Rejuvenation

The benefits of contrast therapy extend beyond the physical. The unique combination of alternating between cold and hot temperatures can have positive effects on your mental health. Going back and forth between the two extremes helps recharge your mind and emotions. Ultimately, you will think more clearly and benefit from stress reduction, giving you an overall happier disposition. 

Injury Prevention

Pushing yourself during a workout is great, but it can also increase your risk of injury. Contrast therapy positively impacts the body’s connective tissues, the strong network that supports muscles and joints. By strengthening the body’s support system, you can enhance your recovery regimen. Strains, sprains, and other injuries are less likely to occur in people who have stronger, more flexible connective tissues. The reason for that is because they can withstand the demands of training harder.

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Heart disease is the leading cause of death for people in the United States. On average, one person dies every 34 seconds from cardiovascular disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) noted that 919,032 people died from cardiovascular disease in 2023, which equates to one in every three deaths. Heart disease is also costly, with the estimated cost of health care services and medications from it amounting to more than $168 billion between 2021 and 2022. 

Although you may not be able to change certain risk factors for heart disease, such as family history or age, you can take steps to manage others. You can adjust your eating habits, level of exercise, and other lifestyle factors to help protect your heart. In this article, we will detail several things you can do to help prevent a heart attack or stroke. 

Know Your Family History And Person Risks

There are some types of heart disease caused by an issue with one or more genes. For example, the following types of heart disease can be passed down through families:

• Certain cardiomyopathies, such as arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia
• Familial hypercholesterolemia
• Certain arrhythmias, such as long QT syndrome

Knowing your family health history and sharing it with your doctor will only benefit you. Ask relatives if they have heart disease and at what age they were diagnosed. Additionally, make sure to tell your doctor about any family members who passed away suddenly from heart disease. You can then consider things like your age, weight, race, weight, cholesterol levels, blood pressure, etc. 

Add More Movement To Your Day

According to a 2018 large-scale study in the United Kingdom, people who were more physically active were less likely to experience heart attack or stroke. That was consistent even if they had a genetic risk for heart disease. Physical activity helps protect the heart by lowering blood pressure, aiding weight loss, helping cells use insulin more efficiently, and reducing LDL (“bad”) cholesterol. 

The general recommendation is to get 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of high-intensity aerobic activity each week. Incorporate movement into your everyday life, perhaps doing some strength training as well. One study found that doing less than an hour of strength training per week was associated with a 40% to 70% lower risk of heart attack or stroke. 

Limit Alcohol Intake

There are many risks associated with drinking alcohol, especially if you drink it excessively. The American Heart Association (AHA) states that drinking too much alcohol contributes to cardiomyopathy, high blood pressure, high triglyceride levels, and arrhythmia. Ask your healthcare professional whether it is safe to drink, especially if heart disease runs in your family. People at average risk may drink responsibly and in moderation, but make sure to not combine alcohol with sugar-sweetened beverages, such as juices or sodas.

Monitor Your Numbers

High blood pressure, high cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes increase the risk of developing heart disease. Manage these conditions by keeping track of your weight and: 

• Triglycerides
• Blood sugar
• Total cholesterol, including HDL and LDL levels
• Blood pressure

You may not be able to check your cholesterol, triglyceride, and blood sugar levels at home, but you can keep tabs on your blood pressure and weight. Your doctor can check your other levels with a simple blood test on a routine visit. 

Embrace Healthy Eating Habits

Ideally, eat heart-healthy foods to reduce your risk of developing heart disease. By focusing on heart-healthy foods, you can encourage better heart function and lower your cholesterol and blood pressure. A lot of foods in the Standard American Diet are rich in saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sugar, and salt, all of which contribute to heart disease. A lot of people like to follow diets that have proven abilities to promote heart health. The Mediterranean Diet, DASH diet, TLC diet, and vegetarian or vegan eating plans all encourage healthy heart function. You can focus on consuming:

• Nuts and seeds
• Fruits and vegetables
• Whole grains, including barley, oats, brown rice, and quinoa
• Healthy fats, such as olive or avocado oil

Reach And Maintain A Healthy Weight

Researchers note that excess weight harms your health in several ways. For one, it can accelerate the buildup of plaque that can clog your arteries. Being overweight or obese also contributes to heart disease risk, such as: 

• High triglycerides
• High blood pressure
• Type 2 diabetes
• Obstructive sleep apnea
• High cholesterol

Heart-healthy eating coupled with regular exercise can help you keep your weight under control. Get inspired, work with your doctor, and put things in motion to develop a routine for better heart health. Start with small changes and build on them over time!

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Most people have a love-hate relationship with cardiovascular exercise. On the one hand, they know that it benefits overall health, but on the other hand they do not want to do it because it isn’t as “enjoyable” as other exercises. When people think about it, they think of how long they can run, how quickly their heart rate returns to normal, and whether they can keep up in a high intensity interval class. It’s not often that people associate cardiovascular exercise with mental health. 

Cardiorespiratory fitness is often captured via a person’s VO2 max, which indicates how efficiently the body delivers and uses oxygen. This process does not just power workouts; rather, it touches nearly every system that plays a role in keeping you mentally sharp and emotionally stable. 

Rather than treating exercise as something that helps you maintain physical appearance, researchers are focusing on a new area of interest. Could the way the body handles oxygen have something to do with how the brain functions in the future?

Cardiovascular Fitness And Long-Term Brain Health

In order to explore this idea, researchers gathered data from 27 large cohort studies, which included more than four million people of different age groups and backgrounds. These were not short-term experiments. Researchers observed participants over time, tracking baseline cardiorespiratory fitness levels and then looked at who developed conditions like dementia, depression, or other mental health disorders. 

Study authors used standardized methods to measure cardiorespiratory fitness, often tied to VO2 max. That is the maximum rate of oxygen the body can take in, transport, and utilize during exercise. Following this, participants were grouped into lower and higher fitness categories, creating a clear way to compare outcomes over time. 

The scale of this analysis makes this information very useful. Researchers did not rely on a single study population; rather, it layered multiple datasets together to help smooth out individual variability. That gave researchers a clearer sense of patterns that varied across different groups. It also allowed researchers to to look at dose-response relationships, meaning how subtle changes in fitness could relate to changes in risk of developing mental health conditions. 

Higher Fitness Levels Linked To Lower Risk

What researchers found most compelling was how consistently fitness tracked with mental health outcomes. They noticed that people with higher cardiorespiratory fitness had a 36% lower risk of developing depression, and a 39% lower risk of dementia compared to participants with lower fitness levels. 

What is even more surprising is how little movement it took to reveal a difference. A small bump in fitness resulted in a lower risk of both dementia and depression. Participants did not have to go from walking around the neighborhood to running marathons. It was as simple as nudging up a person’s current baseline just a touch, and continuing to build on that endurance over time. 

A person does not need peak performance to influence long-term brain health. Small, incremental movements count and add up over time. There are several reasons that that makes sense from a biological standpoint. Better cardiorespiratory fitness supports efficient blood flow to the brain, which translates to more consistent oxygen and nutrient delivery. It also leads to lower inflammatory markers and improves how the body regulates stress hormones, such as cortisol. Those things shape brain structure and overall function, especially those tied to memory and emotional regulation. 

The Takeaway

Keep a few things in perspective regarding this research. Although it shows a strong association, it did not guarantee results. Lower fitness does not cause dementia or depression on its own, and higher fitness does not make someone immune to those conditions. Both mental health and neurodegenerative conditions are influenced by lifestyle patterns, environment, genetics, and other things that surpass exercise. 

You do not have to go all out in the gym every day; rather, it is more important to maintain regular exercise. Walking more often, adding in more intervals in your workout regimen, or slowly building endurance over time are the factors that contribute to change.

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A vibrant beet berry smoothie with orange and homemade almond milk is a nourishing fusion of earthy vitality and naturally sweet, sun-ripened fruits. Beets have a raw, somewhat grounding essence, which pairs beautifully with the bright, tangy notes of the raspberries and orange. As always, banana brings a smooth, mellow sweetness that ties everything together, and makes for a creamy consistency. With unsweetened, homemade almond milk as the base, the texture of this smoothie is light yet satisfying, clean on the palate and slightly earthy up front, but it finishes with a refreshing citrus-berry twist.

This smoothie isn’t just something you you call “healthy,” rather; it has real benefits for your entire body. Beets are naturally rich in nitrates, which the body converts into nitric oxide, a compound that helps relax and widen blood vessels. This ultimately improves circulation and helps lower blood pressure within hours, according to some studies. That same mechanism can also improve the delivery of oxygen throughout the body, helping your muscles use less oxygen during activity. Researchers encourage people to consume beets to help enhance endurance and stamina. Raspberries bring lot fiber to the party (around 8 grams per cup), in addition to antioxidants like anthocyanins and vitamin C. These compounds work to reduce oxidative stress and support metabolic and brain health.

Those are the standout ingredients, but we cannot forget about the supporting cast working behind the scenes to encourage total wellness. Like raspberries, orange provides vitamin C, which plays a direct role in immune function and collagen production for skin health. Bananas offer potassium, an essential electrolyte that works to regulate fluid balance, nerve signals, and muscle contractions. This smoothie isn’t just a refreshing breakfast option; rather it is a true health bomb!

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As you get older, anxious feelings can stick around longer than usual. If you have noticed this, you are not alone. A lot of people find that anxiety becomes harder to regulate with age, and scientists just assumed that this was a byproduct of aging brains and accumulated stress for many years. New research, however, points to a different culprit: what is happening (or not happening) during your deepest phase of sleep. 

Studying Brain Activity While Sleeping

At UC Berkeley, researchers aimed to understand why anxiety symptoms typically increase with age. The primary question was if sleep played a role. Researchers recruited 61 cognitively healthy adults over the age of 65 with varying levels of anxiety. Each participant spent one night in a sleep lab with EEG monitoring, which is a noninvasive test that records the brain’s electrical activity. They also completed anxiety assessments before and after sleep, in addition to undergoing brain imaging the morning after. 

Researchers also observed a subset of 24 participants over about four years to see how changes in sleep correlated with changes in anxiety. The primary focus was slow-wave activity (SWA), the brain waves that define the deepest stage of non-REM sleep. During this phase, the body does most of its restorative work, and scientists believe the brain does most of its emotional recalibration in this stage as well.

Impaired Deep Sleep Predicted Higher Next-Day Anxiety

The study revealed that participants with reduced slow-wave activity at night reported higher next-day anxiety. That effect was very specific to slow waves. Other sleep features, such as REM sleep, did not reveal the same relationship. Additionally, the link held up after researchers controlled for age, gender, trait anxiety levels, sleep efficiency, and total sleep time. Basically, the determination was that it wasn’t just that anxious people slept poorly; rather, it was that impaired deep sleep disrupted the brain’s ability to regulate anxiety overnight. 

Data from the long-term study confirmed this. Participants in the subset group showed increased anxiety after the four-year period. Researchers noted that they showed expected age-related decline in slow-wave activity over four years. 

What’s Behind This Connection?

Researchers looked at brain imaging to try and find the connection. Atrophy in emotion-processing regions of the brain was linked to a reduction in slow-wave generation. Those areas are the same regions that tend to shrink with age and are implicated in cognitive decline. After analyzing the mechanism behind this change, it was clear that slow-wave activity was fully responsible for the connection between brain atrophy and next-day anxiety. 

That ultimately means that atrophy alone was not causing anxiety. Atrophy reduced the brain’s capacity to generate enough slow waves needed for overnight emotional regulation. Researchers note that despite the presence of age-related brain changes, intact deep sleep may help promote emotional stability. Deep sleep ultimately rescues the brain’s nightly recalibration process. 

How Do You Protect Deep Sleep As You Age?

Slow-wave sleep appears to play a crucial role in overnight anxiety regulation. For this reason, protecting deep sleep as you age becomes paramount. Below, you will find evidence-backed strategies to help achieve a better night’s sleep:

• Keep a consistent sleep schedule because the brain’s ability to generate slow waves is closely tied to your circadian rhythm, the body’s internal clock that regulates sleep cycles. Go to bed and wake up at roughly the same time each day to support the biological processes necessary for deep sleep. 
• Manage stress during the day, not just at night. According to research, daytime stress can shift the architecture of your sleep. Basically it shifts away from deep sleep toward lighter sleep stages. Account for recovery time throughout the day to help persevere your slow waves at night. 
• Limit your consumption of alcohol close to bedtime because it can fragment your sleep, suppressing slow-wave activity later in the night. 
• Research found that exercise can increase slow-wave sleep, especially when done regularly. Even moderate activities, such as walking, can make a difference in your sleep.

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What does it mean to maintain a healthy lifestyle? There are proven habits that can help you optimize your physical and mental well-being. Getting enough sleep, reducing your sugar intake, exercising regularly, keeping a balanced diet, and maintaining a healthy weight are just a few recommendations to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Read on to learn about some of the top ways to do this. 

Eat A Balanced Diet

This seems to be a recommendation for everything, right? Well, the foods you consume have a big impact on your health, both in a positive and negative way. The human body requires a variety of foods for energy, which means eating a balanced diet. You should eat a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, lean protein, legumes, and healthy fats to obtain as many nutrients as possible. A registered dietitian can help develop a plan for you that benefits your health, should you need professional assistance. 

Stay Hydrated

People love to diversify their beverages, but a lot of people do enjoy water as one of them. As a general recommendation for your daily water intake, health experts recommend the 8×8 rule. That involves drinking eight eight-ounce glasses of water per day, but that isn’t sufficient for everyone, and does not account for physical activity. A better guide is to drink half your body weight in ounces of water per day. If you weigh 150 pounds and divide that by two to get 75, you should drink 75 ounces of water per day. Staying properly hydrated can help:

• Boost energy levels
• Support weight management
• Improve digestion
• Help prevent kidney stones
• Improve brain performance 
• Help reduce joint pain

Reduce Sedentary Behavior

In present day society, sitting is all too common, and for many hours per day no less. Prolonged sitting and sedentary behavior can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, obesity, and certain types of cancer. Regular exercise does not completely cancel out hours and hours of sitting, though. Ideally, you should break up sitting with short stints of movement, even if it means walking around the office for a few minutes. When you do exercise, aim to get at least 30 minutes of moderate-intense aerobic activity per day. 

Get Quality Sleep

Sleep experts recommend people get at least seven to eight hours of quality sleep per night. During sleep, the body completes a number of essential tasks, such as repairing muscle tissue, restoring energy, maintaining bodily functions, and processing new memories and information in the brain. If you do not get enough sleep, you can experience irritability, difficulty focusing, and mood swings. If you experience chronic sleep deprivation, you may increase your risk of cardiovascular disease, depression, and diabetes. 

Avoid Smoking

This seems like a no-brainer, but smoking is a very common habit and addiction that can damage your lung tissue, heart health, and more. Quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do for your health, no matter your age or how long you’ve smoked. In fact, studies show that quitting smoking can add up to 10 years to your life expectancy. Need help quitting? Try our Smoke-Less Formula, which contains natural herbs that assist the body’s circulatory, respiratory, and hepatic systems. 

Maintain A Healthy Weight

When you keep your weight in a moderate range, you can protect yourself from conditions like:

• High cholesterol
• Heart disease
• Obesity
• High blood pressure
• Type 2 diabetes
• Stroke

You can determine if you have a moderate weight by determining your body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference. A doctor will also consider other factors, such as ethnicity, body composition, age, and health history when giving information about the right weight range for you. Weight isn’t just about the number on the scale because everyone is different. 

Limit Your Intake Of Sugar And Processed Foods

It is best to limit your intake of sugar and processed foods, such as packaged and frozen meals. These types of foods tend to have excess amounts of sodium, calories, unhealthy fats, and added sugars. Additionally, watch out for sodas, sugary juices, candy, sweetened cereals, and packaged cookies and chips. Rather than throwing out all of this food at once, start slow by swapping out some processed meals and snacks for whole foods. It is easier to begin by swapping one to two options per week for healthier options.

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A stroke is a medical emergency and a life-altering event. Chances are that you probably know someone who has been affected by one, the most common of which is an ischemic stroke. This type of stroke occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is either reduced or blocked. That prevents the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to brain tissue. As a result, brain cells begin to die in minutes. Another type of stroke is a hemorrhagic stroke, which happens when a blood vessel in the brain leaks or bursts, causing bleeding in the brain. Blood increases pressure on brain cells, causing damage. 

That was a lot of information to begin an article, but there is some light at the end of that seemingly dark tunnel. Nearly 80% of strokes are preventable, and cardiologists suggest several things you can do to reduce the risk of stroke. Stroke risk is something that builds over time through various factors like lifestyle habits, blood pressure, and underlying health conditions. Consider the following four things to help reduce your risk of stroke. 

Control Your Cholesterol

If you have higher levels of “bad” low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, you have a higher risk of fatty deposits building up in your arteries. Plaque narrows the arteries that lead to the brain, which can lead to a blood clot that causes an ischemic stroke. By lowering LDL cholesterol levels, you can help slow or reverse plaque buildup in the arteries. Ideally, keep your LDL below 100 mg/dL. For those at higher risk or who have previously had a stroke, new guidelines suggest keeping LDL levels below 70 mg/dL. 

Simple lifestyle changes can help you keep cholesterol levels down. Eating a heart-healthy diet, limiting your sodium intake, and focusing on healthy fats are great first steps. Avoid ultra-processed foods at all costs! Additionally, watch out for condiments and dressings, which can contain trans and saturated fats, excess sodium, and preservatives. Cut back on full-fat dairy and meat, as those are two sources of saturated fats, which contribute to high levels of LDL cholesterol.

Eat A Heart-Healthy Diet

According to dietitians, the Mediterranean diet has proven to significantly reduce the risk of stroke. This diet emphasizes the consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats (olive oil, nuts, and seeds), and lean proteins, especially fish and poultry. It also calls for you to limit your intake of sugar, processed foods, and red meat. One study followed women who adhered to the Mediterranean diet for over two decades. The results indicated that those who followed it more closely had a 25% lower risk of stroke. 

The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet is also a heart-healthy eating pattern. It emphasizes potassium-rich foods and a lower intake of high-sodium foods. According to one study, those who followed the DASH diet significantly reduced systolic blood pressure by up to 4.6 mmHg, and diastolic blood pressure by up to 1.1. mmHg. Another study found that individuals with high risk of heart disease who followed either the Mediterranean diet or DASH diet had a lower risk of total stroke or ischemic stroke. 

Manage Your Blood Pressure

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is the single most important and controllable risk factor for stroke. High blood pressure weakens and damages arteries throughout the body, which increases the likelihood of them rupturing or becoming clogged. You could aim for a target blood pressure of less than 130/80 mmHg to reduce your risk of stroke and other cardiovascular events, such as heart attack. 

Even though high blood pressure is something you can easily control, only 1 in 4 adults with hypertension has it under control. You can easily manage blood pressure through lifestyle changes. Regular exercises, following a low-sodium diet, proper sleep, and stress management techniques can help lower blood pressure. Know your numbers and check your blood pressure at home. Click here to learn how to properly check your blood pressure. 

Exercise Regularly

Movement is one of the easiest, most accessible, and free things you can do to lower your risk of stroke. Physical activity encourages blood vessel health by lowering blood pressure and raising high-density lipoprotein (HDL) or “good” cholesterol. It also helps you maintain a healthy weight and control blood sugar, all of which are essential to lowering your risk of stroke. According to research, people who are active have a 34% lower risk of hemorrhagic stroke and 21% lower risk of ischemic stroke. Ideally, aim to get 30 minutes of moderate-intense aerobic activity per day, which equates to 150 minutes of total exercise per week.

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Bright, refreshing, and deeply nourishing, this pineapple lime basil sorbet fuses vibrant tropical sweetness and herbal vitality. Made with 100% raw vegan ingredients, this sorbet captures the essence of whole-food living while delivering a naturally energizing treat. Juicy pineapple serves as the base, offering a rich source of vitamin C and bromelain, an enzyme that helps support digestive function and lower inflammation. The fresh lime juice gives this sorbet a zesty kick, while contributing alkalizing properties and an added boost of vitamin C.

The addition of fresh basil to this sorbet brings more than a fragrant, garden-fresh note. Basil is a powerful herb that was traditionally used to help combat stress and support overall wellness. It is rich in essential oils and phytonutrients, which may assist in reducing oxidative stress and promoting a sense of overall balance within the body. Because this sorbet includes raw agave nectar, which has a lower glycemic index than refined sugar, it becomes a guilt-free indulgence that satisfies cravings without the unnecessary crash.

Once you taste this revitalizing sorbet, you’ll realize that it is more of a celebration of clean, plant-based ingredients working in harmony than an indulgent dessert. Each spoonful delivers a burst of hydration, digestive support, and natural energy, making it a perfect option for those seeking a wholesome dessert. Free from dairy, processed sugars, and artificial additives, this basil sorbet aligns with a holistic lifestyle focused on nourishment, vitality, and conscious consumption. Treat yourself to not only deliciously sweet flavors, but also lots of nutrition!

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