5 cancers that cause your stroke risk to skyrocket

Cancer feels like it will never happen to you… until it does. And when it does, it sends you on an emotional rollercoaster ride that no one can prepare you for…

Shock. Despair. Denial. Anger. Determination. And, of course, elation when you finally beat it.

But a lot of people don’t realize that the emotional rollercoaster ride doesn’t end when their cancer goes into remission.

You still have to live every day knowing it could come back. And that’s not easy. But as hard as that is, it’s not even your biggest concern…

Research shows that most cancer patients don’t die from cancer. They die from conditions caused by or related to their cancer. And one of the most dangerous cancer-related risks you need to be aware of is a stroke.

Why cancer doubles your risk of dying from stroke

A new study from researchers at Penn State shows that people who have or had cancer are more than twice as likely to die from stroke.

The study included data from more than 7.2 million people with invasive cancer (cancer that had spread). And here’s what they found out:

• Men and women diagnosed with cancer had an equally high risk of dying from stroke
• People diagnosed with cancer at a younger age were more likely to die from stroke
• The risk of dying from stroke increases over time in people who’ve had cancer. That means the risk continues to get higher, even when the cancer is gone.

Age also affected the types of cancer that were most likely to cause a deadly stroke. In people under 40, brain tumors and lymphomas were most likely to cause deadly strokes. In people over 40, prostate, breast and colorectal cancers were most likely to cause deadly strokes.

Why does cancer increase stroke risk?

Researchers suspect it’s because people with cancer are more susceptible to blood clots. Once a blood clot develops, it could travel to the brain and cause a stroke. Researchers also think cancer treatment could contribute to the risk as well. Chemotherapy and radiation, for example, can damage blood vessels, which can increase the risk of clots and stroke.

The take-home message?

Even though most people with cancer think it’s the cancer that will kill them, it’s often something else… and stroke is high on the list of risks cancer patients and survivors need to watch out for.

How to slay your stroke risk

I didn’t share this information to scare you or stress you out. If you’ve dealt with cancer, you’ve had more than your fair share of fear and stress already. I shared it to empower you.

There are a lot of effective methods for reducing your stroke risk. But before you take action, you have to realize that it’s a real concern. Now that you do, here’s how to reduce your stroke risk right away…

First off, you want to manage other conditions that contribute to your stroke risks, like high cholesterol, diabetes, and high blood pressure. When you’re diagnosed with something as serious as cancer, it’s easy to let less serious health conditions take a back seat. But that’s a bad idea when it comes to fending off stroke. Luckily, diabetes, cholesterol, and blood pressure can be managed through a combination of diet, exercise, and medications (if needed).

In fact, diet and exercise are two of the best tools in your stroke prevention toolbox whether you’ve had cancer or not. Right now, science shows the best diet for preventing stroke risk is the Mediterranean diet. A 2018 study found that the Mediterranean diet lowered stroke risk 22 percent in women with a high risk for cardiovascular disease.

And as far as exercise goes, you don’t have to do anything extreme to keep your stroke risk down. In fact, a 2018 study found that even three to four hours of light to moderate activity per week reduced the risk of having a severe, life-threatening stroke.

Want to go beyond diet and exercise?

There’s some evidence that sea buckthorn can improve cardiovascular health and potentially reduce stroke risk. Staying away from cigarettes, alcohol and diet drinks is key to reducing stroke risk too. Do you know what else can reduce stroke risk? Spend time in a sauna. In fact, one study found that regular sauna bathing can lower stroke risk by more than 60 percent.

These are just a few examples of simple ways to lower your stroke risk. There are plenty more out there. Find a few options that work for you and practice them regularly to keep a cancer-related stroke from striking you.

Sources:

1. Cancer linked with a more than doubled risk of dying from stroke — MedicalXpress
2. Stroke among cancer patients — Nature Communications
3. 7 things you can do to prevent a stroke — Harvard Health Publishing
4. Diet for stroke prevention — Stroke and Vascular Neurology
5. Potential cardiovascular implications of Sea Buckthorn berry consumption in humans — International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition