Strokes on the Rise in Younger People: An Unpopular Opinion

Posted onAuthorDavid Bradley

Strokes on the Rise in Younger People

An Unpopular Opinion About Strokes on the Rise in Younger People

The American Stroke Association is reporting that strokes for the ages 50 and under is continuing to increase and has been over the last 30 years.

I didn’t know this, but May is National Stroke awareness month.  And in a recent article and post on Twitter, FoxNews reports…

And then there’s this…

About 15% of all strokes occur in adults 50 or under”
-Tracie Morden with the American Heart and Stroke Association.

In the article we learn about Daniel Gainer.  It was the week after Thanksgiving (imagine going into the holiday season with your family and having to unexpectedly deal with a stroke).  Started with a really bad headache that was in reality the beginning of a brain bleed and eventual organ failure.  His odds of surviving this were not in his favor.  His wife was told to prepare for the worst.  He was 29 years old.

This experience used to incredibly rare for people under 50, now it’s becoming more common…

Strokes Under 50:  But WHY???

Well, here’s where we can start with the unpopular opinion(s) part.  Daniel’s doctor, Mohammed El-Ghanem, MD was quoted in the article saying,

In my opinion, it’s more of the unhealthy life that we’re living. A lot of junk food, unhealthy food, people tend not to exercise, because of work and their busy lives.”

Now I’m sure some of you are wondering either silently or out loud, was he vaccinated…?

OK, sure, we could waste a crap ton of time asking, wondering and probing into that but let’s keep in mind, this type of thing has been on the rise for THIRTY years.  So I’m going to go out on a limb and say, this isn’t a vaxx issue right now.  In fact, COVID as a whole exposed the consequential reality of poor diet and lack of exercise.

Leading Causes For Strokes In Young People

Per the CDC, the top 5 causes of strokes are:

  • High blood pressure,
  • High cholesterol,
  • Heart disease,
  • Diabetes,
  • and Obesity

And do you know what else is on the rise in people under 50?  All 5 of these things.

  • Number one cause of high blood pressure?  Not enough exercise.
  • Number one cause of high cholesterol?  Poor diet.
  • Number one cause of heart disease?  High blood pressure and high cholesterol.  (go figure)
  • Number one cause of Type-II diabetes? Overweight, obesity, and physical inactivity.
  • Number one cause of obesity?  Eating large amounts of processed, fast food that is high in fat and sugar.

Strokes on the Rise in Younger People:  So now what???

Well, why not start with taking better care of yourself?  Stop eating like crap and start moving your body more.

And the thing is, it only requires a little more discipline.  Not a lot.  No where near as much as you think.  And if you’re thinking you don’t have time, the reality here is you just haven’t made it a priority yet.  Don’t wait until you actually have a stroke to make the decision to eat better and move more.  Because by then it might be too late.

Here are 3 GREAT “Stroke Prevention” Books To Get Your Diet And Exercise Dialed In:

ONE:  Perfect Weight America by Jordan Rubin.  Easy to read and simple, Jordan makes a solid case for better eating habits and then lays out a full plan to burn fat, boost energy, improve digestion, reduce stress, and cleanse toxins from the body.  I started with book right when it came out in 08 and it really helped me with shedding the last of my booze belly after getting sober in 07.  By 2009 I was ready to level up and lean out even more.  So enter…

NUMBER TWO:  The Warrior Diet by Ori Hofmekler.  Pavel Tsatsouline turned me on to this book and it was a game changer form me not just physically but mentally.  Ori Hofmekler as far as I’m concerned laid the groundwork for what became the intermittent fasting trend.  I still follow this basic premise myself as this diet allows you to get in touch with your innate survival ancestral self.  The eating and exercise routines inside with give you a new level of energy and vigor while leaning you out pretty quick.

THREE:  The Primal Blue Print by Mark Sisson.  Mark basically picks up where Ori leaves off and validates The Warrior Diet while adding more detail and lifestyle elements.  Additionally, The Primal Blueprint is how the whole Paleo thing got started.  Like The Warrior Diet, you’ll find diet and exercise routines that are incredibly simple that anyone can do.  I bought this book because I herd Mark on Joe Rogan several years back and it all just makes perfect since.

The order I’m listing these in would be the recommended order to read them in too.

FINAL THOUGHTS…

What do you think it costs to have a stroke?

According to the Journal of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases, the average cost of hospital stay (with insurance) for a stroke patient ranges from $20,396 to $43,652.And while the medical bills add up, stroke patients often lose their income from employment.”  [SOURCE]

And in 2023, nearly “half of Americans have less than $500 in savings, with almost 18% having nothing.” [SOURCE]  Those three books on diet and exercise I mentioned will be about $35 bucks.

BOTTOM LINE:  You can’t afford a stroke.  Neither can your family.  Forget the money, let’s talk about the emotional cost for a second.  Stress accelerates aging and insulin resistance which leads to comfort eating and fat gain and…  MORE STROKES!  So by you having one, you literally increase the odds of your loved ones having one too.

And it’s 1000% avoidable if you shop better at the market, move more and practice disciple (delayed gratification).  So get those books if you need to, get support from friends and family, keep it simple and start taking better care of you.