Nutritional issues in stroke prevention

Abstract

A brief narrative review of nutritional issues in stroke prevention is presented. Topics discussed include obesity, dietary cholesterol and saturated fat, harm from egg yolk and meat intake, metabolic B12 deficiency, B vitamins to lower homocysteine, salt intake, and diet. Persons at risk of stroke should avoid egg yolk and limit the intake of animal flesh, particularly red meat. They should consume a mainly vegetarian Mediterranean diet, and limit their intake of salt (sodium chloride) to ~ 2-3 grams per day or less. They should check their serum B12 and plasma total homocysteine, and treat them if abnormal, with methylcobalamin or hydroxocobalamin rather than cyanocobalamin.