| is one of the most serious nervous system | | | | diet consisting of seeds, nuts and grains, fruits and |
| diseases prevalent in old age. It is an important | | | | vegetables. The emphasis should be on fresh |
| cause of disability and a major contributor to | | | | fruits and raw vegetable salads and fruit and |
| mortality in old age. Also known as apoplexy, | | | | vegetable juices. |
| stroke is a sudden acute disturbance of brain | | | | The patient should be encouraged to use the |
| function of vascular origin. It may result in loss of | | | | paralyzed limbs and move all the joints several |
| consciousness, paralysis or death. | | | | times daily. The paralyzed muscles should be |
| Good nursing care is of utmost importance, | | | | gently massaged. As soon as possible, the patient |
| especially during the acute stage. The patient | | | | should come out of bed and walk around the |
| should be made to rest in bed, and he should be | | | | room. |
| turned frequently from side to side to prevent | | | | When he is able to move about, he should take |
| development of pressure sores. Cold compresses | | | | Epsom salt baths twice weekly. He should also |
| may be applied to the head to relieve pain. The | | | | take breathing and other exercises daily, together |
| patient should be protected from visitors and all | | | | with the daily friction and sponge as explained in |
| forms of excitement. He should not return to | | | | the appendix. Regular habits of living should be |
| work for several months. | | | | encouraged from then onwards. The consumption |
| The most important factor in treating this disease | | | | of alcoholic beverages and smoking, wherever |
| is fasting. The patient should fast for the first few | | | | habitual, should be completely given up. |
| days and he should be given only water to drink, | | | | The liberal use of fruits and vegetables has been |
| if he can take it. Thereafter, he may be given | | | | found beneficial in the prevention and treatment |
| orange juice and water. The fast should be | | | | of stroke. Researches carried out more than a |
| continued till the severity of the stroke has | | | | decade ago, indicated that consuming fruits and |
| passed off. He can then be allowed to take fresh | | | | vegetables prevented strokes and reduced the |
| fruits such as orange, apple, pineapple, pear, | | | | damage if they occurred. British scientists at |
| grapes, peach and papaya. The diet can be | | | | Cambridge University discovered that older |
| extended to include fresh and unboiled milk, and | | | | persons who consumed large quantities of fresh |
| as convalescence progresses, the fruit and milk | | | | green vegetables and fresh fruits were less likely |
| diet can be gradually followed by a well-balanced | | | | to die of strokes. |