If a simple test could save your life, extend your time with family, give you a better quality of life, wouldn’t you take it?
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Seems obvious doesn’t it? But so many of us trundle through life just not knowing.
Not knowing the risks of high blood pressure; not knowing how it could negatively impact our lives and the lives of our closest family members too.
Now, as it happens, there’s a day for just about everything and some of them we can take with a grain of salt.
Not to belittle their influence of course, but World Poetry Day is not going to save lives. (This of course does not necessarily reflect the views of Fairfax Media) Though I feel like I could go with International Day of Parents – at a pinch.
World Hypertension Day on the other hand (which just co-incidentally is today) just might save lives.
Effectively the Stroke Foundation is on the war path, to halve the number of strokes in Australia.
The statistics are staggering, when you consider that more than 56,000 people will suffer a stroke this year. That means that every nine minutes in Australia, someone, somewhere is suffering a stroke.
Stroke kills more women than breast cancer and more men than prostate cancer, yet it is largely preventable, if only we were more aware of the risk factors.
If all it takes is a simple blood pressure check, then shouldn’t you do it? If not for yourself then for the people you love, and who love you.
According to the Stroke Foundation; “Regional Australians are among those most impacted. Research shows regional Australians were 19 percent more likely to have a stroke than their metropolitan counterparts. Regional Australians are also more likely to die from a stroke or be left with an ongoing disability simply because they do not have access to specialist stroke treatment and care.”
Confronting isn’t it!
Chronic disease is one of the biggest challenges facing our political and health leaders. If only we could all see the benefits of a healthy lifestyle and keeping tabs on our health.
High cholesterol, obesity, and diabetes are all key risk factors for stroke.
So I will ask you again; If a simple test could save your life, extend your time with family, give you a better quality of life, wouldn’t you take it?