I thank 100ABCWomen (Accomplished Black Canadian Women) for this opportunity to speak with you about Black folks and strokes.

What can we do to keep healthy?

As Black Canadians, we take pride in our strength to withstand the stressors of everyday life coupled with racism and other forms of oppression; however, pushing through the pain and stress is literally killing us. We think we can do it all. No, we can’t and should not be doing so.

Stroke is the leading cause of death every year in Canada. There are over 50,000 incidents of strokes, and 14,000 of those folks die. There are presently over 300,000 Canadians who are living with disabilities caused by strokes. We do know that large numbers are Black folks, but we do not have exact stats as they do in the US, mostly anecdotes from healthcare reporting.

In the USA, 50% of Blacks have more strokes than their white counterparts. They also have the highest rates of death after strokes. As our population grows in Canada, we will see similar results in the future unless we educate ourselves about preventative measures.

There are many unrelenting causes and effects of strokes in Blacks where racism is the root, leading to many chronic stressors. Also, a few genetic traits, such as high blood pressure, you may know families where every adult has hypertension; combine that with:

o Unmitigated systemic racism causes frequent stressors on your body, which triggers stress-coping behaviours like drinking, smoking, and eating fast food, to mention only a few.

o The inequity of life experiences in socioeconomic areas… good-paying jobs, access to affordable housing and education, and intergenerational stressors and traumas that have not been resolved.

No wonder so many of us, as Black Canadians, have strokes, and many are disabled afterwards.

Prevention:

So, with all these factors, what can we do to keep healthy?

We are told about several lifestyle changes that we must make. I’d like to say the change needs to start in our minds. No matter what we are told about diets, weight loss, managing diabetes and hypertension, if we do not learn to attract more positive ways of living and have an attitude of gratitude that recharges our souls and revitalizes our bodies, we will not be successful in preventing strokes. Reprogram your mind for good health outcomes; we can literally change the pathways of our brains by practicing new and healthy thoughts and behaviours over and over. Be confident and have the right people in your corner, which adds value to your life. Have someone who will say, let’s go for a walk, let’s go to the movie, or even let us go to the Gala. Be sure it is someone who will tell you when you need to move your body.

Social media tells you to take an aspirin if you think that you are having early signs and symptoms of a stroke or heart attack. This approach does not work for everyone as you do not know what kind of stroke you are having, and aspirin is to be used only in the acute stage of an ischemic stroke. (Blockage of an artery which leads to an inadequate amount of blood to the brain)

Aspirin does not help if you have a hemorrhagic stroke (a weakened blood vessel in the brain ruptures).

You do not have time to self-diagnose either type of stroke; it requires emergency management… call 911…

Spotting the signs and symptoms:

Sudden loss of brain function is caused by either a blockage in an artery which takes oxygenated blood to the brain or a bleeding/ rupture in the brain from a weakened blood vessel.

Act FAST:

Facial droop, paralysis in one side of the body/ face

Arm or leg weakness

Speech slurring, unable to understand spoken words, or even speaking unintelligible.

Time must act quickly to seek healthcare for oneself or another person.

The longer the wait for emergency care, the greater the disability

Life is a gift; handle it with care. Be Well!

Norma Nicholson MA(Ed) BA RN (Retired), Author, Youth Advocate, Educator