I was sitting having a coffee yesterday and scrolling through my phone, and I kept seeing all these purple posts for Action on Stroke Month. Everyone showing support, sharing messages, raising awareness, and I thought to myself, this is lovely to see, but is it really enough?
Because we are very good at talking about stroke after it happens. We talk about recovery, we talk about how life changes, we talk about support, but we don’t really talk about what comes before it, and that’s the part that matters the most.
The body doesn’t just suddenly decide one day to have a stroke. It doesn’t work like that. It builds over time, slowly, quietly, and most of the time we are given signs, but we ignore them because they are not dramatic. You might feel a bit more tired than usual, you might notice that your weight is creeping up, especially around your middle, or you’ve been told your blood pressure is a little high, but life is busy, so you carry on.
And this is where I always come back to the same question. What are you eating every day? Not occasionally, not on a “good day,” but every single day, because that is what your body is dealing with. If most of your food is processed, convenient, high in salt, and quite heavy, then over time your body starts to struggle. It has no choice.
But it doesn’t have to be complicated to change that. I’m not talking about being perfect or following some strict plan. I’m talking about simple things that people overlook. Eating more plants, cooking your food, knowing what you are putting into your body, and doing that consistently.
And then there is movement, which we’ve almost forgotten about. We sit more, we drive more, we take the easy option without thinking, and again, it all adds up.
So yes, wear purple this month, share the posts, support the cause, but also take a moment to think about your own health, because awareness is not just about others, it’s about you as well.
If you are reading this, start small. Eat a little better, move a little more, and begin to pay attention, because the body will always give you a chance before something more serious happens.
Prevention is better than cure always
Milvia Pili
Functional Nutritional Therapist
