Mayor Urges Lifestyle Changes for Stroke Prevention

Mayor Russell Aubrey, who turns 58 in October, said he was prompted to lose the excess weight after visiting his doctor and discovering he had high cholesterol and high blood pressure – two warning signs for stroke.

“Stroke kills more men than prostate cancer and more women than breast cancer.  In 2011, Australians will suffer around 60,000 new and recurrent strokes – or one stroke every ten minutes,” Mayor Aubrey said.

“Some of the important things people can do to reduce their risk is manage high blood pressure, diabetes or high cholesterol.

“In addition, people should be physically active and exercise regularly and avoid obesity by keeping to a healthy diet. It’s also vital to limit alcohol consumption and avoid cigarette smoke.”

Mayor Aubrey’s health regime included: running from the Mount Henry to Canning bridges four times a week; cycling; and adopting a healthy diet. He lost approximately 500 grams of fat each week over six months and recently ran the half marathon in the Chevron City to Surf.

Since losing the weight and improving his fitness level, Mayor Aubrey’s cholesterol levels and blood pressure have dropped to a healthy range. At a recent medical check-up, the Mayor’s General Practitioner, Dr Graham Farquhar, was impressed with the results.

“It’s gratifying when a patient improves their health through lifestyle changes. The Mayor is fighting fit and does not currently need his blood pressure medication. If not already doing so, I strongly encourage people to adopt a healthy lifestyle to reduce their risk of stroke,” Dr Farquhar said.

“It’s also important for people to know how to recognise the signs of a stroke. F.A.S.T stands for Face, Arms, Speech and Time to act and is an easy way to remember and recognise the signs of stroke.

“Face - check their face and mouth for signs of drooping; Arms - Can they lift both arms?; Speech - is their speech slurred?; Do they understand you? and Time - is critical. If you see any of these signs call 000 straight away!”

For information on the City of Melville’s Lifestyle Services click here or for further information on strokes visit National Stroke Week.