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A stroke happens when blood stops flowing to a part of your brain. It is a life-threatening event which, if survived, can take a long time to recover from. It is also possible that you do

not ever fully recover and that your speech and movement can remain affected for the rest of your life. Strokes can happen to anyone at any age, says the NHS, but the risk of having one

increases for several reasons: * being aged over 50 years old * being from a Black or South Asian background * you have an unhealthy lifestyle * you have migraines * you have high blood

pressure * you have high cholesterol * you have diabetes * you have irregular and fast heartbeats * you take the combined contraceptive pill, you're pregnant and have pre-eclampsia,

you've just had a baby. Some of these are, of course, difficult to avoid. But having a healthy lifestyle is something you can control. High cholesterol and blood pressure can disrupt

the way your heart pumps blood around your body, which can cause a stroke. Ways you can reduce your risk of having a stroke include not smoking, cutting down on alcohol and doing more

exercise. And another is having a healthy and balanced diet. This involves eating lots of foods high in nutrients, like the "world's healthiest vegetable" and cutting down on

unhealthy foods. WHICH DRINK INCREASES YOUR RISK OF A STROKE? Eating an excess of unhealthy foods and drinks can increase your risk of develpoing several illnesses, including stroke. And

there is one very popular drink that research suggests may significantly increase your risk of a stroke: fizzy drinks. A study published in Journal of Stroke in 2024 involving 27,000 people

concluded that "carbonated beverages were associated with increased odds of ischemic stroke and intracerebral hemorrhage [brain bleed]". Researchers said: "Our findings

suggest optimizing water intake, minimising fruit juice/drinks, and avoiding carbonated beverages." But the American Heart Association says strokes are preventable. It says you can

control your stroke risk with eight "simple behaviors and care strategies": eat better, be more active, quit tobacco, get healthy sleep, manage weight, control cholesterol, manage

blood sugar and manage blood pressure. WHY FIZZY DRINKS INCREASE YOUR STROKE RISK Fizzy drinks are often high in added sugar. Stacey Woodson, a registered dietitian based in Philadelphia,

told Eating Well this is linked with an “increased risk of metabolic syndrome, obesity, elevated blood pressure and diabetes. These conditions can impact vascular health, increasing the risk

of stroke”. SYMPTOMS OF STROKE The main symptoms of a stroke can happen suddenly. The NHS lists them as: * face weakness: one side of your face may droop and it might be hard to smile * arm

weakness: you may not be able to fully lift both arms and keep them there because of weakness or numbness * speech problems: you may slur your words or sound confused. Other signs of a

stroke include: * weakness or numbness down one side * blurred vision or loss of sight * finding it difficult to speak or think of words * confusion and memory loss * feeling dizzy or

falling over * a severe headache * nausea or vomiting.