Stroke Is No Longer Just an Elder's Disease! How TCM Helps Youth Prevent Stroke in a Changing Trend

Written By: Melody, TCM Practitioner.

In recent years, a worrying phenomenon has emerged: stroke, once considered a disease primarily affecting the elderly, is now increasingly impacting younger individuals. In Malaysia (🇲🇾), we are seeing more people in their forties, fifties, and even younger experiencing strokes.

This raises concerns for many young and middle-aged adults: Why is stroke targeting us? What can we do to protect ourselves?

Don't worry! Today, let's discuss the reasons behind the rise of stroke in younger populations and, from a TCM perspective, offer some simple and practical prevention methods to help you and your family stay safe from stroke threats!

Why Is Stroke Becoming More Prevalent Among Younger People?

The "youthful" trend of stroke is not without reason. It acts as an alarm bell, reminding us that modern lifestyles have issues. The main reasons include:

1️⃣ Major Changes in Lifestyle Habits:

🔺Addiction to Late Nights

Constantly glued to phones, binge-watching shows, or gaming until late, leading to insufficient sleep. The body cannot rest and repair properly. In TCM, "the Liver stores blood" (肝藏血); staying up late harms Liver Blood, easily leading to Yin deficiency with Yang hyperactivity and elevated blood pressure.

🔺Sedentary Behavior

Sitting in front of a computer all day for work, then sitting at home playing with phones. Severe lack of exercise leads to poor Qi and Blood circulation, easy fat accumulation, and hardening of blood vessels.

2️⃣ "Heavy-Flavor" Diet:

🔺High Oil, High Salt, High Sugar

Frequent dining out, more processed foods, fried items, barbecues, desserts, and sugary drinks becoming daily staples. These are accomplices to the "Three Highs" (hypertension, hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia), directly damaging blood vessels.

🔺Fast Food Culture

 Instant noodles, burgers, and fried chicken are quick foods that lead to imbalanced nutrition, easily causing obesity and metabolic problems.

3️⃣ High Stress, Unstable Emotions:

🔺High Work Pressure

Modern life is fast-paced, with intense competition, keeping spirits in a long-term state of tension. TCM believes "anger harms the Liver" (怒伤肝); unstable emotions easily lead to Liver Qi stagnation or Liver Yang rising, causing blood pressure fluctuations.。

🔺Anxiety and Depression

Long-term negative emotions can affect the body's immune and endocrine systems, increasing disease risk.

4️⃣ The "Three Highs" Arriving Early：

Diseases like hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia, once associated with old age, are now affecting many young people due to poor lifestyle habits. Often, they are unaware or do not take them seriously, leading to unnoticed blood vessel damage.

How Can TCM Help Young People Prevent Stroke?

TCM emphasizes "treating illness before it arises" (治未病), meaning prevention before the disease occurs. For the trend of stroke affecting younger populations, TCM offers many practical methods to condition the body and control risk factors.

✅ Conditioning Body Constitution, Fundamentally Improving Health

TCM believes that stroke onset is related to factors like "wind, fire, phlegm, and blood stasis" (风、火、痰、瘀), all linked to the dysfunction of internal organs.

⭕️ Improve Sleep

*Massage Anmian (安眠穴) (depression behind the earlobe) and Yongquan (涌泉穴) (depression in the anterior third of the sole) before bed to aid relaxation.

*Drink some lily and lotus seed porridge, or steep dried longan (桂圆肉) in water, both having calming and sleep-aiding effects.

⭕️ Manage Emotions

*Practice breathing: 

Take time daily for deep breaths and slow exhales to help relax your mind.

*Foot soaks: 

Soak your feet in warm water, possibly adding mugwort leaves (艾叶) or ginger (生姜), to help unblock meridians and relieve stress.

*Herbal teas: 

For those with excessive Liver fire or emotional depression, consult a TCM practitioner for teas with ingredients like rose petals (玫瑰花) or aged tangerine peel (陈皮) to soothe the Liver and regulate Qi.

⭕️ Increase Exercise (Moderately)

*Baduanjin (八段锦), Tai Chi (太极拳): 

These gentle, flowing exercises harmonize Qi and Blood, unblock meridians, and are excellent for modern individuals to relieve stress and relax mind and body.

*Walking, jogging: 

30 minutes daily promotes blood circulation.

✅ Dietary Therapy to Control "Three Highs," Protecting Vascular Health

⭕️ Control Blood Pressure

*Eat more vegetables and fruits: 

Celery, winter melon, and corn silk (which can be boiled into a tea) help lower blood pressure.

*Reduce salt intake: 

Less salted fish, pickled foods, soy sauce, and oyster sauce.

*Black fungus, kelp: 

Eating more of these helps soften blood vessels.

⭕️ Control Blood Sugar

*Replace white rice with whole grains: 

Use brown rice, corn, oats, etc., to replace part of your white rice intake, increasing dietary fiber.

*Pumpkin, bitter gourd: 

These vegetables are considered to have blood sugar-lowering effects in TCM; eat more of them.

*Limit sweets and sugary drinks: 

Be moderate with sweet sauces like those for Rojak, sugary Teh Tarik, Milo, etc.

⭕️ Control Blood Lipids

*Reduce saturated fats: 

Try to eat less fried chicken, fatty meats, and excessive coconut milk in Nasi Lemak.

*Eat more fish: 

Deep-sea fish like salmon and sardines contain Omega-3 fatty acids, beneficial for blood vessels.

*Hawthorn (山楂), onion: 

These foods help lower blood lipids and invigorate blood to resolve stasis.

*Tea: 

Drink some Pu-erh tea or chrysanthemum tea, which help reduce lipids.

✅ Acupoint Healthcare, Daily "Vascular Protection"

Spend a few minutes daily massaging the following acupoints to help your body function better.

➡️ Hegu (合谷穴): 

On the back of the hand, in the web space between the thumb and index finger. Pressing helps lower blood pressure and relieve headaches.

➡️ Zusanli (足三里穴): 

Approximately four finger-widths below the outer knee. Strengthens the Spleen and Stomach, tonifies Qi and Blood, and enhances overall constitution.

➡️ Neiguan (内关穴): 

On the inner wrist, three finger-widths above the wrist crease. Relieves chest tightness, palpitations, and calms the mind.

➡️ Taichong (太冲穴): 

On the top of the foot, about two finger-widths up from the webbing between the big toe and the second toe. Soothes the Liver, regulates Qi, and lowers blood pressure.

Stroke is no longer solely the "privilege" (专利) of the elderly; young and middle-aged individuals must also be vigilant! Starting now, adjust your lifestyle, balance your diet, learn to manage stress, and combine these with TCM conditioning methods to effectively lower your risk of stroke.

‼️ Remember: A healthy lifestyle is the best "preventive shot"!

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for general knowledge and reference only and should not replace professional medical advice. Stroke prevention and treatment must be formulated by a qualified doctor based on individual circumstances. If you have any health concerns, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.

If you'd like to learn more about TCM wellness or wish to receive more personalized advice tailored to your specific situation, we recommend booking a consultation.