Every year, half a million families are devastated by a stroke. A stroke can damage your brain just like a heart attack can damage your heart. Depriving your brain of oxygen, a stroke can literally kill off part of your brain.

When someone suffers a stroke, unless the symptoms are recognized immediately and appropriate action is taken, the level of brain damage can be severe. It can lead to memory loss, partial paralysis, and difficulties with communication. It can cause a loss of independence, with the patient requiring constant care.

When it comes to stroke there are three crucial things you must know:

1. How to recognize when a stroke is happening.

2. The critical steps to take to reduce the level of damage a stroke will do.

3. And most important—how to prevent one from happening to you or your loved ones in the first place.

How to Recognize if Someone is Having a Stroke

There are many different signs of a stroke. It can cause a sudden numbness in the face or on one side of your body. A stroke can cause a sudden difficulty with speaking or understanding what people are saying. It can also lead to trouble seeing, trouble walking, sudden and persistent dizziness, a loss of balance or a severe headache.

If you experience one or more of these symptoms, it's important to call 911 immediately. Quick response in the event of a stroke is critical.

If you suspect someone is having a stroke, you can use three simple tests to get a better idea of how serious the situation is. First, ask the person to smile. Second, ask the person to repeat a simple sentence like, "The door is open." Finally, ask the person to walk a short distance in a straight line. If they have difficulty with any one of these simple tasks, call 911 right away.

What to do While Help is on the Way

If someone is having a stroke, you don't need to sit helpless waiting for the paramedics to arrive.

Research has found that caffeine taken with alcohol within two hours of a stroke can help reduce the level of damage a stroke does and may help with recovery. The two must be taken together—alcohol alone can increase a stroke's damage. 1

While waiting for the paramedics, give the person having a stroke a cup of strong coffee with one shot of alcohol in it. Follow it up with another cup of plain, black coffee. Let the paramedics know that you gave the patient coffee with alcohol in it.

The amounts here are very safe, but they can make a significant difference in the outcome.

How to Stop a Stroke Before it Happens

The amino acid, homocysteine, contributes to your risk of stroke if it is in high levels in your system.

Fortunately, lowering your homocysteine levels is easy. You just need to make sure you get enough folic acid, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12. These three B vitamins help to break down homocysteine and keep your levels within the normal range.

In one study, folic acid supplements alone lowered the risk of stroke by 18% by decreasing homocysteine levels by 20% on average. 2

To protect yourself—and your brain—from stroke risks supplement with 25 mg of vitamin B6, 500 micrograms of B12, and 800 micrograms of folic acid.

Mark Rosenberg, M.D. Institute For Healthy Aging