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About 80% are caused by blockage of an artery, and 20% by rupture of a blood vessel in the brain. Some patients have suffered bleeding in the brain and also have restrictions in arteries although these arteries are not completely blocked.

Most of the medical literature is about blockage strokes, and almost all items on diet are aimed at helping or avoiding such events. It is important to ascertain as soon as possible which type of stroke has occurred as the treatments are markedly different for the two types. For the former, blood thinners and/or clot busters may be prescribed, but this might simply increase bleeding in the other type. It is therefore important not to follow dietary guidelines designed for blockage strokes as they thin the blood and could make things worse for a patient with brain bleeding. In the case of brain bleeding with plus arterial restrictions, there appears to be little in the way of drugs, and nothing that I have found in books or the Internet on special diets. Some studies have shown improvements using a combination of low-level beta-blockers and a mild diuretic, but these are for a doctor to prescribe.

Over the last few years there has been a revolution in views on diet and digestion, with the "dogma of today becoming the fiction of tomorrow". Slowly but surely research results are filtering through to doctors and to the public. The older ideas about high carbohydrate, French, primitive, and diabetic diets have been proved wrong, and it is now accepted that fats are not the enemy they were painted to be. Type of fat is, however, very important, as is type of carbohydrate.

Cell membranes are made from fats, and reflect the type of fat consumed. Over a period of time, eating fatty fish and much less animal saturated fat will result in the body’s cells having a more porous membrane, allowing food in and waste products out much easier, thus leading to better health. The process will take many months. It is important to reduce or eliminate animal fats to aid this process, as these have to be burned as fuel in the process of changing the cell membranes to the more fluid fish fats. After six to twelve months, animal saturated fats may be re-introduced at a low level.

Exempting the very healthy extreme diets, which could not practically be used in the West, and certainly not on patients, we come to the concept of the "Zone" diet, which aims for 30% of calories from protein, 30% from fat, and 40% from carbohydrate. Although I am not personally convinced, and feel that higher carbohydrate levels would be beneficial, I am impressed with the results showing the damage to arteries, and the excessive storage of body fats, caused by rushes of insulin following consumption of carbohydrates that rapidly release sugars to the blood. I also accept the bad effects of too much saturated fat of animal origin, but small amounts of saturated fats are necessary. Most fats should come from olive oil and fish oils, with some from cheese, yogurt, nuts, breads, etc.. Avoid the polyunsaturated fats in either liquid or solid form, as they are now linked to increased heart problems and some cancers. Use butter, not margarine, but sparingly! Some foods, such as potatoes, are worse than white sugar, although new potatoes are much better in this respect. Rice is also a fast releaser of sugars, even in long grain form. I have included a list of glycemic indices for reference.

Some articles are saying that the present protein levels are far too high, but until there is more proof, stick to about 50-60 gms per day, which is not too high. Remember that protein is the most acidic of all the foods.

Briefly, a slightly alkaline diet is much better than a very acidic diet, but is more difficult to achieve. Meats are acidic, as is protein. Grains (breads, cakes) are acidic. Fat is neutral. Fruits and vegetables are slightly alkaline. Most alkaline of all the foods are fruits. All starchy and sugary foods, apart from fruit, are acidic.

Try to balance meals to reduce acidity.

Eat smaller meals often, to avoid overloading the system. Most heart attacks follow a heavy carbohydrate meal.

Low fat meats

Fish (fatty, try sardine sandwiches)

Vegetables

Fruits

Vegetable juices (try V-8) and Beetroot juice to cleanse the blood ( sip slowly over 10 mins)

Fruit juices (sip slowly over 10 minutes to slow sugar to blood)

Oat bran

Home-made soups. Barley is a slow sugar releaser and tomato soup is alkaline

Oatmeal, not too much

Brewer’s yeast, in soups, stews

Peas, lentils, beans, cabbage, onion, garlic (butter beans are very alkaline)

Some raw food before a meal.(fruit or vegetable) You can also chop veg. and add it at the end of cooking.

Views vary on carrots and turnips, so use if wished, but not as juice.

Foods with a low Glycemic Index

Buy a juicer and make your own juice drinks.

Fatty meats

Cheese (saturated fats)

Lots of bread (use small amounts, spread through the day)

All margarines and polyunsaturated fats

Potatoes unless new and fresh (increase portions of vegetables)

Rice

Cakes, scones pancakes, creams (you can eat ice cream in small amounts)

Puddings (sugars, fast release)

Beetroot as is sugary ( juice sipped slowly or mixed with V8 vegetable juice is OK)

Views vary widely on eggs. Use sparingly, possibly removing the yolk from one in three.

Herbs such as parsley for taste and minerals. Greens are good for salads and juicing.

Foods with a high Glycemic Index as they release sugars too quickly.

Alcohol. Use sparingly. Drink red wine. All food after alcohol is turned to fat! Alcohol needs no insulin to enter cells and becomes the dominant food for several hours.

Salt. Read labels carefully. Much is hidden, in breads and soups.

Use a good mineral/vitamin, e.g. H&B ABC Plus Senior.

Use an anti-oxidant such as time release Vitamin C.

Use time-release Garlic as it is the best anti-oxidant known.

Do not use Vit E as it is a blood thinner and could cause extra bleeding.

Use a supplement to help the kidneys and liver as they have work to do. Best to check this one with the doctor as there may be drugs for this as well.

For the moment, do not use cod liver oil or linseed oil. They may reduce platelet activity which is needed to prevent bleeding. Wait six months before considering their use.

Sugar is rated at 100. Higher figures mean faster sugar release.