“Our research shows us that following a Mediterranean-style diet that is rich in fish, fruits, nuts, vegetables, and beans and lower in meat and dairy, may reduce stroke risk for women over 40,” says lead study author Ailsa Welch, PhD, a professor of nutritional epidemiology at the University of East Anglia in the United Kingdom. Researchers didn’t observe the same protective effect of the diet in men, who had a statistically insignificant risk reduction of 6 percent from following the diet, but, Dr. Welch says, “A healthy, balanced diet is important for everyone, both young and old.” Prior research suggests the Mediterranean diet may be especially helpful for preventing heart disease and stroke. For instance, an October 2017 meta-analysis in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition found that the approach — and especially a diet high in olive oil, veggies, fruit, and legumes — may help protect against heart disease incidence and heart-disease-related death. RELATED: 5 Ways to Protect Yourself From a Stroke

Why the Mediterranean Diet May Protect Against Stroke in Women but Not Men

The current study results are based on the health data of about 10,600 men and 12,700 women in England. Participants were between ages 40 and 77 and kept track of their eating with seven-day diet diaries. During the 17-year study period, 2,009 strokes occurred. Women in the study who closely adhered to a Mediterranean diet saw a protective effect against stroke regardless of their menopausal status or whether they underwent hormone replacement therapy. “It is unclear why we found differences between women and men, but it could be that components of the diet may influence men differently than women,” says lead researcher Phyo Myint, MD, clinical chair of medicine at the University of Aberdeen School of Medicine in Scotland. “The differences we found may be due to differences in risk factors that affect women only or to differences in women’s response for risk factors such as [high] blood pressure and diabetes.” Sarah Samaan, MD, a cardiologist with Baylor Scott & White Health in Plano, Texas, who was not involved in the study, says the results attest to the potentially beneficial effects of the Mediterranean diet. “Since the diet does appear to lower heart attack risk in both men and women and also helps protect against other chronic conditions, including dementia and cancer, it is a good choice for most people,” says Dr. Samaan. A review published in July 2017 in Nutrients suggests people who eat a Mediterranean diet appear to have a higher intake of brain-boosting nutrients such as vitamin B12, vitamin D, iron, zinc, calcium, folic acid, selenium, and iodine, potentially providing protection from Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia. And an October 2017 review in Nutrients suggests the approach may also help lower the risk of several types of cancer, including colorectal cancer and breast cancer. “The fact that it may not be as protective against stroke for men as compared with women is no reason to avoid choosing this type of diet,” Samaan says. Authors of the current study also found that participants who were already at high risk of heart disease had an overall reduced stroke risk of 13 percent. Welch says among the limitations of the research was that diets were only evaluated at the start of the investigation. “So we cannot exclude the possibility that people’s diets changed during the study period,” she says. She also says that the participants lacked racial diversity, so there was not enough data to understand the relationship between diet and stroke for a nonwhite population. “Future research needs to investigate why men and women differ in response to the Mediterranean diet, and if this is due to the differences in risk factors that affect women only, or whether women respond differently [to] risk factors such as blood pressure and diabetes,” says Welch. RELATED: What Are the Causes and Symptoms of Stroke? Factors that may increase older women’s risk of stroke include smoking, pregnancy, a history of preeclampsia/eclampsia or gestational diabetes, oral contraceptive use (especially when combined with smoking), and postmenopausal hormone therapy, according to the American Stroke Association. A stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is decreased or completely cut off. This may be caused by a clot in a blood vessel (ischemic stroke) or by a burst or leak in a weakened blood vessel (hemorrhagic stroke). Deprived of oxygen, brain cells can die, causing a loss of functions such as memory, speech, and muscle control. RELATED: Think You’re Too Young for a Stroke? Think Again

If you’re a woman and getting older, know that you can take steps to help lower your risk of stroke. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke advises the following to reduce your chances:

Quit smoking. Smoking cigarettes increases the risk of ischemic stroke twofold and of hemorrhagic stroke fourfold. Try using nicotine replacements, taking prescription medications, or other smart stop-smoking approaches your healthcare provider recommends.Take care of your heart. Atrial fibrillation (afib), coronary artery disease, valve defects, and enlargement in your heart’s chambers can increase your risk of stroke. Afib in particular causes one in four strokes after age 80. Talk to your doctor if you have high blood pressure or high cholesterol. He or she may prescribe blood thinners or aspirin or a cholesterol-lowering medication such as a statin.Control your blood sugar if you have diabetes. Diabetes leads to hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) but can also damage blood vessels in your brain. People with diabetes are prone to high blood pressure, too, which can increase the risk of stroke.Lose weight if you need to. Having a high body mass index (BMI) is associated with a higher risk of stroke. Fortunately, exercising, along with following a plant-based diet like the Mediterranean approach can help you maintain a healthy weight, according to a study published online in April 2018 in Nutrition and Diabetes.Take steps to reduce the risk of a second stroke. If you’ve had a stroke or a transient ischemic attack (a shorter-term stroke that doesn’t cause permanent damage, the Mayo Clinic notes), you’re several times more likely to have another episode. Taking steps to lower your chances of having another stroke is critical.

If a loved one is suffering a stroke, getting help fast can also lead to a better recovery, according to the National Stroke Association. The organization recommends using the FAST system to help remember the warning signs of a stroke:

Face dropping Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?Arm weakness Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?Speech difficulty Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase. Is their speech slurred or strange?Time to call 9-1-1 If you observe any of these signs, call 911 immediately.