Two weeks ago we re-ran the tips on habit formation. I talked about making thiungs we want to do really obvious so they become habits. This might mean putting fruit in a big bowl in the middle of your table, leaving your gym clothes by the bed ready to put on in the morning or just sticking a big post it note on the bathroom mirror saying "now meditate". Whatever works for you. Today’s post is on the next step in habit formation - making it attractive. Our brains are wired to repeat things we enjoy. This is why Netflix, crisps, and scrolling on your phone come so easily. The trick is to harness that same wiring for healthy habits. 👉 A few simple ways to do this: Bundle it: Only allow yourself to listen to your favourite podcast while out on a walk or only watch your favourite show while on the exercise bike Reframe it: Instead of “I have to check my blood pressure,” think “I get to track my progress and stay in control.” Join others: Exercise feels easier (and more fun) with a friend, class, or community. 💡 Remember: if the habit feels rewarding in the moment, you’ll stick with it. We already know consistency is the key to preventing stroke. The goal is to design habits you actually want to repeat. 👉 Question for you: What’s one healthy habit you’ve managed to make genuinely enjoyable? Can you share how you did it below for us to learn form? Or what are you going to do to make a habit enjoyable? For me podcasts are the key. I often want to go for a run just so I can enjoy listening to my favourite podcast.

Most of us eat what is easy and available. If something is always in the cupboard or fridge, it can quickly become an everyday habit. That’s why healthier eating isn’t just about willpower. It starts with what we bring home from the supermarket. Foods and drinks worth limiting: 🥤 Sugary drinks Including fizzy drinks, energy drinks and sweetened fruit drinks. 🍰 Cakes, biscuits and other sweet treats These are often high in sugar, calories and saturated fat. 🍔 Fast food and takeaways Many popular choices contain large amounts of salt, saturated fat and calories. 📦 Packaged snacks and ready meals Check the label, as many are high in salt, sugar or saturated fat. 🥓 Processed meats Bacon, sausages, salami and ham are often high in salt and saturated fat. Over time, these everyday food choices can affect blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar and weight, all of which influence stroke risk. Before your next food shop, take a look at your shopping list. If any of these are regular items, consider buying one of them less often.

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” — attributed to Aristotle. We've done so many stroke prevention posts that I've temporarily run out of things to say. So, I'm going to recycle an old post today. But I think it's a really important post on habit formation. There's no point in knowing how to be healthy if we don't act on it and that's where habits come in. Please share your thoughts on how you build healthy habits. *Habit formation Tip 1: Make it Obvious* We usually perform habits after being triggered by a cue. Find the best cues for the habits you want to do and amplify them. If it's eating fruit buy a huge striking fruit bowl and put it in a really obvious place. If it's going for a run first thing, leave your trainers right by the bed so you can't miss them in the morning, even better go to bed in your running clothes too. If it's flossing put a post-it note on your bathroom mirror. Whatever it takes, just make the habit inescapable. We've got billion dollar companies using the exact same tactics to flood us with cues to eat more junk and watch TV, so we need to fight back with our own tailored queues that actually serve our needs.

“I vape, but I don’t smoke.” I hear this quite often. Vaping and smoking are not the same. Vaping is less harmful than smoking, but that does not mean it is harmless. When you smoke a cigarette, tobacco burns and releases 7000 of chemicals. Many of these chemicals damage blood vessels, make the blood more likely to clot and contribute to the build-up of fatty plaques in the arteries a process called atherosclerosis. These effects increase the risk of stroke. Vapes do not burn tobacco. As a result, people who vape are generally exposed to fewer harmful chemicals, and at lower levels, than people who smoke. For someone who smokes, switching completely to vaping can therefore reduce harm (1). But vaping is not risk-free. Vapes contain a base liquid (propylene glycol, vegetable glycerine), flavourings, and usually nicotine, but not the tar and carbon monoxide produced by burning tobacco. Nicotine is addictive and can temporarily increase heart rate and blood pressure. Vaping can affect the lining of blood vessels, increase inflammation, activate platelets and temporarily make arteries stiffer. These changes could contribute to cardiovascular disease, but we do not yet fully understand the long-term effects of vaping on the heart and blood vessels (2). Why does this matter for stroke prevention? High blood pressure, damaged arteries and blood clots can all play a part in causing a stroke. However, the evidence available today does not establish that vaping directly causes stroke. Research into the relationship between vaping and stroke is still developing, and its findings have not always been consistent. A 2025 systematic review and met-analysis found a clearer association between vaping and heart attack than between vaping and stroke. The study found a small increase in reported strokes among e-cigarette users, but the evidence was not strong enough to confirm a real difference. Some groups, including former smokers who currently vaped, reported more strokes. However, their previous smoking may partly explain this finding. Most of the research was observational, meaning it could identify connections but could not prove that vaping caused the events. Longer-term studies are still needed (3).

We've spoken many times about the health benefits of extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO). But how do you choose a genuinely good one and keep it fresh? Why does this matter? Extra-virgin olive oil is an important part of the Mediterranean diet, which has been linked to a lower risk of heart disease and stroke. Choosing a good-quality olive oil and storing it properly can help preserve its flavour and the natural compounds that may provide health benefits. When buying olive oil, look for: • 🏷️ Extra virgin" on the label. Extra-virgin olive oil is made by pressing olives without using chemicals. This helps keep its natural flavour and nutrients. • 📅 A recent harvest date. Unlike wine, olive oil does not improve with age. Its flavour fades and its beneficial polyphenols (antioxidants) gradually break down. Look for "harvest date", "harvested" or "crop year", rather than relying only on the best-before date. • 🫙Dark glass or a tin. Light can gradually damage the oil and reduce some of its beneficial compounds. Dark glass and tins help protect the oil. • 🌍Clear information about its origin. Check where the olives were grown and where the oil was produced, not just where it was bottled. Some producers include a QR code that provides information about the oil's harvest date, origin, producer and, occasionally, laboratory results. This can improve traceability, although a QR code alone does not guarantee quality. • 📦 A practical container size. Choose an amount you can finish within a few months. A large container is not economical if the oil remains open and exposed to oxygen for too long. • 💧Filtered oil for longer storage. Unfiltered olive oil can be delicious when it is very fresh, but excess moisture and sediment may cause it to deteriorate more quickly. If you choose an unfiltered oil, use it promptly. Price and attractive packaging do not always guarantee quality. Words such as "pure" and "light" do not mean that the oil is fresher or healthier. "Light" refers to a milder flavour and colour, not fewer calories.