It has been a decade since the American Stroke Association last released stroke prevention guidelines, so it’s not a surprise there are quite a few updates in its recently released recommendations.

“The new stroke guidelines reflect the latest research in stroke prevention,” explains Dr. Timothy Mikesell, a neurologist at Advocate Health Care. “You’ll notice that some recommendations haven’t changed, such as being physically active, quitting smoking and routinely seeing your primary care provider.”

Here’s what has changed:

No more DASH diet

The new guidelines still recommend a Mediterranean diet to reduce your risk of stroke. The diet includes fresh produce, nuts, beans, whole grains, olive oil and fish.

However, the latest guidelines dropped the DASH diet due to research showing low fat diets had little impact on overall stroke risk.

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