Reduce your stroke risk

The American Stroke Association estimates that strokes affect 425,000 women per year. And since estrogen helps keep blood vessels healthy, postmenopausal drops in the hormone make the “brain attacks” more likely. But that doesn't mean you're doomed to suffer one. In fact, research in the International Journal of Stroke found that 84% of strokes are preventable. Here's how to ward them off

-  —Melissa Gotthardt

Chow down on cheese pizza

Or savor a cheese-stuffed omelet. Whether you prefer mozzarella, cheddar or Swiss, enjoying your favorite cheese could substantially lower your stroke risk. Chinese scientists found that people who ate cheese daily were 29% less likely to have a stroke than those who rarely ate cheese. Its calcium helps keep a lid on blood pressure, while peptide compounds defend arteries against damaging LDL cholesterol.

Sip this type of tea

Drinking tea is a heart-smart move, and green tea is particularly beneficial. So say experts reporting in the journal