What Is Cerebral vascular insufficiency?

When the blood flow to the brain is insufficient, it is termed as cerebral vascular insufficiency. It is essentially a number of conditions, usually rare, which causes obstruction to one or more arteries that supply blood to your brain. This blockage leads to strokes or transient ischemic attacks (TIA) or “mini-strokes.”

Cerebral vascular insufficiency is common in the older population mainly due to a high incidence of atherosclerosis, where the carotid artery that carries the major portion of the blood supply to the brain is affected. In children, a very common reason for the cause of cerebral vascular insufficiency is moyamoya disease.   

What Are The Symptoms Of Cerebral vascular insufficiency?

Common symptoms of cerebral cardiovascular insufficiency are:

• Blurred vision
• Vertigo (dizziness)
• Headache
• Depression
• Confusion
• Senility
• Short-term memory loss
• Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
• Hemiplegia (paralysis of one side)
• Hemiparesis (weakness on one side of the body)
• Loss of consciousness

What Are The Causes Of Cerebral vascular insufficiency?

The most common causes of cerebral vascular insufficiency are:

• Stroke, atherosclerosis
• Other factors include:
• High blood pressure or hypertension, obesity
• Smoking, lack of exercise
• Poor diet, diabetes
• High cholesterol
• Moya Moya disease
• Venous Angiomas
• Drugs, hormone replacement therapy (HRT)

What Are The Things One Should Do To Manage Cerebral vascular insufficiency?

• Follow a healthy, balanced low-fat diet, as this can help to prevent atherosclerosis and may also reverse the condition of blocked arteries.
• You can use folic acid, vitamin B12 and vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) to reduce the production of homocysteine, an amino acid that is related to atherosclerosis. The production of this amino acid can also be controlled with the help of a proper diet.
• Maintain a healthy weight, as being overweight or obese can increase the risk of diabetes, hypertension, atherosclerosis and stroke and in turn also increase the risk of cerebral vascular insufficiency.
• Control diabetes and your blood pressure, especially if you suffer from hypertension.
• Control and reduce your blood cholesterol levels with diet and medications, if required.
• If you experience any symptoms of cerebral vascular insufficiency, then consult a doctor immediately for proper evaluation and treatment.
• You can add aortic glycosaminoglycans or GAGs to your diet. This is a natural medicine that is naturally present in the aorta of humans and has shown significant improvements in the conditions of blood flow and cerebral vascular insufficiency. However, before doing so, check with your doctor. 

What Are The Things One Should Avoid To Manage Cerebral vascular insufficiency?

• Avoid smoking.
• Avoid stress as it aggravates the symptoms of cerebral vascular insufficiency.

What Are The Best Foods For Cerebral vascular insufficiency?

• Following a low-fat diet comprising grains, vegetables, legumes, soy products, cold water fish and a limited quantity of poultry can help to reduce the risk of atherosclerosis and thus cerebral vascular insufficiency.
• Focus on plant-based foods like vegetables, fruits, potatoes, beans, nuts, seeds, grains, etc., instead of high-fat animal products like red meat, as eating plant-based foods can help to improve the conditions related to cerebral vascular insufficiency.
• Eat fresh fruit like apples, oranges, berries, papayas, etc. for dessert instead of sugary desserts.
• Consume fat-free or low-fat varieties of dairy products like yoghurt and cheese.
• Use healthy fats for cooking that is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids and omega-3 fatty acids like olive oil, canola oil, etc. as they can help to reduce stroke and other cardiovascular problems.
• Consuming fish like salmon, tuna, mackerel, etc. that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids can help to protect against stroke and cerebral vascular insufficiency.
• Consume fish oil regularly as this can help to reduce inflammation and arterial plaque thereby reducing the risk of atherosclerosis, stroke and cerebral vascular insufficiency. 
• Consuming Ginkgo biloba extracts has shown significant help in the reduction of the symptoms of cerebral vascular insufficiency and also impaired mental performance. You can have a recommended dosage of 240-320 mg of Ginkgo biloba extracts in a day.  

What Are The Worst Foods For Cerebral vascular insufficiency?

• Avoid processed foods and high-fat foods as they can cause the arteries to get clogged and aggravate the conditions of cerebral vascular insufficiency. Avoid processed like baked products, fries, chips, burgers, hot dogs, etc. that are loaded with saturated and trans fats.
• Avoid sugar and sugary desserts and sweets like ice creams, pastries, cakes, etc. and also avoid sugary beverages like cola, soda, etc., as sugar can aggravate the problem of cerebral vascular insufficiency.
• Reduce or completely eliminate the consumption of eggs and poultry as they are not beneficial for the condition of cerebral vascular insufficiency.
• Reduce or avoid eating red meats as they can clog your arteries, are not very healthy and can worsen the problem of cerebral vascular insufficiency.

What Are The Medicines For Cerebral vascular insufficiency?

What Are The Tips To Manage Cerebral vascular insufficiency?

• If you are taking any natural supplements to help the cerebral vascular insufficiency, then it’s a good idea to check with your doctor first as it may interfere with other medications that you may be taking or may aggravate the problem.
• If you are taking anticoagulant drugs, then you must be careful if you are considering taking Ginkgo biloba extracts for cerebral vascular insufficiency as it could cause excessive bleeding or haemorrhage. You must use Ginkgo biloba extracts with caution if you are taking other medications.
• Follow a regular exercise routine as this will not only keep you energetic and fit but also reduce the risk of problems related to the heart and reduce the risk of cerebral vascular insufficiency.