Physician Explains How to Live a Healthy Life After Stroke

Payal Fadia, M.D., provides insight in 10-minute radio podcast.

Wes Varda

Former Shepherd Center stroke patient gives back to the hospital by running a marathon to raise money for the Shepherd Center SHARE Military Initiative in April 2014.

Robert Pritchard-Worthy

Following his stroke and rehabilitation at Shepherd Center, Robert Pritchard-Worthy, is back in school pursuing his master's degree at the University of Central Florida in Orlando. Photo by Kristen Grace

Amanda Francis

A little more than a year following her stroke, Amanda Francis, 25, is back in the classroom as a volunteer, hoping to return to teaching full-time in the fall. Photo by Gary Meek

Payal Fadia, M.D.

Payal Fadia, M.D., is medical director of post-acute brain injury services at Shepherd Center.

Studies show that having a stroke increases risk for having a second stroke, so doctors emphasize healthy lifestyles for patients in this situation. Diet and exercise play a significant role, as well as controlling risk factors such as high blood pressure.

In this 10-minute Shepherd Center Radio podcast, Payal Fadia, M.D., discusses how to live a healthier life after you've had a stroke. This podcast and others are available at shepherd.org/news/radio or can be downloaded as an MP3 file from the link above. A transcript of the interview is also available on the Shepherd Center Radio web page.

Dr. Fadia is the medical director of Post-Acute Brain Injury Services at Shepherd Pathways. She joined Shepherd Center as a physiatrist in Shepherd’s Acquired Brain Injury and Neurospecialty units in 2008. Before joining Shepherd Center, Dr. Fadia managed the acute rehabilitation inpatient service at Norwalk Hospital in Connecticut.

Dr. Fadia earned an undergraduate degree in biochemistry and microbiology from the University of Florida, then went on to medical school at St. Georges University School of Medicine in Grenada, West Indies.

For more information on stroke rehabilitation at Shepherd Center, click here.

About Shepherd Center

Shepherd Center provides world-class clinical care, research, and family support for people experiencing the most complex conditions, including spinal cord and brain injuries, multi-trauma, traumatic amputations, stroke, multiple sclerosis, and pain. An elite center recognized as both Spinal Cord Injury and Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems, Shepherd Center is ranked by U.S. News as one of the nation’s top hospitals for rehabilitation. Shepherd Center treats thousands of patients annually with unmatched expertise and unwavering compassion to help them begin again.