Providers of senior care services have a responsibility to their patients to help maintain their health through a variety of means.

A new study published in the journal Stroke found that eating more fruits and vegetables may lower a patient’s risk of stroke by almost one-third.

Reuters said that this report supports current recommendations from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that states individuals who are at risk of stroke should eat plenty of fresh greens.

Researchers examined 20 previous studies with more than 760,000 participants who had a total of 16,981 strokes. The team learned that individuals who are the most fruits and vegetables had a 21 percent lower risk of suffering a stroke compared to those who at the least.

Additionally, for every 200 grams of fruit eaten per day, the stroke risk dropped 32 percent, and for every 200 grams of vegetables, it lowered 11 percent. Apples, pears, citrus fruits and leafy vegetables were found to have the highest association with the reduced risk.

In-home elder care providers can educate patients on the importance of eating a nutritious, balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables not only to help keep the risk of stroke lower, but for their health in general.