I need advice someone. I saw a person paralyzed in the face.

I am scared now. This was a wakeup call. I just saw someone who is my size roughly and they were paralyzed on one side of the face. I know that strokes can cause this. My blood pressure is high and has been high for more than 10 years w/o meds. I'm sure I've done damage to my heart. If I start exercising now and eating vegetarian will this prevent me from ending up this way or am I doomed since I've had bp problems for so long? Should I take the blood pressure med. my doctor wants me on?
I remember a 30 something woman I worked with, she was small, asian. She had a stroke too, but was never paralyzed like that in the face. She said she had leaky heart valves and had to have surgery.