Heart disease is a leading cause of death in the United States for both men and women. But you can do a lot to protect your heart and stay healthy.

Heart-healthy living involves understanding your risk, making healthy choices, and taking steps to reduce your chances of getting heart disease, including coronary heart disease, the most common type. By taking preventive measures, you can lower your risk of developing heart disease that could lead to a heart attack. You can also improve your overall health and well-being. 

The first step toward heart health is understanding your risk of heart disease. Your risk depends on many factors, some of which are changeable and others that are not. Risk factors are conditions or habits that make a person more likely to develop a disease. These risk factors may be different for each person.

Risk factors for heart disease

· Have high blood pressure

· Have high blood cholesterol

· Have overweight or obesity

· Have prediabetes or diabetes

· Smoke

· Do not get regular physical activity

· Have a family history of early heart disease, for example if your father or brother was diagnosed before age 55, or your mother or sister was diagnosed before age 65

· Have a history of preeclampsia, which is a sudden rise in blood pressure and too much protein in the urine during pregnancy

· Have unhealthy eating behaviors

· Are age 55 or older for women or age 45 or older for men

Each risk factor increases your chance of developing heart disease. The more risks you have, the higher your overall risk.

Some risk factors cannot be changed. These include your age, sex, and a family history of early heart disease. Many others can be modified. For example, being more physically active and eating healthy are important steps for your heart health. You can make the changes gradually, one at a time. But making them is very important.

Maintaining a healthy heart is crucial for a long and healthy life. Here are some tips to help you achieve that:

1. Quit smoking: Smoking is one of the top controllable risk factors for heart disease. If you smoke or use other tobacco products, it’s time to quit 1.

2. Maintain a healthy weight: Excess belly fat has been linked to higher blood pressure and unhealthy blood lipid levels. Eating fewer calories and exercising more can make a big difference 1.

3. Eat a healthy diet: A diet rich in soluble fiber can help lower your level of low-density lipoprotein, or “bad cholesterol.” Other rich sources of soluble fiber include oats, barley, apples, pears, and avocados 1.

4. Exercise regularly: Like other forms of aerobic exercise, dancing raises your heart rate and gets your lungs pumping. It also burns up to 200 calories or more per hour 1. And it’s fun!

5. Get enough sleep: Sleep deprivation can lead to high blood pressure, obesity, and diabetes, which are all risk factors for heart disease 2.

6. Manage stress: Engaging in activities such as knitting, sewing, and crocheting can help relieve stress and do your ticker some good 1. Also doing puzzles or listening to quiet music. Worship and prayer.

7. Know your numbers: Keeping your blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, and triglycerides in check is important for good heart health. Learn the optimal levels for your sex and age group. Take steps to reach and maintain those levels. And remember to schedule regular check-ups with your doctor 1.

Remember that small steps toward living a healthy life can help reduce your risk of heart disease, cancer, stroke and other serious diseases 23.