This month, let the Valentine’s Day hearts you see everywhere remind you to take time to think about your own heart. The Florida Department of Health Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention program encourages heart disease prevention by managing contributors to heart disease and reducing your risk. Often thought of as a man’s disease, heart disease is actually the number one killer of women.

However, the disorder is highly preventable if you know the risk factors and also know how to take care of yourself. So take heart for your heart.

Some heart disease contributors include the following:

• Smoking
• High blood cholesterol
• High blood pressure
• Physical inactivity
• Obesity and overweight
• Diabetes

Heart Healthy Tips

Things you can do to reduce your risk are as follows:

• Quit Smoking! Call the Florida Quitline
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Make an appointment for an annual check up—and keep it
• Be active at least 30–60 minutes a day
• Drink water and avoid processed foods to reduce salt (sodium) and lower your blood pressure
• Eat at least five to seven servings of fruits and vegetables every day

To find out more about heart disease, visit The Heart Truth website.