Take steps today to lower your risk for heart disease.
Know your numbers.
High blood pressure and cholesterol levels can cause heart disease and heart attack.
Get your cholesterol checked.
Men need their cholesterol checked at least once every 5 years. Women at risk for heart disease need their cholesterol checked once every 5 years. Some men and women may need to get their cholesterol checked more often.
Get your blood pressure checked.
Starting at age 18, get your blood pressure checked at least once every 2 years. High blood pressure has no signs or symptoms.
Use the myhealthfinder tool on the Quick Guide homepage to get more screening recommendations based on your age and sex.
Know your family’s health history.
Your family’s health history can give your doctor or nurse important information about your risk for heart disease. Use this family health history tool to keep track of your family’s health. Share this information with your doctor or nurse.
If you are worried about a family member’s risk for heart disease, use these tips to start a conversation about heart health.
Quit smoking.
When you quit smoking, your risk of having a heart attack goes down. Call 1‑QUIT‑NOW (1-800-784-8669) for free support and to set up your quit plan.
Talk to your doctor about taking aspirin every day.
Aspirin can improve the flow of blood to the heart and brain. This reduces your risk of heart attack or stroke. Aspirin is not recommended for everyone. Your doctor can help you decide if aspirin is the right choice for you.
Eat healthy.
A heart healthy diet includes foods that are low in cholesterol, fat, and sodium (salt). Use this shopping list to find heart healthy foods.
Check out these heart healthy recipe collections:
Get heart healthy tips for dining out. For example, ask for a salad instead of chips or french fries.
Watch your weight.
Extra weight can lead to high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and diabetes. If you are overweight or obese, losing just 10 pounds can lower your risk of heart disease.
Use this calculator to figure out your BMI (body mass index).
Get active.
Regular physical activity can help prevent heart disease. Aim for 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate aerobic activity each week. This includes walking fast, dancing, and biking.
If you are just getting started, try walking for 10 minutes a day a few days a week. Then add more activity over time.
Drink alcohol only in moderation.
If you choose to drink alcohol, only have a moderate amount. This means no more than 1 drink a day for women and no more than 2 drinks a day for men.
Manage stress.
Managing stress can help prevent serious health problems like heart disease, depression, and high blood pressure.
Take steps to prevent type 2 diabetes.
When you have diabetes, there is too much glucose (sugar) in your blood. Over time, if it’s not controlled, diabetes can cause serious health problems like heart disease, stroke, and blindness.
The good news is that you can do a lot to prevent or delay getting type 2 diabetes.