Help recognize heart problems before they attack! While certain factors like heredity, age and race play a factor in whether or not you will have heart trouble, there are many things you can do to keep your heart healthy. Having a healthy heart doesn't mean you have to stop enjoying life or follow complicated diet plans. A healthy lifestyle, along with regular visits to your doctor for blood pressure and cholestorol monitoring can mean the difference between life and death. 1) Don't smoke. Your risk of heart problems increases if you smoke even one cigarette per day. By not smoking you reduce the risk and increase the good cholestorol in your blood. If you smoke, quit - you will start reaping the health benefits the day you stop. 2) Eat healthy. While everyone needs to indulge a sweet tooth or enjoy a deep fried dinner once in awhile, the foods you eat everyday play a huge role in heart health. Choose low fat foods, avoid a high cholesteroldiet and salt, and eat lots of vegetables and fish. 3) Exercise. Your heart needs a workout - 60 minutes a day of accumulated physical activity will do it. Start simple - take the stairs rather than the elevator, or walk to the store instead of driving. Not only will your heart get in shape, but your body will too. 4) Limit your alcohol consumption. While moderate alcohol consumption can reduce heart attack risks (1 glass of red wine a day, for example), drinking more than 3 drinks a day has the opposite effect. The heart enlarges and weakens over time, and blood pressure increases with excessive alcohol consumption. 5) Try to reduce stress. High levels of stress can cause your blood pressure and heart attack risk to skyrocket. If your home or work life is stressful, do what you can to remove stress factors, or at least to limit them. If you start to feel angry or stressed out, take a few deep breaths. Continue breathing until you feel your body relax. An activity like yoga can help you gain valuable relaxation tips.