The bad news: Heart disease is the No. 1 killer in the United States. According to a recent study, the lifetime risk for cardiovascular disease is two in three for men and more than one in two for women at age 40.

The good news: It’s beatable.

"If you were to exercise at least 30 minutes every day, keep your weight down, eat the right foods, not smoke, keep your blood pressure well-controlled, keep your cholesterol down, it is a very preventable disease," said Tony Spaedy, a cardiologist with the Missouri Heart Center at Boone Hospital Center.

In addition to heart disease, these measures decrease the risk of other conditions including osteoarthritis, dementia, depression, diabetes and some cancers, Spaedy said.

In honor of American Heart Month, here are some tips for keeping yourself healthy.

Quit smoking

According to the American Heart Association, smokers are two to four times than likely to develop coronary heart disease than nonsmokers. "It seems to accelerate the buildup of plaque" in the arteries "and to cause the plaque to be more inflamed," Spaedy said. When this plaque becomes irritated, it’s more likely to crack, which causes clots to form and can suddenly stop blood flow in the arteries.

The Columbia/Boone County Department of Public Health and Human Services offers free smoking cessation counseling and patches. For more information, visit www.gocolumbiamo.com/health or call 874-7355.

Keep an eye on cholesterol and blood pressure

Too much cholesterol can cause plaque to build up in the blood vessels, making them harder and narrower. This can increase blood pressure, which makes the heart work harder to pump blood.

When the heart works harder, it becomes thicker and stiffer, which alters its ability to function properly, leading to an increased risk of stroke, heart attack and congestive heart failure.

Even if you maintain a healthy lifestyle, your blood pressure and cholesterol continue to rise as you age, so even if you have ideal numbers at age 60 you might not at age 75, Spaedy said.

To make sure you’re taking correct precautions, have your cholesterol and blood pressure checked periodically - about every five years for someone with healthy levels and every year for someone with borderline or high levels.

Maintain weight

The more extra fat a person has, especially around the waist, the harder his heart has to work. That spare tire can increase blood pressure and cholesterol and increase a person’s risk for developing diabetes, which significantly increases the risk of death from heart or blood vessel disease.

Spaedy recommends maintaining a body mass index, or BMI, of 25 or lower through daily exercise and a healthful diet, which includes plenty of fruits, vegetables and lean proteins.

Decrease stress

Stress is another contributor to heart disease.

"It makes you more likely to release several hormones like cortisol, which is a steroid, and it makes you more likely to release catecholamines, a kind of adrenaline, which drives up heart rate and pressure and increases the tone of the arteries," Spaedy said. Additionally, stress can lead to unhealthy habits such as overeating, drinking and smoking. Exercise, deep breathing, taking time for a hobby or even just taking a short break at work are all ways to decrease stress.

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