Heart disease kills more women each year than all types of cancers and in fact kills more men and women combined than all other causes of death in the world. A sad fact is that heart disease is the most preventable cause of death, provided people know how to prevent it. There are a number of lifestyle factors that need to be considered in order to protect yourself from heart disease and heart attack. Living an unhealthy lifestyle by smoking, drinking excessively, eating the wrong kinds of foods and not getting regular exercise could substantially increase your risk for heart disease.

If you smoke, stop now. Smoking is the number one cause of a heart attack as well as a number of other heart diseases and conditions. There are a number of things that you can do to help you to stop smoking. Check with your doctor about certain medications that can help you to quit or buy nicotine gums or patches. Electronic cigarettes are also now available and have helped millions of people to stop smoking without going through cravings or withdrawals. Whatever method you use, start now to give up smoking for good.

Exercise is crucial for good heart health. Try to get at least thirty minutes of moderate physical exercise at least three times each week. You can walk, do aerobics, bicycle or any other exercise as long as you are moving. If thirty minutes is too much to begin, start with five or ten minutes a couple of times each week and then increase your time until you reach thirty minutes. If you have high blood pressure then you want to be certain that you regularly monitor your blood pressure while you are exercising. Also remember to drink plenty of water so that you do not become dehydrated. Check with your doctor before beginning a strenuous exercise program.

You need to eat healthy as well and maintain a healthy weight. Your doctor can give you an idea of what you should weigh. If you are overweight, begin a weight loss program to get within your ideal weight range. If you are underweight, begin a diet program that will put you at a healthier weight. A healthy diet is essential in fighting heart disease and heart attack. If you drink alcohol, do so only in moderation. Excessive drinking is very hard on your body and can cause damage to your heart, liver and other vital organs. Limit yourself to just one alcoholic beverage each day if you must drink. Of course, it would be best if you stopped drinking completely and simply enjoyed water as your beverage of choice.

Heart disease can be prevented. Women should understand the basics of good heart health and follow these guidelines to ensure that they have lowered their risk of heart attack and heart disease. Following these tips will help you to avoid heart disease and lower your risk of developing diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, high cholesterol, stroke and a number of other health conditions.