1. Cotrol your blood pressure. High blood pressure increases your risk of coronary heart disease..
CHD.

2. Get tested for diabetes. If you have diabetes, keep it under control. Because of risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, and lack of exercise, people with diabetes are two to four times likely to develop heart disease.

3. Don't smoke. Smoking raises your blood pressure. If you smoke, ask your doctor to help you make a plan to quit. After two or three years of not smoking, your risk of CHD will be as low as that of a person who never smoked.

4. Reduce blood cholesterol and eat a healthy diet. Eat foods that are low in cholesterol and saturated fats. "BAD" cholesterol (LDL) can build up on the inside of your arteries, causing them to narrow on the inside of your arteries, causing them to narrow from plaue. Your body turns saturated fats into cholesterol. Fat lodged in your arteries is a disaster waiting to happen. It could trigger a heart attack or stroke. If diet and exercise don't get the numbers down, then medication may be needed.

5. Exercise. Regular exercise can make your heart stronger and reduce your risk of heart disease. Exercise can also help lower your blood pressure. Try to exercise almost daily for at least 30 minutes.

6. Maintain a healthy weight. Obesity places you at risk for high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and insulin resistance (a precursor of type 2 diabetes), the very factors that raise your risk of CHD.

7. Reduce stress. Studies have shown that t here is a relationship between stress and CHD.

8. Limit alcohol. Drinking too much alcohol can raise blood pressure, cause heart failure, and lead to stroke. It can also contribute to other diseases.

9. Ask your doctor about taking a low dose of aspirin each day. Aspirin helps prevent CHD, but it also has some risk.

10. Ask your doctor about taking vitamin supplements. Studies show that some vitamins may lower a person't risk of CHD.