Did you know that cardiovascular disease, including stroke, is our nation’s number one killer? You or someone you love may be at risk for cardiovascular disease and don’t even know it!

Every year, the American Heart Association designates February as National Heart Month.

This is a great time to learn about cardiovascular health, your potential risk factors and warning signs of heart attack and stroke. It’s an opportunity to look at your own lifestyle choices and determine whether you need to make any changes for your own heart health.

Below are 10 ways to love your heart! To learn more about cardiovascular disease, visit the American Heart Association’s web site, www.americanheart.org.

1. Be active: AHA recommends at least 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity a day.

2. Eat smart: Enjoy a diet low in sodium, saturated fat and trans fat, and rich in fruits, vegetables, fiber-rich whole grains, and monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat.

3. Don’t smoke: Talk to your healthcare provider about smoking cessation programs in your area. Many are free!

4. Know your numbers: Write down your blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose and body mass index. Discuss with your doctor healthy numbers for you and how to help keep your heart healthy.

5. De-stress: Stress can cause us to overeat, be sedentary or engage in other health-risk behaviors like smoking.

6. Maintain a healthy weight: Excess weight can increase your risk of developing heart disease. Losing even a small amount of weight can help to decrease your risk.

7. Evaluate your risk: Age, gender, race/ethnicity, family history and other medical conditions can all increase your risk of developing heart disease.

8. Listen to your heart: When warning signs pop up, pay attention to them. By visiting a doctor early, your chances of avoiding a serious condition increase.

9. Know the facts: Read up on heart disease. By knowing about the culprit, you will be better prepared to help prevent and fight it.

10. Follow up regularly: Keep track of your heart health and risk factors by visiting your doctor regularly for medical checkups.