When you hear the term "heart disease" what is your first reaction? Like many woman you think "that's a man's disease". To the contrary, heart disease is the number one killer of women in the USA. The good news is heart disease is something you can do something about. Here's a few steps you can take to reduce your chances of developing heart disease:

*Assess your risk factors. One risk factor that can't be changed is heredity. If others in your family have a history of early heart disease you may be predisposed as well. Etnicity is also a factor, with higher rates of heart disease among African-American and Hispanic versus Caucasian women. Also, woman are more apt to get heart disease after menopause due to hormonal changes that otherwise added a protective factor.

* Don't smoke. Middle age is also another time women develop other risk factors for heart disease to include smoking. Just one year after you quit smoking your risk for heart disease will drop by more than 50%.

* Know your blood pressure. High blood pressure can lead to heart disease. Normal blood pressure is 120/80 mm Hg (millimeters of mercury). Blood pressure is considered high when it is 140/90. Even a medium reading of 130/85 can raise your risk for heart disease. High blood pressure can be treated with diet, exercise and medications.

* Get your triglyceride and cholesterol levels checked. High cholesteral is another risk factor for heart disease. Specifically high LDL (bad) cholesterol increases the risk. HDL (good) cholesterol helps remove cholesterol from your blood so high values of HDL cholesterol are desirable. Again, high total cholesterol and triglycerides can be controlled through diet, exercise and some medications.

* Being overweight and/or obese contribute greatly to a woman's heart disease risk even if there are no other risk factors present. Diet and exercise will help decrease body fat.

* Get tested for diabetes. Diabetes means high blood sugar and it and will increase your risk for heart disease. If you have diabetes your physician will determine if you can control your diabetes with diet and exercise alone or if insulin is needed.

* If you drink alchohol limit it to no more than one drink (one 12 ounce beer, one 5 ounce glass of wine or one 1.5 ounce shot of hard liquor) a day. Some research has shown that dark red wine may be the best choice as it contains antioxidants.

* Find healthy ways to cope with stress. Heart disease is definitely a stress illness. Take time out each day for relaxation, socializing and exercising.

* Taking hormone replacement or birth control pills is generally safe for young healthy women, but can pose a heart disease risk for some women, especially those older than 35, smokers, women with high blood pressure, diabetes or high cholesterol. Talk to your physician about questions concerning birth contol pills.

* Unfortunately there is still a bias in the medical profession as to the seriousness and type of treament women get as compared to men when it comes to heart disease. Men are still seen as the prime victims for heart disease and do indeed get tested more often than women for risk factors. They also receive more exercise stress tests than women. With this knowledge, you will need to take some of the responsibility for checking your risk factors, requesting a sterss test, and developing lifestyle changes upon yourself.

* Exercise regularly. Remember , your heart is a muscle. Like all muscles if you want it to grow stronger you need to stress it. Your physician can best determine the intensity of your workouts based on your risk factors and the results of your exercise stress test. Most any type of exercise mode has been shown to increase cardiovascular fitness, to include, aerobic exercise, interval training and weight training. Benefits are lower blood pressure, a stronger heart, lower cholesterol and decreased risk of diabetes.

* Eat healthy. Heart disease is one case where "you are what you eat". First choose a diet low in saturated fat and moderate in total fat. Your cells need fat to survive so don't go on a fat restrictive diet. Saturated fats are usually hard at room temperature and come from animal fats. Avoid all trans fatty acids. Choose your fats from unsaturated fats which are usually liquid at room temperature. Of special mention are the omega-3's which have been shown to ward off degenerative diseases to include heart disease. They can be found in freshwater fish and flaxseed. If you aren't a fish lover take a few fish oil caps daily. Fats also make you feel fuller and control insulin levels leading to a decreased risk of diabetes and easier weight loss.

Try to eat a complete (all essential amino acids) lean protein source at each meal (a smaller portion which can fit in the palm of your hand). Also, eat 5-8 smaller meals throughout the day. Both the protein consumption and the closely spaced small meals will help regulate your insulin levels,lower your risk for diabetes, and boost overall weight loss.

Finally, try to fill as much of your carbohydrate menu with fresh fruits and vegetables, then add the whole grain breads and pastas. Again, this helps keep you full, gives you all those wonderful phytonutrients, and controls insulin levels.

Now you're ready for action. Research shows that woman can lower their heart disease risk enormously- by over 80%- simply by identifying their risk factors and simply leading a healthier lifestyle. In many cases, this simply means eating healthy, exercising, maintaining a healthy weight, limiting alchohol intake and not smoking.