Ask your doctor , “Am I at risk for heart disease?” This could be the question that saves your life. Many medical conditions that increase your risk for heart attack and stroke, like high blood pressure and an unfavorable cholesterol profile, are silent. You don’t know unless you ask.

Go play. Your grandmother was right about lots of things, and the importance of regular exercise tops the list. You don’t have to spend 2 hours at the gym each day. Even a 10 minute walk has health benefits. Park a little farther away from work or the store. Take the stairs instead of the elevator.

Use your stress-busters Let’s face it.: we live with lots of stress. You get to decide how you respond to the stressors in your life...Make a list of 5 things you can do when you feel stressed.. Maybe it’s that 10 minute walk or writing in your journal or sipping a cup of tea. The time you most need stress-busters is the time you’re most likely to forget them, so put the list on the fridge.

Recover from the “Disease to Please.” If being nice is the number one priority in life, your heart may be paying the price. People pleasing, while an attractive idea, simply does not work. Unexpressed anger poisons your own heart. Put yourself first so you can better nurture others. The very first blood vessels that leave the heart feed the heart itself.

Make good food choices. Many people use food as a stress-management tool. Why? The same nerves in your brain that affect mood are also in your gut. So eating certain foods can change the way you feel. Ask anyone who truly loves chocolate. Use different stress-busters and give your heart and body healthy fuel.

Your heart health is like a scorecard of all the day-to-day choices you make. You can make a difference in your heart health by making good moment-to-moment choices.

Vicki Rackner M.D. president of Medical Bridges, is a surgeon who left the operating room to help patients partner more effectively with their doctors. She's a speaker, author and consultant.

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