It's National Heart Health Month

Take heart -- February marks National Heart Health Month, and what better time to get your ticker in tip-top shape? After all, it could save your life. Did you know cardiovascular diseases are the number one killer in the United States? An estimated 650,000 people die every year from heart disease, accounting for about 27 percent of all deaths in the U.S. While some risk factors such as age, heredity, sex and pre-existing heart conditions are beyond your control, there are other factors that you can eliminate. Quit smoking -- those cancer sticks are one of the leading causes of heart disease in women. Women who butt out reduce their risk of coronary heart disease by one third within two years of quitting.