High blood pressure, high cholesterol and smoking — the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that nearly half of all Americans have an increased risk for heart disease because of at least one of these factors.

Some risk factors, like family history and age, are completely out of our hands. But during American Heart Month, observed every February, we encourage you to take steps to help reduce your chance of developing heart disease.

What are those steps? The American Heart Association calls it “Life’s Simple 7,” which includes:

1. Get Active
2. Control Cholesterol
3. Eat Better
4. Manage Blood Pressure
5. Lose Weight
6. Reduce Blood Sugar
7. Stop Smoking

In addition to these tips, a trusted primary care provider, such as Dr. Lorenzo Childress at UM Community Medical Group – Primary Care in La Plata, can help you stay on track with your health goals and give you the resources you need to keep your heart healthy. And if you have diabetes, our new Center for Diabetes Education can help you get on the path to lowering your risk for developing heart disease.

Though heart disease is serious and can cause life-threatening occurrences like heart attack and stroke, a lot can be done to lower your risk. So take this as a challenge and let’s all do our part this month to reduce our chance of developing heart disease and to encourage the ones we love to do the same.