What do you envision when you imagine the face of heart disease? If your mind goes to the images often portrayed on television of an older man experiencing a massive heart attack, you may have a false sense of security. In one way or another, cardiovascular diseases and stroke affect all Americans. It doesn’t discriminate when it comes to race, age or gender. It can impact every member of the family—mom, dad, children and grandparents. That’s why it’s important to know the warning signs, and how to incorporate healthy lifestyle changes into your routine to keep risks down.

While some heart attacks are the “movie heart attack” where no one doubts what is happening, many instances start slowly with mild pain or discomfort. In many cases people aren’t sure what’s wrong. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that can feel like uncomfortable pressure. Men face a greater risk of sudden cardiac events. In fact, between 70-89 percent of these instances occur in males. While the risk of cardiovascular disease increases with age for everyone, for men the risks start sooner (around 45).

Women are more likely to experience shortness of breath, back or jaw pain. Heart disease kills more women than men each year, but many don’t know their risks or what preventative measures to take. Plus, fewer women than men survive their first heart attack.

Although heart disease continues to be our greatest health threat, up to 80 percent of cardiovascular disease and stroke is preventable! Taking action is the key to a longer healthier life. But, sometimes knowing where to begin is the toughest part. The American Heart Association has defined “ideal cardiovascular health,” and identified seven health factors and lifestyle behaviors that support heart health—“Life’s Simple Seven.” Improvements in these seven areas can greatly impact your quality of life and life span. These can be broken down into lifestyle areas (eat better, get active, maintain a healthy weight, quit smoking) and numbers (control cholesterol, manage blood pressure, reduce blood sugar).

In addition, they’ve developed a free online assessment called My Life Check, which outlines the seven goals for ideal health, provides a customized view for where you are on the path and where you need to improve.

For the youngest members of the family, the key is starting and sticking to healthy habits. The blockages that occur in the heart and blood vessels that cause cardiovascular disease begin developing in childhood. Far too many young people don’t get enough physical activity, use tobacco and have unhealthy diets. In fact, here in Arkansas, roughly one of every five children is obese. Practicing healthy habits at an early age can help prevent the development of heart disease. There are plenty of ways to get healthier as a family: go on a hike, ride bikes, play hide-and-seek outside. Make dinnertime family time. Get your kids involved in cooking and planning meals. Everyone develops good eating habits together and the quality time with the family will be an added bonus. Most importantly, set a good example, if children see their parents or guardians trying to eat right and be active, they’ll take notice!

However, just like with adults, not all heart disease is preventable. Congenital heart defects are the number one birth defect among children born in the United States. These are structural problems with the heart present at birth. Defects range in severity from simple problems, such as “holes” between chambers of the heart, to very severe malformations, such as complete absence of one or more chambers or valves.

When a person or child experiences a heart attack, stroke or congenital heart defect, the process of healing extends far beyond the doctor’s office. A vital piece, for both patients and caregivers, is support. That’s why the American Heart Association has created the Support Network. The free online forum provides a place for users to share their own personal experience, and offer advice to others. The site features a multitude of topic threads that address issues from diagnosis to recovery. Message threads like caregiver burnout and how to cope with heart disease as a family provide advice and support for survivors as well as their loved ones who walk beside them on the road to recovery.

This February, be aware of the warning signs of a heart attack and stroke, take steps towards a more physically active lifestyle, change eating habits and talk about these decisions as a family. While anyone can represent the face of heart disease, making small choices every day will help reduce your individual risk factors and keep your heart healthy.

Rebecca Buerkle is the Director of Communications for the Central Arkansas office of the American Heart Association. She has worked in communications and online marketing for 10 years. Rebecca lives in Little Rock and loves to travel, read and try out new recipes.