Lessen the Risk for: Heart Disease

The average woman's risk varies. But those whose parents had early heart disease are more than twice as likely to also suffer cardiac woes.

Scientists are currently working on identifying specific gene markers for heart disease, and some DNA tests are now on the market. But there isn't enough evidence yet to show those tests are reliable.

Reduce Your Risk 
Leave work on time. Heart disease risk is a shocking 67 percent higher among people who work 11 or more hours a day, according to a 2011 study. Logging excessive hours at the office could heighten stress, deprive you of exercise time, and increase the likelihood of unhealthy eating, which can take a toll on your ticker.


Smile (and mean it!). Research from 2010 shows that moderate optimists have a lower heart disease risk than glass-half-empty folks, says Karina Davidson, Ph.D., director of the Center for Behavioral Cardiovascular Health at Columbia University Medical Center. Scientists are still figuring out why, but they do know that laughter can reduce levels of stress hormones.

Pump up the jams. Listening to music can increase your blood flow and relax your cardiovascular system, thereby protecting your heart health, says Michael Miller, M.D., director of the Center for Preventive Cardiology at the University of Maryland Medical Center. Any type of tunes will do; aim for 30 minutes of uninterrupted music a day.