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Is there a way to stop a heart attack from happening?Heart disease is the number one killer for both men and women, and according to the CDC, kills 600,000 people every year in the United States.

What is the most important way to prevent heart disease from happening?

Unfortunately, there is not just one thing that needs to be changed to lower your risk of heart disease; it's your whole lifestyle. The most common outcome of heart disease is a heart attack or stroke, which is caused by plaque building up in your arteries. 

Having a heart healthy diet that eliminates your weekly KFC, McDonald's and greasy, fatty fast foods would be a great start. Managing your blood pressure, incorporating more veggies, fruits and healthy fatty acids into your diet can also help prevent heart disease.

Another essential way to prevent heart disease is by exercising. Exercise lowers your stress and inflammation levels and improves your circulation, cholesterol and fat levels.

You ready to get that gym membership yet?

It may seem like a far stretch to accomplish these changes. It's important to know that lifestyle changes don't happen overnight, they happen gradually. However, that doesn't mean you should procrastinate.

Cardiologist at Rush University Medical Center, Kim Williams, MD, joins Melanie Cole, MS, to discuss preventative ways to lower your heart disease risk, the tools out there to help and why it's important to address these risk factors before it's too late.