This month when you recognize loved ones with Valentines is also a good time to remember the importance of health practices to keep your heart in good shape.

By following a few simple guidelines, you can improve your health and lower your risk of coronary heart disease, which can lead to heart attacks and strokes.

The National Institutes of Health say more than one million Americans will suffer heart attacks this year.

You probably already know that you increase your chances of heart disease if you are overweight, have diabetes or don’t get regular exercise.

But the three major risk factors, the ones that send your chances soaring, are smoking, high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol.

Fortunately, you can do something to decrease these threats. If you smoke, don’t think it’s too late to quit. By stopping now, your risk of coronary heart disease will decline dramatically during just one year.

Giving up smoking also reduces the risk of mouth, throat and lung cancer and diseases such as bronchitis and emphysema.

Since you may have high blood pressure without knowing it, you should have it checked periodically by a health professional.  High blood pressure is the leading risk factor for stroke and a major contributor to other coronary heart diseases.

Losing weight, getting more exercise, reducing the amount of alcohol, table salt and sodium you consume may be enough to lower blood pressure.  If not, medication prescribed by a physician may be called for.

Like high blood pressure, a high blood cholesterol level increases your chance of heart disease. If your blood cholesterol is over 200, it may be wise to work with your doctor to try to bring it down.

The first step may be to limit fats in your diet.  Choose very lean meats and low-fat dairy products and reduce fried and processed foods and high-fat baked goods. Keep all fats, particularly saturated fats, below 30 percent of a day’s calories.

Your doctor may recommend that you get regular exercise to improve your cholesterol numbers, too.  However, since cholesterol can be made by your body, diet and lifestyle changes may not be enough for some people — they may need medication to control their cholesterol level.

Let February be a time to give yourself a Valentine, by doing what’s best for your heart.

Linda Beech is Ellis County Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences.