February—American Heart Month—reminded us that heart disease remains one of the most fatal conditions plaguing Americans. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in four American deaths is caused by cardiovascular disease.
Research tells us there are many factors that contribute to a healthy heart. Of course, there are some factors that are out of our control, like genetics and family history. But even for those people at high risk, there are many behavioral and dietary choices they can make to reduce the risk of—and even prevent—heart disease. So what gives?