A recent study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology followed 90,000 women between the ages of 27 and 44 over a 20-year period. The results found that 92% of heart disease and 66% of heart disease risk factors could be prevented if women maintained the following six healthy lifestyle habits. The six habits were: not smoking, maintaining a normal weight, exercising at least 2.5 hours per week, watching less than 7 hours of TV per week, drinking less than 15g of alcohol per day and eating a healthy diet. The study also found that adherence to these six habits was effective even with cardiovascular risk factors such as hyperlipidemia, hypertension and diabetes. Healthy lifestyle risk ratio for coronary heart disease (blue blocks are ladies with no cardiovascular risk, red blocks are ladies with cardiovascular risk factors, as seen in the graph, ladies with ≥4 habits all had a significantly lower cardiovascular risk than ladies with 3, 2, 1 and 0 habits.) Non-smoking Researchers believe that quitting smoking is paramount to preventing heart disease. Numerous studies have repeatedly confirmed the health risks of smoking. The European Journal of Epidemiology published a study showing that quitting smoking can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by 40% within 5 years. Maintain a normal weight The American Medical Association defined obesity as a disease as early as 2013. Obesity can bring many health hazards. So to be healthy, it’s important to maintain a normal weight. Researchers say that if you’re overweight, but as long as you keep exercising, it’s still good for heart health. Exercise at least 2.5 hours a week The journal Circulation has published research showing that incorporating physical activity into your daily life can reduce your risk of heart disease by 46 percent. So, making sure you get a certain amount of physical activity each day will benefit your heart for life. Watch less than 7 hours of TV per week There have been studies showing that snacking while watching TV without knowing how full you are can easily lead to overeating, and playing with electronic devices such as cell phones and tablets before going to sleep can disrupt sleep. Researchers suggest that if you watch TV, play electronics these times for exercise, socializing or other things that can relax people can also reduce your risk of heart disease. Drink less than 15 g of alcohol per day Researchers believe that this is one of the most heart-healthy habits. It is recommended that you drink no more than 15 g of alcohol per day. Healthy eating Studies have found that eating a diet of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, legumes and fish, and less red and processed meat, fatty acids and trans fatty acids, significantly reduces heart disease.