Finding time for a healthy lifestyle is key to avoiding heart problems, doctors say

• After sending the kids off to school, putting in a full day's work and tending to household chores, most women find there's precious little time to exercise, meditate or prepare luscious, heart-healthy meals.
• So if you're one of those women and you think you're not at risk of heart disease, think again: One in three American women dies of heart disease, making it the top killer of women in the United States, the NHLBI reports.
• Coronary heart disease, the most common form of the disease, can start early in life -- even in a woman's teen years -- and progresses over time.
• From ages 40 to 60, a woman's risk of heart disease begins to rise, according to the NHLBI.
• But there is plenty you can do to improve your heart health and dodge the serious consequences of heart disease.
• The first step is to know whether you are at risk.
• On Feb. 18, Sister to Sister: Everyone Has a Heart Foundation Inc. will host the fourth annual National Women's Heart Day, an opportunity for women to get free heart disease screenings and information on living a healthy lifestyle.
• Heart-health screenings, including tests for total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (or good cholesterol), blood glucose, blood pressure and body mass index will be offered at health fairs in 12 cities.
• "This has to become a way of life, just like brushing your teeth in the morning," Alving said.
• At the NHLBI, employees walk around with pedometers provided free of charge to motivate them to increase their level of physical activity.
• The American Heart Association recommends eating plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains and avoiding saturated fats to help reduce your risk for heart attack and stroke.