There are several ways to do it. The first is diet. Step away from red meat. Stick to fish, chicken and turkey, with portion sizes no bigger than the palm of your hand. Load up on fruits and vegetables, avoid cigarette smoke, and get some exercise. As for medicines, unless your doctor has a good reason not to put you on aspirin (risk of stroke or stomach upset), I believe that low-dose aspirin is something that every woman should consider. If your cholesterol is high, talk to your doctor about talking one of the statins.

Dr. Dean Ornish has proven that heart disease and plaque can be reversed through lifestyle changes. More research has been done on men than women, but I have no reason to think that we can’t reverse heart disease in most of us.