First the bad news: If you're female and human, you've got more than a 50 percent chance of dying from heart or blood vessel problems. In fact, cardiovascular disease is the number one killer of women—as well as men—and is responsible for more premature deaths every year than just about everything else combined.

Now the good news: For the most part, heart disease is preventable. If we put into practice what we already know, it would be as rare as malaria—and that's especially true for women.

Your Total Guide to Staying Heart-Healthy

• Food: Eating to Your Heart's Content
• Activity: When to Slow Down and Speed Up
• Emotion: Using Your Head to Help Your Heart

From the November 2002 issue of O, The Oprah Magazine