February is American Heart Month. Preventing heart disease means making smart choices now that will pay off the rest of your life.

Lack of exercise, a poor diet, and other unhealthy habits can take a toll over the years. Anyone at any age can benefit from simple steps to keep their heart healthy during each stage of life. Here's how:

At any age

• Choose a healthy eating plan. The food you eat can make it less likely that you'll have heart disease. As part of a healthy diet, eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, fish, nuts, legumes and seeds, and try eating some meals without meat.
• Be physically activity. Doctors recomment slowly working up to at least two and a half hours of medium-intensity physical activity, like walking, every week. You could also do more high-intensity physical activity, like jogging or running, for one hour a week.

In your 20s and 30s

• Find a doctor and have regular wellness exams. Healthy people need doctors, too. Building a relationship with a doctor means you can start heart-health screenings now, which could help you avoid heart disease later in life.
• Avoid secondhand smoke and don't smoke. If you picked up smoking as a teen, it's time to quit. Even secondhand smoke is a serious health hazard.
• Tame your stress. Long-term stress causes an increase in heart rate and blood pressure that can damage your heart. Stress management techniques not only benefit your body, but also your quality of life.

In your 40s, 50s, and 60+

• Watch your weight. You may notice your metabolism slowing down in your 40s. Your body needs fewer calories as you get older. You can avoid weight gain by following a heart-healthy diet and getting plenty of exercise.
• Have your blood sugar level checked. In addition to blood pressure checks and other heart-health screenings, you should have a fasting blood glucose test by the time you're 45.
• Learn about the signs of a heart attack and stroke. Now is the best time to learn about symptoms. Not everyone experiences heart attacks the same way and women can have different symptoms than men. Learn more about the warning signs on the American Heart Association website.