(WENY) -- February marks American Heart Month, a time when everyone is encouraged to focus on their cardiovascular health. According to the American Health Association 47% of Americans have at least one of the three risk factors of heart disease. These include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and smoking. Taking the time to care for your heart can be challenging as you go about your daily life. Practicing small acts of self care each day can go a long way in helping to keep our hearts healthy.

 "Eating well, sleeping well, getting regular mobility into your life and it doesn't have to be complicated, you don't necessarily have to have a gym membership or be attending classes or have some complicated regime, just incorporating basic movement into your day whether its taking the stairs, or gardening, or doing chores around the house, that's all that counts and that's very helpful in maintaining good heart health;" says family medicine doctor, John Krisa. 

Those who are younger are seeing more risk factors today. 

"One of the things that's concerning is that in the younger population risk factors for heart disease such as high blood pressure, diabetes, abnormal cholesterol levels we are seeing that in younger people as well;" says Krisa. 

  You should begin examining and screening your heart at the age of twenty with most tests being performed every two to four years. Knowing the risk factors of heart disease early in life can help save you from underlying heart conditions at an older age.

"Certainly if you've had a cardiac event already then you want to make sure that you're regularly following up with a primary care provider and a cardiologist, for younger people the main things are those risk factors, the modifiable ones, so things like smoking so if anyone's a smoker they should stop and seek out medical assistance;" says Krisa. 

For more information on healthy practices to take for your heart click here.