Valentine’s Day shines a spotlight on all things heart-shaped and red, but do we forget to also pay attention to the health of our blood-pumping cardiovascular machines? Maybe so, and that’s unfortunate, because a staggering 600,000 people in the United States die from heart disease each year. Heart disease is the number one killer of both men and women in the United States. Luckily, though, it can be prevented by following these four tips from cardiologist Mark W. Sheehan of Porter Adventist Hospital’s Heart and Vascular Institute:

— Don’t smoke

— Exercise

— Eat healthy (think more veggies, less trans and saturated fats)

— Know your cholesterol and blood pressure

Get Involved: Need help incorporating these guidelines into your lifestyle? That’s where Centura Heart Network‘s American Heart Month campaign comes in. The mission: to help improve the heart health of Coloradans. Throughout the month, they’ll offer heart-healthy recipes (here’s looking at you, garlic-chile flank steak) and a free online heart assessment. They hope to decrease the number of Colorado residents at risk of heart disease. Bonus? Throughout February, Centura will give away 28 copies of The New American Heart Association Cookbook, which is chock-full of healthy, heart-friendly recipes to keep your ticker ticking. Enter here for a chance to win.

—Image courtesy of Shutterstock