Making Heart-Friendly Choices

5. Imbibe Intelligently. The first studies touting alcohol for heart health looked just at men. Whoops! Researchers trying to fill the gender gap have found some important differences between the sexes. For instance, a study published last May in the British Medical Journal's online edition found that men gained significant protection against heart disease with one alcoholic drink a day, but women needed just one drink per week to get a similar effect. The bottom line? For women, the protective effect of alcohol comes down to how much, not how often. "While up to four ounces a day is fine," says Kurrelmeyer, "don't feel compelled to raise a daily drink for your heart." One 12-ounce beer or four ounces of red wine a week will do nicely.

If you crave more dietary guidance, ask your doctor to prescribe a visit to a registered dietitian. A nutritionist helped Brandolino add fiber to her diet and subtract saturated fat: In came more fruits and veggies, along with ground flaxseed; out went the nightly bowl of pasta smothered in cheese.

Thanks to changes in her diet and exercise habits, Brandolino was able to reduce her total cholesterol score to 193 (a 56-point reduction) within a year of that life-changing eye exam. "Some people consider heart disease a low-level problem they can live with," says Brandolino, "but I took it as a serious threat to my health and was determined to turn it around."