You can significantly improve your heart health -- regardless of your family history -- through the power of heart healthy eating.

You may have already tried to do this to some degree. You eat less red meat and switched to skim dairy products to avoid saturated fats. You’ve researched low cholesterol recipes and sought out tips for natural cholesterol reduction. You’ve acquired a taste for tofu, lots of fresh vegetables, and a range of whole grains. You’ve looked into the Mediterranean diet and learned that some fats, like olive oil, are better for your heart health. You now satisfy your yen for bread and butter with a crusty baguette dipped, but not doused, in olive oil. You may also enjoy other heart healthy foods, such as oat cereals in the morning and a salmon entrée in restaurants.

Additionally, you might be consuming specific nutrients like Omega-3s, plant sterols, antioxidants, potassium, and soluble fibers in the form of supplements or fortified foods.

The good news is that your efforts have probably improved your heart health.

But if you are like many Americans, your diet is still far from heart healthy. Today, most Americans eat too many harmful foods, not enough helpful nutrients, and too many calorie-rich foods. Death and disability from heart disease remain stubbornly high, with the number of people at high risk for a heart attacks rising.