February is National Heart Awareness month and you probably know what smoking and obesity does to your heart. But are you doing everything you can to take care of your ticker?

"I enjoy life and I want to be here for a while," said Eileen McDermitt, Lincoln.

That's why McDermitt makes it a point to take good care of her heart, beginning with regular cholesterol checks.

"I knew I needed to watch it because it's a family trait, but I was really surprised when it was as high as it was because I always did try and watch it. But it didn't somehow matter because it's a family problem," she said.

But when it comes to our heart health, Dr. Ryan Whitney said many of us put it off.

"Everybody knows if you don't change your oil every 3,000 miles, eventually you're engine blows up and nobody wants their engine to blow up. I'm amazed at how many of us don't take care of our engine the way we take care of the engine in our cars," said Dr. Ryan Whitney, BryanLGH Heart Institute.

But he said there are five things you can do to improve your heart. First, know your numbers.

"Numbers being a fasting cholesterol profile, blood pressure and then a fasting glucose or blood sugar are several numbers that you should at least have measured once in your young adult years, and as time goes on have them measured periodically," Whitney said.

Second, shake your salt habit.

The recommended salt intake is 2,300 milligrams a day, the average American takes in 4,000 to 5,000.

Whitney said 77 percent of all the salt we digest comes from processed foods like deli meat, potato chips and other pre-packaged foods. So he suggests limiting those foods to reduce your chances of high blood pressure.

Also, doctors say take it easy on the condiments and watch the diet soda, it's full of sodium.

The next step, trim the fat.

Whitney said you should avoid foods with trans-fat or foods that have the words 'hydrogenated' or 'partially hydrogenated' on the labels.

That takes us to step four and five, relax and exercise at least 30 minutes a day five times a week.

McDermitt's now encouraging other women to take care of their ticker.

"They're so busy with all their work, children, everything that unless something is really hurting or keeping them from activities. They just don't think of going in and have their heart check out or their blood tested for cholesterol," she said.

Some other ways to improve your heart health.

Remember to eat foods that contain good fats like salmon and almonds, also eat foods high in anti-oxidants, like fruits and vegetables and start early.

According to doctor Whitney, heart disease isn't sudden. In fact, it can date all the way back to your teenage years. So the earlier you start taking care of your heart, the better.