BOSTON -- Does it surprise you to hear that heart disease now affects more females than males? And that there are some things you can do about it? Well, read further and find out how you can do something positive about one of the major risk factors of heart disease -- inactivity.

Dr. Paula Johnson, Chief of the Division of Women’s Health at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, calls exercise the silver bullet! An exercise routine that uses the large muscles of the body in a rhythmic pattern for a sustained period of time works the heart and lungs to get oxygen to the muscles. This not only helps the heart, but also helps control some of the other risk factors such as hypertension, high cholesterol and obesity. This type of workout is referred to as aerobic exercise and includes many activities such as walking, swimming, cycling, and aerobic dance classes.

Although the latest guidelines recommend a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity daily to offset the risk of disease, the good news is that you can accumulate this throughout the day.

If you are new to aerobic activity, a fun way to tell if you are working hard enough is to ask yourself if you can talk, sing, or breathe easily. If you can't talk, or are having trouble breathing, then you are probably working too hard. If you can sing (nice and loud, of course) then you probably aren't working hard enough, and if you can talk, then you are right on target!

Remember that the 30 minutes are minimum guidelines for health benefits, but by committing to them you may be taking one of the most important steps you can take in protecting your heart and becoming a healthier you.