It's World Heart Day: Here Are 5 Vital Ways To Protect Your Heart

September 29 is World Heart Day, so there's no better time to start thinking about your heart. According to the Singapore Heart Foundation, cardiovascular disease (a combination of heart diseases and stroke) accounts for 29.6% of all deaths here in 2015. In fact, 1 in 3 women will die of heart disease, says The National Heart Centre Singapore (NHCS). This means that more women die from heart-related issues than breast cancer.

If left undiagnosed and untreated, heart disease can lead to a heart attack (which is the heart's ability to pump a sufficient supply of blood). While the most common symptom is chest pain, women are more likely to experience the following symptoms as compared to men:

• Shortness of breath

• Nausea

• Vomiting

• Back or jaw pain

Despite the bleak statistics, heart disease is largely preventable if you take care of your health.

The Weekly speaks to Dr Carolyn Lam, Senior Consultant Cardiologist at the National Heart Centre Singapore, who reveals her top 5 tips for living a heart-healthy lifestyle. She wisely advises all women to "live such a healthy life now so you won't need to suffer from heart disease in future!"

Here, Dr Lam shares 5 ways to protect your heart that could save your life: