Dr. Jane Delgado knows all too well what can happen when Latinas aren’t tuned in to their heart health.

“My mother was one of those factory workers who was part of the Latino factory labor force who didn’t receive the health care she needed while she worked,” says Dr. Delgado, whose parents left Cuba for the United States in the 1950s. “And when she had her heart problem, we didn’t know much about the female heart. If we knew then what we knew know, she’d be alive.”

Dr. Delgado’s experience with heart disease in her own family has since inspired her to dedicate her life to improving the health of the Latino community. Dr. Delgado – a clinical psychologist and President/CEO of the National Alliance for Hispanic Health – is the author of the best-selling Buena Salud Guide book series and The Latina Guide to Health. Just in time for Heart Health Month, Dr. Delgado offered up her ten-point guide to heart health that forms the core of her book The Buena Salud Guide for a Healthy Heart.

“You may not be able to do everything, but pick one or two tips to pick up right away and gradually add more,” advises Dr. Delgado. “Just making one change a day is all you need to do to work towards a healthy heart.”

1. Stay away from smoke and toxic air. “Many people don’t realize that your heart and lungs work together,” says Dr. Delgado. “Pollutants like tobacco will make their way into every cell in your body once you breath it in – that’s why you want to make sure you’re breathing healthily for your entire cardiovascular system.”

2. Keep moving. “Burning calories is just one part of what’s needed to keep your body working well – resistance and flexibility is important too,” explains Dr. Delgado.

Read the full story at NBC Latino