HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED OR asked yourself, ?Could it happen to me?? after hearing news about a friend or family member being stricken with cancer or having had a heart attack?

Statistics show only 12 percent of heart attacks occur in men from age 44 below. As for the women, it?s much less. Women have a protective insurance?the hormone estrogen, which explains why only half of one percent of heart attacks occur in women less than 44 years of age.

But what about cancer? This runaway menace can strike at any age, but those who are more affected are those in their 50s to 70s. Why? It?s all about lifestyle and a combination of many factors: Heredity, stress and environment. How do we arm ourselves? Here are pieces of advice from the experts.

Know yourself and your body. By now, you are aware of your health profile. If you don?t, pay your doctor a visit. Be aware of the risk factors. If you have menopause, know that your estrogen protection is gone.

Control yourself. If you have health challenges like high blood pressure, diabetes and hypertension, it?s time to make immediate lifestyle changes. Kick your bad habits. Nobody is asking you to be a fanatic, but embrace a healthier regimen now.

Get active today. Movement is the essence of life. Exercise can boost your HDL (High Density Lipoprotein) cholesterol, a protective component of your blood cholesterol level. It can also decrease your blood pressure.

Eat healthy. It?s not a magic bullet, but it can work wonders. Eating right can correct some, if not most of your problems. For example, control your cholesterol by adjusting your fat intake. Switch from whole milk to skim milk, whole egg to egg white.

Manage stress levels. This is a true story. A doctor in his 30s was assigned to the emergency room because numerous patients required attention. He had not slept for two days. On the third day, he told the nurses that he was exhausted and needed to sleep. He never woke up.

What?s next after prevention

Managing stress is also about knowing your limits. While we may regard ourselves as special, we are not immortal. Our mortal bodies can and will stop functioning.

If prevention is a bit late for you, here are some things you can do.

For heart attacks, make it a habit to take aspirin. This inexpensive little pill can reduce heart attacks between 5-45 percent success rates. However, if you have a bleeding disorder or ulcer, aspirin is not for you.

Cancer or heart disease doesn?t happen overnight. So, be alert for signs like constant pain, overwhelming stress, extreme emotions. Give up alcohol, drugs and cigarettes. If your triglyceride level is 150mg/dl, walking is the best solution. Exercise daily for 30 minutes.

Maintain your weight. Yes, thin is in; being overweight puts you at risk.

Take in more fresh air and early morning sunlight. Toast to a good life; little wine is good for the heart. But drinking beyond the two-glass limit for men and one-glass for women daily is detrimental to health.

Take in more minerals like zinc, selenium and magnesium. These are all heart-friendly agents.

Affirm today: ?Happiness is mine now and always.?

Love and light!

Wellness day

You are invited to A Day with Cory, a health, beauty and wellness event, on Nov. 18 at Virramall, Greenhills, and on Nov. 20 at SM Fairview. Open to the public. Free admission (4114448, 7233878).