Heart disease is ravaging modern society. And a lot of this is due to poor dietary patterns and insufficient exercise.

Now a lot of this is due to progress, so it's really hard to point the finger at someone. And please do not point the finger at yourself!

Thus, here are 5 strategies for improving cardiovascular health:

1. Do joint-friendly endurance exercise: You don't have to run marathons here, but you should do something that you enjoy. Just make sure you break a sweat and your heart gets pumping. More importantly, however, is to make sure your joints don't suffer.

2. Use some outside help: A great strategy here is to take some aspirin which will help blood get through your body with ease. It will also reduce inflammation-a leading cause of arterial disease. Now make sure you discuss taking aspirin with your doctor before making it part of your daily regimen.

3. Increase your ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fats: There are good fats and bad fats. But even among the good fats, you want to make sure you are getting the optimal dosages. Omega-6 fats found in vegetable oils, cereals and grains are usually too high in the typical western diet. For optimal health increase the amount of omega-3 fats.

4. Keep the gaps in your teeth clean: Despite constant reminding by health care professionals, most people still do not practice proper dental hygiene. And keeping the gaps in your teeth clean (i.e., flossing) is a great way to reduce inflammation in your arteries.

5. Have some dark chocolate: Consistent research from the Harvard School of Public Health has showed that raw, organic cocoa benefits the heart. It does so by making your arteries more elastic and it's also loaded with anti-oxidants. Just don't buy the store kind because it has too much sugar and fat.

Maintaining cardiovascular health is more important than ever. After all, modern environments seem to be having a harmful effect on our health. So take the necessary precautions today so that you can have good health tomorrow.

Author Katherine Crawford M.S., a Harvard fitness physiologist and recent arm fat casualty, instructs women on how to lose arm fat with speed. Unearth how to get sexy and toned arms by visiting her website about shrinking fat arms now!