Ladies, if you think you can leave worrying about heart disease — along with fixing the toilet, changing the oil, and killing spiders — to the guys, think again. Women are just as vulnerable to heart disease as men. The good news is there's a lot you can do to lower your risk. Only about 25 percent of heart-disease risk is genetic, so you have more control than you might think. Here are eight heart-healthy habits to help you avoid the clogs, clots, and other snafus that can jam a woman's heart.

Limit Red and Processed Meat

If red meat shows up on your plate more than a Kardashian on a tabloid cover, put down that steak knife and listen to this: People who eat 4 ounces of red meat a day (that's an average burger) up their risk of fatal heart disease by almost 30 percent compared with those who eat only 5 ounces a week. The same goes for processed meats (hot dogs, sausage, and bacon), which aren't any better for you, according to a major study from the National Cancer Institute. In addition to raising your risk of heart disease, high cholesterol, and diabetes, a diet high in red meat may also increase your risk of colon cancer. Heart-Healthy Tip: Throw a giant portobello mushroom (instead of red meat) on the grill and serve yourself a yummy portobello burger. In studies, portobello mushrooms have been rated as satisfying and as tasty as beef.

Drink Alcohol in Moderation

Research shows that having one drink a day may help protect your heart and your entire vascular system. Enjoying a moderate amount of alcohol also seems to raise levels of HDL (good) cholesterol. In addition, it relaxes you, which can only help your blood pressure. Although wine itself doesn't contain omega-3 fatty acids, research suggests that a bit of wine — not too much, not too little — somehow boosts blood levels of these heart-healthy fatty acids. Heart-Healthy Tip: Moderate drinking for women means no more than one drink per day. That translates into a 12-ounce beer, 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor or a 5-ounce glass of wine. Next time you pour a glass of wine, get out your kitchen measuring cup. You might be surprised to see what 5 ounces looks like!

Take a Vacation From Stress

Taking regular time off can cut your heart attack risk by almost a third. Yet, according to an Expedia.com survey, Americans ditch an estimated 465 million vacation days a year, which cranks up the rate at which their bodies age. How? Overcommitment leads to chronic stress, and too much stress puts you on the fast track to heart disease. Whatever your excuse for not taking a break (too little time, money, or energy), it probably isn't worth the consequences. Heart-Healthy Tip: Do this to get that blissed-out vacation feeling any time: Close your eyes, focus your attention on your heart, and take slow breaths in and out. After a few breaths, imagine something that puts you at ease — a pet, a child, flowers, or a sandy beach. Hold that image and keep breathing in and out. Do this once a day for 10 minutes. Your heart will love it, and so will you.

Foster a Positive Attitude

If you constantly complain or secretly enjoy throwing pity parties for yourself more than once in a blue moon, know that an ongoing gloomy attitude triples your risk of a heart attack, a bypass, and even clogged leg arteries. On the other hand, a positive attitude can improve your quality of life and help you stay well. Heart-Healthy Tip: Work on cultivating your inner optimist. Lose yourself in uplifting experiences and do things you love, whether it's spending time with your family, scrapbooking, gardening, or pursuing a goal. If negative, sad, or hopeless feelings persist, talk to your doctor. Many women suffer from mood disorders, such as depression or anxiety, that can be treated.

Protect Your Heart With Exercise

Women who walk or otherwise exercise each day have fewer heart attacks and strokes, lower blood pressure, and higher levels of healthy HDL cholesterol. The benefits of being active add up fast. In as little as 90 days, doctors can actually measure the age-reducing effects of regular exercise. Heart-Healthy Tip: When it comes to walking and heart health, speed and frequency count. Yes, strolling is better than sitting, but you get the most benefits if you pick up the pace — ideally, for 30 minutes most days.

Boost Your Self-Esteem

Women often have high expectations of themselves. If they fall short, anxiety, anger, and depression often come knocking. Unfortunately, negative emotions aren't just unpleasant; they're bad for your heart. They fire up inflammation and damage arteries. Feeling good about your life and accomplishments, however, reduces your risk of heart disease by at least 13 percent. Heart-Healthy Tip: Identify your unique skills and share them! For example, if you're great with numbers, help a volunteer group with its bookkeeping. You'll gain a sense of purpose and a more meaningful life — two big happiness and self-esteem boosters

Eat a Fiber-Rich Diet

Fiber's heart-saving magic is a three-for-one deal: It improves cholesterol, lowers blood pressure, and reduces belly fat — all good things in terms of lowering your risk of heart disease. In a 14-year study, people who ate the most fiber (particularly from fruit and whole grains) saw their risk level drop by 18 percent compared with folks with minimal fiber intake. Fiber may help reduce your breast cancer risk, too. Heart-Healthy Tip: Enjoy a bowl of steel-cut oatmeal with berries and walnuts for breakfast. This fruity, nutty cereal gives you two types of fiber: soluble and insoluble, both of which can keep your heart beating strong and healthy.

Get a Good Night's Sleep

Trading in ZZZs to catch your favorite TV show or finish that work report triples your risk of biochemistry shifts that encourage heart disease. (Does it still sound worth it?) What's more, shortening your snooze time encourages you to overeat and throws off your body's sensitivity to insulin. That affects your heart and arteries — and raises your risk of type 2 diabetes. Heart-Healthy Tip: Slide into bed earlier and avoid habits that are likely to cause sleep problems, such as afternoon caffeine, before-bed stress (paying bills, working) and a too-warm or too-bright bedroom.