I went for my annual check-up this year only to find that my cholesterol level is slightly borderline and my blood pressure level isn't falling too far behind it. I've always been super conscious of my health considering that Heart disease is the number one killer in women - especially black women. Diabetes runs on my father's side of the family and hypertension and obesity runs on my mom's side of the family. You see why my chances of staying healthy without a plan are paper thin.

Since I'm kicking 40 in the rear end, I opted for better choices to keep my health in check. The American Health Association says people who follow healthier lifestyles in their 30's can lower their chances of having high-blood pressure in their 40's. Here are 6 tips.

1. Avoid too much stress. “When we’re stressed, we tend not to eat as healthy, we don’t engage in physical activity, and we don’t sleep as well, which has implications for both weight and blood pressure,” says Dr. Donald M. Lloyd-Jones, ScM, FAHA, chair of the department of preventive medicine at Northwestern University, in an interview with Healthline.

Although stress is everywhere and hard to avoid, ensure that you have a self-care method to cope with stress in a healthy manner. Stress could contribute to high-blood pressure and more serious issues later on down the line.

2. Skip the cigarettes. Everyone knows how unhealthy smoking is - even smokers cringe at the CDC's hard to watch cigarette commercials that tells us that the habit shortens life expectancy by 10 years. But do we listen? Not likely. We like what we like! However, Nicotine increase your blood pressure and causes heart disease and others diseases. Lloyd says, "You get very real benefits, very quickly. Within a year of quitting smoking, you can bring your risk of heart attack and stroke down by half of what it was," he says. "Smoking is not only a risk factor for chronic damage to the heart and lungs, but it is also a trigger.”

3. Try the DASH Diet or Become Vegan. Studies show that consuming a plant-based diet can lower blood pressure, even if you're just reducing your meat intake. By focusing on plant-based foods, you can naturally reduce your sodium intake. You’ll also be avoiding red and processed meats, refined grains, and sweets. There are a lot of health benefits to going green, so your mom was right when she told you not to leave the table until you eat your greens. But if Veganism is too hard to follow, try the DASH diet, which is the easiest to follow. DASH takes an "overall dietary pattern approach and gives daily — and even weekly — goals of foods to include, and a few to limit.”

Passerrello’s list for heart healthy foods include:

• vegetables

• fruits

• whole grains

• beans (fresh or rinsed)

• fish

• lean poultry

• nuts

• healthy oils

4. Add daily activity into your schedule. Taking up a tennis class, shooting some hoops, buying a Fitbit and even going for that extra walk after work, can make a difference in your health. Physical activities not only helps lower blood pressure and prevent heart-disease, but it aids in weight-control. It also strengthens your heart and lowers stress levels. So even moderate to intense activity is beneficial however you fit it in.

5. Monitor when you eat. Lloyd-Jones also mentions in the Healthline interview that intermittent fasting approach, where they seriously limit or restrict calories during certain times and then eat moderately for the remainder of the day, works for improved health.

He gave the example of eating primarily between noon and 8 p.m. It works by creating an 8 hour window of food intake between these two times. You can fast over night and skip breakfast but make sure you're getting all the nutrients you need with lunch and dinner. It's also a great way to lose weight.

6. Monitor your calorie intake. Now and days, with technology and phones, monitoring your calorie intake can be made simpler than ever. With apps such as Calorie Counter, My Fitness Pal, and My Plate, you can track your calorie intake with features like scanners and also make sure that you get all the nutrients needed for your age, weight and sex. Fasting and some calorie restriction have shown to lower blood pressure and also help with weight -loss.