At age 32, Frandine Lima-Ribeiro’s heart age was more akin to that of a 42-year old. She weighed 230 pounds, had an irregular heartbeat and had prediabetes. Her cardiologist, Dr. Jerome Williams Jr. of the Novant Health Heart & Vascular Institute, referred her to a nutritionist who helped her come up with a plan to take control of her health. In under a year, she has lost more than 80 pounds. Here's her story.

How's your heart health?

Novant Health has launched a community-wide campaign called the 10,000 Healthy Hearts Challenge with a goal to educate 10,000 people about their heart health by 2018. Take the online heart health risk assessment , which analyzes cardiovascular risk factors, such as blood pressure, cigarette smoking, diabetes and body mass index. Then, tag five friends on social media using #NHHealthyHearts to spread the word. Once you accept the challenge, look for helpful wellness tips, recipe ideas and stress management reminders sent to your inbox to manage your heart health.

With the demands of juggling work and family, it can be difficult to find time to take care of yourself. Download our women’s health guide today.