For heart attack survivors it's important for them to realize that they can reduce their risk of having another one by taking their health seriously.

After raising 12 children, this sign says it all. Chick Huckins is still a kid at heart and has always lived an active lifestyle. That's why his heart attack took him completely by surprise. "I was sitting reading a newspaper and I felt a pressure in my chest, aches in my jaw and that went on for 5 or 10 minutes and I did call 911."

Chick didn't have a family history of heart attacks, was in good shape and his overall cholesterol was good. He began theorizing what put him at risk for his heart attack "We had a small ranch, we raised our own beef. We probably ate that 5 and 6 days a week."

Excessive consumption of animal fat can increase your total cholesterol. Since chick was so active, his "bad" cholesterol never went up, but his risk factor was his HDL or "good" cholesterol went down.

Dr. Arthur Muller a Cardiologist with Southwest Florida Regional Medical Center warns that, "If their good cholesterol is low then they're going to be as much at risk for having a heart attack as somebody with elevated bad cholesterol."

The fear dying or of having another heart attack is fairly common in heart attack survivors but there is a good side, that same fear can motivate them to make the changes they need for a healthy lifestyle.

"We walk more. Now we have bicycles, we bought bicycles so we ride bicycle everywhere." says Huckins. Chick has now doubled his good cholesterol and eats healthier. But he says there's nothing anyone can do to make him act his age.

Warning signs of a heart attack can be different for everyone, but can include chest pain, discomfort in the upper body like the arms, neck or jaw as well as shortness of breath, nausea and dizziness.