about three cloves of garlic a day reportedly helps stave off heart disease.

Add 20 minutes of exercise three times a week, and you should be in good shape, said Ms Anne Mello of the Fitness Firm.

But any chest pain should be reported to your doctor immediately, advised Dr.

Shane Marshall, the Island's only cardiologist.

The trio was speaking at this week's Heart-to-Heart Health Forum sponsored by the Bermuda Heart Foundation.

Other speakers at the Heart Month event, held at Christ Church Hall on Tuesday night, included psychologist Dr. Laine Koolkin and chief dietician Mrs.

Jessica Wade.

Heart disease, including heart attacks and angina, is the leading cause of death in Bermuda.

Heart attacks result from obstructions that build up in the arteries, Dr.

Marshall said.

As a result, some form of chest pain -- or other soreness such as in the elbow or shoulder -- will be experienced during physical exertion, anger or stress, because not enough blood is getting through, he said. A heart attack occurs when there is complete obstruction.

Dr. Marshall warned the build-up of obstruction in the arteries can start in people in their 20s. That is why people should make a healthy diet and exercising part of their everyday lifestyle, Mrs. Wade said.

Ms Dresser said there were also certain foods or vitamins that people could take to reduce risk of heart disease.

But a healthy dose of Vitamins E, A and C and about three cloves of garlic a day won't hurt, she said. Oily fish such as mackerel is also believed to be beneficial to keeping the heart healthy.

Twenty minutes of any exercise a week also helps, Ms Mello said. "This is the main event of your life,'' she said, "not a dress rehearsal. So get up and get going,'' she told the roughly 50 mostly middle-aged people attending the forum.

Exercise does not have to be a rigorous work-out, it can be walking the dog or going for a stroll after dinner, she said.

Mrs. Wade said the fact New Zealand had a very high rate of heart disease, while Japan and France's were very low, was "food for thought''.

New Zealanders' diet was rich in harmful saturated fats such as butter. The Japanese enjoy a low fat diet, being big eaters of fish and rice.

France was "a mystery'', but medical reports suggest moderate intake of wine, which the French are famous for, keeps cholesterol down.