5 PAID CONTENT The American Heart Association calls a healthy lifestyle for optimal heart health “Life’s Simple 7.” This consists of: 1. Maintain a healthy weight. Being at a good weight for your height is key to healthy blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol and triglyceride levels. 2. Manage your blood pressure. A healthy blood pressure is less than 120/80 millimeters of mercury (mmHg). High blood pressure is when it’s 130/80 mmHg or higher. 3. Control your cholesterol. If your cholesterol levels (particularly LDL and total cholesterol) are too high, you’re at greater risk of atherosclerosis, which makes arteries narrower and stiff. 4. Control your blood sugar. Keep fasting blood sugar levels below 100 mg/dL. If blood sugar is too high, it can damage your blood vessels over time. 5. Eat healthy. A Mediterranean-style diet is generally advised for heart health. (See page 13) 6. Get regular physical activity. Aim to get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity (or a combination) each week. 7. Avoid smoking. Risk of a heart attack increases by more than 5 percent for every cigarette smoked daily, compared to non-smokers. Regular exposure to second- hand smoke also increases heart disease risk. Life's simple7 Types of heart disease There are different types of heart disease. Some of the most common ones are: Coronary artery disease: Plaque in arteries in or leading to your heart, which increases your risk of heart attack. Atrial fibrillation (arrhythmia): A quivering or irregular heartbeat. It can lead to blood clots, stroke, heart failure and related problems. Carotid artery disease: Plaque in your neck arteries that supply blood to your brain. This can lead to a stroke. Heart failure: When your heart doesn’t pump blood as well as it should. It is most commonly caused by atherosclerosis and hypertension (high blood pressure). Coronary artery disease: Plaque in arteries in or leading to your heart, which increases your risk of heart attack. Atrial fibrillation (arrhythmia): A quivering or irregular heartbeat. It can lead to blood clots, stroke, heart failure and related problems. Carotid artery disease: Plaque in your neck arteries that supply blood to your brain. This can lead to a stroke. Heart failure: When your heart doesn’t pump blood as well as it should. It is most commonly caused by atherosclerosis and hypertension (high blood pressure). Coronary artery disease: Plaque in arteries in or leading to your heart, which increases your risk of heart attack. Atrial fibrillation (arrhythmia): A quivering or irregular heartbeat. It can lead to blood clots, stroke, heart failure and related problems. Carotid artery disease: Plaque in your neck arteries that supply blood to your brain. This can lead to a stroke. Heart failure: When your heart doesn’t pump blood as well as it should. It is most commonly caused by atherosclerosis and hypertension (high blood pressure). Coronary artery disease: Plaque in arteries in or leading to your heart, which increases your risk of heart attack. Atrial fibrillation (arrhythmia): A quivering or irregular heartbeat. It can lead to blood clots, stroke, heart failure and related problems. Carotid artery disease: Plaque in your neck arteries that supply blood to your brain. This can lead to a stroke. Heart failure: When your heart doesn’t pump blood as well as it should. It is most commonly caused by atherosclerosis and hypertension (high blood pressure). PAID CONTENT