Simple Steps to Live a Longer, Healthier Life

7 Simple Steps to a Longer Healthier Life

As Heart Month gets underway we' ve got a few suggestions for getting and keeping in good shape

Alexandra Iakovleva/Getty Images Making healthy choices can reduce the burden on your heart, lungs, blood vessels and bones. Taking care of yourself can lead to a longer, healthier life. There are seven simple steps that research has shown can make a difference. Each involves making good choices and requires some discipline, but all are doable. Dubbed “Life’s Simple 7” by the American Heart Association, they involve: Eating better, which can stave off chronic disease. Steps include increasing your intake of vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds. . This can reduce the burden on your heart, lungs, blood vessels and bones. Exercising. It can help with your cholesterol levels, weight and muscle tone. Quitting cigarettes, because even one can hurt you. There is no risk-free level of exposure to tobacco smoke. . Unhealthy ranges strain the heart, arteries and kidneys. Controlling cholesterol. Low cholesterol gives your arteries the best chance to stay clear of fatty blockages that reduce blood flow. Reducing blood sugar. This can lower the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease. -- Brought to you by AARP and the American Heart Association.

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