AARP's 50 Ways to Stay Healthy (10 Ways to Prevent Heart Disease)-- Part 2

From AARP magazine, October 2015 (p. 34-36)

(abridged by Blog editor)

What are the six easy steps for women to greatly reduce your chances of having a heart attack?
Don't smoke, have a normal body mass index (BMI), get at least 2 1/2 hours of exercise a week, watch an hour or less of TV a day, eat a healthy diet, and limit alcohol to a drink or less a day.

Prevent Heart Disease (11-20) (p.34-36)

11) Whittle your middle. If you're shaped more like an apple than a pear, you're at greater risk for a heart attack.
12) Floss. Studies point to a link between gum disease and higher rates of heart disease.
13) Sweat when you exercise. Experts advise pushing till you're modestly out of breath. That means you pumped up your heart rate.
14) Get enough Vitamin D. "Low levels of vitamin D can increase your risk of stroke and heart attack," says Steven Masley, M.D., author of The 30-Day Heart Tune-Up.
15) Cuddle more. Snuggling not only feels good-- it reduces stress and triggers the release of the hormone oxytocin, which ha been shown to help lower blood pressure. Puppies work too.
16) Think outside the pillbox. Be careful with your use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory pills (NSAIDs) for chronic pain. They can increase chances of stroke and heart attack.
17) Keep it down. Reduce your exposure to roadway noise. Research shows that every 10 decibels of roadway traffic noise near your home increases risk of stroke by 10 percent.
18) Stick with your statins. A new study reports that statin use with people at medium risk of heart attack reduces death from heart disease.
19) LOL at those online cat videos. Laughing out loud helps improve blood flow, dilates blood vessels by 22 percent, and, in turn, lowers blood pressure.
20) Stop stewing. Forgiveness helps to reduce blood pressure and lower your heart rate, especially when it comes to betrayal and conflict. Submit your resignation to La Cosa Nostra even if they keep pulling your back.