“Achieving these seven simple lifestyle factors gives people a 90 per cent chance of living to the age of 90 or 100, free of not only heart disease and stroke but from a number of other chronic illnesses including cancer,” says Dr. Clyde Yancy, a professor of medicine and chief of cardiology at the Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. He is also the past-president of the American Heart Association. You can achieve optimal health, says Dr. Yancy, by following these steps: 1- GET ACTIVE: Inactivity can shave almost four years off a person’s expected lifespan. People who are physically inactive are twice as likely to be at risk for heart disease or stroke. 2- KNOW AND CONTROL CHOLESTEROL LEVELS: Almost 40 per cent of adults have high blood cholesterol, which can lead to the build up of fatty deposits in your arteries − increasing your risk for heart disease and stroke. 3- FOLLOW A HEALTHY DIET: Healthy eating is one of the most important things you can do to improve your health – yet about half of us don’t meet the healthy eating recommendations. 4- KNOW AND CONTROL BLOOD PRESSURE: High blood pressure − often called a ‘silent killer’ because it has no warning signs or symptoms − affects one in five of us. By knowing and controlling your blood pressure, you can cut your risk of stroke by up to 40 per cent and the risk of heart attack by up to 25 per cent. 5- ACHIEVE AND MAINTAIN A HEALTHY WEIGHT: Over 60 per cent of adults are either overweight or obese − major risk factors for heart disease and stroke. Being obese can reduce your life span by almost four years. 6- MANAGE DIABETES: Diabetes increases the risk of high blood pressure, atherosclerosis (narrowing of the arteries), coronary artery disease, and stroke, particularly if your blood sugar levels are poorly controlled. 7- BE TOBACCO FREE: As soon as you become smoke-free, your risk of heart disease and stroke begins to decrease. After 15 years, your risk will be nearly that of a non-smoker.