Eight health checklists! Following the checklist is the key to improving and maintaining cardiovascular health

Life's Essential 8™ Checklist for Lifelong Health

The "Eight Keys to Life," as defined by the American Heart Association, are key measures to improve and maintain cardiovascular health. Better cardiovascular health helps reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, and other major health problems.

New content for 2022:

1. Added sleep as a component of heart health.

2. Create a new guideline to evaluate diet.

3. Consider smoking and secondhand smoke.

4. Adjust cholesterol and blood sugar measurements.

The eight elements of life include two main aspects: healthy behaviors and health factors

1. Eat better

Aim for an overall healthy eating pattern that includes whole foods, plenty of fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, nuts, seeds, and cooking with non-tropical oils like olive and canola.

2. Be more active

Adults should get 2 1/2 hours of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity each week. Children should get 60 minutes a day, including games and organized activities.

3. Quit smoking

The use of inhaled nicotine delivery products, including traditional cigarettes, e-cigarettes and vaping products, is the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S., including about one-third of deaths from heart disease. And about one-third of U.S. children aged 3-11 are exposed to secondhand smoke or vaping.

4. Get a healthy night’s sleep

Most adults need 7-9 hours of sleep every night. Children need more. Children 5 years and younger need 10-16 hours, including naps; children 6-12 years need 9-12 hours; and children 13-18 years need 8-10 hours. Adequate sleep can promote wound healing, improve brain function, and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.

5. Manage your weight

Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight has many benefits. Body mass index, a number that measures your weight in relation to your height, is a useful measure. The optimal BMI is 25. You can calculate it online or ask a healthcare professional.

6. Control cholesterol

High levels of non-HDL or "bad" cholesterol can contribute to the development of heart disease. Your health care professional may consider non-HDL cholesterol as the preferred number to monitor rather than total cholesterol because it can be measured without fasting beforehand and is reliably calculated in all people.

7. Manage blood sugar

Most of the food we eat turns into glucose (or blood sugar), which our bodies use as energy. Over time, high levels of blood sugar can damage your heart, kidneys, eyes, and nerves. Monitoring hemoglobin A1c as part of your testing can better reflect the long-term control of people with diabetes or prediabetes.

8. Manage blood pressure

Keeping your blood pressure within an acceptable range can keep you healthier. Levels below 120/80 mmHg are optimal. High blood pressure is defined as a systolic blood pressure of 130-139 mmHg (the top number in a reading) or a diastolic blood pressure of 80-89 mmHg (the bottom number).

From the American Heart Association