(Photo By Flickr User Marco Verch)

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 as “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.

**Maintaining a healthy weight because this can reduce the burden on your heart, lungs, blood vessels, and bones.

**Exercising, which can help with your cholesterol levels, weight, and muscle tone.

**Quitting cigarettes because even one can hurt you.

**Managing blood pressure. Unhealthy ranges strain the heart, arteries, and kidneys.

**Controlling cholesterol to give 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.