For example, we’ve all heard that lowering cholesterol, keeping weight in check and blood pressure under control, not smoking and exercising regularly can go a long way in helping to prevent heart problems. However, there are some less well-known lifestyle changes and strategies that can be vital to maintaining a healthy ticker, too.

Ten ways to be extra heart smart, at any age

Have a heart-to-heart talk with your family. Don’t know your family’s health history? Ask questions. Find out if your siblings, parents, and/or grandparents had heart disease as well as high blood pressure, diabetes and other conditions that raise the risk for cardiovascular disease. This information can provide specific clues about your possible risk of heart problems now and as you grow older, so you can share this information with your doctor at your next check-up. While you can’t erase your family history, it doesn’t mean you are doomed to have a heart attack because several relatives did. Instead, your family health history can help guide you and your doctor to aggressively modify risk factors that you can control.

At risk for a specific genetic-linked heart condition? Get screened early. If you learn a relative had a heart condition with a strong genetic component, such as an aortic aneurysm (a bulge in a section of the body’s main artery that can stretch and rupture), talk to your doctor about screening with imaging tests. The John Ritter Foundation notes that aortic aneurysms are the thirteenth leading cause of death in the U.S. and immediate relatives (parents, siblings and children) of a person with the condition are at increased risk. After actor John Ritter’s death from a sudden aortic aneurysm rupture, his younger brother was screened and a similar heart condition was detected – fortunately, it was found early and successfully repaired.

Know your vitamin D status. In recent years, scientists have made several startling discoveries about vitamin D. It turns out that low levels of vitamin D are far more widespread than previously realized. What’s more, a lack of vitamin D has been linked to a host of health problems – including heart disease. Recently, University of Kansas researchers analyzed data on more than 10,000 patients and found 70 percent were vitamin D deficient. These people were also at an elevated risk for a variety of heart ailments. However, taking vitamin D supplements dramatically reduced the risk of heart disease. Talk to your doctor about checking your vitamin D status with a blood test to see if you might benefit from supplements.

Protect your gums and teeth (your heart will thank you for it). Sure, flossing, brushing and seeing your dentist regularly can keep your smile bright and your gums healthy – but it may also keep cardiovascular disease at bay. Scientist Moise Desvarieux, MD, PhD, infectious disease epidemiologist at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health, says there appears to be a link between oral health and cardiovascular disease, although no one can say for sure if periodontal disease (gum inflammation) actually causes heart disease. "Our research brings in the microbiological factors that may connect the two diseases," Dr. Desvarieux explains. He hypothesizes that bacteria from gum infections enter the bloodstream and create inflammation in other parts of the body – including the cardiovascular system.