Since 1930, heart disease has been the number one disease killer of Americans (it was pneumonia before that). As a result, generations of us have heard a million times that keeping our hearts healthy is paramount. And the way to do that is to get exercise, avoid saturated fats, don’t smoke, don’t drink to excess and eat our vegetables.

But there are so many other ways to protect your heart. While you’re doing all the things that seem obvious to us now, add in these 10 somewhat “underground” heart health tactics:

1. Maintain your oral health – floss, coconut oil pulling, regular brushing. Just make sure you’re doing everything you can to keep your mouth clean and healthy. Though it’s a bit mysterious, there is a clear link between gum disease and heart disease. One thing we do know is that the bacteria in the mouth that cause gum disease also causes inflammation in the blood vessels by sparking a rise in the C-reactive protein.
2. Sleep more – Truth be told, only about 20 percent of us get the recommended 8-9 hours of sleep per night consistently. By the time you reach your mid-30s, your coronary arteries start to calcify, get harder and stiffer and increase your risk of heart disease. But, for every hour of sleep you get per night, the amount of calcification reduces by 33 percent.
3. Stress less – Easier said than done, right? But it’s really as simple as doing things you enjoy, pursuing your hobbies and giving yourself some downtime. Also very helpful are things like meditation, prayer and exposure to the outdoors.
4. Drink Green Tea – One of the best and most accessible sources of general antioxidants, green tea is a proven natural way to bring down blood pressure and bad cholesterol. Drinking as much as 20 oz. a day will go a long way in protecting your heart health well into your golden years.
5. Flaxseed – Not only is it important to avoid trans fats, it’s equally important to get a lot of good, healthy fats. This includes, above all, Omega 3 fatty acids—which are abundant in things like salmon and fish oil supplements, but are extremely high in flax seeds. Just keep a bunch around. Put it on your salad, in your yogurt, smoothie, take a spoonful on the go. Just eat these things!
6. Eat garlic – It’s delicious, nutritious and readily available. The way garlic in particular helps your heart is by preventing the clumping of red blood cells in the arteries. And it’s clogged arteries that get you in trouble.
7. Spend time with your friends – It’s good for you, it’s good for them, it’s good for everyone! Hanging out with people you like—and who like you back—lowers anxiety and depression. And having lower anxiety and depression means having a lower risk for heart disease. So finally nail down that beer you’ve been talking about getting with your buddy. Invite a friend and her husband to dinner. Go golfing with the old gang from college. Just take the time to connect.
8. Stretch – Do some stretching in the morning and do some more before bed. Get to where you can touch your toes without bending your knees, or do your absolute best to touch the ceiling for ten seconds. The physical act of stretching and bending keeps not only your joints and muscles flexible and adaptable, it does the same for your arteries. And flexible arteries means no heart disease.
9. Get more potassium – I know what you’re thinking! I’ll just eat more bananas. No! Because you don’t want the 14 g of sugar that comes with each banana. And you know what else? Other foods have more potassium pound-for-pound than bananas anyway. For example, avocados and sweet potatoes. Potassium helps your body get rid of sodium. And if you don’t get rid of sodium, you raise the risk of encouraging heart disease.
10. Don’t sweat the small stuff, and LAUGH! This may sound similar to reducing stress and/or hanging out with friends, but I’m saying you’ve got to laugh more. Laugh when you trip and drop your briefcase. Laugh when your kid spills their juice and gives you that “Oh crap” look. Laugh when you get cut off in traffic. There’s nothing anger and outrage are going to do to help these situations. Just laugh at the little hiccups life throws at you. You’ll be so much better for it.

This plus a little common sense and your ticker will be good to go well into the twilight years–and beyond.