If you're in the habit of making resolutions for the new year, or you just want to investigate new strategies to protect your heart and make sure it gets the best care possible, the January 2009 issue of the Harvard Heart Letter outlines nine possibilities:

Learn CPR: The new hands-only technique is simple and effective. Ask your family members and friends to take a CPR class with you.

Know your numbers: Make sure you know your cholesterol profile, blood pressure, and blood sugar, and track them through the year. Ask your doctor if you should have your C-reactive protein (CRP) checked, especially if your cholesterol is in the normal range. Estimate your heart attack risk using tools available at http://health.harvard.edu/138.

Reduce stress, network more: Personal turmoil, pressure at home or work, loneliness, and other stressors contribute to heart disease. Stress-busting techniques, like exercise, meditation, and other relaxation techniques, and making better connections with family and friends can help protect your heart and health.

Update your understanding: Atherosclerosis, the disease that causes heart attacks and many other cardiovascular problems, is a bodywide chronic condition, not merely a plumbing problem characterized by discrete blockages. This new view has repercussions for preventing and treating heart disease.

Create a personal health record: Collecting your entire health story in one place can help you get better medical care, especially in an emergency.

Plan ahead: Making an advance directive, also known as a living will, tells your doctors what kind of care you would like to have if you can’t communicate your preferences.

Pick a proxy: If you can’t make medical decisions for yourself, you want someone you trust to do it for you. Don’t leave this to chance. Once you have chosen your proxy, make it official by giving him or her your durable power of attorney for health care.

Become a searcher: Help keep yourself healthy by learning how to search for reliable medical information.

Be good to yourself: Pamper your heart and arteries with a better diet and more exercise. If you smoke, make this the year to stop. If you are overweight, shed some pounds.