Things that are good for your heart (Diet Coke is not one of them)

Happy Valentine's Day!  On a day devoted to wearing red, exchanging heart shaped boxes of chocolates, and receiving glittery heart cards I thought I'd mention a few things that really are good for your heart.  (And just like Pepsi, Diet Coke will not escape my wrath for their latest marketing trick).

Take a deep breath.  Let all that oxygen fill your lungs and enrich your blood.  Cancer cannot live in an oxygenated environment, so get as much oxygen into your body as possible.  Take a walk outside.  Breathe deeply and turn your face toward the sun.  Soak in some vitamin D for about 20 minutes because a vitamin D deficiency raises your risk for heart disease.

Tell someone you love them.  Connect with friends or family.  Join a club.  Be active in your community.  Studies show that isolated people have a higher rate of heart attacks than those who are connected.

Eat a piece rf two of that dark chocolate from the heart-shaped box.  Dark chocolate contains antioxidants that can lower blood pressure through the production of nitric oxide.  Better yet, dip an organic strawberry into dark chocolate and your whole body will smile.

Drink plenty of water.  Being dehydrated causes the heart to have to pump harder due to decreased blood volume, which increases your risk of heart attack.

Read a good book (or blog!) the relaxed state you enter while reading lowers your blood pressure.  Watch a funny movie because laughing is a fantastic abdominal workout and causes you to breathe harder, thus taking in more oxygen.  Take a nap, just 20 minutes can lower your blood pressure and reduce stress.  Have great sex...do you really need a reason to have great sex???

Your heart will thank you.