Valentine’s Day is a time to show your loved ones how much you care, but it’s also a good opportunity to focus on your own health. Your heart is one of the most important organs in your body and taking care of it is essential to living a long and healthy life. Here are a few ways to take heart health seriously this Valentine’s Day and throughout the year.

1. Eat a Heart-Healthy Diet 

You’ve most likely heard that a healthy diet is one of the best ways to improve your heart health because it’s true. Studies show that a diet that includes a variety of nutritious foods can help to lower your risk of heart disease. Make sure to limit processed foods, sugary drinks, and saturated fats. Don’t worry, you can still celebrate V-Day while being heart healthy, just substitute a box of chocolate for a beautiful bouquet! 

2. Exercise Regularly

Regular physical activity can help to lower your risk of heart disease by improving circulation, controlling weight, and reducing stress. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity every week. You can also add in strength training twice a week to improve muscle mass and bone density. If making a daily trek to the gym doesn’t work for you, a swim spa provides an excellent way to get both cardiovascular and strength training. Swimming, along with other water aerobics activities, has low impact on joints while remaining effective when it comes to improving physical fitness. 

3. Manage Stress for Heart Health

Chronic stress can lead to high blood pressure, which is a risk factor for heart disease. Finding healthy ways to manage stress, such as quiet contemplation or exercise can help to lower your risk. In fact, one of the easiest, most enjoyable ways to reduce stress levels is soaking in a hot tub. Resting in warm and rejuvenating waters floods the senses with feelings of euphoria and relaxation that make it much easier for your body to process stress — whether it’s a big life event or everyday worries. The buoyancy of the water also helps to decrease the pressure on the heart and improves circulation, while hot water causes the blood vessels to dilate, which can also improve blood flow.

4. Maintain Healthy Habits

On average, it takes people about 66 days to form a new habit. Heart health isn’t just about what you do on Valentine’s Day, it’s a practice of taking care of yourself every day. Regular check-ups, screenings, and testing can help to detect and prevent heart disease early on. Maintaining a healthy weight, getting enough sleep, and limiting alcohol consumption can also help to keep your heart healthy.

At The Hot Tub Store, we have a great love for the amazing health benefits our products offer the world. This Valentine’s Day, we want to encourage you and your family to take your heart health seriously, and with a hot tub or swim spa, we can help make it easy. Contact us today to learn more, or swing by one of our  convenient locations to find the heart-healthy amenities that are right for you.