Valentine’s Day is here, which means it’s that time of the year when you get to celebrate love and the beauty of romance with your loved ones all day long. It is also a time when indulging in something sweet, cheesy and delicious is completely normal. And with all the cute heart-shaped cookies and candies to the cheesy (maybe heart-shaped) pizzas and whatnots that seemed to be everywhere, it is easy to overindulge in these treats and overlook the impact they can have on our health, especially our heart health. This article highlights some of the best tips to celebrate Valentine’s Day with your loved ones, the fun and exciting yet healthy, hearty way so read on.
Healthy Heart This Valentine’s Day
Besides romance, our heart plays a vital role in our daily lives. But it is rare we actually stop to think about our real heart. Hence, this Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to sit back and think about our heart health. We usually associate the heart with love, but its true function is to keep our blood pumping around our body and make sure we are alive. Nonetheless, studies have shown that our heart beats faster when we are with that special someone! So, it is important we do what we can to protect our hearts and keep them healthy and beating for our loved ones for a long time.
When you eat right and make healthy lifestyle choices, you make sure your heart remains strong and healthy. And when your heart is healthy, your chances of getting a heart attack, stroke and heart disease also drops. And on top of this, by improving your health –starting with your heart health – you also ensure that you have all the time and health to spend special days like Valentine’s day with your loved ones who not only brought love in your life but also a plethora of happiness.
So here are some simple tips to celebrate Valentine’s Day, the healthy way with your loved ones:
Tips to Celebrate Valentine’s Day the Heart-Healthy Way
1. A couple that sweats together, stays together
Or in another word, stay physically active. That said, staying physically active does not have to be a complicated task. Starting your day with a walk around the block, doing couples yoga or stretching exercises can be a great way to start your Valentine’s Day. Exercising together not only strengthens the bond between you and your partner but also strengthens your heart and promotes an overall healthy lifestyle. Switch to gifting health and fitness accessories like fitness watches, yoga mats, etc this Valentine’s Day instead of sweets and roses and make sure you get to celebrate more Valentine’s Day with your loved ones for the years to come.
2. Start the special day with heart-healthy breakfast menus
Healthy foods do not have to be plain and boring, especially on a special day like Valentine’s Day. Show your love by preparing a healthy breakfast menu for your partner –which can include boiled eggs, omelettes, oats, fruit salads, healthy juice and herbal teas. Teas like the Daily Heart Care Tea from Preserva Wellness are the perfect healthy option for a special day like Valentine's Day.
Daily Heart Care Tea, as its name suggests, is a unique blend of herbal goodness, such as Arjuna, Mulberry leaves, Peach fruit, Moringa, Green Tea Leaves, Hibiscus and Cinnamon powder - a potent combination specifically designed for the heart! Every sip of the tea ensures wellness to the heart as it contains essential nutrients to help strengthen the heart, enhance its functioning and also lower the risk of various cardiovascular diseases. What better way to show your love and adoration than by gifting your loved ones with the gift of good health. You can make that happen this Valentine’s Day with Daily Heart Care Tea.
3. Gift your loved ones the gift of good health
Valentine’s Day is the day to shower your significant others with gifts and flowers to show how much you love and care for them. While these things may have their charms but nothing beats a gift of good health. If you are an avid smoker, the best way to show how much you love and respect your loved ones is by quitting smoking. Smoking can have serious negative effects on the body, especially on heart health. It can also significantly impact the health of those around you. Hence, by quitting smoking, you are not only improving and protecting your health but also the people around you, like your loved ones.
4. Spend quality time together
In addition to good health, the next best thing you can give your loved ones this Valentine’s Day is your time. Spending quality time with your loved ones helps you better understand each other and help strengthen your relationship. Do away with your phones and social media and spend quality time in some fun-filled adventurous activities this Valentine’s Day with your loved ones. Not only will it make your relationship stronger, but they are also good for the heart and a great way to improve your health and wellness altogether. Activities such as sports, a walk around the park, cycling, hiking or trekking, or any other form of physical activity are great options for this.
5. Dinner date the healthy way
Valentine’s Day is incomplete without a romantic dinner date. But that doesn’t necessarily mean you have to go out or book a reservation at fancy restaurants. You can set up your own romantic ambience at home with candle lights and a healthy home-cooked meal of your choice, especially ones that agree with your heart health. This way, you can keep watch of the calorie count and the quality of the meals as well. Cooking is also a great way to spend quality time with your loved ones and you can easily make that happen this Valentine’s Day. That said, if you are going out for dinner, make sure you pick a place with healthy and quality food options.
6. Tempt your loved ones with dark chocolate
Of all the sweet romantic gifts you can gift your loved ones this Valentine’s Day, dark chocolate may just be the best option. This is because dark chocolates are loaded with flavonoids and disease-fighting antioxidants, which have been known to be beneficial in reducing blood pressure and lowering the risk of heart disease. However, make sure that they are natural and not processed with sugar and saturated fat. Healthy as it may sound, it is also important to remember that dark chocolate is high in calories and can still lead to weight gain. Hence, moderation is key.
The Bottom Line
When it comes to the heart, we normally relate it to love and romance, and that is exactly what Valentine’s Day is all about. While we put all the attention to the “heart” on this romantic day, we rarely stop to think about the condition of our real hearts. Make sure your heart is strong and healthy this Valentine’s day so that you get to celebrate this romantic day with your loved ones to the fullest. That said, the above-mentioned tips for a healthy Valentine's Day can be a great way to start you off toward a health journey, and also in ensuring for a healthier lifestyle thereafter.