How to Love Your Heart This February: Celebrating Heart Health Month and the Month of Love

Funmi Akinola (Msc, Anutr) Healthy Heart Feb 14, 2025

How to Love Your Heart This February: Celebrating Heart Health Month and the Month of Love

February marks both Heart Health Month and Valentine’s Day, a time to celebrate love in all its forms. In this spirit, we’re sharing an article on how to show your heart some love in a holistic way.

When it comes to heart health, it can often feel like we’re bombarded with conflicting advice—eggs are bad, eggs are good; fat is the enemy, fat is essential. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by the latest trends and recommendations, you’re not alone. It’s enough to make you question what’s truly best for your heart.

The good news? Heart health doesn’t have to be complicated or stressful. It’s not about rigid diets or drastic measures. The key to long-term heart health lies in simple, sustainable habits that nourish both your body and soul.

In this article, we’ll explore the science behind heart disease and offer practical ways to protect your heart, without the pressure of achieving a “perfect” diet or exercise routine.

Understanding Heart Disease: The Science

Before diving into the practical steps, it’s helpful to understand what’s going on inside your body when it comes to heart health.

At the most basic level, heart disease happens when your blood vessels become damaged or clogged. This can result in atherosclerosis (narrowing of the arteries), high blood pressure, or other issues that make it harder for your heart to pump blood effectively. Over time, this strain on your heart can lead to serious problems, like heart attacks, strokes, or heart failure.

Here’s the thing: While there are factors beyond our control when it comes to heart health, like hereditary conditions such as familial hypercholesterolemia, there’s also a lot we can do to reduce the risk factors that contribute to heart disease. Diet, activity level, stress, and sleep habits all play a significant role in either protecting or harming your heart. The choices you make today can have a lasting impact on your heart health in the future.

Two of the most important factors to consider are inflammation and oxidative stress. Chronic inflammation can damage your blood vessels, increasing your risk of heart disease. Oxidative stress, which occurs when free radicals (unstable molecules) accumulate in the body and damage cells, including those in your blood vessels, is another key contributor. The good news is, nutrition and lifestyle choices can play a major role in reducing both inflammation and oxidative stress.

Loving Practices for a Healthy Heart

The great news is that heart health doesn’t require major sacrifices. In fact, by making small, consistent changes to your diet and lifestyle, you can significantly reduce your risk of heart disease. Let’s break down some easy steps that will help keep your heart healthy for years to come.

Prioritise Healthy Fats

Let’s clear this up right away: fat is not the enemy. In fact, the right types of fat are essential for heart health. What really matters is the type of fat you're consuming. Unsaturated fats, particularly omega-3 fatty acids found in fish and monounsaturated fats, have been shown to reduce inflammation, and support heart function.

Rather than eliminating fats altogether, focus on prioritising heart-healthy fats in the diet.Here are a few simple ways to incorporate these fats into your diet:

Use extra virgin olive oil as your primary cooking oil.
Snack on nuts and seeds like almonds, walnuts, and chia seeds.
Add avocado to meals for a boost of monounsaturated fats.
Include oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, and sardines in your diet 2-3 times a week to reap the benefits of heart-boosting omega-3s. If you don’t consume fish, consider an omega-3 supplement.

Eat the Rainbow

One of the best things you can do for your heart is to eat a variety of colourful fruits and vegetables. The different colours in plant foods are a sign of different nutrients, all working together to protect your heart.

Leafy greens (spinach, kale, Swiss chard) are rich in nitrates, which help relax and dilate your blood vessels, improving blood flow.
Red and orange vegetables (like peppers, carrots, and tomatoes) are loaded with antioxidants that fight oxidative stress, which can damage your heart over time.
Berries are packed with anthocyanins, compounds that help reduce the risk of heart disease, while cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts) contain anti-inflammatory compounds that support cardiovascular health.

Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables not only boosts heart health, but it also ensures you’re getting a wide range of vitamins and minerals that work in harmony to support your body.

Load up on Antioxidants

Antioxidants are compounds that help neutralise harmful free radicals in the body, preventing them from causing damage to cells and tissues. For cardiovascular health, antioxidants play a significant role in reducing the oxidation of LDL cholesterol, a key contributor to plaque buildup in arteries.

Vitamin E, found in nuts, seeds, and green leafy vegetables, is one of the most studied antioxidants for heart health. It helps in preventing the oxidation of LDL cholesterol, which is crucial in the development of atherosclerosis.

A diet rich in fruits, vegetables and green tea, which naturally contain a wide variety of antioxidants, has been shown to significantly reduce the risk of heart disease. However, supplementation with antioxidants does not have the same protective effects, suggesting that whole foods, which contain fibre and other nutrients, work synergistically to support heart health.

Fibre: Your Heart’s Best Friend

Fibre is one of the most important nutrients for heart health, and the key to its benefits lies in soluble fibre. Soluble fibre is especially effective at lowering cholesterol levels. It works by binding with cholesterol in the digestive tract, forming a gel-like substance that helps prevent cholesterol from being absorbed into the bloodstream. This reduces LDL (the "bad" cholesterol) levels, which can contribute to plaque build-up in the arteries.

Soluble fibre is found in foods such as:

Oats and barley (ideal for breakfast cereals or as an addition to soups and stews).
Beans, lentils, and chickpeas (great for salads, soups, or dips like hummus).
Fruits such as apples, pears, and berries (perfect for smoothies, snacks, or desserts).
Vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes, and Brussels sprouts.

To improve heart health, swap refined grains (such as white bread and pasta) for whole grains. Foods high in soluble fibre, like oats and beans, slow digestion, stabilise blood sugar, and help lower cholesterol, further promoting a healthy heart.

Be Mindful of Salt

Excess salt is a major contributor to high blood pressure, a key risk factor for heart disease. But cutting back on salt doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice flavor! You can still season your meals with fresh herbs, spices, and citrus instead of relying on salt.

Use herbs like basil, oregano, and thyme to add depth to your dishes.
Try adding a squeeze of lemon or lime to brighten up meals without adding sodium.
Read food labels and choose low-sodium versions of packaged items.
Opt for home-cooked meals instead of processed foods, which often contain hidden sodium.

In addition to reducing salt, incorporating foods rich in magnesium, calcium, and potassium can help balance the effects of sodium and support healthy blood pressure. Foods like leafy greens, bananas, avocados, and dairy products can provide these essential nutrients, helping to keep your blood pressure in check and your heart healthy.

Keep Blood Sugar Stable

Blood sugar spikes and crashes can put unnecessary stress on your heart and worsen insulin resistance in those already affected by the condition. To keep your blood sugar in check, focus on balanced meals that include complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, and protein.

Choose whole grains like oats, quinoa, and brown rice over refined grains.
Include fiber-rich foods in every meal, such as beans, vegetables, and whole grains, to slow sugar absorption and promote stable blood sugar.
Avoid sugary drinks and processed foods that can cause rapid blood sugar spikes.

Maintaining stable blood sugar levels not only helps reduce inflammation but also prevents damage to your blood vessels, ultimately protecting your heart. By making mindful choices around blood sugar control, you can support both your heart health and manage insulin resistance more effectively.

Here’s another tip: dress up your “naked” carbs! White rice, white pasta, or white bread can cause rapid blood sugar spikes on their own, but when you pair them with protein, colorful fruits and veggies, fiber-rich foods, and healthy fats, you slow down the release of sugar into your bloodstream.

The Mediterranean Diet: A Heart-Healthy Approach

One of the most researched and praised eating patterns for heart health is the Mediterranean diet. It’s full of healthy fats (like those found in olive oil and fatty fish), a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes, and it’s low in processed foods and red meat.

Studies have shown that this diet can reduce cholesterol, improve blood vessel function, and lower inflammation, all of which protect your heart.

Putting It All Together

So, how do you turn these heart-healthy habits into a daily routine? Here’s an easy framework to help you build a heart-healthy plate that you can apply to breakfast, lunch and dinner:

Half your plate with vegetables—the more variety, the better!
Include a quality protein source, such as beans, fish, or tofu.
Add healthy fats, like olive oil, avocado, or nuts.
Choose complex carbs, like whole grains or starchy vegetables.

Start small and build from there. Focus on one or two changes to begin with, and let the rest follow. Over time, these small, consistent steps will add up to big improvements in your heart health.

Beyond Nutrition

Staying hydrated is vital for heart health. Water supports nearly every bodily function, including blood circulation, and dehydration can force your heart to work harder than necessary. To stay on top of hydration, keep a water bottle nearby, infuse your water with refreshing ingredients like lemon or cucumber, and opt for herbal teas or sparkling water over sugary drinks. Proper hydration ensures your heart is functioning efficiently and supports healthy blood circulation.

Incorporating regular exercise is just as crucial for your heart. Exercise helps lower blood pressure, increase HDL (the "good" cholesterol), and improve overall cardiovascular health. The key is consistent movement that you enjoy and simple activities like walking for 30 minutes a day, taking the stairs, or engaging in activities like dancing or gardening can make a big difference too. Along with staying active, it’s essential to manage stress effectively. Chronic stress can negatively impact your heart, raising blood pressure and increasing stress hormones. Mindfulness practices, deep-breathing exercises, and engaging in hobbies you enjoy can help keep stress in check and protect your heart in the long run.

In Conclusion

This Heart Health Month, why not celebrate by making small, sustainable changes that will benefit your heart for years to come? Heart health doesn’t require drastic overhauls or rigid rules—it's about creating lasting habits that support your well-being. By prioritising heart-healthy fats, filling your plate with colourful fruits and vegetables, and focusing on balanced meals, you’re building a strong foundation for a healthy heart. And, just like any relationship, taking care of your heart involves a holistic approach, incorporating hydration, regular movement, and stress management into your daily routine. This Valentine's Day, show your heart some love by committing to habits that will keep it happy and healthy.

How will you show your heart love this month?

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Funmi

Funmi is a registered Associate Nutritionist (ANutr) with the Association for Nutrition (AfN). She is passionate about helping people improve their relationship with food, enjoy movement, and find a sustainable approach to healthy living through her virtual practice, Pattern Nutrition. A foodie herself, Funmi loves supporting others in creating a balanced, tasty lifestyle without the side of diet culture.