February is the month of love and American Heart Month. So why not celebrate both? By living a healthy lifestyle, you can help keep your blood pressure, cholesterol, and sugar at normal levels while also lowering your risk for heart disease and heart attack.

Take care of your sweetheart and your own heart by eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, including lots of leafy greens: they are rich in fiber which help lower your risk of heart disease.

This Valentine’s day, our recipe collection is focused on healthy and delicious recipes that your heart will love. Planning to make an intimate dinner for two or even a family friendly meal time this month? View our recipes here!

Pamper your sweetie with a heart-healthy gift or date and skip the chocolates. And be sure to keep the love going throughout the year by adopting a heart healthy lifestyle everyday.

Preventing Heart Disease: Additional Healthy Tips

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the U.S. according to the American Heart Association. Nearly 801,000 people in the U.S. died from heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases in 2013. That’s about one of every three deaths in America.

The association's hope is that people will become more aware of heart health and raise awareness of the risk factors through education.  

So how can you protect yourself? The AHA has identified seven health factors and lifestyle behaviors that support heart health. Known as ‘Life's Simple 7®’, these steps can help add years to your life and can greatly impact your lifespan by lowering your risk of heart disease. 

Even simple, small changes can make a big difference in living a healthier life. The American Heart Association also offers an online assessment tool called ‘My Life Check’ that gives an overall health score and offers tools to create your own personal action plan.

Visit www.MyLifeCheck.org to learn more.