Today, you can smell love in the air and there’s no denying it, it’s infective as ever! It’s hard not to get caught up with all the hustle and bustle of it. Whether you’re single or attached, you’ll certainly get the feeling that you need to join in the celebration and make someone feel loved today. Just this morning, my granddaughter who is currently living with me just arrived after spending the night at her cousin’s house holding a little heart-shaped balloon and a lone, red rose which I dearly suspect came from my own garden. She extended those chubby arms and in her 8-year old, high-pitched voice, shouted at the top of her lungs “Happy Valentine’s Day, Nana!” with a grin so big, it made my heart melt. I don’t know but little gestures like this, I appreciate more. I held back the tears because this kid might take it the wrong way, said thank you and I love you then kissed her cheeks.
These things made me think how important it is for me to stay alive longer, to be able to see them grow and build their own lives. I want to be there when they need me and knowing how they appreciate my being there for them is enough for me to go on, no matter how hard life can be. Since it’s a heart day, let’s direct our attention to that little muscle which has both medical and profound meaning, the human heart.
Now that I am old, I take an extra effort to take care of my heart as I see it getting vulnerable everyday. Of course, dying of an unexpected heart attack is not my idea of a stylish death so I am really conscious of getting my aging heart as healthy as can be.  Oftentimes, seniors tend to forget about their hearts, setting aside its needs, until they experience usual heart problems such as chest pains and palpitations. Problem is, when you reach this point, it is usually too late as the heart disease already progressed into something more damaging—and yes, life threatening too. As much as possible, make it a habit to care for your heart and never wait for the worst to come. Here are some easy ways to take care of your heart:
·    Do cardiovascular exercises. When you do these exercises, make sure you clearly know where your intention lies. Cardio is done for many reasons; some go for it to lose weight while others do cardio to tone their legs. Yours should be moderate cardio exercises that will just keep your heart beating adequately. No need to stress your heart, just give it its much needed exercise.
·    Go for high-fiber, low-cholesterol diet as it is the most heart-friendly diet. Make it a point to eat oats in the morning as it lowers cholesterol.
·    It was found out that lack of sleep causes calcium buildup in the arteries of the heart which leads to heart attack and stroke. If you love your heart, get enough rest and sleep. Read report here:  Lack of Sleep Linked to Heart Problems
·    Avoid stress as much as possible. Stress triggers hormonal reactions vaguely understandable by the body thus it fires up signals for which the heart takes the direct stress. As you get older, you must learn how to manage stress in your own ways.
·    Take supplements prescribed by your doctors. Your supplements should consist of Omega-3, antioxidants, and B-vitamins.