7 Ways to Focus on the Heart This Valentine's Day

Get Heart Smart!
As Valentine's Day rolls around, it's easy for students who aren't in relationships to feel left out. But you can help! Make this Feb. 14 about focusing on your hearts — those living, pumping mechanisms that keep us going when we treat them right — instead of flowers and stuffed animals. You and your student can start a Heart Smart challenge, whether you're communicating from afar or living in the same household. Some components of such a challenge could include:

• Both of you going to the doctor to get your heart health checked.
  
• Becoming aware of your resting heart rate.
  
• Committing to eating a heart healthy meal at least five times per week and then sharing recipes for and photos of those meals.
  
• Learning something new about cholesterol, nutrition, weight management and more on the American Heart Association site (www.heart.org) once a week that you can share via email or text.
  
• Sharing a goal that you'll walk or run a 5K in the late spring or early summer — and then getting into an exercise program that'll help you prepare! Talk about your fitness goals and accomplishments along the way.
  
• Tracking your heart health through the online Heart360 tool (www.heart360.org).
  
• Helping each other manage stress more effectively through online encouragement, de-stressing phone calls and taking walks when you're together.

This is just the tip of the healthy heart iceberg. Yet, if you and your student focus on getting heart healthy together this Valentine's season, the difference could be dramatic. It's the ultimate sign of love.