As a first-year medical student, I vividly remember the day I held a real human heart in the cadaver lab. It was during our cardiology block, where we studied the intricate anatomy of this vital organ: the four chambers, the arteries branching off the aorta, and the coronary arteries.
For a moment, as I held that heart, I stopped focusing on the technicalities. I thought about the person whose heart it was. What was their story? What emotions had this heart carried? And, most importantly, what had they done during their life to take care of it?
That moment stayed with me. It reinforced my belief that each of us hold the health of our own hearts in our hands. Our daily choices – what we eat, how we move, and even how we manage stress – play a critical role in supporting our heart’s health and longevity.
And it matters. According to the Center for Disease Control, heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Beyond the numbers, the effects of a heart attack or stroke ripple through families and communities, profoundly changing lives.
As a naturopathic doctor, I help patients improve their health through natural, integrative approaches. While medications are sometimes necessary, I often emphasize simple lifestyle changes that empower people to take control of their well-being.
In honor of Valentine’s Day, let’s focus on three natural ways to care for your heart. Easy changes you can make today and sustain for a lifetime.
1. Move Your Body
Let’s be honest: the word exercise can feel overwhelming. It’s often tied to images of gyms, treadmills, or structured strength workouts. But your heart doesn’t care about where you move or how, it just wants you to move.
When your muscles work, they demand oxygen. Your heart responds by pumping more blood, and like any muscle, the more it works, the stronger it becomes.
Here are a few tips to make movement simple and enjoyable:
Anything counts. Vacuuming, gardening, walking the dog, or chasing your kids around the park … it all gets your heart pumping.
Find what you love. Whether it’s dancing, cycling, or pickleball, choose activities that make you excited to move.
Multitask. Walk while catching up on a podcast or listening to your favorite playlist.
Buddy up. Movement feels easier (dare I say more fun?) with a friend.
Start small. One study found that walking just 500 extra steps per day reduced the risk of heart attack or stroke by 14 percent. That’s about five minutes of walking.
2. Eat for Your Heart
If your heart could make your grocery list, it would look a lot like the menus in Sardinia, Italy, a Blue Zone where people live exceptionally long, healthy lives. Diets like the Mediterranean and DASH share common themes that are great for your heart:
Pile on the produce. The more colorful your fruits and veggies, the better.
Go easy on salt. Too much salt raises blood pressure, which puts extra strain on your heart.
Cut back on sugar. If we eat more sweets than our body needs, it stores it as fat, including triglycerides and cholesterol.
Choose whole grains. Fiber doesn’t just help digestion; it also reduces cholesterol absorption.
Embrace healthy fats. Olive oil, avocados, and nuts are full of unsaturated fats that protect your heart.
Heart-healthy eating doesn’t have to be complicated. Start by adding more plants to your plate, swapping out processed snacks, and cooking with heart-friendly oils.
3. Care for Your Emotional Heart
Our emotional and mental well-being is deeply connected to heart health. Stress, loneliness, and unresolved emotions can take a physical toll. This Valentine’s season, consider these ways to nurture your emotional heart:
Love more. True love isn’t about chocolates or roses. It’s about showing. Spend time, listening, and being present for those you care about.
Let go. Studies show that forgiveness lowers stress and blood pressure. Releasing grudges is good for your heart and soul.
Give back. Acts of kindness, big or small, bring joy to others and reduce stress for you.
Breathe deeply. Stress raises blood pressure and taxes your heart. Practice grounding yourself through mindful breathing or meditation.
Building a Foundation for Your Heart
You might have noticed I haven’t mentioned supplements. While they can be helpful, the real magic lies in building strong daily habits. Think of your health as a Lego structure. One brick doesn’t look like much, but thousands of small, consistent actions can create something remarkable.
Eating one healthy meal or going for one walk won’t transform your heart overnight, but doing it regularly over time will.
This Valentine’s season, as you see pink and red hearts everywhere, take a moment to reflect on your own. Show it some love through your choices, one small habit at a time. You might never hold a physical heart in your hands, but you hold the power to care for your own every day.
Dr. Michael Smith, ND is a licensed naturopathic doctor based in Missoula, Montana. To learn more about him and naturopathic medicine, visit www.drmichaelsmithnd.com. He serves patients all across Montana. You can find him at Natura Health and Wellness Clinic at www.natura.health.