Editorial

How's your heart? Take a test for Valentine's Day

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

It's that time of the year when those of us blessed with a "significant other" begin thinking about what to do for Valentine's Day.

Yes, chocolate, flowers and a meal at a nice restaurant are great, but making sure we are around to enjoy each other's company for years to come is even better.

The American Heart Association is making that point during February, persuading the president to proclaim February as "American Heart Month" every year since 1963.

By listing "Seven Keys to Heart Health," the folks at the Heart Association even do the Valentine's Day thinking for you, and if the first lady is to be believed, President Obama is taking their advice.

Michelle Obama recently announced that her husband has been smoke-free for a year, and if someone under his stress can do it, you can, too.

The other six points:

* Maintain a body mass index below 25. You can calculate yours here: http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/assessing/bmi/

* Get at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise each week.

* Meet at least four of these dietary recommendations: 41⁄2 cups of fruit and vegetables a day; two or more 3.5-ounce servings a week of fish; drink no more than 36 ounces of sugar-sweetened beverages a week; three or more 1-ounce servings of fiber-rich whole grains a day; less than 1,500 milligrams a day of salt.

* Total cholesterol of less than 200

* Blood pressure below 120/80

* Fasting blood glucose less than 100.

You can take a simple online test to find out how you are doing at http://mylifecheck.heart.org/. Take the test, and make the changes necessary for a healthier lifestyle.

We can't think of a better Valentine's Day present for someone we love.

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