A Valentine’s message from the heart

Your heart beats around 100,000 times a day. With each beat, it pumps blood through a vast network of arteries and microscopic capillaries, delivering oxygen and nutrients to every organ in your body. It works tirelessly and usually without complaint, until something goes wrong.

As Valentine’s Day approaches, our GP Dr Vicky Carre shares why this is the perfect moment to show your heart a little love and take a moment to think about how you can protect it for the years ahead.

Keep an eye on your blood pressure

High blood pressure is one of the biggest threats to heart health and one of the most overlooked. This is because it rarely causes symptoms, so many people are unaware that they have it.

When blood pressure is high, the heart must work harder with every beat. Over time, this extra strain damages the heart muscle and accelerates wear and tear on blood vessels. This is particularly important in the delicate blood vessels of the kidneys, where high blood pressure can cause kidney damage, and in the brain, where it is linked to strokes and dementia.

The good news is that high blood pressure is both easy to detect and highly treatable. Regular checks are recommended, whether at your GP surgery or at home with a validated monitor. Lifestyle habits can make a real difference: regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, reducing salt intake, and minimising alcohol all help.

Sometimes help with medication is needed and, if this is the case, then blood pressure medication should be taken consistently each day. Needing medication is not a failure - it’s a practical way of safeguarding many aspects of your future health.

Protect your arteries with healthy habits

The heart muscle relies on its own blood supply through the coronary arteries. There are just two coronary arteries, each only around 3 mm wide—a precarious yet vital blood supply to the cardiac muscle. These arteries need to remain smooth, flexible, and open so that blood can flow freely.  A blocked coronary artery is what causes angina symptoms and ultimately a “heart attack”.

Over time, biological debris can build up in artery walls; these are known as atherosclerotic plaques. Cholesterol is a major component of these plaques. The first step in this process is inflammation in the blood vessel wall which damages the delicate lining, creating focal points for cholesterol build-up and plaque formation.

Inflammation is fuelled by factors such as toxins in cigarette smoke and raised blood sugars - this is why people with diabetes are at higher risk of heart disease.

Protecting the arteries means not smoking and keeping cholesterol and blood sugar levels within healthy ranges. An anti-inflammatory diet plays a crucial role. A high intake of antioxidants and omega-3 fats is key- so that means plenty of colourful vegetables and berries, fibre, whole grains, oats, nuts and seeds, and oily fish. Sugary drinks, refined carbohydrates, and ultra-processed foods should be avoided.

Workout, but also rest!

Your heart loves movement. It’s a muscle, and like any muscle, it becomes stronger and more efficient when it’s used. Exercise raises your heart rate, improves circulation, lowers blood pressure over time, helps control cholesterol levels, and regulates blood sugars. Current guidelines recommend cardiovascular exercise every day, with a minimum of 150 minutes of “moderate activity” or 75 minutes of “vigorous activity” across the week.

But the heart doesn’t just want to race - it also needs downtime. A healthy heart speeds up when needed and settles back down efficiently. This balance is controlled by the vagus nerve: the heart’s brake pedal.

Good “vagal tone” helps the heart adapt to life’s demands, lowering resting heart rate, stabilising rhythms, and improving stress resilience. You can support this balance in two ways. First, raise your heart rate regularly through activity - brisk walking, cycling, swimming, running, dancing - anything that leaves you mildly breathless. Secondly, allow your heart time for quality rest.

Prioritise good-quality sleep, slow breathing or meditation, quiet breaks during busy days, and gentle time outdoors. The rhythm of work followed by recovery is what enhances vagal tone and keeps the heart resilient.

Be careful with alcohol

Alcohol and the heart have a complicated relationship. Alcohol raises blood pressure, and can disrupt the heart rhythm, as well as worsening sleep quality, contributing to weight gain, and increasing stress. Atrial fibrillation, one of the most common heart rhythm disturbances, is strongly linked to alcohol use, even in otherwise healthy people.

Historically, red wine was thought to be protective for the heart, but later studies showed this belief was based on flawed data. While the antioxidants in red wine may be beneficial, their effects are cancelled out by the toxic effects of alcohol. You can obtain antioxidants in much healthier ways, such as through plant-based eating, drinking green tea or coffee (in moderation), and treating yourself to some dark chocolate. If you do choose to drink alcohol, keep within recommended limits, include alcohol-free days, and explore non-alcohol alternatives. For heart health, less alcohol is always better - there is no truly safe level.

Get checked regularly

Your heart deserves regular check-ups. Blood pressure checks and blood tests can identify problems early, often years before symptoms appear. In some cases, ECG screening can also be useful - a simple test that records your heart rhythm and can be done by a nurse at your GP surgery.

Your GP can help calculate your overall cardiovascular risk and guide preventative steps. If heart disease, stroke, diabetes, or high cholesterol runs in your family, particularly if relatives have had problems at younger ages, then these checks are especially important.

If you have concerns, don’t wait. Most heart disease is preventable, and early action saves lives.

This Valentine’s Day, listen to your heart and show it a little love. Book an appointment with your GP here.