It is no coincidence that the theme of this month’s magazine is “Nurture the Heart.” It is February, the month of love. It is the time of year where heart shaped items of all kinds pop up in retail establishments, offices, home decor and in gifts given and received for Valentine’s Day. The heart represents love, and there is a lot of symbolism associated with the heart. Having a healthy heart can be the best way to express love, especially self-love.

The heart became recognized as the center for love in ancient Egypt where they believed the heart encompassed cognition, actions and emotions. The Greeks later associated intelligence and reason with the brain, yet they continued to believe that powerful emotions and feelings resided in the heart. They noted that during the onset of strong emotions, the heart rate increased and sometimes fluttered, cheeks reddened and energy ran throughout the body. We now know that intense emotions trigger the release of adrenaline into the bloodstream, leading to a range of physical responses. Strong emotions do affect the workings of the heart.

Defects and disease within the heart and blood vessels can cause major health issues or death. Unfortunately, cardiovascular disease is a widespread problem in the United States. According to the American Heart Association, half of U.S. adults—approximately 128 million individuals—are affected by some type of heart disease. These numbers are staggering and not a romantic topic for the month of love and affection. But in addition to symbolic hearts given out of love, it might be a good idea to ensure that the real heart is in good working order. 

A heart shaped box full of chocolates means more to someone than a standard rectangular box of candy. The heart has a special meaning. The heart is strong in both a literal and symbolic sense. The idea of “giving someone your heart” has its roots in centuries-old literature and poetry where people were offering the heart as a show of deep emotional commitment. 

No one wants to give a gift that is damaged or broken, and there are several effective methods to maintain heart health. Doctors have been saying for centuries that diet and exercise are the best way to keep healthy hearts pumping. But there is more to managing a healthy heart. If strong emotions affect the heart muscles, then having a way to sort through deep feelings is just as vital. 

Filipe Munõz, a founding partner at Empathic Practice in Pensacola, has witnessed how emotions can affect the heart. He says, “The best way to nurture the heart is to treat the whole—body, mind and spirit.” Strong feelings and emotions not only affect the physical body but can also affect the mind and spirit. When stress, anxiety and depression are present, the effects on the heart can be detrimental to health. Like love, these other emotions cause a physiological response in the body. Diet and exercise can help, but quieting the mind and practicing mindfulness and meditation can help the mind and spirit as well.

Meditation, shown to lower heart rate and high blood pressure, can counter the negative effects that some strong feelings cause and mindfulness is a form of meditation. Stopping for a moment, taking several deep cleansing breaths and being in the moment can be extremely beneficial to the body, mind and spirit. Using the senses can bring the mind into focus and see the now. By observing what is being seen, what is being heard, what is being felt and even tasted one can more easily arrive in the here and now and ease a troubled heart.

If the beating heart inside the body symbolizes love and emotion, it carries with it a sentiment which states, “I love you” or “Be mine.” These emotionalisms may come in a heart-shaped box of chocolates, a card decorated with beautiful red and pink hearts or a special heart-shaped diamond ring; the symbolism is that of giving love. The heart represents love. Before any symbolic heart is given out of love, looking at the health of one’s own heart is warranted. Perhaps the most profound act of love for others is to first cherish and protect one’s own heart enough to keep it healthy.

Jeffery Green is a staff writer specializing in heart matters.