HeartBeets

On Valentine’s Day this year, Mark and I exchanged cards as usual — sweet, simple, heartfelt. As we were laughing and reminiscing, we added it up and realized we’ve spent nearly 40 Valentine’s Days together.

That’s a lot of love… and a lot of heartbeats.

Once we recovered from the mild shock of that statistic (which, admittedly, aged us a few extra years in the process!), it got me thinking. If I want my heart to still flutter — just a little — when Mark walks into the room 35 years from now, I need to make sure I’m taking care of it today.

On average, the human heart beats about 36.8 million times per year. That means by the time you reach your late 50s, your heart has likely beaten over 2 billion times.

No other muscle in the body works 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for your entire lifetime. When I really sit with that number — 2 billion beats — it makes me pause. Am I giving this incredible muscle the attention it deserves?

As much as we love to focus on the emotional symbolism of the heart in February, we can’t ignore the physical reality. Heart disease remains the #1 killer in the United States. On average, over 900,000 people die from cardiovascular disease each year in the U.S. alone. That statistic is sobering. So while we’re celebrating love and connection, we also need to consider the physical health of our hearts — not just the emotional one.

As a personal trainer I know that like any muscle in the body, the heart needs to be challenged to stay strong. One of the most effective ways to do that is through consistent cardiovascular exercise. Aim for 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise. This could include brisk walking, cycling, swimming, dancing, or light jogging. If you can talk but not sing during your workout, you’re likely in the right zone. Consistency matters more than intensity. A daily walk truly adds up.

Lifting weights or using resistance bands 2–3 times per week supports blood sugar balance, lowers body fat, reduces blood pressure, and protects muscle as we age. A strong body supports a strong heart.

As your resident Juice Therapist, I can’t talk about heart health without mentioning beets. Beets are rich in natural nitrates, which help improve blood flow, lower blood pressure, and support circulation. They’re a simple, delicious way to show your heart some love — whether roasted, blended into smoothies, or enjoyed as fresh juice.

In my yoga classes this month, we’ve been centering around

the heart. With February recognized as American Heart Month, it felt especially meaningful. We’ve practiced chest opening, gentle backbends, breathwork focused on expansion, and letting go. Creating space around the heart — physically and energetically — invites love, compassion, joy, and equanimity. These qualities aren’t things we can force. But they are things we can practice.

The heart is both muscle and metaphor. It pumps life through our bodies every second of every day, and it also holds our capacity for connection, tenderness, and courage. If I want mine to continue beating strong — and occasionally fluttering — for decades to come, I need to move it, nourish it, rest it, and open it.

Nearly forty Valentine’s Days down. With intention and care, hopefully forty more to go

As a bonus, here is a juice recipe for Beautiful Beet Juice - make it fresh if you have a juicer at home, or order it from a juice bar!

Recipe

2 beets trimmed and scrubbed clean

1 lime (unpeeled just washed)

2"piece ginger

5 big carrots

1 apple

6 ribs celery

The beets are sweet, so you only need 1 apple, the lime cuts through the earthiness of the beets and gives a healthy dose of Vit C. Adding ginger gives you a great immunity boost and adds some zing! Give it a go and let me know what you think!