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Top 10 Heart Healthy Valentine Gift Ideas
Valentine's Day is often referred to as a day for lovers, but many men
consider it a woman's holiday. As a result, in early February, panic begins to
set in. No man wants to ruin a Valentine's Day celebration for his girlfriend
or spouse.
 Chocolates: Opt for a small piece of plain dark, bittersweet
chocolate, rather than white chocolate, milk chocolate, or chocolate desserts
that have much less of the beneficial compounds known to help the
heart. You may
be surprised to find out that chocolate isn't as bad as once perceived. The
fat in chocolate, from cocoa butter, is comprised of equal amounts of oleic acid (a heart-healthy
monounsaturated fat also found in olive oil), stearic and palmitic acids.
Stearic and palmitic acids are forms of saturated fat.
Saturated fats are linked to increases in LDL-cholesterol and risk for
heart disease. Research indicates that stearic acid appears to have a neutral
effect on cholesterol, neither raising nor lowering it. Palmitic acid on the
other hand, does affect
cholesterol
levels but only comprises one-third of the
fat
calories in chocolate. If your sweetie can't eat sugar, you can still
deliver a sweet Valentines Day chocolate gift.
 Sports clothing and gears: Something from an online store
will make a great gift for the sports lover in your life. You can choose from
The Oregon Scientific PE830 SmartSync Pedometer which features a step
counter, total distance traveled, total calories burned, one-week daily
memory, daily target (step calorie & distance) count-down & estimated target
finish time for $34.40 only or a membership of a
health club. You can also gift an on-line
exercise program like the one offered by
Women Fitness.
 
Fruit gift basket: You can buy oranges, grapefruit, honeybells, and other
healthy citrus fruits fresh from the grove. Gift baskets with an assortment of
fruit also make a thoughtful and healthy gift this Valentine's Day.
Include a variety of fruits like, kiwi, banana, berries, Avocado and
vegetables in your diet to maximize the
heart health
benefits.
 Red Wine: They say a glass of red
wine a day is good
for the heart, so toast your love this Valentine's Day with a good-tasting
Shiraz. Red wine is a particularly rich source of
antioxidants flavonoid
phenolics, so many studies to uncover a cause for red wine's effects have
focused on its phenolic constituents, particularly resveratrol and the
flavonoids. Resveratrol, found in grape skins and seeds, increases HDL
cholesterol and prevent blood clotting. Flavonoids, on the other hand, exhibit
antioxidant properties helping prevent blood clots and plaques formation in
arteries. The 2003 vintage is rated 88 out of 100 points by xenophile Wilfred Wong.
  Seafood gift hamper: Women of child-bearing age and children under
12 can eat up to 12 ounces of seafood a week without worrying about getting
too much mercury, out of this, six ounces can be albacore tuna, and fish lower
in mercury are also good choices. In the study researchers from Harvard School
of Public Health found that even just eating 1 to 2 servings of fish a week
reduced the risk of death from heart disease by 36 percent, and overall death
by 17 percent. They say consuming 250 milligrams of omega-3 fatty acids a day
-- t he equivalent of 6 ounces a week of wild salmon or other oily fish
--
could prevent heart disease. This is a reason good enough to send Seafood in a
gift hamper, this valentine.
 Pocket UV-C Light Sanitizer-
This handy Light Sanitizer is
perfect for both home and travel use! Simply wave the wand over most objects
and surfaces and the germicidal Ultraviolet light will significantly reduce up
to 99% of germs, bacteria, viruses, fungi and molds in just seconds! Portable
size that is ideal for cell phones, laptops, door knobs, public bathroom
surfaces, toys, etc. Lightweight, compact handheld design is easy to operate.
Ideal for purse or coat pockets. Features an automatic safety shut-off switch.
Independent tests confirm that the Pocket UC-C Light Sanitizer helps reduce up
to 99% of germs and bacteria.
 Foot Spa Bag: Perfect for pampering achy
feet...after a long run or
a long day. The Foot Spa Bag features an assortment of comfort items,
including the Foot Wheel massager, Mission Foot Synergy Gel, and aloe-infused
Spa Sport socks.
  Nutritive charts: This has all the information
vegetarians and
vegans need to have balanced, delicious and
healthy diets. Great for anyone
interested in nutrition and health. Kids love it too!
 Books: Valentine's Day is a great time of year for buying new books
for your loved one, and it's also a good time for you to experiment with
different kinds of books for them. Whatever you do choose for your partner
this year, be sure to include a small inscription from yourself inside the
first few pages of the book you buy. This personalizes the gifts for your
significant other and ensures they will have something to remind themselves of
you and the time you spend together in years to come. Books with romantic
inscriptions inside them can become much loved possessions as a relationship
matures and evolves. Books could range from topics on health and fitness,
exercise, motivation, diet
and meal plans etc.
  Flowers: Red roses are the most popular color chosen during
Valentine's and other romantic holidays. The meaning of red roses makes them
an obvious choice when you want to communicate your true love, romantic love,
or even congratulations: the color symbolizes love, beauty, courage and
respect.
Carnations send a message that your love has your heart, as in "alas, my
heart is yours" while daisies can be sent to mean that "we feel the same" or
as a gesture of good cheer. A sprig of forget-me-nots can indicate true love
as well which explains why you often see their tiny white petals completing
a bouquet of flowers. Tulips mean perfect love and given the variety of
available colors, it is not surprising that each has a special meaning. Red
tulips mean pure love, purple is closely associated with royalty while
yellow tulips symbolize cheer and sunshine. Valentine's Day is a wonderful
excuse to not only send flowers to your sweetheart but to take some care in
choosing the most significant. The time you take to consider the meaning of
flowers, through the type and color, will take your message of love to a
higher level.
Note: Use Valentine's Day and February
heart health awareness month as an
opportunity to commit to getting outside and moving around for at least 30
minutes every day.
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