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.
Disclaimer
The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
