News: Love is good for your heart

Looks like Valentine’s Day is full of all the elements that make for a healthy heart. Turns out, it’s not just red wine and dark chocolate that play a role in heart health – love also gives your cardiovascular system a boost.

In a press release from Vanderbilt University Medical Centre, cardiologist Julie Damp says  that being involved in a loving relationship has lots of health benefits.

While a lot of that has to do with the fact that people in healthy relationships are less likely to smoke and more likely to work out, there are a few other theories as well.

‘There is also a theory that people who are in loving relationships may experience neuro-hormonal changes that have positive effects on the body, including the cardiovascular system,’ she says.

So there you have it. Gather your loved one(s), a glass of wine and some good-quality dark chocolate tomorrow for a delicious, cozy and heart-healthy Valentine’s Day!

-Katharine Watts, associate web editor

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