Last week, love was in the air as Americans celebrated one of their favorite retail holidays of the year: Valentine’s Day.  But February 14th is not just a time of heart-shaped cards, candies and boxes of chocolates.  It is also a time of year to recommit ourselves to our heart health.

February is American Heart Month, and these helpful guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention can help you prevent heart disease:

Eat a healthy diet, Maintain a healthy weight, Exercise regularly, Monitor your blood pressure, Don't smoke, Limit alcohol use, Have your cholesterol checked, Manage your diabetes and Take your medicine.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and is a major cause of disability, but it is important to keep in mind that while there are risk factors that cannot be controlled, there are many that can.  So this February, let’s focus on prevention and protect your heart in the literal sense, too.