Matters of the Heart

One of my most memorable Valentine’s was Simba Nyashanu. 

I was in Grade 7 and he left an expensive heart shaped gift package in my desk during break-time.  I was the talk of that day and even got invited to sit with the cool girls at lunch. 

It has generally been downhill from there. 

Even with the occasionally disappointing Valentine Day's I've had over the years I'm still slightly obsessed with the concept!

Keep your expectations realistic

Jokes aside, there are some serious downfalls to this frenzy of February Fourteen. Dr Bill Cloke of PsychologyToday believes that although Valentine's Day is an opportunity to show appreciation to your loved one it can also ruin your relationship. "The commercialization of Valentine’s Day has given rise to great expectations and just as often great disappointments if the gift giving is not enough to meet our romantic fantasy." In other words, people often prioritize the gifts more than the giver of the gifts. Also there is so much expectations what with the romantic movies and novels people (often women) read and watch, that their mates are bound to fall short. Dr Cloke says, " It is not that gift giving is bad or that we should not give them but if we are making a connection between the size and cost of the gift with the quality of our love, we are creating an expectation that can cause a deep emotional rift in what may be an otherwise healthy relationship."
Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/how-valentines-day-can-ruin-your-relationship.html#ixzz1lbjZAL2U

On to something else; ever wonder why the heart is the organ of love? Well, Aristotle considered the heart to be the source of thought, reason and emotion and the Roman physician Galen considered the heart to be the seat of emotions. This idea has passed through the ages. We now have greater understanding of the function of the heart (along with all of the other organs of the body) but this idea has remained. So the colloquial 'I heart you' is here to stay!

And lastly, whilst we are talking about the heart, did you know that cardiovascular disease(CVD) is on the increase in developing countries, particularly on the African continent? According to WHO it is projected that in 2025 there will be 25 million deaths (stroke and heart attacks) per year due to CVD, 75% from developing countries! This is not surprising. In traditional Africa, the bigger and fatter you are, the richer and more prosperous you are. McDonalds and KFC are restaurants for the well-off. Fat babies are the healthiest. A potbelly is a sign of ‘good-living’. And men are expected to gain weight shortly after marriage to a 'good wife'.

Health promotion strategies need to refocus on behavioural change so that the thin line between healthy and obese are distinguished and a slim chief can be taken seriously too. CVD risk factors are preventable lifestlye choices namely smoking, exercise, alcohol and diet. You have the power to prevent it!

So, think about your heart this Valentine's, not just the lovey dovey stuff but your health too.

Happy Valentine's!