For some, chocolate and wine can be the perfect gift for Valentine's Day. But cardiologists warn that consuming too much of both can be bad for the heart.
According to the Center for Disease Control, heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States.
And when it comes to chocolate and wine, cardiologists recommend both should be consumed in moderation.
For women, the limit of alcohol consumption should be one serving of alcohol per day or less than seven drinks per week.
For men, the limit of alcohol consumption should be up to two servings of alcohol per day or less than 15 servings per week.
One serving of alcohol is equivalent to 1.5 ounces, one shot of 80 proof liquor, 5 ounces of wine or a 12-ounce beer.
As for chocolate, Cardiologist William Kutchera with the Alaska Heart Institute said not all of it is bad for you.
"Dark chocolate does have some benefits. However, one must remember that one ounce of dark chocolate has approximately 170 calories," said Kutchera.
Dr. Kutchera recommends chocolates with 60 percent or higher of cocoa can decrease your chances of developing blood clots and it also has antioxidants which can help reduce the signs of aging.
While it may not sound like a typical Valentine's treat, vegetables and grains are what the doctor orders for a heart healthy holiday. But there's also room for some of the good stuff, too.
"A great Valentine's gift might be a serving of red wine, a serving of dark chocolate and then going to the (health) club," Dr. Kutchera recommends.
For those who find Valentine's day stressful, Dr. Kutcher warns that people who are under stress for whatever reason including heart break do have an increase of incidence of heart problems.
His solution to help mend that broken heart? To just be active.
"Exercise is what we recommend for people who have trouble sleeping and for people who struggle with depression," Dr. Kutcher said. "That's difficult to do when you're faced with those things. But overall that seems to release endorphins which are positive body signals which improve outlook."
For a healthy holiday heart, a cardiologist's advice is the same one you heard growing up -- avoid smoking, eat your veggies and go outside and play.
