The photo was taken at Cubs' Camp in AZ when my husband, Dan, attended it in 1999.  He would tell you that it was one of the highlights of his life. Some of the points we have or will talk about - exercise, connections, relaxation - are embodied in this one experience.

This is the 3rd of the Healthy Heart posts to my blog.  The heart seems critically important because we know so many people who have heart issues.  I'm betting that you do too.

The previous heart posts were on:  fiber intake, eating nuts, including soy protein in your diet, exercising regularly, drinking green tea, meditation, eating fruits and especially veggies, eating less fat and choosing good fat, such as monounsaturated fat and omega 3's, handling your anger, using olive oil in your diet.  (Both posts were earlier in February.)

11.)  Connect!  Strong relationships - family, friends, community, God - reduce anxiety, fight depression.  Both of those factors increase your risk of a heart attack.  Each day connect with people, arrange to see them, build relationships.  This becomes even more important if one lives alone.

12.) Go fishing.  Saturated fat from meat clogs the arteries.  Fatty fish like salmon and anchovies give you omega 3's that help provide a steady heart rhythm.  Even one serving of fish a week can reduce your risk of
heart attack by 52%.  Try Shaklee's OmegaGuard.

13.)  Juice Up!   The folic acid in orange juice helps to lower your levels of homocysteine, which is a heart attack risk factor. On the other hand, grape juice contains many flavanoids and resveratrol.  These may help keep red blood cells from clumping together to form clots.  Think of adding B-Complex to your regimen.

14.  Have an occasional glass of wine.  Research tells us that 1 to 3 oz. of alcohol a day reduces your risk of a heart attack.  As long as you do not have a problem with alcohol or high blood pressure, you should be able to have one glass of wine per day. (If you are not sure you should do this, check with your doctor.) If you haven't yet tried the excellent Vivix Liqui-Gels or Liquid, it's a great way to get your resveratrol without the alcohol.

15.)  Add supplements.    Take a high-potency vitamin with antioxidants.  Research shows that regular multi-vitamin users may reduce their risk of heart disease by up to 24%.  Shaklee's Vitalizer has 30 strips of supplements.  It's available in 3 types:  women's, men's and gold (over 50).  Consider Vita-Lea or Vitalizer.

16.)  Be  true to yourself.  Stress can come from trying to be someone different from what you feel inside.  Once or twice a week, ask yourself if you feel that you are being who you want to be.  If your actions aren't true to who you are, try to get back on the path you are happy with.