Hearts everywhere are reminding us that February is the month dedicated to celebrating love and heart health.

NaturoMedica held their second “Girlfriends’ Talk” at the end of January, where more than 100 women joined the NaturoMedica doctors for an afternoon discussing many topics concerning women including hormone balancing, bone and digestive health, and the prevention of cardiovascular disease.

Many were surprised to learn that over 50 percent of heart attack victims and 80 percent of patients with heart disease have normal cholesterol levels.

Heart disease is the number one cause of death for men and women in the United States and protecting the heart clearly goes beyond simply treating high cholesterol.

More advanced testing is now available to help identify those at risk for cardiovascular disease that may have previously gone undetected.

How do you know if you should request further testing? Advanced Testing is recommended if you meet two of the following criteria:

• Men over 44, Women over 54

• Family history of heart disease

• History of high blood pressure

• Currently obese or overweight

• Elevated LDL or triglycerides

• Low HDL

• Inflammatory disease (arthritis or autoimmune disease)

• Smoking

• Sedentary lifestyle

There are easy ways to help keep a healthy heart. Here are some top heart healthy dietary supplements:

• Fish Oil: Rich in essential fatty acids, fish oil is one of the most popular and scientifically supported dietary supplements. These heart healthy fats help reduce inflammation and triglycerides, two well known risk factors for heart disease. The health benefits of fish oil go beyond the heart to support the nervous system, joints, mood and inflammatory diseases.

• CoQ10: This vitamin helps with energy production in every cell in the body. It is a potent antioxidant that protects cell damage and aging of the organs. CoQ10 is helpful for those with high blood pressure, irregular heart beats and congestive heart failure.

• L-carnitine & acetyl-L-carnitine: The amino acid delivers fuel to the cells especially the heart. This nutrient can be helpful for chronic fatigue and depression as well as those with a wide variety of cardiovascular conditions.

• D-Ribose:This sugar was first studied for endurance athletes who found it reduced muscle recovery time, pain, stiffness and fatigue.