Hearts & High Heels: Why Strong Women Need Strong Hearts 

Thrive with Dr. Torri: Tips for a Healthier You | February 2026

February is known for celebrating love. Flowers, reservations, thoughtful gestures. All of it has its place. But there is another kind of love that rarely gets the spotlight, the love we show ourselves. 

Most women I know are very good at holding everything together. We juggle careers, families, friendships, and responsibilities, often without slowing down. We get dressed, show up, and keep moving. From the outside, it looks like confidence. From the inside, it can feel like quiet exhaustion. 

Through it all, your heart is working harder than you realize. Heart health is not something that suddenly matters one day. It is shaped by daily choices, how we manage stress, how well we sleep, how we eat, and how often we ignore what our bodies are trying to tell us. Chronic stress alone can raise blood pressure, disrupt hormones, and increase inflammation long before anything feels “wrong.” 

Being strong does not make us immune. If anything, it can make us better at pushing past warning signs. 

Sleep is one of the first things to be sacrificed and one of the most important. When sleep is consistently cut short, energy dips, focus fades, and the heart is forced to work harder. Add long days, mental load, and little recovery, and the body stays in a constant state of catch-up.

Movement helps, not the punishing kind, but the consistent kind. Walking, strength training, stretching, or anything that keeps your body moving regularly and feels sustainable. Consistency supports circulation, heart function, and stress regulation far more than intensity ever will. 

Food matters too, not in a rigid or perfectionistic way, but in a supportive one. Real food, adequate protein, healthy fats, and hydration give your heart what it needs to function well. This is about nourishment, not restriction. 

Then there is stress, the kind we normalize and carry quietly. Setting boundaries, asking for help, and protecting your energy are not indulgent choices. They are protective ones. Caring for your heart is practical. It is wise. It changes how you show up in your life. 

This February, alongside the roses and romance, make room for a different kind of love. Wear the heels if you love them. Celebrate the people who matter and take care of the heart that carries you through it all. 

Dr. Torri Gambacorta 
ANY LAB TEST NOW | Phone: 843.353.0800 | Fax: 843.353.0799 TGambacorta@anylabtestnow.comwww.anylabtestnow.com/Myrtle_Beach_SC

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