FYI: This post also is running at WeAretheRealDeal.com.

February is just around the corner, and aside from being known as the month that includes Valentine’s Day, it is also American Heart Month.

As body image advocates, we know that when we take good care of our bodies – in particular, our hearts – we, in turn, feel good about ourselves. It’s a win-win scenario.

And while the topics discussed here at WeAretheRealDeal run the gamut from diet and weight loss to size acceptance, one thing I think we can all agree on is that we want every woman to feel good in her own skin.

With heart disease being the leading killer of American women – and knowing that one in three women in the United States suffers from heart disease, stroke or some other form of cardiovascular disease – heart health is clearly something we all need to take very seriously.

It’s also something we care very much about here at WeAretheRealDeal. After all, heart disease doesn’t discriminate.

That said, a great deal of heart disease prevention rests in our hands.

The more pro-active steps toward heart health that we take every day (eating well, exercising regularly, getting enough sleep), the lower our risk of heart disease.

So today, we’re asking you to take good care of your heart. Please join the American Heart Association’s “Today’s the Day” movement at http://www.todaysthedayistart.org/.

Become a fan of the AHA on Facebook and follow AHA on Twitter, where you’ll discover weight management, nutrition and fitness tips for keeping your ticker healthy; news, recipes, etc. Spread the word!

To quote my favorite songs, there is truly “No day but today …”

In the comments, please share your “Today’s the Day” pledge. What’s one thing you will do to live healthier today?

(Disclaimer: Though I am employed by an agency that works closely with the American Heart Association, I wrote this post completely voluntarily. Promoting heart health is something very important to me and, pardon the pun, close to my heart.)