It's Valentine's Day, a day when you will steal hearts, win hearts or break hearts.

The heart is commonly used as a symbol of love. But it plays a bigger role than expressing human emotions. Do you really know what your heart is and how it works? If not, we'll help you get to the "heart" of the matter.

Your heart is a muscle located almost in the center of your chest that works as a pump to move blood throughout your body. It works hard to make sure you stay healthy. It beats about 72 times each minute and about 100,000 times each day.

It plays a major role in your body so it is important to keep it working properly. So what can you do to make sure it stays healthy? We asked Dr. Bonny Bardhan, a Monroe pediatrician at the medical practice of Dr. A. Choudhury in Monroe. She talks to kids all the time about the importance of a healthy heart.

No matter how old you are, it's important to treat your heart with care by exercising and eating right. She suggests you take part in cardiovascular activities, which is a form of exercise that increases your heart rate and burns calories. That could be running, walking, jumping rope or playing basketball.

"Children need to do more activities. Too many kids are watching television or playing videos games or computer games," she said. "I know it's harder in the winter to get out and exercise but you still could go to the YMCA and get some exercise."

She also recommends eating better. Foods with sugar, cholesterol and fat are not good for your heart.

"It's not so much about going on a diet. It's about making the right choices when you eat," she explained. "Cut back on pop, Kool-Aid and juices with a lot of sugar. Water and milk are just fine. Fruits and vegetables are good for the heart."

She suggests packing a lunch for school instead of eating from the cafeteria.

"Some of the foods in the cafeteria are high in cholesterol. Pack a lunch with fruits and vegetables," she said.

Lack of exercise and good nutrition could lead to health problems down the road. Your heart can get sick with disease or high blood pressure. It also can result in obesity over time.

"Obesity is becoming a big problem. When I see children who are overweight, I counsel them on proper nutrition and exercise," Dr. Bardhan said. "When you're overweight, it makes the heart work harder than it has to and it can lead to diabetes, arthritis and high blood pressure."