HEALTH chiefs have issued a plea for people to 'love their own heart' as the most romantic day of the year approaches.

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, bosses at NHS 24 want to highlight how a poor diet, lack of exercise and smoking lead to the deaths of hundreds of people across Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire each year.

The message from health experts is that following advice such as giving up smoking, cutting down on alcohol consumption, doing more exercise and eating healthily can mean the difference between life and death.

NHS 24's Medical Director, Professor George Crooks, said:

"With love in the air, what better time of year to think about your health and heart?

"We all know that heart disease can creep up on those who live an unhealthy lifestyles and our top tips aim to highlight the many ways in which an individual can protect their heart.

"February is often a great month to get active and stay fit. With the first glimpse of lighter days, it is the ideal time to look out those trainers and think about taking up walking or jogging.

"There's also a lot food wise, people can do to become healthier and it's important to raise awareness of the dangers of smoking and alcohol on ill health.

"We have a great resource when it comes to following these tips on our website NHS Inform. It has fantastic information and self-help tools on leading a healthy and fulfilling lifestyle."