February is Heart Month in Canada Your heart never takes a break. It works around the clock, beating more than 100,000 times a day, delivering oxygen and nutrients throughout your body. Looking after your heart helps keep it strong and healthy, keeping you going for years to come. Smoking takes a direct toll on the heart. It damages blood vessels, raises blood pressure, reduces oxygen in the blood, and increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. Over time, arteries harden and the heart must work harder to do its job. If you smoke, quitting is the most important thing you can do to improve your health and protect your heart. In Newfoundland and Labrador,