SimplyMom: The Sweetest Gift

This Valentine’s Day, when other couples are exchanging chocolates and flowers, give your partner a more meaningful gift. Give the gift of good health.

“Often it’s the significant other who first notices a health concern,” says Marc Eisenberg MD, cardiologist at the Columbia University Medical Center Eastside in New York City. “People don’t notice changes in their own behavior or appearance as quickly as their partner might.”

Want to give your partner the gift of health this Valentine’s Day? Try these tips:

• Diagnose A Problem – be mindful of changes. If something concerns you – like Gary’s night breathing worried Toni – have your partner check it out. Encourage the regular check-ups, including mammograms. Call and make the appointment for your partner, if she claims to be too busy.
• Promise to “Go With” – don’t just set up an appointment – go with your partner. “It’s very important for a significant other to go along,” agrees Eisenberg. “The patient is usually too nervous to hear all that’s being said. A partner can listen as well, and they can compare notes after the appointment. The partner can also ask the questions a patient may forget, or those he’s too embarrassed to ask.”
• Be A Second Set of Eyes – after the check-up, review his results and look for red flags. Even when Senator John Kerry boasted about lower cholesterol level, wife Theresa wasn’t happy with what she saw on his prostrate cancer screen. She sent her husband back for additional blood work – and he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Thanks to his wife, his cancer was caught early enough for successful treatment.
• Encourage Healthy Lifestyles – volunteer to be your lover’s exercise buddy. Stock your kitchen with healthy foods, and push for activities that will keep you and your partner moving aerobically.
• Learn Life Saving Skills – since the two of you spend more time with each other than anyone else, you’ll probably be together when a health problem strikes. Be prepared by learning CPR, the Heimlich maneuver and other life-saving methods. Better yet, take classes together!
• Give Each Other The Eye – no, not just the “once over.” Couples should regularly examine each other for changes on the skin, which could indicate skin cancer. “Checks are really more effective when someone else does them for you,” says Erin Mulvey of The Skin Cancer Foundation. So check him out!
• Be A Stress Reducer – give each other a massage. Take a walk together and share happy memories. Or just share a warm bath in soft light.

And if you really want to tug on your partner’s heartstrings, learn the signs of heart failure. According to the Heart Failure Society of America, 4.6 million Americans are currently living with heart failure. Learn the signs and encourage your partner to develop heart-healthy habits, like quitting smoking, lowering sodium intake and seeing his doctor regularly. Take care of each other’s hearts – and they’ll be beating long after the flowers wilt and the chocolate is gone.

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