SUSAN SAYS: Enjoy February's trimmings

Early February has been marked with its usual changeable weather. We’ve had a couple of pretty good rains, which we’ve appreciated, and a light snowfall last Tuesday night. The snow was beautiful but temperatures were warm enough that it soon melted.

When we have bad weather in late February and beyond we’re tempted to blame the old groundhog, but reports this year indicated he didn’t see his shadow and we’re in for an early spring. Of course, there’s no scientific basis for that Groundhog Day weather predicting, but it’s often true that a sunny February is followed by a cold, wet spring.

Valentine’s Day, “the holiday of the heart,” came and went with its usual emphasis on treating your loved one. Lots of guys are convinced that all the hoopla is just drummed up by florists, jewelers and greeting card manufacturers to sell more wares.

One man, married for nearly 30 years, feels it’s much more important to show you love her in little ways, every day. Doing the dishes (or the laundry, as my husband does), cleaning up after oneself and an occasional dinner out are biggies.

Making a big fuss can backfire, he says. “One year I bought her an $80 bouquet and she yelled at me for wasting all that money.”

Stephen Fried, author of the Ladies’ Home Journal “Heart of a Husband” column, wrote almost a decade ago that he felt one of the best things about Valentine’s Day is that it makes people reconsider the importance of romance in marriage.

“There’s nothing wrong with a spouse being reminded how miserable life can be without love,” he says.

While most men aren’t vocal about it, love is still what they want from marriage. And neither flowers nor candy nor sexy underwear is a substitute for love. Fried’s wife, Diane, says she hears women gripe that the biggest thing missing from their marriages is kissing. So he concludes the best Valentine’s gift is to go home, give your spouse a big kiss and just treat her wonderful every day.

President’s Day, our big Monday holiday this week, now celebrates the birthdays of two of our most famous presidents. Abe Lincoln was actually born on the 12th and George Washington on the 22nd.

One writer suggested February is a good month to visit a science museum or planetarium, and mid-month is an excellent time. Feb. 15 was Galileo’s 449th birthday, and the planet Pluto was discovered on Feb. 18, 1930.

Jim, who once entertained ideas of being an astrophysicist, would probably enjoy that. Or, he might just want to celebrate by digging into a big bowl of popcorn on Feb. 22, the day that popular treat was introduced in the United States.

Another event celebrated in February is National Heart Health Month. Married or single, everyone should be good to themselves by trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Heart disease is a significant risk for both sexes and the No. 1 killer of women. Sometimes simple changes can be important.

Research shows that, by eating diets rich in fruits and vegetables and low in fat and cholesterol, quitting smoking, maintaining healthy body weights and exercising 30 minutes a day, a significant amount of heart disease could be prevented.

Some risk factors for heart disease, such as getting older or having a family history of the illness, can’t be prevented; but everyone can monitor their diet and exercise levels. According to the National Institutes of Health, women whose waists measure more than 35 inches and men whose waists are more than 40 inches are more likely to be at risk for heart disease than their more trim counterparts. Many recommend the Mediterranean Diet, which emphasizes fresh fruits and vegetables, fish, whole grains and monounsaturated fats such as olive oil. One European study showed that after only four years on this diet, people who had suffered a heart attack reduced their risk of dying by 55 percent and their risk of recurrent heart disease by 50 to 70 percent.

Susan Holland, who works for the Westside Eagle Observer, is a lifelong Benton County resident. She can be contacted at [email protected].

Opinion, Pages 4 on 02/20/2013