Adieu cigarettes : Smoking is not contagious

Adieu cigarettes:
Smoking is not contagious
The sweetheart, mother, uncles and friends have the tobacco From sworn? Prima, then do you also
Young women and men

The rules Glimm constantly to abdicate, is apparently no individual decision, but is rather unconsciously in the herd instinct. The researchers have now of the Harvard Medical School in collaboration with the University of California at San Diego show. In its analysis of data from the Framingham Heart Study provided, the scientists have to Nicholas Christakis and James Fowler noted that abstinence attempts always within larger with each other directly or indirectly related groups emerge. Whether people to stop smoking, therefore, relies heavily whether family members, acquaintances or relatives also managed.

Synchronous smoke stop

"We have found that in large social networks of large groups of people who may not even know, all coincide with the smoking," says Christakis. The physicians and social scientists reconstructed with his fellow Californian social connections of around 12,000 people within the past 32 years.

Basis for the investigations was the Framhingham Heart Study, a long-term cardiovascular study, which is already in 1948 in Framingham, Massachusetts, was launched. Using data on changes in the family participants - such as birth, marriage, divorce and death - and information about friends, neighbours and work colleagues, the researchers succeeded the impact of abstinence experiments in the social groups to quantify.

Spouse play important role

The influence of spouses who have already successfully given up smoking, according to the scientists is the highest measure. Because if the A stop dropped the probability that the other weiterraucht to 67 percent. When friends and colleagues, the effect of 36 or 34 percent down.

If the friends to large numbers of active smokers, the chances are abstinent to be rather low, as friends of active smokers by 61 percent more likely to smoke themselves. Even friends of friends of a smoker go to the truck to 29 percent more often. Physical proximity plays in the social networks are no roles. For example, smoking or non-smoking neighbors have no influence on the decision to quit had. The example of friends and relatives effect but even if they live far away.


At the bottom of the social networks urged

Christakis and Fowler has also been a change in the composition of social groups observed. "If you back to the year 1971 looks are smokers and non-smokers alike in the centres of the networks to find," says Fowler. During the 1980s and 1990s were smokers but to the brink of social networks have been pushed. This exclusion by smoking may be considered by the researchers not only bad for the physical, but also for the social health. "In contrast to what we in the school may have thought, it seems that smoking is a very bad strategy in order to be popular," says Fowler.

Fit maker Fruit and Vegetables

Fit maker Fruit and Vegetables:

Five servings a day - so you go!
The more fruits and vegetables, the better for your health. Experts recommend at least five servings daily. How does it work in everyday life? Tips and recipes can be found here

Studies have shown who regularly greater quantities of fruit and vegetables eaten, reduces risk for cancer, diabetes, obesity or heart disease. Fruit and vegetables are rich in so-called secondary plant substances. The highly helpers to health in many ways. Known representatives are, for example, carotenoids in carrots, polyphenols in grapes, Sulfides in garlic, glucosinolates in cabbage or terpenes in citrus fruits.

To the best possible health effects, we should at least five daily servings of fruit and vegetables to eat. The nutrition experts recommend and leading health organizations like the American Society for Nutrition and the American Cancer Society. These are also members of the health campaign "5 a day", which is for a higher fruit and vegetable consumption committed.

It is also important for the varieties from to change. The more different secondary plant substances we take with us, the better the protective effect. But secondary plant substances are not the only maker Fit: Fruit and vegetables also provide valuable vitamins, minerals and fibre.

How much is a serving?

Five servings a day - that sounds complicated, but it is quite simple. Adults should daily total of about 600 grams of fruit and vegetables to eat, ideally to 3 servings of vegetables and 2 servings of fruit. That does not mean that the amount to five servings split. The decisive factors are the total of 600 grams. The practical measure of a serving is one's own hand: 5 servings = 5 times a "handful". Thus, each of the quantities it needs.

1 portion of fruit or vegetables is, for example:
-- 1 apple, 1 orange or 1 banana (1 handful of large, whole fruit)
-- 2 small hands full fruits such as berries, grapes
-- 1 handful of an crushed vegetables as 1 kohlrabi or fennel bulb, 1 large tomato
-- 2 hands full salad or crushed vegetables (Broccoli sprouts, Brussels sprouts)
-- 1 handful of dried legumes (lentils, beans)

A portion of fresh fruit, you can also times against 1 / 2 handful of (25 g) dried fruit exchange. In addition, a glass of fruit or vegetable juice - preferably freshly squeezed - one of the 5 servings replace. Also nuts in small quantities (1 / 2 handful of equivalent to about 25 g) may occasionally 1 portion cover.

Tips for every day

The first portion, you can easily with breakfast. Do you eat a cereal with 1 apple, 1 orange or 1 banana. Muesli muffel can also her favorite sandwich and enjoy a glass of orange juice supplement or 1 handful of fresh fruit to eat. Morning session covers a sandwich with 1 handful of Nibblers vegetables (carrot, cucumber slices, tomato) the second portion. You can lunch with crispy vegetables or salad again one to two servings. Simply doubling the portion of vegetables that you eat anyway. After lunch provides a further portion of fruit. Are you pure too boring, mix it with yogurt or curd. At night you have a salad, vegetable soup or a fresh Nibblers vegetables reached your target - without weighing and measuring. Do it simply, as much as possible to eat vegetables, as a supplement or main dish, but also as Nibblers raw vegetables or salad.

Make sure you have colorful variety. In winter, frozen vegetables also a valuable alternative to fresh vegetables. It is fine for quick vegetable dishes, soups, sauces and on raunds. Desserts such as milk or rice pancakes are great with fresh or frozen fruit operation.

Do something very quickly, are also ready meals. A lush occupied vegetable pizza or a vegetable dish from the freezer can also contributed to the daily ration vegetables.