People who start smoking before the age of 20 tend to become more dependent and have a harder time quitting. The researchers involved in the study are therefore emphatically calling for the legal minimum age for cigarette purchases to be raised.

The new study, presented at the European Heart Association meeting in Amsterdam, shows that out of 1,382 smokers, 556 started before the age of 20 and 826 smokers later. With 25 cigarettes per day, the “early starters” not only smoked more cigarettes (compared to 22 cigarettes for later smokers), but also performed worse in the addiction test (7.4 vs. 6.3 points). Only 46 percent of those who started smoking early were able to quit, compared to 56 percent of those who started smoking in their 20s. That means their chances of quitting smoking are reduced by about 30 percent.

In 2020, more than one in five people worldwide consumed tobacco, with serious health consequences: smokers are five times more likely to develop cardiovascular diseases before the age of 50 than non-smokers. It is estimated that almost nine out of ten adults who smoke daily started before the age of 18. dr Koji Hasegawa of the Kyoto Medical Center therefore concluded: "Increasing the leaf purchase age to 22 years or older may lead to a reduction in the number of nicotine dependent individuals at risk of adverse health effects."

Whether women or men become parents depends on many social, cultural and political factors. But that's not all: personality also has a decisive influence on whether and how many children one decides to have – albeit somewhat differently for women and men.
 
The decision to have a child can limit self-realization and personal freedom, values that are very important today. Steffen Peters from the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research examined how the five most important personality traits of empathy, conscientiousness, extraversion, neuroticism and openness influence this individual decision.
 

He found that empathy is linked to the likelihood of having a child. Conscientiousness and neuroticism, on the other hand, had no effect. For women, extroversion was also unrelated to the number of children, but it was different for men: extroverted men were more likely to have one child but less likely to have another.
 

Peters suggests that while extroverts may find it easier to find a partner because they are extroverts, they may feel restricted and isolated by having a child, making them unwilling to have another child. In addition, the personality can change with the birth of a child, which is a decisive event in life. She suspects that the second child will have less of an impact on personality since the routines were already established in the previous parenting.

Quelle: Demografische Forschung aus erster Hand 2/23

Some short, vigorous activity during the day can lower the risk of cancer. It took a total of 4.5 minutes, says the Australian research team in the journal JAMA Oncology. The team tracked 22,398 "non-athletes" for nearly seven years. During this period, 2,356 cancer diagnoses were made. People who spent at least 3.5 minutes a day without physical activity had an 18% lower risk of developing cancer than those who did not engage in any strenuous activity. After 4.5 minutes, the risk was 32% lower.
 
In the case of activity-related cancers in particular, the following applies: the more, the better. However, the biggest advantage compared to physical training is four to five minutes a day. This may include activities such as strenuous household chores, carrying groceries, brisk walking, or physical activity with children of up to one minute.
 
 “Surprisingly, short periods of vigorous physical activity in daily life were associated with a 32 percent reduction in cancer risk. Professor Emmanuel Stamatakis from the Charles Perkins Center in Sydney explains. This effect is explained by the fact that short-term high-intensity training rapidly improves cardiovascular and respiratory problems and has a positive effect on insulin sensitivity and chronic inflammation.

Quelle: DOI 10.1001/jamaoncol.2023.1830

The number of calories in a bowl of oatmeal with milk and 5 heaping tablespoons of sugar depends on the exact amounts of the ingredients. However, I can give you a rough estimate.

Oatmeal: The average amount of oatmeal in a plate can be around 40 to 50 grams, which equates to around 150 to 200 calories, depending on the brand and type of oatmeal.

Milk: About 150ml of milk is typically used for a bowl of oatmeal. The amount of calories depends on the fat level of the milk. For example, whole milk has about 150 calories per 150ml, while skim milk has about 90 calories per 150ml.

Sugar: A heaping tablespoon of sugar contains about 12 to 15 grams of sugar, which is about 45 to 60 calories. If you use 5 heaping tablespoons of sugar, it would be about 225 to 300 calories from just the sugar.

In summary, the approximate amount of calories for a plate of oatmeal with milk and 5 heaped tablespoons of sugar is:

Oatmeal: 150-200 calories Milk: 90-150 calories Sugar: 225-300 calories The total calories are therefore around 465 to 650 calories. Note that this is only a rough estimate and actual calories may vary depending on the brand and amount of ingredients. If you want more specific information, I recommend checking the nutritional information on the packaging of the products you use.

By the age of 75, every second person had or is suffering from at least one mental illness. This is shown by data from more than 150,000 adults from 29 countries. Professor John McGrath of the University of Queensland said: "The most common were mood disorders such as major depression or anxiety. However, we found that there is a gender difference in risk for certain mental disorders.”

The three most common mental disorders in women were depression, anxiety disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder, while alcoholism, depression and anxiety disorders were the most common in men. In addition, a study in the journal "The Lancet Psychiatry" shows that mental disorders usually appear in childhood, adolescence or young adulthood: "The highest age at onset was 15 years, the average age for men and women onset was 19 years." 20 years for women,” McGrath explained.

He believes more investment in basic neuroscience research is needed to understand what causes these disorders. Mental health also needs to be improved, with a particular focus on young people, his colleague Professor Ronald Kessler of Harvard Medical School added: "By understanding the age at which these disorders are most prevalent, we can design public health interventions." Shaping health so that they adapt and direct resources.” . adequate and timely support for risk groups.

Quelle: DOI 10.1016/S2215-0366(23)00193-1

The symptoms are similar to those of pregnancy: you don't have a period, your stomach is round and you can even feel sick in the morning.

When signs of pregnancy appear even though the baby is not growing in the womb, it is called a false pregnancy. Symptoms vary depending on the sufferer and may include breast tenderness or mood swings. How it can be and what happens in the body during a false pregnancy.

The legalization of cannabis appears to result in higher rates of cannabis poisoning. Children in particular are at higher risk, reports a research team in the journal Addiction.

The review brings together the results of 30 studies that collectively show an overall increase in intoxications following cannabis legalization or decriminalization. In studies looking at the medical use of cannabis, the risk of poisoning was higher than in studies looking at recreational use. However, studies that did not show an overall increase in poisoning often revealed a higher risk in analyzes of subgroups, e.g. B. in children or in people who have been admitted to the intensive care unit.

dr Rose Cairns from the University of Sydney summarized: “Although the results of the studies are quite mixed, almost all point to an increase in cannabis poisoning after a change in cannabis laws.” It is likely that legalization will increase cannabis use, leading to an increase in poisoning. Maybe more people are thinking: If it's legal, it must be safe.

Cairns further stated: “The increasing use of edibles such as jelly beans and chocolate containing cannabis appears to be an important factor in the increase in cases of poisoning, particularly among children. The effects of edible cannabis come later than smoking. This leads to a higher risk of poisoning as people tend to consume larger amounts. This is worrying because such edibles are particularly appealing to children.”

Cannabis intoxication causes lethargy, drowsiness, dizziness, high blood pressure, palpitations, increased heart rate, nausea, vomiting, irritability, restlessness, coma, and central nervous system slowdown. In children, the risk of severe poisoning up to and including coma and severe effects on the nervous and cardiovascular systems is particularly high.

Quelle: DOI 10.1111/add.16280

A specially developed virtual reality application allows you to see people with anorexia of different weights. This can reduce their fear of gaining weight and help them overcome the disease.
 
During four 30-minute sessions, 24 patients being treated for anorexia nervosa were able to use the app to see what their physical appearance would be like if they were at a healthy weight. This triggered a great deal of tension in many people, which developed in different ways: almost half felt a high level of tension at first, but this soon subsided. The third was initially only a slightly restless sight, which then increased. Others did not find the sight of the altered body images uncomfortable at all. The app was developed by a research team from the University Hospital in Tübingen and the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems.
 
Some patients felt anxious, but after four sessions it seemed to get better. "Interestingly, almost all of the patients reported that they found the virtual presentation very useful for their personal recovery," said Dr. Simone Behrens, who published the results with the team in the journal Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics.
 
The virtual application is deliberately designed to be portable and ready to use in minutes. The team created digital body models from several thousand body scans, which can be individually adapted depending on the patient's height and weight. Care has been taken to accurately reproduce the natural proportions to make the image as realistic as possible.

Quellen: DOI 10.1159/000530932 und youtube https://youtu.be/zJTvkctl3Js

A subset of people with newly diagnosed depression respond less well to conventional medication. These can apparently be detected through a combination of behavioral testing and fMRI scans. Can the long and painful search for a suitable therapy be shortened in the future?

Antidepressants help many people with depression — but not all. For example, one in three people affected could belong to a newly discovered subgroup of people with depression for whom antidepressants are less effective and therefore may need other treatment options. Out of control, and easily distracted
This group of patients had difficulty planning ahead, exercising self-control, and suppressing inappropriate behavior on behavioral tests. Overall, their cognitive response was slowed. They also had trouble concentrating, even when distracted.

Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD for short, has long since outgrown its infancy. But regardless of whether you grew up with it or only received the diagnosis as an adult: the therapy is always based on several pillars.
 
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD for short, has long since outgrown its infancy. But regardless of whether you grew up with it or only received the diagnosis as an adult: the therapy is always based on several pillars.

Live autonomously, die autonomously – that is the main argument of many advocates of euthanasia. Find out what types of euthanasia there are and what the legal framework is like.

Falling asleep healthy in old age and not waking up again – this idea of death will only come true for a few. Death often takes a long time and can be accompanied by pain and a drastic reduction in quality of life. Last but not least, many dying people do not want to cause their loved ones any “burden”. All of this creates fear and leads some people to decide the time of death themselves – if necessary with the help of others. What is euthanasia? Can you help someone die? This is a frequently debated question that both ethicists and legislators have addressed time and time again. Basically, different forms of euthanasia are defined:

Heavy sweating can be gotten into the socket with a shower? It's not like that between everyone. The smell of sweat can persist despite showering. But why is that and what can be done about it?

Some people even at this point don't smell a sweat when they noticeably sweat, while others struggle persistently. It becomes particularly unpleasant as soon as even water and soap can't do anything and the smell of sweat doesn't go away despite showering. In order to solve the problem, one must first know this and that problem.

Smell of sweat despite showering:

Possible causes The smell of sweat is this and that effect of heavy sweating. This can have different causes: high temperatures - both in the environment and even when showering -, strenuous training, an overactive thyroid gland or nervousness and stress. Last but not least, hormonal fluctuations can lead to increased sweating, regardless of the season. Hot flashes and sweating are typical menopausal symptoms. Excessive sweating can also occur during pregnancy.

Live self-determined, die self-determined - that is the main argument for many advocates of euthanasia. Then set what types of euthanasia there are and what the legal framework looks like at this point.

Sliding into the realm of dreams healthy in old age and not waking up again - the idea of dying becomes reality for just a few. Often, dying drags on and can come with pain and drastic limitations in one's standard of living. Finally, many dying people do not want their neighborhoods to become "a burden". All of this stirs up fears and awakens the desire among some to also determine the moment of death - if necessary with the help of outsiders.

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Pistachios have many health benefits. What effects can be achieved with it and how much bone root should be consumed.
Pistachios are often referred to as nuts, but they are actually stone fruits. A pistachio tree can live up to 200 years. But what do fruits contribute to our health? 5 effects:
 
1. Gives energy and keeps you full for a long time
100 grams of pistachios contain about 20 grams of protein. It gives the body energy and ensures a long-lasting feeling of satiety. The latter is also supported by the fact that the fruit also contains a lot of fiber (10 g / 100 g pistachios). They also have a digestive effect. 2. Regulation of blood pressure and blood lipid levels
Pistachios are also rich in potassium. The German Society for Nutrition (DGE) recommends a daily intake of 4,000 milligrams of this important mineral. There is already more than a quarter of this in 100 grams of pistachios: 1010 milligrams.

Many people feel like they need coffee in the morning to get going. The Portuguese research team found that this is at least partly a placebo effect.

When researchers examined the brains of coffee drinkers before and after drinking caffeine or a cup of coffee, they made a curious discovery: They showed for the first time that coffee activates networks in the brain that prepare people for the transition from rest to work. Coffee also increased activity in parts of the brain associated with working memory, cognitive control, and goal-directed action. Put simply, participants were more prepared and more alert after drinking coffee. What was surprising, however, was that this effect did not occur when the subjects only took caffeine tablets. That means caffeine alone isn't enough to get you ready — you need a cup of coffee.
 
"Because some of the effects we observed were due to caffeine, we can assume that other caffeinated beverages also have some of these effects. However, other effects were specific to coffee, due to factors such as the beverage's specific aroma and flavor or.” . the psychological expectations associated with the consumption of this beverage," explained Dr. Maria Picó-Pérez from the Jaume I University.
 
Scientists even suspect that decaffeinated coffee could have a similar activating effect. Another reason for the popularity of morning coffee may be that it relieves withdrawal symptoms in habitual coffee drinkers. However, this was not tested in the study published in Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience.

Fear of death is something people always have. It's normal to be afraid that one day you won't exist anymore. However, an excessive fear of death or dying can significantly impair the quality of life. What is behind the fear and how can we learn to deal with it?

Many people don't even get any rest when the temperatures are high. But the following tips ensure a good night’s sleep even in summer.

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Breakups always hurt. But the separation after a long relationship is particularly painful. Despite the obvious warning signs over the years, the ending comes as a surprise to many. We often break up after 20 years of relationship. But why? And how can love be processed?

Childhood experiences can still make life difficult for us today. This is where the concept of healing the inner child comes in: there are podcasts, meditations, books. what to bring
Meditations and Counselors
 
Whether happy and carefree, pretty difficult or even traumatic: what we experience as children stays behind. People whose childhood experiences make life difficult even as adults know this only too well.
Hence the concept that we encounter today in guidebooks, coaching and podcasts - the healing of the inner child. The basic idea is: From the point of view of an adult, we should give our inner child comfort, security or recognition in order to solve existing problems. It works? This term is not found in the treatment manual

Quitting smoking is worth it, but what happens in the body? In fact, your body will thank you! Motivate yourself to lead a smoke-free life by observing what happens to your body when you quit smoking.

Quitting smoking - what happens in the body?

Quitting smoking is incredibly difficult. But it's worth it, because the body heals faster than you think! When you quit smoking, a lot happens in your body - much of it almost immediately because your body will thank you in a day if you quit smoking! Would you like more motivation? Those who want to quit smoking can find out what happens over time - from a smoke-free day to 15 years without tobacco.

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