Research shows that having a sibling who is divorced can prevent us from distancing ourselves from our partner, even if we are unhappy.
Scientists from the University of Antwerp studied 67,000 partners and their siblings for 20 years. They discovered that the tendency to break up is lower after seeing a sibling end up in a divorce.
The effects were particularly pronounced among siblings who belonged to the same type of partnership – married or cohabiting – and when they were close in age.
Researchers, whose findings were published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, said: ‘When a sibling breaks up, it may have a protective effect on that person’s relationship status and duration.’
One of the reasons may be that people think twice about ending their relationship when they see the negative consequences of a breakup.
Researchers found that people are less likely to break up after witnessing a sibling get divorced (File)
The academics said: ‘When people receive information about the divorce or separation experience of someone close to them, such as a sibling, this can have a significant impact on their considerations about dissolving a partnership.
‘By seeing firsthand the emotional turmoil, financial pressures and social disruption that often accompany the breakup of a marriage or long-term relationship, people can become more cautious about following a similar path and considering the trade-offs that come with a relationship breakup.’
…and garlic gives a man’s love life a boost – if someone wants to get close enough!
It was used to ward off vampires and was eaten by the Romans and ancient Greeks to give them strength.
In France, the so-called land of lovers, it is a staple in the kitchen, which may support the discovery that garlic can significantly boost a man’s love life. It could even be a new way to treat impotence.
A study found that twenty men with erectile dysfunction experienced a 50 percent improvement in their symptom scores after chewing two cloves of garlic or drinking its juice every day for a month.
File. Garlic could be the key to a happy love life, significantly reducing erectile dysfunction
The improvement was nearly five times greater than that in a group of 20 men given a Viagra-like drug but no garlic.
Garlic increases the amount of hydrogen sulfide, which widens blood vessels and increases blood flow to key areas, according to urologists at the Kadave Institute of Medical Sciences in India.
Researchers feared the men would abandon the investigation, but mouthwash saved the day.