Green thumb wanted

Dear readers,

I'm asking myself again what I did wrong. I suspect a lot of things when I look at the tulips in the vase. When I bought them three days ago, they were still orange-red. Now rigor mortis is setting in: The leaves are drooping limply, the color is draining. And yet tulips – at least that's what Google tells me – are supposed to last about seven to ten days. Under "ideal conditions," mind you. They don't seem to have gotten those from me. I love plants – and especially tulips – but I definitely don't have a green thumb.

Others are much more talented (perhaps you are one of them, in which case: hats off!). Some even develop an emotional bond with their green roommates, treating them like children, suffering when a leaf breaks off, or burying them when they wilt. This is the result of an Australian study that our correspondent Barbara Barkhausen wrote about this week . I guess I belong to the 25 percent or so of those surveyed who have only a limited relationship with plants. They find the presence of greenery in the room pleasant, but aren't so particular about caring for them. I regularly forget to water them.

That hasn't stopped me from planting my balcony again soon. It's going to be geraniums. Let's see if at least they'll forgive me for my negligent care. But patience is still required; after all, the Ice Saints are coming soon – and with them the last night frosts. They are expected from May 11th to 15th in northern Germany, and from May 12th to 14th in southern Germany. You can read how you can protect your plants from frost during this time here . Hobby gardeners can find further tips for gardening – for example, how to grow your own cannabis , get rid of firebugs , or plant tomatoes – on our topics page .

Have fun in the countryside

Your Laura Beigel

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Exercise alone hardly helps with losing weight.

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Just get on the treadmill and the pounds will fall off. Wrong thought. In fact, you hardly lose any weight through exercise alone, as my colleague Irene Habich discovered. She spoke with Karsten Köhler, a professor of nutrition, exercise, and health at the Technical University of Munich. He explained to her: "When I exercise to lose weight, in 90 percent of cases the problem is that we adapt our eating habits to the changed activity pattern." This means: People who exercise usually also eat more – and more often eat things that have a negative impact on their weight.

Without changing your diet, you won't make any long-term weight loss progress. "Even someone who exercises several times a week without paying attention to their diet will probably lose one to two percent of their body weight within a year," said Köhler. "If you also manage to significantly reduce your energy intake, you can also lose five to ten kilograms or more."

Pain during sex can have various causes. Urinary tract infections, sexually transmitted diseases, vaginal inflammation in women, and phimosis or prostate problems in men can be one reason. But how do you deal with the pain properly? And what if it puts a strain on your relationship? My colleague Carolin Burchardt and sex therapist Ann-Marlene Henning discuss this in the new episode of their podcast "Ach, komm!" (Oh, come on!). Check it out:

Secrets should be revealed early on, before they cause major problems for the offspring.

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On average, every person has 13 secrets. Some guard their secrets so well that they literally take them to the grave. "Perhaps it was too difficult to talk about it, or you felt it would be too much of a burden for the other person. But that doesn't have to be the case," says Benno Bolze. The end-of-life care professional advises not waiting until the last moment, but revealing secrets early on.

Toxic secrets, such as childhood sexual violence, should not be kept secret. "Traumatized people can pass their problems on to their offspring – despite, or perhaps because, they keep silent about their experiences," says trauma expert Harald Schickedanz. Anyone who doesn't know who to confide in can find a listening ear at the Silver Telephone. Daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., seniors aged 60 and over can talk about their problems there free of charge, confidentially, and anonymously. The telephone number is: 0800 4 70 80 90 .

A flexitarian diet – this is what Gomm advocated in an interview with RND. "The idea is to think of hot meals, for example, so that vegetables, fruit, and legumes fill about half of the plate," she explained. "You can add a small amount of a side dish like whole-wheat pasta, bulgur, or quinoa and/or a protein-rich ingredient like tofu, cheese, meat, or fish." This diet is not only healthy, but also protects the climate. And: Eating well and sustainably is also possible on a tight budget. You can read how here .

Many older people are dependent on medications such as sleeping pills, sedatives or painkillers.

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Nearly two million people in Germany are addicted to medication. A large proportion of them are older people. However, recognizing their addiction isn't easy. "Many live alone and have fewer social contacts. Therefore, the disorder is rarely or often only discovered very late by relatives or doctors," addiction expert Nicola Alcaide told my colleague Katrin Schreiter . Furthermore, symptoms of medication addiction, such as restlessness or memory problems, can also be typical side effects of aging.

Doctors and pharmacies also have a role to play in preventing seniors from becoming dependent on medications in the first place. Peter Raiser, Managing Director of the German Center for Addiction Issues (DHS), said that how long a medication should be taken is always part of the patient consultation. Pharmacists should also provide information about prescription and over-the-counter medications.

Are you addicted to medication? On the DHS website, you can find information on outpatient addiction counseling centers and inpatient addiction treatment facilities nationwide. Contact points in the individual federal states are also available at the state addiction offices.

Studies show that colors make you happy and can boost self-confidence.

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Spring, summer, autumn, and winter – the seasons play an important role for style and color consultant Julia Anklam. Each season represents a specific type of person. Spring types, for example, tend to have lighter skin, golden to reddish hair, green eyes, and freckles. While the autumn type tends to have darker skin, brown hair, and eyes.

Once Anklam has identified the right type, she knows exactly which color suits them best. In Hanover, she offers individual color consultations. She explained how they work to my colleague Heidi Becker. And she has a few tips for anyone still looking for the right color.

If you have any suggestions or criticism, please contact our editorial team directly at [email protected] . We look forward to hearing from you!

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