Переводчик Шеина Валентина Сергеевна

Why Does Aspirin Prevent Heart Attacks?
The wonder drug once gleaned from the bark of a willow tree is today used to help prevent heart attacks and strokes. But not everyone benefits from daily aspirin therapy.
What is Aspirin?
As early as Hippocrates (400 BC), people were harvesting willow to treat pain. Today, aspirin is: “Acetylsalicylic acid . . . a synthetic derivative of a compound, salicin, which occurs naturally in plants, notably the willow tree.”
When derived straight from salicin, salicylic acid is “hard to swallow, causing irritation to the lining of the mouth and stomach.” In response, a buffer was added to make the medicine easier to take and a “process of synthesizing the acetylsalicylic acid” was developed.
How Does it Work, Generally?
To reduce pain and inflammation, aspirin blocks: “An enzyme known as prostaglandin synthetase or cyclooxygenase. The body needs this enzyme to make precursors for most of the half-dozen known prostaglandins [(hormone-like substances) including] . . . those that make it easier for nerve cells to pass pain signals from one to another, those that raise fever and those that promote the swelling of inflamed tissue.”

Relationships can be tricky and they almost all come with some challenges. If you're lucky, you'll notice the red flags before they become too serious. There are the obvious ones, such as emotional, verbal or physical abuse, that are automatic grounds for ending things. And a lot of drama (yelling, crying, continuous bickering, roller coaster emotions) rarely indicates a happy union.
But then there are the less obvious mistakes. The ones that, if left ignored or uncorrected, cause strain and could even ruin your happily ever after. If you are guilty of one or several of the eight below, don't panic. All relationships involve learning and growing. Recognize where you can make improvements and then get to it.
1. Saying “nothing is wrong”
Some issues or insults can seem so obvious that you can't imagine your partner is not realizing they did something wrong. So rather than discussing the problem, you stay silent and sulk about how they don't seem to care that you are upset. When asked, “What's wrong?” it's so much easier and less painful to say “nothing.” It's a momentary band-aid, but the problem remains. You either stay angry and resentful, or you move on and sweep the unresolved issue under the rug, which only gives it the opportunity to arise days, weeks, or months later with even greater ugliness.
2. Walking away
This should not be confused with giving each other space. Taking a breather to calm down or clear your head during an argument is a good thing. If you want to leave, ask your partner if you can take a few minutes to collect your thoughts—kind of like hitting the pause button. But cutting the conversation off because you're done is unfair play. Before we got married, my husband's aunt gave us some great advice. “Never walk away,” she said. “That sets a standard. Then the next time you argue, you'll need to walk away and slam the door behind you to prove your point. The next time you'll walk away, slam the door behind you and never come back.” Her point is that allowing this type of behavior once makes it easier to up the ante every time. Don't allow yourself to succumb to that slippery slope. Grit your teeth, swallow your pride, and finish the discussion.