社会关系，尤其是以食物为主，对身体和灵魂都有好处

社会关系，尤其是以食物为主，对身体和灵魂都有好处

Do you dread holiday dinners with extended family members, neighborhood block parties or even a potluck at your workplace? You may want to work on that. A new study published in the Annual Review of Psychology journal explores why social relationships are important not just for our emotional health, but for our physical health, too.

你是否害怕与大家庭成员共进节日晚餐，害怕邻居的街区聚会，甚至害怕工作场所的聚餐?你可能想在这方面努力。发表在《心理学杂志年度评论》上的一项新研究探讨了为什么社会关系不仅对我们的情感健康很重要，而且对我们的身体健康也很重要。

While you don't necessarily need alcohol to boost your endorphins over a meal, it certainly doesn't hurt. (Photo: Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock)

“Our social connections to others have powerful influences on health and longevity,” writes Julianne Holt-Lunstad, a professor of psychology at Brigham Young University, and lead author of the study.

杨百翰大学心理学教授、该研究的主要作者朱莉安•霍尔特-伦斯塔德写道:“我们与他人的社会联系对健康和寿命有着强大的影响。”

She explains that not only do close friends and family make you healthier, but a lack of relationships can actually be a risk factor for premature mortality — as much a risk factor as obesity. Additionally, the study suggests that social connections should be considered as essential factors in the public health domain.

她解释说，不仅亲密的朋友和家人会让你更健康，缺乏人际关系实际上也可能是导致过早死亡的一个风险因素，其风险程度不亚于肥胖。此外，本研究建议社会关系应被视为公共卫生领域的基本因素。

Bonding over food (and drink)

在食物(和饮料)上建立联系

Hanging out with Grandma could make both of you live longer, happier lives. (Photo: Elzbieta Sekowska/Shutterstock)

Previous studies have revealed what a powerful effect eating alone has on our mood. Second only to mental illness, consistently eating alone can make you deeply unhappy.

之前的研究已经揭示了独自进食对我们情绪的强大影响。仅次于精神疾病，持续独自进食会让你非常不开心。

But it doesn't necessarily matter what or where you're eating; just the act of breaking bread with others facilitates these crucial social bonds. Embrace the idea of "scruffy hospitality," where you stop worrying about the cleanliness of your house or what fancy French feast you need to prepare, and instead focus on the good conversation and conviviality company brings.

但吃什么或在哪里并不重要;仅仅是与他人分享面包的行为就促进了这些至关重要的社会纽带。拥抱“邋遢的待客之道”，不要再担心家里是否干净，也不要再担心需要准备什么样的法国大餐了，相反，你应该把精力放在与客人的愉快交谈上。

Out of the list — alcohol, laughter, singing, dancing and storytelling, plus chocolate (representing food) — people chose laughter, stories and alcohol. Dunbar explains that alcohol “seems to be one of the best triggers humans have ever found of the endorphin system.”

在酒精、笑声、唱歌、跳舞和讲故事，还有巧克力(代表食物)之中，人们选择了笑声、故事和酒精。邓巴解释说，酒精“似乎是人类发现的内啡肽系统的最佳诱因之一。”

Tackling the dinner table

收拾餐桌

These moments of connection don't have to happen over the dinner table; they can happen before, cooking in the kitchen, or after, while cleaning up and doing the dishes. (Photo: Elzbieta Sekowska/Shutterstock)

Once you finally have everyone gathered at the dinner table, should you stick to small talk or explore more in-depth topics? It depends on your intention. Priya Parker, author of “The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters,” tells The New York Times that “...if the purpose this year is generosity, invite everybody. Bring somebody who doesn’t have a place to celebrate into your Thanksgiving this year. And then meaningfully connect them in the room.”

当你终于让所有人都聚在餐桌前，你应该继续闲聊还是探索更深入的话题?这取决于你的意图。《聚会的艺术:我们如何相遇以及为什么它如此重要》的作者普里亚·帕克告诉《纽约时报》，“……如果今年的目的是慷慨，请大家来参加。今年带一个没有地方庆祝的人来过感恩节吧。然后在房间里把他们有意义地联系起来。”

Consider adding a ritual to enhance your dining experience. Whether it's a simple lighting of the candles or putting on a playlist, these simple gestures can make a meal feel more meaningful. At the same time, family needs change every year, so be open to altering the routine or welcoming new friends into the fold.

考虑增加一个仪式来增强你的用餐体验。无论是点上几根蜡烛，还是播放音乐，这些简单的动作都能让你觉得这顿饭更有意义。与此同时，家庭每年都需要改变，所以你可以改变常规，或者欢迎新朋友的加入。

Adds Parker, “Each of these acts and activities are an excuse to think about how we begin to stitch or restitch the family or group of friends or whomever together."

帕克补充道:“每一次这样的行为和活动都是一个借口，让我们思考如何开始将家人、朋友或其他人缝合或修补在一起。”