【推荐1】Food allergies have risen in the United States over the last few decades. Research suggests that 40 years ago the actual rate of food allergies was less than 1%. But this year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released data showing that almost 6% of U.S. adults and children have a food allergy.

When the body labels a food as harmful, the immune system treats that food like a threat. It sends chemical-signaling proteins, called cytokines, to fight the invader. These cytokines help regulate the body’s immune response and the accompanying inflammation (发炎).

“Someone can have a very mild reaction and just start to feel itchy, like they just had a bug bite. But it’s just this itchiness that came out of nowhere,” says Dr. Waheeda Samady, Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. “There are other people that will describe like a sense of doom.”

One emerging theory as to why some people get food allergies is that food particles (颗粒) first get into the body through a disrupted skin barrier, and the immune system in turn tags food proteins as an invader — something to be fought. Then, when that same food is eaten later, the body mounts an immune response.

One group with a disrupted skin barrier? Kids with eczema (湿疹). These children are at a much higher risk of developing a food allergy compared to other kids. And the earlier and more severely they get eczema, the higher the risk is for developing food allergies.

This year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) added sesame to its list of major food allergens. The rest of the list includes: milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, crab, lobster, shrimp, tree nuts, peanuts and soybeans.

If you think you have a food allergy, Waheeda recommends consulting a healthcare provider if you have access to one. A doctor can preform an allergy test or, in some cases, give a diagnosis based on symptoms alone. Getting professional advice can free you from avoiding foods to which you may not actually be allergic.

【推荐1】Four ways to cope with burnout

Burnout is a feeling of physical and mental tiredness. It can come from working overtime or under stressful conditions.    1    . All you have to do is identify feelings of burnout and know how to deal with them. Try these out next time you’re feeling overwhelmed (不知所措的).

●Focus on advancing tiny goals.

    2    Experts suggest starting small and dividing the whole schedule into the smallest sections. Setting and achieving tiny goals can increase people’s engagement in the work and their happiness during the workday.

●Take time for yourself.

Ask for a rest day if you need one to do nothing other than eat your favorite ice cream, go for a run, or meet a friend for lunch.    3    Be sure to get enough sleep each night, too; this has a huge effect on one’ s mental well-being and performance.

●    4    

It’s hard to feel frustrated after a sweaty weightlifting or a long run, Exercise reduces students’ sensitivity to anxiety, so think of that exercise time as building your protection against the burnout. Extra points if you do it outside in the sunshine.

●Talk to people.

People’s health, well-being, everything in life, is way better if you’re connected with other people. Social network is a precious resource but reaching out to people in reality is much more beneficial.    5    

【推荐2】Do you want to feel better, have more energy and even add years to you life? Just exercise:     1    Here are some ways daily exercise can lead to a happier and healthier you.

Exercise makes you energetic. Regular exercise can improve your muscle strength. Exercise delivers oxygen and nutrients to your body and helps your cardiovascular(心血管的) system work more eficiently.    2    .

Exercise can help control your weight. When you take part in physical activity, you burn calories. Regular trips to the gym are great, but don’t worry if you can’t find a large amount of time to exercise every day.    3    

Exercise can be fun and social. It gives you a chance to relax and enjoy the outdoors.    4     So take a dance class, go for a swim or join a soccer teann. Find physical activity you enjoy in a fun and social setting, and just do it.

    5     A gym tour or a walk can help. Physical activity stimulates(刺激) various brain chemicals that may leave you feeling happier, more relaxed and less anxious. You may also feel better about yourself when you exercise regularly, which can improve your confidence.

【推荐3】We spend about a third of our lives sleeping, so it’s vital that we make the most of it! Getting quality sleep is essential for both our physical and mental health.     1    .

Going to bed and waking up at the same time each day helps to regulate our bodies natural sleep rhythm.     2    . If you have trouble falling asleep at night, try not to nap during the day. Napping can make it harder to fall asleep at night.

Our bodies are naturally programmed to sleep when it’s dark outside. So, try to keep your bedroom as dark as possible when you’re trying to sleep. If you need to, use blackout curtains or an eye mask to block out any unwanted light.

If you find yourself lying in bed awake, it’s best to get up and move around for a bit.     4    . Avoid watching television or working on the computer, as the bright screens can stimulate your brain and make it harder to fall asleep

Exercise is a great way to improve your sleep. Not only does it help you fall asleep faster, but it also helps you sleep more soundly through the night. Make sure that you avoid exercising too close to bedtime as this can actually have the opposite effect.

    5    . By following these tips, you can help improve the quality of your sleep and get the rest you need to live a healthy life!

【推荐3】If you are applying to universities overseas, you can’t avoid having a video interview, whether you like it or not. Here are some steps to follow when preparing for the perfect video interview.

Step 1: Start with the basics

Before your interview, find out what platform or application the school uses for video interviews, and make sure that you know how to operate it.

You need to set up a clear and focused interview environment. You also need a strong internet connection.

Step 2: Get prepped (做好准备)

Once the interview begins, resist the urge to watch yourself, and make sure you are looking at the camera as much as possible. Try to anticipate the questions that they will ask you. Interview questions all boil down to three basic categories:

Tell us about yourself.

What do you bring to our program/why should we admit you?

Do you have any questions about the school?

Before the interview, prepare at least two to three minutes on each of these topics.

Step 3: Practice

Practice your answers with a friend or mentor. Get them to ask you questions and answer them over video. If possible, work with a person who is fluent in the language of your interviewers, and get them to give you notes and comments about pronunciation or presentation.

Step 4: Don’t just interview... converse

Interviews are about getting to know you as a person and how well you can interact with others. Though you may have extensive notes, try to act natural - do not read directly from any prepared statements, and don’t memorize answers to repeat. Listening is just as critical as speaking in this situation, too. Make sure you understand the question that is posed to you and ask an interviewer to repeat it or expand upon it if you feel you are confused.