【推荐1】When colds or flu attacks, many people treat themselves to the comfort of warm blankets and hot chicken soup. Chicken soup has been shown to be more than just a comfort food, however.

An ancient Greek manuscript (手稿) written around 200BC describes how chicken soup can be used to treat respiratory (呼吸的) disorders, such as colds and flu. In the 12th century another Greek scholar wrote that chicken soup eases the symptoms people have when they have colds and flu. Modern research is showing that there is a basis for this old belief that chicken soup can help the common cold or other respiratory problems.

When a person gets a cold, the cold virus makes itself at home in one’s nose, sinuses and throat, resulting in swelling in these areas. The result is sore throat, headache, congestion (充血), coughing, etc. One experiment showed that hot chicken soup can clear the congestion that comes with a cold.

Chicken soup contains compounds (化合物) that stop the swelling which causes this problem. Scientists still don’t know why chicken soup works, but they are sure that it does. They have also found that in order to be effective, the soup must be made with vegetables. Scientists think that it may be due to the presence of some healthful elements (元素) found in plants. Perhaps the best evidence for the effectiveness of chicken soup comes from the research of one scientist who found that chicken soup is rich in a chemical widely used in cold medicines.

Thus, when your mother or grandmother tells you to eat chicken soup when you have a cold or flu, go ahead and enjoy it. You will be doing something worthwhile for your body as well as pleasing her.

【推荐2】Wearing flip-flops (平底人字拖鞋) was once considered bad fashion manners. And flip-flops are considered only for beach goers or a short, relaxing walk to the mailbox on a hot summer day.     1    . In fact, flip-flops have become so popular that many major designers are designing them for people.

However, wearing flip-flops could be bad for our bodies and the scientific studies are there to back it up. As a rule, flip-lops are not particularly supportive shoes even if they are comfortable and cool to wear. There is actually no arch support to flip-flops. By nature of design, flip-flops aren’t exactly fit for the foot — they don’t stay on well. In order to walk without losing a shoe, people unconsciously change their ways of walking.     2    

Some experts also warn of short-term effects. Wearing flip-flops instead of more appropriate footwear for certain activities, especially when too much walking is involved, can lead to injured feet and ankles.     3     This makes it more likely to slip, trip, fall, and later twist an ankle.

    4     For activities that require much walking or activity, such as shopping or gardening, consider wearing more appropriate shoes. When shopping for flip-flops, avoid the poorly made ones that can easily twist in your hands. Instead choose shoes that have a stronger, thicker, well-made sole.     5     Though less fashionable, these flip-flops offer some support and stability beyond the traditional ones.

【推荐3】Plants and exposure to greenery have been found to have multiple mental health benefits, such as lowering stress, decreasing feelings of depression, increasing sociability, restoring focus, improving cognitive performance, improving mood, and increasing self-esteem.

Gardening and care for plants can help to turn people away from negative thoughts or emotions. So with all that, what do these experts recommend as the best plant?

Snake plant. It’s very easy to care for, thrives in spaces with low sunlight, has visual appeal, and cleans the air, and they are drought resistant if you forget to water them.

Spider plants. Spider plants, with plenty of light-green leaves, are another low-maintenance selection.When a spider plant thrives, it will grow new offshoots that can be clipped and potted as a new plant.

Aloe Vera. Drought-resistant and easy to grow. Aloe Vera is low-maintenance, you can just water it monthly, and it helps clean the airspace and is helpful for burns, cuts, and scrapes to help injuries heal faster or soothe pain.

Lavender is well-known for its relaxing scent, and it has a calming effect, aids in reducing stress, promotes sleep.This means it’s great both in the garden, or clipped and dried in a bowl inside your space .

Basil is a summertime herb that loves the sun. Not only is it delicious in meals, but eating basil has health benefits, too. It has properties which help to relieve stress and anxiety.

Lemon balm. This fragrant green herb is part of the mint family and is simple to cultivate. Known for its calming properties, it has a light lemony scent that can be wonderfully intensified by rubbing the leaves between your fingers. It has been used to improve sleep, reduce stress and anxiety, improve appetite, and help with indigestion.

【推荐1】Americans have adopted dogs in record numbers in the pandemic (流行病), and we really don’t like leaving our new family members home on their own. We worry that they’ll be lonely, or worse, chew the furniture. So we ask: What would we want to do if we were at home with nothing to do? Watch TV, of course.

DogTV, a channel for dogs, has been available in the United States since 2012. Last month it expanded to reach dogs in England, Australia and New Zealand and is now available in 14 countries. Unsurprisingly, more than 80 percent of the channel’s subscribers are Americans, who make up the largest pet market in the world.

According to Ron Levi, the founder of DogTV, there is a significant amount of separation anxiety among pet owners. DogTV was created to provide sensory and visual stimulation that can help reduce this anxiety. Levi came up with the idea for the channel in 2006 when he realized that dogs are highly social animals and often struggle when left alone at home. Thus, he decided to focus on their needs.

While some animal behaviorists advocate for the use of toys and puzzles instead of TV, others believe that certain types of programming can be beneficial when there is nothing else going on. For pet owners like Sage Randall, who got a new dog named Carrot Cake in 2020 to keep her company while working at home, the guilt of leaving a pet alone can be great. She laughed when a friend advised her to get DogTV and thought it was crazy to even imagine a dog actually sitting still to watch television. However, she tried it and was shocked that Carrot Cake enjoyed watching the different landscapes and seeing other dogs playing. Although DogTV may not be a perfect solution for every pet owner, it provides an interesting look at how technology is being used to address the needs of dogs.

As for whether dogs actually enjoy television or if we are simply finding comfort in providing them with this very human form of entertainment, that remains an open question.