Topic Reading-Vol.2986-6/14/2020

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

How important is diet for a healthy immune system?

How can you improve your immune system, which does a remarkable job of defending you against disease-causing microorganisms? To function the immune system well, it requires balance and harmony both physically and mentally (like positive thinking in Vol.2985), and healthy and balanced nutrition are essential. Unfortunately, there is no superfood that provides all nutrients to keep your immune system functioning. You want to try to eat a variety of vegetables and fruits to obtain all the nutrients your immune system needs. For example, the colors of vegetables and fruits show what nutrients are contained. Also, you need proper type and amount of bacteria in your gut to keep your immune system working well. In addition to fruits and vegetables, you want to have wholegrain foods such as brown bread, rice and pasta, and beans. Fermented foods also increase and activate microbes, such as yogurt, good cheese, not the highly processed ones, and fermented soybeans like natto.

Yes, it seems that you need to do a lot to live a healthy life.

Enjoy reading the article and plan your next grocery shopping for a healthier life!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/articles/diet_and_immunity

Topic Reading-Vol.2985-6/13/2020

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Negative thinking linked to dementia in later life, but you can learn to be more positive

Dementia is a disease and impaired condition such as a decline in memory, language, problem-solving and other thinking skills that affect a person's ability to perform everyday activities including memory loss. It has been thought that repeated negative thinking increases the risk of Alzheimer's disease, which is the most common cause of dementia.

Also, those who look at life from a negative perspective have a higher chance to suffer cardiovascular risk than positive thinkers. One reason could be the link between positive thinking and health attitudes, such as a healthier diet and exercising. What do you think about your attitudes towards life and health? Both positive, one positive and the other negative, or both negative? But is it that simple to label people by asking if the glass is half empty or half full? What about those who are kind of between them, like those who don’t think things so much anyway whether positively or negatively? Also, is it that easy to convert perspectives from one side to the other even if you know you should?

Read the article and think if a cloudy day is better than a rainy day.

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/06/07/health/negative-thinking-dementia-wellness/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.2984-6/12/2020

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Is it safe to go to a pool, the beach or a park? A doctor offers guidance as coronavirus distancing measures lifted

It’s been already three months since the outbreak of coronavirus started spreading to the world, and in many cities and states, lockdowns, business closures, and social distancing orders have been in place. In the meanwhile, summer is coming in the northern hemisphere, where nearly 90% of the world population lives. People want to get out of their houses and enjoy outdoor activities. But what activities are safe? There are all sorts of outdoor activities on your wish list, such as walking or jogging outside, swimming or beaching, and traveling or visiting someone by car or public transportation. Which activities are risker than others when it comes to the virus infection?

Enjoy reading the article and learn some tips as to how to enjoy outing amid the pandemic.

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/coronavirus-safety-pool-beach-park/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.2983-6/11/2020

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Coronavirus: Two-metre rule 'must be relaxed for musicians'

It seems that social distancing is another absolute law around the world. But how far should the distance be, 2.0 meters like in the UK, 1.8 meters, or 6 feet in the US, 1.5 meters in Australia, or 1 meter in France or Italy? What about the passengers in every other seat on an airplane or train? How about the audience in a music hall or a movie theater? Then what about the musicians on stage or in a recording studio?

Along with face masks and shields, social distancing is thought to reduce the risk of becoming infected during the coronavirus pandemic. In the meantime, it makes it difficult for many people to get back to their businesses. Musicians are struggling to make their living as theaters and venues are closed. Even for recording, playing orchestral music while keeping the UK’s two-meter social distancing rule is challenging. How does an orchestra sound under such an extraordinary configuration?

Enjoy reading the article and learn about the challenge musicians are coping with.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-52934134

Topic Reading-Vol.2982-6/10/2020

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

How getting rid of dustbins helped Taiwan clean up its cities

The more trash bins there are, the cleaner the streets may look. However, that doesn’t seem to reduce waste at all. In fact, many people tend to feel less conscious of waste management, and some even throw out garbage and trash into street trash bins from home. That seems to have been the situation in Taiwan a few decades ago. When the island nation reached the point where most of the island’s landfills reached their full capacity, people were tired and sick of the odor from the landfills and concerned about environmental problems. Finally, in 1998, reluctant lawmakers pushed by the public movements passed the Waste Disposal Act to promote recycling and waste reduction. The government also stopped just collecting and dumping the waste and removed most of the trash bins from the streets. The results were better in places where people were more educated about waste management and recycling.

If you visit the mainland, you’ll see numbers of trash bins all around and won’t find garbage on the streets any longer. That’s better for tourists and visitors but what the next step will be?

Read the article and learn how precious the consumption habits and environmental behaviors of the citizens are.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200526-how-taipei-became-an-unusually-clean-city

Topic Reading-Vol.2981-6/9/2020

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Theme Park Put 22 Teddy Bears On A Roller Coaster

No social distancing needed for Teddy Bears to ride on a coaster.

Walibi Holland is a theme park in Biddinghuizen, Netherlands. It originally opened in 1973, went bankrupt in 1993, and reopened the next year. One of the newest attractions is Untamed, which opened on July 1st, 2019. The coaster runs 1km in 1:46 at a maximum speed of a little over 90 km per hour. It drops 35 meters at the maximum vertical angle of 80 degrees. It sounds quite scary, doesn’t it? However, this newly built coaster had been closed until recently because of the coronavirus pandemic. Tough it reopened on May 25, reservations are needed to get the ride to keep the social distance. So, to amuse those who are still unable to come to the theme park, the park staff uploaded a video of the coaster that is filled with 22 Teddy Bears. And you know what, the video went viral on the Internet. The bears look surprisingly real and cute!

Enjoy watching this amusing and pleasing video.

https://www.simplemost.com/theme-park-put-22-teddy-bears-on-a-roller-coaster/

Topic Reading-Vol.2980-6/8/2020

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Vegan seafood: The next plant-based meat trend?

These days, more and more people are avoiding meat for a variety of reasons, such as health, faith, animal welfare, environmental sustainability, and food safety. Some of them substitute animal meat with seafood or meat alternatives, and others become vegetarians or vegans. Indeed, alternative meat business and investment have been showing healthy growth in the food industry. So, it may not be surprising to find plant-based seafood on the menu or on the shelves soon with similar taste, texture, flavor, and health benefits of seafood from water. Though there still are technical challenges to replicate delicate and fragile seafood, there seems to be a high demand for plant-based seafood, and where there are market demand and investors’ interest, suppliers will eventually overcome technological and financial challenges.

How soon will we see vegan-sushi, plant-based fish and chips, or soy-calamari on the menu?

Enjoy reading the article and learn about the challenges to produce affordable and sellable vegan seafood.

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20200603-vegan-seafood-the-next-plant-based-meat-trend