Better hygiene (卫生) habits can help you stay healthy

According to the World Health Organization, 60 percent of people's health problems are related(与…相关) to everyday hygiene habits. As the COVID-19 spreads across the world, governments and organizations in many countries have suggested that people should pay more attention to their daily hygiene practices.

In China, for example, people usually share dishes together at the dining table. But this habit has a high risk of spreading diseases through saliva(唾液). To fight against COVID-19, many cities in China, including Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, have called on people to order separate(分开的)meals or use serving chopsticks(公筷) to take their food. Many people also suggest that Chinese should continue these habits after the outbreak.

In the US, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has asked people to develop healthy hygiene habits. For example, people should cover their mouth and nose with a tissue when they cough or sneeze.

    According to a survey by YouGov, a British market research company, many Americans have taken action to change their daily habits in the face of COVID-19.

The weather is getting hotter and hotter. You are thirsty playing basketball or riding home from school. A cold drink may be just the thing. But be careful what you are drinking. Something that looks cool may not be good for your health.

There are plenty of "energy drinks" advertisement on TV. Most of them have beautiful colors and cool names. They tell you they are helpful to your health. Sounds great and lots of people believe them!

But after a careful check you may find that most energy drinks have lots of caffeine (咖啡因) in them. These drinks are especially aimed at young people, students, busy people and sports players. Makers sometimes say their drinks make you better at sports and can keep you awake. But he careful not to drink too much.

Caffeine makes your heart beat fast. Because of this, the International Olympic Committee has limited (限制) its use. Caffeine in most energy drinks is as strong as that in a cup of coffee or tea. Possible health dangers have something to do with energy drinks. Just one box of energy drink can make you nervous, have difficulty sleeping and can even cause heart problems. Scientists say that teenagers should be discouraged from taking drinks with a lot of caffeine in them.

Mr. Smith is 100 years old, but he is very healthy. He can read, play chess with people, and take care of himself(他自己). Many people want to know his secrets (秘密) about keeping healthy and living a long life. Here is what Mr. Smith says:

"My secrets are simple. You can learn them easily. First, you should go to bed early and get up early every day. This is a good habit. For me, I usually go to bed at 9:00 at night and get up at 6:00 in the morning."

"Second, do more (更多的) exercise. I always go out for a walk before having breakfast. In the morning and afternoon, I do some simple exercise, too.

"Third, make more friends. I have many friends. Some of them are old. Some of them are not. It makes me happy to be with them. That is also important to live a long life."

Feet are an important part of you. Without them, you couldn't stand up, walk or run around. Your feet work so hard that sometimes they get sweaty (出汗).

Think of a hot summer day when you have been walking around all afternoon. Your feet have been in those trainers for a long time! The moment you take off your shoes, you feel good and relaxed, but your feet smell bad. You may think it is because of the sweat. But in fact, sweat itself has no smell. It's the bacteria (细菌) on your skin (皮肤) that mix with it and gives off a bad smell.

Bacteria love dark and wet places like the inside of sweaty shoes. The sweatier you get, the more bacteria there will be. When you wear your shoes, bacteria will have a good meal on your feet. They eat dead skin cells from your skin and then leave a kind of waste called organic acids (有机酸). These organic acids smell bad. Things will become better if you wear cotton socks.

Feb. 17 should have been the start of the spring semester for many middle and primary schools in China. However, to control the spread of the COVID-19, many schools had delayed the start of the semester, following instructions from the Ministry of Education (MOE). But students in China were still studying.

Instead of having classes at school, many students in Beijing and Guangzhou began their first day of online classes on Feb 17. Students in Shanghai started online classes on March 2. "In the morning, I have English class, followed by Chinese and math, " Liu Bo, a Junior 3 student from Beijing, told Xinhua. "I have also learned about epidemic(流行病) prevention. "

According to the MOE, students were mainly taking classes to review previous knowledge rather than taking new classes during the online study period. Online courses were required to include contents about epidemic prevention, psychological health (心理健康) and educational activities (教育活动).

"Online courses are only temporary measures (暂时的措施) taken during the epidemic, so when the new semester begins, schools should not replace(替代) classroom teaching with online classes, " Lu Yugang from the ministry told China Daily.

The ministry also called on schools not to increase their students' schoolwork burden(负担). Schools should not ask students to study online for long periods of time or study things beyond( 超出) their curriculum(课程). Students must have enough time to rest, the ministry added. Also, it stressed that protecting students' eyesight must be a priority(优先).