This Sunday in London, an American running phenomenon will hit the UK for the first time — and looks set to leave a mark. The Color Run™ series, founded in 2011 by Utah resident Travis Snyder, who currently lives in Los Angeles, is a 5k with a twist: runners start in white clothing, and at each kilometer get caked in brightly colored powders (made from 100% eco-friendly and natural food-grade corn starch) thrown by volunteers.

    Snyder, 35, previously organized rock climbing events but says it was having a child that inspired him to think of an event combining fitness and pleasure. So far,  600,000 people have already taken part in Snyder's fitness festivals across the world, from Sydney to Rio de Janeiro, becoming America's biggest 5k along the way.

    What does Snyder think is its appeal? "I think sometimes people get tired of being so competitive," he says. "In a running event, the person next to you is the tool that you are going to compare yourself to; whether or not you run faster than them or they run faster than you. The Color Run still has running in its basis: people still get to be out and be active. But instead of it being an exclusive experience, it's an inclusive experience, where the people next to you are part of that."

    The events attract a large population, including families and children, along with a higher proportion of women than most runs. For many, it is their first race and furthest distance. Synder's eight-year-old son has taken part in 20 of the races. "It's not a big deal because he doesn't think of it as 5k – he is just running and having fun."

    In line with this theme of participation rather than competition, there are no praises for coming first. If runners want to get a result, they will have to track it themselves, as it is not officially timed. And, needless to say, the finish line is one big party – before the clean up begins.

    A handshake is one of the most common ways to greet others, but US President Donald Trump's unusual method has been put under the microscope lately.

    Much like an arm wrestler in a match, the recently-elected leader has a habit of yanking (猛拉) people's hands toward himself during handshakes. And while a typical handshake is only brief, the one between him and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Feb 10 lasted a full 19 seconds.

    Simply having a strong hand is not the explanation here. According to Darren Stanton, a body language expert from the UK, while handshakes are usually an exchange of kindness, Trump uses his as a way to show power and control, regardless of how uncomfortable it makes people. “It is as if to say, 'Hey, I'm in charge, don't mess with me,' ” Stanton told The Independent.

    Apart from Trump's “yank-shake”, there are other ways people display power with their hands. At business talks or political meetings, for example, some people may rotate (旋转) their wrists during handshakes so that their hand ends up on top instead of underneath. Some may squeeze so hard that it leaves the other person's hand in pain.

    According to Stanton, by pulling people into his personal space, Trump is also testing whether they are willing to cooperate with him. “For example, if someone was resistant to being yanked towards him and stood their ground, he would know that he has work to do with them before he got what he wanted,” Stanton told Express.

    This is probably why on Feb 13 when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited the White House, all eyes were on how he was going to handle Trump's handshake. Fortunately, Trudeau managed to avoid the embarrassment by grabbing Trump's shoulder to stop himself being pulled in. Afterward, some Twitter users wrote that this proved Trudeau's strong leadership, with one even calling the moment “one of Canada's greatest victories”.

    Vice magazine summed up the exchange between the two leaders as: “... no regular handshake. This was the first shot in a bloodless war.”

    Today, we know that the role of vitamins and minerals goes way beyond the prevention of deficiency diseases (维生素缺乏症) to actually preventing cancer and heart disease, the most fearsome killers of our time. With this knowledge has come the widespread call for nutritional supplementation (营养补充) — and a confusing group of vitamin, mineral, and supplements lining the supermarket shelves.

    Far from contributing to better health, however, nutritional supplements threaten to turn a scientific breakthrough into a nutritional disaster.

    Promoters of vitamins and minerals — especially vitamins A, C, and E— would have consumers believe that the little vitamin pill in the bottle is all they need for good health. Take your vitamins in the morning, and you're covered. It's okay to eat fast foods for the rest of the day or skip meals to achieve today's fashionably skinny look. But vitamins and minerals are only one part of the nutritional puzzle. A diet rich in fiber (纤维) and balanced in carbohydrates and protein is essential for good health. You can't get these things from a nutritional supplement. The focus on vitamin and mineral supplements may actually be robbing us of the full nutrition we seek.

    And no supplement can compare to the quality of nutrition found in natural sources. For example, our bodies turn carotenes (胡萝卜素) from plant foods into vitamin A. Many supplements contain a single carotene, but natural sources are rich in many different carotenes. Many supplements contain a form of vitamin E that is made from chemicals, when natural vitamin E is more readily absorbed and used by the body. And science is still discovering the wealth of nutrients in foods.

    You'd be hard-pressed to find a supplement as nutritionally comprehensive and powerful as a balanced diet. Even if you could, you'd pay much more than if you got the same nutritional value from natural sources.

    But perhaps the greatest danger presented by nutritional supplements comes from the very real risks presented by self-medication. Anyone can walk into the market and buy as many different supplements as desired. The reported benefits of high dosages of certain nutrients have led some people to believe that the more the better. Many take several vitamin and mineral supplements without regard to possible consequences.

    Surprising new research suggests that vitamin C pills may speed up hardening of the arteries, the underlying cause of heart attacks. Researchers said their findings support the recommendations of health organizations, which urge people to avoid high doses of supplements and to get their nutrients from food instead.

    As appealing as they're made to sound, nutritional supplements are danger in disguise. If you're looking for good health, don't look on the supplement shelves of your supermarket. Look in the produce section instead.

    Traveling is a very good activity. When you are fed up with your work and are allowed to take a holiday, you can go to the beautiful spots to enjoy the beauty of nature and the special character of other cities. You can breathe fresh air, visit some places of interest, meet different people and make friends with them. Then you will feel fully relaxed and you will have the energy to undertake the new tasks waiting for you.

    But sometimes, traveling is not an enjoyable thing. For example, when the bus or car you take has a bad accident, you may be trapped in it and waste your time. What's more, the weather can be changeable. If you are climbing a mountain, it may rain suddenly. You may be caught in the rain and may catch a cold. The worst thing is that you may have your money stolen and you may have an injury. All these are terrible things that can happen to a tourist.

    Therefore, before going on a trip, you must prepare yourself carefully. Firstly, you must have clear information about the weather. Secondly, you should choose a good companion so that you can help each other. Thirdly, you must be careful everywhere and try to avoid accidents. If you do these, you can enjoy your travels better and reduce unnecessary trouble.

    The sharing economy, represented by companies like Airbnb or Uber, is the latest fashion craze. But many supporters have overlooked the reality that this new business model is largely based on escaping regulations and breaking the law.

    Airbnb is an Internet-based service that allows people to rent out spare rooms to strangers for short stays. Uber is an Internet taxi service that allows thousands of people to answer ride requests with their own cars. There are hundreds of other such services.

    The good thing about the sharing economy is that it promotes the use of underused resources. Millions of people have houses or apartments with empty rooms, and Airbnb allows them to profit from these rooms while allowing guests a place to stay at prices that are often far less than those charged by hotels. Uber offers prices that are competitive with standard taxi prices and their drivers are often much quicker and more trustworthy.

    But the downside of the sharing economy has gotten much less attention. Most cities and states both tax and regulate hotels, and the tourists who stay in hotels are usually an important source of tax income. But many of Airbnb's customers are not paying the taxes required under the law.

    Airbnb can also raise issues of safety for its customers and trouble for hosts' neighbors. Hotels are regularly inspected to ensure that they are not fire traps and that they don't form other risks for visitors. Airbnb hosts face no such inspections.

    Since Airbnb is allowing people to escape taxes and regulations, the company is simply promoting thefts. Others in the economy will lose by bearing an additional tax burden or being forced to live next to an apartment unit with a never-ending series of noisy visitors.

    The same story may apply with Uber. Uber is currently in disputes over whether its cars meet the safety and insurance requirements imposed on standard taxis. Also, if Uber and related services flood the market, they could harm all taxi drivers' ability to earn a minimum wage.

    This downside of the sharing needs to be taken seriously, but that doesn't mean the current tax and regulatory structure is perfect.

    I always felt sorry for the people in wheelchairs. Some people, old and weak, cannot get around by themselves. Others seem perfectly healthy, dressed in business suits. But whenever I saw someone in a wheelchair, I only saw a disability，not a person.

    Then I fainted(昏倒) at Euro Disney due to low blood pressure. This was the first time I had ever fainted, and my parents said that I must rest for a while after first aid. I agreed to take it easy, but as I stepped toward the door, I saw my dad pushing a wheelchair in my direction! Feeling the colour burn my cheeks, I asked him to wheel that thing right back to where he found it.

    I could not believe this was happening to me. Wheelchairs were fine for other people but not for me. As my father wheeled me out into the main street, people immediately began to treat me differently.

    Little kids ran in front of me, forcing my father to stop the wheelchair suddenly. Bitterness set in as I was thrown back and forth.

    "Stupid kids! They have perfectly good legs. Why can't they watch where they are going？"I thought. People stared down at me，pity in their eyes. Then they would look away, maybe because they thought the sooner they forgot me the better. "I'm just like you!" I wanted to scream "The only difference is that you've got legs，and I have wheels."

    People in wheelchairs are not stupid. They see every look and hear each word. Looking out at the faces, I finally understood: I was once just like them. I treated people in wheelchairs exactly the way they did not want to be treated. I realized it is some of us with two healthy legs who are truly disabled.