A new study suggests that washing dishes by hand is healthier than using a dishwasher.

    Nobody likes doing the dishes, but it turns out that doing this task might pay off in an unexpected way. According to a new study published in the Journal of Pediatrics, washing dishes by hand instead of using a dishwasher might prevent the development of allergies (过敏).

    Researchers in Sweden surveyed the parents of 1,029 children aged 7 and 8. They discovered that children whose families hand-washed the dishes instead of using a machine were less likely to have allergies.

    Earlier research has shown that dishes washed by machine are cleaner than those washed by hand. So why would kids who eat with slightly dirtier plates be better when it comes to preventing allergies? One explanation is based on a theory known as the “hygiene hypothesis,” which says the reason why kids develop allergies is that their environment is actually too clean. Your immune system keeps you healthy by fighting germs like viruses and bacteria. But when you have allergies, it overreacts and tries to fight ordinary things like pollen(花粉) or certain foods.

    Being exposed to germs, especially early in life is good training for the immune system, says the lead author of the study, Dr. Bill Hesselmar of Queen Silvia Hospital in Sweden. “You stimulate the immune system in various ways and it becomes tolerant.”

    This study shows that while using the dishwasher might be easier, the old-fashioned method of cleaning up could be better for your health.

    Herbal medicine (草药), which has been used for medicinal purposes, is the use of plants to treat diseases. Many herbalists use the entire plant, from the flowers, stems, leaves, and roots, in the form of everything from teas to pills. These plants contain natural, chemical things that can treat the body for a variety of diseases- such as allergies, asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, migraine, chronic fatigue, and cancer, among others.

    Nowadays an increasing number of people prefer to adopt these plants to treat their diseases because, compared with chemical medicine, herbal medicine has its own advantages. Herbal medicine and remedies (治疗) are more effective than chemical medicine for certain diseases. The chemical medicine given by a chemist could have certain negative side effects. However, many of the herbal medicine and remedies do not have negative side effects. If any, they are softer than chemical medicine. Obesity is the cause of many of the health problems. Herbal medicine can help weight-loss more effectively and improve overall health.

    However, the cure using herbal medicine and supplements (营养品) would take some time, and therefore people are supposed to possess enough patience. Worse still, herbal medicine contains a variety of ingredients (成分) and people have to be sure that their body agrees with the ingredients and that it is not allergic (过敏).

    A point worth mentioning here is herbal remedies and medicine for certain illnesses may have negative side effects. These side effects may not be shown at once, but would take months or even years. In the early stages, if the herbal medicine is not agreeing with you, it is wise to stop using it.

    When used correctly and directed by doctors, herbs can help treat a variety of diseases. But keep in mind that the herbal medicine industry is not regulated, so herbal products are often misleading and may contain additives (添加剂) and that are not listed on the label (标签). Some herbs may cause allergic reactions or interact with other drugs, and some are poisonous if used improperly or at high doses (剂量). Taking herbs on your own increases your risk.

    I grew up in New York my whole life. I studied in a perfect college that happened only to be an hour away from home. Then, about three weeks before the spring term was over, my parents told me we were moving to Arizona that summer. They asked me if I was going to transfer (转学) to another college. I said no. I was not going to change everything in my life at one time and I loved my college and all the amazing things I was doing there. It was my second home; I would not leave everything I knew at the same time since that was asking for trouble.

    I never imagined it would be this hard but, at the same time, the best thing that could have happened to me.

    When out in Arizona, life was hard. I didn't know anyone other than my family and friends. I couldn't bear the extreme heat. But it has helped me so much. I have started working on my writing. I also have time to work out in the gym. It has helped me realize that no matter where you are or who you know you can always find something that you enjoy.

    When back at school in New York, it was hard as well. Living close to home was my security blanket. If something was wrong I could get in my car and drive home and see my family. After my family moved to another city, I lacked security and was always controlled by anxiety. However, it helped me learn independence and forced me to be brave.

    I' m so thankful that I didn't transfer to a different school, which has given me the opportunity to go back and see best friends in my hometown. A year ago, I officially left my hometown for good. It has helped me grow and I am so thankful that I have had this experience. Now, when I graduate from college, I can go anywhere I want. I am no longer afraid to go out on my own into the world. The world is full of opportunities and pleasure and I can't wait to see where I will be next.

    “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” Similarly, if we drink a little more water every day, we may find that we need to go to the doctor a lot less often. A healthy diet is made up of water and a great many different kinds of foods. We know that healthy foods like fruits, vegetables and fish, are important as they provide us with energy and fiber, without giving us too much fat and sugar. But why is water important?

    The human body needs water to survive. Water is important as it carries poisons and waste out of our bodies. However, doctors advise us to drink plenty of water, much more than the small amount we need to stay alive.

    Some doctors believe that water is important for our health in all kinds of ways. They believe that a great many illnesses and health problems start as a result of dehydration(脱水)—a lack of water in the body. Most people are dehydrated at least some of time, although they probably don't know it. It is surprising to learn that if we feel thirsty, we are already in the first stage of dehydration. In fact, we are advised to drink water before we feel thirsty.

    These doctors think that health problems such as headaches, high blood pressure and asthma(哮喘) could be helped if people drink more water. They also believe that drinking more water can help people who are overweight. Water contains no calories so it will not make us put on weight. If we drink water, we will probably drink less sugary soft drinks such as Coca-cola. Doctors also believe that drinking more water may stop people from overeating. They say that many people think that they are hungry when they are, in fact, thirsty. Doctors suggest, therefore, that we eat less food and drink more water. There are still many health problems that cannot be solved by drinking water, so we should not stop going to seeing the doctor completely. However, if we make a decision to drink water every day, we may find that we need to go to the doctor a lot less often.

    Sandra Cisneros was born in Chicago in 1954 to a Mexican American family. As the only girl in a family of seven children, she often felt like she had “seven fathers,” because her six brothers, as well as her father, tried to control her. Feeling shy and unimportant, she retreated(躲避)into books. Despite her love of reading, she did not do well in elementary school because she was too shy to participate.

    In high school, with the encouragement of one particular teacher, Cisneros improved her grades and worked for the school literary magazine. Her father encouraged her to go to college because he thought it would be a good way for her to find a husband. Cisneros did attend college, but instead of searching for a husband, she found a teacher who helped her join the famous graduate writing program at the University of Iowa. At the university's Writers' Workshop, however, she felt lonely－a Mexican American from a poor neighborhood among students from wealthy families. The feeling of being so different helped Cisneros find her “creative voice”.

    “It was not until this moment when I considered myself truly different that my writing acquired a voice. I knew I was a Mexican woman, but I didn't think it had anything to do with why I felt so much imbalance in my life, but it had everything to do with it! That's when I decided I would write about something my classmates couldn't write about.”

    Cisneros published her first work, The House on Mango Street, when she was twenty-nine. The book talks about a young Mexican American girl growing up in a Spanish-speaking area in Chicago, much like the neighborhoods in which Cisneros lived as a child. The book won an award in 1985 and has been used in classes from high school to graduate school level. Since then, Cisneros has published several books of poetry, a children's book, and a short-story collection.

Scientists at the Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the California Institute of Technology have-in just two years-nearly doubled the number of materials known to have potential for use in solar fuels.

They did so by developing a process that promises to speed the discovery of commercially viable (商业可行性) generation of solar fuels that could replace coal, oil, and other fossil fuels.

Solar fuels, a dream of clean-energy research, are created using only sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide. Researchers are exploring a range of possible target fuels, but one possibility is to produce hydrogen by splitting water.

Each water molecule (分子) consists of one oxygen atom and two hydrogen atoms. The hydrogen atoms are extracted, and then can be reunited to create highly flammable hydrogen gas or combined with CO 2 to create hydrocarbon fuels, creating a plentiful and renewable energy source. The problem, however, is that water molecules do not simply break down when sunlight shines on them-if they did, the oceans would not cover most of the planet. They need a little help from a solar-powered catalyst (催化剂).

To create practical solar fuels, scientists have been trying to develop low-cost and efficient materials that perform the necessary chemistry using only visible light as an energy source.

A new method was developed through a partnership between the Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis (JCAP) and Berkeley Lab's Materials Project, using resources at the Molecular Foundry and the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center (NERSCC). JCAP focused on developing a cost-effective method of turning sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide into fuel. It is led by Caltech with Berkeley Lab as a major partner. The Materials Project is a program based at Berkeley Lab that aims to remove the guesswork from materials design in a variety of applications.

"What is particularly significant about this study, which combines experiment and theory, is that in addition to identifying several new compounds for solar fuel applications, we can also learn something new about the basic electronic structure of the materials themselves." says Neaton, the director of the Molecular Foundry.