Adult wrapping – The Japanese therapy craze that recreates the comforting feeling of a womb 風靡日本的成人裹布療法

Otona Maki, or 'adult wrapping', is a Japanese therapeutic method of correcting posture and alleviating body stiffness by wrapping the human body in a large piece of cloth that emulates the comfortable feel of a mother's womb. Otona Maki又稱"成人裹布法"，是正在日本流行的一種矯正身姿、緩解身體僵硬的療法。其訣竅在於，用一大塊布把人體包裹起來，以模仿出胎兒在子宮的舒適感覺。

Well-known for their long work hours, many Japanese people develop posture problems and body stiffness. For a long time, getting massages and stretching have been the most popular ways of dealing with these issues, but now someone claims to have come up with an even better solution. Otona Maki is a new and intriguing way of improving posture and making your body more flexible than ever, while at the same time helping practitioners relax by recreating the comfortable feel of a mother's womb.日本人是出了名的工作狂，但長時間工作卻導致許多民眾姿勢不良以及身體僵硬。長期以來，按摩和拉伸都是緩解病症的不二之選，但現在卻有人想出了更好的解決辦法。新出爐的成人裹布法看似新奇卻也有奇效，它既能矯正姿勢、提高身體柔韌性，也能通過營造胎兒在子宮裡的舒適感覺來幫助練習者放鬆身體。

Otona Maki is not a mainstream practice in Japan, but after recently being featured on a popular television program, more and more people are talking about it and giving it a try. The idea behind this bizarre looking therapeutic practice is to tightly wrap the human body (in various poses) in a large piece of breathable cloth for about 15 – 20 minutes per session. Babies are often wrapped the same way to correct minor physical defects and give them a feeling of security, and otona maki aims to do the same for adults.成人裹布法在日本並非主流療法，但日前經某熱門電視節目報導後，引來了眾多民眾的熱議和嘗試。這一看似奇葩的理療方法是用一塊巨大的透氣布（以多種姿勢）將人體緊緊包裹，每次持續15-20分鐘。人們通常會用同樣的方法將嬰兒包裹起來，以矯正輕微身體缺陷，並為其營造一種安全感。裹布法也如法炮製，以期給成年人帶來同樣效果。

I'll be the first to admit that it looks pretty weird, but according to Yayoi Katayama of Japanese blog Vienna-Juku, there are real benefits to practicing adult wrapping. As we all know, babies and young children have very flexible spines, but as we grow up, most of us lose that flexibility. After going through several sessions with your body fixed in a certain position for a short amount of time, you can regain that natural flexibility and improve posture. Yayoi calls the practice a way to reset your body, and claims that after taking part in a session, she also felt relaxed and rejuvenated.日本博客網站Vienna-Juku上的一名博主Yayoi Katayama說，她覺得這個療法看起來十分奇怪，但不得不承認確實有實際效果。眾所周知，嬰幼兒的脊髓十分柔韌，但隨著我們慢慢長大，大部分人都喪失了這種靈活性。當有過幾次短時間內以固定姿勢被包裹起來的體驗後，你就能找回那種天生的柔韌性，形體也能得到矯正。Yayoi將這種療法稱作"重置人體"的一種方式，聲稱在體驗了一次治療之後，自己感到全身放鬆，恢復了活力。

But despite Japan's appetite for the bizarre, otona maki seems a bit too weird even for them. According to Kotaku, there is a lot of skepticism regarding the practice, at least on Japanese social media, with people comparing it to a mummification technique, or making references to Japanese horror films.即便日本是個品味奇特的國家，但成人裹布法在他們眼裡也稍顯奇葩。據日本著名遊戲網站Kotaku稱，社會上如今出現了許多對這種療法的質疑聲，尤其在日本社交媒體上，人們戲謔地將其比作木乃伊製作法，或與日本恐怖電影相提並論。

Otona Maki was apparently developed by Professor Nobuko Watanabe, known for creating the Toco Chan maternity belt, a very popular product in Japan. A 30-minute adult wrapping session costs 3240 yen ($28), while 50 minutes inside the cloth womb costs 6480 ($56).成人裹布法由Nobuko Watanabe教授開創，在日本非常流行的孕婦骨盆矯正帶（Toco Chan maternity belt）正是出自他手。30分鐘一次的成人裹布療程售價為3240日元（28美元），50分鐘一次的布子宮體驗療程為6380日元（56美元）。

Taking hourly breaks at work to walk for just 5 MINUTES improves your mood and energy, and can even squash food cravings 工作一小時，運動五分鐘

Spending hours a day sitting at a desk is known to have consequences for your health but, scientists now say just five-minute walking stints could counteract some of the risks.眾所周知，一天在桌子前坐上數小時肯定不利於健康——但最近科學家發現，哪怕只是短短五分鐘的步行運動也能抵消部分消極影響。

In a new study, researchers found that taking brief, repeated breaks from work to stand up and move around has sustained benefits for your mood and energy levels.新研究發現，若在工作間隙反復利用短暫時間站起來到處走動的話，將對改變心情和補充精力大有裨益。

The effects of these microbouts of activity were found to last all day, and could even help to alleviate food cravings while you're at work.同時，這"一小會兒"的提神效用可以持續一整天，甚至還有助於抑制工作期間的食欲。"Office workers have been identified as one of the most vulnerable occupational groups for accumulating prolonged and uninterrupted sitting time", the authors explained in the study, published to the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity.該研究發佈在《國際行為營養與體力活動期刊》上，作者稱，"辦公室職員一直都被視為體質最弱最差的工作群體，因為其連續坐在椅子上的時間實在太長。"

And, this sedentary lifestyle increases the risks of diabetes, depression, and obesity, among other health concerns.另外，這種久坐的生活方式也增加了患上糖尿病、抑鬱症和肥胖症等各種疾病的風險。

To find out how different methods of activity effected workers, the team, including researchers from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Center and the Johnson & Johnson Human Performance Institute, investigated three movement conditions across 30 adults.為了探究不同運動形式對職員的影響有何差異，來自美國科羅拉多大學安舒茨醫學中心和強生人類行為研究所的研究者組成團隊，在30名成人中測試了三種不同活動狀態的效果。

Participants were first given a number of tests to assess their health, along with self-perceived energy, mood, and appetite.參與者事先接受了大量測試以評估他們的健康水準，包括自評精力水準、情緒狀態和食欲。In one trial, the participants sat for 6 hours straight, getting up only to use the bathroom, according to the New York Times.據《紐約時報》報導，一組實驗的參與者們連坐六個小時，只在上廁所時起身過。

In another, they started the day with 30 minutes of moderate walking on a treadmill.另一組實驗中，他們一起床便先在跑步機上進行30分鐘的中速步行鍛煉。The third experiment called for six 5-minute microbouts of moderate intensity walking every hour.第三組實驗中，參與者被要求每小時進行六次五分鐘的適度步行活動。The researchers monitored their stress hormone levels, and had participants rate their moods, energy, fatigue, and appetites throughout the day.在實驗過程中，研究者一直監測他們的壓力荷爾蒙水準，並讓參與者對他們一天下來的心情、能量、疲勞感和食欲進行自我測評。

These experiments revealed a number of benefits linked to the 5-minute activity sessions.這些實驗告訴我們，五分鐘的短時運動確實可以帶來許多益處。研究者還發現，早晨集中運動的效果遠低於短時運動，因其效用會在一段時間後逐漸消失。Participants showed an increase in energy and vigor levels, along with "improved mood, decreased feelings of fatigue, and affected appetite", the authors noted.

參與者的能量值和活力都有所提高，同時"心情變好了，疲勞感有所減緩，對食欲也有一定影響"，文章作者寫道。

"Overall, microbouts of activity led to sustained effects along the day, while the effects of a single bout of activity performed early in the morning did not last throughout the day", they explain."總而言之，短時運動的效果可以持續一整天，但早晨的集中運動卻只會在早上發揮作用，並非全日見效。"他們解釋道。

Neither regimen was found to effect cognitive function, for better or worse.而這兩種運動形式並不會對認知功能造成任何影響，無論是消極的還是積極的。But, the results suggest that, "even a little bit of activity, spread throughout the day, is a practical, easy way to improve well-being", study author Jack Groppel, co-founder of the Johnson & Johnson Human Performance Institute, told the New York Times.但研究結果表示，"只要全天都堅持活動身體，哪怕只是短時運動也能便捷有效地提高幸福感，"本研究報告作者兼強生人類行為研究所聯合創始人傑克•格勒佩爾向《紐約時報》表示。

Though the study had its limitations, Dr. Groppel says "it's clear that moving matters".儘管該研究仍有不足之處，但格勒佩爾認為"起碼它明確地告訴我們，運動一定有其作用。"

Prince Harry sought counseling over mother’s death 英國哈利王子自述曾因喪母求助心理諮商

TODAY’S WORDS 今日單字

1. counseling n.諮商 (

2. breakdown n.崩潰 

3. grief n.悲痛 

4. cope with v. phr.處理 

5. stick/bury one’s head in the sand v. phr.逃避現實 

Prince Harry has said in a new interview that he suffered for years after the death of his mother, Princess Diana, before finally getting help about three years ago at the urging of his elder brother, Prince William.

The candid statement by the prince, in a podcast released on April 17 by The Daily Telegraph, is the latest indication of a shift within the British monarchy toward greater openness, led by a younger generation. The two princes, along with Prince William’s wife, the Duchess of Cambridge, are leading a campaign called Heads Together to end stigma around mental illness.

Prince Harry, 32, said that not dealing with the trauma had contributed to years of “total chaos” in his late 20s.

“I can safely say that losing my mum at the age of 12, and therefore shutting down all of my emotions for the last 20 years, has had a quite serious effect on not only my personal life but my work as well,” he said.

He added: “I have probably been very close to a complete breakdown on numerous occasions when all sorts of grief and all sorts of lies and misconceptions and everything are coming to you from every angle.”

Princess Diana died in a car crash in Paris on Aug. 31, 1997, at age 36; she and Prince Charles, the heir to the British throne, had divorced the previous year.

In the podcast, Prince Harry said he had tried to cope with the tragedy by not talking about it. “My way of dealing with it was sticking my head in the sand, refusing to ever think about my mum, because why would that help?” he said. He recalled thinking: “‘It’s only going to make you sad; it’s not going to bring her back.’ So from an emotional side, I was like, ‘Right, don’t ever let your emotions be part of anything.’”

The prince also praised the virtues of getting professional help and speaking out about grief.Prince Harry, who spent 10 years in the British armed forces and served two tours in Afghanistan, said in the interview that his struggles had consumed much of his 20s. (He was 27 in 2012, when tabloids published images of him naked while partying in Las Vegas, which prompted him to apologize for having “let my family down.”)

He added that staying quiet about emotional suffering in distress was “only ever going to make it worse,” and he urged people in such situations to seek help. “You will be surprised, firstly, how much support you get,” he said.

This article is an edited version of a piece that originally appeared in the New York Times.

(New York Times, Hannah Olivennes)

哈利王子在最近一項訪談中說道，在其母黛安娜王妃過世後他痛苦了很多年，直到約三年前在其兄威廉王子敦促下終於尋求心理諮商，才逐漸走出來。

哈利王子坦率的自述，出自四月十七日每日電訊報播客節目中播出的訪談，這顯示近來由年輕一代英國皇室成員所引領的更開放的皇室作風。兩位王子以及威廉王子之妻，劍橋公爵夫人（凱特王妃）所設立的慈善基金會，現正倡導一個名為「同心協力」（Heads Together）的慈善運動，該運動旨在終結對心理疾病之污名化。

現年三十二歲的哈利王子說，對創傷未加處理使得他二十多歲時經歷了好幾年的「全然混亂」。

「我可以很肯定地說，我十二歲時喪母，因而在過去二十年裡，我封閉自己所有的情感，這不但對我的私生活，也對我的工作造成很嚴重的影響，」哈利王子說。

他補充道，「當各種傷痛、謊言、誤解和所有事情由四面八方向你襲來，有無數次我接近徹底崩潰。」

黛安娜王妃於一九九七年八月三十一日因車禍死於法國巴黎，得年三十六歲。她與英國王儲查爾斯王子在前一年離婚。

在這播客訪談中，哈利王子說他曾試圖藉由不去談論它，來處理這個悲劇。「我處理這件事的方式是把頭埋進沙裡，是逃避現實的鴕鳥心態，對於我母親我連想都拒絕去想，因為這樣會有用嗎？」他說道，並回憶那時自己曾想說：「『這只會讓你難過；並不會讓她起死回生。』所以在情感方面，我就像是說，『好，你絕對不能讓任何事有情感成分。』」

哈利王子曾服役英軍十年，並有兩次外派阿富汗服役。他在訪談中說，他的掙扎消耗掉他二十多歲的大半時光。（在二○一二年他二十七歲時，八卦小報公開他在美國拉斯維加斯裸體跑趴的照片，使得他得公開道歉說自己「令家族失望。」）

哈利王子也稱許尋求專業協助，以及將悲傷說出口的益處。

他補充說，對痛苦的情緒避而不談，「只會讓情況變得更糟，」且呼籲人們若遭逢此種情況應尋求幫助。「首先你將會對得到這麼多扶持而感到驚訝」，他說。

本文為編輯後的版本，原文已於紐約時報刊登。

（台北時報編譯林俐凱譯）

Resources:

HEALING: 5 YOGA CLASSES TO GET THROUGH GRIEF

France bans captive breeding of dolphins 法國禁止人工繁殖海豚

How to do Dolphin Pose

TODAY’S WORDS

今日單字

1. breeding n.繁殖

2. aquarium n. 水族館

3. authorize v. 核准

4. replenishment n. 補充

France on May 6 banned the breeding in captivity of dolphins and killer whales under tighter rules that campaigners hope will eventually herald the end of shows involving the animals.

Environment Minister Segolene Royal had on May 3 signed a version of the legislation introducing “tight controls on the reproduction of dolphins,” her ministry said in a statement. But she has since decided the rules need to be “more radical,” her ministry told AFP on May 6, particularly after learning that “some animals were drugged” in aquariums.

The new rules ban the captivity of all whales, dolphins and porpoises, except for orcas and bottlenose dolphins already held in authorized aquariums.

Animal rights activists hailed the ban as a “historic French advance.” “In plain terms, this means the end of breeding, exchange and import programs,” five conservation groups including One Voice and Sea Shepherd said in a joint statement. “Without possible replenishment, this quite simply means the scheduled end of marine circuses on our territory.”

The new rules notably also require “an increase of at least 150 percent of pools to allow the animals to live in less proximity from visitors and other animals,” the ministry said, as well as banning chlorine in treating the water. Direct contact between the animals and the public is also now forbidden. Water parks and aquariums have six months to conform to the new rules, and a three-year deadline for expanding their pools.

(AFP)

法國於五月六日立法嚴格禁止國內以人工方式繁殖海豚和殺人鯨。動物保育人士期望新法能夠終結海豚表演。

根據法國環境部所發表的聲明，部長塞格琳‧賀雅爾五月三日簽署了一項法案，嚴格限制海豚的人工繁殖，但她在五月六日告訴法新社，她隨後得知有水族館對動物下藥，因此決定制定更嚴厲的法令。

新法禁止豢養任何品種的鯨魚、海豚、鼠海豚，只有部分已經飼有殺人鯨和瓶鼻海豚，且經政府核准的水族館可以繼續豢養海豚。

Happy Mother's Day 母親節快樂

Storytelling mothers inspire rural kids讀樂樂 故事媽媽下鄉

TODAY’S WORDS
今日單字

1. inspire v.啟發 

例: That was a very inspiring speech; now I’m really motivated to get started.

(那是場具啟發性的演講，現在我深受鼓舞準備開始行動。)

2. plant the seeds phr.散播種子 

例: It is important to plant the seeds of cooperation as early as possible.

(能儘早種下合作的種子很重要。)

3. take it all in v. 放進心裡, 記在心裡 

例: I know that it is a lot of information, but you just have to take it all in and then think about it. (我知道資訊很多，但是你得把它記在心裡然後好好想一想。)

Stories can inspire the imagination and open the door to the world of reading. The Pingtung County Story Society, established by a group of mothers, has offered services in the countryside for five years, planting the seeds of reading in schools in remote areas. Although many of the mothers’ children are already in university, they go on and never get tired of their work.

The society has 100 members that regularly tell stories in the county’s elementary and junior high schools. Su Yu-hsuan, the society director, says that at first, most members will only volunteer to tell stories at their own children’s school, but that after a while the storytelling will grow on them and they expand the number of schools they visit and do not stop even after their own children have graduated.

“What was the name of the main character that was fighting a serious illness in the story you told last time?” Storytelling mother Pan Tzu-yun says one should not think that children only listen to a story and then forget about it; they will take it all in and slowly digest it. To her pleasant surprise, a student once asked her about a story she had told the year before. She believes the moral of the stories imperceptibly becomes part of the children’s lives.

(Liberty Times, translated by Perry Svensson)

故事可以啟發想像力，開啟閱讀之門，由一群媽媽組成的屏東縣故事學會，五年來透過下鄉服務，把閱讀種子散播到偏校，雖然許多媽媽的孩子都已上了大學，她們還是樂此不疲。

屏東縣故事學會有百名會員，定期到縣內國中小說故事，理事長蘇友萱表示，大部分成員剛開始都只是到孩子就讀的小學當故事志工，後來說出興趣，不但擴大服務的校園，即使自己小孩畢業了，還是沒有離開崗位。

「上次您說的故事中，那個對抗病魔的主角叫什麼名字？」故事媽媽潘紫云說，不要以為孩子們聽一聽就算了，其實他們會把情節放進心裡慢慢消化，曾經有一位學生問她前一年說過的故事，令她驚喜萬分，她相信故事中的道理，無形中已成為孩子們生命的一部分。

（自由時報記者羅欣貞）

Ten ways you unconsciously sabotage your weight loss efforts 為什麼你減肥總是不成功？警惕這十大絆腳石

Have you ever found yourself staring down at an empty bowl of ice cream wondering what just happened?你是不是也遇到過這種情況：自己盯著空空如也的冰淇淋杯，在想剛剛到底發生了什麼？Or holding an empty bag of M&Ms?抑或傻乎乎地拎著被消滅乾淨的巧克力袋子？
Let's face it — no one consciously decides to sabotage their diet. So how is it that your best intentions can be so blindsided by...by what?面對現實吧——大家都不是有意識的要破壞自己的節食計畫。那麼，我們立志瘦身的初衷究竟是怎樣被攻破的？又是被什麼攻破的？

According to stimulus-response theory, we're often derailed by a kind of knee-jerk way of thinking: You see a TV commercial for a juicy bacon double cheeseburger (stimulus) and next thing you know you're driving to McDonald's (response).根據刺激反應理論，我們常常會被下意識的思考方式所干擾：上一秒你在電視上看到培根雙層芝士漢堡的廣告（刺激），下一秒你就發現自己已經在開車去麥當勞的路上了（反應）。 In order to minimize this kind of mindless eating, you need to become aware of the circumstances that leave you most susceptible to falling off the healthy food wagon.若要盡可能地控制這些無意識的貪吃行為，你需要瞭解哪些情境因素會使你更容易偏離健康飲食的軌道。

You are particularly susceptible to knee-jerk sabotage when:在下面這些情況下，你尤其容易受下意識思考方式的影響：

1. You're stressed. Whether it's caused by life challenges, illness, or fatigue, stress depletes you emotionally as well as physically.當你倍感壓力時。生活中的挑戰、疾病或勞累都會讓你感到壓力，而不管是哪一種都會在精神上和體力上擊垮你。When you become depleted, food — especially the salty, sweet, fatty, high calorie kind — beckons you with promises of escape, sedation, and comfort. Ah!當你感到被擊垮時，食物——尤其是高鹽、高糖、高脂、高卡路里的食物——就在向你招手了：來吧！我能讓你逃離壓力，鎮靜放鬆下來！啊，如此美好！And these promises aren't exaggerations. Food does offer the relief you seek — well, at least until you swallow!而且它們沒說謊——食物（是的，吃進肚的食物），的確能幫我們釋放壓力。

2. You're bored. Boredom is an emotion that leaves you feeling fidgety and somewhat out of control. Your go-to comfort food not only promises the distracting pleasure of something to do, but will flood your brain with feel-good chemicals. Your restlessness is swept away by the blissful tranquility of escape.當你無聊時。無聊會讓你感覺煩躁不安、難以自控。這時你便向食物索取安慰，因為它不但能讓你忙活起來，分散注意力，還會讓你的大腦血液中流過令人愉快的化學物質。你的焦躁不安一掃而光，心頭洋溢著成功擺脫空虛的喜悅和寧靜。

3. You're watching TV (or otherwise distracted). We are creatures of habit as well as creatures of comfort. And what's more comforting — or mindless — than zoning out binge-watching your favorite TV series while digging into that bag of chips? 你在看電視的時候（或者其它思想不集中的時候）。人類是追求舒適感的生物，更是享受按習慣行事的生物。想像一下，當你可以放空大腦，一邊放肆地追你最愛的電視劇，一邊瘋狂地吃薯片，如此舒適愜意，無憂無慮，夫複何求？Mindless distraction and snacking become ritualistic habits, just like a tub of popcorn becomes a must at the movie theater. 放空大腦、吃零食好像已成為一種固定的搭配，就像看電影就必須吃一桶爆米花一樣。

4. You're depressed or anxious. Emotional struggle and stress are inseparable, leaving you feeling desperate and out of control. Destructive eating is an anesthetic to your emotional pain and discomfort.你沮喪或焦慮的時候。情緒上的困擾總是和壓力相伴相生，讓你感覺歇斯底里，不受控制。而大吃大喝就像麻醉劑，讓你暫時忘卻情緒上的痛苦和不適。The feel-good chemical dopamine is released in the brain and — at least while you're eating — your emotional pain is numbed.這時，大腦會釋放一種名為多巴胺的化學物質，你的情緒痛苦會被暫時麻醉——至少在你吃東西的時候是這樣的。

5. You're in a restaurant or planning to go out to eat. This is where your mind begins to "graze:" "Hmm, what am I in the mood for tonight?" 你在餐館或者正打算去下館子的時候。這時你的大腦就開始臆想了：“哎呀呀，今晚吃點什麼好呢？”This is "mind-tasting." Once you begin to mind-taste, you're already putting in motion the physiological changes associated with actually eating those delicious foods. Mind-tasting is a surefire way to open the door to destructive eating.這就是“臆想的美味”。一旦你開始臆想美味，你就會經歷真正品嘗美食時才會有的心理變化。所以臆想美味必然導致大吃大喝。

6. You feel your stomach growl. You haven't eaten in a few hours, it's almost lunch time, and your stomach growls. For many people, this sets off a small panic: "I'm starving! I need to eat something right now."你覺得肚子在叫的時候。好幾個小時沒吃東西了，又快到午飯飯點了，於是肚子開始叫了。而這會引起許多人的心理小恐慌：“餓死我了！必須馬上吃點東西才行。”In typical knee-jerk fashion, you're conditioned to jump when your stomach beckons. More often than not, it's your mind, not your body, that needs to be fed.這是典型的下意識行為：肚子一叫，你就習慣性地坐不住了。但往往真正餓的不是你的肚子，而是你的大腦。

7. You're alone or lonely. Loneliness is a stressful state, which at times is unavoidable. We try to reduce the stress of loneliness by using food to fill the emptiness in our lives. 你獨自一人或倍感孤獨的時候。孤獨能讓人感到壓力，這是不可避免的。於是我們用食物來填充空虛，以此減輕隨孤獨而來的壓力。Food, quite literally, "fills" us. And when you're feeling empty and alone, being full can be quite comforting.直白的說，食物就是能使我們充實的“實物”。如果你覺得空虛寂寞，吃飽肚子能讓你舒服許多。

8. You see or smell a nostalgic comfort food. The sight or aroma of a childhood comfort food can release in the brain the same chemicals involved in tasting these foods (mind-tasting again).當你看到或聞到能讓你懷舊的食物時。當你看到或聞到童年吃過的食物時，大腦會釋放出和真正品嘗這些食物時相同的化學物質（又是臆想美味）。It's why fast food restaurants have pictures on their menus. You stand there mind-tasting each possibility until you settle on the one choice that seems to offer the most satisfaction. 這也解釋了為什麼速食店會在菜單上附圖片。你只需站在那裡就能臆想出每一道菜的美味，然後就拿定主意選擇了看起來最好吃的那一道。

9. You've had an alcoholic beverage — or three. Alcohol distorts both your physical and psychological perceptions of hunger. You probably already know that alcohol adds calories, weakens self-discipline, and stimulates hunger. 你喝了一杯酒精飲料的時候——或者三杯。酒精會使你對饑餓感產生錯覺。你也許已經知道了這些事實：酒精會增加卡路里攝取量，削弱自律能力，並刺激你的饑餓感。 Having a drink before or during your meal will lower your inhibitions and diminish your willpower. Save the wine for dessert. 飯前或飯中喝酒會使你放下防備，削弱你的意志力。所以紅酒還是留作飯後吃甜點的時候喝吧。

10. You're tired, you have access to junk food and it's late at night. Fatigue reduces your capacity for tolerating stress. Nighttime is when things begin to wind down, you've had a hard day, and you're hoping to reward yourself for having survived the day's demands.

你覺得累了，此時正值深夜，手頭又有現成垃圾食品的時候。勞累會削弱你對壓力的抵抗力。夜晚時分，萬籟俱寂，你已經忙碌了一整天，此時不由得希望能犒勞犒勞自己。

Or perhaps it's your knee-jerk, ritualistic need for a "night cap" before retiring. It's easy to fall prey to “tomorrow is another day” thinking and go for the brownies and glass of milk. 又或者，這只是你下意識的想法，你其實只是想在睡前再例行公事來點夜宵而已。你輕而易舉地說服自己，隨便今天怎麼樣了，反正“明天又是新的一天”，然後就興致勃勃地跑去拿巧克力糕餅和牛奶了。

Earth Day: Five things you can do to observe! 地球日：你可以身體力行的5件事

Vocabulary

carbon footprint: 碳足跡（個人活動所產生的二氧化碳的份量）

loom：陰森森地逼近；赫然聳現

pitch in：投入；作出貢獻

April 22nd every year marks the onset of Earth Day. A day that is celebrated annually to raise awareness about our home planet and how we can save and protect it from recurring damage. 每年的4月22日是地球日。這是一個能讓我們關注地球家園、珍惜並保護它免遭人類行為反復破壞的日子。

Started in the year 1970, Earth Day is now celebrated in more than 190 countries each year.

地球日源於1970年。目前世界上每年有190多個國家慶祝地球日。Every year, the event is celebrated under a different theme. The theme for 2016 is "Trees for the Earth". 每年的主題都不同。2016年地球日的主題是“為地球種樹”。 In present times, when the dangers of climate change and global warming loom as large as ever, there is a constant pressure upon the entire world to do their bit and contribute towards the betterment of our home planet. Why? Because there is only one Earth. 目前地球受氣候變化和全球變暖的影響越來越深，全世界人民亟需聯合行動，承擔起各自的責任，為構建我們更好的家園貢獻力量。為什麼？因為我們只有一個地球。

地球日：你可以身體力行的5件事

Planting more trees means cutting down and reducing the carbon footprint and spread of greenhouse gases. 多種樹能減少碳足跡、縮減溫室氣體的擴散。 However, Earth Day is not just an event to be celebrated on one specific day. It is primarily a reminder for all to do our rightful duty to save our planet everyday. Earth Day is a motivation for you to start right now.

不過，地球日不應該只在某個特定日子慶祝。它其實主要在於提醒我們，要每天做有益於地球的事情。地球日意味著你現在就要開始行動了。 Below, we have compiled a list of five things you can do to celebrate Earth Day (apart from planting trees) and make this a better place, a better world for future generations.下面我們列舉了5項便於人們實踐的地球日活動（除了種樹以外），一起構建更好的家園、更美的世界，造福後代子孫。

Have a look!一起來看吧！

地球日：你可以身體力行的5件事

1. Leave your cars at home 少開車

Cars, being the greatest source of air pollution, can be left at home this weekend. Travelling via public transport is the better option. Other greener options are carpooling, riding a bike or you can also walk if you want a healthier option and if your workplace is not that far away from your home. 汽車是空氣的主要污染源，這個週末可以別開車了。公共交通其實是更好的選擇。其他綠色出行方式還包括拼車、騎行；如果你的工作地點離家不遠的話，你還有個更健康的選擇：步行。

2. Be a little dirty 邋遢一點兒

No, we don't mean it 'that' way. We simply mean to say, don't take a bath. Yes, conservation of water is super essential. A day or two without a bath won't harm you, but it will certainly do a lot of good for our planet. A daily shower isn't a matter of health; it's a matter of comfort. Showering every day can wash away the natural oils that our skin and hair need.

當然，我們並不是讓你不講衛生。我們想說的是，別洗澡。是的，保護水資源特別重要。一兩天不洗澡不會對你有什麼危害，但對我們的地球卻有極大的益處。每天沖澡與健康無關，其實只是為了舒服而已。每天洗澡還會沖掉我們皮膚上天然的油脂，而這些油脂其實是皮膚和頭髮需要的。

3. Volunteer yourself 做義工

This is one of the best things you can do. Why? Because it will do you good too. Join other like-minded individuals in a common task. If you have the time, there are lots of opportunities out there to pitch in, for instance, planting trees, cleaning a park or simply coming up with ways you can preserve mother Earth. 這是最適合你的事情之一。為什麼？因為它對你本身也有好處。與其他跟你有相似想法的人一起去完成一項任務。如果你時間允許，這樣的機會有很多，比如種樹、打掃公園，以及其他有利於保護地球的活動。

4. Green-up your home 在家中踐行地球日

This is one of the most common things that people do whenever Earth Day rolls around, that is, switch off their lights. However, this is not something you should do just for a day and for only an hour. Conserve energy by switching of all power and/or electricity points whenever they are not in use. In addition, take out all the plugs from plug points even after switching them off. 每到地球日，很多人都會不約而同選擇做這件事：關燈。不過，這不應該只是你在這一天這一小時做的事。為了節省能源，我們應該隨時關閉所有不在使用當中的用電設施。另外，關閉電源後，還應該拔下所有用電插頭。

5. Pledge to do more everyday 每天點滴積累

You know what the best way to celebrate Earth Day is? Extend your celebrations. That's right! Do something everyday that will improve your surroundings to make the planet a better place to live in. Always remember that every step, every initiative counts. 你知道慶祝地球日的最佳方式嗎？增加你的綠色踐行活動。對！每天都要做對環境有利的事情，讓我們的地球更宜居。記住，每一步行動、每一次倡議都算。

The future of our planet is in your hands! 地球家園的未來就靠你了！

(China Post)