Table of contents for March 2022 in Reader's Digest

Angels in Action Your story about the kindness of strangers around the holidays (December/January) struck a chord. We’ve been to nearly every state in our RV. People often ask about our favorite thing from our travels. We’ve seen so many beautiful things in this country but are always awed by the many friendly people willing to help. There’s so much more than the negativity on the news. The good always outweighs the bad. —JANEY HATHCOCK Lenoir, North Carolina New Rules of Laundry For years, our clothes had a sour smell. Laundry was an all-day event. Thanks to the Laundry Guy’s advice (December/January), no more sour smell (thanks, warm water), and laundry takes a fraction of the time (the joys of the express cycle). Much better! —EILEEN OSGOOD Lebanon, Tennessee Stretch…

ERADAJERE OLEITA THINKS she may have a partial solution for two of our country’s persistent problems: garbage and poverty. It’s called the Chip Bag Project. The 26-year-old student and environmentalist from Detroit is asking a favor of local snack lovers: Rather than toss your empty chip bags into the trash, donate them so she can turn them into sleeping bags for the homeless. Chip eaters drop off their empty bags from Doritos, Lay’s, and other favorites at two locations in Detroit: a print shop and a clothing store, where Oleita and her volunteer helpers collect them. After they sanitize the chip bags in soapy hot water, they slice them open, lay them flat, and iron them together. They use padding and liners from old coats to line the insides. It…

True friendship can cross distance and time—and kingdom, phylum, and genus. America’s Best Pet Pals is a nationwide search for extraordinary animals and their unlikely besties. That could mean their favorite human, littermate, or any critter they’ve cozied up to-the more surprising, the better. See terms and submit your story, photos, and videos at rd.com/petpals. Our picks may appear in print, online, and on social media. Happy tails!…

FOR YEARS, JESSICA and Eric Miller of Ogden, Utah, have lived down the street from their favorite sandwich shop. Despite its being so close to home, they preferred to dine in, and always tipped generously when they did. But, of course, they didn’t get to dine in during much of 2020. The cafe temporarily closed at the start of the pandemic, then reopened-for takeout orders only. So the Millers’ new routine became to order online, go pick up their food, and eat it at home. Tipping never crossed their minds. That is, until the day they drove up and a waitress ran out to meet them. “I was wondering if I’m doing something wrong,” she said, “because you never leave a tip.” This caught the couple off guard. Eric attempted…

1 IF YOU tried veggie burgers years ago and dismissed them as rubbery, flavorless hockey pucks, it’s a good time to give meat substitutes another chance. You can find plant-based versions of chicken, pork, sausage, and deli cuts, as well as seafoods such as tuna and shrimp. Newer varieties mimic the look, flavor, and texture of the real thing. Some even “bleed” like beef and give off that signature sizzle as they cook. 2 CLEARLY, PLANTBASED proteins aren’t just for vegetarians and vegans. Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat-two of the biggest names in the industry-report that more than 9 out of 10 of their consumers also eat meat. And while only 5 percent of Americans are vegetarians, many more-about a quarter-say they eat plant-based meat fairly often. 3 IF YOU’RE…

All my life, I’ve been a sugar fiend. And with two young kids at home, it’s sometimes impossible not to have candy in the house. One Easter, I really indulged. I didn’t even enjoy it. Afterward, I thought about why I was eating the candy and couldn’t come up with a good answer. So I consulted Richard Barker, a Florida-based hypnotist. During our session, he had me focus on a single point, then close my eyes, relax, and listen. When I had sugar cravings, he said, I would opt for something healthier, and I would do this because I wanted to live a long life. When the session ended, I felt refreshed and happy. As for the cravings, the next day I still had them, but I didn’t indulge. I…

Why is it that all our most profound thoughts come while our hair is wet? These “Shower Thoughts” on Reddit are proof: ✦ Your stomach thinks all potato is mashed. ✦ A group of squid should be called a squad. ✦ I will be the last person to die in my lifetime. ✦ This “spring forward” thing would be a lot more popular if we moved the clocks ahead at 2 p.m. on a Monday. No offense to the von Trapps, but if I go to a lavish party and seven kids just start singing about how they have to go to bed, I’m using that time to refill my drink. —@1FOLLOWERNODAD In his latest book, A Carnival of Snackery, humorist David Sedaris shares jokes that his fans tell him. One…

FROM THE BOOK THE BOOK OF HOPE: A SURVIVAL GUIDE FOR TRYING TIMES “JANE IS ALMOST 90 YEARS OLD,” you may be thinking. “If she is aware of what is going on in the world, how can she be writing about hope?” On many days I admit that I feel depressed, days when it seems that the efforts, the struggles, and the sacrifices of so many people fighting for social and environmental justice, fighting prejudice and racism and greed, are fighting a losing battle. But without hope, all is lost. It is a crucial survival trait that has sustained our species from the time of our Stone Age ancestors. Certainly, my own improbable journey would have been impossible had I lacked hope. Like all people who live long enough, I…

THINK OF THE roaring twenties, and most of the things that come to mind are long gone: flappers, speakeasies, Model T’s... But one classic is still with us, virtually unchanged: those little rolls of post-meal relief we call Tums. Created in 1928 and brought to market two years later, Tums were part of a wave of early-20th-century consumer product innovations that included Scotch tape, Wonder bread, and Hostess Twinkies. Like those staples, Tums remains a bestseller. In fact, it’s the top-selling brandname antacid tablet in the nation; the company says it outsells Rolaids by almost two to one. Even before the pandemic, sales were on the rise, and during the pandemic, some varieties were in short supply—unsurprising, since the 4,000 people we polled in our annual Trusted Brands survey put…

1. exposé (c) public disclosure The newspaper’s exposé uncovered corruption in the mayor’s office. 2. pied-à-terre (A) second home Are Keisha and Blake at their pied-à-terre in Manhattan this weekend? 3. doppelgänger (c) double You must have a doppelgänger, because I’d swear I saw you on TV last night! 4. née (B) formerly known as Jacqueline Kennedy (née Bouvier) was famous for her style and elegance. 5. soupçon (A) small amount This stew needs just a soupçon more salt. 6. piñata (B) decorated container We whacked the candy-filled piñata until it burst. 7. coup de grâce (c) final blow For many struggling businesses, the pandemic was the coup de grâce that forced them to close. 8. flambé (A) drench and ignite “What if we flambé our Easter ham in rum this year?” Dad suggested. 9. tête-à-tête (B) private talk…

IN BISBEE, ARIZONA, stands an old phone booth. Open the bifold doors and use the rotary dial to call a number from the booth’s directory. You’ll be connected to a lyrical voice, one of around 100 local and famous poets reading their work, like the evocative “Waiting” by Jesse Sensibar: “I know what it feels like to wait so long you forget over the years you were even waiting. Except that every once in a while you catch yourself looking out the window to see if they have finally returned.” Like the verse you may hear when you call, entry is free. The Telepoem Booth is the brainchild of artist Elizabeth Hellstern, 46, who has also set up booths in Dubuque, Iowa; Santa Fe, New Mexico; at New Mexico Highlands…

It’s a Lock I owned an auto repair shop in a small town in Wisconsin. People would drop off their cars for repairs outside of business hours and then pick them up later in the day. One morning I came to work to find a customer’s car with a note sitting on the driver’s seat. The note read, “Lloyd, I hid the keys under the seat.” Sure enough, there they were, “hidden” for anyone who read the note to find. —Lloyd Chase, SCHROEDER, MINNESOTA Words on the Street I have a friend from Germany, but we both now live in Oregon. When my friend was a newcomer, she did a lot of shopping downtown. She had a habit of writing down the name of the street where she parked. One…

My third grader’s teacher assigned the following prompt: “Veterans Day honors the men and women who have served in our armed forces. Do you think you would like to serve in the military one day? Explain.” Here is Justin’s response: “Yes, I would like to serve in the military someday. I would like to serve chocolate chip ice cream, strawberry, chocolate, and vanilla ice cream. I would ask, ‘What kind of flavor would you like?’ I’d also ask, ‘What kind of cone do you like?’ That’s what I would like to serve in the military.” -ADEL DIORIO Portland, Michigan At the Marine Corps Officer Candidates School, an instructor told us how all the physical training they would put us through would come in handy once we left the service. “When…

BEING RESILIENT ISN’T about avoiding misfortune, but rather how we respond to it. Resilience means “doing well in the face of risk or adversity,” says Suniya Luthar, PhD, cofounder of Authentic Connections, a company that helps teach resilience and well-being. Recently we’ve all needed to draw on our resilience. “We all get depleted from time to time, and the pandemic has drained the resilience capacity of nearly everyone, at one time or another,” says Ann Masten, PhD, a professor of child development at the University of Minnesota. Even if you consider yourself resilient, you may need a booster dose in especially hard times. To build resilience, the experts suggest the following: Nurture relationships Set up and maintain a support network before you need it, says Michael Ungar, PhD, author of…

We teamed up with global market research firm Ipsos to find out which wellness companies Americans trust most. This year’s survey included new categories: Fitness Trackers, Workout Apparel, and Hair Care. At least three in four consumers consider trust an important factor in their buying decisions, especially for over-the-counter medicines. Nutritional Drink/Meal Replacement Ensure Multivitamin Centrum Herbal Supplement Nature Made Fitness Trackers Fitbit Workout Apparel Nike Hair Care Pantene Allergy Relief Benadryl CBD (cannabidiol) Charlotte’s Web Cold/Flu Remedy Nyquil Cough Remedy Robitussin Headache/Pain Reliever Tylenol Healthy Cereal Cheerios Health Insurance Blue Cross Blue Shield National Pharmacy/Drugstore CVS Pharmacy…

Generosity can take so many forms—it doesn’t just have to do with money—so I’m always shocked when people can’t muster any at all.—Alice Waters, CHEF IN Vanity Fair Visibility these days seems to somehow equate to success. Do not be afraid to disappear for a while and see what comes to you in the silence.–Michaela Coel, SCREENWRITER AT THE EMMY AWARDS Just as you think you know someone, it turns out you actually have no idea who a person really is until you’ve traveled with them.–Gabrielle Union, ACTOR IN THE BOOK You Got Anything Stronger? Always eat before a meeting. Even a lunch meeting. Because hungry people say things they regret.–Chris Rock, COMEDIAN IN Esquire Some people feel confusion and uncertainty (which are often things that arrive right before possibility), and…

WHERE, OH WHERE? (page 56) B. Macon, Georgia BRAIN GAMES (pages 114-115) Quick Crossword ACROSS 3. BISON 5. PRONGHORN 8. CANYON 9. OSPREY 10. LYNX DOWN 1. PIKA 2. WOLVERINE 4. FUMAROLE 6. GEYSER 7. EAGLE Wheel of Profit Your friend, although this is not guaranteed. You will both wager $60 to spin six times. Your friend can expect to win once a fter six spins (for $100) and you can expect to win three times (for $90). Symbolism A. The symbols on the top line occur in reverse order on the bottom line; the symbols on the second line from the top occur in reverse order on the second line from the bottom; and so on.…

DONNIE WISEMAN almost didn’t go to his niece’s fifth birthday party last August. He was worn out after working long hours at his construction job. But the party was being held at Scales and Tails Utah, a reptile and bird center in suburban Salt Lake City. Ever since childhood, Wiseman has been infatuated with reptiles. “They’re now the closest thing we have to a dinosaur,” he says. So, he skipped a nap and went with his wife and six-year-old stepson. When they arrived at Scales and Tails, they were led to a small indoor area with a pool of water surrounded by nine-foot-tall viewing windows. Inside was the center’s star attraction, an 8-foot-long, 150-pound alligator named Darthgator. He swam around the pool before resting his head on a two-foot-wide platform.…

ONE SUMMER DAY, the bushes in our backyard began whimpering and whining and making all sorts of commotion. Or rather, our pit bull mix, Bella, was in the bushes whimpering and whining and making all sorts of commotion. Our 11-year-old daughter, Kaitlin, discovered her sniffing and pawing at a branch, where several caterpillars munched away. My husband and I worried that our backyard-frequent hangout of birds, squirrels, and neighborhood cats-wasn’t the safest environment for vulnerable caterpillars. So we got a butterfly house where the cater pillars could safely metamorphose. Each day, when we took the butterfly house to the backyard, Bella moved with it. Each night, when we brought it back inside, Bella followed, then slept under the table on which it rested. We don’t know why Bella was so…

GARDENING 1 Rearrange Outdoor Plants You’ve been waiting all winter. Your garden is finally blooming again. And... you wish you could move that rooted perennial three feet to the left. To make it easier to shuffle things around, buy a bunch of empty planting pots, all the same size, then place your new vegetation in doubled-up pots instead of directly in the ground. If you want to re arrange, just pull up the top pot with the plant inside and plop in a different one instead. This makes it easier to bring plants indoors for the winter too. From RD.com and familyhandyman.COM HOME 2 A Surefire Stud Finder When using a stud finder, first hold it up to yourself to make sure it’s working. If not, or if you just can’t…

THE SLEEPLESS PRINCESS in Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale was far from the only aristocrat to fuss over a pea. In 16th- and 17th- century France, the vogue vegetable sent the nobility into a tizzy. So great was the craze around eating these bright green mini-treats in the springtime that Madame de Maintenon, the second wife of King Louis XIV, wrote one season: “The question of peas continues. The anticipation of eating them, the pleasure of having eaten them, and the joy of eating them again are the three subjects that our princes have been discussing for four days... It has become a fashion-indeed, a passion.” Peas are among the oldest crops in human history, though exactly what constitutes a pea is a little hard to pin down. Just about…

WELLNESS FROM THEHEALTHY.COM WHAT A LOT of us refer to as stomachaches or tummy troubles can indicate many different things that are happening in the abdomen, not all of which actually affect the stomach. Usually the discomfort we’re feeling is due to a bit of indigestion or gas, or an uncomfortable but fairly harmless intestinal virus (the “stomach flu”). But certain symptoms may signal something more serious. If you experience any of these pains-or any abdominal pain that’s severe or persists beyond a few days—see a doctor so you can get your digestive tract running smoothly again: Heartburn: Burning pain in the center of the abdomen This feeling is all too common after a big greasy meal. The key word is “burning,” says Lawrence J. Brandt, MD, a gastroenterologist at…

1. exposé n. (ek-spoh-’zay) A low neckline B camera lens C public disclosure 2. pied-à-terre n. (pee-ay-duh-’tayr) A second home B leisurely walk C small garden 3. doppelgänger n. (‘dah-pull-gang-er) A mobster B cyclone C double 4. née adj. (nay) A unmarried B formerly known as C born-again 5. soupçon n. (soop-’sawn) A small amount B folk song C large kettle 6. piñata n. (peen-’yah-tuh) A birthday party B decorated container C green salsa 7. coup de grâce n. (koo-dih-’grahss) A rebellion B ballet step C final blow 8. flambé v. (flahm-’bay) A drench and ignite B top with custard C bring to a boil 9. tête-à-tête n. (tet-uh-’tet) A fistfight B private talk C drum solo 10. mañana adv. (mun-’yah-nuh) A immediately B long past C in the future 11. maître d’ n. (may-truh-’dee) A dinner jacket B serving tray…