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Daily Edition • Saturday, May 9

Can Chatbots Really Relieve Loneliness?

A woman with long hair stands on stairs holding a phone in a modern subway station.

Ahmed/Unsplash

Getting Chatty: Talking to chatbots is a new norm. Whether you’re asking for health advice or just venting, turning to a large language model like ChatGPT is easy. Research has suggested that talking to chatbots may alleviate loneliness and boost mood as much as talking to a real person. Some people even report preferring chatbots to real human interaction. New research, however, adds a bit of nuance.

The Study: Researchers at the University of British Columbia studied 275 first-year students for two weeks. One group sent “meaningful messages” to a chatbot; another messaged with a randomly selected student; and a third journaled in a private chatroom. At the end of the study, only those students who interacted with another student reported less loneliness and more positive emotion at the end of the two week study.

The Takeaway: While students who interacted with chatbots did report less negative emotions immediately afterward, those who interacted with real people felt better for longer. The lead researcher on this study says the findings indicate that chatbots are a “poor substitute for a real person,” even if the person is a total stranger.

What to Know: This study lasted just two weeks and involved a relatively small and specific sample size (first-year students at a single university). Still, it suggests chatbots still aren’t a bonafide replacement for human interaction, especially long-term.

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Here’s How To Start Your Day Smarter

Woman smiling while reading a newspaper and holding a coffee cup outdoors.

Courtesy: 1440

There’s a reason 4.5 million Americans start their day with 1440. In about five minutes, it delivers a clear, fact-based rundown of what matters — across news, business, culture, and more. The team reviews 100+ sources so you don’t have to, pulling together a balanced view without the noise or spin. It’s an easy way to stay informed, think a little sharper, and move into your day with context — not clutter.

Learn More

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Nutrition & Food

The Raw Chicken Mistake Most People Still Make

Raw chicken with rosemary placed in a cast iron skillet, held by hands.

Pablo Merchan Montes/Unsplash

Chicken Out: Chicken is the most popular meat in the U.S. It’s also more contaminated with bacteria than you might realize. One in 25 packages of supermarket raw chicken is contaminated with salmonella, which can make you really sick. Here’s how to handle chicken properly to prevent foodborne illness.

How to Do It: Chicken safety starts at the store. Place chicken packages in a separate plastic bag in the bottom of the cart — and later on the bottom shelf of your fridge — to prevent raw liquid from dripping onto other food. Wash your hands well with soap and water before touching raw chicken. Chicken doesn’t need to be washed first, but if you do, let water run gently over it to prevent bacteria spreading from splashing. Wash your hands and the sink immediately afterward with very hot soapy water. Designate one cutting board for chicken only. Wash utensils, countertops, or anything that’s near or in contact with raw chicken with hot, soapy water right away. Be sure to cook chicken to 165 degrees.

The Benefits: Salmonella poisoning can cause severe GI symptoms. It’s usually not life-threatening, but children, pregnant women, and immunocompromised people are at higher risk for dangerous complications.

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Beauty & Skincare

Is the Viral Lemon-Olive Oil Shot Worth Taking?

A plate with a whole and halved lemon, accompanied by a spoon, next to glasses of colored drinks and a striped cloth.

Boglarka Salamon/Unsplash

The Trend: TikTokers and influencers are promoting a new spin on detoxing: lemon-olive oil shots. The regimen is a tablespoon or two of extra virgin olive oil mixed with fresh-squeezed lemon juice, first thing on an empty stomach. And they say these daily shots provide everything from glowing skin to primed digestion, plus less bloating and more energy.

What People Are Saying: Fans swear by it as a liver-supporting, body-cleansing ritual, but doctors aren't so convinced. Your liver and kidneys already handle detox around the clock, and no one has tested this exact combo in a clinical setting. One physician called the trend “more hype than medicine,” saying the same benefits come from using olive oil when you cook and squeezing lemon on a salad.

What to Know: Why is the trend catching on? Olive oil and lemon are already staples, and the morning ritual has obvious appeal. But if you have gallbladder issues or acid reflux, or take blood thinners or diabetes medicine, consult your doctor first as olive oil can have mild blood-thinning and glucose-lowering effects. For the same nutrients sans the shot, cook with olive oil and drop lemon in your water throughout the day.

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Quick Picks

Steer Clear — How can you avoid illness on a cruise?

Sneaky Sabotage — These 9 daily habits may weaken your immune system.

Made for Walking — Getting 10,000 steps a day is a joy in these.*

Still Tuned In? — Can your brain process podcasts while under anesthesia?

In for the Long Haul — Is your go-to travel outfit bad for your health?

^*Indicates a brand partnership

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This, Not That

A Calmer Cup

Hot water is being poured into a clear glass cup containing a tea bag, with steam rising in the background.

THIS

Two coffee cups on saucers; one has latte art shaped like a heart, and the other is filled with dark coffee.

NOT THAT

Nathan Dumlao/Unsplash, Daniel Sessler/Unsplash

This: Green Tea
Not That: A Second Coffee

Coffee is great — but the second or third cup can push caffeine into jitter territory. Green tea offers a gentler lift thanks to its lower caffeine and the presence of L-theanine, an amino acid linked to calm focus. The result is smoother energy without the spike-and-crash feeling some people get from more coffee.

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What We're Cooking

Mexican Tuna Salad

A bowl of chicken salad mixed with tomatoes and green peppers, accompanied by tortilla chips and a blue serving spoon.

Courtesy: Simply Recipes

Serves: 2-4 | Cook Time: 5 minutes

You really can’t beat a five-minute recipe with just three main ingredients. Made with canned white albacore tuna and pico de gallo — homemade or store-bought — this tuna salad tastes bright, fresh, and full of summery flavor. A squeeze of lime adds a zesty kick and creamy mayo ties everything together. Serve it with crackers, spooned into lettuce cups, or piled onto bread for a hearty tuna sandwich lunch.

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A Calmer Way to Keep Up With the World

There’s a growing shift toward being more intentional about what we consume — not just food, but information, too. 1440 fits neatly into that. It’s a 5-minute daily briefing that pulls from 100+ sources and distills what matters across news, business, and culture. No overload, no spin — just a clearer picture to start your day feeling informed, not frazzled.

Learn More

Thank you for supporting our sponsors! They help us keep All Healthy free.

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HEALTHY HABIT

The Two-Item Rule

Before leaving any space, put away two things. Not everything — just two. It keeps clutter from building without turning into a chore.

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Final Thought

Sunset over rocky desert landscape with scattered vegetation and distant mountains.

It is by surmounting difficulties, not by sinking under them that we discover our fortitude.”

– Hannah Webster Foster, The Coquette

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