With the end of the quarter looming and stress on the rise, Marlborough’s ever graceful halls of learning seem to be echoing with coughing, sneezing and complaints of aches and pains. And while Tylenol can be a wheezy Marlborough girl’s best friend, there might just be a better altaernative—chicken soup.

Grandma has probably been telling you about the benefits of chicken soup for years, but she might soon have scientific proof to back up her incessant nudging. That’s right, Granny. It’s your time to shine!

One doctor at the University of Nebraska conducted a study which showed that chicken soup limits the production of mucus, which is the perpetrator of all the annoying coughing and sneezing that comes with having the flu. (And here I thought those 3 assessments-in-one-day-plus-a-rehearsal combos were the perps). Plus, chicken soup can act as an anti-inflammatory.

While the CDC suggests that you breathe in steam from a bowl of hot water or shower to decrease sinus pain, why do that when you can treat yourself to a nice, steamy bowl of chicken-celery-carrot-brothy goodness?

And although I personally prefer my mom’s chicken soup over any other (the recipe is too secret to divulge in this blog post), my guess is any chicken soup will probably do. Campbell’s isn’t too bad of an alternative  and there’s always the option of alphabet soup.

But no matter what your chicken soup of choice is, do all of us non-sniffling folk a favor; enjoy that bowl of savory broth at home, while you are getting rest, getting better and keeping the rest of us from getting sick.