[originaltext] (16)On the sofa or lying in bed feeling ill? Chances are you

(16)On the sofa or lying in bed feeling ill? Chances are you’re tucking into some hot soup to help you feel better. It’s what your grandparents would have done, their grandparents and generations before that.
     (17)As far back as the 12th century, physicians were recommending chicken soup to combat a cold. Modern science has since found their instincts were largely right and it can be soothing and anti-inflammatory for those with colds.(17)It was still the same in the 16th century, when common wisdom was to give "nourishing, light and easily digested food" to the sick. Soups were recommended. The nutritional benefits are obvious. A healthy soup provides an easy way to digest the nutrients we need, especially when we’re ill.(16)There’s more than that. The psychological links people have with food do stem from childhood. That is a connection we make on a subconscious level as we grow up, so when we want to feel comforted we look to what our mothers would have provided. Over time we build up food associations with our homes—we like to think of them as warm and cozy. There’s a definite tie there to our appreciation of warm and comforting food. Not many recipes are still handed down through generations, but soup is one of them, with ancient recipes for soup remaining very similar to those in modern cookbooks.(18)People believe that there are emotional reasons for this. When we take soup to people in tough times, there’s something about it that means we are bringing comfort to them because it takes an enormous amount of care inside.
16. What is the speaker mainly talking about?
17. Why were soups recommended in ancient times?
18. Why does taking soup to people in tough times mean bringing comfort to them?