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The cost-of-living crisis is hitting hard. Here are 3 ways to soften the blow

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ama-samarasinghe-1386754">Ama Samarasinghe</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a></em></p> <p>As our wallets feel the strain from the cost-of-living crisis, many of us are looking for ways to soften the blow.</p> <p>While everyone’s circumstances are different, and ideally you should seek help from an accredited financial adviser, there are some tried and true ways to work out where all your money is going and why.</p> <p>Here are three practical tips to reduce the impact of the cost-of-living increases, and stretch every hard-earned dollar.</p> <h2>1. Hunt for a better loan rate</h2> <p>For many households, the biggest hit comes from the mortgage, so start there.</p> <p>Even a modest 0.5% reduction can translate into substantial savings. Call your bank today and just ask for rate reduction. If the answer is no, consider shopping around for a different lender.</p> <p>Your loyalty to your current lender might be costing you more than you realise. Banks often reserve their most attractive rates for new customers, leaving long-time customers paying higher-than-necessary interest.</p> <p>Even if your bank does agree to a rate reduction, explore the market anyway. There is a range of free rate-comparison websites, or you can directly check individual bank websites.</p> <p>If you find a lender offering a better rate, you might consider calling the competing bank to ask about switching your mortgage to them.</p> <p>Or, you might seek assistance from a mortgage broker, who can guide you through the process of securing a better deal (just remember they often take <a href="https://www.canstar.com.au/home-loans/mortgage-brokers-fees/">commissions</a> from lenders).</p> <p>Tread carefully and factor in any exit fees or charges from your current lender. Refinancing isn’t without risk, so a thorough cost-benefit analysis is important before making the switch.</p> <p>Also consider the value of features such as <a href="https://moneysmart.gov.au/glossary/offset-account">offset accounts</a>. An offset account, linked to your home loan, allows you to deposit money such as your salary and savings. This money is then “<a href="https://www.rba.gov.au/publications/smp/2015/aug/box-e-offset-account-balances-and-housing-credit.html">offset</a>” against your home loan balance.</p> <p>That means you only pay interest on the outstanding amount (the loan minus whatever salary and savings you put in the offset). This can accelerate loan repayment and reduce interest costs.</p> <p>Keep in mind that offset accounts are typically only available with variable interest rates. Offset accounts work best if you have considerable savings to put into the offset account that outweigh the additional fees and charges attached to offset accounts.</p> <h2>2. Trim your expenses and uncover hidden savings</h2> <p>It’s time to become a budget detective, identifying and cutting down on non-essential costs that might be quietly draining your wallet.</p> <p>Take a close look at those recurring memberships and subscriptions. How often do you actually use that gym membership or streaming service?</p> <p>Many banking apps have handy spending tracking features to help you set realistic budget goals for each spending category.</p> <p>According to the <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/economy/price-indexes-and-inflation/selected-living-cost-indexes-australia/latest-release">Australian Bureau of Statistics</a>, insurance and financial services are among the top risers in living cost indexes (which measure the price change of goods and services and its effect on living expenses). So search comparison websites for better insurance premiums.</p> <p>Australia’s insurance market is competitive, and you can often get discounts by bundling your insurances together (for example, having your home and contents insurance with the same company that also provides your car insurance). However, don’t shy away from exploring different insurers for potentially better value.</p> <p>Don’t overlook energy costs, either. Use comparison websites like <a href="https://www.energymadeeasy.gov.au/">Energy Made Easy</a> (or, if you’re in Victoria, the <a href="https://compare.energy.vic.gov.au/">Victorian Energy Compare</a> site) to find more cost-effective energy plans. Stay updated on rebates and concessions via the federal government’s <a href="https://energy.gov.au">Energy.gov.au</a> site, to ensure you’re maximising your entitlements.</p> <p>Use less energy, if you can. Small adjustments can make a significant dent in your bills. And for fuel costs, find websites and applications that allow you to lock in the lowest prices in your area.</p> <p>If you’re renting, ask yourself whether moving to a cheaper suburb or a cheaper home is an option.</p> <p>Many people use cashback sites like Cashrewards and ShopBack to accrue cashback incentives.</p> <h2>3. Maximise returns and tackle high-interest debts</h2> <p>While rising interest rates might make your mortgage climb, it also means high interest on your savings.</p> <p>Consider exploring high-yield savings accounts; with current interest rates, you could potentially earn around 5.5% with a bank savings account. Many people set up recurring transfers to help them stick to savings goals, increase deposits and maximise interest earnings.</p> <p>For those wrestling with high-interest debts such as credit cards or personal loans, prioritise settling outstanding balances to minimise interest payments. It can be hard to escape the long-term repercussions (such as a <a href="https://theconversation.com/payday-lending-trap-requires-a-credit-supply-rethink-39311">poor credit score</a>) of defaulting on <a href="https://www.sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/news/2022/09/21/researchers-uncover--pecking-order-of-defaults--as-belts-tighten.html">high-interest loans</a>.</p> <p>And approach buy-now, pay-later services with extreme caution. They may seem tempting but the <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/acfi.13100">debts can quickly add up</a>.</p> <p>And if you need more help, contact the government’s free National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/218118/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ama-samarasinghe-1386754"><em>Ama Samarasinghe</em></a><em>, Lecturer, Financial Planning and Tax, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-cost-of-living-crisis-is-hitting-hard-here-are-3-ways-to-soften-the-blow-218118">original article</a>.</em></p>

Money & Banking

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"Devastating blow": Back to the Future star's tragic family news

<p><em>Back to the Future </em>star Lea Thompson, renowned for her role as Lorraine, the endearing mother of Michael J. Fox's iconic character, Marty McFly, has recently shared some deeply saddening family news.</p> <p>The 62-year-old actress opened up about her personal struggle, revealing that both of her older brothers have been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease within a few months of each other.</p> <p>This announcement resonated profoundly with her fans and followers, especially given Michael J. Fox's well-known battle with the condition since his diagnosis in 1991 at the tender age of 29.</p> <p>In an emotionally charged Instagram post, Thompson shared her family's ordeal, writing, "Both of my beloved exceptional big brothers have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s within a few months of each other. It was such a devastating blow."</p> <p>She went on to describe how the disease had stealthily crept into their lives, noting that her brothers had been displaying signs of slowing down, but the true nature of their condition hadn't been immediately apparent.</p> <p>Fortunately, their early diagnosis, made possible by the diligent efforts of researchers supported by the Michael J. Fox Foundation, has offered them access to medications and tools that have significantly improved their quality of life.</p> <p>Accompanying her heartfelt message, Thompson posted pictures of herself with her two brothers during a day of golf, capturing a precious family moment. Another poignant photo showed her brothers with their arms wrapped around each other.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cyz8bCxO9GF/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cyz8bCxO9GF/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Lea Thompson (@lea_thompson)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Thompson's dedication to raising awareness and support for Parkinson's research was evident when she expressed feeling "honoured" to be part of a "public service announcement" for the Michael J. Fox Foundation's gala, sharing a behind-the-scenes photo from the campaign. She also expressed gratitude for the support of scientists, philanthropists, and her "movie son", Michael J. Fox, who has been an unwavering advocate for Parkinson's research.</p> <p>The response from Thompson's fans and followers was heartwarming, as they flocked to the comments section to express their solidarity. Messages of love, hope and empathy poured in from all corners, with many sharing personal connections to Parkinson's disease and the advances in treatment and therapies they have witnessed.</p> <p>Parkinson's disease is a debilitating neurodegenerative condition, and it is the second most common neurological disorder in Australia, with over 100,000 Australians grappling with its impact. Common symptoms include tremors, slowness of movement, and rigidity.</p> <p>Michael J. Fox's diagnosis at the astonishingly young age of 29 stands as a stark reminder of the disease's unpredictable reach, as the average age of diagnosis hovers around 65.</p> <p>Parkinson's disease results from the brain's inability to produce sufficient dopamine, a neurotransmitter vital for controlling movement. Diagnosing Parkinson's is not straightforward; it often relies on clinical evaluation by specialists such as neurologists, who meticulously assess clinical signs and symptoms, as there are no definitive laboratory tests like blood work or brain scans available for diagnosis.</p> <p>Lea Thompson's open acknowledgment of her family's struggle with Parkinson's disease not only shines a light on the challenges faced by those living with the condition but also underscores the importance of continued research and support for those affected. </p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Caring

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5 simple tips to fix dry hair

<p>As we age, our hair is just one of the parts of our body that goes through a drastic change. Aside from the obvious (going grey), it also becomes thinner, drier, duller, and you may experience some hair loss.</p> <p>But thankfully, you can take steps to ensure your hair looks as healthy as possible no matter what your age.</p> <p>Here are five tips to help you rejuvenate and re-moisturise dry, dull hair.</p> <p><strong>1. Get the temperature right</strong></p> <p>You might like your showers extra hot, but too much heat can force the hair shalt open, and if your hair is dry or damaged, the shaft won’t be able to close fully and the moisture will seep right out. Instead, keep the water warm during washing then finish with a cool rinse to make your hair look shinier.</p> <p><strong>2. Don’t over-wash</strong></p> <p>Using shampoo every day will strip your hair of its healthy natural oils, thus drying it out. Try to use it only every second day, using conditioner in between to add some moisture.</p> <p><strong>3. Raid the kitchen</strong></p> <p>The secret to healthy, shiny hair could be lying in your kitchen. For a rejuvenating, vitamin-packed hair mask, simply mash a super ripe avocado with some olive oil. Apply to your hair, leave for 20 minutes and then rinse off – it’s an easy, natural way to restore moisture and shine.</p> <p><strong>4. Turn off the tools</strong></p> <p>Your hair dryer or straightener may make life easier when it comes to styling, but it’s not doing damaged hair any help. If you absolutely can’t live without them, at least invest in the best tools you can afford.</p> <p>And when choosing a straightener or hair iron, don’t go any hotter than 185 degrees – any higher and your hair may become more damaged. The same goes for hair dryers – avoid the temptation to switch it up to the hottest setting, and before subjecting your hair to any dryers or straighteners, treat it with a heat protectant spray.</p> <p><strong>5. Book a trip to the salon</strong></p> <p>It might not be that your hair is dry, but rather that the ends of your hair are dry, split and in need of a cut. A good way to judge how much you need to trim is by seeing how quickly your hair dries. If the ends air-dry almost immediately while the rest of your hair remains wet, those ends need to go.</p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Beauty & Style

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Rod Stewart’s son blows through inheritance

<p>Rod Stewart’s son, Sean Stewart, has allegedly spent all of his inheritance in an attempt to rebrand his clothing line.</p> <p>A source told <em>Page Six Style</em> exclusively that Sean had “cashed out” the funds he would have received upon his father’s death in order to salvage the failing Dirty Weekend brand.</p> <p>“It’s insane because this is the third time I think he’s relaunching Dirty Weekend,” the source revealed. “Maybe third time’s the charm.”</p> <p>Reps for Sean and Dirty Weekend did not return <em>Page Six Style’s</em> requests for comment.</p> <p>In March, the son of the British rockstar posted about his company’s rebrand and credited artist Hector De Marquez for helping him with the relaunch.</p> <p>“Really proud of the work me and @hectordemarquez have put into rebranding dirty weekend,” the 42-year-old captioned the Instagram post.</p> <p>“Someone who finally sees my vision. What makes a successful business and entrepreneur is the team you have behind you.”</p> <p>The brand was originally launched in 2022.</p> <p>He also recently married his partner Jody Weintraub in Las Vegas on Valentine’s Day.</p> <p>He had known his now-wife, also 42, since high school. She is the daughter of late producer Jerry Weintraub.</p> <p>The pair eloped and made their way back to Los Angeles to celebrate the special day with the infamous musician and his ex-wife Alana Stewart, who is Sean’s mother.</p> <p>The British icon married Alana in 1979 but they divorced after five years.</p> <p>Stewart, 78, has been married to his current wife, Penny Lancaster, for 14 years.</p> <p>During Stewart’s 2023 Australian tour, the lovebirds <a href="https://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/relationships/rod-stewart-s-secret-ceremony" target="_blank" rel="noopener">renewed their vows</a> in a secret ceremony.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Instagram</em></p>

Money & Banking

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6 blow-drying mistakes everyone makes

<p>If you’ve ever wondered why you can’t manage to make your blow dry look as good or last as long as the professionals, it’s probably down to your technique. While taking to your hair with your dryer and hoping for the best may be the easiest way to blow dry, you’ll rarely get the kind of results you’re hoping for. Here are the most common mistakes us amateurs make and how to correct them.</p> <p><strong>1. Using the wrong type of hair dryer</strong></p> <p>These days the shelves are heaving under the weight of all the different types of blow dryers on the market. The best ones to look for are those that dry hair the fastest while also being as gentle as possible. Ionic, ceramic and tourmaline hair</p> <p><strong>2. Forgetting to use attachments</strong></p> <p>If you’ve discarded the attachments that came with your dryer to the bottom of the bathroom cupboard now may be the time to pull them out. A diffuser is great for defining curls and waves while the concentrator nozzle can help with that super straight result.</p> <p><strong>3. Not knowing your angles</strong></p> <p>Not holding your dryer at the right angle and/or pointing it at your hair and holding on the one spot are both key mistakes that result in frizz and damage. Your dryer should be constantly moving and your dryer horizontal.</p> <p><strong>4. Using the wrong heat setting</strong></p> <p>Most dryers have a variety of heat settings. While selecting the hottest is tempting, it’s not going to do great things for hair that isn’t extremely thick and/or coarse. Medium to mid high is generally the best for normal, damp hair while lower settings are great for fragile or very damaged locks.</p> <p><strong>5. Forgetting to use heat protectant</strong></p> <p>Heat protectant serums, sprays and lotions should always be used before heat styling to minimise damage and maximize results.</p> <p><strong>6. Choosing the wrong hairbrush</strong></p> <p>Metal based brushes have been popular for a while now due to their promises of super quick results. Unfortunately they aren’t the best for your hair, leaving it very hot and prone to damage. Look for a round brush with a mix of nylon and boar bristles for best results.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Beauty & Style

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14 mind-blowing facts about selfies

<p><strong>They’re a window into your personality</strong></p> <p>It turns out that your favourite selfie pose can say a lot about your personality. In a study published in <em>Computers in Human Behaviour</em>, researchers connected self-portrait styles to specific character traits. For example, conscientious people tend to hide the location of their selfies, showing that they’re concerned with maintaining privacy. Those who appear positive and look directly into the camera tend to be more agreeable. Incidentally, those who have a go-to “duck face” pose are more likely to be emotionally unstable.</p> <p><strong>They can be a red flag</strong></p> <p>Psychologists believe that taking selfies can become a dangerous addiction. More often than not, those addicted to taking and posting selfies are suffering from body dysmorphic disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, or depression, all of which can significantly interfere with your daily functioning. British psychologist Dr David Veal, says selfie-addiction is a “mental health issue with an extremely high suicide rate.” Seek help if you feel yourself needing to snap selfies compulsively.</p> <p><strong>They date back to the 16th century</strong></p> <p>You might think selfies started with smartphones, but they have a much longer history. The first-ever selfie was painted in 1524 using oil on wood. In “Self-portrait in a Convex Mirror,” 21-year-old artist Parmigianino depicted his own reflection. This young artist had no idea he was 500 years ahead of a booming trend!</p> <p><strong>They weren’t always easy to take</strong></p> <p>Parmigianino’s oil painting self-portrait aside, the first photographic selfie as we know it today was taken by Robert Cornelius in 1839. Unfortunately, it wasn’t as easy as tapping his thumb on an iPhone’s front-facing lens. Cornelius had to set up the camera on a stand, remove the lens cap, run into the frame, sit for five minutes, then sprint back and replace the cap. In this exhausting process, he took what is believed to be the first photographic self-portrait.</p> <p><strong>Some cities take more selfies than others</strong></p> <p>Though selfies are a global phenomenon, it turns out that some cities produce more than others. Time investigated the geography of selfie-snapping by building a database of more than 400,000 digital self-portraits with the caption, “#selfie.” They then mapped out the photos’ geographic coordinates and managed to rank 459 cities based on the number of selfies they generated. The study concluded that Makati City in the Philippines is the ‘Selfie Capital of the World,’ followed closely by Manhattan and Miami in the US.</p> <p><strong>They’re not only taken here on Earth</strong></p> <p>Everyone loves an exotic selfie, including NASA’s astronauts. Believe it or not, multiple selfies have been taken in outer space. Buzz Aldrin proudly took the first space selfie during the Gemini 12 mission in 1966. That’s one small step for man, one giant step for self-portraits.</p> <p><strong>Women take more than men</strong></p> <p>In every city analysed, women take more cities than men – but the differences greatly vary by area. In Bangkok, women take 55.2 per cent of all selfies, which isn’t that much more than men. In New York, however, women take 61.6 per cent of selfie snaps, which is considerable. Moscow, by contrast, has the greatest disparity, with women taking a whopping 82 per cent  of all selfies! It seems Russian men simply aren’t that interested in documenting their own reflection.</p> <p><strong>They can make great book material</strong></p> <p>If you’ve been suffering with writer’s block, perhaps you should follow Kim Kardashian’s example and just fill your novel with selfies. In May of 2015, Kardashian published a book called <em>Selfish</em>, which is 448 pages long and comprised entirely of her favourite selfies. Sound absurd? Apparently not. <em>Selfish </em>quickly became a<em> New York Times</em> bestseller.</p> <p><strong>It’s a young person’s sport</strong></p> <p>As one might expect, selfies are especially favoured by millennials. The average age of selfie-takers is 23.6. However, this average may soon take a dip, as preteens are gaining momentum, snapping more digital self-portraits every year.</p> <p><strong>They’re all about the hashtag</strong></p> <p>As selfies have grown in popularity over the last few years, the corresponding hashtag has remained their official label and link. According to Instagram, the first ever photo captioned with “#selfie” was uploaded by a Jennifer Lee on January 16, 2011. Since then, Instagram has had over 227 million self-portraits posted with the same hashtag – and that number grows by the minute.</p> <p><strong>It’s been the word of the year</strong></p> <p>In 2013, “selfie” was named <em>The Oxford English Dictionary</em>’s Word of the Year. Most years, there will be some disagreement or debate over which word should receive the honour, but in 2013, ‘selfie’ was chosen almost unanimously and expected from the start. And how could they not choose it? Selfie’s usage in the English language had increased by 17,000 per cent that year alone.</p> <p><strong>They aren’t always welcome</strong></p> <p>There has been a growing ban on selfie-taking, specifically when using selfie-sticks as tools. Disneyland’s Paris, Hong Kong, and American theme parks have forbidden the use of selfie sticks on their premises. The Palace Museum in Beijing and the Sistine Chapel in Italy have done the same. Even festivals like Lollapalooza in Chicago and Coachella in California have called for a halt. It looks like visitors will have to document their fun the old fashioned way: by extending their arms.</p> <p><strong>They aren’t always what they seem</strong></p> <p>The purpose of a self-portrait is to reflect your true self in a moment worth capturing. Sadly, it seems online selfies, more often than not, don’t actually portray reality. According to a recent survey, 68 per cent of selfie-takers admitted to editing their photos before sharing online. This number is up from 48 per cent of people who admitted to doctoring their selfies in 2014, suggesting that the pressure to appear perfect has only increased.</p> <p><strong>They’re not the majority</strong></p> <p>Although selfies may seem to be every other picture you encounter online, they fortunately aren’t the majority of all photos taken. In fact, people take selfies far less than we assume. Only 4 per cent of all images are actually selfies (depending on the city). The other 96 per cent of photos feature monuments, food, pets, shoes, friends, family, and more.</p> <p><em><span id="docs-internal-guid-5af27900-7fff-a180-8fa3-4da4a10c4d2c">Written by Aubrey Almanza. This article first appeared in <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/culture/14-mind-blowing-facts-about-selfies" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader’s Digest</a>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a href="http://readersdigest.innovations.co.nz/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&amp;utm_medium=articles&amp;utm_campaign=RDSUB&amp;keycode=WRA87V" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here’s our best subscription offer.</a></span></em></p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Technology

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Mum’s clever hack helps dry your dishes in record time

<p dir="ltr">For many people, the ultimate kitchen pet peeve is when you open your dishwasher after its cycle has finished and while your dishes may be clean, they are still sopping wet. </p> <p dir="ltr">Rather than running the appliance through another drying cycle, one clever mum has discovered how to dry your dishes in five minutes flat. </p> <p dir="ltr">Known online for her cleaning hacks and recipes, Babs shared a video to her Instagram to share her savvy hack. </p> <p dir="ltr">"Has this ever happened to you? You're ready to unload the dishwasher, and guess what!? Everything is still wet," says Babs. </p> <p dir="ltr">"Don't hand dry - do this instead."</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/ChwtuzFAwfP/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/ChwtuzFAwfP/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Babs (@brunchwithbabs)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">She explains, "Take a terry cloth dish towel, open the door, lay it right over. Just close the door. Wait five minutes. You'll have dry dishes."</p> <p dir="ltr">Many people thanked Babs for the great tip and confirmed that it really does work. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Have been doing it since I first saw it here,” said one commenter. </p> <p dir="ltr">Another added, "Such a great tip! Mine are never dry at the end of the cycle. I'm definitely going to try this.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Despite the praise for her handy tip, ohers cautioned Bab’s viewers with a warning. </p> <p dir="ltr">"It can/will compromise the dishwasher seal and locking mechanism, causing costly repairs or early replacement," someone warned.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em><span id="docs-internal-guid-69a5709a-7fff-77c2-8eef-51cec4c3bca1"></span></p>

Home & Garden

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Mum’s fool-proof hack to dry your clothes in half the time

<p dir="ltr">A clever mum has shared the ultimate laundry tip that will ensure your clothes air-dry in no time. </p> <p dir="ltr">With surging energy bills crippling households, air drying items is a much more efficient way of doing laundry. </p> <p dir="ltr">However, colder winter months can sometimes mean clothes and linen may take days to dry in the fresh air. </p> <p dir="ltr">One mum has found the answer to this problem, sharing her hack on the Facebook page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/mumswhoclean">Mums Who Clean</a>. </p> <p dir="ltr">"I have recently been staying with my elderly parents. While there, I did some washing for them," she says. </p> <p dir="ltr">"Mum said to me, 'Don't forget to do an additional spin cycle after the cycle has finished.'”</p> <p dir="ltr">"Her response was that it wouldn't take as long for the washing to dry on a cold winter's day when there isn't as much sun.”</p> <p dir="ltr">"And guess what, she was right!"</p> <p dir="ltr">The mum tried it for herself when she got home, saying it helped to dry her clothes in half the time.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Since returning home this week to Sydney and the rain, I tried this on a load of towels (bath sheets) before putting them in the dryer," she says.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Normally, the load would take one and a half to two hours to dry, and they took just under 60 minutes."</p> <p dir="ltr">Other group members were impressed with the hack, with many saying they would give it a go. </p> <p dir="ltr">"Oh wow, I'm going to give this a go!" said one person. </p> <p dir="ltr">Others said they’ve been doing this hack “for years”, and were happy others were going to try the handy tip. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

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50-plus Baywatch star blows away body-shaming bullies

<p dir="ltr"><em>Baywatch</em> star Donna D’Errico shared a photo showing off her stunning figure and youthful looks.</p> <p dir="ltr">The 54-year-old took to Instagram wearing a light pink bikini and was squatting on the coffee table.</p> <p dir="ltr">D’Errico’s seemingly innocent photo was however a clap back at women who called her out for wearing an American flag-printed two-piece as she celebrated the Fourth of July. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Quite a few women complained about the 4th of July video I posted in a red white &amp; blue bikini because they thought I was 'classier than that' and 'too old to wear a bikini' and, my favorite, 'desperate',” she wrote. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Let me tell you something that might surprise you. I can actually wear and do literally whatever I want. </p> <p dir="ltr">“On that note, here is me in a bikini squatting on a coffee table.” </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CgGM80mDOOY/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CgGM80mDOOY/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Donna D'Errico (@donnaderrico)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Despite telling followers that she can “wear and do literally whatever I want”, D’Errico limited comments on her post. </p> <p dir="ltr">Those who were able to comment praised her comeback telling her that ignore anyone who tries to bring her down. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Be you. You are an amazing person no matter what,” someone wrote. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Gorgeous and F anyone who tries to tear you down. You look incredible period,” another commented.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Good for you! If I looked that good I’d be posting pictures in a bikini every day!” another person wrote. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

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You won’t believe how Facebook clickbaits you…! (will BLOW your mind!)

<p>You’re smart. You’re discerning. You consider yourself to be the kind of person who doesn’t get swept up in ridiculous things online.</p> <p>So, why did you do that quiz to learn which Spongebob character represents your personality? And why did you click on that “then and now” article about the actors from <em>Family Ties</em>? Let’s not even get into all the articles about “performance” and “growth”…</p> <p>Let’s face it, clickbait gets us all.</p> <p>But how does it work? And <em>when </em>does it work best?</p> <p>German researchers have <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0266743%20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">published</a> their analysis of thousands of Facebook posts in the <em>PLOS ONE </em>journal. Their findings explore the impact of clickbait and “digital nudging” in news headlines.</p> <p>“Clickbait to make people click on a linked article is commonly used on social media,” they write. “We analyse the impact of clickbait on user interaction on Facebook in the form of liking, sharing and commenting. For this, we use a dataset of more than 4,000 Facebook posts from 10 different news sources to analyse how clickbait in post headlines and in post text influences user engagement. While clickbait is commonly used, digital nudging is still on the rise and shares similarities with clickbait – yet being essentially different in its nature. The study discusses this common ground.”</p> <p>Collecting posts from seven consecutive days in late 2017 from 10 US and UK news outlets’ Facebook pages, the team included sources often considered “reputable” and “tabloid”.</p> <div class="newsletter-box"> <div id="wpcf7-f6-p196371-o1" class="wpcf7" dir="ltr" lang="en-US" role="form"> <form class="wpcf7-form mailchimp-ext-0.5.62 spai-bg-prepared init" action="/people/facebook-clickbait-research/#wpcf7-f6-p196371-o1" method="post" novalidate="novalidate" data-status="init"> <p style="display: none !important;"><span class="wpcf7-form-control-wrap referer-page"><input class="wpcf7-form-control wpcf7-text referer-page spai-bg-prepared" name="referer-page" type="hidden" value="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/" data-value="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/" aria-invalid="false" /></span></p> <p><!-- Chimpmail extension by Renzo Johnson --></form> </div> </div> <p>The authors sought to understand how specific clickbait tendencies in both headlines and texts for Facebook news posts influence user engagement. To do this, they analysed shares, comments and reactions. The researchers could not, however, analyse post clicks as the information was not available for their dataset.</p> <p>So, what works and what doesn’t?</p> <p>Punctuation considered “unusual” – such as an exclamation mark following ellipses (…!) – in headlines saw up to 2.5 times more reactions, shares and comments. It saw a decrease in shares when included in the post text, however.</p> <p>Despite this verdict on punctuation, headlines or post text with questions saw no increase in interactions.</p> <p>Shock, horror! Long words in the headline led to reduced post interaction. Utterly unconscionable. But longer words in the post text did see more engagement.</p> <p>Doubling the number of words in a headline led to 23.7% fewer comments, but no difference in reactions or shares. The opposite was seen for posts with twice as much text with all engagement increasing.</p> <p>Interestingly, the study found common clickbait phrases like “this will blow your mind” led to about a quarter fewer reactions, shares and comments.</p> <p>Negative wording in post texts (“You won’t believe…”) can increase comments, but positive tone in headlines increases comments.</p> <p>So, when you next find yourself clicking through a 50-page gallery to see a blurry image of a disappointingly short python under the headline “THE WORLD’S LARGEST SNAKE IS BIGGER THAN YOU COULD EVER IMAGINE”, you’ll know why.</p> <p><!-- Start of tracking content syndication. Please do not remove this section as it allows us to keep track of republished articles --></p> <p><img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=196371&amp;title=You+won%E2%80%99t+believe+how+Facebook+clickbaits+you%E2%80%A6%21+%28will+BLOW+your+mind%21%29" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><!-- End of tracking content syndication --></p> <div id="contributors"> <p><em><a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/people/facebook-clickbait-research/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">This article</a> was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cosmos Magazine</a> and was written by <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/contributor/evrim-yazgin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Evrim Yazgin</a>. Evrim Yazgin has a Bachelor of Science majoring in mathematical physics and a Master of Science in physics, both from the University of Melbourne.</em></p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p> </div>

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Physio ‘dry needling’ and acupuncture – what’s the difference and what does the evidence say?

<p>Physiotherapists are increasingly offering needling therapies in addition to their standard care. Many Australian <a href="https://australian.physio/research/prf/translation/five-facts-about-acupuncture-and-dry-needling-musculoskeletal-pain" target="_blank" rel="noopener">physiotherapists</a> in private practice now offer dry needling or Western medical acupuncture as part of a treatment approach.</p> <p>Is it just a fad or does science support it?</p> <h2>Needling, three ways</h2> <p>Physiotherapists can be trained to use dry needling, Western acupuncture and/or traditional acupuncture.</p> <p><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23801002/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dry needling</a> involves penetrating the skin with needles to altered or dysfunctional tissue in order to improve or restore function. This often involves needling muscle trigger points to activate a reflexive relaxation of the muscle.</p> <p><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28739020/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Western acupuncture</a> uses traditional needling <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2005290110600143" target="_blank" rel="noopener">meridians</a> (the ancient idea of energy channels through the body) and trigger points. But these ideas are applied to Western understandings of anatomy. In Western acupuncture, points are stimulated to create local tissue changes, as well as spinal and brain effects. The goals is to trigger pain-relieving chemicals, muscle activation or relaxation.</p> <p>Even though traditional acupuncture points are used with this style of needling, Western acupuncture is not viewed as traditional Chinese medicine.</p> <p><a href="https://healthtimes.com.au/hub/pain-management/44/research/kk1/acupuncture-for-pain-management/1581/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Traditional acupuncture</a> uses meridian lines or other points based on traditional Chinese medicine assessment methods and approaches.</p> <p>All physiotherapists trained in either acupuncture or dry needling meet safety standards which are viewed as within scope by the <a href="https://www.ahpra.gov.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Australian Health Practitioners Regulatory Agency</a> and the <a href="https://www.physiotherapyboard.gov.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Physiotherapy Registration Board</a>. These standards cover the level of training required, registration to practice and safety standards that include needle safety and hygiene to protect the public.</p> <p>Minor reported <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7015026/#:%7E:text=Examples%20of%20minor%20adverse%20reactions,pain%20during%20or%20after%20treatment." target="_blank" rel="noopener">side effects</a> related to acupuncture including pain and bleeding or bruising from needle insertion are fairly common. But major adverse events – pneumothorax (collapsed lung), excessive bleeding, prolonged aggravation – are rare.</p> <h2>What’s needling good for?</h2> <p>Research into the effectiveness of acupuncture and dry needling is variable. Some studies show comparable results between dry needling and acupuncture, while others show more favourable results for one or the other depending on the condition being treated.</p> <p>A <a href="https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD001351.pub2/full?highlightAbstract=dry%7Cdri%7Cneedl%7Cneedling" target="_blank" rel="noopener">review</a> that assessed the effects of acupuncture and dry needling for the treatment of low-back pain found they may be useful add-on therapies but could not make firm conclusions due to a lack of quality trials.</p> <p>Another <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6600071/#CIT0034" target="_blank" rel="noopener">review</a> reported the growing popularity of dry needling world wide and across disciplines and points out that many questions still remain regarding the use of needling.</p> <p>For <a href="https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD001218.pub3/full?highlightAbstract=acupuncture%7Cmigraine%7Cmigrain%7Cacupunctur" target="_blank" rel="noopener">migraine</a> and <a href="https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD007587.pub2/full?highlightAbstract=acupuncture%7Cheadach%7Ctension%7Cacupunctur%7Cheadache%7Ctype" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tension</a> headaches, experts say acupuncture seems to reduce the frequency and intensity of attacks – though more research is needed to compare it to other treatments.</p> <p>Acupuncture and dry needling may reduce pain and improve function for people with <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17224820/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">neck pain</a>. A systematic review found significant differences between acupuncture and “sham acupuncture” (which is performed away from acupuncture points) when used to treat <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22965186/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">certain types of chronic pain</a>. However, some research only shows <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33066556/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">small and temporary</a> relief for neck pain with dry needling.</p> <p>Results from randomised control trials support the use of needling for <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27062955" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shoulder pain</a>, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32301166/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tennis elbow</a> and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32186030/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">osteo arthritic knee pain</a>. But a recent systemic review of research reported only weak evidence to support needling to treat <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33760098/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">plantarfasciitis and chronic ankle instability</a>.</p> <h2>Not just for sporting injuries</h2> <p>Similarly, small randomised control trials have shown acupuncture and dry needling might reduce <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17095133/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">problematic jaw pain</a> (<a href="https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/temporomandibular-disorder-tmd#:%7E:text=Temporomandibular%20disorders%20(TMD)%20are%20disorders,may%20result%20in%20temporomandibular%20disorder." target="_blank" rel="noopener">temporo mandibular disorder</a>) and improve mouth opening.</p> <p>Systematic reviews have reported needling and acupuncture were safe and effective recommendations for the treatment of broad conditions of <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/tendinopathy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tendinopathy</a> (the breakdown of collagen in tendons) and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30787631/#:%7E:text=At%20follow%2Dup%20in%20the,for%20the%20management%20of%20FM." target="_blank" rel="noopener">fibromyalgia</a> (chronic pain in the muscles and bones).</p> <p>For women’s health, acupuncture has been shown to be effective for reducing pain with <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29879061/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">periods</a>, compared to no treatment or non-steroidal pain relief medications – but the research had design limitations.</p> <p>Though <a href="https://www.cochrane.org/CD002962/PREG_acupuncture-or-acupressure-induction-labour#:%7E:text=Acupuncture%20involves%20the%20insertion%20of,with%20onset%20of%20labour%20contractions." target="_blank" rel="noopener">widely used</a> in pregnancy, research into the use of acupuncture to <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32032444/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">induce labour</a> reports it may increase satisfaction with pain management and reduce pain intensity. But it may have little to no effect on the rates of caesarean or assisted vaginal birth.</p> <p>In summary, it appears needling techniques – whether dry needling or acupuncture – generally show positive effects over no treatment or “sham” treatments, but more research and high quality trials are needed.</p> <h2>Just one part of a treatment program</h2> <p>Needling <a href="https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD001351.pub2/full?highlightAbstract=dry%7Cdri%7Cneedl%7Cneedlin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">may be useful</a> as part of multimodal care – that is, when <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4780149/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">more than one treatment</a> is used in conjunction to treat a problem.</p> <p>Physiotherapists may combine needling therapies with exercise prescription, hands-on care including massage, mobilisations and manipulations, and taping techniques. They may also employ therapies that apply external energy such as ultrasound, laser, transcutaneous (under the skin) electrical nerve stimulation and biofeedback.</p> <p>Finally, while the various needling techniques all use a filiform needle (with a solid filament as opposed to a hollow bore needle), the styles with each can be quite different. Ask what style of needling is being employed to treat you, and if you have a history of finding one style works better for you, discuss this with your practitioner.</p> <p><em><strong>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/physio-dry-needling-and-acupuncture-whats-the-difference-and-what-does-the-evidence-say-181939" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.</strong></em></p> <p><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></p>

Body

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Always do this if you want to avoid dry skin in winter

<p><strong>How to avoid dry skin in winter</strong></p> <p>Ah, winter. ’Tis the season for dry skin, along with potential complications, including itching, flaking, cracking, bleeding, rosacea (redness and inflammation) and eczema flare-ups. There are several reasons for this. First, the air outdoors is drier. Indoor air tends to be parched as well, an effect of heating systems. Seniors need to take extra care, since cumulative sun damage and slower production of natural oils put them at greater risk of dryness. Happily, there’s plenty you can do to combat dry skin in winter.</p> <p><strong>Switch up your shower routine</strong></p> <p>To start, adapt your bathing routine. Piping hot water may feel good, but that’s a sure way to strip away your skin’s natural oils. Use warm water instead, keep your baths or showers short, and apply a generous amount of moisturiser after you dry off. Thick, oily products are especially effective at fighting winter moisture loss, “but don’t despair if you can’t tolerate those due to pore clogging or shininess,” says dermatologist, Dr Bav Shergill. “Even a light moisturiser will give you some protection.”</p> <p><strong>Hand care</strong></p> <p>When it comes to your hands, frequent washing with soap is essential for preventing the flu and other infections, but it leads to dryness. So after you clean them, apply hand cream. If that doesn’t help enough, try a dab of petroleum jelly before bed; you can put on cotton gloves to keep it in place overnight. Wearing mittens or gloves outdoors also reduces damage, since exposure to the frigid air further harms skin.</p> <p><strong>Layer up</strong></p> <p>If you’re prone to winter itch (which is exactly what it sounds like), avoid direct contact with potentially irritating fabrics such as wool or synthetic fibres. “The best approach is to wear several thin layers,” says Shergill. “The one next to the skin could be cotton or a cotton/silk blend, both of which appear to be well tolerated by most people.” Layering lets you adapt to various temperatures during the day, keeping you toasty while avoiding excessive sweating that could trigger itching and scratching in already-irritated skin.</p> <p><em><span id="docs-internal-guid-62168d91-7fff-a6b7-a41f-75d2117cf61f">Written by Samantha Rideout. This article first appeared in <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/healthsmart/beauty/skin/always-do-this-if-you-want-to-avoid-dry-skin-in-winter" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader’s Digest</a>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a href="http://readersdigest.innovations.co.nz/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&amp;utm_medium=articles&amp;utm_campaign=RDSUB&amp;keycode=WRA87V" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here’s our best subscription offer.</a></span></em></p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Beauty & Style

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Always do this if you want to avoid dry skin in winter

<p>Ah, winter. ’Tis the season for dry skin, along with potential complications, including itching, flaking, cracking, bleeding, rosacea (redness and inflammation) and eczema flare-ups. There are several reasons for this. First, the air outdoors is drier. Indoor air tends to be parched as well, an effect of heating systems. Seniors need to take extra care, since cumulative sun damage and slower production of natural oils put them at greater risk of dryness. Happily, there’s plenty you can do to combat dry skin in winter.</p> <p><strong>Switch up your shower routine</strong></p> <p>To start, adapt your bathing routine. Piping hot water may feel good, but that’s a sure way to strip away your skin’s natural oils. Use warm water instead, keep your baths or showers short, and apply a generous amount of moisturiser after you dry off. Thick, oily products are especially effective at fighting winter moisture loss, “but don’t despair if you can’t tolerate those due to pore clogging or shininess,” says dermatologist, Dr Bav Shergill. “Even a light moisturiser will give you some protection.”</p> <p><strong>Hand care</strong></p> <p>When it comes to your hands, frequent washing with soap is essential for preventing the flu and other infections, but it leads to dryness. So after you clean them, apply hand cream. If that doesn’t help enough, try a dab of petroleum jelly before bed; you can put on cotton gloves to keep it in place overnight. Wearing mittens or gloves outdoors also reduces damage, since exposure to the frigid air further harms skin.</p> <p><strong>Layer up</strong></p> <p>If you’re prone to winter itch (which is exactly what it sounds like), avoid direct contact with potentially irritating fabrics such as wool or synthetic fibres. “The best approach is to wear several thin layers,” says Shergill. “The one next to the skin could be cotton or a cotton/silk blend, both of which appear to be well tolerated by most people.” Layering lets you adapt to various temperatures during the day, keeping you toasty while avoiding excessive sweating that could trigger itching and scratching in already-irritated skin.</p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/healthsmart/beauty/skin/always-do-this-if-you-want-to-avoid-dry-skin-in-winter" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader’s Digest</a>.</em></p>

Caring

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Russia 0, Door 1: Soldier’s shocking defeat blows up online

<p dir="ltr">As the Russian invasion of Ukraine wages on, a battle between a Russian soldier and a door has <a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/russia-ukraine-war-hapless-russian-soldier-loses-fight-against-door/I246LNFUTCXAE3Q2OVUSJ34Y7A/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">resulted</a> in a crushing defeat.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-3530fd72-7fff-6d10-7117-ac550587562f"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">A clip of the incident from Yeshiva World News reported Moshe Schwartz has gone viral online, with the interaction dubbed the Battle of Techno House.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">At the Battle of Techno House, the door secured a decisive victory against Russian forces <a href="https://t.co/QnMowf5T7l">https://t.co/QnMowf5T7l</a></p> <p>— 🇺🇦 Sid Chambers, PhD 🇺🇦 (@ArtfulTakedown) <a href="https://twitter.com/ArtfulTakedown/status/1499180997526663174?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 3, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">The soldier, reportedly in Kherson, Ukraine, is seen attempting to gain access into a store.</p> <p dir="ltr">When his first attempts fail, the soldier smashes the glass on the door but that also fails.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-9c2b14f1-7fff-8297-db3c-24dce3d9498e"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Seemingly exasperated, the soldier tugs on the door handle before accepting defeat and walking away.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Geolocation confirmed.</p> <p>46.65046, 32.60758 <a href="https://t.co/bfjntnsPsG">https://t.co/bfjntnsPsG</a> <a href="https://t.co/fYUZxlLZGo">pic.twitter.com/fYUZxlLZGo</a></p> <p>— GeoConfirmed (@GeoConfirmed) <a href="https://twitter.com/GeoConfirmed/status/1499153094076153860?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">The soldier, reportedly in Kherson, Ukraine, is seen attempting to gain access into a store.</p> <p dir="ltr">When his first attempts fail, the soldier smashes the glass on the door but that also fails.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-3ae3c580-7fff-901d-3f62-401101382f21"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Seemingly exasperated, the soldier tugs on the door handle before accepting defeat and walking away.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/03/FM3zsz5WYA0bOOl.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="1176" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>A Wikipedia page was allegedly created documenting the incident. Image: <a href="https://twitter.com/SwarmDMX/status/1499122912493809670" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Twitter</a></em></p> <p dir="ltr">The page said the incident ended with a “decisive” victory for the door, and that casualties and losses included “ammunition, pride and a window”.</p> <p dir="ltr">One video of the incident was viewed more than a million times in one hour and attracted thousands of comments joking about an otherwise grim situation.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-e6c0c3df-7fff-57b8-c599-f42aa0b7a7b1"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">It comes as Russian forces have captured the strategically significant hub of Kherson, the first to be captured since the invasion began last week.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Twitter</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Ex-Apple employee shares mind-blowing iPhone hacks

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A former employee at Apple has posted a series of videos sharing handy hints that iPhone users never knew they needed. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Canadian tech expert Sabrina Badin knows a thing or two about Apple devices after her time working for the tech giant, and is now emparting her wisdom. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sharing the videos on TikTok under the username @sabbadz, she has garnered thousands of views with hacks she learned from her time as an Apple Genius. </span></p> <p><strong>Move multiple apps at once on the Home Screen</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">There’s an easy way to move multiple apps at once rather than dragging them one at a time. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">To move one app, hold the icon down until it starts to juggle. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">You can then move it to another location on the same page or somewhere else on your phone. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Not many people know that you can move apps at once, as Sabrina has demonstrated in a video.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">First, you tap and hold one app you want to move, and then tap around the other apps you want to move with it. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">You can then move them across your Home Screen as a group, and then letting go will drop them in a line into the empty area of your choosing.</span></p> <p><strong>Play music while recording</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">There’s an easy way to jazz up your videos with a fun soundtrack. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Simply play music through your iPhone speakers with your preferred music app, whether it’s Spotify or Apple Music. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While your tune is still playing, open up the camera app, but make sure your camera is set to photo mode and not video.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Then, tap and hold the shutter button and drag it to the right. Your iPhone will begin recording a video while your music continues to play in the background. </span></p> <p><strong>iMessage tricks</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In order to send weird animations to your mates, all you need is a secret codeword for each effect to activate. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For instance, sending the words “pew pew” will trigger a laser effect, while the words “happy birthday” will make balloons float from the bottom of your friends’ screen. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When January rolls around, sending the words “happy new year” will trigger fireworks to burst across the message. </span></p> <p><strong>Scan real-world text in seconds</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Your iPhone is loaded with a handy tool that will allow you to load the content of a menu or newspaper on your iPhone instantly. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The tech, caled “Live Text”, allows you to point your iPhone camera at a real world object and quickly copy and paste text on it onto your handset. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Grab an object with text you want to scan and open the Camera app on your iPhone. Point the camera at the object and then tap the indicator that appears in the lower right of your display. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It looks like lines of text surrounded by a box. When you tap it, the text jumps out on your display and you’re given the option to copy, select, look up, translate or share it. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">You can then copy and paste this information into an email or Note, as well as any messaging social media apps. </span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image credits: Getty Images</span></em></p>

Technology

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Drying land and heating seas: why nature in Australia’s southwest is on the climate frontline

<p>In a few days world leaders will descend on Glasgow for the United Nations climate change talks. Much depends on it. We know climate change is already happening, and nowhere is the damage more stark than in Australia’s southwest.</p> <p>The southwest of Western Australia has been <a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg1/downloads/factsheets/IPCC_AR6_WGI_Regional_Fact_Sheet_Australasia.pdf">identified</a> as a global drying hotspot. Since 1970, winter rainfall has declined up to 20%, river flows have plummeted and heatwaves spanning water and land have intensified.</p> <p>The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change <a href="https://theconversation.com/climate-change-has-already-hit-australia-unless-we-act-now-a-hotter-drier-and-more-dangerous-future-awaits-ipcc-warns-165396">warns</a> this will continue as emissions rise and the climate warms.</p> <p>Discussion of Australian ecosystems vulnerable to climate change often focuses on the Great Barrier Reef, as well as our rainforests and alpine regions. But for southwest Western Australia, climate change is also an existential threat.</p> <p>The region’s wildlife and plants are so distinctive and important, it was listed as Australia’s first <a href="https://www.cepf.net/our-work/biodiversity-hotspots">global biodiversity hotspot</a>. Species include thousands of endemic plant species and animals such as the quokka, numbat and honey possum. Most freshwater species and around 80% of marine species, including 24 shark species, live nowhere else on Earth.</p> <p>They <a href="https://theconversation.com/australias-south-west-a-hotspot-for-wildlife-and-plants-that-deserves-world-heritage-status-54885">evolved in isolation</a> over millions of years, walled off from the rest of Australia by desert. But climate heating means this remarkable biological richness is now imperilled – a threat that will only increase unless the world takes action.</p> <p><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/428719/original/file-20211027-17-1xrecip.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="Banksia in flower" /> <span class="caption">Hooker’s Banksia is an iconic West Australian species.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Dr Joe Fontaine</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span></p> <h2>Hotter and drier</h2> <p>Southwest WA runs roughly from Kalbarri to Esperance, and is known for its Mediterranean climate with very hot and dry summers and most rainfall in winter.</p> <p>But every decade since the 1970s, the region’s summertime maximum temperatures have risen 0.1-0.3℃, and winter rainfall has fallen 10-20 millimetres.</p> <p><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/428742/original/file-20211027-25-1jl7l8r.gif?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="" /> <span class="caption">Decadal trends in winter precipitation. Australian Bureau of Meteorology.</span></p> <p>And remarkably, a 1℃ increase in the average global temperature over the last century has already <a href="https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/nph.17348">more than doubled</a> the days over 40℃ in Perth.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/428994/original/file-20211028-21-ibw728.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/428994/original/file-20211028-21-ibw728.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" alt="Graph showing temperatures over 40 degrees at Perth Airport" /></a> <br /><span class="caption">Cumulative number of days over 40° at Perth Airport over 30-year periods between 1910-1939 (historic) and 1989-2018 (current).</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="license">Author provided</span></span></p> <p>This trend is set to continue. Almost all climate models <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2019EF001469">project a further</a> drop in winter rainfall of up to 30% across most of the southwest by 2100, under a high emissions scenario.</p> <p>The southwest already has very hot days in summer, thanks to heat brought from the desert’s easterly winds. As climate change worsens, these winds are <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00382-016-3169-5">projected to get more intense</a>, bringing still more heat.</p> <h2>Drying threatens wildlife, wine and wheat</h2> <p>Annual rainfall in the southwest has fallen by a fifth since 1970. That might not sound dangerous, but the drop means river flows have already fallen by an alarming 70%.</p> <p>It means many rivers and lakes now dry out through summer and autumn, causing major problems for freshwater biodiversity. For example, the number of invertebrate species in 17 lakes in WA’s wheatbelt fell from over 300 to <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/gcb.15890">just over 100</a> between 1998 and 2011.</p> <p>The loss of water has even killed off common river invertebrates, such as the endemic Western Darner dragonfly, with most now <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/gcb.15673">found only</a> in the last few streams that flow year round. The drying also makes it very hard for animals and birds to find water.</p> <p>Most native freshwater fish in the southwest are <a href="https://www.dpaw.wa.gov.au/plants-and-animals/threatened-species-and-communities/threatened-animals">now officially considered</a> “threatened”. As river flow falls to a trickle, fish can no longer <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/gcb.12444">migrate to spawn</a>, and it’s only a short march from there to extinction. To protect remaining freshwater species we must <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2017.02.007">develop perennial water refuges</a> in places such as farm dams.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/428721/original/file-20211027-27-1mvytaa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/428721/original/file-20211027-27-1mvytaa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" alt="Freshwater crayfish - marron - moving through fresh water" /></a> <br /><span class="caption">Smooth Marron moving as a group in a reservoir.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Dr Stephen Beatty</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span></p> <p>The story on land is also alarming, with intensifying heatwaves and chronic drought. This was particularly dire in 2010/2011, when <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-31236-5">all ecosystems in the southwest</a> suffered from a deadly drought and heatwave combination.</p> <p>What does that look like on the ground? Think beetle swarms taking advantage of forest dieback, a sudden die off of endangered Carnaby’s Black Cockatoos, and the deaths of one in five shrubs and trees. Long term, the flowering rates of banksias have declined <a href="https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1890/140231">by 50%</a>, which threatens their survival as well as the honey industry.</p> <p>For agriculture, the picture is mixed. Aided by innovation and better varieties, wheat yields in the southwest have actually increased since the 1970s, despite the drop in rainfall.</p> <p>But how long can farmers stay ahead of the drying? If global emissions aren’t drastically reduced, droughts in the region <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdfdirect/10.1029/2020GL087820">will keep getting worse</a>.</p> <p>Increased heating and drying will also likely threaten Margaret River’s famed wine region, although the state’s northern wine regions will be <a href="https://journals.ametsoc.org/view/journals/apme/56/7/jamc-d-16-0333.1.xml">the first at risk</a>.</p> <h2>Hotter seas, destructive marine heatwaves</h2> <p>The seas around the southwest are another climate change hotspot, <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11160-013-9326-6">warming faster than 90%</a> of the global ocean since the middle of last century. Ocean temperatures off Perth <a href="https://www.publish.csiro.au/mf/MF07082">have risen by an average</a> of 0.1-0.3℃ per decade, and are now almost 1℃ warmer than 40 years ago.</p> <p>The waters off the southwest are part of the <a href="https://theconversation.com/australias-other-reef-is-worth-more-than-10-billion-a-year-but-have-you-heard-of-it-45600">Great Southern Reef</a>, a temperate marine biodiversity hotspot. Many species of seaweeds, seagrasses, invertebrates, reef fish, seabirds and mammals live nowhere else on the planet.</p> <p>As the waters warm, species move south. Warm-water species move in and cool-water species flee to escape the heat. Once cool-water species reach the southern coast, there’s nowhere colder to go. They can’t survive in the deep sea, and are at risk of going extinct.</p> <p><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/428961/original/file-20211028-27-1yipdxz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" alt="Marine heatwave map" /> <br /><span class="caption">Temperature anomalies over land and ocean in March 2011.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Scientific Reports</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span></p> <p>Marine heatwaves are now striking alongside this long-term warming trend. In 2011, a combination of weak winds, water absorbing the local heat from the air, and an unusually strong flow of the warm Leeuwin Current led to the infamous marine heatwave known as <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/srep01277">Ningaloo Nino</a>.</p> <p>Over eight weeks, ocean temperatures soared by more than 5℃ above the long-term maximum. Coral bleached in the state’s north, fish died en masse, <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-much-do-marine-heatwaves-cost-the-economic-losses-amount-to-billions-and-billions-of-dollars-170008">34% of seagrass died</a> in Shark Bay, and kelp forests along 100km of WA’s coast were wiped out.</p> <p>Following the heatwave came sudden distribution changes for species like sharks, turtles and many reef fish. Little penguins starved to death because their usual food sources were no longer there.</p> <p>Recreational and commercial fisheries were forced to close to protect ailing stocks. Some of these fisheries have not recovered 10 years later, while others are only now reopening.</p> <p>This is just the start. <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2019.00734/full">Projections suggest</a> the southwest could be in a permanent state of marine heatwave within 20-40 years, compared to the second half of the 20th century.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/428980/original/file-20211028-17-1o7ypsp.PNG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/428980/original/file-20211028-17-1o7ypsp.PNG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="Comparative pictures of a kelp forest before and after a heatwave" /></a> <span class="caption">Reef in Kalbarri before (left) and after (right) the 2011 Ningaloo Nino. Dense kelp covered reefs before the heatwave. Afterwards, kelp died and the reefs were covered by sediment and turf algae.</span> <span class="attribution"><a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007%2F978-3-030-71330-0_12#DOI" class="source">Professor Thomas Wernberg</a>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span></p> <h2>Adaptation has limits</h2> <p>Nature in the southwest cannot adapt to these rapid changes. The only way to stem the damage to nature and humans is to stop greenhouse gas emissions.</p> <p>Australia must take responsibility for its emissions and show ambition beyond the weak promise of net-zero by 2050, and commit to real 2030 targets consistent with the Paris climate treaty.</p> <p>Otherwise, we will witness the collapse of one of Australia’s biological treasures in real time.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/170377/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><span><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jatin-kala-1283114">Jatin Kala</a>, Senior Lecturer and ARC DECRA felllow, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/murdoch-university-746">Murdoch University</a></em>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/belinda-robson-1283377">Belinda Robson</a>, Associate Professor, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/murdoch-university-746">Murdoch University</a></em>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/joe-fontaine-136827">Joe Fontaine</a>, Lecturer, Environmental and Conservation Science, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/murdoch-university-746">Murdoch University</a></em>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/stephen-beatty-1144778">Stephen Beatty</a>, Research Leader (Catchments to Coast), Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems, Harry Butler Institute, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/murdoch-university-746">Murdoch University</a></em>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/thomas-wernberg-116019">Thomas Wernberg</a>, Professor, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-western-australia-1067">The University of Western Australia</a></em></span></p> <p>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/drying-land-and-heating-seas-why-nature-in-australias-southwest-is-on-the-climate-frontline-170377">original article</a>.</p> <p><em>Image: Author provided</em></p>

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What causes dry lips, and how can you treat them? Does lip balm actually help?

<p>As we head into the colder weather, many of us might be afflicted with the irritating ailment of dry and chapped lips.</p> <p>People have been trying to figure out how to fix dry lips for centuries. Using beeswax, olive oil and other natural ingredients have been reported as early as Cleopatra’s <a href="https://nationalpost.com/entertainment/movies/secret-gloss-a-brief-history-of-lip-balm-from-earwax-to-clorox">time</a>, around 40 B.C.</p> <p>In 1833, there were even reports of human earwax being <a href="https://www.google.com.au/books/edition/The_American_Frugal_Housewife/-YYSAQAAMAAJ?hl=en&amp;gbpv=1&amp;dq=the+American+Frugal+Housewife,+Dedicated+to+Those+who+are+Not+Ashamed+of+Economy&amp;printsec=frontcover">recommended</a> as a successful remedy for dry, cracked lips. Not long after, the first commercial lip balms hit the market.</p> <p>So what causes dry lips, and which lip balms actually help? The key is to avoid lip balms that contain certain additives which might worsen the problem.</p> <p><strong>They need to be soft but resilient</strong></p> <p>Our lips are constantly exposed to the elements, such as sunlight, wind, dry air, and cold weather. They have to withstand our daily lifestyle, including contact with food, cosmetics, biting, picking, rubbing against clothes, kissing and more.</p> <p>So, although they look soft and fleshy, our lips need to be resilient and tough.</p> <p>Lips sit at the junction where our outside facial skin transitions into the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsrlJn2cDh0&amp;t=58s">tissue</a> layers lining the mouth. As such, the lips are structured similar to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507900/">mucous membranes</a>, but with the addition of a <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s004030050453">protective</a> outside layer of skin. Lips don’t have hair follicles, or sweat, saliva and oil glands.</p> <p>This unique structure means they’re particularly prone to dryness as they have a much lower ability to hold <a href="https://europepmc.org/article/med/15030342">water</a> than the rest of the face’s skin.</p> <p><strong>What causes dry lips?</strong></p> <p>Many of us get dry lips at certain times of the year. This can occur naturally, or be brought on by many different factors, including:</p> <ul> <li> <p>inflamed lips, known as <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6531998/">cheilitis</a>. This can be due to a skin condition, or an infection such as herpes or cold sores</p> </li> <li> <p><a href="https://journals.lww.com/dermatitis/Abstract/2007/12000/Allergic_Contact_Cheilitis_from_Benzophenone_3_in.8.aspx">allergies</a></p> </li> <li> <p>medications which impact the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12974516/">salivary glands</a>, the mouth’s surrounding <a href="https://youtu.be/UNyKlwO23w4">muscles</a>, or sensations throughout the lip area</p> </li> <li> <p>tongue injuries, teeth that rub against the lips, or other dental issues</p> </li> <li> <p>poor oral health. This can be brought on by general neglect, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22750232/">eating disorders</a>, or bad oral hygiene habits</p> </li> <li> <p>burns, such as eating food that’s too hot, or sunburn. Burns can result in the lips swelling, <a href="https://youtu.be/T-FnAH9y1N4">scarring</a> and blistering, and it may take a long time for the pain to alleviate</p> </li> <li> <p>some diseases or disorders, such as <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19445445/">Sjögren’s syndrome</a></p> </li> <li> <p>dehydration, heat stroke, <a href="https://youtu.be/BxgEoLmOACo">fever</a>, or excessive heat</p> </li> <li> <p><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352647520300988?via%3Dihub">nasal</a> congestion, which leads to chronic mouth-breathing. This can sometimes be a result of illness, such as when you have a common cold</p> </li> <li> <p>cold weather or cold wind that runs along the lips and removes moisture</p> </li> <li> <p>persistent licking, which can create a wet-dry cycle that excessively <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352647520300988">dries</a> out your lips.</p> </li> </ul> <p>The dryness can also lead to pain, itching or stinging.</p> <p>If dry lips start causing serious issues, it may be helpful to discuss this with a medical professional.</p> <p><strong>How can you treat dry lips?</strong></p> <p>It is important to identify what’s causing dry lips. If it’s due to lip licking, then you need to make habitual changes to stop the practice. If it’s due to cold, windy or dry weather, then certain balms and ointments can help protect the lips.</p> <p>Drinking adequate amounts of <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352647520300988">water</a> can assist, because this helps prevent dry skin in general.</p> <p>If this isn’t enough, bland, non-irritating, unflavoured lip balms can help, as they act as a film covering the lip surface, keeping moisture in.</p> <p><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/403497/original/file-20210531-15-u2nxjk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="Man with beard applying lip balm" /> <span class="caption">It’s best to choose a bland lip balm that doesn’t contain fragrances, flavours and colours.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></p> <p>In many cases these use petroleum jelly as a base (although it’s not <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ics.12533">required</a>), along with refined mineral oils to remove any <a href="https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jchem/2019/1680269/">hazardous</a> compounds, and other ingredients that can assist in retaining and maintaining a <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/ics.12583">barrier function</a>.</p> <p>In the race to appeal to consumers, cosmetic manufacturers have trialled a number of new ingredients in their lip balms. Popular lip balms often contain additives which can make the balm smell or taste nice, or soften the feel when it rubs against the lips.</p> <p>Some of these extra ingredients can help. For example, if you’re out in the sun a lot, lip balm with included sunscreen is a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1227745/">great</a> addition.</p> <p><strong>Products to avoid</strong></p> <p>In many cases, these compounds provide the feeling of immediate relief on the lips but don’t actually help with the barrier function. And in some cases, they can become irritants and even worsen the dryness.</p> <p>When choosing a lip balm, try to avoid products containing these ingredients:</p> <ul> <li> <p><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6477564/">fragrances</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a href="https://enveurope.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s12302-016-0076-7">flavours</a>, such as mint, citrus, vanilla, and cinnamon</p> </li> <li> <p>shiny <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/not-just-lip-service-gloss-can-invite-skin-cancer-flna1c9459959">glosses</a>, which can intensify damage from the sun’s rays</p> </li> <li> <p><a href="https://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/cosmetic-ingredient-names/color-additives-permitted-use-cosmetics">colours</a>, which can cause irritation and do nothing to assist the barrier function</p> </li> <li> <p>menthol, phenol or salicylic acid, which can actually make your lips <a href="https://health.clevelandclinic.org/7-signs-your-lip-balm-use-is-just-a-bad-habit/">drier</a></p> </li> <li> <p>additional, unnecessary <a href="https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-basics/dry/heal-dry-chapped-lips">ingredients</a> such as camphor, lanolin, octinoxate, oxybenzone or propyl gallate.</p> </li> </ul> <p>And be sure to stop biting, picking or excessively licking your lips.</p> <p>Staying hydrated and applying a bland lip balm should be a routine incorporated into your every day lifestyle for healthy, protected, and moisturised lips.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/161264/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><span><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/christian-moro-121754">Christian Moro</a>, Associate Professor of Science &amp; Medicine, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a></em> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/charlotte-phelps-1187658">Charlotte Phelps</a>, PhD Student, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a></em></span></p> <p>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-causes-dry-lips-and-how-can-you-treat-them-does-lip-balm-actually-help-161264">original article</a>.</p>

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Mind-blowing lettuce hack to help you fall asleep in seconds

<p>If you find yourself laying in bed at night unable to sleep, then you may want to pop the kettle on.</p> <p>But rather than making a cuppa right before bed, try boiling lettuce in a mug, a hack people claim is putting them to sleep in seconds.</p> <p>While it sounds absolutely insane, there is some truth to the mind-blowing hack, according to the experts, and it's a sure way to tackle insomnia.</p> <p>TikTok user Shapla Hoque first made the claim in a clip she shared online, which has garnered over 4.8 million views.</p> <p>In the clip, Ms Hoque boiled a kettle and poured the boiling water on some washed lettuce leaves which were shoved in a mug, before removing them as she sipped on the water.</p> <p>Worried it would taste disgusting, she popped in a peppermint tea bag for taste, however this isn't a required step - you could try camomile instead which is known to induce sleep.</p> <p>At first, the nightcap makes her "a bit drowsy" and then in what seems like no time at all, she's completely knocked out in her bed.</p> <p>Desperate for a decent sleep, people took to the comments and revealed they would give it a go, with one admitting: “On my way to the shop to buy 30 lettuces.”</p> <p>While someone else said, “My mum used to do this for me, boiled water and leave it in the pan for 5 min on a minimum heat, always worked a treat and it’s all natural.”</p> <p>So how does it actually work? Studies from 2013 and 2017 say that lettuce, particularly romaine, contains a phytonutrient, called lactucarium, which is said to induce sleep and relieve pain.</p> <p>According to<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.ladbible.com/" target="_blank">LadBible</a>, the 2017 report stated: “Lactuca sativa (lettuce), an annual herb which belongs to the Compositae family, is known for its medicinal value. Traditionally, lettuce has been suggested to have a sedative-hypnotic property.”</p> <p>And concluded: “The results of this study show that lettuce, especially romaine lettuce, is an interesting and cheap source of sleep-potentiating material and antioxidant polyphenols.</p> <p>“The seed and leaf extracts derived from romaine lettuce potentiates the pentobarbital-induced sleeping behaviour in mice.”</p>

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Mind-blowing historical “time capsule” discovered in café rafters

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When workers were peeling back the old walls of the Liverpool eatery, they weren’t expecting to find a fragile piece of culinary history.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The menu, dated from Wednesday, 15 January 1913, belonged to the former Yamen Caf</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">é</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in Bold Street and was just one of the artifacts found in the rafters of LEAF, the ca</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">é</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> that now occupies the same site on Bold Street.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Staff of the LEAF Caf</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">é</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in central Liverpool said the discovery had “blown their minds”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The historical menu offered an appetising selection of “refreshments, luncheons and afternoon teas”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">LEAF founder and owner Natalie Haywood told </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">CNN</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> that the discovery was almost “creepy” since LEAF sells specialty teas just like its predecessor.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Specials of the day included sweetbreads and peas, irish stew, and banana fritters, and the set menu featured boiled fowl, tournedos bearnaise, and meringues chantilly with pears, reflecting the cosmopolitan character of the port city at the time.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A bowl of tomato on the menu cost four old pennies, the equivalent of £1.20 (AUD$2.14) today.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><img style="width: 500px; height: 499.99999999999994px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7841121/_118384859_menu.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/16062d041de84dfea92c5f15a5773802" /></span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Haywood said, “When I saw it I was staggered, it’s like a time capsule hidden in the walls.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“To see what they were doing then, how forward-thinking and creative as a restaurant, is so inspiring.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We have always known this is a historic building but having the menu in our hands has made it all feel real, something dating back to the First World War.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to a food historian, the menu wasn’t the typical fare for average working class Liverpudlians of the time and the prices were out of reach for most.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bryce Evens, associate professor in history at Liverpool Hope University, said it was aimed at an “upper middle class clientele” and that the “meaty” menu had a continental influence “typical only of the better-off in Britain at the time”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As a bustling maritime city, the foreign dishes and wider use of vegetables on Yamen’s menu illustrated Liverpool’s “cosmopolitanism” and “status as a major city of empire and trade and exchange”, Mr Evans said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Though the area now has a “bohemian” feel, Bold Street was the equivalent of London’s Bond Street in 1913, boasting car showrooms, high-end clothing stores, and fine dining.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7841120/_118385638_hat.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/095667b65361449884f60465b7e60e46" /></span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Along with the 108-year-old menu, other finds included a waiter’s hat with “Yamen” embroidered on the rim, instructions for the English card game whist, and a packet of playing cards.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Haywood said the items were found in the rafters of the mezzanine, which was being transformed from an office space into an area for private events.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Down came fluttering from the ceiling this menu from 108 years ago. It’s in absolutely unbelievable condition,” Haywood said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With this find, LEAF now plans to recreate some of the dishes as a tribute to the Yamen.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Two permanent additions to the menu will be the Irish stew and Welsh rabbit.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Once lockdown restrictions are lifted in England and the refurbishment is complete, Haywood also plans to host a special evening where a more extensive range of the menu items will be served.</span></p> <p><strong>Image credits: LEAF</strong></p>

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Huge blow for Prince Charles' royal future

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> <p>A new <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/public-want-prince-william-king-23864734" target="_blank">poll</a> has shown that almost half of British people polled want the Duke of Cambridge to be the next monarch instead of Prince Charles, with him polling at a sad 27 per cent.</p> <p>Those aged between 18 and 24 were keen to see Prince Harry on the throne, despite him being sixth in line.</p> <p>Others were more interested in the crown skipping Prince Charles completely and going to his son Prince William instead.</p> <p>47 per cent would rather see this happen despite an intense two-decade campaign to change Prince Charles' image after his divorce from Princess Diana.</p> <p>However, 18 per cent said that Britain should no longer have a monarch, based on a survey Deltapoll took by interviewing 1,590 adults.</p> <p>The poll revealed other interesting ideas, as more than 40 per cent think that the Queen should remain in her position until she dies.</p> <p>In news that isn't surprising to hardcore monarchy fans, more than half of Brits (51 per cent polled) believe that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have damaged the reputation of the monarchy.</p> <p>This opinion comes after their shocking tell-all interview with Oprah, where Markle and Prince Harry made a series of astonishing claims, including that an unnamed member of the royal family was racist towards baby Archie.</p> <p>Prince Harry discussed his relationship with Prince William, saying that he loved him "to bits" but the brothers were on "different paths".</p> <p>He also claimed that Prince William and Prince Charles are "trapped" by the monarchy.</p> </div> </div> </div>

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