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Centenarian blood tests give hints of the secrets to longevity

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/karin-modig-1473484">Karin Modig</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/karolinska-institutet-1250">Karolinska Institutet</a> Centenarians, once considered rare, have become commonplace. Indeed, they are the <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/02/living-to-one-hundred-life-expectancy/">fastest-growing demographic group</a> of the world’s population, with numbers roughly doubling every ten years since the 1970s. How long humans can live, and what determines a long and healthy life, have been of interest for as long as we know. Plato and Aristotle discussed and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12092789/">wrote about the ageing process</a> over 2,300 years ago. The pursuit of understanding the secrets behind exceptional longevity isn’t easy, however. It involves <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7105197/">unravelling the complex interplay</a> of genetic predisposition and lifestyle factors and how they interact throughout a person’s life. Now our recent study, <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11357-023-00936-w">published in GeroScience</a>, has unveiled some common biomarkers, including levels of cholesterol and glucose, in people who live past 90. Nonagenarians and centenarians have long been of intense interest to scientists as they may help us understand how to live longer, and perhaps also how to age in better health. So far, studies of centenarians have often been small scale and focused on a selected group, for example, excluding centenarians who live in care homes. <h2>Huge dataset</h2> Ours is the largest study comparing biomarker profiles measured throughout life among exceptionally long-lived people and their shorter-lived peers to date. We compared the biomarker profiles of people who went on to live past the age of 100, and their shorter-lived peers, and investigated the link between the profiles and the chance of becoming a centenarian. Our research included data from 44,000 Swedes who underwent health assessments at ages 64-99 - they were a sample of <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28158674/">the so-called Amoris cohort</a>. These participants were then followed through Swedish register data for up to 35 years. Of these people, 1,224, or 2.7%, lived to be 100 years old. The vast majority (85%) of the centenarians were female. Twelve blood-based biomarkers related to inflammation, metabolism, liver and kidney function, as well as potential malnutrition and anaemia, were included. All of these <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-019-0719-5">have been associated</a> with ageing or mortality in previous studies. The biomarker related to inflammation was uric acid – a waste product in the body caused by the digestion of certain foods. We also looked at markers linked to metabolic status and function including total cholesterol and glucose, and ones related to liver function, such as alanine aminotransferase (Alat), aspartate aminotransferase (Asat), albumin, gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), alkaline phosphatase (Alp) and lactate dehydrogenase (LD). We also looked at creatinine, which is linked to kidney function, and iron and total iron-binding capacity (TIBC), which is linked to anaemia. Finally, we also investigated albumin, a biomarker associated with nutrition. <h2>Findings</h2> We found that, on the whole, those who made it to their hundredth birthday tended to have lower levels of glucose, creatinine and uric acid from their sixties onwards. Although the median values didn’t differ significantly between centenarians and non-centenarians for most biomarkers, centenarians seldom displayed extremely high or low values. For example, very few of the centenarians had a glucose level above 6.5 earlier in life, or a creatinine level above 125. For many of the biomarkers, both centenarians and non-centenarians had values outside of the range considered normal in clinical guidelines. This is probably because these guidelines are set based on a younger and healthier population. When exploring which biomarkers were linked to the likelihood of reaching 100, we found that all but two (alat and albumin) of the 12 biomarkers showed a connection to the likelihood of turning 100. This was even after accounting for age, sex and disease burden. The people in the lowest out of five groups for levels of total cholesterol and iron had a lower chance of reaching 100 years as compared to those with higher levels. Meanwhile, people with higher levels of glucose, creatinine, uric acid and markers for liver function also decreased the chance of becoming a centenarian. In absolute terms, the differences were rather small for some of the biomarkers, while for others the differences were somewhat more substantial. For uric acid, for instance, the absolute difference was 2.5 percentage points. This means that people in the group with the lowest uric acid had a 4% chance of turning 100 while in the group with the highest uric acid levels only 1.5% made it to age 100. Even if the differences we discovered were overall rather small, they suggest a potential link between metabolic health, nutrition and exceptional longevity. The study, however, does not allow any conclusions about which lifestyle factors or genes are responsible for the biomarker values. However, it is reasonable to think that factors such as nutrition and alcohol intake play a role. Keeping track of your kidney and liver values, as well as glucose and uric acid as you get older, is probably not a bad idea. That said, chance probably plays a role at some point in reaching an exceptional age. But the fact that differences in biomarkers could be observed a long time before death suggests that genes and lifestyle may also play a role.<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/215166/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/karin-modig-1473484">Karin Modig</a>, Associate Professor, Epidemiology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/karolinska-institutet-1250">Karolinska Institutet</a> Image credits: Shutterstock 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/centenarian-blood-tests-give-hints-of-the-secrets-to-longevity-215166">original article</a>.

Retirement Life

Why are my muscles sore after exercise? Hint: it’s nothing to do with lactic acid

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/robert-andrew-robergs-435390">Robert Andrew Robergs</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/queensland-university-of-technology-847">Queensland University of Technology</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/samuel-l-torrens-1476404">Samuel L. Torrens</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/queensland-university-of-technology-847">Queensland University of Technology</a> As many of us hit the gym or go for a run to recover from the silly season, you might notice a bit of extra muscle soreness. This is especially true if it has been a while between workouts. A common misunderstanding is that such soreness is due to lactic acid build-up in the muscles. Research, however, shows lactic acid has <a href="https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/physiol.00033.2017">nothing to do with it</a>. The truth is far more interesting, but also a bit more complex. <h2>It’s not lactic acid</h2> We’ve known for decades that lactic acid has <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27409551/">nothing to do with</a> muscle soreness after exercise. In fact, as one of us (Robert Andrew Robergs) has long <a href="https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/ajpregu.00114.2004">argued</a>, cells produce lactate, not lactic acid. This process actually <a href="https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/physiol.00033.2017">opposes</a> not causes the build-up of acid in the muscles and bloodstream. Unfortunately, historical inertia means people still use the term “lactic acid” in relation to exercise. Lactate <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.1101141">doesn’t cause major problems</a> for the muscles you use when you exercise. You’d probably be <a href="https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/ajpregu.00114.2004?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori%3Arid%3Acrossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub++0pubmed&">worse off</a> without it due to other benefits to your working muscles. Lactate isn’t the reason you’re sore a few days after upping your weights or exercising after a long break. So, if it’s not lactic acid and it’s not lactate, what is causing all that muscle soreness? <h2>Muscle pain during and after exercise</h2> When you exercise, a lot of chemical reactions occur in your muscle cells. All these chemical reactions accumulate products and by-products which cause water to enter into the cells. That causes the pressure inside and between muscle cells to increase. This pressure, combined with the movement of molecules from the muscle cells can stimulate nerve endings and cause <a href="https://www.sportsmed.theclinics.com/article/S0278-5919(11)00099-8/fulltext">discomfort</a> during exercise. The pain and discomfort you sometimes feel hours to days after an unfamiliar type or amount of exercise has a different list of causes. If you exercise beyond your usual level or routine, you can cause microscopic damage to your muscles and their connections to tendons. Such damage causes the release of ions and other molecules from the muscles, causing localised swelling and stimulation of nerve endings. This is sometimes known as “<a href="https://www.sportsmed.theclinics.com/article/S0278-5919(11)00099-8/fulltext">delayed onset muscle soreness</a>” or DOMS. While the damage occurs during the exercise, the resulting response to the injury builds over the next one to two days (longer if the damage is severe). This can sometimes cause pain and difficulty with normal movement. <h2>The upshot</h2> Research is clear; the discomfort from delayed onset muscle soreness has nothing to do with <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=UVjRNSUAAAAJ&view_op=view_citation&citation_for_view=UVjRNSUAAAAJ:J_g5lzvAfSwC">lactate</a> or <a href="https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/physiol.00033.2017">lactic acid</a>. The good news, though, is that your muscles adapt rapidly to the activity that would initially cause delayed onset muscle soreness. So, assuming you don’t wait too long (more than roughly two weeks) before being active again, the next time you do the same activity there will be much less damage and discomfort. If you have an exercise goal (such as doing a particular hike or completing a half-marathon), ensure it is realistic and that you can work up to it by training over several months. Such training will gradually build the muscle adaptations necessary to prevent delayed onset muscle soreness. And being less wrecked by exercise makes it more enjoyable and more easy to stick to a routine or habit. Finally, remove “lactic acid” from your exercise vocabulary. Its supposed role in muscle soreness is a myth that’s hung around far too long already.<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/214638/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/robert-andrew-robergs-435390">Robert Andrew Robergs</a>, Associate Professor - Exercise Physiology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/queensland-university-of-technology-847">Queensland University of Technology</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/samuel-l-torrens-1476404">Samuel L. Torrens</a>, PhD Candidate, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/queensland-university-of-technology-847">Queensland University of Technology</a> Image credits: Getty Images 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/why-are-my-muscles-sore-after-exercise-hint-its-nothing-to-do-with-lactic-acid-214638">original article</a>.

Body

Bees have appeared on coins for millennia, hinting at an age-old link between sweetness and value

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/adrian-dyer-387798">Adrian Dyer</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a> In 2022, the Royal Australian Mint issued a $2 coin decorated with honeybees. Around 2,400 years earlier, a mint in the kingdom of Macedon had the same idea, creating a silver obol coin with a bee stamped on one side. Over the centuries between these two events, currency demonstrating a symbolic link between honey and money is surprisingly common. In a recent study in <a href="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/assets.mmxgroup.com.au/ACR/Bee+Article.pdf">Australian Coin Review</a>, I trace the bee through numismatic history – and suggest a scientific reason why our brains might naturally draw a connection between the melliferous insects and the abstract idea of value. <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536400/original/file-20230709-15-2u5ywn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536400/original/file-20230709-15-2u5ywn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536400/original/file-20230709-15-2u5ywn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536400/original/file-20230709-15-2u5ywn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536400/original/file-20230709-15-2u5ywn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536400/original/file-20230709-15-2u5ywn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536400/original/file-20230709-15-2u5ywn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /><figcaption>A Royal Australian Mint 2022 two-dollar coin representing 200 years since the introduction of the honeybee to Australia.</figcaption></figure> <h2>What is currency and why is it important?</h2> Money is a store of value, and can act as a medium of exchange for goods or services. Currency is a physical manifestation of money, so coins are a durable representation of value. Coins have had central role in many communities to enable efficient trade since ancient times. Their durability makes them important time capsules. Ancient Malta was famous for its honey. The modern 3 Mils coin (<a href="https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces1775.html">1972-81</a>) celebrates this history with images of a bee and honeycomb. According to the information card issued with the coin set, <blockquote> A bee and honeycomb are shown on the 3 Mils coin, symbolising the fact that honey was used as currency in Ancient Malta. </blockquote> <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536403/original/file-20230709-23-drk2lj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536403/original/file-20230709-23-drk2lj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=582&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536403/original/file-20230709-23-drk2lj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=582&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536403/original/file-20230709-23-drk2lj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=582&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536403/original/file-20230709-23-drk2lj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=732&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536403/original/file-20230709-23-drk2lj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=732&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536403/original/file-20230709-23-drk2lj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=732&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /><figcaption>A circulating 3 Mils coin from Malta showing a honeybee on honeycomb.</figcaption></figure> In ancient Greece, bees were used on some of the earliest coins made in Europe. A silver Greek obol coin minted in Macedon between 412 BCE and 350 BCE, now housed in the British Museum, shows a bee on one side of the coin. <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536411/original/file-20230709-182252-v4evxr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536411/original/file-20230709-182252-v4evxr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=293&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536411/original/file-20230709-182252-v4evxr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=293&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536411/original/file-20230709-182252-v4evxr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=293&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536411/original/file-20230709-182252-v4evxr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=368&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536411/original/file-20230709-182252-v4evxr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=368&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536411/original/file-20230709-182252-v4evxr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=368&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /><figcaption>An ancient obol from Macedon, dated between 412 BCE and 350 BCE, shows a bee one side.</figcaption></figure> Bees also feature on coins minted elsewhere in the ancient Greek world, such as a bronze coin minted in Ephesus dated between 202 BCE and 133 BCE. <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536407/original/file-20230709-27-a2jvo3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536407/original/file-20230709-27-a2jvo3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=546&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536407/original/file-20230709-27-a2jvo3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=546&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536407/original/file-20230709-27-a2jvo3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=546&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536407/original/file-20230709-27-a2jvo3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=686&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536407/original/file-20230709-27-a2jvo3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=686&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536407/original/file-20230709-27-a2jvo3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=686&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /><figcaption>A bronze coin minted in Ephesus, dated between 202BCE and 133BCE, featuring a honeybee.</figcaption></figure> The use of bees on ancient coins extended for many centuries including widely circulated bronze coins, and new varieties <a href="https://coinweek.com/bee-all-that-you-can-bee-honeybees-on-ancient-coins/">continue to be discovered</a>. <h2>Why we might like bees on coins</h2> Why have bees appeared so often on coins? One approach to this question comes from the field of neuro-aesthetics, which seeks to understand our tastes by understanding the basic brain processes that underpin aesthetic appreciation. From this perspective, it seems likely the sweet taste of honey – which indicates the large amount of sugar it delivers – promotes positive neural activity <a href="https://brill.com/view/journals/artp/10/1/article-p1_2.xml">associated with bees and honey</a>. Indeed, primatologist Jane Goodall once proposed that obtaining high-calorie nutrition from bee honey may have been <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0066185668800032">an important step</a> in the cognitive development of primates. Our brain may thus be pre-adapted to liking bees due to their association with the sweet taste of honey. Early usage of bees on coins may have been a functional illustration of the link between a known value (honey) and a new form of currency: coins as money. <h2>The bee on modern coins</h2> <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536393/original/file-20230709-17-jywq3f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536393/original/file-20230709-17-jywq3f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=588&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536393/original/file-20230709-17-jywq3f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=588&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536393/original/file-20230709-17-jywq3f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=588&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536393/original/file-20230709-17-jywq3f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=738&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536393/original/file-20230709-17-jywq3f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=738&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536393/original/file-20230709-17-jywq3f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=738&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /><figcaption>A 1920 Italian bronze ten-centesimi coin featuring featuring an Italian honeybee on a flower.</figcaption></figure> The use of bees as a design feature has persisted from ancient to modern times. A honeybee visiting a flower is shown on a series of ten-centesimi bronze coins issued in Italy from <a href="https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces1960.html">1919 to 1937</a>. (As an aside, the world’s last stock of pure Italian honeybees is found in Australia, on Kangaroo Island, which was declared a sanctuary for Ligurian bees by an <a href="https://www.legislation.sa.gov.au/home/historical-numbered-as-made-acts/1885/0342-Lingurian-Bees-Act-No-342-of-48-and-49-Vic,-1885.pdf">act of parliament</a> in 1885.) <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536416/original/file-20230709-15-60yst8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536416/original/file-20230709-15-60yst8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=586&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536416/original/file-20230709-15-60yst8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=586&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536416/original/file-20230709-15-60yst8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=586&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536416/original/file-20230709-15-60yst8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=737&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536416/original/file-20230709-15-60yst8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=737&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536416/original/file-20230709-15-60yst8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=737&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /><figcaption>A coin from Tonga showing 20 honeybees emerging from a hive.</figcaption></figure> More recently, a 20-seniti coin from the Pacific nation of Tonga shows 20 honeybees flying out of a hive. This coin was part of a series initiated by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations to promote sustainable agricultural and cultural development around the world. Bees are relevant here because their pollinating efforts contribute to about one-third of the food required to feed the world, with a value in excess of <a href="https://zenodo.org/record/2616458">US$200 billion per year</a>, and they are threatened by climate change and other environmental factors. <h2>Bees on coins, today and tomorrow</h2> Public awareness of bees and environmental sustainability may well be factors in the current interest in bee coins. The diversity of countries using bees as a design feature over the entire history of coins suggests people have valued the relationship with bees as essential to our own prosperity for a long time. In Australia, the 2022 honeybee $2 coin is part of a series developed by the <a href="https://www.ramint.gov.au/about-mint">Royal Australian Mint</a>. In 2019, the Perth Mint in Western Australia also released coins and stamps celebrating native bees. <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536405/original/file-20230709-15-iditcb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536405/original/file-20230709-15-iditcb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=373&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536405/original/file-20230709-15-iditcb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=373&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536405/original/file-20230709-15-iditcb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=373&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536405/original/file-20230709-15-iditcb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=469&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536405/original/file-20230709-15-iditcb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=469&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536405/original/file-20230709-15-iditcb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=469&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /><figcaption>Australian native bee coin and stamps released in 2019 by the Perth Mint.</figcaption></figure> Despite the decline of cash, bee coins still appear to be going strong. The buzzing companions of human society are likely to be an important subject for coin design for as long as coins continue to be used.<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/208912/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/adrian-dyer-387798">Adrian Dyer</a>, Associate Professor, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a> Image credits: Australian Royal Mint / NZ Post Collectables 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/bees-have-appeared-on-coins-for-millennia-hinting-at-an-age-old-link-between-sweetness-and-value-208912">original article</a>.

Money & Banking

Who’s taking COVID antivirals like Paxlovid? Hint: it helps if you’re rich

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nicole-allard-1349026">Nicole Allard</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-peter-doherty-institute-for-infection-and-immunity-2255">The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity</a> When it comes to COVID, people living in disadvantaged communities are hit with a triple whammy. First, they’re <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports-data/health-conditions-disability-deaths/covid-19/overview">more likely</a> to get infected, and when sick, are more likely to have serious disease. Second, they’re <a href="https://theconversation.com/first-covid-hit-disadvantaged-communities-harder-now-long-covid-delivers-them-a-further-blow-183908">more likely</a> to develop long COVID. Third, our <a href="https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2023/218/10/access-oral-covid-19-antivirals-community-are-eligibility-criteria-and-systems">recent research</a> suggests they’re less likely to get antivirals and when they do, it’s on average later. We’ve just <a href="https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2023/218/10/access-oral-covid-19-antivirals-community-are-eligibility-criteria-and-systems">published the data</a> to map how disadvantage is linked with access to COVID antiviral drugs you can take at home. Here’s why our findings matter and what we can do to level the playing field for this critical part of Australia’s COVID response. <h2>What we did and what we found</h2> Our team looked at Victorian and national prescribing data trends for the oral antiviral medications eligible Australians can take at home – Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir/ritonavir) and Lagevrio (molnupiravir). My health department colleagues linked data from the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme with information from the Victorian health department’s COVID surveillance database. They then matched levels of socioeconomic disadvantage by postcode, according to criteria from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Their analysis showed people living in the most disadvantaged postcodes were 15% less likely to receive oral antivirals compared with those in the most advantaged postcodes. Those in the most disadvantaged postcodes were supplied with the antivirals on average a day later (three days versus two days) than those in the most advantaged postcodes. There are some limitations to our analysis. Not everyone who tests for COVID reports their positive result. And we suspect there may be more under-reporting of infections in disadvantaged areas. Nevertheless, our findings about the influence of disadvantage on antiviral supply are not surprising. In the United States, there have been <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/mm7125e1.htm?utm">similar results</a>. <h2>Why has this happened?</h2> We know <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/health-alerts/covid-19/treatments/eligibility">early access to antivirals</a>, within the first five days of symptoms starting, is important to reduce the chances of severe disease and hospitalisation in those at risk. So why are people in disadvantaged areas less likely to have access to COVID antivirals? The answers are multiple and complex. Some relate to <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11069-019-03584-6/tables/1">disadvantage</a> that existed before the pandemic – for instance, poverty, homelessness, lower levels of English or formal education, and being less likely to have a regular GP. Some factors relate specifically to antivirals. For instance, to access antivirals, you first have to know they exist and whether you might be eligible, then know how to access them and when. There may be out-of-pocket costs to see a GP to be assessed, then there’s the cost of filling the prescription, even with a concession card. <h2>How can we address this?</h2> We have an opportunity to address this inequity, whether that’s by addressing social determinants of health more broadly, or specifically related to antivirals access. Equity depends on continuing to address the structural inequalities in our health system that create barriers to people accessing primary health services, and tailoring responses to communities. For instance, earlier in the pandemic we saw funding to house homeless people, provide COVID-related health care to non-English speaking communities, and for people isolated at home. These initiatives need to continue. Other countries have also recognised the need for more equitable access to COVID antivirals. Initiatives have included: <ul> <li> COVID medicine <a href="https://phlgroup.co.uk/our-services/cmdu/">delivery units</a> in the United Kingdom. These identify, triage and arrange for high-risk people to receive antivirals at home </li> <li> <a href="https://covid19.govt.nz/testing-and-isolation/if-you-have-covid-19/medicines-to-treat-covid-19">pharmacists prescribing antivirals</a> in New Zealand, and </li> <li> “<a href="https://aspr.hhs.gov/TestToTreat/Pages/default.aspx#:%7E:text=To%20find%20a%20participating%20Test%20to%20Treat%20site%20near%20you%3A&text=Call%20the%20Centers%20for%20Disease,more%20than%20150%20other%20languages.">test to treat</a>” services in the US. This is where people can get tested, assessed and access antivirals in one spot, in one visit. </li> </ul> <h2>What needs to happen next?</h2> As <a href="https://theconversation.com/were-in-another-covid-wave-but-its-not-like-the-others-206493">COVID waves continue</a>, we must focus on reducing deaths and hospitalisations. Antiviral treatments are part of our armour and equity must drive our response. Our ongoing COVID response should be designed with consumer input, supported by an adequately funded public health system and be data driven. Here’s what needs to happen next: <ul> <li> encourage a tired public to see COVID testing as an important first step to accessing antiviral treatment, and why they should consider treatment </li> <li> address the health care inequality in primary care (for instance, boosting timely access to a GP people can afford to visit) by increasing resourcing in areas where we know there are gaps </li> <li> provide culturally safe health care, delivered in community languages, co-designed with community input </li> <li> evaluate current and future antiviral medications </li> <li> communicate up-to-date information to the public and health professionals about antivirals, particularity GPs </li> <li> access more data on the coverage and equity of antiviral COVID treatments, to help direct us to the gaps in the health system that need to be plugged. </li> </ul> <h2>Why this matters now</h2> For many of us in the past year, COVID has become another “cold” we encounter and may not even bother testing. Yet, we continue to see <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/health-alerts/covid-19/weekly-reporting">deaths and hospitalisations</a> across the country. Serious COVID infections continue to affect our most vulnerable people. These include elderly people, especially those over 80, First Nations people, people living with a disability and people who are socioeconomically disadvantaged. We have a chance to ensure antivirals are used to reduce existing disparities in hospitalisation and death – not to make them worse.<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/207822/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nicole-allard-1349026">Nicole Allard</a>, Post doctoral researcher and medical epidemiologist, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-peter-doherty-institute-for-infection-and-immunity-2255">The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity</a> Image credits: Getty Images 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/whos-taking-covid-antivirals-like-paxlovid-hint-it-helps-if-youre-rich-207822">original article</a>.

Caring

Cate Blanchett hints at early retirement

Cate Blanchett has alluded to an early retirement from acting in a candid interview. The Aussie actress, who is currently based in Los Angeles, is primed for yet another Oscars win for her role in the upcoming psychological drama Tár, but shared that the movie took a major toll. Chatting with The Sunday Project, the 53-year-old said she was still trying to "process" the emotional load of working on the film, in which she plays the fictional world-famous pianist Lydia Tár. “I think it was because it was such a physical role, the echoes of it are still with me and I think I’m like a lot of audience members, I need time to process it,” Blanchett said. “Obviously I’m lucky enough to work with some amazing directors who have changed my life, but when it all comes together like that, it does stay with you." “So I don’t ever want to work again …” she added, laughing. After working in show business for three decades, Blanchett admitted she has been “profoundly homesick over the last four years”, after basing herself in Los Angeles from 2015 alongside husband Andrew Upton and their four children. “‘I’m very obsessed, as most Australians, obsessed by water. I want to be by the water, in the water,” she said. “I would love to learn to be patient, to be still and think. My grandmother was a wonderful gardener and my mother is likewise an excellent gardener and she lives with us, and I really want to spend time in the garden with my mum.” At the end of the interview, The Project co-host Hamish McDonald joked, “Congrats on the film, and your retirement.” Blanchett added, “I’m sure there are millions of people around the world applauding right now.” Image credits: Getty Images

Retirement Life

Royal biographer hints at Queen's cause of death

A royal expert claims Queen Elizabeth II was suffering from a “relatively painless” but “invariably fatal” condition before announcing her death 90 minutes before Buckingham Palace. In a video uploaded to YouTube at 5pm local time (4am NZST), controversial royal biographer Lady Colin Campbell claimed the Queen had passed away at 2.37pm (1.37am NZST). Buckingham Palace announced the monarch’s passing 90 minutes later, at around 6.30pm UK time. Her announcement came at the end of a lengthy clip where the royal expert spoke about a condition the Queen was allegedly suffering from. Lady Campbell, who is most well-known for her books about Princess Diana and the Queen Mother, claimed that Her Majesty was suffering from a serious bone condition, though she wouldn’t reveal “the word that accurately conveys her diagnosis” out of respect for her “dignity and privacy”. “If she wants to reveal that word, or her advisors wish to reveal it, that is up to them. I don’t think one needs to use the word to get across the point that I think most people will be able to pick up, that this is a really serious situation,” Lady Campbell said in the video, prior to announcing the monarch’s passing. “The condition has been induced, in part, according to people who know her well, has been created by the tremendous stress to which she has been subjected over the last three years.” The Palace has not confirmed the Queen’s cause of death. “Can you imagine an older woman, as her life is winding down, and she is hoping to enjoy the last few years of her life in good health being bombarded by the tremendous abuse to which she and the monarchy have been subjected,” Lady Campbell said. She went on to say she had tried to warn people that the Queen was “far more ill than they thought she was” over the past few months. “I have on several occasions in the last few weeks, if not months, made the point that she had been affected to her bones. I used that repeatedly to get across the point that what she was suffering from was a malady of the bones,” she continued. “There are two maladies of the bones, one is more painful than the other. Fortunately the Queen’s malady, although it falls in the same category and condition of the more painful one, has been the less painful one. “It has been restrictive, and I will not go into the medical treatments she has been receiving. I have previously indicated that her bruising was due to cannulas and I have left it at that.” After the video cuts away, Lady Campell continued filming, claiming she had found out about the Queen’s passing. “Having just made this video it is with great sadness that I have to inform you that events have yet again overtaken one’s plans, and I am reliably informed that the Queen died at 14.37pm this afternoon,” she said. “And that the reason why the announcement has not been made so far is that they are waiting for Harry and Meghan to arrive at Balmoral, after which the announcement will be made.” Buckingham Palace went on to announce the news of Her Majesty’s passing before Harry arrived at Balmoral, while Meghan remained in London. “I think we should be very grateful for having had such a wonderful monarch,” Lady Campbell continued. “And I think we can be also grateful for the fact that her death was relatively painless. Bone cancer is not fun. “But she was fortunate enough to have the lesser of the forms of bone cancer, and she kept her spirits and her vitality to practically the end. “And now, I would say, my sympathies to all her loved ones, all her family, and really, all her subjects many of whom love her.” However, the <a href="https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/world/queen-elizabeths-cause-of-death-may-never-be-released/news-story/47ceca6491d9ef44b1d9112061674cdb" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Courier Mail</a> reported that medical experts said frailty and “geriatric syndrome” - a term describing a group of common health conditions older people experience that don’t fit in distinct disease categories - could have been contributors to her passing. Her symptoms reportedly met five of seven criteria used by Britain’s NHS to classify people as frail, including being over 85, having ongoing health conditions, requiring regular help, being forced to cancel activities and using a walking stick. In the hours before her death, a statement from Buckingham Palace said doctors were “concerned” for the Queen’s health and that she was “comfortable” at Balmoral. Images: Getty Images / Lady Colin Campbell (YouTube)

Caring

Ash Barty drops huge hint on life beyond tennis

Ash Barty insisted that she is not hiding anything from her fans after her shock retirement announcement. The 25-year-old <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/tennis-legends-react-to-ash-barty-s-retirement?fbclid=IwAR0yatVVM585Th8Ch0NcLsJd7eCUEaILs0w-Y2K03R3KAbxODsjJAVsknQk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> her retirement from tennis on Wednesday after winning Wimbledon and the Australian Open. Speaking to the media, Barty revealed that she was not lying about her reasons behind retirement and there are no regrets for the decision. “I’ve said exactly what I wanted to say,” she said. “I’m an open book. I’m not hiding anything, I’ve got no secrets. I am just so proud of all of the work that I have done with my team. “We have done this together right from the start, have enjoyed every single minute and we have no regrets. We have achieved so much together and it’s been fun on the way. “I just knew for me the time was right. I’d given absolutely everything that I could to this sport, and I knew that it wouldn’t be fair to my team and the people that have invested so much time and energy into my life to not be 100 per cent committed to them. “It’s been a hell of a journey. I wouldn’t change a thing and I certainly have no regrets.” Questioned about whether her retirement was due to a previous hip injury, Barty refuted the question stating she had taken a break when it didn’t heal the way she expected it to. “No, that was an old injury that we repeatedly over my career had to manage, and that was the truth,” she explained. “After the Australian Open it just didn’t heal quite as well as I would have liked and I didn’t get to get back on court until a few weeks ago. That’s what I mean. We were never hiding anything. “The fact is I have given everything I can to this sport. I’m absolutely spent and had nothing more to give. I’m just really excited now for what comes next and I’m excited for the new challenges.” Barty said retirement had been on her mind for a while and knew that when she achieved what she wanted, such as winning Wimbledon, Australian Open, and becoming the first Australian woman in 44 years to win at Melbourne Park, she knew it was time. “We’ve been in discussions for a while,” she said. “After Wimbledon my perspective changed a lot and there was this beautiful challenge of trying to play the Australian Open and trying to win an Australian Open which was always another goal of mine, and to do that as a team and to do that with the people that meant so much to me was incredible. “There is no perfect way, there is no perfect timing but this was our perfect way, and it was a great finish. “That crowd (for) the final of the Australian Open was like nothing I have ever played in front of before and it was so much fun to enjoy that with them as well as my team. “Yeah, it was a brilliant way to finish. “I have so much love and support, and I’m so lucky to get so much love and support here in Australia, and so many people have made my career so much more fun, and being able to share that with them and experience that with them made it all the better, and I think the Australian public allowed me to be myself. “They allowed me to make mistakes, they allowed me to be imperfect and it just made it so much more fun, and it really did make that Australian Open so much more enjoyable for all of us to be able to go, ‘You know what? This is one last crack. Let’s see what we can do’. “And it was really cool.” Ever the cheeky one, Barty told fans that they’d have to wait and see what she plans to do in the future. “You have to wait and see,” she said. “I’m not giving you everything right now. It’s all right. You can be patient. Patience is a virtue.” Barty joked that she may even switch sports thanks to photoshop images she sees online from fans. "I have seen some brilliant photoshops as a jockey, lawn bowler. Like many sports, I am lured to it,” she said. "I have always been an athlete in the sense of trying different things. We will see how we go." Excited about the next chapter of her life, Barty said she wants to spend time with her family and within the community. "I am excited about my next chapter as Ash Barty the person and not the athlete," she explained. "I hit as recently as 10 days ago. I will forever be connected to tennis, I will never stop loving the sport, I will never stop hitting tennis balls. "I have always been a homebody, and this is where I recharge. "This is where I get my energy from. I'm excited to reacquaint myself with my mum and dad and sisters and nieces and nephews. And spend quality time with them as a person. "Like I said, a new chapter for Garry (her partner) and I, and it is going to be a lot of fun." “I have always wanted to have the time to contribute more in other ways, and I think now I have got that opportunity, and I’ve been fortunate enough to have so many opportunities given to me from tennis, and now I’m ready to really give back in ways that I’m passionate about and visiting Uluru and being up in the community was just incredible,” Barty said. “That’s what lights me up inside. That’s what makes me happy, and we have done a few of those trips now and I can’t wait to do a few more.” Image: Instagram

News

Qantas boss hints at four more travel bubbles

Australians are being given the opportunity to travel overseas for the first time in more than a year, in just days. The highly anticipated New Zealand travel bubble will open for reciprocal quarantine-free travel on Monday. However, impatient Aussies are already wondering when they can set their sights further, and go to next. Qantas boss Alan Joyce has given a hint as to where we may be able to go. On Thursday, Joyce suggested there are four countries that could be in line for a travel arrangement. “It all depends on what level of COVID is in an individual country, and what level of restrictions and testing will be put in place,” he said. “There are clearly a lot of countries in the region, especially in the Asia-Pacific, that have had a tight control on COVID. “They give us market opportunities for Singapore, like Japan, markets like Taiwan for us to potentially open up. “But we’re also actively looking at the Pacific Islands because there are really good opportunities in places like Fiji and the Pacific Islands to open up.” Prime Minister Scott Morrison has also hinted at possibly opening up the travel bubble arrangement a little more. “These things are regularly assessed by the Chief Medical Officer and we have looked at places like Singapore and Japan and South Korea, and countries like this,” he said. “But at this stage, we are not in a position to move forward on any of those at this point.” <img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840759/qantas-jacinda-ardern-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/839b26b4d61e4c19a0b9415f1623e95f" /> New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has also revealed that their government is considering whether the Cook Islands could be incorporated into a travel bubble. She says the travel bubble announcement is “world-leading” however stressed that it is fragile. Ardern said three responses are in place should a COVID outbreak happen in Australia or a coronavirus case. They said their process would be to continue, pause or suspend flights. “For instance, if a case is found that is quite clearly linked to a border worker in a quarantine facility and is well contained, you’ll likely see travel continue in the same way as you could see life continue if that happened here in Australia,” she said. “If, however, a case was found that was not clearly linked to the border, and a state responded by a short lockdown to identify more information, we’d likely pause flights from that state in the same way we would stop travel into and out of a region in New Zealand as if it were going into a full lockdown. “And if we saw multiple cases of unknown origin, we would likely suspend flights for a set period of time.”

International Travel

Meghan and Harry’s subtle hint for baby’s gender

Eagle-eyed fans have spotted a tiny detail that they believe may be linked to the gender of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s baby. While the couple have been notoriously private and kept majority of their pregnancy under wraps, royal fans pointed out a large pink sapphire ring worn by Duchess Meghan during a recent video appearance. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840048/meghan-sapphire-ring-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/69c09e4ff9104b93ada4b8c1d5eb57df" /> The large ring from is from the jewellery brand Ecksand and features an ethically sourced 6.000 carat stone with a recycled 18k gold band with 0.20 diamond pave. "Is the 'pink' ring an 'indication/hint' that it might be a little girl?" one fan speculated on Instagram. "Could this be a clue about baby Sussex????! Praying for a safe, healthy delivery and birth for mother and baby, whether it's a girl or a boy!" another said. <blockquote 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);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CLe6Ez8DKWd/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <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> <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;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CLe6Ez8DKWd/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Meghan Markle (@meghan_update)</a> </div> </blockquote> The ring normally retails for $1790 but is currently on sale for $1522. “It’s been a rough few weeks for the queen, that’s for sure,” a royal insider told <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/prince-harry-meghan-markles-distance-is-challenging-for-queen/" target="_blank">Us Weekly.</a> “The situation with Harry and Meghan has been challenging, and on top of that, she’s distraught over her beloved husband’s health setback.”

Family & Pets

Important health hints hidden in your eye colour

Your eye colour is mostly determined by the luck of the genetic draw. Although there are things you can do to improve your eyesight and keep your eyes healthy, there’s not much you can do to change your eye colour. However, your iris colour might reveal more about your health than you think. Here’s what you need to know about dark and light eyes, and all the shades in between. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7837672/01-brown-eyes-shutterstock_1438302062-770.jpg" alt="Dark eyes: May have a lower melanoma risk" data-udi="umb://media/57b271b070354877ba6815722bfd6bf1" /> <ol> <li> Dark eyes: May have a lower melanoma risk</li> </ol> Dark-coloured irises might indicate you have a lower risk of the skin cancer melanoma. In a study published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, researchers took DNA samples and gathered sun exposure data from nearly 500 white children, ages 6 to 10, for four years. Children with the blue eye gene were more likely to develop moles compared to children without the gene. (The number of moles people develop during childhood can predict the risk of melanoma in adulthood.) Other research has found that people with blue or green eyes are at greater risk of melanomas of the eye, most likely because they have less light-absorbing pigment to shield the eyes from sun damage. But no matter what your eye colour meaning may infer, it’s always a good idea to protect your eyes with sunglasses that block 99% to 100% of ultraviolet radiation or UV-absorbent contact lenses, says Christopher Quinn, OD. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7837673/02-puffy-eyes-gettyimages-171580559-770.jpg" alt="Dark eyes: May be less likely to have macular degeneration" data-udi="umb://media/efba3ca1081347e99104da5cb9c300d3" /> <ol start="2"> <li> Dark eyes: May be less likely to have macular degeneration</li> </ol> Your eye colour meaning can give insight into your overall eye health. “A dark iris blocks more ultraviolet light,” says Quinn. “UV light is a risk factor for macular degeneration. Extra light that gets into the eyes of people with light-coloured irises may cause them to have more retinal degeneration.” <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7837674/03-yellow-spots-eyes-gettyimages-746122853-770.jpg" alt="Light eyes: May be less likely to have vitiligo" data-udi="umb://media/e929b3f8046946748e0f2cad54032c86" /> <ol start="3"> <li> Light eyes: May be less likely to have vitiligo</li> </ol> In a University of Colorado School of Medicine study, researchers tracked nearly 3,000 people with vitiligo, an autoimmune disease in which a person’s immune system attacks healthy pigment cells and causes skin blotches. Researchers identified 13 genes linked to a predisposition to vitiligo. They found that people with the disease were less likely to have blue or grey eyes than those without it. People with vitiligo are at higher risk for other autoimmune diseases such as lupus, type 1 diabetes and thyroid disease. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7837675/04-dark-eyes-shutterstock_299269262-770.jpg" alt="Dark eyes: May drink less alcohol" data-udi="umb://media/44f3eed8c39c42f4af327f65b25c8e65" /> <ol start="4"> <li> Dark eyes: May drink less alcohol</li> </ol> In a Georgia State University analysis of 12,000 white men and women, researchers found that people with light eyes drank more alcohol and were more likely to abuse it than people with dark eyes. (They looked at data from one study in roughly 10,000 male prisoners and a second from a survey of about 1,800 women.) But, why the link? Researchers hypothesise that it could be due to melanin, the pigment that makes eyes darker. Melanin is involved in electrical connections between brain cells. If the amount of melanin in the eye (dark-eyed people have more) correlates with the amount of melanin in the brain, it could mean dark-eyed people are more sensitive to stimuli like alcohol, which means they may get tipsy off less alcohol than light-eyed people do (and therefore less likely to drink to excess). Still, more research is needed. “People with light irises drink more, that’s an undeniable conclusion of this study,” says Quinn. “What’s harder to say is whether it’s the iris colour that determines if people drink or don’t drink. It shows an association, not a causal relationship.” Images: Shutterstock / Getty Images Written by Kelsey Kloss. This article first appeared on <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/healthsmart/conditions/eyes/4-things-your-eye-colour-might-reveal-about-your-health" target="_blank">Reader’s Digest</a>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a rel="noopener" href="http://readersdigest.co.nz/subscribe" target="_blank">here’s our best subscription offer</a>.

Eye Care

Prince Harry just revealed a MAJOR hint about Duchess Meghan’s due date

Prince Harry’s recent announcement has left fans scratching their heads over when the Duchess of Sussex will give birth. As reported by <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/8981015/prince-harry-holland-visit-baby-clue/" target="_blank">The Sun</a>, the Duke of Sussex will embark on the overseas trip next Thursday to launch the one year countdown to the Invictus Games. The decision has left royal watchers confused, as the news of Baby Sussex’s arrival should be announced any day now. The announcement comes after mass speculation that the Duchess has already given birth, as earlier in the week, the Queen paid a visit to the couple’s home in Windsor over the Easter weekend. Fans also noted that Meghan’s mum Doria Ragland and her make-up artist both arrived to the UK close to one another in April. Buckingham Palace announced Harry’s royal visit, saying: “The Duke of Sussex will visit the Netherlands on Wednesday 8th and Thursday 9th May 2019. “While in The Netherlands, The Duke will undertake an official engagement in Amsterdam. “His Royal Highness will then travel to The Hague to officially launch the one year countdown to the Invictus Games The Hague 2020.” Previously, it has been said that the father-to-be will take two weeks' paternity leave after the arrival of his first born. But royal reporters claim that the 37-year-old Duchess is yet to give birth, and that Harry’s trip has been a long time coming. Rebecca English, royal editor for the <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/auhome/index.html" target="_blank">Daily Mail</a> said, “Harry is keen to go, but the baby comes first. “If he has to pull out, or amend his itinerary, he will.”

News

21 hints and tips for eating well with diabetes

It’s one thing to aim for consistently healthy eating. Putting it into practice takee more than just discipline – it takes clever thinking and specific actions. With that in mind, here is a collection of hints and tips to help you on your road to eating well with diabetes. 1. Have regular meals, preferably of a similar size each day. 2. Keep to the amounts as recommended by your dietitian or diabetes health-care professionals. 3. Missing meals will affect your blood glucose and undereating can make you suddenly feel hungry and reach for a snack of less healthy foods. 4. Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables each day. The health benefits are important, and if you are watching your weight these foods can help to fill you up at a low-joule cost. 5. Include carbohydrate-containing foods in each meal. 6. Make sure the portion size of these meals is not too large and does not vary too much throughout the day. 7. Plan meals ahead when possible, have healthy foods to hand, and less healthy foods out of sight. 8. Limit the fat you eat, particularly saturated (animal) fats, as this type of fat is linked to heart disease. 9. Choose mono-unsaturated fats, such as olive oil and canola oil. 10. Eating less fat and fatty foods will also help you to lose weight. 11. Use less butter, margarine, cheese and fatty meats. 12. Choose low-fat dairy foods, such as low-fat milk and low-fat yogurt. 13. Use low-fat cooking methods: bake, grill, roast without fat, microwave, steam, poach, chargrill, stir-fry and grill. 14. Limit sugar and sugary foods. This does not mean that your diet has to be sugar-free. Sugar can be used as an ingredient in foods and in baking as part of a healthy diet. But keep to sugar-free or diet drinks. 15. Eat more fish and try to choose oily fish (such as herring, salmon and mackerel) twice a week. 16. Opt for foods high in fibre. For bulk and fibre, choose starchy foods such as potatoes in their skins, pasta and basmati rice, and wholegrain bread and cereals. 17. Try to get to a healthy weight and stay there. 18. If you have a food craving, it can help to know that it will pass. The longer you can resist the craving, the weaker it will become. Think how you might deal with a similar situation differently next time. For instance, have at hand some healthy nibbles such as carrots, melon and strawberries. Sugar-free jelly, a glass of tomato juice, a chilled sugar-free drink or a mug of low-kilojoule soup can also be helpful. 19. Enhance the natural flavours in your cooking with herbs, spices, garlic, chilli, lemon or lime juice, flavoured vinegars, tomato purée (passata), a splash of wine, Tabasco, capers, a few olives or mustard. These will add flavour so you can reduce the need for added salt. 20. Drink alcohol in moderation only – the guidelines are four or fewer standard units of alcohol a day for men and two or fewer standard drinks a day for women. For example, a 100 ml glass of wine or a 300 ml glass of normal-strength beer is one standard drink. 21. Never drink on an empty stomach, as alcohol can make hypoglycaemia (low blood glucose levels) more likely to occur. This article first appeared in <a href="http://www.readersdigest.com.au/true-stories-lifestyle/think-your-sex-life-over-after-40-hardly">Reader’s Digest</a>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, here's<a href="http://readersdigest.innovations.co.nz/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&utm_medium=articles&utm_campaign=RDSUB&keycode=WRN87V"> out best subscription offer.</a> <img style="width: 100px !important; height: 100px !important;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820640/1.png" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/f30947086c8e47b89cb076eb5bb9b3e2" />

Retirement Life

Duchess of Sussex drops MAJOR royal baby hint

The Duchess of Sussex has given an indication that her due date is right around the corner – and royal fans are more excited than ever. While attending a party in honour of her father-in-law, Prince Charles, the royal was pictured in a stunning gold and cream dress, cradling her budding baby bump while speaking with guests. In a video posted to social media, the Duchess was overheard joking and talking about the imminent birth of her first child, during a friendly conversation with Welsh secretary Alun Cairns at Buckingham Palace. <blockquote 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);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BupGCGIFvrU/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <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> <a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BupGCGIFvrU/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" target="_blank">Meghan and Harry at Buckingham Palace today.</a> <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 post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/hrhduchessmeghan/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" target="_blank"> HRH The Duchess of Sussex</a> (@hrhduchessmeghan) on Mar 5, 2019 at 1:41pm PST </div> </blockquote> Duchess Meghan was in attendance with her husband Prince Harry to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Prince Charles being formally given the title Prince of Wales. It is the first time both the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have attended a royal event together since the Christmas Day church service in Norfolk. Meghan was overheard telling Secretary Cairns: “I look rather different than the last time you saw me,” after he congratulated her on her pregnancy. The conversation then followed up by Cairns asking: “How are you doing? I’m sure everyone is asking.” “No it’s actually very sweet,” the Duchess responded, gesturing towards her bump. "It's a very sweet, nurturing thing to ask. "We're nearly there." <blockquote 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);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BupcHisFks_/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <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> <a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BupcHisFks_/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" target="_blank">“We’re nearly there!” Meghan says at the end 💙👶💗 #meghanmarkle #meghanandharry #marklesparkle #babyontheway #duchessofsussex #dukeofsussex #princeharry #couplegoals #couplesgoals #womancrush #classylady #classywoman #boyorgirl #britishroyals #britishroyalfamily #ilovehermakeup #babysussex #impregnant #royalbabynews #royalbaby #thepalace #buckinghampalace #londonengland #londoners</a> <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 post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/hrhmeghanmarklevideos/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" target="_blank"> HRH The Duchess of Sussex ♥️</a> (@hrhmeghanmarklevideos) on Mar 5, 2019 at 4:55pm PST </div> </blockquote> The Duchess is expected to give birth late April, putting her at around eight months pregnant. Although members of the royal family have never revealed their official due dates, the arrival of Baby Sussex is looming. Mystery continues to surround exactly when the pregnant royal will give birth, and both she and Prince Harry have been busily preparing for the arrival of their first child. The couple will soon be arriving to Windsor’s Frogmore Cottage, which has been fit with a nursery. It is highly expected the Duchess will follow in the footsteps of her sister-in-law, the Duchess of Cambridge, and choose the Lindo Wing at St Mary’s Hospital in London to give birth. Duchess Kate had her three children – Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis – in the same wing. However, the pregnant Duchess has proven to surprise royal experts and the public with her decision, as speculation says she might choose somewhere closer to the couple’s new home in Windsor to give birth. Both the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will be relocating from Nottingham Cottage in Kensington Palace, and a close hospital just 24km from their new household is Frimley Park Hospital, in Surrey. Duchess Meghan wore a gorgeous cream and gold jacquard brocade frock for the reception, along with an Amanda Wakeley white coat. To complete the glowing look, the mother-to-be added nude Paul Andrew heels with a low bun hairstyle. To see the simple and gorgeous look worn by the Duchess, swipe through the gallery above.

Family & Pets

Did Duchess Kate just drop a major hint about royal baby no.4?

The Duchess of Cambridge has admitted to “feeling a little broody” after she met a royal fan’s baby during her and Prince William’s short two-day tour in Northern Ireland. The royal, in-between cooing and gushing over a five-month-old baby boy named James, joked her husband “would be a little worried” by a fourth child to the family. “He’s gorgeous. It makes me feel a little broody,” a smiling Duchess Kate told James’ dad, Alan. Cheekily he asked: “Baby number four?” The Duchess found the question funny as she laughingly responded: “I think William would be a little worried.” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> 🎥 Little James Barr was a huge hit with the Duchess of Cambridge here in Ballymena. Kate Middleton joked that he’s “making her feel broody”! 👶🏼 <a href="https://t.co/LRRVK137zD">pic.twitter.com/LRRVK137zD</a> — Damien Edgar (@damien_edgar7) <a href="https://twitter.com/damien_edgar7/status/1101101980691378177?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 28, 2019</a></blockquote> She also complimented a young girl’s coat jacket, saying, “I love your cool coat. Charlotte loves pink.” Hundreds of excited fans milled the streets of the Co Antrim town as Prince William and his wife walked down the street. Braving the cold weather outside the Braid Centre stood the Irish royal supporters waving their hands and flags to get the attention of the smiling couple. It is the first public engagement the couple have had on their two day visit to Northern Ireland, a trip that came quite unexpectedly to learn about a charity which uses film, TV and digital technologies to inspire young people. The royal couple were kept busy for their first day in Northern Ireland – playing football at Belfast’s Windsor Park, competing against each other in a tight canoe race, setting up tents and putting their archery skills to the test before pulling pints that evening at a reception supporting young leaders at the Empire Music Hall in Belfast. The royal sported a Cinderella blue Mulberry coat dress for her final day in Northern Ireland accessorised with a navy Jimmy Choo clutch and Rupert Sanderson pumps to add to the look.

Family & Pets

Rare Titanic artefact with a "hint of scandal" up for auction

An extremely rare gold cigarette case from the Titanic disaster is up for auction. The case, that once belonged to a controversial wealthy couple, comes complete with a backstory and belonged to Sir Cosmo and Lady Duff-Gordon. According to Hansons Auctioneers, the Duff-Gordons were accused of bribing their way off the now lost ship, but the allegation has never been proven. The infamous ship hit an iceberg at 11.40 pm ship’s time on April 14, 1912, and took two hours to completely submerge in the water killing over 1500 passengers. “This cigarette case in its own right is a wonderful object, but its provenance sends its importance soaring to titanic heights,” said Charles Hanson, owner of Hansons Auctioneers, in a <a href="https://hansonsauctioneers.co.uk/blog/2018/08/why-this-gold-cigarette-cases-titanic-story-could-make-giant-waves" target="_blank">statement</a>. “The sinking of the Titanic has fascinated the world for more than 100 years and such was the Duff-Gordons’ impact on events their roles are played in 1997 movie ‘Titanic’.” Sir Cosmo Duff-Gordon was a highly respected landowner and accomplished fencer. His wife, a fashion designer, managed to escape the ship with her secretary and husband on Titanic’s Lifeboat Number 1, making them amongst the 12 survivors. The lifeboat, otherwise known as the “millionaires’ boat” by the British press, had a capacity of 40 people. Other passengers on board Lifeboat Number 1 were two other passengers with the remainder being crew members. “As the Titanic sank, it was claimed Lucy Duff-Gordon said to her secretary, ‘There is your beautiful nightdress gone’,” Hanson said. “A fireman, allegedly annoyed by her comment, replied that while the couple could replace their property, he and the other crew members had lost everything. Sir Cosmo then offered each of the men £5 (equivalent to about NZD$850 today) to aid them.” According to <a href="https://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/" target="_blank">Encyclopedia Titanica</a>, the landowner presented them each with their money once they reached safety, a decision that while seemingly generous, would cost Sir Cosmo his dignity. “In the aftermath of the tragedy, the couple were accused of buying their way off the boat, a story inflamed by the tabloid press. But at the British Board of Trade inquiry into the disaster, where the couple testified, Sir Cosmo was adamant he’d given the money as a gesture of goodwill to help the men. However, mud sticks and they were tainted by the incident for the rest of their lives,” Hanson said. On board the Carpathia, the ship’s purser Ernest Brown was responsible for helping the Duff-Gordons and was later awarded a medal for his role in the Titanic rescue operation. <img width="498" height="245" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820049/titanic-nz_498x245.jpg" alt="Titanic -nz (1)"/> Because of this, the Duff-Gordons rewarded Brown by gifting him the Asprey gold cigarette case. The case is engraved with the message: “Ernest G F Brown RNR, in remembrance of kindness. SS Carpathia. From Sir Cosmo and Lady Duff Gordon.” On the front of the case, the initials “EB” are featured. The cigarette case, which will be up for auction on September 28 at Hanson’s, has a pre-sale estimate of $77,000 to $110,000. Previously, the sextant used by Carpathia’s captain sold for a little under US$97,000. Also, three photos and a handwritten note discussing the last lifeboat were sold for US$6,800.

News

Meghan Markle drops major baby hint

With the Duchess of Cambridge about to give birth to her third child, Meghan has dropped a hint about her own baby plans. During a visit to Northern Ireland’s next-generation science park with Prince Harry, the royal duo was introduced to a couple who create innovative and hypoallergenic baby products. Looking at the products from Shnuggle, Meghan said, “I’m sure at some point we’ll need the whole thing.” The products she was looking at included a baby bath that allows the baby to sit up, a changing mat and a Moses basket. “It’s very sweet,” Meghan said. Sinead Murphy, co-founder of the company with her husband Adam, told reporters, “They seemed very engaged with the products. Harry was particularly interested in the bath. I wonder if he has witnessed bath time with his nephew or niece.” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Prince Harry and Ms. Markle then visited the Belfast campus of Northern Ireland’s next generation science park, <a href="https://twitter.com/CatalystIncHQ?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CatalystIncHQ</a>, to meet some of Northern Ireland's brightest young entrepreneurs and innovators. <a href="https://t.co/OUgBw4FUDE">pic.twitter.com/OUgBw4FUDE</a> — Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) <a href="https://twitter.com/KensingtonRoyal/status/977206634110963717?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 23, 2018</a></blockquote> “As soon as he saw the bum bump [which stops the baby from slipping down] he understood immediately,” she continued. “He said, ‘Oh, non-slip.’” When asked about the significance of their baby interest, she said, “With an upcoming marriage it’s likely there is going to be an announcement in the next few years. No pressure on the lovely couple!” Harry and Meghan both share a love of kids, with Prince Harry supporting several charities aimed at improving the wellbeing of children around the world. Meghan has previously travelled to Rwanda to work on behalf of kids. In the past, she also shared various photos of herself hanging out with her friends’ children when she wasn’t working.

Body

Hugh Jackman hints at retirement in stunning interview

He might be one of Australia’s most recognisable faces and Hollywood’s hardest working actors, but if this stunning red-carpet interview is anything to go back Hugh Jackman is set to face a little bit of time in 2018 without any work. The Aussie A-lister was interviewed by <a href="https://thefix.nine.com.au/" target="_blank">TheFix</a> on Wednesday, and the 49-year-old was uncharacteristically reticent when questioned about his acting future. “I'm really proud of everything I've done,” the 49-year-old said. “But I want to just take a little time to reflect, to just reassess and see where I head from here.” <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KsOHL5NS6A0" frameborder="0" gesture="media" allow="encrypted-media" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> The dedication and unrelenting workaholism that sees Jackman celebrated amongst his tinsel town peers seems to be catching up with the actor, who from the interview seemed to be relishing the opportunity to enjoy a little time off. “What does Hugh Jackman do with his spare time? Are you binging junk food and watching TV, or what happens?” the interviewer asks. "I'll tell you tomorrow!" he beamed, "It (unemployment) starts tomorrow." "Um, I love to read and I love the outdoors and I'm probably a quieter person than you'd think," he reflected. “Continuing to list of the possibilities, he added: "I like to cook I like the theatre, what else do I love? I like sport..." "But I want to just catch up with my mates," he said, "I want to just take a little time to reflect. "It's been an amazing year for me, I'm really proud of everything I've done and... you know (sigh) just reassess and see where I head from here." What are your thoughts? Image credit: YouTube / Asad News

Movies

Prince William just let slip a big hint about the new royal baby

An off-the-cuff remark by Prince William has whipped the world into a frenzy after he suggested the new royal baby could be here sooner than we expected. Kensington Palace announced earlier this month the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were expecting their third child. Many had guessed the couple had waited until the second trimester to announce the news, meaning the baby would be born sometime in April 2018. However, Prince William's comments this week might suggest otherwise. During a visit to the Spitalfields Crypt Trust, a charity that supports the homeless, Prince William talked about the newest addition to the royal family. He told a midwife, “All the best with the midwifery, I may see you sooner than you think.” The prince had previously said he would not celebrate until Kate passed the first flushes of severe morning sickness, having been diagnosed with hyperemesis gravidarum for the third time. But last week, he said: “It was a bit anxious to start with but [we can] start celebrating this week." It suggests that Kate is now three months along, which means the baby will be due in March 2018. The little Prince or Princess will be a sibling for George, four, and Charlotte, two, and will be fifth in line to the British throne.

Family & Pets

5 hints for using Gmail

Getting control of your email account is one of the best things you can do for your digital life. Gmail is one of the most popular free email providers and there are many ways to improve your experience. Here are five to try: 1. Blocking people This is a new feature for the website and Android apps that let you block certain senders. On the Gmail website you need to open the email and click the upside-down triangle in the top right of the message and select "block". It's useful for stopping emails from annoying people and companies who won't stop emailing even when you unsubscribe. 2. Embrace the filter Use the filter to prioritise your emails. For some emails, that means putting in place a filter that automatically deletes it so you don't have to even see it in your inbox. There's also settings to archive an email, forward it or put a label on it so you can find it easily. A filter can be set up for a particular sender or keyword. To set one up, open an email and click the upside-down triangle in the top right of the message and select "filter messages like this". The first screen lets you choose what to filter while the second is about what to do with it. 3. Archive everything If you are one of those people who hates deleting anything, then use the archive function for every message. This means it disappears out of your inbox but you can still access it by doing a search. While archiving an email with only text doesn't take much space, anything with video and photos will slowing eat up your free 15GB of storage. 4. Enable Undo Send This lets you retrieve an email you've sent accidently. Click on the gear symbol, select Settings, choose "Undo Send" and click "Enable". You can then set the cancellation period (Google recommends 30 seconds) and then save your changes. 5. Use labels If you like organising everything into folders, then you can use labels with Gmail. This means you can find emails easily (though search is usually faster) and you can set them up on the side of your inbox so you can see them at a glance. To create them, go to Settings, then choose "Labels" in the horizontal bar. You can then create labels and choose to hide them or have them visible. If you want to rank them, use numbers before the name to get them to stay in order. Don't forget to go back and set up filters if you want emails to have certain labels automatically. First appeared on <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank">Stuff.co.nz</a>. Related links: <a href="/entertainment/technology/2016/01/myths-about-facebook/">3 myths about Facebook busted</a> <a href="/entertainment/technology/2016/01/great-tip-for-using-youtube/">YouTube tips you didn’t know</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/entertainment/technology/2016/01/computer-shortcuts/">10 computer shortcuts to save you time</a>

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