Placeholder Content Image

The financial reality check after a major diagnosis

<p>Once you have received and processed your doctor’s diagnosis, take stock of the situation, because this will determine how you respond and what resources you have available to support you going forward.</p> <p>Who received the diagnosis – you or your spouse (if you have one)? Is it a terminal illness, chronic condition or treatable setback? </p> <p>If you are not yet retired, will you be able to keep working, need a period off work or will this bring forward your retirement? If leaving work temporarily, what are your prospects for re-entering the workforce? Will your partner need to leave their work to care for you (or vice versa)?</p> <p>Once you have clarified and considered this, spring into action as soon as possible.</p> <p><strong>Revisit your spending</strong></p> <p>Healthcare is expensive by any measure. </p> <p>Pensioners and healthcare card holders may get much or all of your treatment covered, but waiting times in the public system can be lengthy. For self-funded retirees, even with private health insurance, there can be considerable out-of-pocket costs: specialist visits, diagnostics, symptom management, physiotherapy and so on. </p> <p>Depending on the type of diagnosis, you may also need to modify your home (install ramps, railings etc.) and/or obtain specialist furniture and equipment. Then comes care requirements – private nurses, retirement living, hospice or palliative care.</p> <p>Your lifestyle may also change, and quickly. Your clothes and shoes may no longer fit if you lose weight rapidly. You may no longer be able to drive. You may need help with household chores – cleaning, cooking, gardening. Covering these requires money if you don’t have family and friends able to lend a helping hand.</p> <p>Carefully look at what supports your new reality demands and whether they will be one-off or ongoing expenses. Some things will need to be purchased, others could be hired to split the cost over the longer term. </p> <p><strong>Secure your income</strong></p> <p>Once you’ve established the impact on your ability to work and your spending needs, determine how you will pay for everything going forward.</p> <p>Your emergency fund can provide short-term cash if you need to stop working suddenly or fork out for large, unexpected bills. </p> <p>Depending on your age and circumstances, it may be worth bringing forward your retirement – allowing you to draw income from superannuation and focus more on your (or your partner’s) health.</p> <p>Check your insurances to see what claims you could make – having paid the premiums, now is the time make use of them. Relevant insurances include total permanent disability, income protection, trauma or critical illness cover. Meanwhile some life insurance policies may pay out based on a specialist’s diagnosis, unlocking much-needed funds sooner. Depending on your diagnosis, policy and the type of insurance, payouts may be a lump sum or smaller payments spaced out over time.</p> <p><strong>Update your estate plans</strong></p> <p>A major diagnosis typically elicits thoughts about mortality, legacy and how you want your loved ones to be provided for.</p> <p>Crucially, it may also influence factors such as guardianship of minors and pets while you are unwell/in hospital, Power of Attorney to cover important legal and financial decisions if you are incapacitated, and palliative care arrangements if required.</p> <p>Before heavy medications, surgeries or further deterioration of your health cloud your judgement, ensure your will and estate plans are updated to fully reflect your current needs and wishes.</p> <p><strong>Look after yourself</strong></p> <p>Stress, shock, anger and despair are common emotions to feel when faced with a major diagnosis. As such, it’s important you look after your mental and emotional wellbeing too.</p> <p>It needn’t cost a cent – you could look to free counselling services available such as Lifeline and Beyond Blue; a daily walk by the beach or through the local park; catching up with loved ones for support and companionship. </p> <p>Keeping your spirits up, as much as you can under the circumstances, can improve your quality of life while also helping you make clearer decisions about your health, finances and relationships – making it arguably the best investment of all.</p> <p>Back that up with sound legal, tax and financial advice. There is much to consider where insurance, superannuation, inheritances, Centrelink and more are involved, and you can’t know everything – especially when your focus is rightly elsewhere!</p> <p><em><strong>Helen Baker is a licensed Australian financial adviser and author of On Your Own Two Feet: The Essential Guide to Financial Independence for all Women. Helen is among the 1% of financial planners who hold a master’s degree in the field. Proceeds from book sales are donated to charities supporting disadvantaged women and children. Find out more at <a href="http://www.onyourowntwofeet.com.au/">www.onyourowntwofeet.com.au</a></strong></em></p> <p><em><strong>Disclaimer: The information in this article is of a general nature only and does not constitute personal financial or product advice. Any opinions or views expressed are those of the authors and do not represent those of people, institutions or organisations the owner may be associated with in a professional or personal capacity unless explicitly stated. Helen Baker is an authorised representative of BPW Partners Pty Ltd AFSL 548754.</strong></em></p> <p><em><strong>Image credits: Shutterstock </strong></em></p>

Money & Banking

Placeholder Content Image

Major breakthrough holds the key to diagnosing Alzheimer's

<p>A new study has found that a simple blood test could be key to diagnosing Alzheimer's more quickly and more accurately. </p> <p>The research, published on the <em>Journal of the American Medical Association, </em>was conducted by a team of scientists at Sweden’s Lund University, was based off 1213 patients there with the condition.</p> <p>They found that a blood test could correctly identify whether patients with memory problems had Alzheimer’s 90 per cent of the time – making it “significantly” more accurate than cognitive tests and CAT scans in diagnosing the condition. </p> <p>The test itself measures tau protein 217, which if there is an abnormal build up of both in and around brain cells, may be the cause of the disease. </p> <p>“Increases in p tau-217 concentrations in the blood are quite profound in Alzheimer’s disease,” study co-author, Lund University associate professor and senior consultant neurologist, Dr Sebastian Palmqvist, told <em>CNN</em>.</p> <p>“At the dementia stage of the disease, levels are more than eight times higher compared with elderly (people) without Alzheimer’s.”</p> <p>As part of the study, the p tau-217 test was combined with one testing for another blood biomarker for Alzheimer’s called the amyloid 42/40 ratio.</p> <p>Other doctors have shared their thoughts on the research findings, with Chief science officer of America’s Alzheimer’s Association, Dr Maria Carrillo, telling CNN that doctors would “love to have a blood test that can be used in a primary care physician’s office, functioning like a cholesterol test but for Alzheimer’s”. </p> <p>“The p tau-217 blood test is turning out to be the most specific for Alzheimer’s and the one with the most validity. It seems to be the frontrunner,” she added.</p> <p>Blood tests like this could “change the game in the speed in which we can conduct Alzheimer’s trials and get to the next new medication”.</p> <p>Dr Jason Karlawish, the co-director at the University of Pennsylvania’s Penn Memory Centre, said of the research: “Not too long ago measuring pathology in the brain of a living human was considered just impossible.”</p> <p>“This study adds to the revolution that has occurred in our ability to measure what’s going on in the brain of living humans.”</p> <p><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></p> <p> </p>

Caring

Placeholder Content Image

What’s the difference between ‘man flu’ and flu? Hint: men may not be exaggerating

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/thea-van-de-mortel-1134101">Thea van de Mortel</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a></em></p> <p>The term “man flu” takes a <a href="https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/man-flu">humorous poke</a> at men with minor respiratory infections, such as colds, who supposedly exaggerate their symptoms.</p> <p>According to the stereotype, a man lies on the sofa with a box of tissues. Meanwhile his female partner, also with a snotty nose, carries on working from home, doing the chores and looking after him.</p> <p>But is man flu real? Is there a valid biological reason behind men’s symptoms or are men just malingering? And how does man flu differ from flu?</p> <h2>What are the similarities?</h2> <p>Man flu could refer to a number of respiratory infections – a cold, flu, even a mild case of COVID. So it’s difficult to compare man flu with flu.</p> <p>But for simplicity, let’s say man flu is actually a cold. If that’s the case, man flu and flu have some similar features.</p> <p>Both are caused by viruses (but different ones). Both are improved with rest, fluids, and if needed painkillers, throat lozenges or decongestants to <a href="https://activities.nps.org.au/nps-order-form/Resources/NPS-Cold-and-Flu-Brochure-May-2014.pdf">manage symptoms</a>.</p> <p>Both <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/flu/symptoms/coldflu.htm">can share</a> similar symptoms. Typically, more severe symptoms such as fever, body aches, violent shivering and headaches are more common in flu (but sometimes occur in colds). Meanwhile sore throats, runny noses, congestion and sneezing are more common in colds. A cough is common in both.</p> <h2>What are the differences?</h2> <p><a href="https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/keyfacts.htm">Flu</a> is a more serious and sometimes fatal respiratory infection caused by the influenza virus. Colds are caused by various viruses such as <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3553670/">rhinoviruses</a>, <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/adenovirus/about/?CDC_AAref_Val=https://www.cdc.gov/adenovirus/symptoms.html">adenoviruses</a>, and common cold <a href="https://journals.lww.com/pidj/citation/2022/03000/proving_etiologic_relationships_to_disease_.18.aspx">coronaviruses</a>, and are rarely serious.<br />Colds tend to <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/flu/symptoms/coldflu.htm">start gradually</a> while flu tends to start abruptly.</p> <p>Flu can be <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/diagnosis/overview-testing-methods.htm">detected</a> with laboratory or at-home tests. Man flu is not an official diagnosis.</p> <p>Severe flu symptoms may be prevented with <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/flu/vaccines-work/vaccineeffect.htm">a vaccine</a>, while cold symptoms cannot.</p> <p>Serious flu infections may also be <a href="https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/factsheets/Pages/racf-antiviral-treatments-and-prophylaxis.aspx">prevented or treated</a> with antiviral drugs such as Tamiflu. There are no antivirals for colds.</p> <h2>OK, but is man flu real?</h2> <p>Again, let’s assume man flu is a cold. Do men really have worse colds than women? The picture is complicated.</p> <p><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022399922003324?via%3Dihub">One study</a>, with the title “Man flu is not a thing”, did in fact show there <em>were</em> differences in men’s and women’s symptoms.</p> <p>This study looked at symptoms of acute rhinosinusitis. That’s inflammation of the nasal passages and sinuses, which would explain a runny or stuffy nose, a sinus headache or face pain.</p> <p>When researchers assessed participants at the start of the study, men and women had similar symptoms. But by days five and eight of the study, women had fewer or less-severe symptoms. In other words, women had recovered faster.</p> <p>But when participants rated their own symptoms, we saw a somewhat different picture. Women rated their symptoms worse than how the researchers rated them at the start, but said they recovered more quickly.</p> <p>All this suggests men were not exaggerating their symptoms and did indeed recover more slowly. It also suggests women feel their symptoms more strongly at the start.</p> <h2>Why is this happening?</h2> <p>It’s not straightforward to tease out what’s going on biologically.</p> <p>There are <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nri.2016.90">differences</a> in immune responses between men and women that provide a plausible reason for worse symptoms in men.</p> <p>For instance, women generally produce antibodies more efficiently, so they <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nri.2016.90">respond more effectively</a> to vaccination. Other aspects of women’s immune system also appear to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2735332/">work more strongly</a>.</p> <p>So why do women tend to have <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nri.2016.90">stronger immune responses</a> overall? That’s probably partly because women have two X chromosomes while men have one. X chromosomes carry important <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nri.2016.90#Tab3">immune function genes</a>. This gives women the benefit of immune-related genes from two different chromosomes.</p> <p>Oestrogen (the female sex hormone) also seems to <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nri.2016.90">strengthen</a> the immune response, and as levels vary throughout the lifespan, so does <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciimmunol.aan2946">the strength</a> of women’s immune systems.</p> <p>Men are certainly more likely to die from some infectious diseases, such as <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/life-expectancy-deaths/deaths-in-australia/contents/covid-10-deaths">COVID</a>. But the picture is less clear with other infections such as the flu, where the incidence and mortality between men and women <a href="https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/44401/9789241500111_eng.pdf?sequence=1&amp;isAllowed=y">varies widely</a> between countries and particular flu subtypes and outbreaks.</p> <p>Infection rates and outcomes in men and women can also depend on the way a virus is <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/immunology/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2021.712688/full">transmitted</a>, the person’s age, and social and behavioural factors.</p> <p>For instance, women seem to be more likely to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8077589/#R20">practice protective behaviours</a> such as washing their hands, wearing masks or avoiding crowded indoor spaces. Women are also <a href="https://bmcprimcare.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12875-016-0440-0">more likely</a> to seek medical care when ill.</p> <h2>So men aren’t faking it?</h2> <p>Some evidence suggests men are not over-reporting symptoms, and may take longer to clear an infection. So they may experience man flu more harshly than women with a cold.</p> <p>So cut the men in your life some slack. If they are sick, gender stereotyping is unhelpful, and may discourage men from seeking medical advice.<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/231161/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/thea-van-de-mortel-1134101">Thea van de Mortel</a>, Professor, Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </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/whats-the-difference-between-man-flu-and-flu-hint-men-may-not-be-exaggerating-231161">original article</a>.</em></p>

Body

Placeholder Content Image

Major TV star's 7-year-old undergoes third open heart surgery

<p>Jimmy Kimmel's seven-year-old son has undergone his third, and hopefully final open heart surgery after being born with congenital heart disease. </p> <p>In 2017, Jimmy <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmWWoMcGmo0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">revealed</a> that Billy was only three days old when had to undergo his first open heart surgery, after doctors found “a hole in the wall of the left and right side of his heart” that was preventing enough oxygen from reaching his blood. </p> <p>Billy was only seven months old when he had to undergo his second open heart surgery, and over the weekend he had to undergo his third major surgery at the Children's Hospital Los Angeles. </p> <p>A few days later, the TV host took to Instagram to share an update following his son's successful surgery. </p> <p>"We went into this experience with a lot of optimism and nearly as much fear and came out with a new valve inside a happy, healthy kid," Kimmel wrote, alongside a picture of his youngest son smiling in a hospital bed. </p> <p>He then thanked all the surgeons, doctors and other medical staff who "came through for us with immeasurable kindness and expertise." </p> <p>"Walking around this hospital, meeting parents at their most vulnerable, children in pain and the miracle workers who do everything in their considerable power to save them is a humbling experience," Kimmel continued.</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/p/C7fE-p4S7YN/?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/C7fE-p4S7YN/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Jimmy Kimmel (@jimmykimmel)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>He then highlighted the hospital's dedication to providing help to families "regardless of their ability to pay". </p> <p>Jimmy then extended his thanks to his family and friends and the "loving strangers who took time to pray for and send positive energy to our baby".</p> <p>He gave a special shout out to his wife Molly – for "being stronger than is reasonable for any Mum to be". The pair also share daughter Jane, nine. </p> <p>The late night TV host then praised his son for being "the toughest (and funniest) 7 year-old we know."</p> <p>"There are so many parents and children who aren't fortunate enough to go home after five days," he added and encouraged his followers to send their thoughts and prayers to these families. </p> <p><em>Image: Instagram/ X</em></p> <p> </p>

Caring

Placeholder Content Image

Mark 'The Beast' Labbett's girlfriend drops major relationship bombshell

<p>Just days after their one year anniversary, Mark 'The Beast' Labbett and his girlfriend Hayley Palmer have shared a major relationship update. </p> <p>Labbett, 58, and Palmer, 42, met at the UK National Television Awards in 2022, and later became a couple.</p> <p>But now, less than one week after celebrating their one year anniversary, the couple have announced their separation. </p> <p>Palmer, an entertainment news presenter, shared the news of their split on Instagram, shocking fans everywhere. </p> <p>“It is with regret I announce that myself and Mark have gone our separate ways," she began.</p> <p>"We had the best year together, and I truly wish him all the very best for the future. Off I go to listen to Taylor Swift.” </p> <p>Hayley also added the heartbreak emoji at the end of the message.</p> <p>The couple had been together for just over a year and posted Instagram photos to mark their anniversary after spending the day together at the beach where they spent their first date.</p> <p>However, just days later, the couple opened up about some issues they have been facing in their relationship. </p> <p>In an appearance on UK talk show <em>Loose Women</em>, Labbett, star of <em>The Chase Australia</em>, said, “The difficult thing is, we live quite a bit apart. Obviously I live up in Sheffield, Rotherham, she’s a Chelsea girl."</p> <p>“We tend to look at our diaries and when we can sync up together and so the good news is we see each other every few weeks but we make the most of it when we’re together so you get the best of both worlds.”</p> <p>Before his relationship with Palmer, Labbett was married to his second cousin, Katie, and the pair have a son, Lawrence.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram </em></p>

Relationships

Placeholder Content Image

Does hosting the Olympics, the World Cup or other major sports events really pay off?

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ivan-savin-678930">Ivan Savin</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/escp-business-school-813">ESCP Business School</a></em></p> <p>After a long battle, <a href="https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20240213-paris-booksellers-stay-olympics-macron-bouquiniste-france">Paris’s beloved <em>bouquinistes</em> will be staying put</a> this summer. The decision, announced on 13 February by the French government, came after considerable public backlash to the police prefecture’s original plan to move part of the iconic Seine booksellers elsewhere for the inauguration of the Olympics Games on 26 July.</p> <p>Meanwhile, less than six months away from the event, Parisians continue to grumble over a <a href="https://www.ouest-france.fr/jeux-olympiques/cest-aberrant-ce-maire-vient-dapprendre-que-sa-ville-accueillera-les-jeux-de-paris-ab1fa968-cfd1-11ee-89c0-6cefac77e04a">lack of consultations</a> with locals, warnings of <a href="https://www.rfi.fr/en/france/20231130-paris-vehicle-traffic-to-be-heavily-restricted-during-2024-olympic-games">gridlocked traffic</a>, closed metro stations, extensive video surveillance and other grievances. So for host countries, what was the point of the Olympics, again?</p> <p>In academia, the debate about the potential positive and negative effects of large-scale sporting events is ongoing. Although these events are often associated with substantial economic losses, the long-term benefits are the main argument in favour of hosting them. These include the development of material and soft infrastructure such as hotels, restaurants or parks. Big games can also help put the host region on the map as an attractive place for sports and cultural events, and inspire a better entrepreneurial climate.</p> <h2>The pros and the cons of big sporting events?</h2> <p>The cost of these benefits, as the Parisians have realised, is steep. Host countries appear to suffer from increased tax burdens, low returns on public investments, high construction costs, and onerous running cost of facilities after the event. Communities can also be blighted by noise, pollution, and damage to the environment, while increased criminal activity and potential conflicts between locals and visitors can take a toll on their quality of life. As a result, in the recent past several major cities, including Rome and Hamburg, <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/6-cities-that-rejected-the-olympics/a-46289852">withdrew their bids to host the games</a>.</p> <p>A common feature of the economics of large-scale sporting events is that our expectations of them are more optimistic than what we make of them once they have taken place. Typically, expenditure tends to tip over the original budget, while the revenue-side indicators (such as the number of visitors) are rarely achieved.</p> <p>When analysing the effect of hosting large-scale sporting events on tourist visits, it is important to take into consideration both the positive and negative components of the overall effect. While positive effects may be associated with visitors, negative effects may arise when “regular” tourists refuse to visit the location due to the event. This might be because of overloaded infrastructure, sharp increases in accommodation costs, and inconveniences associated with overcrowding or raucous or/and violent visitors. On top of that, reports of poverty or crime in the global media can actually undermine the location’s attractiveness.</p> <h2>When big sporting events crowd out regular tourists</h2> <p>In an <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1527002523120639">article published in the <em>Journal of Sports Economics</em></a> with Igor Drapkin and Ilya Zverev, I assess the effects of hosting large-scale sporting events, such as Winter and Summer Olympics plus FIFA World Cups, on international tourist visits. We utilise a comprehensive dataset on flow of tourists covering the world’s largest destination and origin countries between 1995 and 2019. As a first step, we built an econometric model that effectively predicts the flow of tourists between any pair of countries in our data. Subsequently we compared the predicted tourist inflow in a hypothetical scenario where no large-scale sporting event would have taken place with the actual figures. If the actual figures exceed the predicted ones, we consider the event to have a net positive impact. Otherwise, we consider that it had a “crowding out” effect on “regular” tourists. While conducting this analysis, we distinguished between short-term (i.e., focusing just on the year of the event) and mid-term (year of the event plus three subsequent years).</p> <p>Our results show that the effects of large-scale sporting events vary a lot across host countries: The World Cup in Japan and South Korea 2002 and South Africa 2010 were associated with a distinct increase in tourist arrivals, whereas all other World Cups were either neutral or negative. Among the Summer Olympics, China in 2008 is the only case with a significant positive effect on tourist inflows. The effects of the other four events (Australia 2000, Greece 2004, Great Britain 2012, and Brazil 2016) were found to be negative in the short- and medium-term. As for the Winter Olympics, the only positive case is Russia in 2014. The remaining five events had a negative impact except the one-year neutral effect for Japan 1998.</p> <p>Following large-scale sporting events, host countries are therefore typically less visited by tourists. Out of the 18 hosting countries studied, 11 saw tourist numbers decline over four years, and three did not experience a significant change.</p> <h2>The case for cautious optimism</h2> <p>Our research indicates that the positive effect of hosting large-scale sporting events on tourist inflows is, at best, moderate. While many tourists are attracted by FIFA World Cups and Olympic games, the crowding-out effect of “regular” tourists is strong and often underestimated. This implies that tourists visiting for an event like the Olympics typically dissuade those who would have come for other reasons. Thus, efforts to attract new visitors should be accompanied by efforts to retain the already existing ones.</p> <p>Large-scale sporting events should be considered as part of a long-term policy for promoting a territory to tourists rather than a standalone solution. Revealingly, our results indicate that it is easier to get a net increase in tourist inflows in countries that are less frequent destinations for tourists – for example, those in Asia or Africa. By contrast, the United States and Europe, both of which are traditionally popular with tourists, have no single case of a net positive effect. Put differently, the large-scale sporting events in Asia and Africa helped promote their host countries as tourist destinations, making the case for the initial investment. In the US and Europe, however, those in the last few decades brought little return, at least in terms of tourist inflow.<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/222118/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ivan-savin-678930">Ivan Savin</a>, Associate professor of quantitative analytics, research fellow at ICTA-UAB, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/escp-business-school-813">ESCP Business School</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/does-hosting-the-olympics-the-world-cup-or-other-major-sports-events-really-pay-off-222118">original article</a>.</em></p>

Travel Tips

Placeholder Content Image

Centenarian blood tests give hints of the secrets to longevity

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/karin-modig-1473484">Karin Modig</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/karolinska-institutet-1250">Karolinska Institutet</a></em></p> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <h2>Huge dataset</h2> <p>Ours is the largest study comparing biomarker profiles measured throughout life among exceptionally long-lived people and their shorter-lived peers to date.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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).</p> <p>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.</p> <h2>Findings</h2> <p>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.</p> <p>For example, very few of the centenarians had a glucose level above 6.5 earlier in life, or a creatinine level above 125.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>In absolute terms, the differences were rather small for some of the biomarkers, while for others the differences were somewhat more substantial.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>Even if the differences we discovered were overall rather small, they suggest a potential link between metabolic health, nutrition and exceptional longevity.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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" /></p> <p><em><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></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock</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/centenarian-blood-tests-give-hints-of-the-secrets-to-longevity-215166">original article</a>.</em></p>

Retirement Life

Placeholder Content Image

6 major benefits of doing yoga every day, from experts

<h2>Positive effects of yoga</h2> <p style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;">Sometimes it’s the simplest daily practice that can have the biggest impact on your health, and yoga is proof of that. Although most forms of yoga aren’t considered to be as intense as other workout regimens (think your average cycling class!), practising yoga on a daily basis has been scientifically demonstrated to help you mentally and physically. Through breath work, meditation and holding poses that increase strength and flexibility, the body and mind reap benefits from yoga that positively impact your long-term health. It’s no wonder people have been practising yoga for over 5000 years, and that the number of Australians practising yoga doubled between 2008 and 2017 to over two million, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.</p> <p style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;">In order to get the full scope of what practising yoga daily can really do for your body, we spoke with several experts who have seen the ways yoga has positively benefited their students, patients… and even themselves.</p> <p style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://gaiam.innovations.co.nz/p/gaiam-yoga/mats?affiliate=GAIAM60" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Keen to try? You’ll need a mat. There’s a range of mats to suit every yoga level, check out these we recommend.</a></p> <h2>Yoga assists with mood regulation</h2> <p style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2024/03/6benefitsyoga_getty2.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;">Yoga teacher, Jenni Tarma, shares, “We have a wealth of research demonstrating that a regular mindfulness practice – the act of paying attention to the sensation in the body, thoughts and emotions without judgment – can reduce stress and help us to feel calmer, more productive, and generally more even-keeled in our daily lives.”</p> <p style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;">After evaluating yoga history and research, one 2014 review published in Frontiers in Human Neouroscience concluded that regular yoga practice can help facilitate self-regulation (the ability to understand and manage your behaviour and reactions). Another study of adolescents between the ages of 13 and 18 found that practising yoga positively benefited emotional regulation and self-esteem. “Movement releases beneficial neurotransmitters in the brain, which helps us feel good as well as assist in mood regulation,” says yoga instructor, Evan Lawrence. “One of the things that I like about yoga specifically is that there is simultaneously a focus on physical movement and breathing.”</p> <p style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/culture/23-instant-mood-boosters-you-wont-want-to-live-without" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Don’t miss these instant mood boosters you won’t want to live without.</a></p> <h2>Yoga builds up your core strength</h2> <p style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2024/03/6benefitsyoga_shutterstock3.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;">Personal trainer and yoga teacher, Gina Newton, says, “From a physical perspective, yoga is so great for increasing our core strength, which should be a non-negotiable part of every human’s workout.” Newton adds, “We all need our core – and especially women who have been pregnant or had children, our core strength is something we need to care for and nurture to hold us up.”</p> <p style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;">According to Harvard Medical School, a stronger core benefits the body in multiple ways, including providing better posture, balance, stability, relief for lower back pain, and support through daily tasks like cleaning, working, and athletic activities or exercise.</p> <p style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;">Wearing comfortable yoga gear will help you get the most out of your workout. <a href="https://gaiam.innovations.co.nz/p/gaiam-apparel/apparel?affiliate=GAIAM60" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Check out these yoga clothes from Gaiam.</a></p> <h2>Yoga reduces stress</h2> <p style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2024/03/6benefitsyoga_getty4.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;">“Yoga and meditation are powerful tools for stress resilience and strengthening mental health,” says holistic healthcare practitioner and yoga instructor, Nicole Renée Matthews.  “Doing yoga regularly promotes mental clarity and calmness, centres and relaxes the mind, helps to relieve stress patterns and anxiety, and boosts concentration and focus.”</p> <p style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;">One 2010 study from the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine concluded that practising yoga can improve mood and decrease anxiety even more than a regular walking practice after participants finished a 12-week program. Researchers have also found that the breath-taking techniques involved with yoga can be part of what benefits decreased anxiety during practice.</p> <p style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;">“Breath awareness, another key component of yoga, has been shown to reduce physiological markers of stress, especially when using techniques such as ‘belly breathing’ – breathing deeply so that the abdomen expands, rather than exclusively using a shallow chest breath – and elongating the exhalation,” says Tarma. “These techniques help to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which in turn leads to less anxiety, jitteriness, and improved sleep; all things that can improve our mental health on a day-to-day basis.”</p> <p style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/healthsmart/conditions/mental-health/10-science-backed-ways-to-lower-your-stress-this-instant-really" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Don’t miss these science-backed ways to lower your stress this instant (really!).</a></p> <h2>Yoga improves brain health</h2> <p style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2024/03/6benefitsyoga_getty5.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;">According to associate professor of psychiatry, Dr Gail Saltz, practising yoga “improves overall blood flow to the body, including the brain, [which is] helpful for cognition and memory.”</p> <p style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;">One 2019 review published in Brain Plasticity concluded that behavioural interventions like yoga can help “mitigate age-related and neurodegenerative decline” due to the positive effects a daily practice has on different parts of the functioning brain, like the hippocampus (which plays a major role in learning and memory) and the prefrontal cortex (cognitive control functions).</p> <p style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;">Staying hydrated is key to maintaining optimum brain health. <a href="https://gaiam.innovations.co.nz/p/takeya/water-bottles-actives-range?affiliate=GAIAM60" target="_blank" rel="noopener">These drink bottles can help you keep your water intake up throughout the day.</a></p> <h2>Yoga improves flexibility and mobility</h2> <p style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2024/03/6benefitsyoga_shutterstock6.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;">“Physically, daily yoga practice allows us to engage our muscles and move through larger ranges of joint motion than we do typically moving through life,” says Lawrence. “This helps to keep us limber and flexible.”</p> <p style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;">“Dedicated, daily yoga practice helps with flexibility and strength, which can help improve your posture, as well as balance,” says yoga instructor, Samantha Hoff. “On the physical side, it also helps with joint mobility since you’ll take your joints through most – or all – of their ranges of motion.”</p> <p style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/healthsmart/12-best-yoga-poses-to-strengthen-bones" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Here are the best yoga poses to strengthen bones.</a></p> <h2>Yoga strengthens muscle and endurance</h2> <p style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2024/03/6benefitsyoga_getty7.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;">“From a musculoskeletal perspective,” says Tarma, “yoga loads our bodies and joints in a wide variety of positions and scenarios: think longer static holds in poses that challenge our tissues’ endurance, or controlled transitions between shapes that develop strength, control and coordination. These different facets of our movement capabilities all contribute to better overall function and load-tolerance capacity. As an added bonus, because most styles of yoga are bodyweight only and move at a very moderate speed, yoga is also a generally very accessible and safe movement modality.”</p> <p style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;">Yoga is the ultimate self-care activity. <a href="https://gaiam.innovations.co.nz/p/gaiam-yoga/accessories/27-73312-gaiam-performance-hold-everything-yoga-backpack-bag?affiliate=GAIAM60" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Whether you do it at a studio or in the park, this handy yoga backpack bag stores everything you need for a calm yoga workout.</a></p> <p style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;"><strong>This article, written by </strong><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><strong>Kiersten Hickman,</strong> </span><strong style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/culture/6-major-benefits-of-doing-yoga-every-day-from-experts" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.</strong></p> <p style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;"><em>Images: Shutterstock | Getty</em></p>

Body

Placeholder Content Image

Major development in Madeleine McCann case

<p>In the ongoing investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, German police have descended upon a property in Braunschweig, Germany, in search of a key associate of Christian Brueckner, the prime suspect in the case.</p> <p>The urgency of the search stems from the belief that this individual may possess crucial information regarding the fate of the missing girl.</p> <p>The focus of this operation was a residence linked to a 56-year-old man identified only as Ralph H. According to reports from <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/26665050/hunt-madeleine-mccann-christian-b-pal/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>The Sun</em></a>, Ralph H. is a long-time friend of Brueckner, suspected of being involved in criminal activities alongside him, including home robberies.</p> <p>The property, located just outside Braunschweig, was surrounded by armed officers – however, the operation hit a roadblock as police were unable to enter the premises due to the absence of a search warrant. </p> <p>The urgency surrounding Ralph H. is palpable, with authorities stressing the need to speak with him promptly. “We must find him to ask him about missing Madeleine McCann,” said a<span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;"> detective from Germany’s federal investigative agency, the Bundeskriminalamt (BKA). </span>“He’s not at home, he doesn’t answer the phone, he’s apparently disappeared.”</p> <p>Neighbours of Ralph H. corroborated reports of his absence: “They surrounded his home and shouted out his name but with no luck,” one said. “The officers later asked me if I had any idea where Ralph could be. It was about midday and I thought he was out working. But it turns out he hasn’t been seen for nearly a week now.” </p> <p>Meanwhile, Christian Brueckner, the main suspect in Madeleine McCann's disappearance, is embroiled in a separate legal battle. Currently facing trial for unrelated sexual offences, Brueckner's defence has maintained his silence, refusing to respond to the charges against him. Despite his denial of involvement in Madeleine's case, suspicions loom large, given his proximity to the scene of her disappearance and his criminal history.</p> <p>As the investigation unfolds, the spotlight remains on individuals like Ralph H. and Brueckner, whose connections and actions may hold the key to unraveling the mystery that has gripped the world for nearly two decades.</p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Legal

Placeholder Content Image

Major Cruise line scraps entire season

<p>Virgin Voyages has cancelled all of its sailings in Australia and New Zealand for the next year after they were left with "no choice" in the wake of escalating tensions in the Red Sea.</p> <p>The Resilient Lady ship will not return Down Under for its promised second sailing season next summer due to safety concerns following a series of strikes on container ships in the Red Sea. </p> <p>The cruise line revealed on Tuesday that a lengthier alternative return route around Africa was not viable for the company. </p> <p>"On the heels of these recent changes and based on the regional and government advice we have received, we remain very concerned about potential escalations in the Red Sea over the next 12 months," <span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">a spokesperson from Virgin Voyages said. </span></p> <p>“This significant and ongoing conflict puts unacceptable risks for safe passage through the region for our Sailors, crew and vessel."</p> <p>“To say that we are disappointed to have come to this tough conclusion is an understatement.</p> <p>“These adjustments are happening now to minimise potential future disruption to our passengers’ holiday plans, knowing there is a high likelihood that changes would need to happen in the future.”</p> <p>The cancellations will impact customers with trips planned in late 2024 and early 2025 on repositioning voyages between Europe and Australia. </p> <p>Virgin Voyages have indicated that a return to Australian waters will remain a possibility, as they continue to look for available options.</p> <p>They also said that if the 2024/25 can go ahead, customers who had previously booked their holiday will be prioritised if they would like to re-book. </p> <p>Currently, impacted customers have the option to re-book a different trip or request a full refund. </p> <p>A few other cruise companies who operate seasonal sailings or world cruises through the Red Sea and Suez Canal have also had to cancel, reposition, or re-route their sailings. </p> <p>MSC have cancelled three repositioning sailings in April, while Cunard, Princess and Seabourn have re-routed their world cruises to avoid the Suez Canal.</p> <p><em>Image: Virgin Voyages</em></p> <p> </p>

Cruising

Placeholder Content Image

Big Bang Theory star reveals two major family announcements

<p>Johnny Galecki has dropped two huge announcements in his latest interview - he secretly married partner Morgan Galecki and they have welcomed their first child together.</p> <p>The <em>Big Bang Theory </em>star, 48, confirmed the news to <em>Architectural Digest</em>, as he was giving them a tour of his gothic-style Tennessee mansion. </p> <p>According to the publication, Morgan was pregnant at the time of the photoshoot, despite her bump not being quite obvious in photos. </p> <p>The pair welcomed their daughter, Oona Evelena, shortly after. Oona is the pair's first child together, but the actor also shares son Orbison, four, with his ex Alaina Meyer.</p> <p>It remains unclear how long the pair have been dating, but he reportedly split from ex Meyer in November 2020.</p> <p>The actor shared a few photos from the shoot on Instagram, and said he would treasure the piece on their family home. </p> <p>"We will place it in our family time capsule and cherish it for many, many years," he wrote in the caption. </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/C3D4tgXPt35/?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/C3D4tgXPt35/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Johnny Galecki (@sanctionedjohnnygalecki)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Galecki also opened up on why he decided to move to Tennessee after living in Los Angeles for 30  years. </p> <p>"I never felt like much of an Angeleno," he told <em>Architectural Digest</em>. </p> <p>"And I did try. I say that with sadness, not with snobbery. Thirty years is just a very long time to live in a city that you're not all that comfortable in."</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p> <p> </p>

Family & Pets

Placeholder Content Image

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

<p><em><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></em></p> <p>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.</p> <p>This is especially true if it has been a while between workouts.</p> <p>A common misunderstanding is that such soreness is due to lactic acid build-up in the muscles.</p> <p>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.</p> <h2>It’s not lactic acid</h2> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>Unfortunately, historical inertia means people still use the term “lactic acid” in relation to exercise.</p> <p>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&amp;rfr_id=ori%3Arid%3Acrossref.org&amp;rfr_dat=cr_pub++0pubmed&amp;">worse off</a> without it due to other benefits to your working muscles.</p> <p>Lactate isn’t the reason you’re sore a few days after upping your weights or exercising after a long break.</p> <p>So, if it’s not lactic acid and it’s not lactate, what is causing all that muscle soreness?</p> <h2>Muscle pain during and after exercise</h2> <p>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.</p> <p>That causes the pressure inside and between muscle cells to increase.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>The pain and discomfort you sometimes feel hours to days after an unfamiliar type or amount of exercise has a different list of causes.</p> <p>If you exercise beyond your usual level or routine, you can cause microscopic damage to your muscles and their connections to tendons.</p> <p>Such damage causes the release of ions and other molecules from the muscles, causing localised swelling and stimulation of nerve endings.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <h2>The upshot</h2> <p>Research is clear; the discomfort from delayed onset muscle soreness has nothing to do with <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=UVjRNSUAAAAJ&amp;view_op=view_citation&amp;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>.</p> <p>The good news, though, is that your muscles adapt rapidly to the activity that would initially cause delayed onset muscle soreness.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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" /></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/robert-andrew-robergs-435390"><em>Robert Andrew Robergs</em></a><em>, 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></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/why-are-my-muscles-sore-after-exercise-hint-its-nothing-to-do-with-lactic-acid-214638">original article</a>.</em></p>

Body

Placeholder Content Image

"Losing his speech": Home Alone star's major health update

<p><em>Home Alone</em> star Ken Hudson Campbell's daughter has shared a health update for fans after the actor underwent surgery to remove a tumour in his mouth. </p> <p>Speaking to <em>People Magazine</em>, Michaela revealed that her father is  "doing well" after his 10-hour surgery last week, but there are still a few challenges their family will have to face, as Campbell will need to have radiation treatment five times a week. </p> <p>"I think the hardest part of this is going to be him losing his speech and his ability to talk. So speech therapy is going to play a big role in it," she told the publication. </p> <p>"We're kind of playing it one step at a time, depending on how debilitated he is.</p> <p>"If he needs extra help, we might put him into a nursing home for a little while, but if not, we're going to take him back home and we still will be hiring post-op care help with that."</p> <p>This comes after Michaela and her family managed to raise $102,000 USD ($AU 152,000) for their father's treatment through crowd-funding, after the actor lost his SAG-AFTRA health insurance in January last year. </p> <p>Campbell, who played Santa Claus in <em>Home Alone</em>, "burst into tears" when he saw the messages and well wishes on the crowd-funding page.</p> <p>He was diagnosed with Squamous cell carcinoma - or oral cancer, on October 27. </p> <p>His family are hoping for a full recovery for the actor who they described as "a loving father of two children with an admirable lust for life, and a passion for acting, writing, &amp; sports." </p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Caring

Placeholder Content Image

Major twist in store for final season of The Crown

<p>The release date for the sixth and final season of <em>The Crown</em> has finally been announced, with royal fans everywhere marking their calendars for the last instalment of the royal drama. </p> <p>The hit Netflix series will be returning to screens on November 16th, but the final season of the show is set to come in two phases. </p> <p>On November 16th, four episodes of the show will be available to stream, and will follow Princess Diana, played by Australian actress Elizabeth Debicki, in the last year of her life. </p> <p>Her final days will be explored, including her death in Paris in 1997.</p> <p>Then, the final part of the series will be available to stream from December 14th, and will pick up from the mid-2000s, as her children Prince William and Prince Harry deal with the aftermath of their mother's passing.</p> <p>"Prince William tries to integrate back into life at Eton in the wake of his mother's death as the monarchy has to ride the wave of public opinion," a synopsis for part two says.</p> <p>"As she reaches her Golden Jubilee, the Queen reflects on the future of the monarchy with the marriage of Charles and Camilla and the beginnings of a new royal fairy tale in William and Kate."</p> <p>Royal fans were delighted to wake up to a new teaser trailer for the sixth and final season of <em>The Crown</em> that was posted on social media overnight, with the post already racking up over 90,000 likes.</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/CyLmKalP7dF/?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/CyLmKalP7dF/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Netflix UK &amp; Ireland (@netflixuk)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The 46-second teaser was released showing Imelda Staunton as Queen Elizabeth II walking through Buckingham Palace before appearing on the famous balcony.</p> <p>All three actresses to play the late Queen appear in the trailer, including Claire Foy and Olivia Colman.</p> <p>"The crown is a symbol of permeance. It's something you are, not what you do," the voice of Foy says.</p> <p>"Some portion of our natural selves is always lost. We have all made sacrifices. It is not a choice. It is a duty," Colman can be heard saying.</p> <p>Finally, it ends on Staunton who says, "But what about the life, I put aside? The woman I put aside?"</p> <p><em>Image credits: Netflix - Instagram</em></p>

TV

Placeholder Content Image

Elle Macpherson marks major 20-year milestone

<p>Aussie supermodel Elle Macpherson has celebrated two incredible milestones this week. </p> <p>The 59-year-old, nicknamed "The Body" during her modelling years, took to Instagram to celebrate her one-year anniversary with her American musician boyfriend, Doyle Bramhall. </p> <p>''Life beyond my wildest dreams they say," she captioned the series of photos of the pair travelling the world together. </p> <p>The post also marked 20 years of sobriety for Macpherson, who recently shared her <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cwp_ytApolL/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&amp;igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Alcoholics Anonymous badge</a> to celebrate the milestone. </p> <p>"As I celebrate my 20 years anniversary this week… I am also celebrating 365+days of heart expanding bliss," she continued in the tribute dedicated to her blossoming relationship with Bramhall. </p> <p>"Our friend @ninamorris calls us Nomadic Lovers - So I've chosen some of my favourite images from around the world," she added. </p> <p>She then listed all the different places they've been to together, which matched the photos on the slide. </p> <p>Among them, we see a picture of the pair kissing underneath the Eiffel Tower, exploring the Sahara desert in Morocco, and one of the shrines in Tokyo. </p> <p>"Real travel requires a maximum of unscheduled wandering, for there is no other way of discovering surprises and marvels, which, as I see it, is the only good reason for not staying at home," she added. </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/Cw0CS5OM4yu/?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/Cw0CS5OM4yu/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Elle Macpherson (@ellemacpherson)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Friends and fans alike took to the comments to congratulate the couple on their one-year anniversary, and celebrate Macpherson's sobriety. </p> <p>"My heart is SO full seeing you love &amp; being truly loved by @doylebramhall2," wrote Dr Simoné Laubscher , the formulator for Macpherson's wellness brand WelleCo. </p> <p>"Gorgeous photos capturing your essence ❤️ Here is to many more years of wild adventures," wrote another. </p> <p>"Congratulations my friend! These are the rewards of sobriety 🙏🏻" commented a third. </p> <p>"So very happy for you both. A beautiful celebration of pure love!" added another.</p> <p>"I’m so happy for you!!! You are the ultimate example of changing your world from the inside out!" commented a fifth. </p> <p>Macpherson and  Bramhall went public with their relationship in December.</p> <p>Macpherson shares two sons, Flynn and Cy, with her French financier ex Arpad Busson, while Bramhall shares daughter India with American vocalist Susannah Melvoin. </p> <p><em><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;"> Images: Instagram</span></em></p>

Body

Placeholder Content Image

Major Cadbury change is a far cry from a fan favourite

<p dir="ltr">Fans of Favourites have been left scowling - or delighting, as lines were drawn on both sides of the great Flake versus Twirl debate - at their chocolate over an update by Cadbury. </p> <p dir="ltr">The confectionary giant made the now-controversial choice to swap out the classic Dream and Flake feature items, replacing them with the likes of Caramilks and Twirls. </p> <p dir="ltr">And when one Reddit user made the realisation, they wasted no time in taking to the popular internet forum to get the opinion of fellow sweet-toothed users. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Shrinkflation has reached Favourites,” they titled their post. “Dream and flake [are] now replaced with Caramilk and Twirl.” </p> <p dir="ltr">Alongside the text, they shared two images: one of the front of two Favourites boxes, and another of the back. The differences in their content was immediately obvious, as well as the 50g decrease between the two, with over 800 flocking to the comments section to share their thoughts on the matter. </p> <p dir="ltr">“No Flake = No Favourites,” one declared.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Why replace the best two?!!” another asked.</p> <p dir="ltr">Meanwhile, someone else had a slightly different - but still pressing - concern, asking, “can’t they, like, remove Picnics?”</p> <p dir="ltr">Many were of the opinion that it was actually a good move by Cadbury, believing Twirls to simply be the new-and-improved version of a Flake. However, most seemed to agree that Caramilk wasn’t nearly as desirable as the discarded Dream. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Twirl is just a better version of Flake,” one said, “with the extra coat of chocolate to keep the mess from falling out of your hand.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“Twirl is just a more structurally-sound version of Flake. Definitely an improvement IMO [in my opinion],” another said. </p> <p dir="ltr">“A Flake with its sh*t together,” came the agreement from another commenter. “A business Flake, if you will.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Someone else swooped in then to add that it was just “a Flake that’s been to therapy.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“Twirl replacing Flake is fine but no Dream?? That’s like my favourite… (caramilk is no dream replacement imo),” one lamented. </p> <p dir="ltr">And when someone stated that a Twirl is just a superior Flake, another user did agree, but not without adding “[I] am devo about dream though”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“All youse out here claiming Twirls are better than Flakes are nuts,” someone argued anyway. “The crumbly texture is so much better. Plus Flake in a 30c cone is one of the all time combos.”</p> <p dir="ltr">One even came equipped with a new tagline suggestion for the company, writing “Cadbury Favourites: ‘I wanted to get you a gift, but I didn’t want it to be nice’.”</p> <p dir="ltr">And some simply wanted to keep the peace, pointing out that “they're called Favourites, Cadbury probably changes them up to reflect what are selling better at the time”.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Reddit</em></p>

Food & Wine

Placeholder Content Image

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

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/adrian-dyer-387798">Adrian Dyer</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a></em></p> <p>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.</p> <p>Over the centuries between these two events, currency demonstrating a symbolic link between honey and money is surprisingly common.</p> <p>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.</p> <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536400/original/file-20230709-15-2u5ywn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;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&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=600&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536400/original/file-20230709-15-2u5ywn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=600&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536400/original/file-20230709-15-2u5ywn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=600&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536400/original/file-20230709-15-2u5ywn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=754&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536400/original/file-20230709-15-2u5ywn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=754&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536400/original/file-20230709-15-2u5ywn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=754&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /><figcaption><span class="caption">A Royal Australian Mint 2022 two-dollar coin representing 200 years since the introduction of the honeybee to Australia.</span></figcaption></figure> <h2>What is currency and why is it important?</h2> <p>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.</p> <p>Coins have had central role in many communities to enable efficient trade since ancient times. Their durability makes them important time capsules.</p> <p>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,</p> <blockquote> <p>A bee and honeycomb are shown on the 3 Mils coin, symbolising the fact that honey was used as currency in Ancient Malta.</p> </blockquote> <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536403/original/file-20230709-23-drk2lj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;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&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=582&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536403/original/file-20230709-23-drk2lj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=582&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536403/original/file-20230709-23-drk2lj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=582&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536403/original/file-20230709-23-drk2lj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=732&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536403/original/file-20230709-23-drk2lj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=732&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536403/original/file-20230709-23-drk2lj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=732&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /><figcaption><span class="caption">A circulating 3 Mils coin from Malta showing a honeybee on honeycomb.</span></figcaption></figure> <p>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.</p> <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536411/original/file-20230709-182252-v4evxr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;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&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=293&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536411/original/file-20230709-182252-v4evxr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=293&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536411/original/file-20230709-182252-v4evxr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=293&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536411/original/file-20230709-182252-v4evxr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=368&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536411/original/file-20230709-182252-v4evxr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=368&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536411/original/file-20230709-182252-v4evxr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=368&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /><figcaption><span class="caption">An ancient obol from Macedon, dated between 412 BCE and 350 BCE, shows a bee one side.</span></figcaption></figure> <p>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.</p> <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536407/original/file-20230709-27-a2jvo3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;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&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=546&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536407/original/file-20230709-27-a2jvo3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=546&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536407/original/file-20230709-27-a2jvo3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=546&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536407/original/file-20230709-27-a2jvo3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=686&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536407/original/file-20230709-27-a2jvo3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=686&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536407/original/file-20230709-27-a2jvo3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=686&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /><figcaption><span class="caption">A bronze coin minted in Ephesus, dated between 202BCE and 133BCE, featuring a honeybee.</span></figcaption></figure> <p>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>.</p> <h2>Why we might like bees on coins</h2> <p>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.</p> <p>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>.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <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&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;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&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=588&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536393/original/file-20230709-17-jywq3f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=588&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536393/original/file-20230709-17-jywq3f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=588&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536393/original/file-20230709-17-jywq3f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=738&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536393/original/file-20230709-17-jywq3f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=738&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536393/original/file-20230709-17-jywq3f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=738&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /><figcaption><span class="caption">A 1920 Italian bronze ten-centesimi coin featuring featuring an Italian honeybee on a flower.</span></figcaption></figure> <p>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>.</p> <p>(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.)</p> <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536416/original/file-20230709-15-60yst8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;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&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=586&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536416/original/file-20230709-15-60yst8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=586&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536416/original/file-20230709-15-60yst8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=586&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536416/original/file-20230709-15-60yst8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=737&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536416/original/file-20230709-15-60yst8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=737&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536416/original/file-20230709-15-60yst8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=737&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /><figcaption><span class="caption">A coin from Tonga showing 20 honeybees emerging from a hive.</span></figcaption></figure> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <h2>Bees on coins, today and tomorrow</h2> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536405/original/file-20230709-15-iditcb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;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&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=373&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536405/original/file-20230709-15-iditcb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=373&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536405/original/file-20230709-15-iditcb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=373&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536405/original/file-20230709-15-iditcb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=469&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536405/original/file-20230709-15-iditcb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=469&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536405/original/file-20230709-15-iditcb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=469&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Australian native bee coin and stamps released in 2019 by the Perth Mint.</span></figcaption></figure> <p>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.<!-- 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;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/208912/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><em><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></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Australian Royal Mint / NZ Post Collectables</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/bees-have-appeared-on-coins-for-millennia-hinting-at-an-age-old-link-between-sweetness-and-value-208912">original article</a>.</em></p>

Money & Banking

Placeholder Content Image

Major twist in BBC presenter scandal

<p>A damning scandal surrounding a high-profile BBC presenter has grown after a second victim has come forward against the anonymous personality. </p> <p>Just days after an exclusive report from <em>The Sun</em> claimed a well-known presenter for the public broadcaster had paid a teenager for explicit images, another woman has now claimed she was contacted online by the star. </p> <p>She said the presenter sent “abusive and menacing” messages online, and “felt threatened” when she refused to meet up with the presenter in person. </p> <p>They recognised the presenter after connecting on a dating app and, the BBC reported, “hinted they might name” them which led to a number of “abusive expletive filled messages”.</p> <p>“The young person said they had been scared by the power the presenter held,” BBC News reported. </p> <p>“They said the threats made in the messages … had frightened them, and they remain scared.” </p> <p>The person, in their early twenties, has no connection to the first person who came forward with the allegations. </p> <p>The presenter, who has yet to be named, has not commented on the allegations. </p> <p>These new allegations come just days after the first victim's family <a href="https://oversixty.co.nz/finance/legal/bbc-presenter-suspended-over-deeply-concerning-allegations" target="_blank" rel="noopener">came forward</a> and accused the anonymous presenter for sending their teenager a total of £35,000 ($67,000AUD) for explicit pictures over a three year period.</p> <p>The correspondence with the presenter allegedly began when the first person was just 17 years old, with the mother of the person, now in their twenties, saying the money was funding a dangerous drug habit. </p> <p>The mother said of the BBC presenter, “When I see him on telly, I feel sick. I blame this BBC man for destroying my child’s life.”</p> <p>In a statement on Sunday, the BBC confirmed that it "first became aware of a complaint in May".</p> <p dir="ltr">"New allegations were put to us on Thursday of a different nature and in addition to our own enquiries we have also been in touch with external authorities, in line with our protocols," it added.</p> <p dir="ltr">The statement said that "a male member of staff has been suspended".</p> <p dir="ltr">"This is a complex and fast moving set of circumstances and the BBC is working as quickly as possible to establish the facts in order to properly inform appropriate next steps," the BBC added.</p> <p dir="ltr">London's Metropolitan Police released a statement later on Sunday confirming the BBC contacted it over the matter, "but no formal referral or allegation has been made".</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Legal

Placeholder Content Image

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

<p><em><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></em></p> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <h2>What we did and what we found</h2> <p>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).</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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>.</p> <h2>Why has this happened?</h2> <p>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.</p> <p>So why are people in disadvantaged areas less likely to have access to COVID antivirals? The answers are multiple and complex.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <h2>How can we address this?</h2> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>Other countries have also recognised the need for more equitable access to COVID antivirals. Initiatives have included:</p> <ul> <li> <p>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</p> </li> <li> <p><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</p> </li> <li> <p>“<a href="https://aspr.hhs.gov/TestToTreat/Pages/default.aspx#:%7E:text=To%20find%20a%20participating%20Test%20to%20Treat%20site%20near%20you%3A&amp;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.</p> </li> </ul> <h2>What needs to happen next?</h2> <p>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.</p> <p>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:</p> <ul> <li> <p>encourage a tired public to see COVID testing as an important first step to accessing antiviral treatment, and why they should consider treatment</p> </li> <li> <p>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</p> </li> <li> <p>provide culturally safe health care, delivered in community languages, co-designed with community input</p> </li> <li> <p>evaluate current and future antiviral medications</p> </li> <li> <p>communicate up-to-date information to the public and health professionals about antivirals, particularity GPs</p> </li> <li> <p>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.</p> </li> </ul> <h2>Why this matters now</h2> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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" /></p> <p><em><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></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/whos-taking-covid-antivirals-like-paxlovid-hint-it-helps-if-youre-rich-207822">original article</a>.</em></p>

Caring

Placeholder Content Image

"Shame on you": Parents' major backflip on their son's name causes outrage

<p>A father has come under fire after revealing he changed the name of his adopted son back to his biological name after almost a decade, so his biological son could have the legacy name instead. </p> <p>The man, named August, took to Reddit's popular "Am I The A**hole?" thread to ask for the opinions of strangers on the internet if he had made the right decision about his child's life. </p> <p>According to the dad-of-two, the name August has "gone back for five generations" in his family, and he had always planned on giving their child the name to continue the legacy. </p> <p>When he and his wife had been trying to conceive for many years, they decided to turn to adoption so they could have a family. </p> <p>They adopted a baby boy from Vietnam, whose birth name was Thien, and decided to have it legally changed to August VI.</p> <p>However, seven years later, the couple found out they were expecting a "miracle" baby together, and decided to switch their adopted son's moniker back to Thien so that they could give the name to their biological baby instead.</p> <p>The man's post, which has since been deleted, read, "My name is August V. My name goes back five generations now and it was always my plan to make my son August VI."</p> <p>"My wife and I were horrified to find out I was essentially firing blanks and was told I would essentially never be able to father kids - heartbreaking."</p> <p>"We started the adoption process right away looking in mostly foreign countries so it would go faster, and we were able to adopt a baby boy from Vietnam."</p> <p>"His first name was Thien but my wife agreed to change his name to August VI. We also agreed we would let nature take its course because miracles can happen."</p> <p>"Seven years later, a miracle did happen and my wife turned up unexpectedly pregnant."</p> <p>"I decided with my wife's agreement that because we now have a bio son, it is better to give the firstborn biological son the family name."</p> <p>The father went on to explain that changing Thein's name was not a huge deal, because even though his legal name is August, everyone referred to him as Thein. </p> <p>When the dad informed Thein's school about the change, word got out about their decision, leading to the gossip mill in their town dubbing them "social pariahs".</p> <p>"We are the subject of massive gossip - accusations of not loving Thein enough."</p> <p>"We've heard it all through closed mouth hushed tones. It's gotten so bad. So, am I the a**hole?"</p> <p>Redditors were quick to condemn the parents' decision, with many not holding back in order to make sure the father knew that he was, in fact, the a**hole. </p> <p>One person wrote, "You are the a**hole. People like you really shouldn't adopt."</p> <p>Another said, "You're the a**hole. You dragged your kid to a legal proceeding to make sure he knows his place will always be less than your bio son."</p> <p>"Great way to show your adopted child that biology trumps all. Shame on you and your wife," another user raged.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p>

Family & Pets