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What are heart rate zones, and how can you incorporate them into your exercise routine?

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hunter-bennett-1053061">Hunter Bennett</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a></em></p> <p>If you spend a lot of time exploring fitness content online, you might have come across the concept of heart rate zones. Heart rate zone training has become more popular in recent years partly because of the boom in wearable technology which, among other functions, allows people to easily track their heart rates.</p> <p><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6537749/">Heart rate zones</a> reflect different levels of intensity during aerobic exercise. They’re most often based on a percentage of your maximum heart rate, which is the highest number of beats your heart can achieve per minute.</p> <p>But what are the different heart rate zones, and how can you use these zones to optimise your workout?</p> <h2>The three-zone model</h2> <p>While there are several models used to describe heart rate zones, the most common model in the scientific literature is the <a href="https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/ijspp/9/1/article-p100.xml">three-zone model</a>, where the zones may be categorised as follows:</p> <ul> <li> <p>zone 1: 55%–82% of maximum heart rate</p> </li> <li> <p>zone 2: 82%–87% of maximum heart rate</p> </li> <li> <p>zone 3: 87%–97% of maximum heart rate.</p> </li> </ul> <p>If you’re not sure what your maximum heart rate is, it can be calculated using <a href="https://www.jacc.org/doi/full/10.1016/S0735-1097%2800%2901054-8">this equation</a>: 208 – (0.7 × age in years). For example, I’m 32 years old. 208 – (0.7 x 32) = 185.6, so my predicted maximum heart rate is around 186 beats per minute.</p> <p>There are also other models used to describe heart rate zones, such as the <a href="https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/ijspp/14/8/article-p1151.xml">five-zone model</a> (as its name implies, this one has five distinct zones). These <a href="https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/ijspp/9/1/article-p100.xml">models</a> largely describe the same thing and can mostly be used interchangeably.</p> <h2>What do the different zones involve?</h2> <p>The three zones are based around a person’s <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.2165/00007256-200939060-00003">lactate threshold</a>, which describes the point at which exercise intensity moves from being predominantly aerobic, to predominantly anaerobic.</p> <p>Aerobic exercise <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/difference-between-aerobic-and-anaerobic">uses oxygen</a> to help our muscles keep going, ensuring we can continue for a long time without fatiguing. Anaerobic exercise, however, uses stored energy to fuel exercise. Anaerobic exercise also accrues metabolic byproducts (such as lactate) that increase fatigue, meaning we can only produce energy anaerobically for a short time.</p> <p>On average your lactate threshold tends to sit around <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.2147/OAJSM.S141657">85% of your maximum heart rate</a>, although this varies from person to person, and can be <a href="https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/japplphysiol.00043.2013">higher in athletes</a>.</p> <p>In the three-zone model, each zone loosely describes <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2015.00295/full">one of three types of training</a>.</p> <p><strong>Zone 1</strong> represents high-volume, low-intensity exercise, usually performed for long periods and at an easy pace, well below lactate threshold. Examples include jogging or cycling at a gentle pace.</p> <p><strong>Zone 2</strong> is threshold training, also known as tempo training, a moderate intensity training method performed for moderate durations, at (or around) lactate threshold. This could be running, rowing or cycling at a speed where it’s difficult to speak full sentences.</p> <p><strong>Zone 3</strong> mostly describes methods of high-intensity interval training, which are performed for shorter durations and at intensities above lactate threshold. For example, any circuit style workout that has you exercising hard for 30 seconds then resting for 30 seconds would be zone 3.</p> <h2>Striking a balance</h2> <p>To maximise endurance performance, you need to strike a balance between doing enough training to elicit positive changes, while avoiding over-training, injury and burnout.</p> <p>While zone 3 is thought to produce the largest improvements in <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1440244018309198">maximal oxygen uptake</a> – one of the best predictors of endurance performance and overall health – it’s also the most tiring. This means you can only perform so much of it before it becomes too much.</p> <p>Training in different heart rate zones improves <a href="https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/document?repid=rep1&type=pdf&doi=38c07018c0636422d9d5a77316216efb3c10164f">slightly different physiological qualities</a>, and so by spending time in each zone, you ensure a <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/bf00426304">variety of benefits</a> for performance and health.</p> <h2>So how much time should you spend in each zone?</h2> <p>Most <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspor.2023.1258585/full">elite endurance athletes</a>, including runners, rowers, and even cross-country skiers, tend to spend most of their training (around 80%) in zone 1, with the rest split between zones 2 and 3.</p> <p>Because elite endurance athletes train a lot, most of it needs to be in zone 1, otherwise they risk injury and burnout. For example, some runners accumulate <a href="https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/ijsnem/22/5/article-p392.xml?content=pdf">more than 250 kilometres per week</a>, which would be impossible to recover from if it was all performed in zone 2 or 3.</p> <p>Of course, most people are not professional athletes. The <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/physical-activity">World Health Organization</a> recommends adults aim for 150–300 minutes of moderate intensity exercise per week, or 75–150 minutes of vigorous exercise per week.</p> <p>If you look at this in the context of heart rate zones, you could consider zone 1 training as moderate intensity, and zones 2 and 3 as vigorous. Then, you can use heart rate zones to make sure you’re exercising to meet these guidelines.</p> <h2>What if I don’t have a heart rate monitor?</h2> <p>If you don’t have access to a heart rate tracker, that doesn’t mean you can’t use heart rate zones to guide your training.</p> <p>The three heart rate zones discussed in this article can also be prescribed based on feel using a simple <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1600-0838.2004.00418.x">10-point scale</a>, where 0 indicates no effort, and 10 indicates the maximum amount of effort you can produce.</p> <p>With this system, zone 1 aligns with a 4 or less out of 10, zone 2 with 4.5 to 6.5 out of 10, and zone 3 as a 7 or higher out of 10.</p> <p>Heart rate zones are not a perfect measure of exercise intensity, but can be a useful tool. And if you don’t want to worry about heart rate zones at all, that’s also fine. The most important thing is to simply get moving.<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/228520/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hunter-bennett-1053061">Hunter Bennett</a>, Lecturer in Exercise Science, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</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/what-are-heart-rate-zones-and-how-can-you-incorporate-them-into-your-exercise-routine-228520">original article</a>.</em></p>

Body

Surgery won’t fix my chronic back pain, so what will?

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/christine-lin-346821">Christine Lin</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/christopher-maher-826241">Christopher Maher</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/fiona-blyth-448021">Fiona Blyth</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/james-mcauley-1526139">James Mcauley</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-sydney-1414">UNSW Sydney</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/mark-hancock-1463059">Mark Hancock</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/macquarie-university-1174">Macquarie University</a></em></p> <p>This week’s ABC Four Corners episode <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-04-08/pain-factory/103683180">Pain Factory</a> highlighted that our health system is failing Australians with chronic pain. Patients are receiving costly, ineffective and risky care instead of effective, low-risk treatments for chronic pain.</p> <p>The challenge is considering how we might reimagine health-care delivery so the effective and safe treatments for chronic pain are available to millions of Australians who suffer from chronic pain.</p> <p><a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/10434b6f-2147-46ab-b654-a90f05592d35/aihw-phe-267.pdf.aspx">One in five</a> Australians aged 45 and over have chronic pain (pain lasting three or more months). This costs an estimated <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/10434b6f-2147-46ab-b654-a90f05592d35/aihw-phe-267.pdf.aspx">A$139 billion a year</a>, including $12 billion in direct health-care costs.</p> <p>The most common complaint among people with chronic pain is low back pain. So what treatments do – and don’t – work?</p> <h2>Opioids and invasive procedures</h2> <p>Treatments offered to people with chronic pain include strong pain medicines such as <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30561481/">opioids</a> and invasive procedures such as <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36878313/">spinal cord stimulators</a> or <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/imj.14120">spinal fusion surgery</a>. Unfortunately, these treatments have little if any benefit and are associated with a risk of significant harm.</p> <p><a href="https://bmchealthservres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12913-021-06900-8">Spinal fusion surgery</a> and <a href="https://privatehealthcareaustralia.org.au/consumers-urged-to-be-cautious-about-spinal-cord-stimulators-for-pain/#:%7E:text=Australian%20health%20insurance%20data%20shows,of%20the%20procedure%20is%20%2458%2C377.">spinal cord stimulators</a> are also extremely costly procedures, costing tens of thousands of dollars each to the health system as well as incurring costs to the individual.</p> <h2>Addressing the contributors to pain</h2> <p>Recommendations from the latest <a href="https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/standards/clinical-care-standards/low-back-pain-clinical-care-standard">Australian</a> and <a href="https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240081789">World Health Organization</a> clinical guidelines for low back pain focus on alternatives to drug and surgical treatments such as:</p> <ul> <li>education</li> <li>advice</li> <li>structured exercise programs</li> <li>physical, psychological or multidisciplinary interventions that address the physical or psychological contributors to ongoing pain.</li> </ul> <p>Two recent Australian trials support these recommendations and have found that interventions that address each person’s physical and psychological contributors to pain produce large and sustained improvements in pain and function in people with chronic low back pain.</p> <p>The interventions have minimal side effects and are cost-effective.</p> <p>In the <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2794765">RESOLVE</a> trial, the intervention consists of pain education and graded sensory and movement “retraining” aimed to help people understand that it’s safe to move.</p> <p>In the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37146623/">RESTORE</a> trial, the intervention (cognitive functional therapy) involves assisting the person to understand the range of physical and psychological contributing factors related to their condition. It guides patients to relearn how to move and to build confidence in their back, without over-protecting it.</p> <h2>Why isn’t everyone with chronic pain getting this care?</h2> <p>While these trials provide new hope for people with chronic low back pain, and effective alternatives to spinal surgery and opioids, a barrier for implementation is the out-of-pocket costs. The interventions take up to 12 sessions, lasting up to 26 weeks. One physiotherapy session <a href="https://www.sira.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/1122674/Physiotherapy-chiropractic-and-osteopathy-fees-practice-requirements-effective-1-February-2023.pdf">can cost</a> $90–$150.</p> <p>In contrast, <a href="https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/chronic-disease-individual-allied-health-services-medicare-items">Medicare</a> provides rebates for just five allied health visits (such as physiotherapists or exercise physiologists) for eligible patients per year, to be used for all chronic conditions.</p> <p>Private health insurers also limit access to reimbursement for these services by typically only covering a proportion of the cost and providing a cap on annual benefits. So even those with private health insurance would usually have substantial out-of-pocket costs.</p> <p>Access to trained clinicians is another barrier. This problem is particularly evident in <a href="https://www.ruralhealth.org.au/15nrhc/sites/default/files/B2-1_Bennett.pdf">regional and rural Australia</a>, where access to allied health services, pain specialists and multidisciplinary pain clinics is limited.</p> <p>Higher costs and lack of access are associated with the increased use of available and subsidised treatments, such as pain medicines, even if they are ineffective and harmful. The <a href="https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/publications-and-resources/resource-library/data-file-57-opioid-medicines-dispensing-2016-17-third-atlas-healthcare-variation-2018">rate of opioid use</a>, for example, is higher in regional Australia and in areas of socioeconomic disadvantage than metropolitan centres and affluent areas.</p> <h2>So what can we do about it?</h2> <p>We need to reform Australia’s health system, private and <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/2020/12/taskforce-final-report-pain-management-mbs-items-final-report-on-the-review-of-pain-management-mbs-items.docx">public</a>, to improve access to effective treatments for chronic pain, while removing access to ineffective, costly and high-risk treatments.</p> <p>Better training of the clinical workforce, and using technology such as telehealth and artificial intelligence to train clinicians or deliver treatment may also improve access to effective treatments. A recent Australian <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38461844/">trial</a>, for example, found telehealth delivered via video conferencing was as effective as in-person physiotherapy consultations for improving pain and function in people with chronic knee pain.</p> <p>Advocacy and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37918470/">improving the public’s understanding</a> of effective treatments for chronic pain may also be helpful. Our hope is that coordinated efforts will promote the uptake of effective treatments and improve the care of patients with chronic pain.<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/227450/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/christine-lin-346821"><em>Christine Lin</em></a><em>, Professor, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/christopher-maher-826241">Christopher Maher</a>, Professor, Sydney School of Public Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/fiona-blyth-448021">Fiona Blyth</a>, Professor, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/james-mcauley-1526139">James Mcauley</a>, Professor of Psychology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-sydney-1414">UNSW Sydney</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/mark-hancock-1463059">Mark Hancock</a>, Professor of Physiotherapy, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/macquarie-university-1174">Macquarie University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/surgery-wont-fix-my-chronic-back-pain-so-what-will-227450">original article</a>.</em></p>

Body

Princess Kate's post-surgery pic ignites even wilder conspiracy theories

<p>In a recent revelation that has the internet buzzing, Kensington Palace released a brand new photo of the Princess of Wales alongside her adorable brood, but it seems like the royal family might be playing with more than just thrones and crowns.</p> <p>The picture, meant to express gratitude to the public for their support during Catherine's recovery from abdominal surgery, quickly became a subject of speculation, leaving royal enthusiasts scratching their heads and raising eyebrows faster than you can say "corgi".</p> <p>The image, which features Catherine sitting and embracing her children – Prince Louis, Prince George and Princess Charlotte – in the scenic backdrop of Windsor, seems like a wholesome Mother's Day tribute at first glance. However, upon closer inspection, the cracks in this picture-perfect façade begin to show.</p> <p>Social media erupted with theories faster than a racehorse at Ascot. Some eagle-eyed observers speculated that the photo might have been the handiwork of artificial intelligence, citing suspiciously green grass and leaves in the dead of winter, a rarity even in England where the weather is as unpredictable as a teenage royal's romantic interests.</p> <p>"AI is that you?" asked one astute commentator on Instagram, voicing the suspicions of many.</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/C4U_IqTNaqU/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C4U_IqTNaqU/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by The Prince and Princess of Wales (@princeandprincessofwales)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>"Ummmmm, this photo looks doctored…" wrote another astute reader. "Catherine’s right hand around Louis is entirely blurry but the left hand around Charlotte, at the same distance to the camera, is not, and either is Louis’ jumper around the hand blurry. Also Charlotte’s dress, which is clothing her torso behind her arm, impedes on the sleeve at the wrist… the cardigan sleeve shows the dress in front of it, when it should only be behind. And Louis’ middle finger must be awfully long to be entirely wrapped around the next finger without being able to see the finger nail… it’s also blurry. I’m a keen photographer, and those are not true elements of a photo as taken."</p> <p>But wait, there's more! The absence of Catherine's wedding ring did not escape the notice of keen observers, prompting questions about the state of her marriage. "WHERE'S YOUR RING??!" demanded one fan, while another pondered, "no ring, tree in full bloom in winter, jeans after major abdominal surgery, face shape completely different from car photo."</p> <p>And if that wasn't enough to fuel the royal gossip mill, Prince Louis's peculiar finger-crossing gesture sent conspiracy theorists into overdrive. Is he sending secret messages? Or is it just further evidence that we're all living in a simulation run by an eccentric royal fan with a knack for Photoshop?</p> <p><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">Additionally, a subtle misalignment in Princess Charlotte's hand compared to her jumper sleeve raised clear suspicions of digital manipulation. As the speculation grew louder, four of the world's largest photo agencies – The Associated Press, AFP, Getty Images and Reuters – issued a "mandatory kill notice", on the image, effectively retracting it from circulation.</span></p> <p>The reasons cited varied slightly among the agencies, with mentions of "editorial issues" and inconsistencies in the photograph's details. The decision to retract the photo wasn't taken lightly; it's a standard protocol for picture agencies to withdraw images that have been significantly altered.</p> <p>The reaction on social media was swift, with royal watchers and media personalities dissecting the image for clues. Chris Ship, ITV News's royal editor, shared close-up sections of the photo, highlighting apparent discrepancies in Charlotte's sleeve, Prince Louis's jumper, and the background behind him. His commentary underscored the seriousness of the situation, questioning Kensington Palace – the source of the photo – about the authenticity of the image.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">I’ve never been much of a conspiracy theorist but if <a href="https://twitter.com/AP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AP</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AFP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AFP</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Reuters?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Reuters</a> & other picture agencies are concerned enough to remove it and ask clients to delete it, there are serious questions for Kensington Palace - which was the source of the photo.<br />These appears to be the issues 👇 <a href="https://t.co/ifcSB9mUzu">https://t.co/ifcSB9mUzu</a> <a href="https://t.co/bH5gN9fJtJ">pic.twitter.com/bH5gN9fJtJ</a></p> <p>— Chris Ship (@chrisshipitv) <a href="https://twitter.com/chrisshipitv/status/1766947758529822803?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2024</a></p></blockquote> <p>Amidst the fervent speculation, Kensington Palace remained silent, neither confirming nor denying the allegations of photo manipulation. The lack of clarity has only fuelled the fire, leading to further conjecture about the intentions behind the controversial image.</p> <p>In a world where every pixel is scrutinised and every detail dissected, the royal family's attempt at a heartwarming family photo has turned into a comedic saga worthy of a Shakespearean farce.</p> <p>As the internet continues to buzz with speculation, one thing is for certain: when it comes to the royals, truth is often stranger than fiction. Or in this case, more digitally manipulated than reality TV.</p> <p><em>Image: Instagram</em></p>

Caring

Kate Middleton spotted for the first time since surgery

<p>Kate Middleton has been seen for the first time in over six weeks, as she continues to recover from a "planned abdominal surgery". </p> <p>The Princess of Wales was last seen by the public attending mass on Christmas Day before being admitted to hospital in early January for the procedure. </p> <p>Despite Kensington Palace sharing that the princess wouldn't be returning to royal duties until after Easter, <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/health/caring/kate-middleton-s-disappearance-sparks-bizarre-conspiracy-theories" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rumours</a> began to swirl online over her whereabouts. </p> <p>Now, the 42-year-old royal has been <a href="https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/celebrity-life/royals/kate-middleton-finally-spotted-after-disappearing-for-more-than-two-months/news-story/d1ca1f9c54e1526ba2ba69a605af7811" target="_blank" rel="noopener">photographed</a> in a car alongside her mother Carole in Windsor. </p> <p>As rumours continued to run rampant online about Kate's wellbeing following her surgery, Kensington Palace was forced to <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/health/caring/palace-responds-to-bizarre-conspiracy-theories-about-kate-s-whereabouts" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interfere</a> and debunk the wild accusations. </p> <p>After "Where is Kate Middleton?" was trending worldwide on social media, due to her not being in the public eye for an unprecedented amount of time, the Palace reiterated their original statement following Kate's surgery, saying she was simply at home recovering.</p> <p><span style="font-size: 16px; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji'; background-color: #ffffff;">“We were very clear from the outset that the Princess of Wales was out until after Easter and Kensington Palace would only be providing updates when something was significant,” the statement read. </span></p> <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';">"That guidance stands."</p> <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';">The Palace also added that Kate is well on the road to recovery as she is "doing well", and with all things going to plan with her health, she can be expected to be seen in public after Easter, as they originally made clear. </p> <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';"><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p>

Caring

Two senior royals undergo surgery

<p>King Charles and Kate Middleton have postponed their public duties following news that they are both being admitted to hospital for surgery. </p> <p>The news of both procedures were announced within hours of each other, with the Princess of Wales first announcing that had been admitted into hospital for a planned surgery. </p> <p>“Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales was admitted to The London Clinic yesterday for planned abdominal surgery,” the statement from Kensington Palace read. </p> <p>The surgery was successful and the princess is expected to remain in hospital for 10 to 14 days before returning home to recover. </p> <p>No other details regarding the surgery were given, but a palace spokesmen has revealed that the condition was non-cancerous. </p> <p>“The Princess of Wales appreciates the interest this statement will generate,” the statement added. </p> <p>“She hopes that the public will understand her desire to maintain as much normality for her children as possible; and her wish that her personal medical information remains private.” </p> <p>The palace added that they will “only provide updates on Her Royal Highness’ progress when there is significant new information to share.”</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/C2NDoYrN-9r/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C2NDoYrN-9r/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by The Prince and Princess of Wales (@princeandprincessofwales)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Based on the medical advice, the royal will be out of public duty until after easter, which falls on the 31st of March. </p> <p>They also added that Prince William will also postpone several engagements while his wife is recovering. </p> <p>Less than two hours after the shock announcement, Buckingham Palace revealed that King Charles will also head to hospital next week for a “corrective procedure” on an enlarged prostate. </p> <p>“His Majesty’s condition is benign and he will attend hospital next week for a corrective procedure," the statement read. </p> <p>“The King’s public engagements will be postponed for a short period of recuperation.”</p> <p>Benign prostate enlargement is not a sign of a cancer or a risk of cancer occurring, with one in three men over the age of 50 having symptoms of an enlarged prostate. </p> <p>While few details of Kate's condition were made public, His Royal Highness was keen to share information and encourage other men experiencing symptoms to get their conditions checked. </p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p> <p> </p>

Caring

"Our Jimmy made it": Barnes' happy message from the ICU

<p>Iconic Australian rock singer Jimmy Barnes has emerged victorious from a challenging battle with a bacterial infection that led him to undergo emergency open heart surgery. The Cold Chisel frontman, at 67 years young, faced a sudden health setback but is now on the road to recovery in the ICU.</p> <p>The journey began at the end of last month when Barnes was <a href="https://www.oversixty.co.nz/health/caring/jimmy-barnes-hospitalised-with-major-health-issue" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hospitalised with pneumonia</a>. His wife, Jane, has now provided a heartening update on Instagram, sharing a photo from the hospital and revealing that the surgery was successful. Gratitude poured out to the dedicated medical team who played a crucial role in his recovery.</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/C0yULk4hvT6/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C0yULk4hvT6/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Jimmy Barnes (@jimmybarnesofficial)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>"I’m happy to let you know that our Jimmy has made it through his surgery and is now recovering in the ICU," Jane wrote. "We are so grateful for the incredible medical team looking after him. Thank you for all the love and support."</p> <p>Earlier, Barnes bravely shared the news that the bacterial infection had <a href="https://www.oversixty.co.nz/health/caring/bad-news-jimmy-barnes-rushed-into-emergency-open-heart-surgery" target="_blank" rel="noopener">spread to his heart</a>. Despite this unexpected challenge, he faced the situation with courage and underwent open heart surgery to clear out the infection and replace a valve. The infection had affected a valve replaced years ago due to a congenital defect.</p> <p>Barnes, who was set to headline the Rock the Boat 2023 cruise festival before falling ill, reflected on his recent peak fitness just weeks prior. The sudden turn of events required adjustments to upcoming shows, causing some frustration for the singer. However, his son, David Campbell, reassured fans on the <em>Today</em> show, emphasising his father's frustration for the fans and passion for supporting the music industry.</p> <p>"He is in wonderful hands," Campbell said, expressing confidence in the medical team. Barnes' son also encouraged fans to reach out to him on social media, assuring everyone that the rock legend would make a great recovery.</p> <p>As the music community rallies around Barnes, sending waves of positivity and healing energy, we look forward to a speedy recovery and many more years of rock and roll from the indomitable Jimmy Barnes!</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Caring

"Bad news": Jimmy Barnes rushed into emergency open heart surgery

<p>Jimmy Barnes has shared a major health update with his fans, just hours before heading into an emergency surgery. </p> <p>The iconic musician took to Instagram to share that he is set to undergo open heart surgery, after a dangerous infection was unable to be controlled. </p> <p>The 67-year-old, who has only recently recovered from pneumonia, announced the news from his hospital bed on Wednesday. </p> <p>"Unfortunately I got some bad news yesterday….despite everyone's best efforts the bacterial infection I've been battling over the last fortnight has apparently now spread to my heart," Barnes wrote.</p> <p>"It's infected an otherwise healthy valve that was replaced some years ago due to a congenital defect, so l'll be getting open heart surgery over the next few hours to clear out this infection and put in a clean valve."</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/C0xKOuBhSpS/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C0xKOuBhSpS/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Jimmy Barnes (@jimmybarnesofficial)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>After announcing the news himself on social media, Barnes' son David Campbell spoke about his father's condition on <em><a href="https://9now.nine.com.au/today/jimmy-barnes-undergoes-open-heart-surgery-after-bacterial-infection-spreads/f4c56d1e-cd25-4a2d-8b24-11b592a4aae8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Today Extra</a></em>, saying his dad was more frustrated at letting his fans down than anything else.</p> <p>Just before being struck down with the infection, Barnes was due to headline the Rock the Boat 2023 cruise festival.</p> <p>"I am here to allay everyone's fears, he is in wonderful hands," Campbell said.</p> <p>"He loves to work and he is frustrated for the fans who have been booking tickets and coming to his shows, he is passionate about getting crews back up and running in Australia and performing with his band, but is grateful for the nurses and doctors and if he hadn't got bacterial pneumonia, he wouldn't have had this picked up."</p> <p>Campbell said the family were confident in the medical staff looking after his dad and said "it was a blessing" that the infection was picked up when it was. </p> <p>"He is in great hands and he will make a great recovery, so reach out to him on social media because all the love in the world will be good for him," he said.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Caring

"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, & sports." </p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Caring

Supernatural star has six heart attacks and dies four times

<p><em>Supernatural </em>star Mark Sheppard recently shared a harrowing experience that left fans and well-wishers in disbelief.</p> <p>The 59-year-old actor disclosed that he had faced six massive heart attacks over the weekend, defying the odds by surviving – despite dying and being revived four times during the ordeal.</p> <p>Sheppard recounted the dramatic incident in an Instagram post from his hospital bed, detailing how he collapsed in his kitchen at home. Urgently rushed to the hospital, medical professionals discovered a "100 per cent blockage" in his left anterior descending artery (LAD), a vital blood vessel supplying the front of the left side of the heart, according to John Hopkins Medicine.</p> <p>The actor expressed profound gratitude to his wife, the Los Angeles Fire Department at Mulholland, and the dedicated staff at Providence California St Joseph's, saying that without their prompt intervention, his chances of survival would have been "virtually nil".</p> <p>Despite the severity of the situation, Sheppard's resilience shone through. In his Instagram post, he shared the astonishing news of being resuscitated four times after experiencing the six massive cardiac events. The actor, best known for his role as the demon and King of Hell Crowley in <em>Supernatural</em>, acknowledged the miracle of his survival and thanked the medical professionals who played a crucial role in his recovery.</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/C0XZqCtSYeO/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C0XZqCtSYeO/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Mark Sheppard (@realmarksheppard)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>In the midst of his health crisis, Sheppard took a moment to express his gratitude for the support and care he received. His fans, too, flooded the comment section with well-wishes and messages of relief. One fan, acknowledging the actor's miraculous survival, commented, "All the best to you and your family!" Another, an experienced emergency room nurse, exclaimed, "As a 20-year ER nurse, you are a miracle!"</p> <p>Sheppard wrapped up his post on a positive note, announcing that he is on the mend, soon to be heading home, and "feeling great".</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Caring

Squats and lunges might help you avoid knee surgery

<p>Whether it’s another round of squats and lunges, or a longer wall sit, researchers say working those quads could help lower your risk of a knee replacement.</p> <div> <p>In Australia, <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/chronic-musculoskeletal-conditions/musculoskeletal-conditions/contents/arthritis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">about 9% of the population</a> has osteoarthritis, a condition known to lead to hip and knee surgery in severe cases. About 14 million Americans suffer from knee osteoarthritis, about half are expected to face knee replacement surgery. </p> <p>But new research offers hope, finding stronger quadricep muscles could play a role in avoiding knee replacement surgery.</p> <p>A study presented to <a href="https://press.rsna.org/timssnet/media/rsna/newsroom2023.cfm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">annual meeting</a> of the Radiological Society of North America, offers hope to people with arthritis, finding stronger quadriceps could help in avoiding a knee replacement.</p> <p>The two most important muscles in the knee are the extensors or quadriceps, and the hamstrings. Quads are the strong muscles located at the front of the thigh, which play a key role in gait. Hammies at the back of the thigh, are essential for hip and knee flexibility.</p> <p>The two muscles act as opposing forces, allowing physical activity while also protecting the knee. An imbalance can change the body’s biomechanics, and may progress to osteoarthritis.</p> <p>Using MRI scans – from the time of surgery as well as 2 and 4 years prior – researchers analysed thigh muscle volume in 134 participants from a national study called the Osteoarthritis Initiative. </p> <p>Using artificial intelligence to compute muscle volume from the MRI scans, the researchers compared 67 of the cohort who had a total, single knee replacement with 67 control participants who had not undergone knee replacement surgery.</p> <p>They found patients who had a higher ratio of quadricep to hamstring volume had significantly lower odds of a total knee replacement. Higher volume hamstrings were also associated with lower odds of surgery.</p> <p>The results suggest strength training – focusing on the quadriceps – may be beneficial, both in people with arthritis as well as the general population.</p> <p> <em><img id="cosmos-post-tracker" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=289325&title=Squats+and+lunges+might+help+you+avoid+knee+surgery" width="1" height="1" loading="lazy" aria-label="Syndication Tracker" data-spai-target="src" data-spai-orig="" data-spai-exclude="nocdn" />Image credits: Getty Images</em></div> <div> </div> <div><em><a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/body-and-mind/squats-and-lunges-might-help-you-avoid-knee-surgery/">This article</a> was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com">Cosmos Magazine</a> and was written by <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/contributor/petra-stock/">Petra Stock</a>. </em></div>

Body

"This hurts the heart": Days of our Lives star's shock death at just 50

<p><em>General Hospital</em> and <em>Days of Our Lives</em> star Tyler Christopher has passed away at the age of 50 after a "cardiac event". The shocking news was confirmed by his <em>General Hospital </em>co-star, Maurice Benard, who expressed his deep sorrow and heartfelt tribute to his friend on social media.</p> <p>In an emotional Instagram post, Benard shared, "It is with great sadness that we share the news of the passing of Christopher. Tyler passed away this morning following a cardiac event in his San Diego apartment."</p> <p>He went on to describe Tyler as a "truly talented individual" who illuminated the screen with every performance, bringing joy to his devoted fans. He was not only a gifted actor but also a kind and compassionate soul who touched the lives of those who knew him.</p> <p>Benard also highlighted Christopher's advocacy for mental health and substance use treatment. Tyler was open about his personal struggles with bipolar depression and alcohol, using his platform to raise awareness and provide support to others facing similar challenges. His candour in addressing these issues endeared him to many and further solidified his legacy as an actor and an advocate.</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/CzFJiUXPyRK/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CzFJiUXPyRK/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Maurice Benard (@mauricebenard)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The news of Christopher's passing resonated deeply with his fans and colleagues. Messages of love and support flooded social media, with one fan expressing, "This hurts the heart. I loved him on <em>General Hospital</em>. Sending love and prayers to his family and friends."</p> <p>The outpouring of grief from the public underscores the significant impact he had on the entertainment industry and his audience.</p> <p>Christopher is of course best known for his iconic roles as Nikolas Cassadine on <em>General Hospital</em> and Stefan DiMera on <em>Days of Our Lives</em>. His captivating performances and versatility as an actor made him a beloved figure in the world of daytime television.</p> <p>Tyler leaves behind two children from his previous marriage to reporter Brienne Pedigo. He was previously married to actress Eva Longoria from 2002 to 2004. In recent years, he appeared in the TV movie <em>Ice Storm</em> and featured in <em>Thor: God of Thunder</em> in 2022, demonstrating his enduring talent and commitment to his craft.</p> <p>The actor received recognition for his exceptional work, earning five Daytime Emmy nominations during his tenure on <em>General Hospital</em>. His dedication to his roles and his ability to connect with his characters and the audience was evident in his numerous accolades.</p> <p>Despite his professional success, Christopher faced personal challenges. In 2019, he was placed under the guardianship of his sister due to an accident and internal bleeding during an episode of "alcohol withdrawal". This period of his life was marked by legal and personal struggles. In May, he was arrested for "public intoxication". He also alleged that his sister had "used his finances" while serving as his guardian, a claim she vehemently denied. The guardianship ended in 2021, marking a challenging chapter in his life.</p> <p>Christopher will be remembered not only for his remarkable contributions to the entertainment industry but also for his courage in addressing his personal battles and advocating for those who needed a voice.</p> <p><em>Image: Instagram</em></p>

Caring

Former beauty queen dies after cosmetic surgery

<p>Former beauty queen Jaquelin Carrieri, 48, has sadly passed away following complications from cosmetic surgery. </p> <p>The mother-of-two from Argentina suffered a blood clot and passed away at an unnamed clinic in Los Angeles, California on Sunday October 1st. </p> <p>A post on her Instagram page confirmed the tragic news. </p> <p>"We want to inform our followers today of some sad news," the post began. </p> <p>"Jaquelin Carrieri, who was Queen of Punta del Agua District and Deputy Queen of San Rafael Department in 1996, has passed away.</p> <p>"From Reinas de San Rafael, we want to extend our condolences to her family and friends during this difficult time." </p> <p>According to another statement posted on Facebook the following day, Carrieri passed away from a "stroke" caused by cosmetic surgery.</p> <p>"Jaquelin Carrieri has passed away," the statement began.</p> <p>"She was a woman of great talent, an actress in one of our department’s plays that was being performed at the Roma Theatre until just a few days ago.</p> <p>"Jaquelin also owned a high-end fashion store called Jaquelin Carrieri Boutique, which unfortunately had to close its doors during the pandemic.</p> <p>"She was well known for dressing the San Rafael pageant queens for many years, making their dresses shine during the Vía Blanca and Carrusel Vendimial parades.</p> <p>"In her youth, she was also Deputy Queen of the San Rafael en Vendimia festival.</p> <p>"She passed away in Los Angeles, California, due to a stroke that may have been caused by cosmetic surgery". </p> <p>Carrieri was just days away from celebrating her 49th birthday, and grieving friends have taken to social media to share their heartache. </p> <p>"Dear Jaqui yesterday I sent you a message for your birthday and I was surprised you didn't answer. Today on TV I heard this terrible news. I will always love you and I'm broken. Lots of light and love to you," one friend said. </p> <p>"All of us who had the pleasure of knowing you and sharing moments of our lives with you know what a wonderful person you were, a beautiful woman in every sense, always with your smile and your glamour," her close friend Jorgelina Olivera said. </p> <p>"Honestly your departure has taken me by surprise and I still can’t believe it.</p> <p>"Thank you, a thousand thanks for coming into my life and painting it with so much joy and happiness.</p> <p>"It was a pleasure to share moments with you, and I will be eternally grateful.</p> <p>"May God welcome you into His glory. It’s not a goodbye but a see you soon, my beautiful and dear Jaquelin".</p> <p>Carrieri leaves behind a son, Julian and daughter, Chloe. </p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Caring

If anxiety is in my brain, why is my heart pounding? A psychiatrist explains the neuroscience and physiology of fear

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/arash-javanbakht-416594">Arash Javanbakht</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/wayne-state-university-989">Wayne State University</a></em></p> <p>Heart in your throat. Butterflies in your stomach. Bad gut feeling. These are all phrases many people use to describe fear and anxiety. You have likely felt anxiety inside your chest or stomach, and your brain usually doesn’t hurt when you’re scared. Many cultures tie cowardice and bravery more <a href="https://afosa.org/the-meaning-of-heart-qalb-in-quran/">to the heart</a> <a href="https://byustudies.byu.edu/article/bowels-of-mercy/">or the guts</a> than to the brain.</p> <p>But science has traditionally seen the brain as the birthplace and processing site of fear and anxiety. Then why and how do you feel these emotions in other parts of your body?</p> <p>I am a <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=UDytFmIAAAAJ&hl=en">psychiatrist and neuroscientist</a> who researches and treats fear and anxiety. In my book “<a href="https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781538170380/Afraid-Understanding-the-Purpose-of-Fear-and-Harnessing-the-Power-of-Anxiety">Afraid,</a>” I explain how fear works in the brain and the body and what too much anxiety does to the body. Research confirms that while emotions do originate in your brain, it’s your body that carries out the orders.</p> <h2>Fear and the brain</h2> <p>While your brain evolved to save you from a falling rock or speeding predator, the anxieties of modern life are often a lot more abstract. Fifty-thousand years ago, being rejected by your tribe could mean death, but not doing a great job on a public speech at school or at work doesn’t have the same consequences. Your brain, however, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1006/nimg.2002.1179">might not know the difference</a>.</p> <p>There are a few key areas of the brain that are heavily involved in processing fear.</p> <p>When you perceive something as dangerous, whether it’s a gun pointed at you or a group of people looking unhappily at you, these sensory inputs are first relayed to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038%2Fnpp.2009.121">the amygdala</a>. This small, almond-shaped area of the brain located near your ears detects salience, or the emotional relevance of a situation and how to react to it. When you see something, it determines whether you should eat it, attack it, run away from it or have sex with it.</p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/the-science-of-fright-why-we-love-to-be-scared-85885">Threat detection</a> is a vital part of this process, and it has to be fast. Early humans did not have much time to think when a lion was lunging toward them. They had to act quickly. For this reason, the amygdala evolved to bypass brain areas involved in logical thinking and can directly engage physical responses. For example, seeing an angry face on a computer screen can immediately trigger a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1006/nimg.2002.1179">detectable response from the amygdala</a> without the viewer even being aware of this reaction.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xoU9tw6Jgyw?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption><span class="caption">In response to a looming threat, mammals often fight, flee or freeze.</span></figcaption></figure> <p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/npp.2009.83">The hippocampus</a> is near and tightly connected to the amygdala. It’s involved in memorizing what is safe and what is dangerous, especially in relation to the environment – it puts fear in context. For example, seeing an angry lion in the zoo and in the Sahara both trigger a fear response in the amygdala. But the hippocampus steps in and blocks this response when you’re at the zoo because you aren’t in danger.</p> <p>The <a href="https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.2016.16030353">prefrontal cortex</a>, located above your eyes, is mostly involved in the cognitive and social aspects of fear processing. For example, you might be scared of a snake until you read a sign that the snake is nonpoisonous or the owner tells you it’s their friendly pet.</p> <p>Although the prefrontal cortex is usually seen as the part of the brain that regulates emotions, it can also teach you fear based on your social environment. For example, you might feel neutral about a meeting with your boss but immediately feel nervous when a colleague tells you about rumors of layoffs. Many <a href="https://theconversation.com/trump-the-politics-of-fear-and-racism-how-our-brains-can-be-manipulated-to-tribalism-139811">prejudices like racism</a> are rooted in learning fear through tribalism.</p> <h2>Fear and the rest of the body</h2> <p>If your brain decides that a fear response is justified in a particular situation, it activates a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/med/9780190259440.003.0019">cascade of neuronal and hormonal pathways</a> to prepare you for immediate action. Some of the fight-or-flight response – like heightened attention and threat detection – takes place in the brain. But the body is where most of the action happens.</p> <p>Several pathways prepare different body systems for intense physical action. The <a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2014.00043">motor cortex</a> of the brain sends rapid signals to your muscles to prepare them for quick and forceful movements. These include muscles in the chest and stomach that help protect vital organs in those areas. That might contribute to a feeling of tightness in your chest and stomach in stressful conditions.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0IDgBlCHVsA?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption><span class="caption">Your sympathetic nervous system is involved in regulating stress.</span></figcaption></figure> <p>The <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK542195/">sympathetic nervous system</a> is the gas pedal that speeds up the systems involved in fight or flight. Sympathetic neurons are spread throughout the body and are especially dense in places like the heart, lungs and intestines. These neurons trigger the adrenal gland to release hormones like adrenaline that travel through the blood to reach those organs and increase the rate at which they undergo the fear response.</p> <p>To assure sufficient blood supply to your muscles when they’re in high demand, signals from the sympathetic nervous system increase the rate your heart beats and the force with which it contracts. You feel both increased heart rate and contraction force in your chest, which is why you may connect the feeling of intense emotions to your heart.</p> <p>In your lungs, signals from the sympathetic nervous system dilate airways and often increase your breathing rate and depth. Sometimes this results in a feeling of <a href="https://theconversation.com/pain-and-anxiety-are-linked-to-breathing-in-mouse-brains-suggesting-a-potential-target-to-prevent-opioid-overdose-deaths-174187">shortness of breath</a>.</p> <p>As digestion is the last priority during a fight-or-flight situation, sympathetic activation slows down your gut and reduces blood flow to your stomach to save oxygen and nutrients for more vital organs like the heart and the brain. These changes to your gastrointestinal system can be perceived as the discomfort linked to fear and anxiety.</p> <h2>It all goes back to the brain</h2> <p>All bodily sensations, including those visceral feelings from your chest and stomach, are relayed back to the brain through the pathways <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK555915/">via the spinal cord</a>. Your already anxious and highly alert brain then processes these signals at both conscious and unconscious levels.</p> <p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.2016.16030353">The insula</a> is a part of the brain specifically involved in conscious awareness of your emotions, pain and bodily sensations. The <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038%2Fs41598-019-52776-4">prefrontal cortex</a> also engages in self-awareness, especially by labeling and naming these physical sensations, like feeling tightness or pain in your stomach, and attributing cognitive value to them, like “this is fine and will go away” or “this is terrible and I am dying.” These physical sensations can sometimes create a loop of increasing anxiety as they make the brain feel more scared of the situation because of the turmoil it senses in the body.</p> <p>Although the feelings of fear and anxiety start in your brain, you also feel them in your body because your brain alters your bodily functions. Emotions take place in both your body and your brain, but you become aware of their existence with your brain. As the rapper Eminem recounted in his song “Lose Yourself,” the reason his palms were sweaty, his knees weak and his arms heavy was because his brain was nervous.<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/210871/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/arash-javanbakht-416594"><em>Arash Javanbakht</em></a><em>, Associate Professor of Psychiatry, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/wayne-state-university-989">Wayne State University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/if-anxiety-is-in-my-brain-why-is-my-heart-pounding-a-psychiatrist-explains-the-neuroscience-and-physiology-of-fear-210871">original article</a>.</em></p>

Body

Bindi Irwin and Chandler Powell share heart-warming milestone

<p>Bindi Irwin has shared a sweet tribute to her husband Chandler Powell as the couple celebrate an important anniversary. </p> <p>The wildlife warrior couple posted a heartfelt snap to Instagram, celebrating that it had been four years since they got engaged. </p> <p>Bindi said yes when Chandler popped the question in 2019, after the pair met in late 2013 when they were teenagers.</p> <p>Irwin posted a photo to Instagram, showing the couple embracing in front of sunlit bushland.</p> <p>“Exactly four years ago, I said ‘yes’. Loving you is the greatest adventure. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/chandlerpowell/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-link-type="article-inline">@chandlerpowell</a>,” she wrote.</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/CvE_jP0h7af/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CvE_jP0h7af/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Bindi Irwin (@bindisueirwin)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Husband Powell later responded, “Our adventure just keeps getting better. I love you and am forever grateful for you. ❤️”</p> <p>Fans were quick to comment how quickly the time has passed since the couple got engaged, with others sharing their admiration for their loving relationship. </p> <p>One person wrote, “This is what love is! To see this in a world with so much pain truly gives me hope!”</p> <p>The sweet anniversary post came just days after Bindi celebrated her 25th birthday with her husband and their daughter Grace Warrior. </p> <p>To celebrate his wife, Chandler released a video alongside Grace, 2, in which he and Grace sing Happy Birthday.</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/CvDllbjBTxC/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CvDllbjBTxC/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Chandler Powell (@chandlerpowell)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Captioning the post, Powell wrote, “Happy birthday to the most strong, kind, & beautiful person that I know.”</p> <p>“Your kind heart is my favourite thing about you,” he added.</p> <p>“I have new admiration for the strength you have mustered to find your new chapter of health. It’s been incredible to watch you blossom as you continue to improve each day."</p> <p>“I love you. Grace loves you. You are our world.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram </em></p>

Family & Pets

Good news for weekend warriors: people who do much of their exercise on a couple of days still get heart benefits

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/emmanuel-stamatakis-161783">Emmanuel Stamatakis</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/matthew-ahmadi-1241767">Matthew Ahmadi</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/raaj-kishore-biswas-1374060">Raaj Kishore Biswas</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a></em></p> <p>Physical activity has <a href="https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/54/24/1451">established benefits</a> for health. The <a href="https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/54/24/1451">World Health Organization</a> recommends adults do a minimum of 150–300 minutes of moderate or 75–150 minutes of vigorous activity each week. This can include active transport from place-to-place, exercise for fun and fitness, energetic housework or physical activity at work.</p> <p>These amounts can be accrued by being, as the <a href="https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/54/24/1451">WHO recommends</a>, regularly active throughout the week, or being a “weekend warrior” who does the bulk of their activity on one to two days only, which don’t need to be consecutive.</p> <p>So far, experts haven’t fully established which of the two patterns is better for overall health. For many people, busy lifestyles may make it hard to be physically active every day. It may be more feasible to squeeze most physical activity and exercise into a few days.</p> <p>Fresh <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2807286">analysis</a> of the large <a href="https://www.ukbiobank.ac.uk/">UK Biobank</a> database attempted to compare these two patterns of weekly activity and compare how they reduced cardiovascular risk for heart attacks, heart failure, irregular heart beat and stroke.</p> <h2>What the new study found</h2> <p>Researchers analysed records from 89,573 participants who wore a wrist activity tracker for seven days and were tracked for cardiovascular events for over six years.</p> <p>Those who did less than the WHO recommended 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per week were considered inactive. About a third (33.7%) of participants were inactive. Some 42.2% were termed active “weekend warriors” (they did at least 150 minutes and more than half of it occurred within one to two days) and 24% were regularly active (at least 150 minutes with most activity spread out over three or more days).</p> <p>Researchers considered the potential factors that could explain the link between physical activity and new cases of cardiovascular events, such as smoking and alcohol intake. They found both active groups showed similarly lower risk of heart attack (a 27% reduction for weekend warriors and 35% for regularly active people, compared with inactive participants).</p> <p>For heart failure, weekend warriors had a 38% lower risk than inactive people, while regular exercisers had a 36% lower risk. Irregular heartbeat risk was 22% lower for weekend warriors and 19% lower for regularly actively people. Stroke was 21% and 17% lower for weekend warriors and regular exercisers, respectively.</p> <h2>Not so fast. Some study limitations</h2> <p>Although the information was recorded by activity trackers, researchers did not consider on which days of the week the activity was done. Some people may have been active on Saturdays and Sundays, others might have chosen Wednesday and Friday – or different days each week. In that sense, <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2807286">the study</a> examined a “pseudo-weekend warrior” pattern.</p> <p>Despite the many advantages the UK Biobank activity trackers have over <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2596007">questionnaire-based studies</a>, these trackers are not great at capturing strength-training exercise, such as weights or pilates, and other static activities that have <a href="https://academic.oup.com/aje/article/187/5/1102/4582884">established cardiovascular</a> health benefits.</p> <h2>What other research in this area says</h2> <p>There have been several questionnaire based studies in this area in <a href="https://academic.oup.com/aje/article/160/7/636/136697">the past 20 years</a>.</p> <p>Our <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2596007">2017 study</a>, for example, combined data from 63,591 adults from England and Scotland and tracked them over 12 years. We looked at <a href="https://theconversation.com/weekend-warrior-exercise-is-it-good-for-you-70964">risk reductions</a> for death from any cause, cardiovascular disease and cancer causes. We found similar benefits among people who clocked at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity or at least 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity in one to two sessions per week, compared with three sessions or more per week.</p> <p>Our more <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-022-02100-x">recent studies</a> used activity trackers and emphasised the flexibility of activity patterns that benefit the heart and circulation. We found doing short one-minute-long bouts of incidental vigorous physical activity three to four times a day can cut the risk of death from cardiovascular causes by <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-022-02100-x">almost half</a>.</p> <p>Similarly, in another study we found just 19 minutes of vigorous physical activity a week was associated with <a href="https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/article/43/46/4801/6771381">40% reduction</a> in the risk of cardiovascular death, with steadily increasing benefits to the maximum amount of vigorous activity recorded (110 minutes a week linked to a 75% risk reduction).</p> <h2>What it means for you and your routine</h2> <p>Taken together, the <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2807286">new study</a> and <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2596007">previous research</a> suggest the same thing: if it is difficult to find time to be active during a busy week, it is good enough to plan moderate to vigorous physical activities in a couple of weekdays or in the weekend.</p> <p>That said, there are benefits in being regularly physically active on most days of the week. A good session of aerobic exercise, for example, improves health indicators such as <a href="https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/HYP.0000000000000196">blood pressure</a>, and <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-021-01473-2">blood glucose</a> and <a href="https://lipidworld.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12944-017-0515-5">cholesterol levels</a> for a day or longer. Such effects can moderate some of the long-term health risks of these factors and assist with their day-to-day management.</p> <p>But confirmation that we can be flexible about how physical activity is accumulated across the week for heart health benefits is encouraging. It offers more opportunities for more people to be active when it is convenient and practical for them.<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/210053/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/emmanuel-stamatakis-161783">Emmanuel Stamatakis</a>, Professor of Physical Activity, Lifestyle, and Population Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/matthew-ahmadi-1241767">Matthew Ahmadi</a>, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/raaj-kishore-biswas-1374060">Raaj Kishore Biswas</a>, Research Fellow & Biostatistician, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</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/good-news-for-weekend-warriors-people-who-do-much-of-their-exercise-on-a-couple-of-days-still-get-heart-benefits-210053">original article</a>.</em></p>

Body

“My heart is breaking”: The Wiggles perform for dying young fan

<p dir="ltr">The Wiggles have made a young girl’s dreams come true, as they stood by her and performed just hours before she died. </p> <p dir="ltr">Purple Wiggle Lachlan Gillespie, new Blue Wiggle Lucia Field, and Dorothy the Dinosaur visited young Zahra’s bedside in Westmead Children’s Hospital, just before she passed away last month to perform a sweet rendition of <em>Twinkle Twinkle</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Earlier this week, Zahra’s mum posted the sweet video on TikTok, while sharing the story of how Zahra was diagnosed with Leigh syndrome, a rare neurometabolic disorder that affects the central nervous system.</p> <p dir="ltr">“On Zahra’s last day, she got a special visit from her fav Wiggles,” Zahra’s mum wrote in the video shared on her TikTok account. </p> <div class="embed" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none !important;"><iframe class="embedly-embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 611px; max-width: 100%; outline: none !important;" title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7254527205701733633&display_name=tiktok&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40keish_el%2Fvideo%2F7254527205701733633&image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign-sg.tiktokcdn.com%2Fobj%2Ftos-alisg-p-0037%2FoACeAheW25teaIoFQJHPEC2YgpcNAKrzDgaksj%3Fx-expires%3D1689325200%26x-signature%3D8aPR7s6As4g3eiheXA%252B7PmnZSBk%253D&key=59e3ae3acaa649a5a98672932445e203&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> <p dir="ltr">In the caption, she added, “This day was so special to us, Zahra was obsessed with the Wiggles and for them to come and see her is a memory we will never forget.”</p> <p dir="ltr">She went on to say that on her last day on earth, her doctors and parents gave her “one full day” off the tube where she got to do “all her favourite things with family and friends”, including the Wiggles.</p> <p dir="ltr">Lucia, who is the daughter of original Blue Wiggle Anthony Field, commented, “Lachy and I were so grateful to have met your beautiful family. May your beautiful little girl be happily resting”.</p> <p dir="ltr">The video has racked up over two million views, with many sharing their condolences for the grieving family. </p> <p dir="ltr">One user said, “I can't handle it. I'm so sorry… my heart breaks for you.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Another emotional viewer wrote, “RIP you little angel, you have earned your wings.”</p> <p dir="ltr">One person wrote that they were praying for Zahra and her family, and her grieving mother responded, “Thank you so much for those prayers. I know they would have kept her with us for as long as she could.”</p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 18pt;"><em>Image credits: TikTok</em><span id="docs-internal-guid-efb41070-7fff-f887-2ec2-5f55686b6eca"></span></p>

Caring

Sarah Ferguson’s post-surgery update

<p dir="ltr">Sarah Ferguson has shared a post-surgery update on the latest episode of her podcast, following her shock <a href="https://www.oversixty.co.nz/health/caring/sarah-ferguson-s-devastating-cancer-diagnosis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cancer diagnosis</a> last month.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Duchess of York had a mastectomy at the King Edward VII's Hospital in late June after doctors discovered that she had breast cancer.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I am so lucky, so lucky and I feel really supported," the Duchess said on <em>Tea Talks with the Duchess & Sarah</em>, which she hosts with her close friend and entrepreneur Sarah Thomson.</p> <p dir="ltr">She also shared how grateful she was and the life-changing impact the surgery has made.</p> <p dir="ltr">"There is so much kindness out there. I feel so grateful to this extraordinary operation.</p> <p dir="ltr">"It's with me every day and I am really grateful because it keeps reminding me to do what I wish to do which is to bring more joy, more kindness, more positivity to the world, through this podcast."</p> <p dir="ltr">Her positive thinking did not fade as she opened about recovering at the Royal Lodge in Windsor, where she lives with her ex-husband, Prince Andrew.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Every time I think to myself, 'Oh my goodness, this is kind of wonderful, soon I might be able to wear a dress without a bra – that would be a first, I'd love that',” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I think to myself, 'Make the most of today, Sarah. I live every minute of the day, I take mini-steps, mini-steps to heal."</p> <p dir="ltr">Doctors found the cancer after a routine mammogram, and the Duchess almost immediately took action by undergoing a single mastectomy and a breast reconstruction, just days after the diagnosis.</p> <p dir="ltr">She said that the diagnosis and operation has "made me more bold, it's made me more courageous, to do this podcast, to say what I feel".</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Caring

Sarah Ferguson's devastating cancer diagnosis

<p>Sarah Ferguson is recovering at home after undergoing surgery to treat breast cancer. </p> <p>The Duchess of York was diagnosed with the cancer following a routine mammogram screening, with a spokesperson confirming the 63-year-old had undergone surgery.</p> <p>They went on to say her "prognosis is good", though it is unclear if the Duchess will require further treatment. </p> <p>In a statement shared early Monday morning, the spokesperson for the Duchess said she is resting in the Royal Lodge following her surgical intervention. </p> <p>"Sarah, Duchess of York was recently diagnosed with an early form of breast cancer detected at a routine mammogram screening," the statement reads. </p> <p>"She was advised she needed to undergo surgery which has taken place successfully."</p> <p>"The duchess is receiving the best medical care and her doctors have told her that the prognosis is good. She is now recuperating with her family."</p> <p>The Duchess was treated at the private King Edward VII's Hospital in central London, where royal family members have been treated for many years. </p> <p>Fergie's spokesperson shared that the Duchess wanted to express her "immense gratitude" for the medical staff who helped her through her hospital stay. </p> <p>"She is also hugely thankful to the staff involved in the mammogram which identified her illness, which was otherwise symptom free, and believes her experience underlines the importance of regular screening."</p> <p>Fergie has previously spoken about how cancer has devastated her family, sharing how her late father and melanoma and prostate cancer. </p> <p>She said, "I didn't know what to do to really fight for other people so they didn't have to go through cancer."</p> <p>"People around my age group don't talk about it… we are from a different generation where you don't express your feelings and you just get on with it, you know, stiff upper lip."</p> <p>"It's so crucial to get the message out that we are all listening… they are here to help you."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Caring

5 surprising factors damaging your heart

<p>It’s important to maintain heart health at all stages of life, but it becomes particularly crucial as we age – after all, the older you get, the older your heart becomes, too. And even though you might be taking all the right precautions (e.g. quitting smoking, eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly), you could be tarnishing your ticker without even realising it. Here are five things you didn’t know could negatively affect your heart health.</p> <p><strong>1. Damaged hearing</strong> – if you’ve spent much of your life working or living in noisy areas or regularly attending loud events (i.e. those rock concerts you frequented back in the day!), beware. A 2015 study found that people with high-frequency hearing loss in both years (most often due to prolonged exposure to high-decibel noise) were twice as prone to heart disease than those with normal hearing.</p> <p><strong>2. Air pollution</strong> – Have you been considering a sea or tree change? Now might be the time to do it. Researchers in 2011 discovered that exposure to traffic and air pollution is responsible for between 5 and 7 per cent of heart attacks around the world. Experts believe this may be due to an increase in arterial plaque build-up experienced by city-dwellers.</p> <p><strong>3. Sleep deprivation</strong> – A chronic lack of sleep increases production of adrenaline and cortisol (the stress hormone), which in turn increases your heart rate and blood pressure. In fact, one study found those who regularly had less than five hours of sleep were three times more at risk of heart attack than those who got between six and eight hours.</p> <p><strong>4. Excessive exercise</strong> – Believe it or not, but exercise could be putting you at risk of a heart attack – that is, if you’re doing too much vigorous exercise too often. Anything that causes strain can lead to dangerously high blood pressure – this means weightlifting and endurance sports (e.g. marathons) could be off the table. Stick to low-impact workouts like brisk walking, light weights and yoga.</p> <p><strong>5. Too much sitting</strong> – We’ve heard it all before – that sitting is bad for you – but you might not have realised just how bad it can be. According to a 2015 report, the average adult spends more than half of their waking hours sitting down, making them more likely to suffer or die from heart disease –even those who exercised an hour a day couldn’t combat this higher risk.</p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Body

“The heart of Hollywood” Treat Williams dead at 71

<p dir="ltr">Richard Treat Williams, a Hollywood heavyweight with over 129 acting credits to his name, has passed away at the age of 71.</p> <p dir="ltr">The actor was involved in a tragic accident with a car while riding his motorbike in Dorset, Vermont. Treat was the only person who sustained injuries in the crash, and while a helicopter was called in to airlift him to hospital, he sadly passed away. </p> <p dir="ltr">As Dorset’s fire chief Jacob Gibble told <em>People</em>, investigators believed that the car’s driver had been turning and didn’t notice the motorbike. </p> <p dir="ltr">And Treat’s agent of 15 years, Barry McPherson, said the same while confirming the news to the publication.</p> <p dir="ltr">“He was killed this afternoon. He was making a left or a right [and] a car cut him off," McPherson said. "I'm just devastated. He was the nicest guy. He was so talented.</p> <p dir="ltr">"He was an actor's actor. Filmmakers loved him. He's been the heart of Hollywood since the late 1970s. He was really proud of his performance this year. He's been so happy with the work that I got him. He's had a balanced career."</p> <p dir="ltr">Treat’s family later issued a statement regarding his passing to Deadline, where they shared that “it is with great sadness that we report that our beloved Treat Williams has passed away tonight in Dorset, Vermont after a fatal motorcycle accident. </p> <p dir="ltr">“As you can imagine, we are shocked and greatly bereaved at this time. Treat was full of love for his family, for his life and for his craft, and was truly at the top of his game in all of it. It is all so shocking right now, but please know that Treat was dearly and deeply loved and respected by his family and everyone who knew him. </p> <p dir="ltr">“We are beyond devastated and ask that you respect our privacy as we deal with our grief. To all his fans, please know that Treat appreciated all of you and please continue to keep him in your hearts and prayers.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Treat is survived by his wife of 35 years, Pam Van Sant, and their two children, Gill and Ellie, as well as his significant Hollywood legacy. </p> <p dir="ltr">He was a star across both the screen and stage over the course of his impressive career, with over 50 years of experience behind him. From <em>Prince of the City</em> to<em> A Streetcar Named Desire</em>, <em>Hair</em>, <em>Chicago Fire</em>, <em>Everwood</em>, and <em>Miss Congeniality 2</em>, he’d dipped his toes in a wide variety of content.</p> <p dir="ltr">Treat won over fans and co-workers alike with his presence, and they felt the weight of his passing, taking to social media to share their grief, and to pay tribute to the late star. </p> <p dir="ltr">“We are heartbroken over the passing of beloved … star of <em>Chesapeake Shores</em>, <em>The Christmas House</em> and so much more,” the Hallmark Channel wrote. “We will forever cherish him in our hearts, and extend our condolences to Treat’s family, friends, and loved ones.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“Working with Treat Williams in Mamet’s <em>Speed the Plow</em> at Williamstown in ‘91 was the start of great friendship. Damn it, damn it. Treat, you were the best. Love you,” writer and director Justine Bateman shared. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Treat Williams was a passionate, adventurous, creative man. In a short period of time, he quickly befriended me & his adventurous spirit was infectious. We worked on just 1 film together but occasionally connected over the years. Kind and generous with advice and support. RIP,” actor Wendell Pierce said of Treat. </p> <p dir="ltr">And on behalf of many, actor Billy Baldwin noted down just a handful of the qualities he would remember his friend by, writing that “he truly and deeply cared about what’s going on here in America and around the world. Climate change, social justice, freedom, truth, tolerance… love. Beloved by his family, friends, fans, colleagues… his community. </p> <p dir="ltr">“A terrible loss. You will be missed.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">He had it all.<br />Smart.<br />Talented.<br />Funny.<br />Charming.<br />Successful.<br />Handsome.<br />Compassionate.<br />Heart of gold.<br />And that name… Treat Williams.</p> <p>He truly and deeply cared about what’s going on here in America and around the world. Climate change, social justice, freedom, truth, tolerance…… <a href="https://t.co/7cKP4nETTz">pic.twitter.com/7cKP4nETTz</a></p> <p>— Billy Baldwin (@BillyBaldwin) <a href="https://twitter.com/BillyBaldwin/status/1668458525335646208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 13, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

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