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"Reduced me to tears": King Charles' candid admission

<p>King Charles has made a candid admission as he returned to his public engagement in over two months as he faces ongoing treatment. </p> <p>The royal joined a meeting of the Privy Council at Buckingham Palace followed by an audience with the British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak.</p> <p>Palace sources have said that the two events were a sign of “State business, as usual” <span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">since his</span><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;"> </span><a style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;" href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/palace-reveals-king-charles-serious-health-diagnosis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shock cancer diagnosis</a><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;"> over two weeks ago, according to</span><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;"> </span><em style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">The Sun</em><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">. </span></p> <p>The monarch, donning a navy pinstripe suit, appeared in good spirits as he shook hands with the UK prime minister and sat down for his first private audience with him since December. </p> <p>“Good evening Your Majesty, very nice to see you," Sunak told the King. </p> <p>“Bit of a gap,” Charles responded.</p> <p>Sunak replied: “A bit, but wonderful to see you looking so well.”</p> <p>The King also showed his playful side as he joked about the check-up process: “well, it’s all done by mirrors," he said and they both laughed. </p> <p>“Well, we are all behind you, the country is behind you," Sunak replied. </p> <p>“I’ve had so many wonderful messages and cards. Reduced me to tears most of the time,” Charles told him.</p> <p>“I can imagine, as I said, everyone is behind you, and it’s been nice to see the spotlight that it’s shone on the work the charities do in this area,” Sunak responded.</p> <p>“I hear there been a lot more interest on those main wonderful cancer charities many of which I’ve been patron for years," Charles added. </p> <p>“They’ve done incredible work up and down the country, nice to be recognised," Sunak replied. </p> <p><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">The King's</span><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">last public engagement was a trip to the Royal Courts of Justice on December 14th.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">His </span>last in-person engagement was an investiture at Windsor Castle on December 19.</p> <p>On Wednesday he held a Privy Council meeting and swore in new member Michael Tomlinson, Minister of State for Illegal Migration.</p> <p>This week, he’s been in London and Windsor Castle, but he is expected to continue getting cancer treatment at Windsor and Highgrove in the coming weeks. </p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p> <p> </p>

Caring

“Update me about the divorce”: Groom blasted for terrible wedding vows

<p>A groom has been slammed online for putting "no effort" into his vows on his wedding day. </p> <p>The video of the couple's nuptials was shared to TikTok, where it garnered millions of views and comments absolutely rinsing the groom's poor attempt at heartfelt vows. </p> <p>In the video, the man named Cody was called upon to say his vows to his bride, choosing to say, “I promise to smack that a** every chance I get. Booyah.”</p> <p>“That’s all I got.”</p> <p>The officiant even tried to give him another chance at the vows, asking Cody if he wanted to say anything else, and the laughing man said that was it.</p> <p>The audience was stunned, with one heard saying “Cody no”.</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: 600px; 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%2F7312230224937127210&display_name=tiktok&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40ckentertainmentservices%2Fvideo%2F7312230224937127210%3Flang%3Den&image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign.tiktokcdn-us.com%2Fobj%2Ftos-useast5-p-0068-tx%2F361ef6750f00485bbdf1a58d57f32a54_1702511281%3Fx-expires%3D1703030400%26x-signature%3DrWstCywhkiKIPPo%252BsCW3HVMnjxM%253D&key=59e3ae3acaa649a5a98672932445e203&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> <p>“I didn’t write nothing out. That’s what I’m going with. We’ve made it this long,” he added.</p> <p>The video caused outrage online, with people condemning the man's actions, saying he should've put more effort in on what is supposed to be one of the biggest days of his life. </p> <p>“Even if that’s the kind of humour they have together. The wedding vows should’ve been serious,” one person commented. </p> <p>Another added. “Update me about the divorce.”</p> <p>“‘I didn't write nothing out’ AKA ‘I put no effort into the most important day in our relationship thus far’,” one said.</p> <p>Another added, “Notice how no one is laughing besides him.”</p> <p>"The officiant trying to give him a chance of redemption," one social media user pointed out.</p> <p>Others called for justice for the bride, writing, “Her wedding dress is so pretty, she looked so beautiful. She didn’t deserve that.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: TikTok</em></p>

Relationships

Do blue-light glasses really work? Can they reduce eye strain or help me sleep?

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/laura-downie-1469379">Laura Downie</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a></em></p> <p>Blue-light glasses are said to <a href="https://www.baxterblue.com.au/collections/blue-light-glasses">reduce eye strain</a> when using <a href="https://www.blockbluelight.com.au/collections/computer-glasses">computers</a>, improve your <a href="https://www.ocushield.com/products/anti-blue-light-glasses">sleep</a> and protect your eye health. You can buy them yourself or your optometrist can prescribe them.</p> <p>But <a href="https://mivision.com.au/2019/03/debate-continues-over-blue-blocking-lenses/">do they work</a>? Or could they do you harm?</p> <p>We <a href="https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD013244.pub2/full">reviewed</a> the evidence. Here’s what we found.</p> <h2>What are they?</h2> <p>Blue-light glasses, blue light-filtering lenses or blue-blocking lenses are different terms used to describe lenses that reduce the amount of short-wavelength visible (blue) light reaching the eyes.</p> <p>Most of these lenses prescribed by an optometrist decrease blue light transmission by <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/opo.12615">10-25%</a>. Standard (clear) lenses do not filter blue light.</p> <p>A wide variety of lens products are available. A filter can be added to prescription or non-prescription lenses. They are widely marketed and are becoming <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/opo.12615">increasingly popular</a>.</p> <p>There’s often an added cost, which depends on the specific product. So, is the extra expense worth it?</p> <h2>Blue light is all around us</h2> <p>Outdoors, sunlight is the main source of blue light. Indoors, light sources – such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and the screens of digital devices – emit varying degrees of blue light.</p> <p>The amount of blue light emitted from artificial light sources is much lower than from the Sun. Nevertheless, artificial light sources are all around us, at home and at work, and we can spend a lot of our time inside.</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/549210/original/file-20230920-16-tsb23b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/549210/original/file-20230920-16-tsb23b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/549210/original/file-20230920-16-tsb23b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549210/original/file-20230920-16-tsb23b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549210/original/file-20230920-16-tsb23b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549210/original/file-20230920-16-tsb23b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549210/original/file-20230920-16-tsb23b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549210/original/file-20230920-16-tsb23b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Blue light-filtering lenses block some blue light from screens from reaching the eye" /></a><figcaption><span class="caption">Screens emit blue light. The lenses are designed to reduce the amount of blue light that reaches the eye.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-vector/blue-light-blocking-ray-filter-lens-2286229107">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure> <p>Our research team at the University of Melbourne, along with collaborators from Monash University and City, University London, sought to see if the best available evidence supports using blue light-filtering glasses, or if they could do you any harm. So we conducted a <a href="https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD013244.pub2/full">systematic review</a> to bring together and evaluate all the relevant studies.</p> <p>We included all randomised controlled trials (clinical studies designed to test the effects of interventions) that evaluated blue light-filtering lenses in adults. We identified 17 eligible trials from six countries, involving a total of 619 adults.</p> <h2>Do they reduce eye strain?</h2> <p>We found no benefit of using blue light-filtering lenses, over standard (clear) lenses, to reduce eye strain with computer use.</p> <p>This conclusion was based on consistent findings from three studies that evaluated effects on eye strain over time periods ranging from two hours to five days.</p> <h2>Do they help you sleep?</h2> <p>Possible effects on sleep were uncertain. Six studies evaluated whether wearing blue-light filtering lenses before bedtime could improve sleep quality, and the findings were mixed.</p> <p>These studies involved people with a diverse range of medical conditions, including insomnia and bipolar disorder. Healthy adults were not included in the studies. So we do not yet know whether these lenses affect sleep quality in the general population.</p> <h2>Do they boost your eye health?</h2> <p>We did not find any clinical evidence to support using blue-light filtering lenses to protect the macula (the region of the retina that controls high-detailed, central vision).</p> <p>None of the studies evaluated this.</p> <h2>Could they do harm? How about causing headaches?</h2> <p>We could not draw clear conclusions on whether there might be harms from wearing blue light-filtering lenses, compared with standard (non blue-light filtering) lenses.</p> <p>Some studies described how study participants had headaches, lowered mood and discomfort from wearing the glasses. However, people using glasses with standard lenses reported similar effects.</p> <h2>What about other benefits or harms?</h2> <p>There are some important general considerations when interpreting our findings.</p> <p>First, most of the studies were for a relatively short period of time, which limited our ability to consider longer-term effects on vision, sleep quality and eye health.</p> <p>Second, the review evaluated effects in adults. We don’t yet know if the effects are different for children.</p> <p>Finally, we could not draw conclusions about the possible effects of blue light-filtering lenses on many vision and eye health measures, including colour vision, as the studies did not evaluate these.</p> <h2>In a nutshell</h2> <p>Overall, based on relatively limited published clinical data, our review does not support using blue-light filtering lenses to reduce eye strain with digital device use. It is unclear whether these lenses affect vision quality or sleep, and no conclusions can be drawn about any potential effects on the health of the retina.</p> <p>High-quality research is needed to answer these questions, as well as whether the effectiveness and safety of these lenses varies in people of different ages and health status.</p> <p>If you have eye strain, or other eye or vision concerns, discuss this with your optometrist. They can perform a thorough examination of your eye health and vision, and discuss any relevant treatment options.<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/213145/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/laura-downie-1469379"><em>Laura Downie</em></a><em>, Associate Professor in Optometry and Vision Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</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/do-blue-light-glasses-really-work-can-they-reduce-eye-strain-or-help-me-sleep-213145">original article</a>.</em></p>

Body

What is ‘budget Ozempic’ that’s all over social media? Can it help me lose weight?

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nial-wheate-96839">Nial Wheate</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jessica-pace-1401278">Jessica Pace</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a></em></p> <p>Social media is lighting up over what influencers are calling “<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/brucelee/2023/09/09/budget-ozempic-tiktok-trend-how-its-contributing-to-the-laxative-shortage/?sh=1f54511b1569">budget Ozempic</a>”. These are drugs normally used as laxatives and stool softeners, but people are taking them to lose weight. The demand is so high in the United States, there are reports this is contributing to <a href="https://www.wsj.com/health/wellness/laxative-shortage-diet-weight-loss-5a15bf02">shortages</a> in pharmacies.</p> <p>These laxatives are just the latest alternatives influencers are touting for the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-09-09/ozempic-maker-novo-nordisk-becomes-biggest-company-in-europe/102812584">blockbuster drug</a> Ozempic.</p> <p>So, does “budget Ozempic” help you lose weight? Any weight loss is likely to be temporary and using these laxatives long term may be dangerous.</p> <h2>Ozempic is in short supply</h2> <p>Ozempic contains the active ingredient semaglutide. It is a prescription-only drug used to treat type 2 diabetes. One side effect of taking it is significant weight loss. This has led to so many people trying to obtain the drug there have been <a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/safety/shortages/information-about-major-medicine-shortages/about-ozempic-semaglutide-shortage-2022-and-2023">shortages</a>.</p> <p>Instead, some people have turned to more easily accessible over-the-counter alternatives to try to lose weight. That includes <a href="https://theconversation.com/natures-own-ozempic-or-berberine-is-all-over-social-media-but-does-it-really-help-you-lose-weight-206855">berberine</a>, which has been dubbed “nature’s own Ozempic”.</p> <h2>What is ‘budget Ozempic’?</h2> <p>“Budget Ozempic” is different to “nature’s own Ozempic”. It is the polymer polyethylene glycol 3350, or PEG 3350 for short.</p> <p>Chemically, it’s similar to other polymers used as ingredients in cosmetics, drug delivery, <a href="https://www.chemistryworld.com/features/raiders-of-the-lost-pigments/3007237.article">archaeological preservative paints</a>, soaps and even <a href="https://navyrecognition.com/index.php/naval-news/naval-news-archive/2023/june/13261-northrop-grumman-hits-production-milestone-with-trident-ii-d5-s-2000th-rocket-motor.html">missile fuel</a>. It’s not to be confused with ethylene glycol, which is used in antifreeze.</p> <p>Medically, PEG 3350 is mainly sold in Australia through pharmacies in <a href="https://australianprescriber.tg.org.au/articles/managing-constipation-in-adults.html">laxative and stool softening</a> products. It is also used to clean out your bowels before a colonoscopy.</p> <p>The products are referred to as <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/medicines/medicinal-product/aht,22630/macrogol-3350">macrogols</a>. Brands include DulcoSoft, Movicol, OsmoLax, ClearLax and ColonLYTELY.</p> <h2>How can it cause weight loss?</h2> <p>PEG 3350 is known as an <a href="https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/laxatives/#:%7E:text=Osmotic%20laxatives%20draw%20water%20from,brand%20names%20Duphalac%20and%20Lactugal">osmotic laxative</a>. It uses osmosis – how your body manages the balance of electrolytes in your blood serum – to soften your stools and treat constipation.</p> <p>When you swallow a drink with PEG 3350 the polymer isn’t absorbed by the body. Instead, as it passes through your intestines it draws water to it, making your faeces much more watery.</p> <p>Because it draws more water out of your body than you put into it from the drink, your weight goes down. That is, it just makes you dehydrated.</p> <p>This means any weight loss is likely to be short-lived; when you next drink, your body will retain more of the water to replace what was lost. To have any significant and sustained weight loss you’d need to take a lot of PEG 3350 every day. And at most, you would only lose a few kilograms.</p> <p>This is different to how <a href="https://www.nps.org.au/assets/medicines/42ccacc2-2326-42ad-ad14-abd6010499a4.pdf">Ozempic</a> works. Ozempic is similar to a family of hormones in your body called <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29364588/">incretins</a>. These have a number of actions that control both blood sugar levels and weight. For example, they slow how quickly food is absorbed from the stomach and decrease appetite, both of which help with sustained weight loss.</p> <h2>Dangers and side effects</h2> <p>PEG 3350 can make you <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/dehydration">dehydrated</a>. You may feel dizzy or light-headed, have a headache and have a dry mouth, lips or eyes.</p> <p>The concentration of electrolytes in your blood, such as salt, may also be too high (known as hypertonic blood serum).</p> <p>Hypertonic blood serum can affect the shape of your red blood cells, making it harder for them to carry oxygen around your body. This results in symptoms that include fatigue and tiredness, and those other symptoms of being dehydrated. In extreme cases it can result in <a href="https://psmf.org/story/emily-jerry/">death</a>.</p> <p>Incorrect levels of electrolytes can lead to other serious problems, affecting your heart and muscles. It can also lead to seizures, confusion, and coma.</p> <p>It can be dangerous to take PEG 3350 if you have heart disease, if your doctor has put you on a sodium-restricted diet, or if you already have an electrolyte disorder, such as <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/potassium">hyperkalaemia</a> (high potassium levels).</p> <p>These products are also dangerous for elderly people, those with kidney problems, and in very young children.</p> <p>Common side effects include anal irritation, vomiting, diarrhoea, nausea, cramps, pain, and swelling of your abdomen. Some people can have allergic reactions.</p> <p>If you use laxatives, including PEG 3350-based products, for a long period of time (over a period of weeks or months) then you may experience <a href="https://www.eatingdisorders.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Eating-disorders-and-laxatives.pdf">withdrawal symptoms</a> if you stop taking them suddenly. These include constipation, bloating, weight gain and fluid retention.</p> <h2>In a nutshell</h2> <p>Overall, if you’ve been struggling with weight loss, then PEG 3350-based products are not a safe and effective solution. Any weight loss you experience will be temporary and may put your health at risk. Safer and more effective solutions are available.</p> <p>Eating healthily and exercising regularly are important first steps for anyone who wishes to lose weight. Otherwise, your GP or local pharmacist can help you with both lifestyle changes and medication options to help with weight loss.<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/213457/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nial-wheate-96839">Nial Wheate</a>, Associate Professor of the Sydney Pharmacy School, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jessica-pace-1401278">Jessica Pace</a>, Associate Lecturer, Sydney Pharmacy School, <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/what-is-budget-ozempic-thats-all-over-social-media-can-it-help-me-lose-weight-213457">original article</a>.</em></p>

Body

Why is a messy house such an anxiety trigger for me and what can I do about it?

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/erika-penney-1416241">Erika Penney</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-technology-sydney-936">University of Technology Sydney</a></em></p> <p>Do you ever feel overwhelmed by the sight of clutter and mess in your home? Have you walked in the door only to feel overloaded by scattered papers, unwashed dishes and clothes in disarray? Maybe you’ve even had arguments because it bothers you more than it bothers you partner or housemates.</p> <p>You’re not alone. Many people report a messy house can trigger feelings of <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0146167209352864">stress</a> and <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0272494421000062?via%3Dihub">anxiety</a>.</p> <p>So why do clutter and chaos make some of us feel so overwhelmed? Here’s what the research says – and what you can do about it.</p> <h2>Cognitive overload</h2> <p>When we’re surrounded by distractions, our brains essentially become <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21228167/">battlegrounds</a> for attention. Everything competes for our focus.</p> <p>But the brain, as it turns out, <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1994-43838-001">prefers</a> order and “<a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2015.00086/full%22%22">singletasking</a>” over multitasking.</p> <p>Order helps reduce the competition for our attention and reduces mental load. While some people might be better than others at <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.1523471113">ignoring distractions</a>, distractable environments can overload our cognitive capabilities and memory.</p> <p>Clutter, disorder and mess can affect more than just our cognitive resources. They’re also linked to our <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23907542/">eating</a>, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0360132318307157?via=ihub">productivity</a>, mental health, <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1207/s15374424jccp3401_9">parenting</a> decisions and even our willingness to donate <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23907542/">money</a>.</p> <h2>Are women more affected than men?</h2> <p>Research suggests the detrimental effects of mess and clutter may be more pronounced in women than in men.</p> <p>One <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0146167209352864">study</a> of 60 dual-income couples found women living in cluttered and stressful homes had higher levels of cortisol (a <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19596045/#:%7E:text=After%2520controlling%2520for%2520the%2520individual,and%2520poor%2520self-rated%2520health.">hormone</a> associated with stress) and heightened depression symptoms.</p> <p>These effects remained consistent even when factors like marital satisfaction and personality traits were taken into account. In contrast, the men in this study seemed largely unaffected by the state of their home environments.</p> <p>The researchers theorised that women may feel a greater responsibility for maintaining the home. They also suggested the social aspect of the study (which involved giving home tours) may have induced more fear of judgement among women than men.</p> <p>We will all live with clutter and disorganisation to some degree in our lives. Sometimes, however, significant clutter problems can be linked to underlying mental health conditions such as <a href="https://beyondocd.org/information-for-individuals/symptoms/ocd-related-hoarding#:%7E:text=Examples%20of%20hoarding%20in%20the,are%20not%20needed%20any%20more">obsessive-compulsive disorder</a>, <a href="https://beyondocd.org/information-for-individuals/symptoms/ocd-related-hoarding#:%7E:text=Examples%20of%20hoarding%20in%20the,are%20not%20needed%20any%20more">hoarding disorder</a>, <a href="https://psychcentral.com/depression/messy-room-depression#does-it-exacerbate-symptoms">major depressive disorder</a>, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0005796704000531">attention deficit hyperactivity disorder</a>, and <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0887618510001647">anxiety disorders</a>.</p> <p>This raises a crucial question: which came first? For some, clutter is the source of anxiety and distress; for others, poor mental health is the source of disorganisation and clutter.</p> <h2>Not all mess is a problem</h2> <p>It’s important to remember clutter isn’t all bad, and we shouldn’t aim for perfection. Real homes don’t look like the ones in magazines.</p> <p>In fact, disorganised spaces can result in increased <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23907542/">creativity</a> and elicit fresh insights.</p> <p>Living in constant disorder isn’t productive, but striving for perfectionism in cleanliness can also be counterproductive. Perfectionism itself is associated with feeling overwhelmed, anxiety and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28026869/">poor mental health</a>.</p> <h2>Mess makes me anxious so what can I do about it?</h2> <p>It’s important to remember you have some agency over what matters to you and how you want to prioritise your time.</p> <p>One approach is to try to reduce the clutter. You might, for example, have a dedicated de-cluttering session every week. This may involve hiring a cleaner (if you can afford it) or playing some music or a podcast while tidying up for an hour with your other household members.</p> <p>Establishing this routine can reduce clutter distractions, ease your overall mental load and alleviate worry that clutter will spiral out of control.</p> <p>You can also try micro-tidying. If don’t have time for a complete cleanup, commit just five minutes to clearing one small space.</p> <p>If the clutter is primarily caused by other household members, try to calmly discuss with them how this mess is affecting your mental health. See if your kids, your partner or housemates can negotiate some boundaries as a household over what level of mess is acceptable and how it will be handled if that threshold is exceeded.</p> <p>It can also help to develop a self-compassionate mindset.</p> <p>Mess doesn’t define whether you are a “good” or “bad” person and, at times, it may even stimulate your <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23907542/">creativity</a>. Remind yourself that you deserve success, meaningful relationships and happiness, whether or not your office, home or car is a mess.</p> <p>Take comfort in <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0013916516628178">research</a> suggesting that while disorganised environments can make us susceptible to stress and poor decision-making, your mindset can buffer you against these vulnerabilities.</p> <p>If clutter, perfectionism or anxiety has begun to seem unmanageable, talk with your GP about a referral to a <a href="https://psychology.org.au/psychology/about-psychology/what-is-psychology">psychologist</a>. The right psychologist (and you may need to try a few before you find the right one) can help you cultivate a life driven by values that are important to you.</p> <p>Clutter and mess are more than just visual nuisances. They can have a profound impact on mental wellbeing, productivity and our choices.</p> <p>Understanding why clutter affects you can empower you to take control of your mindset, your living spaces and, in turn, your life.<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/211684/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/erika-penney-1416241">Erika Penney</a>, Lecturer in Clinical Psychology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-technology-sydney-936">University of Technology Sydney</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-is-a-messy-house-such-an-anxiety-trigger-for-me-and-what-can-i-do-about-it-211684">original article</a>.</em></p>

Mind

“I don’t have that in me at this moment”: Christina Applegate's sad announcement

<p>Christina Applegate continues to hint that she may be retiring from acting.</p> <p>The star has given a heartbreaking career update, following her announcement in August that she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. </p> <p>In a recent interview, the actress opened up about the difficulty of filming the final season with her condition, and how reluctant she is to return to another set.</p> <p>“Right now, I couldn’t imagine getting up at 5am and spending 12 to 14 hours on a set,” Applegate told the <a href="https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2022-11-14/christina-applegate-walk-of-fame-ceremony-ms-diagnosis"><em>Los Angeles Times</em></a>. “I don’t have that in me at this moment.”</p> <p>Applegate has been nominated for a Screen Actors Guild award for her role as Jen Harding, and she revealed, “It’s my last awards show as an actor probably, so it’s kind of a big deal.”</p> <p>In August 2021, Applegate announced her diagnosis and took some time off work for her treatment and to “grieve”. </p> <p>“Shooting the show was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life because I was diagnosed during shooting, and I didn’t know it was happening to me,” she told The Kelly Clarkson Show in December 2022.</p> <p>She told the <em><a href="https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2022-11-14/christina-applegate-walk-of-fame-ceremony-ms-diagnosis">Los Angeles Times</a> </em>that watching the final season of Dead to Me was not enjoyable for her to watch. “I don’t like seeing myself struggling. I gained 40 pounds because of inactivity and medications, and I didn’t look like myself, and I didn’t feel like myself,” she said. </p> <p>Earlier this year, Applegate slammed down an internet troll after she was accused of getting “bad” plastic surgery. </p> <p>“MS didn’t make you look that way,” the person wrote. </p> <p>Applegate took to twitter, positing a screenshot of the troll’s message, adding “What is wrong with people. By the way, I laughed,”</p> <p>“When people see me now as a disabled person, I want them to feel comfortable. That we can laugh about it,” Applegate explained on the The Kelly Clarkson Show. </p> <p>Applegate was also recently given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and during her acceptance speech she was seen with a manicure that read “FU MS.”</p> <p>She said she’s doing “her best” to get through it.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Getty</em></p>

“It means the world to me”: Harrison Ford’s emotional take on final Indiana Jones film

<p dir="ltr">Harrison Ford, the actor best known as the face and heart of some of Hollywood’s most iconic characters, has opened up about his final appearance as Indiana Jones. </p> <p dir="ltr">In an interview with BBC Radio 1 with his <em>Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny </em>co-star Phoebe Waller-Bridge about their upcoming film, the 80-year-old actor confessed that his time spent as Jones, and the love of his fans all around the world, means everything to him. </p> <p dir="ltr">Ford has been portraying Jones since 1981, when the series' first film, <em>Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark</em>, was released. And while they all might hold a special place in his heart, it’s his fifth and final film - set to release June 2023 - as Jones that has resonated with him.</p> <p dir="ltr">As he told host Ali Plumb, “I think the thing that I most admire about them is the depth and subtlety of the emotion, and the importance of emotion in these films.</p> <p dir="ltr">“As this last one concerns age and frailty and [the] changing nature of life, it was especially compelling to me, because I am of that age and I wanted it to feel real for the audience.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I wanted them to see the complexity of that experience with someone they've spent 40 years with.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Plumb then took the opportunity to tell an emotional Ford that “it’s been such an adventure”, and thanked him on behalf of fans all over for everything he’d put into the character and his various adventures. </p> <p dir="ltr">“We love you so much,” he added. “I don’t want to make you blush or anything, but you mean the world to us and thank you.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Ford appeared moved by the sentiment, but gathered himself to offer his own sincere thanks to his supporters, before sharing that “it means the world to me.” </p> <p dir="ltr">It isn’t the first time that Ford has addressed his final venture in Jones’ hat - though it’s the first not to be directed by Steven Spielberg - or what it means to him, with the star previously having shared with <em>Told Film </em>that he had been “able to deliver amazing films developed by Steven and George [Lucas] over a 40-year period. </p> <p dir="ltr">“And to end it not with a whimper, but a bang, has been my greatest ambition for this excursion.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: BBC Radio 1 / Youtube</em></p>

Movies

"This made me cry": Royal guard's stunning Tina Turner tribute

<p dir="ltr">The late Tina Turner has been remembered in a special musical tribute outside Buckingham Palace, with the Band of Welsh Guards putting on their own performance of her 1989 hit song, ‘The Best’.</p> <p dir="ltr">The captivating moment took place during the changing of the guard - a daily 45-minute ceremony in which The King’s Guard passes responsibility for protecting Buckingham Palace, as well as St James’ Palace, to the New Guard. </p> <p dir="ltr">The Welsh Guards were joined by the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards Corps of Drums, and the entire performance reportedly went ahead with King Charles III’s full permission.</p> <p dir="ltr">Footage was quickly shared across social media, and fans of the royals and music superstar alike were delighted with what they saw. </p> <p dir="ltr">“This made me cry. So wonderful!!!” one wrote. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Oh, that got me! What a fantastic thing to do,” another agreed. </p> <p dir="ltr">“A lovely tribute to Tina by the Welsh Guards! I felt happy and sad listening to it! Thank you for all the songs, Tina,” one said. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Brilliant … Bet a young Tina never would have thought her songs would be played by Guardsmen at Buckingham palace,” someone mused. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Perfect tribute for the Queen of Rock and Roll,” another declared, “she will be missed, there will only be One Tina Turner.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Simply the best! ❤️ </p> <p>At Buckingham Palace, the British Army’s <a href="https://twitter.com/WelshGuardsBand?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WelshGuardsBand</a> played a special tribute to 🇺🇸 music icon Tina Turner during the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ChangingOfTheGuard?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ChangingOfTheGuard</a> 💂‍♂️</p> <p><a href="https://t.co/LOSrsMRYMA">pic.twitter.com/LOSrsMRYMA</a></p> <p>— British Embassy Washington (@UKinUSA) <a href="https://twitter.com/UKinUSA/status/1662152963924557835?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 26, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">The tribute came less than one week after <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/tributes-flow-for-tina-turner">Tina had passed away at 83</a>, and on the back of touching words from friends, family, and fans across the globe.</p> <p dir="ltr">And the chosen song, ‘The Best’, holds a special place in the hearts of the royals - particularly for Charles’ eldest son, Prince William. </p> <p dir="ltr">In 2021, William had spoken to Apple’s Time to Walk podcast that his mother - the late Princess Diana - used to play music for himself and his brother, Harry, “to kind of while away the anxiety of going back to [boarding] school.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The song that “stuck” with him? Tina Turner’s ‘The Best’. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Because sitting in the backseat, singing away, it felt like a real family moment,” he said. “And my mother, she'd be driving along, singing at the top of her voice … And when I listen to it now, it takes me back to those car rides, and brings back lots of memories of my mother.”</p> <p dir="ltr">It was something - along with the royal tribute - that fans speculated would have meant a lot to Tina, a “resilient” woman who had <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/family-pets/rare-for-a-mother-to-say-that-tina-turner-s-heartbreaking-fear-revealed">experienced the heartache of losing loved ones</a>, too.</p> <p dir="ltr">Tina’s life had had its joy as well, from her music to her <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/tina-turner-s-husband-s-loving-act-during-her-darkest-hours">devoted husband</a>, and although the final years of her life had seen the singer engaged in a fierce battle with her own declining health, she still dedicated her time to doing what she did best - though <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/music/rare-photos-of-tina-turner-s-final-years">her appearances grew rarer as time went on</a>. </p> <p dir="ltr">And it was all of this that her fans were happy to celebrate along with the guards, in the best way anyone knew how - through music. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Twitter, Getty</em></p>

Music

Divorce led me to my true love

<p><em><strong>Over60 community member, Mary Green, 63, shares her story about how when her marriage suddenly ended after 44 years she found that it was a blessing in disguise.</strong></em></p> <p>"On the Easter weekend of 2012 I was dumped by my husband of 44 years! After a small disagreement I had gone to our holiday flat on a remote golf course outside Melbourne to work on a book fast approaching its publishing deadline. When I messaged that I would be back on Tuesday, he replied by SMS that he had changed the locks.</p> <p>I was incredulous. Marriage is often not easy, but I was about to find out just how tough I was. For the next two months I travelled gypsy style between the golf flat and the tiny new South Yarra studio my second of three sons had just moved into. I have not been inside our family home since.</p> <p>This was the situation I was in when I decided to date. At 63 I just started again. I joined three online dating sites and did not waste time. I booked to meet seven men in the next seven days, apparently breaking all the rules of being cautious and discreet. All seven men were polite and interesting. We had a coffee or met in a wine bar and I had fun, but there was no chemistry. I was just happy being free from my husband.</p> <p>During this time my husband sent my belonging to me on a truck (which I paid for) and when I was sorting through the boxes of files, a page caught my eye. It was the minutes of the golf estate owner’s corporation, and out jumped the name of a man that I had been at school with. Our sisters were best friends in those days. I checked Facebook, and there he was, with three children, seven grandchildren – but I couldn’t see a wife. A bit of messaging banter later, I asked him to ring me.</p> <p>We met up for a drink that turned into dinner and a hug that I will never forget. In my eyes he was still the handsome sporting hero that I had beaten in the high school mixed doubles tennis finals. He was not looking to date. I hoped he would just give me some lessons in online dating. He had been divorced for about 15 years and had two very long relationships with women that he had met on dating sites. He told me that my booking of seven men in seven days was breaking the rules, but also admitted that he had stacked his dates, just hours apart, in order to meet them all. By Christmas 2012 we were a couple in love.</p> <p>It’s been nearly two years since that first date and I am grateful for the internet and the coincidence that we both owned property on the same golfing estate. He plays A Grade, and I try. We are similar in so many other ways that it’s quite spooky sometimes. Our families have embraced each other and the joy of just knowing he is there helps me immensely through what has been a difficult time.</p> <p>Having worked as a support in my ex-husband’s career, and suddenly having to pay bills without a job of my own, led me to Centrelink. They said that I was too old to retrain at no cost, unless I wanted to study Aged Care – something rather peculiar in that thinking, a subsidised course in bookwork software would be more useful and help me save on accountant’s fees. In the meantime I’m setting up my own Facebook blog, called Healthy Ageing. If I can find a good man on the internet, I am optimistic about building a good lifestyle on it too."</p> <p><em>*Names have been changed</em></p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Relationships

Feed me: 4 ways to take control of social media algorithms and get the content you actually want

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/marc-cheong-998488">Marc Cheong</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a></em></p> <p>Whether it’s Facebook’s News Feed or TikTok’s For You page, social media algorithms are constantly making behind-the-scenes decisions to boost certain content – giving rise to the “curated” feeds we’ve all become accustomed to.</p> <p>But does anyone actually know how these algorithms work? And, more importantly, is there a way to “game” them to see more of the content you want?</p> <h2>Optimising for engagement</h2> <p>In broader computing terms, an algorithm is simply a set of rules that specifies a particular computational procedure.</p> <p>In a social media context, algorithms (specifically “recommender algorithms”) determine everything from what you’re likely to read, to whom you’re likely to follow, to whether a specific post appears in front of you.</p> <p>Their main goal is to <a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/2304.14679">sustain your attention</a> for as long as possible, in a process called “optimising for engagement”. The more you engage with content on a platform, the more effectively that platform can commodify your attention and target you with ads: its main revenue source.</p> <p>One of the earliest social media <a href="https://mashable.com/archive/facebook-news-feed-evolution">feed algorithms</a> came from Facebook in the mid-2000s. It can be summarised in one sentence "Sort all of the user’s friend updates – including photos, statuses and more – in reverse chronological order (newer posts first)."</p> <p>Since then, algorithms have become much more powerful and nuanced. They now take myriad factors into consideration to determine how content is promoted. For instance, Twitter’s “For You” recommendation algorithm is based on a neural network that uses <a href="https://blog.twitter.com/engineering/en_us/topics/open-source/2023/twitter-recommendation-algorithm">about 48 million parameters</a>!</p> <h2>A black box</h2> <p>Imagine a hypothetical user named Basil who follows users and pages that primarily discuss <em>space</em>, <em>dog memes</em> and <em>cooking</em>. Social media algorithms might give Basil recommendations for T-shirts featuring puppies dressed as astronauts.</p> <p>Although this might seem simple, algorithms are typically “black boxes” that have their inner workings hidden. It’s in the interests of tech companies to keep the recipe for their “secret sauce”, well, a secret.</p> <p>Trying to “game” an algorithm is like trying to solve a 3D box puzzle without any instructions and without being able to peer inside. You can only use trial-and-error – manipulating the pieces you see on the outside, and gauging the effects on the overall state of the box.</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><em><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/525271/original/file-20230510-27-qte7k8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/525271/original/file-20230510-27-qte7k8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/525271/original/file-20230510-27-qte7k8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/525271/original/file-20230510-27-qte7k8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/525271/original/file-20230510-27-qte7k8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/525271/original/file-20230510-27-qte7k8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/525271/original/file-20230510-27-qte7k8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/525271/original/file-20230510-27-qte7k8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /></a></em><figcaption><em><span class="caption">Manipulating social media algorithms isn’t impossible, but it’s still tricky due to how opaque they are.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></em></figcaption></figure> <p>Even when an algorithm’s code is revealed to the public – such as <a href="https://blog.twitter.com/en_us/topics/company/2023/a-new-era-of-transparency-for-twitter">when Twitter released</a> the source code for its recommender algorithm in March – it’s not enough to bend them to one’s will.</p> <p>Between the sheer complexity of the code, constant tweaks by developers, and the presence of arbitrary design choices (such as <a href="https://mashable.com/article/twitter-releases-algorithm-showing-it-tracks-elon-musk-tweets">explicitly tracking</a> Elon Musk’s tweets), any claims of being able to perfectly “game” an algorithm should be taken with a pinch of salt.</p> <p>TikTok’s algorithm, in particular, is notoriously powerful yet opaque. A Wall Street Journal investigation found it uses “subtle cues, such as how long you linger on a video” to predict what you’re <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/tiktok-algorithm-video-investigation-11626877477">likely to engage with</a>.</p> <h2>So what <em>can</em> you do?</h2> <p>That said, there are some ways you can try to curate your social media to serve you better.</p> <p>Since algorithms are powered by your data and social media habits, a good first step is to change these habits and data – or at least understand how they may be shaping your online experience.</p> <h1>1. Engage with content you trust and want more of</h1> <p>Regardless of the kind of feed you want to create, it’s important to follow reliable sources. Basil, who is fascinated by space, knows they would do well to follow NASA and steer clear of users who believe the Moon is made of cheese.</p> <p>Think critically about the accounts and pages you follow, asking <a href="https://guides.lib.uw.edu/research/faq/reliable">questions such as</a> <em>Who is the author of this content? Do they have authority in this topic? Might they have a bias, or an agenda?</em></p> <p>The higher the quality of the content you engage with, the more likely it is that you’ll be recommended similarly valuable content (rather than fake news or nonsense).</p> <p>Also, you can play to the ethos of “optimising for engagement” by engaging more (and for longer) with the kind of content you want to be recommended. That means liking and sharing it, and actively seeking out similar posts.</p> <h1>2. Be stingy with your information</h1> <p>Secondly, you can be parsimonious in providing your data to platforms. Social media companies know more about you than you think – from your location, to your perceived interests, to your activities outside the app, and even the activities and interests of your social circle!</p> <p>If you limit the information you provide about yourself, you limit the extent to which the algorithm can target you. It helps to keep your different social media accounts unlinked, and to avoid using the “Login with Facebook” or “Login with Google” options when signing up for a new account.</p> <h1>3. Use your settings</h1> <p>Adjusting your <a href="https://www.consumerreports.org/privacy/facebook-privacy-settings-a1775535782/">privacy and personalisation settings</a> will further help you avoid being microtargeted through your feed.</p> <p>The “Off-Facebook Activity” <a href="https://www.kaspersky.com.au/blog/what-is-off-facebook-activity/28925/">setting</a> allows you to break the link between your Facebook account and your activities outside of Facebook. Similar options exist for <a href="https://support.tiktok.com/en/account-and-privacy/account-privacy-settings">TikTok</a> and <a href="https://help.twitter.com/en/resources/how-you-can-control-your-privacy">Twitter</a>.</p> <p>Ad blockers and privacy-enhancing browser add-ons can also help. These tools, such as the open-source <a href="https://ublockorigin.com/">uBlock Origin</a> and <a href="https://privacybadger.org/">Privacy Badger</a>, help prevent cookies and marketing pixels from “following” your browsing habits as you move between social media and other websites.</p> <h1>4. Get (dis)engaged</h1> <p>A final piece of advice is to simply disengage with content you don’t want in your feed. This means:</p> <ul> <li>ignoring any posts you aren’t a fan of, or “hiding” them if possible</li> <li>taking mindful breaks to avoid “<a href="https://theconversation.com/doomscrolling-is-literally-bad-for-your-health-here-are-4-tips-to-help-you-stop-190059">doomscrolling</a>”</li> <li>regularly revising who you follow, and making sure this list coincides with what you want from your feed.</li> </ul> <p>So, hypothetically, could Basil unfollow all users and pages unrelated to <em>space</em>, <em>dog memes</em> and <em>cooking</em> to ultimately starve the recommender algorithm of potential ways to distract them?</p> <p>Well, not exactly. Even if they do this, the algorithm won’t necessarily “forget” all their data: it might still exist in caches or backups. Because of how complex and pervasive algorithms are, you can’t guarantee control over them.</p> <p>Nonetheless, you shouldn’t let tech giants’ bottom line dictate how you engage with social media. By being aware of how algorithms work, what they’re capable of and what their purpose is, you can make the shift from being a sitting duck for advertisers to an active curator of your own feeds.</p> <figure class="align-center "><em><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/498128/original/file-20221129-22-imtnz0.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/498128/original/file-20221129-22-imtnz0.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=115&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/498128/original/file-20221129-22-imtnz0.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=115&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/498128/original/file-20221129-22-imtnz0.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=115&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/498128/original/file-20221129-22-imtnz0.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=144&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/498128/original/file-20221129-22-imtnz0.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=144&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/498128/original/file-20221129-22-imtnz0.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=144&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /></em><figcaption></figcaption></figure> <p><em>The Conversation is commissioning articles by academics across the world who are researching how society is being shaped by our digital interactions with each other. <a href="https://theconversation.com/uk/topics/social-media-and-society-125586">Read more here</a><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/204374/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></em></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/marc-cheong-998488">Marc Cheong</a>, Senior Lecturer of Information Systems, School of Computing and Information Systems; and (Honorary) Senior Fellow, Melbourne Law School, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</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/feed-me-4-ways-to-take-control-of-social-media-algorithms-and-get-the-content-you-actually-want-204374">original article</a>.</em></p>

Technology

"Makes me vomit": Richard Dreyfuss slams new Hollywood diversity laws

<p>Richard Dreyfuss has taken a stand against new diversity laws that will come into affect at next year's Oscars, saying the new rules make him "vomit".</p> <p>The legendary actor condemned the change to the standards, claiming the laws are trying to legislate people's feelings. </p> <p>Appearing on PBS show <em>Firing Line with Margaret Hoover</em>, a fired-up Dreyfuss said, “This is an art form. It’s also a form of commerce, and it makes money. But it’s an art.”</p> <p>“And no one should be telling me as an artist that I have to give in to the latest, most current idea of what morality is.”</p> <p>Mr Dreyfuss, who famously played Matt Hooper in the 1975 horror film <em>Jaws</em>, went on to say that minorities should not be "catered to" in the arts, but rather awards given based on merit.</p> <p>“What are we risking? Are we really risking hurting people’s feelings? You can’t legislate that. And– you have to let life be life. And I’m sorry, I don’t think that there is a minority or a majority in the country that has to be catered to like that,” he said.</p> <p>With the rules set to come into effect in 2024, a film will have to meet certain diversity and inclusion standards in four different categories set out by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to be considered for “Best Picture” at the Oscars.</p> <p>The categories, each pertaining to different aspects of a movie’s production, would require new diversity measures to be met through “On-screen Representation,” “Creative Leadership and Project Team,” “Industry Access and Opportunities,” and “Audience Advancement.”</p> <p>“On-screen Representation” is classified as at least one lead character from an under-represented racial or ethnic group, which the Academy defines as women, people of colour, people who identify as LGBTQ+ or people with disabilities, with the new standards meant to encourage diversity on and off the screen.</p> <p>Dreyfuss continued his rant about the new standards, saying the rules will limit what roles actors are able to take, and simply described outdated racist ideals as forms of "art".</p> <p>“Am I being told that I will never have a chance to play a black man? Is someone else being told that if they’re not Jewish, they shouldn’t play the Merchant of Venice? Are we crazy? Do we not know that art is art? This is so patronising. It’s so thoughtless, and treating people like children.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Movies

“It pains me”: Tennis star shares sad news

<p dir="ltr">Emma Raducanu has revealed that she will have to miss the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open, as she undergoes three “minor” surgeries on both of her hands and left ankle.</p> <p dir="ltr">The twenty-year-old posted the update to Instagram on Wednesday, revealing that she has kept the severity of her injuries private for some time.</p> <p dir="ltr">Raducanu shared a snap from her hospital bed with a cast on her right hand, after undergoing the first of her three planned procedures.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It is safe to say the last 10 months have been difficult as I dealt with a recurring injury on a bone of both hands,” she wrote in the handwritten statement.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I tried my best to manage the pain and play through it most of this year and end of last year by reducing practice load dramatically, missing weeks of training as well as cutting last season short to try heal it, unfortunately it’s not enough.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’m disappointed to share that I will be out for the next few months and while I am at it will have another minor procedure that is due on my ankle.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It pains me that I will miss the summer events and I tried to downplay the issues so I thank all my fans who continued to support me when you did not know the facts.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“Looking forward to seeing you all back out there,” she ended the note with a hand drawn heart.</p> <p dir="ltr">The 2021 US Open champion has been struggling with a string of injuries as she tried to adjust to the demands of being a professional tennis player.</p> <p dir="ltr">Her most recent hand injury forced her to withdraw from the Billie Jean King Cup finals at the end of the last year. At the beginning of this year, she rolled her ankle mid-match in a tournament in Auckland.</p> <p dir="ltr">Raducanu is set to have the operation on her left hand this month after getting surgery for her left ankle in the coming weeks.</p> <p dir="ltr">She hopes to train on the tennis court again by the end of the summer, but her team has refused to predict an exact return date.</p> <p dir="ltr">Many fans and fellow tennis players have commented their support and well wishes for the star.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Rest up, Emma, and come back stronger 💜💚,” commented the official Wimbledon Instagram account.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Speedy recovery ❤️,” wrote Ukrainian tennis player, Marta Kostyuk.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Surgery is never nice, always a little scary, well done,” commented one person.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Get well soon Emma and you have many fans around the world supporting you and having your back,” wrote another.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Get well soon Emma!, we will be waiting for you when the moment is right, wishing you the best,” commented a third.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Instagram</em></p>

News

Readers respond: What did someone do on a plane that made you say "You've gotta be kidding me"?

<p>We've all encountered our fair share of difficult fellow passengers when travelling, but these people took it to the next level. </p> <p>We asked our readers what the worst thing a fellow plane passenger has done, and here's what they said. </p> <p><strong>Carolyn Korlaki</strong> - It seems that every time I get on a flight the person in front of me puts their seat right back. Makes it very hard to read, eat, watch a movie, very annoying.....</p> <p><strong>Jan Ceeney</strong> - Person next to me in the window seat pulled the shade down for the whole trip. I couldn’t see anything. My first plane trip! Very disappointing.</p> <p><strong>Sue Robson</strong> - Recently flew with hubby to Asia. Me window seat, hubby middle and gentleman on end. The guy proceeded to to eat egg sandwiches he brought with him then spent the entire flight farting. It was horrendously bad.</p> <p><strong>Jennifer Pearce</strong> - Parents putting their children in seats behind there's then going to sleep and leaving their frightened child coughing and crying all night. Parents should split up and sit with their own children on 13 hour flights.</p> <p><strong>Joy Bollmeyer</strong> - A huge over weight man shirt undone then unzipped his trousers, adjusted himself then sat down with everything still undone!</p> <p><strong>Kathleen Black</strong> - Flight from Sydney to Doha a child kicked the back of my chair the whole way…..I couldn’t contain myself so I had something to say. And that was in business class!</p> <p><strong>Pip Minikin</strong> - Got her nail polish out and painted her nails.</p> <p><strong>Denis Davis</strong> - Passenger beside me talking on the phone while taking off.</p> <p><strong>Michael Baker</strong> - Gave me Covid. </p> <p><strong>Jo Bolland</strong> - Sitting next to a Korean couple, he put his head on her lap and she popped his pimples. He hawked and spat and helped himself to anything he fancied from her tray.</p> <p><strong>Dot Turner</strong> - I usually had the same kicking of seats on flight, not from children, but from adults who are arrogant and should know better. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p>

Travel Trouble

“I can finally see a new me”: Bindi Irwin shares update on difficult diagnosis

<p dir="ltr">Bindi Irwin has taken to social media to assure her supporters that she is on a journey to “better health” one week after revealing her endometriosis diagnosis. </p> <p dir="ltr">The Australian sweetheart shared a picture of herself sitting up in bed, smiling, with a beautiful bouquet of red roses in her arms. For her caption, Bindi stated that she was in the process of healing, and then took the opportunity to thank her followers for their “kind words and stories of strength” from their own endometriosis experiences. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I can finally see a new me on the journey towards better health,” she said. “I can’t wait to be able to focus all my energy on our family.”</p> <p dir="ltr">In true Irwin fashion, Bindi mentioned “the conservation work we are so passionate about”, and sent her “love and light” out to everyone reading. </p> <p dir="ltr">Seven days prior, <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/how-did-you-live-with-this-much-pain-bindi-irwin-hospitalised">Bindi had thanked friends, family, and fans alike</a> for “for encouraging me to find answers when I thought I’d never climb out. Thank you to the doctors & nurses who believed my pain. I’m on the road to recovery & the gratitude I feel is overwhelming.”</p> <p dir="ltr">And now, the wildlife warrior - and ‘endo warrior’ - received a fresh flood of encouragement and support for this next phase of her health journey, with many delighted to hear that the 24-year-old was taking the time to focus on her 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/Cpxpeh1OrOg/?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/Cpxpeh1OrOg/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Bindi Irwin (@bindisueirwin)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“Good, get plenty of rest and feel better soon. Thank you so much for spreading so much awareness for us endo warriors,” wrote one fan. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Take all the time and healing you need, you’re such a strong person Bindi and so many people like myself look up to you and love the things you do in life,” said one. “You just keep focussing on yourself and your little family of yours and take each day at a time.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“So glad you're using this time for physical and emotional healing. You are [a] true light in this world,” wrote another. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Continue to rest up and think of yourself and your healing, which can be hard as a mum right?” said English TV personality Jo Frost, before adding “the hubby and the family got the little one, all good. Speedy recovery you darling.” </p> <p dir="ltr">“Bindi you are an inspiration to every woman who follows you,” one follower told her. “Your Dad and Mum had the joy of seeing you grow strong and courageous. I believe you are a beautiful treasure for your fans. God bless you honey and your family.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Meanwhile, one fan struggled to understand how it had taken so long for Bindi - who had shared how she’d been struggling for a decade - to be diagnosed with the condition, writing “Not sure what Dr's are thinking today or doing today...it shouldn't take this long for a diagnosis....”</p> <p dir="ltr">“These last 10yrs have included many tests, doctors visits, scans, etc.,” Bindi wrote in her original post. “A doctor told me it was simply something you deal with as a woman & I gave up entirely, trying to function through the pain.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Doctors often struggle to offer a formal diagnosis as symptoms can be varied, reflect other underlying health issues, and come with great periods of time between symptoms starting - or being noticed - and reaching out for help. </p> <p dir="ltr">But for many in the comments, Bindi sharing her story is a reminder and encouragement for people to continue to advocate for their bodies, and to always fight to get the help they need.</p> <p dir="ltr">As one follower said, referencing the endo journeys of those close to her, “ it’s not a nice disease! It’s crazy how prevalent it is yet still not well understood. Thank you for sharing your experience with us! Wishing you love and healing, Bindi!!”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Caring

Is menopause making me put on weight? No, but it’s complicated

<p>It’s a question people ask often: does menopause cause weight gain?</p> <p>Women commonly put on weight as they enter menopause. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8569454/">Research</a> shows women aged 46-57 gain an average of <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11910598/">2.1kg over five years</a>.</p> <p>But like many things related to weight, all is not what it seems, and the relationship between menopause and weight gain is not straightforward.</p> <p>Here’s everything you need to know about menopausal weight gain and what you can do about it.</p> <h2>What typically happens to women’s bodies during menopause?</h2> <p>Menopause marks the natural end of the reproductive stage of a woman’s life. It officially starts when a woman has not menstruated for <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0140673698053525">12 months</a>, and most women reach menopause between the ages of <a href="https://academic.oup.com/ije/article/43/5/1542/695928?login=false">45 and 55</a>, but it can happen much earlier or later.</p> <p>The transition to menopause, however, typically starts four years prior, with perimenopause marking the time when a woman’s ovaries start slowing down, producing less oestrogen and progesterone. Eventually, these hormone levels fall to a point at which the ovaries stop releasing eggs and menstruation stops.</p> <p>The symptoms associated with the menopausal transition are many and varied, and can include irregular periods, breast pain, vaginal dryness, hot flashes, night sweats, fatigue, difficulty sleeping, and changes in mood and libido.</p> <h2>So does menopause cause weight gain?</h2> <p>The short answer is no. But it’s complicated.</p> <p>When it comes to menopause and weight, it’s weight redistribution – not weight gain – that is actually a symptom. <a href="https://www.ajog.org/article/S0002-9378(19)30588-5/fulltext">Research</a> has confirmed menopause is linked to an increase in belly fat but not an increase in overall weight.</p> <p>This is because the hormonal changes experienced during menopause only prompt a change in <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0002937896701114">where the body stores fat</a>, making women’s stomachs and <a href="https://www.ajog.org/article/S0002-9378(19)30588-5/fulltext">waists</a> more prone to weight gain. <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10702775/">Research</a> shows visceral fat (deep belly fat) increases by nearly 50% in postmenopausal women, compared with premenopausal women.</p> <p>It’s also important to recognise some menopause symptoms may indirectly contribute to weight gain:</p> <ul> <li> <p>sleep issues can lead to sleep deprivation, disturbing the body’s <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/oby.23616">appetite hormones</a>, increasing feelings of hunger and triggering food cravings</p> </li> <li> <p>some mood changes can activate the body’s stress responses, increasing the production of the hormone cortisol, promoting fat storage and triggering unhealthy food cravings. Mood can also impact the motivation to exercise</p> </li> <li> <p>fatigue, breast pain and hot flushes can make physical activity challenging or uncomfortable, also impacting the ability to exercise.</p> </li> </ul> <h2>The truth? Ageing is the real cause of menopausal weight gain</h2> <p>You read that right – the weight gain often associated with menopause is a <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1568163709000415">byproduct of ageing</a>.</p> <p>As the body ages, it stops working as efficiently. It experiences an involuntary loss of muscle mass – referred to as <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0070215305680052">sarcopenia</a> – and fat levels begin to increase.</p> <p>Because muscle mass helps determine the body’s metabolic rate (how much energy the body burns at rest), when we lose muscle, the body starts to burn fewer calories at rest.</p> <p>Ageing also means dealing with other health issues that can make weight management more complex. For example, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK537590/">medications</a> can impact how the body functions, and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3529154/">arthritis</a> and general aches and pains can impact mobility and the ability to exercise.</p> <p>In short – the body’s ageing process and changing physicality is the real reason women experience menopause weight gain.</p> <h2>It’s not just weight gain</h2> <p>While menopause doesn’t make you put on weight, it can increase a woman’s risk of other serious health conditions.</p> <p>The redistributed weight that leads to more fat being carried in the belly can have long-term effects. Belly fat that lies deep within the abdominal cavity (visceral fat) is an especially unhealthy fat because it’s stored close to the organs. People with a high amount of visceral fat have a <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1464-5491.2011.03503.x">higher risk</a> of stroke, type 2 diabetes and heart disease than people who hold body fat around their hips.</p> <p>The reduction in the amount of oestrogen produced by the ovaries during menopause also increases a woman’s risk of heart disease and stroke. This is because oestrogen helps keep <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2637768/">blood vessels dilated</a> – relaxed and open – to help keep cholesterol down. Without it, bad cholesterol can start to build up in the arteries.</p> <p>Lower oestrogen can also result in a loss of bone mass, putting women at <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1297264/">greater risk of osteoporosis</a> and more prone to bone fractures and breaks.</p> <h2>The bottom line: can we prevent weight gain during menopause?</h2> <p>Menopause itself does not cause weight gain; it unfortunately just occurs during a stage of life when other factors are likely to. The good news is weight gain associated with ageing is not inevitable, and there are many things women can do to avoid weight gain and health risks as they age and experience menopause.</p> <p>Start with these six steps:</p> <ol> <li> <p>incorporate daily exercise into your routine, with a mixture of intensities and variety of exercises, <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/topics/physical-activity-and-exercise/physical-activity-and-exercise-guidelines-for-all-australians">including body-strengthening exercises</a> twice a week</p> </li> <li> <p>stop dieting. Dieting drives up the weight your body will strive to return to (your “<a href="https://theconversation.com/whats-the-weight-set-point-and-why-does-it-make-it-so-hard-to-keep-weight-off-195724">set point</a>”), so you’ll end up heavier than before you began. You’ll also slow down your metabolism with each diet you follow</p> </li> <li> <p>curb your sugar cravings naturally. Every time you feel an urge to eat something sugary or fatty, reach for nature first – fruits, honey, nuts, seeds and avocado are a few suitable examples. These foods release the same feelgood chemicals in the brain as processed and fast food do, and leave us feeling full</p> </li> <li> <p>create positive habits to minimise comfort-eating. Instead of unwinding in the afternoon or evening on the couch, go for a walk, work on a hobby or try something new</p> </li> <li> <p>eat slowly and away from distractions to reduce the quantity of food consumed mindlessly. Use an oyster fork, a child’s fork or chopsticks to slow down your eating</p> </li> <li> <p>switch off your technology for a minimum of one hour before bed to improve sleep quality.</p> </li> </ol> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/is-menopause-making-me-put-on-weight-no-but-its-complicated-198308" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. </em></p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Body

"Who wants me around?" Sarah Ferguson's hilarious Coronation response

<p>Sarah Ferguson has joked about being invited to King Charles' Coronation in May, claiming she hasn't received an invitation. </p> <p>While in New York to promote her new book, titled <em>A Most Intriguing Lady</em>, a question came from the audience if she was planning to attend the royal event, given some members of the royal family, including Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, had already received their email invites.</p> <p>"TBD [to be determined]," she said before asking, "The invitations haven't gone out yet. Have they?"</p> <p>After a murmured response from the crowd, the Duchess quipped that her invitation could be waiting for her at home. </p> <p>"I'm travelling at the moment, so maybe it [invitation] has gone to another place," she said to host and <em>Glamour</em> magazine editor Samantha Barry.</p> <p>"The invitations haven't gone out yet, so I don't know if I'm going to be there because, you know, who wants me around," she joked.</p> <p>Fergie also joked about other grand plans she may have for the big day if she doesn't make it to Westminster Abbey. </p> <p>"Well I've decided the best thing about being British around a coronation - although I've never been to one - I think we should, I should set up a tea room at the bottom of the drive with bunting and cakes," she said.</p> <p>When asked if she had any advice for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who have received their invitation but are yet to announce if they'll attend amid the deepening family rift, Fergie said she aimed to "lead by example" to the young royals.</p> <p>"I think the best way to answer that is to really take hold and lead by example," she said.</p> <p>"I wouldn't give advice, I would say that your actions speak louder than words."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Family & Pets

Is my medicine making me feel hotter this summer? 5 reasons why

<p>If you’re really feeling the heat this summer, it might be down to more than the temperature outside.</p> <p>Some types of medicines can increase your core body temperature or make you feel hotter than you really are. Some can affect your body’s ability to cool down.</p> <p>Here’s what you need to know about heat intolerance and medicines.</p> <h2>What is heat intolerance?</h2> <p>Some people simply dislike the feeling of feeling hot, while others feel hot at temperatures most people find comfortable. Both are examples of <a href="https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325232#symptoms">heat intolerance</a>.</p> <p>Typical symptoms during warm weather include excessive sweating (or not sweating enough), exhaustion and fatigue, nausea, vomiting or dizziness, and changes in mood.</p> <p>A number of factors can cause heat intolerance.</p> <p>This includes the disorder <a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/6004-dysautonomia">dysautonomia</a>, which affects people’s autonomic nervous system – the part of the body that regulates the automatic functions of the body, including our response to heat. </p> <p>Conditions such as diabetes, alcohol misuse, <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-causes-parkinsons-disease-what-we-know-dont-know-and-suspect-57579">Parkinson’s disease</a>, the autoimmune disease <a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-is-guillain-barre-syndrome-and-is-it-caused-by-the-zika-virus-53884">Guillain-Barré syndrome</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-are-mitochondria-and-how-did-we-come-to-have-them-83106">mitochondrial disease</a> can cause dysautonomia. People in old age, those with some neurological conditions, or people less physically fit may also have it.</p> <p>But importantly, medications can also contribute to heat intolerance.</p> <h2>1. Your body temperature rises</h2> <p>Some medicines directly increase your body temperature, which then increases the risk of heat intolerance. </p> <p>These include <a href="https://bpspubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/bph.15465">stimulant medications</a> to treat ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), such as methylphenidate, dexamfetamine and lisdexamfetamine.</p> <p><a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/antipsychotic-medications">Antipsychotic medications</a> (such as clozapine, olanzapine and quetiapine) used to treat mental health conditions, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, are other examples. </p> <p>These ADHD and antipsychotic medicines raise your temperature by acting on the hypothalamus, the region of the brain essential for cooling.</p> <p>The drug levothyroxine, used to treat an under-active thyroid, also increases your body temperature, this time by <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK500006/">increasing your metabolism</a>.</p> <h2>2. Your blood flow is affected</h2> <p>Other medicines constrict (tighten) blood vessels, decreasing blood flow to the skin, and so prevent heat from escaping this way. This means your body can’t regulate its temperature as well in the heat. </p> <p>Examples include <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/beta-blockers">beta-blockers</a> (such as metoprolol, atenolol and propranolol). These medications are used to treat conditions such as high blood pressure, angina (a type of chest pain), tachycardia (fast heart rate), heart failure, and to prevent migraines. </p> <p><a href="https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/decongestants/">Decongestants</a> for blocked noses (for example, pseudoephedrine and phenylephrine), triptans for migraines (such as sumatriptan and zolmitriptan) and the ADHD medications mentioned earlier can also act to decrease blood flow to the skin.</p> <h2>3. You can get dehydrated</h2> <p>Other medicines can cause dehydration, which then makes you more susceptible to heat intolerance. The best examples are <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/in-depth/diuretics/art-20048129">diuretics</a> such as furosemide, hydrochlorothiazide, acetazolamide and aldosterone.</p> <p>These are used to control high blood pressure and heart failure by forcing your kidneys to remove more fluid from your body. </p> <p>Laxatives, such as senna extract and bisacodyl, also remove water from your body and so have a similar effect.</p> <h2>4. You can sweat less</h2> <p>Other medicines have a drying effect. This can be needed for medicines to do their job (for instance, to dry up a runny nose). For others, it is an unwanted side effect. </p> <p>This drying reduces the amount you sweat, making it harder to lose heat and regulate your core temperature. A number of medicines have these effects, including:</p> <ul> <li>some antihistamines (such as promethazine, doxylamine and diphenhydramine)</li> <li>certain antidepressants (such as amitriptyline, clomipramine and dothiepin)</li> <li>medicines used to treat <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/urinary-incontinence#:%7E:text=Urinary%20incontinence%2C%20or%20poor%20bladder%20control%2C%20is%20very%20common%20in,to%20cure%20or%20improve%20it.">urinary incontinence</a> (for example, oxybutynin and solifenacin) </li> <li>nausea medicine (prochlorperazine)</li> <li>medicines for stomach cramps and spasms (for instance, hyoscine) </li> <li>the antipsychoptics chlorpromazine, olanzapine, quetiapine and clozapine.</li> </ul> <h2>5. You don’t feel thirsty</h2> <p>Finally, some medicines, such as the antipsychotics haloperidol and droperidol, can aggravate heat intolerance by reducing your ability to feel thirsty. </p> <p>If you don’t feel thirsty, you drink less and are therefore at risk of dehydration and feeling hot.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/is-my-medicine-making-me-feel-hotter-this-summer-5-reasons-why-199085" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. </em></p>

Body

"Please believe me": Roger Federer refused entry into Wimbledon

<p>After being refused entry to Wimbledon, Roger Federer has been forced to boast about his tennis achievements to a security guard. </p> <p>Speaking with Trevor Noah on <em>The Daily Show</em>, the tennis champion shared the details of the incident that happened in November, where he was refused entry into the prestigious All England Lawn Tennis Club. </p> <p>Despite winning the major tournament a whopping eight times throughout his glittering career, the 20-time Grand Slam winner says he was initially turned away at the entrance gate.</p> <p>“I drive up to the gate where usually guests would come in. So I get out, and I tell my coach who was with me, ‘I’ll quickly go out and speak to the security lady. I got this,’” he recalls.</p> <p>“So then I get out and I’m like, ‘Hello I was wondering how I could get into Wimbledon?’ She asked if I had a membership card. When you win Wimbledon, you become a member automatically. And honestly I don’t know about membership cards, they are probably at home somewhere and I’ve just been travelling so I had no idea.”</p> <p>“I told her, ‘No I don’t have my membership card, but I am a member. I’m just wondering where I can get in,’” he told the guard, however his plea fell on deaf ears.</p> <p>“I’m like, ‘No, I am a member and normally when I’m here, I’m playing. And now it’s the first time the tournament is not on and I’m here.’"</p> <p>“I look at her in a panic one last time, and say, ‘I’m so sorry but I have won this tournament eight times, please, believe me, I am a member,’” he added.</p> <p>After an unsuccessful attempt at gaining access to the club, Federer decided to try another gate on the opposite side, where he was instantly recognised by another guard.</p> <p>He told the host, “The security guard standing there says, ‘Oh my god, Mr. Federer what are you doing here? Do you have your membership card? I said I don’t, but the security guard let me in and organised it all.”</p> <p>The tennis legend said after he finally gained access, he ended up having tea with the Wimbledon chairman for an hour.</p> <p>“And I thought of going over to the other side and giving the other security guard a wave, but I didn’t do it,” he said.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Travel Trouble

"I’m the problem, it’s me": Why do musicians revisit their pain and doubt in their art?

<p>Taylor Swift’s latest album <em>Midnights</em> launched with the single <em><a href="https://youtu.be/b1kbLwvqugk">Anti-Hero</a>.</em> Anti-heroes in fiction are dark, complex characters who may question their moral compass but are ultimately trying to be led by their good intentions. Perhaps most humans feel like we are all anti-heroes lacking the right amount of courage, idealism, and morality – wanting to be heroic but struggling through familiar dark places. </p> <p>In <em>Anti-Hero</em>, Taylor shares emotional rawness and sings “It’s me, hi, I’m the problem, it’s me … everybody agrees.”</p> <p>“I don’t think I’ve delved this far into my insecurities in this detail before,” Swift said about the song in a video <a href="https://ew.com/music/taylor-swift-midnights-anti-hero-meaning/">on Instagram</a>. “I struggle a lot with the idea that my life has become unmanageably sized and, not to sound too dark, I struggle with the idea of not feeling like a person.”</p> <p>Taylor’s album reveals her struggle with her own insecurities and maybe common universal human emotions that everyone struggles to face. In <em>Labyrinth</em>, for example, she sings about heartbreak, and more specifically, the fear of falling in love again: "It only feels this raw right now Lost in the labyrinth of my mind Break up, break free, break through, break down."</p> <p>Much of the new album, and Swift’s discography in general, often revisits past heartbreaks, disappointments, and insecurities. Swift has talked about how <em>Midnights</em> is an album devoted to the kinds of soul-searching thoughts we have in the middle of the night.</p> <p>“This is a collection of music written in the middle of the night, a journey through terrors and sweet dreams,” Swift wrote. “The floors we pace and the demons we face. For all of us who have tossed and turned and decided to keep the lanterns lit and go searching — hoping that just maybe, when the clock strikes twelve… we’ll meet ourselves.”</p> <h2>Music and pain</h2> <p>Music has the potential to change our experience of intrusive thoughts and how we deal with pain. At an extreme level, when we revisit past traumatic experiences, we are often in danger of triggering a <a href="https://www.verywellmind.com/the-four-fear-responses-fight-flight-freeze-and-fawn-5205083">feared response</a>, that manifests as either fight/flight/freeeze or fawn, that can often re-traumatise individuals. </p> <p>When we identify with a song that expresses similar struggles to what we are experiencing we feel understood and not judged. Clinical psychologist <a href="https://janinafisher.com/pdfs/trauma.pdf">Dr Janina Fisher</a> has proposed that distancing ourselves from pain helps humans survive, yet an ongoing “self-alientation” of parts of ourselves that carries fear or shame lead to a disowning of self – the bad parts that Taylor relates to as being the things she hates about herself which causes a further suppression of feelings that can create further psychological distress.</p> <p>Expression is central to releasing emotion and connecting to music may be the key that allows the disowned parts of self to be re-integrated by expressing them in a new way. Music provides a creative outlet to re-script a new story of survival of the fear of the past with a renewed ability to see to the good things again in life. </p> <p>Musicians often imbue grief and trauma in their lyrics and melodies as autobiographical reflections into their art as a way of working through complex emotions and feelings - and by doing so, enlighten the listener to work through their own pain.</p> <h2>Music and connection</h2> <p>Music seems to be a way for music lovers to connect with artists stories of tragedy, which allows their own traumatic or painful memories to become more comfortably <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-1-4899-1280-0_2">integrated</a> and accepted. </p> <p>Durham University studied 2,436 people within the United Kingdom and Finland to explore the reasons why we listen to sad music. Research suggested that music is a way that people regulate their mood, pleasure and pain. Professor Tuomas Eerola, Professor of Music Cognition in the Department of Music said “<a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/06/160614155914.htm">previous research</a> in music psychology and film studies has emphasised the puzzling pleasure that people experience when engaging with tragic art.” </p> <p>The depth of loathing that Taylor taps into in <em>Anti-Hero</em> also affirms our own experience.</p> <p>It’s self confirming. Engaging with trauma in art allows us to rewrite the outcome from being victims of our circumstances to victors. We are either consumers or creators. </p> <h2>Mental health and music</h2> <p>As the <a href="https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/major-themes/health-and-well-being">World Health Organisation</a> states “there is no health without mental health”. </p> <p>A musician’s writing about trauma is a way of increasing mental health - of searching for understanding of themselves through self-reflection, it changes old thinking patterns and provides a new perspective and ways of thinking about themselves and others that can often <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2804629/">heal emotional wounds</a>.</p> <p>Like telling your story through a <a href="https://www.apa.org/ptsd-guideline/treatments/narrative-exposure-therapy">trauma narrative</a>, music can help reduce its emotional impact. Music is a universal language that gives you the chance to be a protagonist in your life story, to see yourself as living through it heroically. </p> <p>Psychologists understand that the quickest way to understanding someone is through their wounds, and musicians too understand this power of music to comfort, console, encourage and exhort themselves and other broken hearts. </p> <p>Humans need to feel safe and in connection with others for survival, and music is the language that activates <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.191355898">pleasure centres in the brain</a> and communicates <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2003-99991-007">powerful emotions</a>. </p> <p>If trauma causes distress to the brain and body and <a href="https://www.apa.org/ptsd-guideline/treatments/narrative-exposure-therapy">music enhances</a> psychological wellbeing, improves mood, emotions, reduces pain, anxiety, depression, and chronic stress, music has the potential to alleviate chronic disease and pain. </p> <p>Music is a vehicle that gathers strength from distress, and helps you grow brave by reflections and maybe the anti-hero’s and insecurities recreated through music may be the treasures found in darkness that we may not have seen in the light.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/im-the-problem-its-me-why-do-musicians-revisit-their-pain-and-doubt-in-their-art-193528" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. </em></p>

Music

“There was a hole inside of me”: Rebecca Gibney's secret struggles

<p dir="ltr">TV star Rebecca Gibney has opened up about her mental health, revealing she has battled with crippling panic attacks.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Kiwi actress spoke about her struggles during Monday’s episode of <em>This Is Your Life</em>, saying her mental health began to falter in the 1990s when she was rising to fame and her marriage to musician Irwin Thomas broke down.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It was pretty tough,” she told the program.</p> <p dir="ltr">“And that was the hard thing, you do put on a front. My career was going great guns.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I just couldn't verbalise there was a hole inside of me and I was tumbling into it."</p> <p dir="ltr">The <em>Packed to the Rafters</em> star said that at one point she was having 15 panic attacks a day, and recalled one of her lowest moments on a flight from France to Australia on which she said she needed five Valium to “survive”.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I had anxiety attack after anxiety attack. I was in such a hole, and I thought I'm not going to make it," she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I was struggling, and I couldn't verbalise what was wrong. I just knew there was a hole inside me and it was getting bigger and bigger, and I was tumbling into it.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I didn't even tell Mum, I couldn't even tell my family, because I couldn't explain it.</p> <p dir="ltr">"It's so important that now, people talk about their struggles. Because if you get the help, you can get through it.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Now I know that if I start to slide into that pit, I know that there's a way out of it."</p> <p dir="ltr">The 57-year-old credits therapy for helping in her recovery.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-58e7b796-7fff-eab8-667a-e0031a7b6340">Following the airing of Gibney’s episode of <em>This Is Your Life</em>, the actress took to Instagram to thank those involved and described it as a “joyous and humbling experience”.</span></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/CkoYi8TBQkK/?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/CkoYi8TBQkK/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Rebecca Gibney (@rebeccagibney_)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“So much laughter, so many tears,” she wrote, sharing a collection of snaps from the show.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Thank you to all the beautiful people that showed up on the night and continue to show up in my life. I was blown away by the love - such a joyous and humbling experience.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Host Melissa Doyle also took to social media both to praise Gibney, describing her as “one of the world’s loveliest people”, and shared how the star was told she would be on the show.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-2f54a39c-7fff-3060-fc51-41c74782b608"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“The surprise is always the best part! We sprung @rebeccagibney_ in stunning New Zealand, on the set of ‘Under the Vines’,” Doyle 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-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Ckpnq5wrPmz/?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/Ckpnq5wrPmz/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Melissa Doyle (@melissadoyleofficial)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“I hid in the lighting truck waiting for the low-loader with her car on the back to arrive. To say she was surprised is an under statement (sic)!</p> <p dir="ltr">“Rebecca is truly one of the world’s loveliest people. The applause on set from her colleagues is testament to how much she is loved.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-839cbd24-7fff-55a7-89e6-a7f9dd273fbc"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: @rebeccagibney_ (Instagram)</em></p>

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News

Shop

Catalogues

Travel

Health

Lifestyle

Finance

Entertainment

Property

Information

Keep up to date

Search

"Reduced me to tears": King Charles' candid admission

“Update me about the divorce”: Groom blasted for terrible wedding vows

Do blue-light glasses really work? Can they reduce eye strain or help me sleep?

What is ‘budget Ozempic’ that’s all over social media? Can it help me lose weight?

Why is a messy house such an anxiety trigger for me and what can I do about it?

“I don’t have that in me at this moment”: Christina Applegate's sad announcement

“It means the world to me”: Harrison Ford’s emotional take on final Indiana Jones film

"This made me cry": Royal guard's stunning Tina Turner tribute

Divorce led me to my true love

Feed me: 4 ways to take control of social media algorithms and get the content you actually want

"Makes me vomit": Richard Dreyfuss slams new Hollywood diversity laws

“It pains me”: Tennis star shares sad news

Readers respond: What did someone do on a plane that made you say "You've gotta be kidding me"?

“I can finally see a new me”: Bindi Irwin shares update on difficult diagnosis

Is menopause making me put on weight? No, but it’s complicated

"Who wants me around?" Sarah Ferguson's hilarious Coronation response

Is my medicine making me feel hotter this summer? 5 reasons why

"Please believe me": Roger Federer refused entry into Wimbledon

"I’m the problem, it’s me": Why do musicians revisit their pain and doubt in their art?

“There was a hole inside of me”: Rebecca Gibney's secret struggles

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