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How to fall asleep without sleeping pills: 7 natural sleep aids that actually work

It’s 3am and you’re suddenly wide awake. Try these seven science-backed strategies to fall back to sleep fast. Give meditation a try As a mindfulness coach, I’m very aware of the day-to-day anxieties and worries that can interfere with a good night’s sleep. One of the most effective natural sleep aids is a quick meditation session to ease yourself out of those stresses. If you’ve never meditated before, you’ll likely find the meditation interrupted by thoughts flashing through your mind. It’s important for you to know that this isn’t a failure on your part, and that you aren’t doing anything wrong. Thinking is just what the brain does, as naturally as lungs take in air. The point is to be non-judgmental yet aware of your thoughts, bodily experiences and breath, moment by moment. Stop wanting to fall asleep It’s counterintuitive, isn’t it? Sometimes trying too hard to do something is the very thing that prevents us from achieving it – and that’s never more true than when it comes to falling asleep. Desperately wanting to sleep will only stoke anxieties that will further stress your brain, essentially feeding it the message that it’s not safe to sleep. Throw in those worries about your to-do list at work the following day, and the whole thing can snowball into a panic attack. Try letting go of that feeling that you absolutely must sleep now, and observe your own anxieties for what they are without judgment. When you stop looking at sleep as a goal, you’ll find it easier to fall asleep. Start a journal If you find yourself struggling to fall asleep, pick up a pen and paper (not your phone!), and start writing: simply scribble down an account of what’s going on inside your head. Although there’s no “right” way to journal, you might start by listing the events of your day, and from there, how those events and encounters made you feel. Building this structured picture of your thoughts may help you see that the problem that’s keeping you up at night, and is likely less overwhelming than you thought. Why my insistence on a pen and paper? First off, studies show the simple motor action that’s involved in the act of handwriting has a calming effect. Secondly, the light emitted by laptops and phones isn’t conducive to falling asleep. Find yourself a "3am friend" Some of us are lucky to have a ‘3am friend’, that close confidant you can call up in the wee hours knowing that they won’t hold it against you in the morning. Although it’s great to have someone to talk to when you want to fall asleep, it’s important that the conversation doesn’t just rehash the anxieties that are preventing you from catching shut-eye in the first place. Rather than using the call to seek solutions for those issues, talk about things that calm your nerves, or even have them assist you in deep breathing. It may sound silly, but doing a series of deep, relaxing breaths can help you let go of the troubles that are keeping you wide awake. Take a warm shower Taking a warm shower not only relaxes your muscles and soothes minor aches and pains, but it also raises your core body temperature. As soon as you step out of the shower, your body starts working at lowering that temperature, which is something that normally happens when you’re falling asleep naturally. (That’s why we always feel the need for a blanket when we sleep, no matter how warm it is!) By kick-starting that temperature-lowering process, you’re tricking your body into falling asleep fast. Stretch yourself to sleep Anxiety keeping you up? Research suggests mild stretching can help take the edge off and relax muscles that have become stiff and sore after a long day. We’re not talking intricate yoga poses or acrobatics here, either: Simple stretches like an overhead arm stretch and bending over to touch your toes should do the trick. Ramp up the relaxation potential with a soundtrack of ambient noise at a volume that’s just barely audible. There are plenty of white noise apps that are free to download, but soft music can work as well (so long as there are no lyrics). Just remember, if you’re using an electronic device to play these sleep-promoting sounds, make sure it’s placed screen-down so you’re not distracted by the light it emits. Read (or listen!) to something new When you’re struggling with insomnia, it might be tempting to pull an old favourite off the bookshelf. In reality, it’s better to read or listen to an audio book that covers a topic on which you know absolutely nothing. New information, while taking attention away from the stressors that are keeping you up at night, gives your brain enough of a workout to make it tire more quickly than when it’s engaged with familiar subjects and concepts. Again, if it’s an audio book or podcast you’re listening to, make sure the light-emitting side of the device is face down to keep the room as dark as possible. Darkness and warmth play an essential part in the production and maintenance of melatonin, the hormone that plays the central role falling asleep. Image credits: Getty Images This article by Deepak Kashyap originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/healthsmart/conditions/sleep/how-to-fall-asleep-without-sleeping-pills-7-natural-sleep-aids-that-actually-work" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.

Body

Taking more than 5 pills a day? ‘Deprescribing’ can prevent harm – especially for older people

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/emily-reeve-1461339">Emily Reeve</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jacinta-l-johnson-1441348">Jacinta L Johnson</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/janet-sluggett-146318">Janet Sluggett</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kate-ohara-1462183">Kate O'Hara</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-newcastle-1060">University of Newcastle</a> People are living longer and with more <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/older-people/older-australia-at-a-glance/contents/health-functioning/health-disability-status">chronic health conditions</a> – including heart disease, diabetes, arthritis and dementia – than ever before. As societies continue to grow older, one pressing concern is the use of multiple medications, a phenomenon known as <a href="https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/patient-safety/who-uhc-sds-2019-11-eng.pdf">polypharmacy</a>. About <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.5694/mja2.50244">1 million older Australians</a> experience polypharmacy and this group is increasing. They may wake up in the morning and pop a pill for their heart, then another one or two to control blood pressure, a couple more if they have diabetes, a vitamin pill and maybe one for joint pain. Polypharmacy is usually <a href="https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/sites/default/files/2021-04/fourth_atlas_2021_-_6.1_polypharmacy_75_years_and_over.pdf">defined</a> as taking five or more different medications daily. In aged care homes, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.archger.2022.104849">90% of residents</a> take at least five regular medications every single day. That can put their health at risk with increased costs for them and the health system. <h2>Adding up over time</h2> As people age, the effects of medications can change. Some medications, which were once beneficial, might start to do more harm than good or might not be needed anymore. About <a href="https://www.psa.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Medicine-Safety-Aged-Care-WEB-RES1.pdf">half of older Australians</a> are taking a medication where the likely harms outweigh the potential benefits. While polypharmacy is sometimes necessary and helpful in managing multiple health conditions, it can lead to unintended consequences. <a href="https://www.nps.org.au/living-with-multiple-medicines/costs">Prescription costs</a> can quickly add up. Taking multiple medications can be difficult to manage particularly when there are specific instructions to crush them or take them with food, or when extra monitoring is needed. There is also a risk of <a href="https://www.nps.org.au/consumers/understanding-drug-interactions">drug interactions</a>. Medications bought “over the counter” without a prescription, such as vitamins, herbal medications or pain relievers, can also cause <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.5694/mja11.10698">problems</a>. Some people might take an over-the-counter medication each day due to previous advice, but they might not need it anymore. Just like prescription medications, over-the-counter medications add to the overall burden and cost of polypharmacy as well as drug interactions and side effects. Unfortunately, the more medications you take, the more likely you are to have <a href="https://www.nps.org.au/consumers/managing-your-medicines#risks-of-taking-multiple-medicines">problems with your medications</a>, a reduced quality of life and increased risk of falls, hospitalisation and death. Each year, <a href="https://www.psa.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/PSA-Medicine-Safety-Report.pdf">250,000 Australians</a> are admitted to hospital due to medication-related harms, many of which are preventable. For example, use of multiple medications like sleeping pills, strong pain relievers and some blood pressure medications can cause drowsiness and dizziness, potentially resulting in a <a href="https://betterhealthwhileaging.net/preventing-falls-10-types-of-medications-to-review/">fall</a> and broken bones. <h2>Prescribing and deprescribing are both important</h2> Ensuring safe and effective use of medications involves both prescribing, and <a href="https://www.racgp.org.au/clinical-resources/clinical-guidelines/key-racgp-guidelines/view-all-racgp-guidelines/silver-book/part-a/deprescribing">deprescribing</a> them. <a href="https://www.australiandeprescribingnetwork.com.au/474-2/">Deprescribing</a> is a process of stopping (or reducing the dose of) medications that are no longer required, or for which the risk of harm outweighs the benefits for the person taking them. The process involves reviewing all the medications a person takes with a health-care professional to identify medications that should be stopped. Think of deprescribing as spring cleaning your medicine cabinet. Just like how you tidy up your house and get rid of objects that are causing clutter without being useful, deprescribing tidies up your medication list to keep only the ones truly required. <h2>But care is needed</h2> The process of deprescribing requires close monitoring and, for many medications, slow reductions in dose (tapering). This helps the body adjust gradually and can prevent sudden, unpleasant changes. Deprescribing is often done on a trial basis and medication can be restarted if symptoms come back. Alternatively, a safer medication, or non-drug treatment may be started in its place. Studies show deprescribing is a safe process when managed by a health-care professional, both for people living at <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11606-020-06089-2">home</a> and those in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jamda.2018.10.026">residential aged care</a>. You should always talk with your care team before stopping any medications. Deprescribing needs to be a team effort involving the person, their health-care team and possibly family or other carers. Shared decision-making throughout the process empowers the person taking medications to have a say in their health care. The team can work together to clarify treatment goals and decide which medications are still serving the person well and which can be safely discontinued. If you or a loved one take multiple medications you might be eligible for a free visit from a pharmacist (<a href="https://www.nps.org.au/assets/NPS/pdf/NPSMW2390_Anticholinergics_HMR_Factsheet.pdf">a Home Medicines Review</a>) to help you get the best out of your medications. <h2>What’s next?</h2> Health care has traditionally focused on prescribing medications, with little focus on when to stop them. Deprescribing is not happening as often as it should. <a href="https://www.australiandeprescribingnetwork.com.au/">Researchers</a> are working hard to develop tools, resources and service models to support deprescribing in the community. Health-care professionals may think older adults are not open to deprescribing, but about <a href="https://academic.oup.com/biomedgerontology/article/77/5/1020/6352400">eight out of ten people</a> are willing to stop one or more of their medications. That said, of course some people may have concerns. If you have been taking a medication for a long time, you might wonder why you should stop or whether your health could get worse if you do. These are important questions to ask a doctor or pharmacist. We need more <a href="https://shpa.org.au/news-advocacy/MedsAware">public awareness</a> about polypharmacy and deprescribing to turn the tide of increasing medication use and related harms. <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/211424/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/emily-reeve-1461339">Emily Reeve</a>, Senior Research Fellow in the Centre for Medicine Use and Safety , <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jacinta-l-johnson-1441348">Jacinta L Johnson</a>, Senior Lecturer in Pharmacy Practice, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/janet-sluggett-146318">Janet Sluggett</a>, Enterprise Fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kate-ohara-1462183">Kate O'Hara</a>, PhD student, Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-newcastle-1060">University of Newcastle</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/taking-more-than-5-pills-a-day-deprescribing-can-prevent-harm-especially-for-older-people-211424">original article</a>.

Body

How a smartphone app may help boost memory recall

A new study from researchers at the University of Toronto has introduced a smartphone app that can reinforce memories of life events. The app, Hippocampus, is designed to benefit people with memory impairment by imitating the function of the Hippocampus as it helps consolidate memories, working by recording life events and replaying them to lock them in as memories. Our ability to remember life events declines with age, particularly with those with diseases like Alzheimer’s. According to the study, some people were able to successfully reinforce their memories through the app. Research found that people who used it for two weeks experienced a 56% increase in their ability to recall the details of events recorded with HippoCamera. People who used it for 70 consecutive days saw an 84% increase. No one wants to forget their life experiences, and according to the study lead author Dr Chris Martin, a cognitive neuroscientist at Florida State University, “You can better recall a specific moment from your recent past, you will have a stronger mental bridge between your present and past self.” So, start brain training and download Hippocampus to improve memory and recall. Image credit: Getty

Mind

“Music somehow stays”: Great-grandma with dementia recalls lullaby in heartwarming moment with newborn great-grandson

When Connie Lynn uploaded a touching video of her mother singing to her Instagram account, she didn’t expect it to reach so many people or to warm so many hearts. The clip features the moment 89-year-old Elinor Hanson got to hold her one-day-old great-grandson, Grayson. Elinor, who had been diagnosed with dementia years before but whose condition had worsened since 2020, delighted the whole family when she began to sing a beloved lullaby to the newborn. "Okay, it goes like this,” she tells the swaddled baby, before asking, “now, are you listening?" In the moments to follow, Elinor begins her heartfelt rendition, singing as she rocks him in her arms, “I love you, a bushel and a peck. A bushel and a peck and a hug around the neck. A hug around the neck and a barrel and a heap. A barrel and a heap and I'm talking in my sleep about you, about you, 'cause I love you.” A teary-eyed Elinor trails off to look up at the camera, and with an emotional chuckle tells her family, “I’m going to cry.” “Great grandma meeting and holding her newest great grandson and singing a song she sung to all the grandkids,” Connie Lynn captioned the post. “A song my kids know very well. I love you a bushel and a peck,” she continued, “this night made her so happy. It’s amazing how the brain can lose so much but music somehow stays. Music really is amazing for healing and memory.” Connie’s comments section was flooded with grateful messages from those who had watched the video, with many of them opening up about their own experiences with family members who had and have dementia, and the beautiful moments they shared over babies and music as well. <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/reel/CnhhHCnJnxA/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CnhhHCnJnxA/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Connie Lynn Hanson (@fsvivace)</a> </div> </blockquote> “I saw this on the Good News feed. It warmed my heart and broke it at the same time,” one admitted, “my parents became great-grandparents near the end of their lives. The babies brought them such joy. My dad had dementia but when he saw the babies his eyes would light up and he would come back to life again, just for a moment. Thank you for sharing this with us.” “Isn’t it amazing the things that can trigger a bit of normalcy,” another agreed, “a song, a baby, a photo.” “The sweetest video ever. Both my dad and my brother suffered from Dementia,” a fellow grandmother shared, “it is such a cruel disease. I’m so glad this family will have this video to remember this sweet lady for years to come.” Speaking to Today.com, Connie confessed that it was the moment right before her mum began singing that took her back to before she had dementia. “It’s when she says, ‘okay, it goes like this, now you’re listening?,” she said, “that’s my mum that I remember.” Connie opened up about her mother’s involvement in the lives of her children and grandchildren, calling her “the cookie-baking kind of grandma”, and a “musical lady” who liked to spend her time singing with choirs and at weddings. With another great-grandchild on the way, Connie is positive that they’ll soon get another chance to hear Elinor’s sweet songs when the two meet. Images: Instagram

Caring

Prince Harry recalls the moment he found out about Princess Diana's death

In an interview for ITV, Prince Harry shared the intimate moment between him and King Charles the day Princess Diana died, with his father telling him, "They tried, darling boy. I'm afraid she didn't make it." Prince Harry, who was only 12 years old at the time, recalled his thought process when his father announced the news. "I remember thinking, crash...okay, but she's alright? Yes?" the Duke of Sussex recalled, sharing the glimmer of hope he had that his mother had survived the crash. "I remember waiting patiently for Pa to confirm that: indeed, Mummy was alright, and I remember him not doing that," he continues. Harry admitted that following the devastating loss in 1997, he felt "numb to the whole thing" and that when he saw the paparazzi photos of the crash, he was "looking for something to hurt". He also said that there were discussions on whether or not he would join William in following their mother's coffin at the funeral procession, but he concluded that, " I would never let him do that alone". Harry recalled the haunting moment , saying, "The wails from the crowd, otherwise complete silence, is something that will stick with me forever". <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> 'There was some guilt I felt walking around the outside of Kensington Palace' Prince Harry goes into unprecedented detail on life in and outside of the Royal Family in an exclusive interview with Tom Bradby Harry: The Interview | Watch on ITV1 or stream on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ITVX?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ITVX</a> at 9pm tonight <a href="https://t.co/AG9OeiP1Sx">pic.twitter.com/AG9OeiP1Sx</a> — ITV (@ITV) <a href="https://twitter.com/ITV/status/1612056774818861057?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2023</a></blockquote> He also expressed the guilt that both he and Prince William felt when they walked around Kensington Palace, with millions of people mourning and "there we were shaking people's hands, smiling". He revealed that he only cried once at her burial and that "everyone thought and felt like they knew our mum. And the two closest people to her, the two most loved people by her, were unable to show any emotion in that moment." Image Credit: Getty Images

Family & Pets

“I had to reach the island”: Aussie mum recalls terrifying turn on cruising scuba dive

A NSW woman has said a cruise company should have been better prepared for adverse weather after a holiday scuba dive nearly went horribly wrong. Justine Clark and her sons, 18-year-old Felix and 20-year-old Max, resurfaced from an offshore dive in Fiji to find that their boat was nowhere to be seen. The trio were on a seven-day cruise in Fiji when they went on an afternoon dive at an offshore site called The Supermarket with another cruise-goer and the divemaster, who worked for a company subcontracted by Captain Cook Cruises Fiji. Though the weather began to worsen as they travelled to the dive site, the party pushed on. "We travelled into an approaching storm and out into open waters in what appeared to be a large channel about 20 kilometres from any island," Ms Clark told the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-21/fiji-dive-turns-into-nightmare-for-newcastle-mum-and-sons/101448116" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ABC</a>. When she resurfaced with her eldest son after a dive of about 40 minutes, she said the boat was nowhere to be seen and the weather conditions were rough. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/09/justine-cruise-nightmare1.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> A tender boat took Justine Clark, her two sons, and others in their diving party to the dive site. Image: Justine Clark "No tender boat was visible on surfacing, the swell was 2 metres, it was dark with grey clouds and high wind," she said. Ms Clark, who has over 30 years of diving experience, said their divemaster was the next to surface and realise what had happened. "He was shocked at the events and stated this had never happened in his 27 years of diving," she recalled. When the divemaster then advised the group to start swimming for an island they could see in the distance, Ms Clark said she was determined to stay calm. "I can't impress how concerned I was for everyone's health, sharks and the sense of determination I had to reach the island in a calm manner," she continued. "The maternal drive in me was something I had not felt since the birth of my first son." After about 50 minutes, a small boat was spotted travelling towards the group, with the divemaster telling them to inflate their surface marker buoys so they could be seen more easily. The boat’s operator, a garbage collector who had been picking up ocean rubbish, noticed the tip of one of the buoys. "We were all smiles and I was blowing a kiss to the Fijian who saved us," Ms Clark said. They were quickly found by the tender boat driver. "He apologised and told me he was so scared and he had radioed the captain that he lost us," Ms Clark said. In a written response shared with the outlet, Captain Cook Cruises Fiji explained that the tender boat had blown away from the site, with the surface conditions making it difficult for the operator to find and follow the divers’ bubbles. The cruise operator said the situation was unprecedented and that changes were made to the “already tight” safety procedures following an internal review. Though rare, Ms Clark said cruise companies should still be prepared. "I think it's really important that operators are prepared for those situations that may be rare but can still occur," she said. It isn’t the first time bad weather has caused strife for cruise ships this year, after wild weather prevented the Coral Princess and other 20 other vessels from docking in Brisbane for several days in July, prompting 2,000 cruise passengers to be stranded onboard. Images: Justine Clark

Cruising

"10 seconds left to live": Skydive survivor recalls horror moment

Young Aussie Emma Carey has recalled the gut-wrenching moment she realised she only had “10 seconds left to live” during a freak skydiving accident that happened nine years ago. Emma Carey, now almost 29, is lucky to be alive after her parachute became tangled and then strangled her instructor during a tandem skydive. The pair fell 14,000ft out of the sky. The accident unfortunately went down on the fifth day of her three-month long overseas trip when she decided to skydive in Switzerland alongside her best friend. Emma realised something was seriously wrong when she spotted the parachute flapping out in front of her rather than in the air above. When the parachute was finally deployed it became tangled with the strings of the safety chute and choked her instructor, causing him to pass out almost instantly. “I remember thinking, oh my god Jemma will have to find me on the ground, I remember thinking about my family and the main thing I remember feeling is regret for not embracing myself fully up until that point” she shared. The then-20-year-old copped the brunt of the fall, landing facedown with the instructor on top of her. Quickly trying to roll him off, she became distraught realising she couldn’t feel anything from the waist down. Ms Carey was rushed to hospital where surgeons operated on her back and pelvis. Her spine was broken in two places, rendering her a paraplegic. After recovering from surgery, she was reunited with her family and friends in Australia where she started rehabilitation. By some miracle, she slowly but surely began to get the feeling back in her legs and eventually learned to walk, albeit with a small limp. However, Ms Carey has remained positive throughout the ordeal and now looks at the terrifying moment she felt sure she was going to die as a “rebirth”. “I know how it feels. To think I only have 10 seconds left to live and now I get the rest of my life, whatever that is, so I think it's actually really nice for me to have that memory because it helps to keep me grateful,” she said. Carey has written a book “the girl who fell from the sky” detailing the day her life was changed forever. It has been nine years since the shocking incident and little did she know, nine years later she would be where she is today. Image: Nine

Travel Trouble

“Scary and painful”: Monkeypox survivors recall their experiences

Before suffering full-body chills, a fever and other intense flu-like symptoms, the first sign that Matt Ford had come down with monkeypox were several spots on his body. The US man noticed the lesions after receiving a call from a friend who he’d had skin-to-skin contact with in June. “Right after the call, I checked myself and noticed some lesions I hadn’t seen before,” the 30-year-old told <a href="https://7news.com.au/lifestyle/human-interest/excruciating-lesions-and-a-40c-fever-i-had-monkeypox-and-this-is-what-its-like-c-7670514" target="_blank" rel="noopener">7News.com.au</a>. The next few days saw him experience flu-like symptoms, including a fever, chills, sweats and fatigue. After those symptoms lessened, the number of lesions increased, with Ford counting 25 in total across his body, including his face, feet and scalp. The lesions quickly became itchy and painful, interfering with his sleep and resulting in him needing narcotics to fall asleep. “I don’t think many people fully understand just how painful it can be, especially if lesions appear in the perianal or genital areas,” he said. “(The pain) was at least an eight or nine out of 10.” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> I have monkeypox currently and this shit is absolutely no joke. If you’re in New York and can get the vaccine, go do it. — Matt Ford (@JMatthiasFord) <a href="https://twitter.com/JMatthiasFord/status/1540049980253016064?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 23, 2022</a></blockquote> Under local rules, Ford was required to isolate until “all lesions have resolved, the scabs have fallen off, and a fresh layer of intact skin has formed”, ensuring he was no longer contagious. In total, he stayed home for three weeks and was “grateful” for his support network. “It was pretty brutal towards the end of it, and I felt pretty stir crazy,” he recalled. “But I’m grateful to have had a strong support network checking in on me and sending care packages.” For UK man Harun Tulunay, catching monkeypox came with a slightly different experience. The 35-year-old primarily experienced flu-like symptoms, such as a fever of 40 C, swollen glands, a white and red rash, pain and chills. Ten days in, Tulunay had been hospitalised and finally received a diagnosis when he noticed a lesion on his nose. Though painful lesions in his throat made him unable to swallow, Tulunay said most didn’t cause him grief. “I had (lesions) on my back, in my hair, on my feet, on my hands, my legs,” he told 7News.com.au. “My whole throat was all covered in painful lesions. “It was the most scary and painful June of my 35 years of life.” After about 35 days, Tulunay’s symptoms had all cleared up. “You really don’t expect it can happen to you until it happens to you,” he said. Ford and Tulunay’s experiences come as Australia’s Chief Medical Officer, Paul Kelly, declared monkeypox a communicable disease of national significance, with most cases occurring among people aged between 21 and 40 years old. “Although monkeypox is not usually considered a sexually transmissible infection, physical contact with an infected person during sexual intercourse carries a significant risk of transmission,” Kelly said. “Intimate physical contact such as hugging, kissing and sexual activities represent a risk of infection, with infectious skin sores being the likely mode of transmission.” The World Health Organisation has also declared monkeypox a public health emergency, with more than 20,000 cases recorded across 71 countries since January. Image: Supplied

Body

Bunnings forced to recall electric blower

Bunnings has recalled a popular gardening tool that poses a risk of electric shock and injury. Some models of Ozito's portable electric blower are being taken off the shelves due to a defect with the impeller that can break during use and rupture the casing, releasing sharp objects at high speed and showing live parts. "Bunnings is promoting the recall of a Ozito portable Electrical Blower, model number OZBL1800WA and is green in colour, which customers were first advised about in 2015," Adrian Pearce, Bunnings general manager of merchandise, said. "Bunnings supported our supplier Ozito with their initial voluntarily recall and since then the recall has been advertised many times including on radio, print, and emails to our customers, with the current advertising designed to address any outstanding purchases made between 2009 and 2015. "Bunnings takes the safety of its customers very seriously and we encourage any remaining owners of this model to return the product to their nearest Bunnings." People who have purchased the product have been asked to stop using the blower immediately. They are encouraged to return it to their nearest Bunnings store for a full refund. For further information, customers are urged to contact Bunnings' customer relations team on 1800 811 436. Image: Bunnings

News

“He was pure evil”: Grace Tame recalls the confrontation with her abuser

Content warning: This article mentions child sexual abuse and rape. Grace Tame has spoken out about the first time she “stood up” to her abuser, and how she would never forget telling him he was a “monster” and “pure evil”. The 2021 Australian of the Year spoke about her experience while addressing a packed audience at <a href="https://www.adelaidefestival.com.au/writers-week/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adelaide Writers’ Week</a> alongside event director Jo Dyer and author Jess Hill. <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/Ca3zmxxJVhQ/?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/Ca3zmxxJVhQ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Eventalaide (@eventalaide)</a> </div> </blockquote> The Writers’ Week talk, entitled The Reckoning, saw Ms Tame open up about how she confronted the teacher who repeatedly raped her. Although she was “terrified of this paedophile”, Ms Tame said she “stood up” to him and told him “he was a monster” four days before she reported him to police. “I told him that, and I will always remember that, and you know what? So will he,” she <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-03-09/grace-tame-recalls-the-moment-she-confronted-her-abuser/100895514" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. “My fear of upsetting the apple cart died that day.” Ms Tame was repeatedly abused while she was a student at Hobart’s St Michael’s Collegiate. She was 15 at the time. “He’d never seen my true rage towards him, but as he sat in his office chair I pointed a finger at him, I was crying my eyes out, I started yelling and screaming and I told him exactly what I thought of him,” she recounted. “And I told him I thought - I thought he was pure evil, and that I hoped he died, and I pointed to a picture of his own children who were twice my age at the time, and I told him I hated him for what he had done to me. “Whenever I think I can’t do something I remember this day - and I was terrified when I did this - but this is what I draw on when I need self-belief.” Since her abuser’s conviction, Ms Tame has campaigned for the way sexual assault is dealt with to be changed, and told Wednesday’s audience that legal restrictions preventing victims from sharing their stories contributed to an “ecosystem of abuse”. “It’s so messed up how society has all these layers of victim-blaming entrenched, codified at every level,” she said. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/03/grace-tame1.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> Grace Tame opened up about how she confronted her abuser at Adelaide Writers’ Week. Image: Roy Vandervegt / Adelaide Festival She added that the language used to describe sexual abuse and assault also partially contributed to said “ecosystem of abuse”. “That’s what really inspired me to pursue a different kind of advocacy because I thought, ‘Why am I learning about this word (grooming) for the first time seven years after I’ve gone through this experience?’” she <a href="https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/entertainment/adelaide-festival/the-reckoning-grace-tame-and-jess-hill-to-speak-at-adelaides-writers-week/news-story/e40b9959c254b735a383860b4fd5e920?utm_campaign=later-linkinbio-thetiser&utm_content=later-25219761&utm_medium=social&utm_source=linkin.bio" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. “You know, like if you are stabbed for instance, you can say I was stabbed. This is what happened. These were the circumstances and then we also have the skillset to then ask for help - the appropriate help - but that’s certainly not what I had.” Ms Tame also shared more details about a “threatening” phone call she received last year asking her to refrain from saying anything negative about Prime Minister Scott Morrison. She first mentioned the phone call at the National Press Club last month, alleging a senior member of a government-funded organisation was the one who called her. On Wednesday, she elaborated on the incident and said “it wasn’t an empty threat”. “I didn’t share this at the National Press Club but do you know what the threat was, from that person who phoned me? It was that they wouldn’t support the [Grace Tame] Foundation if I said something about the Prime Minister,” she said. Following her Press Club address, Women’s Safety Minister Anne Ruston said the federal government had begun an investigation into Ms Tame’s allegation. Image: Roy Vandervegt / Adelaide Festival

Caring

"We said just do it": Mum recalls moment her newborn son fought for his life

After a seemingly straightforward birth, Brooke Ryan didn’t expect the almighty commotion that saw her son fighting for his life. Brooke gave birth to her third son, Kaiden, in 2016 and said there were initially “no problems or issues”. “They did notice some of his vitals were changing, his blood sugar was fluctuating, and his APGAR (newborn screening test) score was worse than it was at first so they said they needed to take him away to monitor him,” the 36-year-old told <a href="https://honey.nine.com.au/latest/cerebral-palsy-baby-brain-bleed-surgery-recovery/952f16da-b508-4361-b13e-2910d635d760" target="_blank" rel="noopener">9Honey</a>. It wasn’t until later that she and her husband Julian heard and saw the hospital sirens and lights go off, only to find out Kaiden had stopped breathing and that medical staff were attempting to resuscitate him. Kaiden was then treated for meningitis, a worse-case scenario, while staff investigated what caused the sudden change. The next day, he was transported to Randwick Children’s Hospital, and Brooke had to discharge herself from the hospital she’d given birth in to be with him, her husband, and her sister Ashley. “When we got there the surgeon told us Kaiden had suffered a massive bleed on the back of his brain and that they would need to operate to remove the blood or he wouldn’t survive,” Brooke said. “They also said in all likelihood he wouldn’t survive the operation because he was only hours old and he only had so much blood in him. “We said just do it.” With no apparent alternatives, Kaiden went into surgery, but his parents were only able to see him after it finished. “He was so swollen and he had all these tubes and machines and everything just all around him,” Brooke recalled. Kaiden survived the surgery and “got stronger and stronger every day”, but there was no mention of brain damage at any of his monthly checkups. “They told us a blood vessel in his brain had burst and ruptured but they didn’t know why,” Brooke said. “When we got to about eight weeks we were telling them he was wobbly and had a floppy neck. It wasn’t getting stronger. They kept telling us he’d had major brain surgery and they’d had to cut through the muscle in the back of the neck and it would take a long time for him to recover.” Eventually doctors picked that something was amiss and began to suspect Kaiden had Cerebral Palsy (CP). “When I thought of CP I thought of people in wheelchairs who can’t do anything for themselves,” Brooke said. The family soon connected with the Cerebral Palsy Alliance (CPA) when Kaiden was seven months old and he was able to start physiotherapy and occupational therapy. Kaiden wasn’t formally diagnosed with the condition until he was 18 months old. Now five-years-old, Kaiden only needs assistance physically, and he receives plenty from his parents, two older sisters, and the CPA. “(His sisters) are very protective of Kaiden, very, very, very motherly,” Brooke said. “But they are so compassionate, patient and understanding. They would give him anything. I keep saying we are so lucky to have him.” Images: 9Honey

Caring

URGENT RECALL: Fears for deadly contamination in baby formula

Australia and New Zealand's food standards watchdog have issued an urgent recall for a batch of baby formula over fears it could be contaminated with Salmonella and Cronobacter bacteria. Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ) on Saturday issued the recall notice for some EleCare, Similac and Alimentum infant formula products. The products were manufactured in the United States but were available nationally in Australia through prescription at pharmacies, hospitals and via direct mail order. Abbott’s Executive Vice President Joe Manning said the company was voluntarily recalling products out of an abundance of caution. “We deeply regret the concern and inconvenience this situation will cause parents, caregivers and health care professionals,” he said. According to FSANZ, the recalled products can be identified by the “7 to 9 digit code and expiration date on the bottom of the package”.”. FSANZ says the recall notice is due to a potential microbial contamination of Cronobacter and Salmonella. According to the US Food and Drug Administration, which issued a warning against using the products on Thursday, the complaints registered related to Cronobacter sakazakii and Salmonella Newport. “To date, this investigation has been associated with four illnesses (three for Cronobacter and one for Salmonella),” it said in a statement. “All four cases related to these complaints were hospitalised and Cronobacter may have contributed to a death in one case.” It continued to note that Cronobacter bacteria can cause life-threatening infections, including sepsis and meningitis. <div>EDITOR'S NOTE: According to an Abbott spokesperson, for Australian consumers, the recall only impacts specific batches of EleCare in Australia. No other nutrition products – or Similac products – distributed by Abbott in Australia are affected by this recall.</div> <div>Alimentum and Similac Human Milk Fortifier (HMF) are not sold by Abbott in Australia and these products are not available in Australia by prescription at pharmacies and hospitals. In Australia, two batches of EleCare are impacted by the recall:</div> <ul data-stringify-type="unordered-list" data-indent="0" data-border="0"> <li style="list-style-type: none;" data-stringify-indent="0" data-stringify-border="0">EleCare Unflavoured 400 g can (lot number: 26811Z200)</li> <li style="list-style-type: none;" data-stringify-indent="0" data-stringify-border="0">EleCare LCP 400 g can (lot number: 27871Z202)</li> </ul> <div>If parents have EleCare, they should call 1800 225 311 or email <a tabindex="-1" href="mailto:NutritionANZ@abbott.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="mailto:NutritionANZ@abbott.com" data-sk="tooltip_parent" aria-haspopup="menu" aria-expanded="false" data-remove-tab-index="true">NutritionANZ@abbott.com</a> to find out if they have impacted product. Do not use the impacted product. Parents should talk to their child’s healthcare professional about suitable, alternative feeding options. No other nutrition products distributed by Abbott in Australia are affected by this recall, and you can continue to use those.</div> Image: NBC

News

Tearful Prince William recalls sweet memory with Diana

Prince William will take listeners on a special walk down memory lane for a special festive episode of Apple Fitness’ ‘Time To Walk’ audio series. By recording the podcast, William is hoping to encourage people to take a break and go for a walk for their mental wellbeing over the Christmas break. According to CNN, William is a fan of the series and approached Apple about collaborating on an episode. Episodes in the series range from between 25 to 40 minutes in length, and feature guests who go for a walk in a meaningful location and reflect on life’s lessons while sharing memories and experiences through stories, photos, and songs. William recorded his walk earlier in the year, in the spring, and it sees him taking a stroll across his family’s 20,000-acre Sandringham Estate in Norfolk. He begins the episode by contemplating his father’s love of walking and says that while growing up, Charles "used to try and force Harry and I out of the house the whole time", adding that "we weren't really having any of it." He continued, "But now, as you get older, you appreciate it a lot more and you see it for what it is.” The walk sees William walk past St. Mary Magdalene Church, where the royal family will attend a Christmas Day service later this month, and Anmer Hall, where he and Catherine live with their children. William shared memories of the family’s annual Christmas day pilgrimage, describing Prince Phillip plowing ahead while "there'd be us at the back with little legs trying to keep up." He also discussed the importance of keeping mentally fit, and described a moment during a 2013 event that “nearly knocked” him off his feet. During a fundraising gala at Kensington Palace at which Jon Bon Jovi and Taylor Swift were guests, Swift turned to William during Bon Jovi’s performance and said, “Come on, William. Let's go and sing”. He continued, "To this day, I still do not know what came over me. Honestly, even now I'm cringing at what happened next, and I don't understand why I gave in. But, frankly, if Taylor Swift looks you in the eye, touches your arm, and says, 'Come with me...' I got up like a puppy and went, 'Yeah, okay, that seems like a great idea. I'll follow you.'" William describes walking towards the stage “in a trance” and desperately trying to recall the words to ‘Livin’ On A Prayer’. "Beneath my black tie, there was a lot of sweating going on. I felt like a swan, where I was trying to keep myself composed on the outside, but inside, the little legs are paddling fast," he said, adding that, "At times, when you're taken out of your comfort zone, you've got to roll with it.” The episode includes musical selections, one of which was Tina Turner’s ‘The Best’, which William remembers Princess Diana playing in the car as she drove her sons back to boarding school. Of the memory, William said, "Sitting in the backseat, singing away, it felt like a real family moment. And my mother, she'd be driving along, singing at the top of her voice. And we'd even get the policeman in the car, he'd be occasionally singing along, as well." Apparently William’s children have inherited the family’s love of music, with Charlotte’s faovurite song at the time of recording being ‘Waka Waka’ by Shakira. "Charlotte, particularly, is running around the kitchen in her dresses and ballet stuff and everything. She goes completely crazy with Louis following her around trying to do the same thing." Three mental health charities were chosen by the Duke to receive a charitable donation from Apple - Shout in the UK, Crisis Text Line in the USA and Lifeline in Australia. The episode concludes the show’s second season, and will drop for Fitness+ subscribers on Monday December 6. The company will also stream three free airings of the show on Apple Music 1, starting at 7 pm AEDST that same day. Image: Jayne Fincher/Princess Diana Archive/Getty Images

Family & Pets

"You've been poisoned": Mum's warning over diet pills

Image: A Current Affair Diet pills may be a quick fix but for one Sydney mother, it almost cost her her life. Elizabeth Katerina has been in and out of hospital after consuming Fatburners which she purchased online. The young mum-of-two lost 25kgs in two months from diet pills, the catch being – it almost killed her. “Eight weeks ago, I just wanted to find a quick route, an easier way to lose the baby weight. I just went on Google. I looked on Facebook and Instagram searching different options, like different brands online, just like online shopping,” Ms Katerina said. “I came across 3Action Sports Nutrition and I looked at the reviews and they looked really good.” The 25-year-old ordered the 3Action Sports Nutrition Fatburner pills online, from Belgium. “I took as directed on the bottle. It said “take one capsule after breakfast in the morning and one in the afternoon after food’,” Ms Katerina said. After a week, her health started to deteriorate. “I started getting really bad headaches and feeling really dizzy. Just lightheaded. My stomach started feeling uncomfortable. I was getting diarrhoea everyday nonstop,” Ms Katerina said. On the 10th day, her resting heart rate sky-rocketed, so she called an ambulance. "These Fatburners over stimulated my system to the point where I couldn't walk, I couldn't fall asleep, my heart felt like it was going like brrrrr like this, that's how it felt." At hospital, she said doctors told her she'd been poisoned. "I'm not well. My heart rate is so fast, it was just at almost 150 (beats per minute)," she said. "I'm dizzy, light headed and nauseas. I can't sleep I can't eat. "My heart-rate was like 158 above that average for a human. An adult should be between 80 to 90 beats per minute. Mine was just chilling at 158, even when I was calm. "The doctors at the hospital at Royal North Shore, they said to me 'please throw out those diet pills. Whatever was in those Fatburners, they're not good for you, they've over stimulated your system and you've been poisoned'." Ms Katerina is now seeing a cardiologist, gastroenterologist and taking a cocktail of prescription drugs just to get through the day. She also claims to have contacted 3Action Sports Nutrition to report her reaction and they told her to email them and proceeded to hang up on her. The Belgian based company has blocked her and her family from contacting them on social media. She has left a scathing review on Facebook and 3Action Sports Nutrition no longer ship to Australia. Ms Genevieve Adamo, a senior specialist in poisons information shares “the main concern is products purchased overseas can contain undisclosed ingredients and these can be very dangerous.” “We get at least two calls a week about exposure to these types of products” Ms Adamo said. Products available on international websites are not regulated by the TGA. "So, if you're buying online that just bypasses a whole system of regulation that is put in place," Sydney GP, Dr Brad McKay said. "If you're buying diet pills online there's no guarantee you're going to be getting what's on the box. It is really the wild west when you're ordering things online." He said Fatburners like the ones Ms Katerina used can have products like green tea and caffeine extracts in them, which aren't proven to help with weight loss - but could cost you your liver. It’s been a hard lesson learnt by Ms Katerina, who just wants her normal life back.

Body

John Travolta recalls heartbreaking conversation with son over Kelly Preston

John Travolta has recalled an emotional conversation he had with his son, Ben, after the death of Kelly Preston. While appearing on Kevin Hart’s Peacock talk show series, Hart, the 67-year-old A-lister opened up about the heartbreaking chat he had with his 10-year-old son, after the family lost Preston to breast cancer in 2020. The actress battled the disease for two years out of the public eye. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7843357/travolta-family-kelly-preston-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/5370c8c14d914e19a0e01f0ef76dbcc7" /> Travolta revealed he and his son were walking through their neighbourhood, when Ben admitted he was afraid to lose his father. "He said to me once, 'Because mum passed away, I'm afraid you're going to,'" the Grease star shared. "I said, 'Well, it's a very different thing.' And I went through the differences about my longevity and her limited life," he continued. "I said, 'But you know, Ben… You always love the truth and I'm going to tell you the truth about life. Nobody knows when they're gonna go or when they're going to stay.' <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7843358/travolta-family-kelly-preston-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/15fe78c4354b40a08661df0779387e27" /> "Your brother [Jett] left at 16. Too young. Your mother left at 57. That was too young. But who's to say? I could die tomorrow. You could. Anybody can. “So let's look at it like it's part of life. You don't know exactly. You just do your best at trying to live the longest you can." Travolta and Preston shared three children together, including daughter Ella, 21, Ben, 10, and Jett, who died in 2009 when he was just 16 after suffering a seizure.

Family & Pets

Aussie researchers' new pill to fight obesity

A new pill could be the next weapon in the fight against obesity, after researchers from the Garvan Institute discovered a way to turn ‘energy-storing’ fat into ‘energy-burning’ fat. The Australian scientists found that blocking the Y1 receptor, which normally helps us regulate our body heat, could increase the amount of fat we metabolise and prevent weight gain. “The Y1 receptor acts as a ‘brake’ for heat generation in the body,” said Dr Yan-Chuan Shi, Leader of the Neuroendocrinology Group at Garvan and a senior author of the paper published in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-22925-3">Nature Communications</a>. “In our study, we found that blocking this receptor in fat tissues transformed ‘energy-storing’ fat into ‘energy-burning’ fat, which switched on heat production and reduced weight gain.” Dr Shi continued, “Most of the current medications used to treat obesity target the brain to suppress appetite and can have severe side effects that limit their use. “Our study reveals an alternative approach that targets the fat tissues directly, which may potentially be a safer way to prevent and treat obesity.” Y1 receptor linked to obesity In a seven-week trial, scientists tested their theory with mice divided into two groups and fed a high-fat diet. One of the groups was also fed BIBO3304, the experimental treatment, which blocked the Y1 receptor. This group of mice gained about 40 percent less body weight than the mice who were only given the high fat diet, caused by “an increase in body heat generation and reduction in fat mass,” Dr Shi said. When the treatment was applied to human fat cells taken from obese individuals, the researhers found that the same genes that produced heat in mice also turned on, meaning that targeting the Y1 receptor pathway could increase fat metabolism and reduce weight gain in people too. Targeting the brain versus human tissue Researchers also emphasised that the experimental treatment does not cross the blood-brain barrier, meaning that the anti-obesity effects occur in peripheral tissues rather than the brain. Most current weight-loss treatments reduce how much we eat by targeting our central nervous system, but this can result in significant psychiatric or cardiovascular side effects and “over 80 percent of these medications being withdrawn from the market,” said Dr Shi. By targeting the Y1 receptor, Professor Herzog said the treatment “is effective at preventing obesity by increasing energy expenditure”. “It reveals a new therapeutic approach that is potentially safer than current medications that target appetite,” said Professor Herzog. With obesity affecting an estimated two thirds of Australian adults, the team of researchers hope human clinical trials can begin within three years.

Body

Recall issued for popular treadmill after child dies

Peloton has recalled more than approximately 125,000 of its treadmills after previously claiming their equipment was not dangerous. There have been injuries to at least 29 people and a child has died. The company said it would now offer full refunds for the Peloton Tread+ treadmills. They retail for more than $US4,200 ($5,400). It will also stop selling them. The recall follows after the US Consumer Product Safety Commission warned on April 17 that owners of the Tread+ treadmill with children and pets should immediately stop using them. The warning came after a six-year-old child died after being pulled under the machine. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7841088/daily-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/62969fb9a8134ecfa95e73a191db208e" /> Peleton initially denied the safety commission, saying the warning was "inaccurate and misleading" and there was no reason to stop using the machines. Company chief executive John Foley also said at the time he had "no intention" of recalling the treadmills. However, a little less than a month later, Mr Foley apologised and said the company "made a mistake" in their initial response to the safety commission. Peloton is best known for its stationary bikes, but it introduced treadmills about three years ago. In the last three months of 2020, Peleton brought in $US1 billion ($1.3 billion) in revenue due to most gyms being closed throughout the year in response to COVID-19. Peloton said it received 72 reports of adults, kids, pets or other items, such as exercise balls, being pulled under the treadmill. 29 of those reports were of children who suffered injuries, including broken bones, cuts and the one fatality. Joseph Martyak, a spokesman at the Consumer Product Safety Commission, said it appeared the design of the machine could make it more likely to pull people, pets and items under the machine than other brands of treadmills. A full refund is being offered until November 6 from Peloton. Peloton said they would move the treadmill free of charge if the owner did not want to get rid of it, to a room where children or pets could not access it. Peloton said it would also update the software so a passcode was required to unlock it. Images: Peleton

Legal

Urgent recall on life-threatening toy

Parents have been urged to “completely destroy” a silicone teething toy sold on eBay over fears it could cause severe injury or death. The Xinda Pty Ltd sold a “necklace cross chewy teether toy pencil chew kids topper sensory biting silicone” on eBay which has been recalled by Product Safety Australia because it fails to meet basic safety requirements. “The product does not meet the requirements of the mandatory standard … (for) toys for children up to and including 36 months of age,” PSA said <a href="https://www.productsafety.gov.au/recall/xinda-pty-ltd-necklace-cross-chewy-teether-toy-pencil-chew-kids-topper-sensory-biting-silicone">in a statement</a>. “The product may pose a choking or suffocation hazard for young children, which can lead to severe injury or death.” Consumers have been told to dispose of the toy and seek a full refund from Xinda Pty Ltd. “To obtain a refund, consumers will be requested to provide Xinda Pty Ltd with a photograph or video to show that the product has been completely destroyed,” PSA said.

Legal

RECALL: Kmart recalls popular furniture item

Kmart has issued a recall of a popular chair on sale between July 2014 and March 2016, saying it can pose a risk of “entrapment or laceration” to the public. Customers have been warned to stop using the chair immediately and return it to stores for a full refund. This warning comes as a reissue of a previous recall announcement made in April 2016. The chairs, which came in white, red, and black, were also sold at Brayco and Fantastic Furniture. “The tapering of the inside bottom of the chair legs may lead to an entrapment or laceration hazard,” Kmart Australia said in a <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.facebook.com/KmartAustralia/posts/3774893009276258" target="_blank">Facebook post</a>. Customers have the option to have a free plug kit inserted into the legs of the chairs to continue using the chairs or return the chairs for a full refund. “The plugs will be available by contacting our Kmart Customer Service team,” Kmart Australia said in its post. “We encourage customers to cease using this product immediately and return to any Kmart store for a full refund, with or without a receipt.” According to The Daily Telegraph, eight people were injured by the chairs in 2016, with victims’ feet being sliced open by the sharp chair edges. One victim told the newspaper a doctor said the cut to his foot was so severe that “I couldn’t have done a better job with a scalpel.” At the low price of $33, thousands of chairs were bought and appeared in cafes and homes across the country prior to their initial recall in 2016. The design is a reproduction of the Tolix French cafe chair, first released in 1934.

Legal

Recall issued for ice cream contaminated with COVID-19

Coronavirus was found on ice cream produced in Eastern China, prompting an urgent recall of cartons from the same batch. According to the Chinese government, the Daqiaodao Food Co, Ltd in Tianjin was sealed and 1,662 employees are being tested for the coronavirus and placed in quarantine. There was no indication that anyone had contracted the ice cream, but a recall has been issued regardless. A total of 935 boxes of ice cream were in Tianjin, with only 65 being sold to markets. This is out of 2,747 boxes that entered the market, with authorities notifying others of sales to their areas. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Authorities in the northern Chinese municipality of Tianjin are tracing ice cream contaminated with <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a> after three samples produced by Tianjin Daqiaodao Food Co., Ltd. tested positive for the virus on Wednesday. <a href="https://t.co/7oTLu2e1Us">pic.twitter.com/7oTLu2e1Us</a> — Sixth Tone (@SixthTone) <a href="https://twitter.com/SixthTone/status/1349944516938231808?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 15, 2021</a></blockquote> The ingredients of the ice cream included New Zealand milk powder and whey powder from Ukraine. The Chinese government has suggested that the coronavirus came from abroad and has highlighted what it says are discoveries of the coronavirus on imported fish and other food. Foreign scientists are sceptical of these claims, with a virologist claiming it's "probably a one-off". “It’s likely this has come from a person, and without knowing the details, I think this is probably a one-off,” Dr Stephen Griffin, a virologist based at the University of Leeds, told Sky News. “Of course, any level of contamination is not acceptable and always a cause for concern, but the chances are that this is the result of an issue with the production plant and potentially down to hygiene at the factory.” Griffin also stressed that there is no reason to panic. “We probably don’t need to panic that every bit of ice cream is suddenly going to be contaminated with coronavirus,” he added.

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News

Shop

Catalogues

Travel

Health

Lifestyle

Finance

Entertainment

Property

Information

Keep up to date

Search

How to fall asleep without sleeping pills: 7 natural sleep aids that actually work

Taking more than 5 pills a day? ‘Deprescribing’ can prevent harm – especially for older people

How a smartphone app may help boost memory recall

“Music somehow stays”: Great-grandma with dementia recalls lullaby in heartwarming moment with newborn great-grandson

Prince Harry recalls the moment he found out about Princess Diana's death

“I had to reach the island”: Aussie mum recalls terrifying turn on cruising scuba dive

"10 seconds left to live": Skydive survivor recalls horror moment

“Scary and painful”: Monkeypox survivors recall their experiences

Bunnings forced to recall electric blower

“He was pure evil”: Grace Tame recalls the confrontation with her abuser

"We said just do it": Mum recalls moment her newborn son fought for his life

URGENT RECALL: Fears for deadly contamination in baby formula

Tearful Prince William recalls sweet memory with Diana

"You've been poisoned": Mum's warning over diet pills

John Travolta recalls heartbreaking conversation with son over Kelly Preston

Aussie researchers' new pill to fight obesity

Recall issued for popular treadmill after child dies

Urgent recall on life-threatening toy

RECALL: Kmart recalls popular furniture item

Recall issued for ice cream contaminated with COVID-19

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