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Surprise new addition to Neighbours reboot cast

<p> The hit soap Neighbours has revealed a surprising cast announcement with the arrival of an iconic celeb.</p> <p>The British-American former star of the US series <em>The OC</em>, Mischa Barton, who rose to fame as Marissa Cooper on the early 2000s teen drama will make her way to Ramsay Street as production for the reboot is underway.</p> <p>British-born Barton, 37, will have guest appearances as Reece, an American who is new to the area and not quite what she appears to be, according to a statement by Amazon.</p> <p>“I’m excited to be part of this iconic show’s next chapter, and I am really looking forward to being back in Australia, a place I know and love,” the actress said.</p> <p>“I think the character of Reece is going to be a great role for me to explore and play with.”</p> <p>Neighbours’ executive producer, Jason Herbison said, “With Neighbours launching on Amazon Freevee in North America, we are beyond excited to have an actor of Mischa’s calibre join us for the beginning of this exciting new chapter. Mischa’s character is dynamic and unpredictable and will have an instant presence on Ramsay Street. Our loyal viewers are going to love her, locally and abroad.”</p> <p>Production for the show is currently underway in Melbourne, with the reboot to be aired in Autumn 2023.</p> <p>March 2023 saw many new cast additions, <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/tv/neighbours-reveals-which-stars-are-moving-back-to-ramsay-street" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announcing the return of several familiar faces</a>.</p> <p>The show ended its 37-year run in July 2022 after Fremantle failed to secure an alternative home for the Ramsay Street residents, but luckily for fans, a <a href="https://www.oversixty.co.nz/entertainment/tv/neighbours-is-saved" target="_blank" rel="noopener">streaming giant stepped in to save the day</a>.</p> <p>Neighbours will return to its old home on Channel 10 but will be available to stream for free for the UK and the US on Amazon Freevee.</p> <p>The soap will also be available to stream ad-free on Prime Video in Australia and New Zealand seven days after the free-to-air viewing.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Twitter</em></p>

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Kath & Kim to return for 20th anniversary reboot

<p dir="ltr">It’s time to crack open the Tia Maria and whack on the footy franks because the foxy ladies of Fountain Lakes are back!</p> <p dir="ltr">The cast of Aussie TV show <em>Kath & Kim</em> have once again joined forces to record a special project for the show’s 20th anniversary. </p> <p dir="ltr">Creators Gina Riley and Jane Turner along with stars Magda Szubanski, Glenn Robbins and Peter Rowsthorn arrived at the NEP Studios in South Melbourne for filming. </p> <p dir="ltr">The special one-off is expected to see the famous characters of Kath Day-Knight (Turner), her daughter Kimberly Day Craig (Riley), Kath’s butcher husband Kel (Robbins) and Kim’s husband Brett (Rowsthorn), and second-best friend Sharon Strzelecki (Szubanski) return. </p> <p dir="ltr">And of course, Kath & Kim’s Brighton alter egos, Prue and Trude will make an appearance. </p> <p dir="ltr">The reboot is expected to air later in the year with ABC, Seven and Netflix strong contenders for the broadcast. </p> <p dir="ltr">The first episode of <em>Kath & Kim</em> aired in May 2002 which then saw a legion of fans follow the foxy ladies. </p> <p dir="ltr">Fans were recently in <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/property/real-estate/how-can-they-do-this-iconic-house-of-kath-and-kim-demolished" target="_blank" rel="noopener">uproar after the home</a> used in the show, dubbed “Chateau Kath" was demolished after the owner wanted to create a bigger home for her family. </p> <p dir="ltr">Pete Rowsthorn, who played Brett in the series, said the house contained a lot of memories but it's time to move on.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It was a weird house, if I bought it I'd probably pull it down too," he previously said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"It had really quite small rooms … the squeaky back door, that was all natural sound. There was no foley man putting that on top.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I played cricket in the backyard with Shane Warne, I danced in the garage with Kylie Minogue, I sat and had dinner with Barry Humphries dressed up as a monk.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Facebook</em></p>

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‘Sex & the City’ reboot is more groan than groove, and misses the mark

<p><em>Warning: the following article contains spoilers about the “Sex and The City” reboot</em></p> <p>I started watching <em>Sex and the City</em> after the HBO series wrapped in 2004. The show’s zeitgeist rippled through conversations about sex, fashion and relationships, but I didn’t know what the buzz was all about.</p> <p>As a PhD student in the mid 2000s with no cable subscription, my visual entertainment consisted of renting VHS tapes and snuggling my cats on a navy futon.</p> <p>My friends couldn’t stop talking about the four main characters who wanted a lot from life, especially in terms of love and relationships. I often heard debates over whether someone was <a href="https://www.buzzfeed.com/whitneyjefferson/which-sex-and-the-city-character-are-you">a Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte or Miranda</a>.</p> <p>From the first episode I was hooked by the edgy banter and sexual situations they got into. They were also hashing out big issues like work, friendship, LGBTQIA+ rights and most of all what sex means.</p> <p>These issues have woven their way into my career as a sexuality scholar and as a women who identifies with the sexual verve of Samantha, Miranda’s biting humour and Carrie’s writerly profession.</p> <p>But I’m aghast at <em>Sex and the City</em>‘s bougie, whitewashed and sexless reboot called <em>And Just Like That</em> which debuted on Dec. 9. <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/09/arts/television/review-and-just-like-that.html"><em>New York Times</em> television critic James Poniewozik</a> describes it as being like two shows:</p> <blockquote> <p>“One, which tries to grow with the women as they navigate their 50s and mortality, is a downer, but it takes risks and in moments is very good. The other, which tries to update its sassy turn-of-the-century sensibility for an era of diversity, is painful.”</p> </blockquote> <p>What can we take away from this epic fail as a society that continues to undervalue women and shun open discussions of age, class, race and sex?</p> <h2>The Peloton Effect</h2> <p>In the first episode Big dies in Carrie’s arms after an intense Peloton (exercise bike) session in their massive Upper East Side apartment. This rather dark scene foreshadows the decline of the smart and saucy social commentary that once defined <em>Sex and the City</em>.</p> <p>The characters seem stuck in the past and confused about who they are as older women. Instead of unpacking these tensions, they’re glossed over. Given that very few characters over 50 in mainstream film and TV are women — <a href="https://seejane.org/research-informs-empowers/women-over-50-report/">as few as one in four</a> — we need shows that feature women’s complex lived experiences instead of those that bend to the whims of the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0234460">male-driven entertainment industry</a></p> <p>Fingers crossed that the show bounces back with some fun, anti-ageist narratives like Peloton did after its <a href="https://celebrity.nine.com.au/latest/peloton-releases-ad-with-mr-big-chris-noth-still-alive/0392415a-8ed5-410f-acae-98b139f952cc">stocks descended following the opening episode</a>.</p> <p><iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Cy8Zz7Q56dY?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> <span class="caption">Trailer for Sex and the City ‘And Just Like That’</span></p> <h2>Miranda</h2> <p>Miranda still has the best lines, like when she describes accidentally touching her son’s used condom over brunch: “I stepped on my son’s semen before coffee.” But she’s also framed as chronically unwoke and <a href="https://www.mediavillage.com/article/and-just-like-that-is-more-reflux-than-reboot/print/">offensive to everyone</a> — how is that comedic?</p> <p>In another scene Miranda contemplates dying her silvering hair. Going or staying grey is a hot topic among Hollywood actors, including Andie MacDowell, who <a href="https://www.vogue.com/article/andie-macdowell-gray-salt-and-pepper-hair">calls staying grey a “power move.”</a> Many if not all women grapple with this issue, which can make them feel like they must choose between <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/08952841.2021.1899744">feeling authentic and looking competent</a>. Miranda decides not to dye, which may encourage other women to resist dominant beauty trends that are designed to mask the ageing process.</p> <p>We’ve also seen Miranda partake in several morning drinks. When middle-age women drink excessively, we either laugh about it — <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/acer.14082">mummy wine memes — or pathologize it</a>. This is a topic of growing concern and bringing it out of the shadows on primetime could help women who have a problematic relationship with alcohol.</p> <p> </p> <h2>Charlotte</h2> <p>Charlotte resumes her role as the well-meaning, emotional and out-of-touch musketeer. Her character is shown parenting two very different daughters, one who may be non-binary. The challenges that this presents are worth examining given the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/13229400.2019.1650799">increasing visibility of transgender and gender-diverse children in the public sphere</a>.</p> <p>Charlotte is also depicted pressuring Carrie to attend one of her daughter’s piano recitals at the prestigious Manhattan School of Music. She repeats the name of the musical academy so many times it’s no longer a semi-funny classic Charlotte move but a bloated display of class privilege.</p> <p>Her new friendship with Lisa Todd Wexley, played by accomplished Black actor Nicole Ari Parker, is also problematic. Instead of exploring the dynamics of racialized friendships, Wexley’s character is lauded for being on <em>Vogue</em>‘s best-dressed list. She’s <a href="https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2021-12-10/nicole-ari-parker-sex-and-the-city-and-just-like-that-black-girlfriends">even called “Black Charlotte</a>,” which is racist and drains the character of any attributes of her own.</p> <h2>Carrie</h2> <p>Seeing Carrie behind the computer screen reminds me that she has an occupation — other than being on a podcast beyond her generational reach. She’s the white cis woman on the podcast, amongst a team of racialized and non-binary hosts. Carrie appears to be there to “represent” white women, but the idea that such a representation is needed smacks of dated racialized privilege or <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1367549420985852">what feminist scholars call “political whiteness”</a>.</p> <p>When Carrie is asked to join sexy, confessional dialogue in a meaningful way on the podcast she is shocked. But how could someone be shocked who, decades earlier, called out the orgasm gap way before anyone else?</p> <p>It was pretty revolutionary, as Jordin Wiggins, founder of The Pleasure Collective discusses in her book <a href="https://www.thepleasurecollective.com/"><em>The Pink Canary</em></a>. Women in mid-life don’t need pearl-clutching when it comes to talking about sexuality, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5903159/">we need to see women owning their desire and using their erotic voice</a>.</p> <h2>Closets to climb back into</h2> <p>As I watched Miranda, Charlotte and Carrie stroll around in expensive clothes with beautifully coiffed hair and Music School memberships I was struck by the stain of their white richness.</p> <p>I used to relate to them when they were struggling in their careers and relationships, but now in their palatial New York City apartments with massive walk-in closets, it doesn’t feel right.</p> <p>The uptake of shows like <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2021/dec/14/maid-the-bleak-humour-of-netflixs-hit-show-rings-true-to-victims-and-thats-not-all-it-gets-right"><em>Maid</em></a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTjlurdbNnw"><em>I May Destroy You</em></a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hd2ldTR-WpI"><em>Sex Education</em></a> demonstrate what viewing audiences want to see. <a href="https://socialsciences.ucla.edu/hollywood-diversity-report-2021/">They want to see themselves</a> in their socio-economic, racialized and embodied diversity.</p> <p>Just like the crumbling patriarchy, the reign of the white, cis, hetero woman is coming to an end as the predominant representation of “women.” It’s far from the only kind of show that sells.</p> <p>The old version of SATC not only reflected our society at the time, but it also helped change it in a lot of ways. Will the ladies of the Upper East Side ever step up their Blahniks?<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/173722/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><span><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/treena-orchard-752204">Treena Orchard</a>, Associate Professor, School of Health Studies, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/western-university-882">Western University</a></em></span></p> <p>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/sex-and-the-city-reboot-is-more-groan-than-groove-and-misses-the-mark-173722">original article</a>.</p> <p><em>Image: HBO Max</em></p>

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The Packed To The Rafters reboot has arrived

<p>That’s right - Australia's favourite family are back and you can catch up with all of them by watching the new season of <em>Back To The Rafters</em> on Amazon Prime Video.</p> <p>You can take a look at the trailer here which gives you a taste for what's in store for our beloved Rafters with the return of the series.</p> <p>The new series will show us what’s happening with Julie (Rebecca Gibney) and Dave Rafter (Erik Thomson) and their loveable, if sometimes complicated, children.</p> <p>When last we left off, Dave and Julie had sold the family home to pay off Grandpa Ted's (Michael Caton) gambling debt. They decided to turn lemons into lemonade, so they hit the road in their green kombi van to travel around Australia with their late-in-life baby, Ruby.</p> <p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/moQ4N4Ogm7E" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p> <p><strong>So, where are they now, six years later?</strong></p> <p>In a new trailer, we catch our first glimpse of what the family are up to. But it's not looking completely rosy, Julie and Dave have settled outside of Sydney in the quaint country town of Buradeena.</p> <p>A brief return to the city unveils a whole host of problems in their family and Julie realises she wants to return to Sydney to help her children with their troubles.</p> <p>In one tense scene, Julie is seen telling her husband she wants to "move back" while he asks her to stay.</p> <p>In another, the pair are seen arguing in front of Ben's house, with Julie tearfully telling him: "We're drifting, Dave."</p> <p>Could there be trouble brewing just when the couple are about to celebrate their 35th wedding anniversary?</p> <p>In the meantime, Nathan (Angus McLaren) still seems to be struggling to have the life he's always wanted. He's living in Sydney with his son Edward (Kaspar Frost), from his previous marriage to Saskia (Lauren Clair).</p> <p>"My life has just fallen apart mum," the single dad tearfully tells Julie in one scene.</p> <p>Ben (Hugh Sheridan) is happily married to a new character, Cassie (Haiha Le), and hoping to start his own family. However, the trailer hints at baby dramas, with the couple seen fighting over children and their future together.</p> <p>Rachel, formerly played by Jessica Marais and now played by Georgina Haig, briefly appears in the trailer. However, we're yet to see what's in store for her as she’s now living in New York and leads what seems like a secretive life.</p> <p>As the years have gone by, Ruby is now played by Willow Speers and we see her maturing into a young girl.</p> <p>"One stage of growing up, is realising your parents are just as vulnerable as you," her mother tells her in the trailer.</p> <p>While some things have changed, others remain same. Carbo (George Houvardas) is back and living the dream as a social media influencer. Donna (Merridy Eastman) is working with Ben and she's as flustered as she ever was by all of his shenanigans.</p> <p>Thankfully, the family is still celebrating all of their milestone moments at the Shanghai Express.</p> <p><strong>The new six-part series for <em>Packed To The Rafters</em> premieres on September 17th, with all six seasons of the original shows available to stream now on Amazon Prime Video.</strong></p> <p><em>Photos: Amazon Prime Video</em></p>

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First look at Sex and the City reboot

<p>Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon and Kristin Davis have returned for the Sex and the City reboot, And Just Like That.</p> <p>The next chapter of the beloved story of four friends in New York follows “Carrie” (Parker), “Miranda” (Nixon), and “Charlotte” (Davis) as “they navigate the journey from the complicated reality of life and friendship in their 30s to the even more complicated reality of life and friendship in their 50s.”</p> <p>Production has officially begun on the series, with an official photo being released over the weekend.</p> <p>And Just Like That will stream on Binge later this year.</p> <p>The cast includes Sara Ramirez, Chris Noth, Mario Cantone, David Eigenberg, Willie Garson and Evan Handler.</p> <p>Kim Cattrall, who played publicist Samantha Jones, will not be returning.</p> <p>HBO Max chief content officer Casey Bloys told<span> </span><em>TVLine<span> </span></em>back in February the show “is very much a story about women in their 50s, and they are dealing with things that people deal with in their 50s.”</p> <p>He explained to the outlet, “Just as in real life, people come into your life, people leave. Friendships fade, and new friendships start. So I think it is all very indicative of the real stages, the actual stages of life … They’re trying to tell an honest story about being a woman in her 50s in New York. So it should all feel somewhat organic, and the friends that you have when you’re 30, you may not have when you’re 50.”</p> <p>The four women played their respective characters for six seasons and two movies from 1998 until as recently as 2010.</p>

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How to reboot when you’re feeling stuck

<p>It’s hard not to take stock of our lives at the beginning of a new year. Often we realise that nothing much has changed over the last 12 months. Perhaps you’re still struggling to get over an illness or bereavement or trying to salvage a relationship. Maybe you’ve still not settled into retirement, or are bored with your job. It’s time to reboot…</p> <p><strong>1. What do you want to change?</strong></p> <p>Human behavioural specialist Dr John F. Demartini, best-selling author of ‘<em>The Breakthrough Experience’</em>, says people fall into ruts whenever their daily actions are not aligned to their highest values.</p> <p>“A rut is a by-product of not giving yourself permission to go after what you love in your life. The result is feeling trapped in something that is not meaningful,” he says.</p> <p>When daily actions are aligned and the reason you’re getting up in the morning is to do something that will get you where you want to be in life, he says, we wake up bright-eyed and bushy tailed.</p> <p>Dr Demartini suggests you list your top four or five values. “For example, ask yourself what energises rather than drains you at work or home? What do you always find money to do? In social settings, what do you most commonly talk about? What are the top three goals you can't wait to achieve?”</p> <p><strong>2. Learn from the past</strong></p> <p>While it’s unhealthy to dwell in the past and beat yourself up about bad decisions you’ve made, looking back over what hasn’t worked for you can often help you identify what might work for you in the future. For example if there is tension in your relationship, have you been burying your head in the sand and it’s not getting any better? Then perhaps now is the time to decide on a course of action. If you went for a new job and didn’t get it, where did you let yourself down, and what can you do differently next time? Be honest, have you been wallowing in your rut and just sinking deeper and deeper? Then haul yourself up and see how being more positive might make you feel.</p> <p>Writer Peg Streep calls this ‘counterfactual thinking’: “In any situation, the question ‘What might I have done?’ prompts a new and empowering resolve that when X happens (or doesn’t happen), I will do Y.”</p> <p><strong>3. Be SMART</strong></p> <p>In your professional life, you may well have come across SMART goals in your performance appraisals, and you can apply the same theory to your personal life. Set goals that are Specific, Measureable, Attainable, Realistic and Time-bound. So, rather than your goal being: ‘This year I’m going to fall in love’, you might decide you’re going to join an online dating website, ask friends to set you up or join in some new activities to meet new people. You can measure it by how many dates you have. Be realistic- for example one date a month. Or rather than deciding you’re going to win the lotto, decide to get your finances in order and budget for a ticket a week. Rather than decide to lose half your body weight, aim to lose a kilo a week and set out how you’re going to do it.</p> <p>Don’t expect a quick-fix. Break down what you want to achieve into bite-sized, achievable goals. Every goal you meet, you’ll feel more and more motivated to see it to its conclusion.</p>

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2016 is the year of TV reboots and remakes

<p>Just when you think cinemas are being flooded with remakes, sequels and prequels, it seems television producers are returning to the classics in the quest for ratings, too! Whether they’ve already aired, are in production or have just been announced, we take a look at some of the classic TV series returning to our screens (plus a few movie-to-TV-show reboots!).</p> <p><em><strong>MacGyver</strong></em></p> <p>Everyone’s favourite crafty adventure hero is back, but 66-year-old Richard Dean Anderson will not be returning to play Angus MacGyver, who will be played instead by 25-year-old <em>X-Men</em> actor Lucas Till. A pilot episode has been ordered, and it is reported that the new series will be something of a prequel, looking back at MacGyver’s early years.</p> <p><strong><em>The Notebook</em></strong></p> <p>The Nicholas Sparks tearjerker is set to get the small screen treatment after US network The CW picked it up for a reboot, which is currently in development. Not much is known yet about the details, but Sparks will be co-producing the series based on his best-selling novel and the blockbuster film adaptation starring Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams.</p> <p><strong><em>Xena: Warrior Princess</em></strong></p> <p>Iconic female warrior Xena will soon be returning to our screens, thanks to a new series from NBC. Co-creator of the original series, Rob Tapert, is said to be involved but it is unknown if wife (and star of the show) Lucy Lawless will be reprising her role. The pilot’s screenwriter, however, has said the new series would definitely address Xena and Gabrielle’s ambiguous relationship.</p> <p><strong><em>Twin Peaks</em></strong></p> <p>A reboot of David Lynch’s short-lived cult classic <strong><em>Twin Peaks</em></strong> is already in production, and many of the original cast members have already signed on, including Kyle MacLachlan, Sherilyn Fenn, David Duchovny, Peggy Lipton and more. Naomi Watts, Laura Dern and Jim Belushi have also confirmed new roles. It is set to air next year.</p> <p><strong><em>Gilmore Girls</em></strong></p> <p>Lorelai, Rory and the gang are back for a new Netflix revival titled <em>Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life</em>, which will be comprised of four 90-minute episodes set in a different season of the year. Most of the original cast will be involved, and the special will be released to the streaming service any day now!</p> <p><strong><em>Fuller House</em></strong></p> <p>Fan of <em>Full House</em>? You’re in luck! Almost all the original cast have returned for this 13-episode reboot of the hit show, which first aired in 1987, with the exception of Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen who played Michelle Tanner in the hit show which first aired in 1987. It has already been renewed for another season and is currently in production.</p> <p><em><strong>Fargo</strong></em></p> <p>The Coen Brothers’ critically acclaimed, quirky crime thriller <em>Fargo</em> has been revived in the form of an anthology series with each season presenting a different story. The cast includes Billy Bob Thornton, Martin Freeman, Kirsten Dunst, Ted Danson and more. The critically acclaimed series has won two Emmys and is currently producing its third season, starring Ewan McGregor.</p> <p><em><strong>The X-Files</strong></em></p> <p>Sci-fi classic <em>The X-Files</em> was rebooted earlier in the year, with David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson reprising their roles as Mulder, the believer, and Scully, the sceptic. The “event series” produced six episodes set 14 years after the final season and 7 years after the last film, <em>The X-Files: I Want to Believe</em>. The cast and crew are currently in talks for another season.</p> <p>Which of these reboots are you looking forward to? Let us know in the comments below!</p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="/entertainment/movies/2016/05/8-classic-films-getting-remakes/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">8 classic films getting remakes</span></em></strong></a></p> <p><a href="/entertainment/tv/2016/06/10-classic-british-tv-comedy-shows-we-love/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>10 classic British TV comedy shows we love</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="/entertainment/tv/2016/06/shocking-facts-about-tv-shows/"><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>10 shocking facts you didn’t know about your favourite TV shows</strong></span></em></a></p>

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5 “digestible” tips to reboot your health and wellbeing

<p><em><strong>Nutritionist, Vitasoy ambassador and chef from Good Chef Bad Chef, Zoe Bingley-Pullin, shares her expert tips on simple ways to achieve healthy digestion.</strong></em> </p> <p>We often assess our health and wellbeing goals at the start of the year, but why not continually throughout the year! Our bodies, and our needs, can change, and it’s important to sometimes give things a little reboot. </p> <p>Here are five of my favourite small changes you can make to your health and wellbeing to help you look and feel your best:</p> <p><strong>1. Snacking</strong></p> <p>Always carry around healthy “emergency” snacks: For yourself and your grandchildren! All of us can get hungry on the go, and nutritious snack options can sometimes be tricky to find. Plus when that hungry monster strikes, it’s often each to make unhealthy food choices. For the time poor, even a little pack of nuts or dried fruit is better than the packaged, processed options we frequently pick up out and about. For those who do have time to prep ahead, hard-boiled eggs, hummus and vegetable sticks or tasty homemade muesli bar or slice are all good options. </p> <p><strong>2. Water</strong></p> <p>Give your water a flavour boost to drink up: dehydration can actually increase energy slumps, make you think you’re hungry (when you’re not) and can impair detoxification. Not good for looking and feeling your best! If you’re struggling to remember to hydrate, drink 500mls of water as soon as you wake up or carry around a water bottle with fresh squeezed lemon to sip on the go.</p> <p><strong>3. Protein</strong></p> <p>Look for protein in unexpected places and include it at every meal: protein is so important; it helps you feel fuller for longer and can help boost your energy, so it’s vital to include it at every meal. So why not look beyond the usual meat and nut options? You can find protein in some pretty unexpected places: Greek yoghurt, quinoa and soy milk are all good sources of protein.</p> <p><strong>4. Beat the mid afternoon snack</strong></p> <p>Think outside the box for an energy hit, not towards sugary food and drink: we can all hit a mid-afternoon slump, but it’s important to note sugar isn’t always the answer. An easy way to pep yourself up is to take a number of deep breaths. Breathe in for a count of six, out for account of 12. Aim to do this six times. Not only will this increase oxygen flow to your brain and muscles, it also gives you a much-needed mini-meditation!</p> <p><strong>5. Make your food look tasty</strong></p> <p>Make your food look as appetising as you can: it’s totally ok to be a little superficial when it comes to food! No one wants to eat something that does not look appetising. Even something as simple as a breakfast smoothie can be amplified by adding some frozen berries, oats and using Coconut Milk (try Vitasoy’s Unsweetened Coconut Milk!) so that it looks more like a colourful dessert than ‘just another shake’.  Make sure you use lots of colourful ingredients and present them so that everyone wants to finish their whole meal.</p> <p><em>These are the personal views and recommendations of Zoe Bingley-Pullin and not Vitasoy. You should always contact an accredited health professional for specific dietary advice.</em></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/news/news/2016/02/organic-meat-and-milk-put-to-the-test-by-british-study/">Is organic meat and dairy really the best option?</a></strong></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/news/news/2016/01/the-science-behind-why-we-eat-too-much/">The science behind why we eat too much</a></strong></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/health/body/2016/02/understanding-diet-trends/">What you need to know about the latest diet trends</a></strong></em></span></p>

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