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Dog care below freezing − how to keep your pet warm and safe from cold weather, road salt and more this winter

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/erik-christian-olstad-1505284">Erik Christian Olstad</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-california-davis-1312">University of California, Davis</a></em></p> <p>Time outside with your dog in the spring, summer and fall can be lovely. Visiting your favorite downtown café on a cool spring morning, going to a favorite dog park on a clear summer evening or going on walks along a river when the leaves are changing color are all wonderful when the weather is favorable. But in much of the country, when winter rolls around, previously hospitable conditions can <a href="https://theconversation.com/is-winter-miserable-for-wildlife-108734">quickly turn chilly and dangerous</a> for people and pups alike.</p> <p>Winter brings some unique challenges for dog owners, since dogs still need activity and socialization during colder seasons. Studies have shown that dog owners are almost 50% less likely to walk their dogs <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11113302">when the weather gets cold</a>. Knowing the basics of winter safety is critical to maintaining a healthy lifestyle for your dog.</p> <p>I am an <a href="https://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/faculty/erik-olstad">assistant professor</a> at the University of California Davis School of Veterinary Medicine who weathered polar vortexes with my dog while living in Michigan early in my career. While I’ve since moved to sunny California, I’ve seen how quickly frigid temperatures can turn dangerous for pets.</p> <h2>Breed and age differences</h2> <p>Not all dogs have the same abilities to deal with cold weather. A short-coated dog like a Chihuahua is much more susceptible to the dangers of cold weather than a thick-coated husky. When the weather dips below 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4 degrees Celsius), the well-acclimated husky may be comfortable, whereas the Chihuahua would shiver and be at risk of hypothermia.</p> <p>Additionally, if your dog is used to warm weather, but you decide to move to a colder region, the dog will need time to acclimate to that colder weather, even if they have a thick coat.</p> <p>Age also affects cold-weather resilience. Puppies and elderly dogs can’t withstand the chill as well as other dogs, but every dog is unique – each may have individual health conditions or physical attributes that make them more or less resilient to cold weather.</p> <h2>When is my dog too cold?</h2> <p>Pet owners should be able to recognize the symptoms of a dog that is getting too cold. Dogs will shiver, and some may vocalize or whine. Dogs may resist putting their feet down on the cold ground, or burrow, or try to find warmth in their environment when they are uncomfortable.</p> <p>Just like people, <a href="https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/frostbite-in-dogs">dogs can get frostbite</a>. And just like people, the signs can take days to appear, making it hard to assess them in the moment. The most common sites for frostbite in dogs are their ears and the tips of their tails. Some of the initial signs of frostbite are skin discoloring, turning paler than normal, or purple, gray or even black; red, blistered skin; swelling; pain at the site; <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/ulcer">or ulceration</a>.</p> <p>Other <a href="https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/frostbite-in-dogs">serious signs of hypothermia</a> include sluggishness or lethargy, and if you observe them, please visit your veterinarian immediately. A good rule to live by is if it is too cold for you, it is too cold for your dog.</p> <p>Getting your dog a <a href="https://www.cnn.com/cnn-underscored/pets/best-winter-dog-coats-jackets">sweater or jacket</a> and <a href="https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/vets-corner/protect-dogs-paws-snow-ice-salt/">paw covers</a> can provide them with protection from the elements and keep them comfortable. Veterinarians also recommend closely monitoring your dog and limiting their time outside when the temperature nears the freezing point or drops below it.</p> <h2>Road salt dangers</h2> <p>Road salt that treats ice on streets and sidewalks <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/kitchener-waterloo/ice-salt-toxic-for-pets-1.5020088">can also harm dogs</a>. When dogs walk on the salt, the sharp, rough edges of the salt crystals can irritate the sensitive skin on their paws.</p> <p>Dogs will often lick their feet when they’re dirty, wet or irritated, and if they ingest any salt doing that, they may face GI upset, dehydration, kidney failure, seizures or even death. Even small amounts of pure salt can <a href="https://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/pet-tips/my-dog-ate-road-salt-will-they-be-okay/">disrupt critical body functions</a> in dogs.</p> <p>Some companies make pet-safe salt, but in public it can be hard to tell what type of salt is on the ground. After walking your dog, wash off their feet or boots. You can also keep their paw fur trimmed to prevent snow from balling up or salt collecting in the fur. Applying a thin layer of petroleum jelly or <a href="https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/lifestyle/how-to-make-your-own-paw-balm-for-winter/">paw pad balm</a> to the skin of the paw pads can also help protect your pet’s paws from irritation.</p> <h2>Antifreeze risks</h2> <p><a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/antifreeze-chemical-substance">Antifreeze, or ethylene glycol</a>, is in most vehicles to prevent the fluids from freezing when it gets cold out. Some people pour antifreeze into their toilets when away from their home to prevent the water in the toilet from freezing.</p> <p>Antifreeze is an exceptionally dangerous chemical to dogs and cats, as it tastes sweet but can be deadly when ingested. If a pet ingests even a small amount of antifreeze, the substance causes a chemical cascade in their body that results in severe kidney damage. If left untreated, the pet may have <a href="https://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/pet-owner-blog/antifreeze-poisoning/">permanent kidney damage or die</a>.</p> <p>There are safer antifreeze options on the market that use ingredients other than ethylene glycol. If your dog ingests antifreeze, please see your veterinarian immediately for treatment.</p> <p>When temperatures dip below freezing, the best thing pet owners can do is keep the time spent outside as minimal as possible. Try some <a href="https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/lifestyle/great-indoor-games-to-play-with-your-dog/">indoor activities</a>, like hide-and-seek with low-calorie treats, fetch or even an interactive obstacle course. Food puzzles can also keep your dog mentally engaged during indoor time.</p> <p>Although winter presents some unique challenges, it can still be an enjoyable and healthy time for you and your canine companion.<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/221709/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/erik-christian-olstad-1505284">Erik Christian Olstad</a>, Health Sciences Assistant Professor of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-california-davis-1312">University of California, Davis</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/dog-care-below-freezing-how-to-keep-your-pet-warm-and-safe-from-cold-weather-road-salt-and-more-this-winter-221709">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Family & Pets

People in the world’s ‘blue zones’ live longer – their diet could hold the key to why

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/justin-roberts-1176632">Justin Roberts</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/anglia-ruskin-university-1887">Anglia Ruskin University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/joseph-lillis-1505087">Joseph Lillis</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/anglia-ruskin-university-1887">Anglia Ruskin University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/mark-cortnage-438941">Mark Cortnage</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/anglia-ruskin-university-1887">Anglia Ruskin University</a></em></p> <p>Ageing is an inevitable part of life, which may explain our <a href="https://time.com/4672969/why-do-people-want-to-live-so-long/">strong fascination</a> with the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2726954">quest for longevity</a>. The allure of <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26566891/">eternal youth</a> drives a <a href="https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/longevity-and-anti-senescence-therapy-market-A14010">multi-billion pound industry</a> ranging from anti-ageing products, supplements and <a href="https://www.everydayhealth.com/diet-nutrition/longevity-diet">diets</a> for those hoping to extend their lifespan.</p> <p>f you look back to the turn of the 20th century, average life expectancy in the UK was around 46 years. Today, it’s closer to <a href="https://population.un.org/wpp/">82 years</a>. We are in fact <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27706136/">living longer than ever before</a>, possibly due to medical advancements and improved <a href="https://www.health.org.uk/publications/reports/mortality-and-life-expectancy-trends-in-the-uk">living and working conditions</a>.</p> <p>But living longer has also come at a price. We’re now seeing higher rates of <a href="https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/themes/mortality-and-global-health-estimates/ghe-leading-causes-of-death">chronic and degenerative diseases</a> – with heart disease consistently topping the list. So while we’re fascinated by what may help us live longer, maybe we should be more interested in being healthier for longer. Improving our “<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4632858/">healthy life expectancy</a>” remains a global challenge.</p> <p>Interestingly, certain locations around the world have been discovered where there are a high proportion of centenarians who display remarkable physical and mental health. The <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15489066/">AKEA study of Sardinia, Italy</a>, as example, identified a “blue zone” (named because it was marked with blue pen), where there was a higher number of locals living in the central-eastern mountainous areas who had reached their 100th birthday compared with the wider Sardinian community.</p> <p>This longevity hotspot has since been expanded, and now includes several other areas around the world which also have greater numbers of longer-living, healthy people. Alongside Sardinia, these blue zones are now <a href="https://www.netflix.com/gb/title/81214929">popularly recognised</a> as: Ikaria, Greece; Okinawa, Japan; Nicoya, Costa Rica; and Loma Linda, California.</p> <p>Other than their long lifespans, people living in these zones also appear to share certain other commonalities, which centre around being <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3874460">part of a community</a>, having a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4224996/">life purpose</a>, eating <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33514872/">nutritious, healthy foods</a>, keeping <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41398-021-01735-7">stress levels</a> low and undertaking purposeful daily <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30202288/">exercise or physical tasks</a>.</p> <p>Their longevity could also relate to their <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9010380/">environment</a>, being mostly rural (or less polluted), or because of <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22253498/">specific longevity genes</a>.</p> <p>However, studies indicate genetics may only account for <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8786073">around 20-25% of longevity</a> – meaning a person’s lifespan is a complex interaction between lifestyle and genetic factors, which contribute to a long and healthy life.</p> <h2>Is the secret in our diet?</h2> <p>When it comes to diet, each blue zone has its own approach – so one specific food or nutrient does not explain the remarkable longevity observed. But interestingly, a diet rich in <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3662288">plant foods</a> (such as locally-grown vegetables, fruits and legumes) does appear to be reasonably consistent across these zones.</p> <p>For instance, the Seventh-day Adventists of Loma Linda are <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10641813/">predominately vegetarian</a>. For centenarians in Okinawa, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20234038/">high intakes of flavonoids</a> (a chemical compound typically found in plants) from purple sweet potatoes, soy and vegetables, have been linked with <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11710359/">better cardiovascular health</a> – including lower cholesterol levels and lower incidences of stroke and heart disease.</p> <p>In Nicoya, consumption of locally produced rice and beans has been associated with <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34444746/">longer telomere length</a>. Telomeres are the structural part at the end of our chromosomes which protect our genetic material. Our telomeres get shorter each time a cell divides – so get progressively shorter as we age.</p> <p>Certain <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21102320/">lifestyle factors</a> (such as smoking and poor diet) can also shorten telomere length. It’s thought that telomere length acts as a <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31728493/">biomarker of ageing</a> – so having longer telomeres could, in part, be linked with longevity.</p> <p>But a plant-based diet isn’t the only secret. In Sardinia, for example, meat and fish is consumed in moderation in addition to locally grown vegetables and <a href="https://journalofethnicfoods.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s42779-022-00152-5">traditional foods</a> such as acorn breads, pane carasau (a sourdough flatbread), honey and soft cheeses.</p> <p>Also observed in several blue zone areas is the inclusion of <a href="https://www.jacc.org/doi/10.1016/j.jacc.2021.10.041">olive oil</a>, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33669360/">wine</a> (in moderation – around 1-2 glasses a day), as well as <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3830687/">tea</a>. All of these contain powerful antioxidants which may help <a href="https://ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10049696/">protect our cells</a> from damage <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6273542/">as we age</a>.</p> <p>Perhaps then, it’s a combination of the protective effects of various nutrients in the diets of these centenarians, which explains their exceptional longevity.</p> <p>Another striking observation from these longevity hot spots is that meals are typically <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7232892">freshly prepared at home</a>. Traditional blue zone diets also don’t appear to contain <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6538973/">ultra-processed foods</a>, fast foods or sugary drinks which may <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32330232/">accelerate ageing</a>. So maybe it’s just as important to consider what these longer-living populations are not doing, as much as what they are doing.</p> <p>There also appears to be a pattern of eating until 80% full (in other words partial <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9036399/">caloric reduction</a>. This could be important in also supporting how our cells deal with damage as we age, which could mean a longer life.</p> <p>Many of the factors making up these blue zone diets – primarily plant-based and natural whole foods – are associated with <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35706591/">lower risk of chronic diseases</a> such as <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28728684/">heart disease</a> and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37589638/">cancer</a>. Not only could such diets contribute to a <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37836577/">longer, healthier life</a>, but could support a more <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33397404/">diverse gut microbiome</a>, which is also associated with healthy ageing.</p> <p>Perhaps then we can learn something from these remarkable centenarians. While diet is only one part of the bigger picture when it comes to longevity, it’s an area we can do something about. In fact, it might just be at the heart of improving not only the quality of our health, but the quality of how we age.<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/221463/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/justin-roberts-1176632">Justin Roberts</a>, Professor of Nutritional Physiology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/anglia-ruskin-university-1887">Anglia Ruskin University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/joseph-lillis-1505087">Joseph Lillis</a>, PhD Candidate in Nutritional Physiology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/anglia-ruskin-university-1887">Anglia Ruskin University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/mark-cortnage-438941">Mark Cortnage</a>, Senior Lecturer in Public Health and Nutrition, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/anglia-ruskin-university-1887">Anglia Ruskin University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/people-in-the-worlds-blue-zones-live-longer-their-diet-could-hold-the-key-to-why-221463">original article</a>.</em></p>

Food & Wine

I want to eat healthily. So why do I crave sugar, salt and carbs?

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hayley-oneill-1458016">Hayley O'Neill</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a></em></p> <p>We all want to eat healthily, especially as we reset our health goals at the start of a new year. But sometimes these plans are sabotaged by powerful cravings for sweet, salty or carb-heavy foods.</p> <p>So why do you crave these foods when you’re trying to improve your diet or lose weight? And what can you do about it?</p> <p>There are many reasons for craving specific foods, but let’s focus on four common ones:</p> <h2>1. Blood sugar crashes</h2> <p>Sugar is a key energy source for all animals, and its taste is one of the most basic sensory experiences. Even without specific sweet taste receptors on the tongue, a strong preference for sugar can develop, indicating a mechanism beyond taste alone.</p> <p>Neurons <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41593-021-00982-7">responding to sugar</a> are activated when sugar is delivered to the gut. This can increase appetite and make you want to consume more. Giving into cravings also drives an appetite for more sugar.</p> <p>In the long term, research suggests a high-sugar diet can affect <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/369/bmj.m2382">mood</a>, digestion and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33339337/">inflammation</a> in the <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/scitranslmed.aay6218?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori:rid:crossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub%20%200pubmed">gut</a>.</p> <p>While there’s a lot of <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0149763402000040?via%3Dihub#aep-section-id23">variation between individuals</a>, regularly eating sugary and high-carb foods can lead to <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30951762/">rapid spikes and crashes</a> in blood sugar levels. When your blood sugar drops, your body can respond by craving quick sources of energy, often in the form of sugar and carbs because these deliver the fastest, most easily accessible form of energy.</p> <h2>2. Drops in dopamine and serotonin</h2> <p>Certain neurotransmitters, such as <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30595479/">dopamine</a>, are involved in the reward and pleasure centres of the brain. Eating sugary and carb-rich foods can trigger the release of dopamine, creating a pleasurable experience and reinforcing the craving.</p> <p>Serotonin, the feel-good hormone, suppresses <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1569733910700886">appetite</a>. Natural changes in serotonin can influence daily fluctuations in mood, energy levels and attention. It’s also associated with eating more <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5829131/">carb-rich snacks in the afternoon</a>.</p> <p><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21985780/">Low carb diets</a> may reduce serotonin and lower mood. However, a recent systematic review suggests little association between these diets and risk for <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165032722013933?via%3Dihub">anxiety and depression</a>.</p> <p>Compared to men, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4189179/">women tend to crave more carb rich foods</a>. Feeling irritable, tired, depressed or experiencing carb cravings are part of premenstrual <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29218451/">symptoms</a> and could be <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK560698/">linked to</a> reduced <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9928757/">serotonin levels</a>.</p> <h2>3. Loss of fluids and drops in blood sugar and salt</h2> <p>Sometimes our bodies crave the things they’re missing, such as hydration or even salt. A low-carb diet, for example, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK537084/">depletes</a> insulin levels, decreasing sodium and water retention.</p> <p><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1933287419302673">Very low-carb diets</a>, like ketogenic diets, induce “ketosis”, a metabolic state where the body switches to using fat as its primary energy source, moving away from the usual dependence on carbohydrates.</p> <p>Ketosis is often associated with increased urine production, further contributing to potential fluid loss, electrolyte imbalances and salt cravings.</p> <h2>4. High levels of stress or emotional turmoil</h2> <p><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4214609/">Stress</a>, boredom and emotional turmoil can lead to cravings for comfort foods. This is because stress-related hormones can impact our appetite, satiety (feeling full) and food preferences.</p> <p>The stress hormone <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3425607/">cortisol</a>, in particular, can drive cravings for <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0306453000000354">sweet comfort foods</a>.</p> <p>A <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0306453000000354">2001 study</a> of 59 premenopausal women subjected to stress revealed that the stress led to higher calorie consumption.</p> <p><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37295418/">A more recent study</a> found chronic stress, when paired with high-calorie diet, increases food intake and a preference for sweet foods. This shows the importance of a healthy diet during stress to prevent weight gain.</p> <h2>What can you do about cravings?</h2> <p>Here are four tips to curb cravings:</p> <p><strong>1) don’t cut out whole food groups.</strong> Aim for a well-balanced diet and make sure you include:</p> <ul> <li> <p><em>sufficient protein</em> in your meals to help you feel full and reduce the urge to snack on sugary and carb-rich foods. Older adults should aim for 20–40g protein per meal with a particular focus on <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/jhn.12838">breakfast and lunch</a> and an overall daily protein intake of at least <a href="https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/43411">0.8g</a> per kg of body weight for <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35187864/">muscle health</a></p> </li> <li> <p><em>fibre-rich foods</em>, such as vegetables and whole grains. These make you feel full and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32142510/">stabilise your blood sugar</a> levels. Examples include broccoli, quinoa, brown rice, oats, beans, lentils and bran cereals. Substitute refined carbs high in sugar like processed snack bars, soft drink or baked goods for more complex ones like whole grain bread or wholewheat muffins, or nut and seed bars or energy bites made with chia seeds and oats</p> </li> </ul> <p><strong>2) manage your stress levels.</strong> Practise stress-reduction techniques like meditation, deep breathing, or yoga to manage emotional triggers for cravings. Practising <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30570305/">mindful eating</a>, by eating slowly and tuning into bodily sensations, can also reduce daily calorie intake and curb cravings and stress-driven eating</p> <p><strong>3) get enough sleep.</strong> Aim for <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33054337/">seven to eight</a> hours of quality sleep per night, with a minimum of seven hours. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9031614/">Lack of sleep</a> can disrupt hormones that regulate hunger and cravings</p> <p><strong>4) control your portions.</strong> If you decide to indulge in a treat, control your portion size to avoid overindulging.</p> <p>Overcoming cravings for sugar, salt and carbs when trying to eat healthily or lose weight is undoubtedly a formidable challenge. Remember, it’s a journey, and setbacks may occur. Be patient with yourself – your success is not defined by occasional cravings but by your ability to manage and overcome them.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/212114/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hayley-oneill-1458016">Hayley O'Neill</a>, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/i-want-to-eat-healthily-so-why-do-i-crave-sugar-salt-and-carbs-212114">original article</a>.</em></p>

Food & Wine

Influencer's tragic update following son's death at six weeks old

<p>Aussie Influencer Veruca Salt has shared an emotional tribute to her son who <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/influencer-announces-tragic-death-of-six-week-old-son" target="_blank" rel="noopener">died in his sleep</a> at just six-weeks-old. </p> <p>The 25-year-old, real name Kimberley Summer Hartley, shared a video of the funeral service for her son Cash, with Taylor Swift’s rock ballad <em>Long Live </em>playing in the background.</p> <p>At one moment, Hartley can be seen being consoled by her friends, as black and white balloons were released into the air. </p> <p>The board at the service showed a picture of Cash with the words "A celebration of life", followed by the baby boy's full name, the date he was born and passed away, and “forever dancing with the fruits”. </p> <p>The video ends with a black and white video of Cash being comforted by his mum and smiling as she stroked his cheek. </p> <p> </p> <div class="embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none !important;"><iframe class="embedly-embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none !important; width: 573px; max-width: 100%;" title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7337251408909028609&display_name=tiktok&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40verucasalt444%2Fvideo%2F7337251408909028609&image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign-sg.tiktokcdn.com%2Fobj%2Ftos-alisg-p-0037%2F3377edfbc6c44ee3a82e4a4c625f5884_1708336979%3Fx-expires%3D1708552800%26x-signature%3DffE%252BCUSJ9VgzUsT3qdjowDvQ2d8%253D&key=59e3ae3acaa649a5a98672932445e203&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> <p>Fans took to the comments to share their condolences for the grieving mum. </p> <p>“Oh Veruca, if I could take even minutes off my life to give you more time with him I would in a heartbeat,” one wrote. </p> <p>“Rest in paradise with the dancing fruits, beautiful boy,” said another.</p> <p>"Rest In Paradise Baby Cash. Please visit your Mommy in her dreams and keep her safe always. Sending love Veruca," commented a third. </p> <p>"I’m so sorry! What a beautiful send off for a gorgeous boy," added a fourth.</p> <p><em>Images: TikTok</em></p> <p> </p>

Caring

Influencer announces tragic death of six-week-old son

<p>TikTok influencer Veruca Salt, real name Kimberley Summer Hartley, took to Instagram to announce the tragic death of her six-week-old son, Cash. </p> <p>The Gold Coast - based influencer, 25, shared the tragic news just one day after she posted a TikTok of her taking her newborn bub out for his first hospital visit, as he hadn't pooped in seven days. </p> <p>On Monday morning she revealed that her son “died in his sleep”. </p> <p>“It is with a heavy heart that I’m writing this,” she wrote.</p> <p>“My baby died in his sleep on Monday morning. I don’t know what happened, he is having an autopsy this week but it is unlikely that I’ll ever have an answer.</p> <p>“I’m just saying this because people are still commenting on my TikToks saying how happy I look with him and ‘just wait for the toddler stage’ and stuff and I (really) can’t take it anymore. I’m really sorry.”</p> <p>In her most recent <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@verucasalt444/video/7332609198599032065?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7142332295764346370" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TikTok</a>, she shared a clip of her grieving her son's death with the caption: "I knew he was dead but there was a part of me that really thought they were gonna wake him up." </p> <p>Fans have shared their condolences. </p> <p>"We are all standing by you Veruca. Take all the time you need ❤️" one wrote on TikTok. </p> <p>"I’ve never cried harder for a woman i don’t know, I'm so sorry Veruca the love you have for him never goes unnoticed," another commented. </p> <p>"Sending love this is the worst thing in the world to happen to anyone," a third added. </p> <p>"I'm so so sorry no mother should have to go through this💔" a fourth wrote. </p> <p>Queensland Police have confirmed the death, after they were called to a Southport unit at around 6.13am on February 5.</p> <p>The death is not being treated as suspicious.</p> <p>Police are currently awaiting autopsy results, Superintendent Craig Hanlon told the <em>Gold Coast Bulletin</em>. </p> <p>“It’s obviously a tragic situation and our hearts go out to the mother and the family.”</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram/ TikTok</em></p>

Caring

"Pathetic" fine for killer of beloved 40-year-old blue groper

<p>In a shocking act of disregard for both marine life and the law, a 26-year-old individual has plunged a spear into the heart of Sydney's Cronulla community by illegally spearing and killing the beloved blue groper known as Gus.</p> <p>Blue gropers, revered for their non-aggressive nature and inquisitive demeanour, have been the official fish of New South Wales since 1996, enjoying legal protection against spearfishing and commercial exploitation.</p> <p>After visiting and entertaining locals in the area for over 40 years, Gus, affectionately named by the community, met a tragic end at Old Park in Cronulla, a well-signed no-spearfishing zone. The incident has left the local community seething with anger and grief, prompting demands for harsher penalties and increased community education.</p> <p>A local Facebook post on the incident quickly garnered more than 100 comments and 500 reactions, reflecting the collective outrage of concerned locals. One individual expressed their frustration, saying, "Omg what an a**hole! I've been trying to find that groper for ages, and now I'll never get to see him. I hope this guy gets a massive fine."</p> <p>Witnesses to the distressing incident, including Tenielle Piek, reported the callousness of the spearfisherman to <a href="https://www.news.com.au/technology/environment/outrage-over-fishermans-pathetic-punishment-for-killing-iconic-blue-groper-in-cronulla/news-story/7dec503e9b95ec1fd8d7e7b0f8438036" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news.com.au</a>, who proudly displayed the lifeless groper. Piek lamented the loss of the "Labrador of the Sea" and the vulnerability of these tame and curious creatures to spearfishing. She fears that future generations may be deprived of the opportunity to experience these beautiful creatures in their natural habitat along the shores of Cronulla.</p> <p>Despite the gravity of the crime, the spearfisherman was initially handed a meagre fine of $500, sparking outrage among locals who believed the punishment to be woefully inadequate. NSW Fisheries then tacked on an additional $300, and while the culprit displayed remorse during the interview with fisheries officers and was a first-time offender, the community clearly still feels shortchanged by the leniency of the penalty.</p> <p>A spokesperson from the Department of Primary Industries claimed that the individual was provided with education and awareness material to understand the rules of spearfishing. However, the paltry $300 fine out of a potential $11,000 seems insufficient to deter future acts of this nature.</p> <p>As the investigation appears to conclude, the Cronulla community remains on edge, grappling with the inadequacy of the penalties issued. The tragic fate of Gus demands justice and a resolute commitment to preserving the delicate marine ecosystem. Anything less than a substantial deterrent risks further harm to these innocent creatures and the cherished natural beauty of Cronulla's shores.</p> <p><em>Images: Facebook</em></p>

Legal

Slashing salt can save lives – and it won’t hurt your hip pocket or tastebuds

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/peter-breadon-1348098">Peter Breadon</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/grattan-institute-1168">Grattan Institute</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/lachlan-fox-1283428">Lachlan Fox</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/grattan-institute-1168">Grattan Institute</a></em></p> <p>Each year, more than <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/eb5fee21-7f05-4be1-8414-8b2bba7b4070/ABDS-2018-Risk-factor-supp-data-tables.xlsx.aspx">2,500 Australians</a> die from diseases linked to eating too much salt.</p> <p>We shouldn’t be putting up with so much unnecessary illness, mainly from heart disease and strokes, and so many deaths.</p> <p>As a new <a href="https://grattan.edu.au/report/sneaky-salt/">Grattan Institute report</a> shows, there are practical steps the federal government can take to save lives, reduce health spending and help the economy.</p> <h2>We eat too much salt, with deadly consequences</h2> <p>Eating too much salt is bad for your health. It <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41569-018-0004-1">raises blood pressure</a>, which increases the risk of <a href="https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.119.14240">heart disease and stroke</a>.</p> <p>About <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/risk-factors/high-blood-pressure/contents/summary">one in three</a> Australians has high blood pressure, and eating too much salt is the biggest individual contributor.</p> <p>Unfortunately, the average Australian eats far too much salt – <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.5694/mja17.00394">almost double</a> the recommended daily maximum of 5 grams, equivalent to <a href="https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/sodium-and-salt-converter#:%7E:text=We%20recommend%20adults%20eat%20less,about%201%20teaspoon%20a%20day">a teaspoon</a>.</p> <p>Australian governments know excessive salt intake is a big problem. That’s why in <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/national-preventive-health-strategy-2021-2030?language=en">2021 they set a target</a> to reduce salt intake by at least 30% by 2030.</p> <p>It’s an ambitious and worthy goal. But we’re still eating too much salt and we don’t have the policies to change that.</p> <h2>Most of the salt we eat is added to food during manufacturing</h2> <p>Most of the salt Australians eat doesn’t come from the shaker on the table. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7231587/">About three-quarters</a> of it is added to food during manufacturing.</p> <p>This salt is hidden in everyday staples such as bread, cheese and processed meats. Common foods such as ready-to-eat pasta meals or a ham sandwich can have up to half our total recommended salt intake.</p> <h2>Salt limits are the best way to cut salt intake</h2> <p>Reducing the amount of salt added to food during manufacturing is the most effective way to reduce intake.</p> <p>Salt limits can help us do that. They work by setting limits on how much salt can be added to different kinds of food, such as bread or biscuits. To meet these limits, companies need to change the recipes of their products, reducing the amount of salt.</p> <p>Under salt limits, the United Kingdom reduced salt intake <a href="https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.120.16649">by 20% in about a decade</a>. <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41371-021-00653-x">South Africa</a> is making even faster gains. Salt limits are cheap and easy to implement, and can get results quickly.</p> <p>Most consumers won’t notice a change at the checkout. Companies will need to update their recipes, but even if all the costs of updating recipes were passed on to shoppers, we calculate that at most it would cost about 10 cents each week for the average household.</p> <p>Nor will consumers notice much of a change at the dinner table. <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/6/10/4354">Most people don’t notice</a> when some salt is removed <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022316622031224">from common foods</a>. There are many ways companies can make foods taste just as salty without adding as much salt. For example, they can make <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748704534904575131602283791566">salt crystals finer</a>, or use <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4520464/">potassium-enriched salt</a>, which swaps some of the harmful sodium in salt for potassium. And because the change will be gradual, our tastebuds will <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/eurjcn/zvac060.077">adapt to less salty foods</a> over time.</p> <h2>Australia’s salt limits are failing</h2> <p>Australia has had voluntary salt limits since 2009, but they are badly designed, poorly implemented, and have reduced population salt intake by just <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/articles/healthy-food-partnership-reformulation-program-two-year-progress">0.3%</a>.</p> <p>Because Australia’s limits are voluntary, many food companies have chosen not to participate in the scheme. Our analysis shows that 73% of eligible food products are not participating, and only 4% have reduced their salt content.</p> <h2>Action could save lives</h2> <p>Modelling from the University of Melbourne <a href="https://mspgh.unimelb.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/4783405/The-Health-and-Cost-Impacts-of-Sodium-Reduction-Interventions-in-Australia.pdf">shows</a> that fixing our failed salt limits could add 36,000 extra healthy years of life, across the population, over the next 20 years.</p> <p>This would delay more than 300 deaths each year and reduce health-care spending by A$35 million annually, the equivalent of 6,000 hospital visits.</p> <p><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/jhh2013105">International experience</a> <a href="https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.120.16649">shows</a> the costs of implementing such salt limits would be very low and far outweighed by the benefits.</p> <h2>How to fix our failed salt limits</h2> <p>To achieve these gains, the federal government should start by enforcing the limits we already have, by making compliance mandatory. <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S216183132300042X">Fifteen countries</a> have mandatory salt limits, and 14 are planning to introduce them.</p> <p>The number of foods covered by salt limits in Australia should more than double, to be as broad as those the <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/604338/Salt_reduction_targets_for_2017.pdf">UK set in 2014</a>. Broader targets would include common foods for which Australia does not currently set targets, such as baked beans, butter, margarine and canned vegetables.</p> <p>A loophole in the current scheme that lets companies leave out a fifth of their products should be closed. The federal government should design the policy, rather than doing it jointly with industry representatives.</p> <p>Over the coming decades, Australia will need many new and improved policies to reduce diet-related disease. Reducing salt intake must be part of this agenda. For too long, Australia has let the food industry set the standard, with almost no progress against a major threat to our health.</p> <p>Getting serious about salt would save lives, and it would more than pay for itself through reduced health-care costs and increased economic activity.<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/213980/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/peter-breadon-1348098"><em>Peter Breadon</em></a><em>, Program Director, Health and Aged Care, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/grattan-institute-1168">Grattan Institute</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/lachlan-fox-1283428">Lachlan Fox</a>, Associate, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/grattan-institute-1168">Grattan Institute</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/slashing-salt-can-save-lives-and-it-wont-hurt-your-hip-pocket-or-tastebuds-213980">original article</a>.</em></p>

Body

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

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/laura-downie-1469379">Laura Downie</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a></em></p> <p>Blue-light glasses are said to <a href="https://www.baxterblue.com.au/collections/blue-light-glasses">reduce eye strain</a> when using <a href="https://www.blockbluelight.com.au/collections/computer-glasses">computers</a>, improve your <a href="https://www.ocushield.com/products/anti-blue-light-glasses">sleep</a> and protect your eye health. You can buy them yourself or your optometrist can prescribe them.</p> <p>But <a href="https://mivision.com.au/2019/03/debate-continues-over-blue-blocking-lenses/">do they work</a>? Or could they do you harm?</p> <p>We <a href="https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD013244.pub2/full">reviewed</a> the evidence. Here’s what we found.</p> <h2>What are they?</h2> <p>Blue-light glasses, blue light-filtering lenses or blue-blocking lenses are different terms used to describe lenses that reduce the amount of short-wavelength visible (blue) light reaching the eyes.</p> <p>Most of these lenses prescribed by an optometrist decrease blue light transmission by <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/opo.12615">10-25%</a>. Standard (clear) lenses do not filter blue light.</p> <p>A wide variety of lens products are available. A filter can be added to prescription or non-prescription lenses. They are widely marketed and are becoming <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/opo.12615">increasingly popular</a>.</p> <p>There’s often an added cost, which depends on the specific product. So, is the extra expense worth it?</p> <h2>Blue light is all around us</h2> <p>Outdoors, sunlight is the main source of blue light. Indoors, light sources – such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and the screens of digital devices – emit varying degrees of blue light.</p> <p>The amount of blue light emitted from artificial light sources is much lower than from the Sun. Nevertheless, artificial light sources are all around us, at home and at work, and we can spend a lot of our time inside.</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/549210/original/file-20230920-16-tsb23b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/549210/original/file-20230920-16-tsb23b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/549210/original/file-20230920-16-tsb23b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549210/original/file-20230920-16-tsb23b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549210/original/file-20230920-16-tsb23b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549210/original/file-20230920-16-tsb23b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549210/original/file-20230920-16-tsb23b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549210/original/file-20230920-16-tsb23b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Blue light-filtering lenses block some blue light from screens from reaching the eye" /></a><figcaption><span class="caption">Screens emit blue light. The lenses are designed to reduce the amount of blue light that reaches the eye.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-vector/blue-light-blocking-ray-filter-lens-2286229107">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure> <p>Our research team at the University of Melbourne, along with collaborators from Monash University and City, University London, sought to see if the best available evidence supports using blue light-filtering glasses, or if they could do you any harm. So we conducted a <a href="https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD013244.pub2/full">systematic review</a> to bring together and evaluate all the relevant studies.</p> <p>We included all randomised controlled trials (clinical studies designed to test the effects of interventions) that evaluated blue light-filtering lenses in adults. We identified 17 eligible trials from six countries, involving a total of 619 adults.</p> <h2>Do they reduce eye strain?</h2> <p>We found no benefit of using blue light-filtering lenses, over standard (clear) lenses, to reduce eye strain with computer use.</p> <p>This conclusion was based on consistent findings from three studies that evaluated effects on eye strain over time periods ranging from two hours to five days.</p> <h2>Do they help you sleep?</h2> <p>Possible effects on sleep were uncertain. Six studies evaluated whether wearing blue-light filtering lenses before bedtime could improve sleep quality, and the findings were mixed.</p> <p>These studies involved people with a diverse range of medical conditions, including insomnia and bipolar disorder. Healthy adults were not included in the studies. So we do not yet know whether these lenses affect sleep quality in the general population.</p> <h2>Do they boost your eye health?</h2> <p>We did not find any clinical evidence to support using blue-light filtering lenses to protect the macula (the region of the retina that controls high-detailed, central vision).</p> <p>None of the studies evaluated this.</p> <h2>Could they do harm? How about causing headaches?</h2> <p>We could not draw clear conclusions on whether there might be harms from wearing blue light-filtering lenses, compared with standard (non blue-light filtering) lenses.</p> <p>Some studies described how study participants had headaches, lowered mood and discomfort from wearing the glasses. However, people using glasses with standard lenses reported similar effects.</p> <h2>What about other benefits or harms?</h2> <p>There are some important general considerations when interpreting our findings.</p> <p>First, most of the studies were for a relatively short period of time, which limited our ability to consider longer-term effects on vision, sleep quality and eye health.</p> <p>Second, the review evaluated effects in adults. We don’t yet know if the effects are different for children.</p> <p>Finally, we could not draw conclusions about the possible effects of blue light-filtering lenses on many vision and eye health measures, including colour vision, as the studies did not evaluate these.</p> <h2>In a nutshell</h2> <p>Overall, based on relatively limited published clinical data, our review does not support using blue-light filtering lenses to reduce eye strain with digital device use. It is unclear whether these lenses affect vision quality or sleep, and no conclusions can be drawn about any potential effects on the health of the retina.</p> <p>High-quality research is needed to answer these questions, as well as whether the effectiveness and safety of these lenses varies in people of different ages and health status.</p> <p>If you have eye strain, or other eye or vision concerns, discuss this with your optometrist. They can perform a thorough examination of your eye health and vision, and discuss any relevant treatment options.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/213145/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/laura-downie-1469379"><em>Laura Downie</em></a><em>, Associate Professor in Optometry and Vision Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/do-blue-light-glasses-really-work-can-they-reduce-eye-strain-or-help-me-sleep-213145">original article</a>.</em></p>

Body

Tropical banana cake with salted peanut caramel sauce

<p>If you’re really looking to go all out, this tropical banana cake with salted peanut caramel sauce is a striking dessert that tastes as good as it looks. If there are any leftovers of, they will keep for a few days in the fridge.</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Serves:</span></strong> Six to eight</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ingredients: </span></strong></p> <p><em>Banana cake</em></p> <ul> <li>125g butter, softened</li> <li>1 cup brown sugar</li> <li>1 teaspoon vanilla extract</li> <li>2 tablespoons rum</li> <li>2 eggs</li> <li>3 ripe bananas, mashed</li> <li>1/4 cup coconut milk</li> <li>1/2 cup desiccated coconut</li> <li>1/2 cup chopped tropical dried fruits, plus extra for garnish</li> <li>2 cups self-raising flour</li> </ul> <p><em>Salted peanut caramel sauce</em></p> <ul> <li>200g caster sugar</li> <li>60ml (4 tablespoons) water</li> <li>60g butter, cut into small cubes</li> <li>1/2 cup cream</li> <li>1 teaspoon soy sauce</li> <li>80g salted roasted peanuts, roughly chopped</li> </ul> <p><em>Filling</em></p> <ul> <li>300ml cream</li> <li>1 tablespoon icing sugar</li> <li>250g sour cream, whisked</li> <li>2 bananas, sliced, tossed in a little lemon or lime juice to prevent browning</li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Method:</span></strong></p> <ol> <li>Heat oven to 180°C. Grease and line the base of a 22cm spring-form tin.</li> <li>Cream butter and brown sugar together. Add vanilla and rum, beating to combine. Beat in eggs, mashed bananas and coconut milk. Add desiccated coconut and dried fruits, sift the flour over and gently fold to combine. </li> <li>Spoon into prepared tin and bake 45-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow to cool. The cake can be made the day before it is needed.</li> <li>For the sauce, place caster sugar and water in a small saucepan and swirl the pan over a medium-high heat until sugar dissolves.</li> <li>Bring to the boil and cook, swirling the pan occasionally, until a rich caramel colour. Add butter carefully (mixture may spit) and whisk to combine.</li> <li>Add cream and soy sauce, whisking to combine.</li> <li>Add half the chopped peanuts. Serve immediately or leave covered on the bench (the sauce will become solid if refrigerated). </li> <li>For the filling, whip cream with icing sugar then mix into whisked sour cream.</li> <li>Keep chilled until needed. </li> <li>To assemble, split the cold cake and cover the bottom piece with a layer of sliced banana. Top with half the cream mixture then add the other layer of cake.</li> <li>Cover the top with remaining cream and garnish with remaining peanuts and extra dried tropical fruits. Pour over the caramel sauce and serve.</li> </ol> <p><em>Written by Bernadette Hogg. First appeared on <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stuff.co.nz</span></strong></a>. </em></p> <p><em>Images: Shutterstock</em></p>

Food & Wine

How to beat the retirement blues

<p>When people plan their retirement they don’t usually expect Post retiring depression (PRD). This kind of depression usually stems from dashed expectations, financial trouble or feeling lost and lonely. That’s why we’ve got four top tips to avoid PRD and enjoy your free time.</p> <p><strong>1. Plan it out</strong></p> <p>Know what you want to do, not what you think you should be doing. Don’t hold back in indulging yourself, travelling the world, volunteering abroad – the temporary discomfort of not knowing is better than realising when it’s too late that you never completed your bucket list.</p> <p><strong>2. Routine</strong></p> <p>A sudden lack of structure can become exhausting or at least unsettling. Schedule activities such as exercise, housework, errands, and social time. Then let the day flow from there.</p> <p><strong>3. Keep active</strong></p> <p>There is a lot of research to show that the people who cope best with retirement are those who stay active and involved. This might include:</p> <ul> <li>Developing an old hobby or starting a new one. </li> <li>Staying physically active, through walking, swimming, gym or sport. Make sure your exercise routine is appropriate for your physical capacities and limitations. </li> <li>Volunteering with a charity or church group. </li> <li>Working part-time. </li> <li>Studying a course.</li> </ul> <p><strong>4. Stay in touch</strong></p> <p>Loneliness and isolation can be easily avoided, so don’t fall into the trap of feeling alone. Make the effort to stay in contact with family and friends. Offer to babysit your grandchildren. Check out local community centres for upcoming activities you might enjoy. Even if you're not sure try something new, you might surprise yourself!</p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Retirement Life

"I fell for it!": Boys in blue crash gender reveal party

<p>One Sydney couple have taken their friends and family by surprise with their high-stakes gender reveal, where the father-to-be was apparently put under arrest by two police officers. </p> <p>Mina Ibrahim revealed their elaborate prank with a video posted to his TikTok account. Mina’s video begins with footage of the moment of his ‘arrest’, before it cuts to the TikToker at a later date, explaining that “that’s me being arrested at my baby’s gender reveal.” </p> <p>He goes on to share the full video, and a promise that the ending will answer any questions his viewers may have.</p> <p>In the clip, the parents-to-be can be seen talking to two uniformed NSW ‘police officers’, guests all around them, with Mina asking for onlookers to get their phones out. He then pushes one of the officers, telling them to leave, and both grab him before attempting to handcuff him, while his pregnant partner attempts to intervene. </p> <p>As family members rush to assist, one of the officers calls for everyone to calm down, then delivers news that takes them all by surprise - and delight - by telling them, “it’s a baby girl.” </p> <p>“So it was the cops who announced to everyone that I was having a baby girl,” present-day Mina informed his audience, before noting that there was a fake balloon inside to throw their guests off the surprise scent. </p> <div class="mol-embed" style="font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 8px; padding: 0px; min-height: 1px; letter-spacing: -0.16px; text-align: center; font-family: graphik, Arial, sans-serif; background-color: #ffffff;"> <blockquote id="v34606683345148116" class="tiktok-embed" style="margin: 18px auto; padding: 0px; min-height: 1px; letter-spacing: -0.01em; position: relative; width: 605px; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.15; overflow: hidden; text-size-adjust: 100%; font-family: proxima-regular, PingFangSC, sans-serif; max-width: 605px; min-width: 325px;" cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@mina.ibs/video/7232964823296773383" data-video-id="7232964823296773383" data-embed-from="oembed"><p><iframe style="letter-spacing: -0.01em; border-width: initial; border-style: none; width: 605px; height: 735px; display: block; visibility: unset; max-height: 735px;" src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed/v2/7232964823296773383?lang=en-GB&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailymail.co.uk%2Fnews%2Farticle-12082153%2FGender-reveal-party-prank-sees-cops-arrest-father-be.html&embedFrom=oembed" name="__tt_embed__v34606683345148116" sandbox="allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox allow-scripts allow-top-navigation allow-same-origin"></iframe></p></blockquote> </div> <p>The prank attracted thousands of views online, with many flocking to his comments section to share their congratulations with the parents-to-be. </p> <p>Others, while thrilled for them and their happy news, were open about their concern, having fallen for the trick right along with the couple’s loved ones. </p> <p>“I fell for it and I was worried for your wife!!!,” one confessed. “I was freaking out hahahah you got me”.</p> <p>“I was worried too haha … you scared me,” another said. </p> <p>“Omygosh! I was ready to sue them coppas with you!” came one response, “but congratsss! What a way to reveal!”</p> <p>One other simply wanted to know if the entire situation was even allowed, believing that impersonating the police may not be. </p> <p>And another had simply been suspicious from the very start, noting “Broooo the whole time I was like … something ain’t right! He’s not carrying his gun”.</p> <p><em>Images: TikTok</em></p>

Family & Pets

Aussie author of "Puberty Blues" dies at 64

<p dir="ltr">Gabrielle Carey, co-author of the iconic novel <em>Puberty Blues</em>, has passed away at 64. </p> <p dir="ltr">The news was reportedly broken by Carey’s old friend and co-writer Kathy Lette, who was the other half of the creative powerhouse that brought<em> Puberty Blues </em>to life. </p> <p dir="ltr">In a post to social media, Lette shared a throwback picture of the pair in their younger years, and wrote, “I’m deeply saddened by the tragic news about my old friend Gabrielle Carey. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I have such happy memories of our teenage years. They were halcyon, heady days full of love, laughter and adventure.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We made some mischief and broke some barriers by writing <em>Puberty Blues</em> – our raw, earthy take on the brutal treatment of young women in the Australian surfing scene which is sadly, still so relevant. </p> <p dir="ltr">“My heartfelt condolences to her family and friends.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">I’m deeply saddened by the tragic news about my old friend Gabrielle Carey. I have such happy memories of our teenage years. They were halcyon, heady days full of love, laughter and adventure. 1/2 🧵 <a href="https://t.co/2wZZiRf1hd">pic.twitter.com/2wZZiRf1hd</a></p> <p>— Kathy Lette (@KathyLette) <a href="https://twitter.com/KathyLette/status/1654136967636959234?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 4, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">The groundbreaking book they penned together, which went on to be adapted as both a movie and a hit TV series, was a candid - then-controversial - story of two teenage girls growing up in Sydney’s Sutherland Shire. </p> <p dir="ltr">It pushed boundaries, captivated young audiences while tackling themes many did not expect for said target audience, and is regarded by many as being the first Australian teenage novel to be written by teens.</p> <p dir="ltr">From <em>Puberty Blues</em>, Carey went on to publish memoirs and nonfiction works, with another of her books - her 1984 <em>Just Us</em>, which covered her relationship with rapist and prisoner Terry Haley, who she married while he was imprisoned - also made into a telemovie in 1986. </p> <p dir="ltr">No suspicious circumstances surrounded her death, according to <em>The Australian</em>, though the tragic news comes just months after she wrote about her father’s suicide in <em>The Sydney Morning Herald</em>. </p> <p dir="ltr">At the time, Carey had revealed she was afraid of reaching 64, as that was when he too had passed on.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It was only decades later, when my father died from suicide on the very day he turned 64, that I became terrified of that number,” she wrote. “If I have inherited my father’s disposition for depression, did that mean I would also end up in an early grave?</p> <p dir="ltr">Carey’s early passing is one that has hit her friends and her fans hard, with many joining Lette in sharing their grief and their condolences on social media. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Farewell dear Gabrielle. You were a sister in the cause of mental illness, its impact & our children. I’m enriched for having known you,” one supporter wrote. “Thank you.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“Writer - Reader - Intellectual - Joycean (fanatical) - Elizabeth von Arnim devotee - Avid Gardener - Rose Petal Jam Maker - Football Follower - Kayaker - Yogi - Joker - Irrepressible Spirit - Hobbit - Underground Writer - My Friend,” friend and fellow writer Yumna Kassab wrote. “I will always miss you.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“So sorry for your loss,” one fan said in response to Lette’s tweet. “You have no idea how much as a girl growing up in a coastal town with a surfing scene I understood <em>Puberty Blues</em>. I saw it every day. You & Gabrielle laid it all bare & made girls stand up for themselves. Thank you”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“My deepest condolences Kathy,” another offered. “The two of you wrote something so treasured by Gen X girls. It was our ‘how to say no guide’. Our Teen handbook. But it still let us live our lives & learn as we went. RIP Gabrielle Carey.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Facebook</em></p>

News

Hill Street Blues star passes away

<p>Hill Street Blues star Barbara Bosson has passed away aged 83.</p> <p>Bosson, who played Fay Furillo in the American police drama, was a popular TV star in the ‘80s, earning five consecutive Emmy nominations for her role. She was also the ex-wife of TV giant Steven Bohcho, who created <em>Hill</em></p> <p><em> Street Blues </em>and several other hit shows at the time.</p> <p>The news of Bosson’s death was shared by her son, Jesse Bohcho, who shared an image of he and his mother when he was a child.</p> <p>"More spirit and zest than you could shake a stick at. When she loved you, you felt it without a doubt. If she didn't, you may well have also known that too. Forever in our hearts. I love you Mama. Barbara "Babs" Bosson Bochco 1939-2023," he captioned the image.</p> <p>Dirty Dancing star Jennifer Grey shared her support, commenting a red heart under Bochco’s Instagram.</p> <p>Bosson was also known for her roles in shows including<em> Murder One</em>, <em>Hooperman</em> and films including <em>Cop Rock</em> and <em>Calendar Girl Murders</em>.</p> <p>Hill Street Blues proved Bosson's main claim to fame, with her leaving the show in 1985 during its sixth season after being fired from the project over creative disagreements.</p> <p>Bosson and Steven Bohcho went on to work together on other projects, including the <em>Rockford Files</em> spin-off <em>Richie Brockelman</em>, <em>Private Eye</em>, <em>Hooperman</em> and the musical <em>Cop Rock</em>.</p> <p>The pair divorced in 1997 but continued to co-parent their son Jesse, who was born in 1975. Steven died in 2018 at the age of 73.</p> <p>Further details of Bosson’s death are yet to be revealed.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Instagram</em></p>

News

Salted caramel cake in a mug

<p>If you love caramel and cake but don’t like to wait, you find this easy salted caramel mug cake irresistible.</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ingredients:</span></strong></p> <ul> <li>3 tablespoons of butter</li> <li>1 egg</li> <li>3 tablespoons of milk</li> <li>4 tablespoons of flour</li> <li>3 tablespoons of brown sugar</li> <li>½ teaspoon of bi-carb soda</li> <li>½ teaspoon of salt</li> <li>2 tablespoons of salted caramel sauce</li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Method: </span></strong></p> <p>1. Add butter to mug and melt in microwave.</p> <p>2. Add egg and milk and whisk together.</p> <p>3. Add flour, sugar, bi-carb soda, and salt, stirring until mixed thoroughly.</p> <p>4. Add one tablespoon of caramel sauce, without stirring.</p> <p>5. Microwave for 1 minute or until cooked to your liking.</p> <p>6. Top with remaining salted caramel.</p> <p><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></p>

Food & Wine

"So proud": Blue Wiggle's daughter joins the cast

<p>The daughter of Blue Wiggle Anthony Field has shared she has joined the children's entertainment group as a dancer. </p> <p>Lucia Field, 17, made the announcement on her TikTok account, as she shared a throwback picture of her and her famous dad with Dorothy the Dinosaur. </p> <p>She wrote, "I never would've believed you if 16 years ago you told me I'd be here."</p> <p>She then shared a photo of her in a blue skivvy dancing in front of the giant Wiggles logo. </p> <p>The video, which was posted on the offical Wiggles account, was flooded with comments of people cheering on the new dance member. </p> <div class="embed" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none !important;"><iframe class="embedly-embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 610px; max-width: 100%; outline: none !important;" title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7132666717473344769&display_name=tiktok&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40thewiggles%2Fvideo%2F7132666717473344769%3Fis_copy_url%3D1%26is_from_webapp%3Dv1%26lang%3Den&key=59e3ae3acaa649a5a98672932445e203&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> <p>Anthony also commented, saying he was "so proud" of his daughter.</p> <p>Lucia graduated from high school in December last year, with her excited father sharing a photo to Instagram of them together at her formal.</p> <p>In addition to Lucia, Anthony is father to daughter Marie, 16, and son Antonio, 14, whom he shares with his wife of 18 years, Michaela Patisteas.</p> <p>Anthony joined The Wiggles in 1979 alongside retired members Murray Cook, Greg Page and Jeff Fatt.</p> <p>The trio were replaced by 'Yellow Wiggle' Emma Watkins, who left the group in October last year, 'Purple Wiggle' Lachlan Gillespie and 'Red Wiggle' Simon Pryce.</p> <p><em>Image credits: TikTok</em></p>

Family & Pets

Warming oceans may force New Zealand’s sperm and blue whales to shift to cooler southern waters

<p>The world’s oceans are absorbing more than <a href="https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/science/climate-issues/ocean-impacts" target="_blank" rel="noopener">90% of the excess heat and energy</a> generated by rising greenhouse gas emissions.</p> <p>But, as the oceans keep warming, rising sea temperatures generate unprecedented cascading effects that include the melting of polar ice, rising seas, marine heatwaves and ocean acidification.</p> <p>This in turn has profound impacts on marine biodiversity and the lives and livelihoods of coastal communities, especially in island nations such as New Zealand.</p> <p>In our latest <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X22007075?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noopener">research</a>, we focused on great whales – sperm and blue whales in particular. They are crucial for maintaining healthy marine ecosystems, but have limited options to respond to climate change: either adapt, die, or move to stay within optimal habitats.</p> <p>We used mathematical models to predict how they are likely to respond to warming seas by the end of the century. Our results show a clear southward shift for both species, mostly driven by rising temperatures at the sea surface.</p> <h2>Computing the fate of whales</h2> <p>Data on the local abundance of both whales species are <a href="https://www.int-res.com/abstracts/meps/v690/p201-217/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">deficient</a>, but modelling provides a powerful tool to predict how their range is likely to shift.</p> <p>We used a <a href="http://macroecointern.dk/pdf-reprints/AraujoNew2007.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">combination of mathematical models</a> (known as correlative species distribution models) to predict the future range shifts of these whale species as a response to three future climate change scenarios of differing severity, as outlined by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (<a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IPCC</a>).</p> <p>We applied these models, using the whales’ present distributions, to build a set of environmental “rules” that dictate where each species can live. Using climate-dependent data such as sea-surface temperature and chlorophyll A (a measure of phytoplankton growth), as well as static data such as water depth and distance to shore, we applied these rules to forecast future habitat suitability.</p> <p>We chose a scenario of “<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-00177-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">modest</a>” response to cutting greenhouse gas emissions (the IPCC’s mitigation strategy RCP4.5), which is the most likely given the current policies, and a worst-case scenario (no policy to cut emissions, RCP8.5), assuming the reality will likely be somewhere between the two.</p> <p>Our projections suggest current habitats in the ocean around the North Island may become unsuitable if sea-surface temperatures continue to rise.</p> <p>These range shifts become even stronger with increasing severity of climate change. For sperm whales, which are currently abundant off Kaikōura where they support eco-tourism businesses, the predicted distribution changes are even more evident than for blue whales, depending on the climate change scenario.</p> <p>While our results do not predict an overall reduction in suitable habitat that would lead to local extinctions, the latitudinal range shifts are nevertheless bound to have important ecological consequences for New Zealand’s marine ecosystems and the people who depend on them.</p> <h2>How whales maintain ecosystems</h2> <p>Great whales are marine ecosystem engineers. They modify their habitats (or create new ones), to suit their needs. In fact, these activities create conditions that other species rely on to survive.</p> <p>They engineer their environment on several fronts. By feeding in one place and releasing their faeces in another, whales convey minerals and other nutrients such as nitrogen and iron from the deep water to the surface, as well as across regions. This process, known as a “<a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0013255" target="_blank" rel="noopener">whale pump</a>”, makes these nutrients available for phytoplankton and other organisms to grow.</p> <p>This is very important because phytoplankton contributes about <a href="https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/plankton-revealed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">half of all oxygen to the atmosphere</a> and also captures <a href="https://www.imf.org/Publications/fandd/issues/2019/12/natures-solution-to-climate-change-chami" target="_blank" rel="noopener">about 40% of all released carbon dioxide</a>. By helping the growth of phytoplankton, whales indirectly contribute to the <a href="https://theconversation.com/tiny-plankton-drive-processes-in-the-ocean-that-capture-twice-as-much-carbon-as-scientists-thought-136599" target="_blank" rel="noopener">natural ocean carbon sink</a>.</p> <p>On top of this, each great whale accumulates about <a href="https://www.arcticwwf.org/the-circle/stories/protecting-the-earth-by-protecting-whales/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">33 tonnes of carbon dioxide in their body</a>, which they take to the ocean floor when they die and their carcass sinks.</p> <p> </p> <p>Ultimately, the impact of warming oceans on whale distribution is an additional stress factor on ecosystems already under pressure from wider threats, including acidification, pollution and over-exploitation.</p> <h2>A way forward to help whales</h2> <p>Sperm whales are the largest toothed whales (odontocetes) and deep-diving apex predators. They primarily feed on squid and fish that live near the bottom of the sea.</p> <p>Blue whales are baleen whales (mysticetes) and filter small organisms from the water. They feed at the surface on zooplankton, particularly dense krill schools along coastlines where cold water from the deep ocean rises toward the surface (so-called <a href="https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/upwelling.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">upwelling areas</a>).</p> <p>These differences in feeding habits lead to divergent responses to ocean warming. Blue whales show a more distinct southerly shift than sperm whales, particularly in the worst-case scenario, likely because they feed at the surface where ocean warming will be more exacerbated than in the deep sea.</p> <p>Both species have important foraging grounds off New Zealand which may be compromised in the future. Sperm whales are currently occurring regularly off Kaikōura, while blue whales forage in the South Taranaki Bight.</p> <p>Despite these ecological differences, our results show that some future suitable areas around the South Island and offshore islands are common to both species. These regions could be considered sanctuaries for both species to retreat to or expand their habitat in a warming world. This should warrant <a href="https://environment.govt.nz/assets/Publications/Files/Environmental-Report-Card-Marine-Areas-with-Legal-protection_0.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">increased protection of these areas</a>.</p> <p><strong>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/warming-oceans-may-force-new-zealands-sperm-and-blue-whales-to-shift-to-cooler-southern-waters-188522" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.</strong></p> <p><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></p>

Travel Trouble

#Jacketgate 2 point whatever

<p dir="ltr">Is it #Jacketgate 2.0? Or have we lost count?</p> <p dir="ltr">Viewers of <em>The Today Show</em> were delighted when co-host Allison Langdon, reporters Lara Vella and Fiona Willan, and Senator Jacqui Lambie all appeared dressed in blue.</p> <p dir="ltr">An image of all four was shared to the show’s Instagram page captioned “Da ba dee da ba di” in reference to Eiffel 65's iconic track.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Oh yeah … go sisters! What colour should we rock tomorrow??” Ally commented with a laughing emoji.</p> <p dir="ltr">Others however joked to hide the photo from Channel Nine newsreader Amber Sherlock who caused a stir in 2017 when she and journalist Julie Snook were both dressed in white, along with the guest.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CgswbJtPxR2/?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/CgswbJtPxR2/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by thetodayshow (@thetodayshow)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">In the leaked footage, Amber tells her producer: “I need Julie to put a jacket on because we're all in white. I asked her before we came on … Julie you need to put a jacket on.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Julie tried to explain to Amber that she didn’t have enough time to change to which Julie did not accept saying she “asked two hours ago”.</p> <p dir="ltr">When the trio went on air, Julie was seen wearing a black jacket and was receiving a lot of sympathy from the public for the way she was treated.</p> <p dir="ltr">But five years later, it seems that Amber manages to have a laugh about it when people commented about the incident.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Amber Sherlock won’t like you all in the same colour,” someone wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">Amber responded: “I quite like the blue actually.. I only have ownership over white”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Amber Sherlock would’ve had a fit,” another commented to which she responded, “Well it wasn’t white..but..”.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Channel Nine</em></p>

Murdered schoolgirl’s mum charged with home invasion

<p dir="ltr">The mother of murdered school girl Charlise Mutten has been charged for allegedly breaking into a home in the Blue Mountains. </p> <p dir="ltr">Police will allege Kallista Mutten, 39, accompanied her fiancé Justin Stein with breaking into a home in the Blue Mountains and taking firearms. </p> <p dir="ltr">Stein, 31, is accused of murdering Kallista’s daughter Charlise and is in custody where he maintains his innocence. </p> <p dir="ltr">The nine-year-old schoolgirl was staying with Stein over the summer holidays and was reported missing on January 14. </p> <p dir="ltr">Four days later, her body was found stuffed inside a barrel near the Colo River with a gunshot wound.</p> <p dir="ltr">There is no suggestion that her mother had anything to do with the murder.</p> <p dir="ltr">However, as investigations ensued, police found two firearms and ammunition near where Charlise was brutally murdered. </p> <p dir="ltr">Police are yet to confirm whether or not the firearms were used in Charlise’s murder.</p> <p dir="ltr">Police will further allege that Stein broke into a home in the Blue Mountains and stole the firearms in August last year. </p> <p dir="ltr">In May, police charged Stein with acquiring the two weapons during a home invasion in Mount Wilson.</p> <p dir="ltr">On July 26, police charged Kallista with allegedly accompanying Stein, with the break and entering of the property. </p> <p dir="ltr">“A woman’s been charged over her alleged role in a home invasion that was uncovered as part of ongoing investigations into the alleged murder of a girl in the Blue Mountains earlier this year,” NSW police said in a statement.</p> <p dir="ltr">“A 39-year-old woman attended Campbelltown Police Station on Tuesday where she was charged with aggravated break and enter in company.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: NSW Police/ABC</em></p>

News

This eating habit could knock two years off your life

<p dir="ltr">Adding extra salt to your food could be placing you at a higher risk of dying prematurely according to a recent study of more than 50,000 people.</p> <p dir="ltr">Though seasoning food is a must for most of us, the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehac208" target="_blank" rel="noopener">study found</a> that those who added salt to their food had a 28 percent greater risk of dying prematurely than those who never or rarely add salt.</p> <p dir="ltr">With about 3 percent of people aged between 40-69 years old dying prematurely - defined as dying before the age of 75 - the findings suggest that adding salt could result in an extra one person in every hundred dying prematurely in this age group.</p> <p dir="ltr">“To my knowledge, our study is the first to assess the relation between adding salt to foods and premature death,” said Professor Lu Qi, one of the lead researchers from Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine in New Orleans.</p> <p dir="ltr">The team also found that at the age of 50, those who always added salt to their food had between 1.5 to two years knocked off their life expectancy in comparison to those who rarely or never added any salt.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It provides novel evidence to support recommendations to modify eating behaviours for improving health,” Professor Qi continued.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Even a modest reduction in sodium intake, by adding less or no salt to food at the table, is likely to result in substantial health benefits, especially when it is achieved in the general population.”</p> <p dir="ltr">When it came to determining sodium intake, the team chose to focus solely on whether people added salt to their food at the table, independent of whether they seasoned it while cooking.</p> <p dir="ltr">This is because assessing how much sodium a person consumes is notoriously difficult, given that pre-prepared and processed foods are among many products where high levels of salt have been added before they reach the table. Plus, foods that are high in sodium are often accompanied by others that are rich in potassium, which protects against the risks of heart disease and metabolic diseases such as diabetes.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Adding salt to foods at the table is a common eating behaviour that is directly related to an individual’s long-term preference for salty-tasting foods and habitual salt intake,” Professor Qi explained.</p> <p dir="ltr">“In the Western diet, adding salt at the table accounts for 6-20 percent of total salt intake and provides a unique way to evaluate the association between habitual sodium intake and the risk of death.”</p> <p dir="ltr">However, their study does have limitations. With no information about the amount of salt added, the possibility of a relationship between adding salt and total energy intake and consuming other foods, and the voluntary nature of the UK BioBank meaning that the results aren’t reflective of a general population, more studies will need to be done to validate their findings.</p> <p dir="ltr">Professor Qi and his colleagues will be conducting additional studies on the relationship between adding salt to food and chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes, with the possibility of conducting clinical trials to test the effects of salt reduction.</p> <p dir="ltr">In <a href="https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/article-lookup/doi/10.1093/eurheartj/ehac336" target="_blank" rel="noopener">an editorial</a> accompanying the study, Professor Annike Rosengren, a senior researcher and professor of medicine at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, who wasn’t involved in the research, wrote that the net effect of drastic reduction in salt intake is still controversial for individuals.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Given the various indications that a very low intake of sodium may not be beneficial, or even harmful, it is important to distinguish between recommendations on an individual basis and actions on a population level,” she writes.</p> <p dir="ltr">With a greater net benefit likely to come from population-wide changes that have a small effect on individuals rather than targeted changes for high-risk people, Professor Rosengren argues that not adding extra salt “could contribute to strategies to lower population blood pressure levels”, including early detection and treatment of hypertension, as well as salt-reduction at a societal level.</p> <p dir="ltr">Professor Qi’s study and Professor Rosengren’s editorial were published in the <em>European Heart Journal</em>.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-b0a13bef-7fff-d55b-96df-91042d9e8829"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Caring

Beat the winter blues with glowing, youthful skincare

<p dir="ltr">With colder months well and truly setting in, it's a daily battle to keep our skin feeling hydrated, while also trying to stay on top of the physical signs of ageing. </p> <p dir="ltr">There are many environmental factors that can have our skin looking lacklustre in winter, with the main one being dryness and chill that results in dehydrated skin. </p> <p dir="ltr">While many people already have their trusted moisturiser well and truly implemented in their daily skincare routine, sometimes our skin needs a little extra help in colder months. </p> <p dir="ltr">No7’s revolutionary new Day Creams have something for everyone, with these groundbreaking products delivering huxury hydration, while also targeting the visible signs of ageing. </p> <p dir="ltr">No7 has released three new Day Creams for everyone to find the perfect match for their skin. </p> <p dir="ltr">First up is <a href="https://www.priceline.com.au/brand/no7/no7-protect-perfect-intense-advanced-day-cream-50-ml">No7 Protect & Perfect Intense ADVANCED Day Cream</a>, which has been specially developed to provide advanced protection and 24-hours of hydration for visibly younger looking skin. </p> <p dir="ltr">This Day Cream combines the power of SPF15 with No7’s unique Double Defence technology to actively reduce fine lines and wrinkles, while also working to prevent future signs of skin ageing. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; 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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/Cb0P9VTl4P0/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by No7 USA (@no7usa)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Next is <a href="https://www.priceline.com.au/brand/no7/no7-lift-luminate-triple-action-day-cream-50-ml">No7 Lift & Luminate TRIPLE ACTION Day Cream</a>, which helps skin feel firmer than ever.</p> <p dir="ltr">This Day Cream is formulated with anti-wrinkle peptide technology, as well as a Brightening Complex and Firming Complex to reduce physical signs of ageing. </p> <p dir="ltr">Complete with SPF15, this Day Cream will have you feeling protected and hydrated, while looking as youthful as ever!</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/tv/Cc0-DBxjmiv/?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/tv/Cc0-DBxjmiv/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by No7 USA (@no7usa)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Lastly, <a href="https://www.priceline.com.au/brand/no7/no7-restore-renew-face-neck-multi-action-day-cream-50-ml">No7 Restore & Renew FACE & NECK MULTI ACTION Day Cream</a> offers a hydration boost to lacklustre skin, while also using SPF15 to protect from environmental factors detrimental to our skin. </p> <p dir="ltr">This age-defying Day Cream smooths and evens skin tone and pigmentation, while reducing the physical signs of ageing that target the face and neck area. </p> <p dir="ltr">With hydration lasting an impressive 24 hours, this Day Cream will have you feeling rejuvenated and ready to take on the world. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cci7OXpM43o/?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/Cci7OXpM43o/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by No7 USA (@no7usa)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">These revolutionary products have been a hit with people around the globe, with customers saying their skin instantly looks and feels more hydrated. </p> <p dir="ltr">A clinical study revealed that after just two weeks of use, women found their skin looking younger, smoother and more radiant, while fine lines and wrinkles were visibly reduced after just four weeks. </p> <p dir="ltr">No7’s new range of Day Creams are available exclusively at <a href="https://www.priceline.com.au/search/?q=No7">Priceline</a>. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

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