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Centenarian blood tests give hints of the secrets to longevity

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/karin-modig-1473484">Karin Modig</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/karolinska-institutet-1250">Karolinska Institutet</a> Centenarians, once considered rare, have become commonplace. Indeed, they are the <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/02/living-to-one-hundred-life-expectancy/">fastest-growing demographic group</a> of the world’s population, with numbers roughly doubling every ten years since the 1970s. How long humans can live, and what determines a long and healthy life, have been of interest for as long as we know. Plato and Aristotle discussed and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12092789/">wrote about the ageing process</a> over 2,300 years ago. The pursuit of understanding the secrets behind exceptional longevity isn’t easy, however. It involves <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7105197/">unravelling the complex interplay</a> of genetic predisposition and lifestyle factors and how they interact throughout a person’s life. Now our recent study, <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11357-023-00936-w">published in GeroScience</a>, has unveiled some common biomarkers, including levels of cholesterol and glucose, in people who live past 90. Nonagenarians and centenarians have long been of intense interest to scientists as they may help us understand how to live longer, and perhaps also how to age in better health. So far, studies of centenarians have often been small scale and focused on a selected group, for example, excluding centenarians who live in care homes. <h2>Huge dataset</h2> Ours is the largest study comparing biomarker profiles measured throughout life among exceptionally long-lived people and their shorter-lived peers to date. We compared the biomarker profiles of people who went on to live past the age of 100, and their shorter-lived peers, and investigated the link between the profiles and the chance of becoming a centenarian. Our research included data from 44,000 Swedes who underwent health assessments at ages 64-99 - they were a sample of <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28158674/">the so-called Amoris cohort</a>. These participants were then followed through Swedish register data for up to 35 years. Of these people, 1,224, or 2.7%, lived to be 100 years old. The vast majority (85%) of the centenarians were female. Twelve blood-based biomarkers related to inflammation, metabolism, liver and kidney function, as well as potential malnutrition and anaemia, were included. All of these <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-019-0719-5">have been associated</a> with ageing or mortality in previous studies. The biomarker related to inflammation was uric acid – a waste product in the body caused by the digestion of certain foods. We also looked at markers linked to metabolic status and function including total cholesterol and glucose, and ones related to liver function, such as alanine aminotransferase (Alat), aspartate aminotransferase (Asat), albumin, gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), alkaline phosphatase (Alp) and lactate dehydrogenase (LD). We also looked at creatinine, which is linked to kidney function, and iron and total iron-binding capacity (TIBC), which is linked to anaemia. Finally, we also investigated albumin, a biomarker associated with nutrition. <h2>Findings</h2> We found that, on the whole, those who made it to their hundredth birthday tended to have lower levels of glucose, creatinine and uric acid from their sixties onwards. Although the median values didn’t differ significantly between centenarians and non-centenarians for most biomarkers, centenarians seldom displayed extremely high or low values. For example, very few of the centenarians had a glucose level above 6.5 earlier in life, or a creatinine level above 125. For many of the biomarkers, both centenarians and non-centenarians had values outside of the range considered normal in clinical guidelines. This is probably because these guidelines are set based on a younger and healthier population. When exploring which biomarkers were linked to the likelihood of reaching 100, we found that all but two (alat and albumin) of the 12 biomarkers showed a connection to the likelihood of turning 100. This was even after accounting for age, sex and disease burden. The people in the lowest out of five groups for levels of total cholesterol and iron had a lower chance of reaching 100 years as compared to those with higher levels. Meanwhile, people with higher levels of glucose, creatinine, uric acid and markers for liver function also decreased the chance of becoming a centenarian. In absolute terms, the differences were rather small for some of the biomarkers, while for others the differences were somewhat more substantial. For uric acid, for instance, the absolute difference was 2.5 percentage points. This means that people in the group with the lowest uric acid had a 4% chance of turning 100 while in the group with the highest uric acid levels only 1.5% made it to age 100. Even if the differences we discovered were overall rather small, they suggest a potential link between metabolic health, nutrition and exceptional longevity. The study, however, does not allow any conclusions about which lifestyle factors or genes are responsible for the biomarker values. However, it is reasonable to think that factors such as nutrition and alcohol intake play a role. Keeping track of your kidney and liver values, as well as glucose and uric acid as you get older, is probably not a bad idea. That said, chance probably plays a role at some point in reaching an exceptional age. But the fact that differences in biomarkers could be observed a long time before death suggests that genes and lifestyle may also play a role.<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/215166/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/karin-modig-1473484">Karin Modig</a>, Associate Professor, Epidemiology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/karolinska-institutet-1250">Karolinska Institutet</a> Image credits: Shutterstock 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/centenarian-blood-tests-give-hints-of-the-secrets-to-longevity-215166">original article</a>.

Retirement Life

Why are my muscles sore after exercise? Hint: it’s nothing to do with lactic acid

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/robert-andrew-robergs-435390">Robert Andrew Robergs</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/queensland-university-of-technology-847">Queensland University of Technology</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/samuel-l-torrens-1476404">Samuel L. Torrens</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/queensland-university-of-technology-847">Queensland University of Technology</a> As many of us hit the gym or go for a run to recover from the silly season, you might notice a bit of extra muscle soreness. This is especially true if it has been a while between workouts. A common misunderstanding is that such soreness is due to lactic acid build-up in the muscles. Research, however, shows lactic acid has <a href="https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/physiol.00033.2017">nothing to do with it</a>. The truth is far more interesting, but also a bit more complex. <h2>It’s not lactic acid</h2> We’ve known for decades that lactic acid has <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27409551/">nothing to do with</a> muscle soreness after exercise. In fact, as one of us (Robert Andrew Robergs) has long <a href="https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/ajpregu.00114.2004">argued</a>, cells produce lactate, not lactic acid. This process actually <a href="https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/physiol.00033.2017">opposes</a> not causes the build-up of acid in the muscles and bloodstream. Unfortunately, historical inertia means people still use the term “lactic acid” in relation to exercise. Lactate <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.1101141">doesn’t cause major problems</a> for the muscles you use when you exercise. You’d probably be <a href="https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/ajpregu.00114.2004?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori%3Arid%3Acrossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub++0pubmed&">worse off</a> without it due to other benefits to your working muscles. Lactate isn’t the reason you’re sore a few days after upping your weights or exercising after a long break. So, if it’s not lactic acid and it’s not lactate, what is causing all that muscle soreness? <h2>Muscle pain during and after exercise</h2> When you exercise, a lot of chemical reactions occur in your muscle cells. All these chemical reactions accumulate products and by-products which cause water to enter into the cells. That causes the pressure inside and between muscle cells to increase. This pressure, combined with the movement of molecules from the muscle cells can stimulate nerve endings and cause <a href="https://www.sportsmed.theclinics.com/article/S0278-5919(11)00099-8/fulltext">discomfort</a> during exercise. The pain and discomfort you sometimes feel hours to days after an unfamiliar type or amount of exercise has a different list of causes. If you exercise beyond your usual level or routine, you can cause microscopic damage to your muscles and their connections to tendons. Such damage causes the release of ions and other molecules from the muscles, causing localised swelling and stimulation of nerve endings. This is sometimes known as “<a href="https://www.sportsmed.theclinics.com/article/S0278-5919(11)00099-8/fulltext">delayed onset muscle soreness</a>” or DOMS. While the damage occurs during the exercise, the resulting response to the injury builds over the next one to two days (longer if the damage is severe). This can sometimes cause pain and difficulty with normal movement. <h2>The upshot</h2> Research is clear; the discomfort from delayed onset muscle soreness has nothing to do with <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=UVjRNSUAAAAJ&view_op=view_citation&citation_for_view=UVjRNSUAAAAJ:J_g5lzvAfSwC">lactate</a> or <a href="https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/physiol.00033.2017">lactic acid</a>. The good news, though, is that your muscles adapt rapidly to the activity that would initially cause delayed onset muscle soreness. So, assuming you don’t wait too long (more than roughly two weeks) before being active again, the next time you do the same activity there will be much less damage and discomfort. If you have an exercise goal (such as doing a particular hike or completing a half-marathon), ensure it is realistic and that you can work up to it by training over several months. Such training will gradually build the muscle adaptations necessary to prevent delayed onset muscle soreness. And being less wrecked by exercise makes it more enjoyable and more easy to stick to a routine or habit. Finally, remove “lactic acid” from your exercise vocabulary. Its supposed role in muscle soreness is a myth that’s hung around far too long already.<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/214638/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/robert-andrew-robergs-435390">Robert Andrew Robergs</a>, Associate Professor - Exercise Physiology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/queensland-university-of-technology-847">Queensland University of Technology</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/samuel-l-torrens-1476404">Samuel L. Torrens</a>, PhD Candidate, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/queensland-university-of-technology-847">Queensland University of Technology</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-are-my-muscles-sore-after-exercise-hint-its-nothing-to-do-with-lactic-acid-214638">original article</a>.

Body

Sneaky zoom call hints at secret new MasterChef style project

Hold onto your spatulas – the culinary world just got a sneak peek into the top-secret virtual rendezvous of the original MasterChef judging squad, and let's just say, the excitement is sizzling hotter than a pan of frying bacon. Celebrity chef and all-around food wizard George Calombaris shook the internet like a well-shaken cocktail when he decided to share a teensy snippet of a recent clandestine Zoom chat with his former kitchen companions, Gary Mehigan and Matt Preston. And although the video quality was about as polished as a well-worn wooden spoon, it was the content that had tongues immediately wagging as Preston playfully poked Calombaris about his dessert tastes being as "daggy" as a dad joke at a barbecue. And George, bless his apron-wrapped heart, heartily agreed: "The daggier, the better. As daggy as we are on this Zoom call," he clapped back. Captioned with all the mystery of a burrito's secret ingredients, the post read, "Some serious food talk for a very special project. But mostly just a lot of shots and giggles." Shots, giggles, and maybe a sprinkle of culinary magic – sounds like our kind of party. Since its release, the post has gone viral, racking up more views than there are slices in a pizza and comments flowing in like a chocolate fountain at a dessert buffet. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CvqDIXatvT7/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CvqDIXatvT7/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by George Calombaris (@gcalombaris)</a> </div> </blockquote> Just in case you've been marooned on a desert island with nothing but spam and a can opener, let's rewind a bit. George, Gary, and Matt were the original trio of culinary divinities who ruled MasterChef with their tastebuds and witty repartee for an entire decade. Fast forward to 2019 when the MasterChef cosmos decided to shift its cosmic culinary alignment, and boom! The trio was out, leaving fans with their mouths agape, much like when you taste-test something expecting sugar but get salt instead. CEO Paul Anderson cited "unsatisfactory commercial agreement negotiations" at the time – it's like a fancy way of saying, "We couldn't agree on the paycheck, folks." Rumour had it, that the judges asked for a 40% raise, basically demanding a pile of dough the size of a well-risen soufflé, to the tune of $1.5 million each for just one more season. Talk about giving the term "food for thought" a whole new meaning. And what's life been like after the MasterChef limelight? Well, Preston had a brush with reality TV stardom in Dancing With The Stars, but <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/tv/sudden-exit-leaves-dancing-with-the-stars-viewers-stunned" target="_blank" rel="noopener">his dance moves</a> were as graceful as a turkey trying to tango. Then, there's Gary and Matt, who teamed up for a show called <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/now-we-re-cooking-masterchef-s-matt-preston-and-gary-mehigan-jump-to-channel-7-for-new-reality-show" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Plate of Origin</a>, which sadly got served a big ol' rejection slip by the audience. And let's not forget George – his restaurant group got slapped with a whopping $200,000 fine for underpaying staff to the tune of $7.8 million. <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/money-banking/i-take-full-responsibility-george-calombaris-breaks-down-over-wage-theft-scandal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">But they did fess up and pay up</a>, so it's not all choppy waters in this seafood feast. In a podcast confessional, George shared, “We found the issue, we owned up, we paid back. A lot of the story that people don’t write about because it’s not cool enough or doesn’t get a headline is that we actually overpaid 49 per cent of our workforce that we never asked the money back for, and I wouldn’t of. I think the tough thing for me was, I thought by owning up, it’s the right thing to do, that’s how I grew up. So for me, that was probably the thing that hurt the most, being called a ‘thief’. I’m proud of how we acted, I’m proud of what we did to fix the problem.” So, following the leaked Zoom call, a sprinkle of kitchen drama and a trio of culinary legends ready to sauté their way into a new foodie escapade, it appears there is nothing left for us to do but stay tuned with our daggiest dessert forks at the ready. Images: Instagram

Food & Wine

Bees have appeared on coins for millennia, hinting at an age-old link between sweetness and value

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/adrian-dyer-387798">Adrian Dyer</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a> In 2022, the Royal Australian Mint issued a $2 coin decorated with honeybees. Around 2,400 years earlier, a mint in the kingdom of Macedon had the same idea, creating a silver obol coin with a bee stamped on one side. Over the centuries between these two events, currency demonstrating a symbolic link between honey and money is surprisingly common. In a recent study in <a href="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/assets.mmxgroup.com.au/ACR/Bee+Article.pdf">Australian Coin Review</a>, I trace the bee through numismatic history – and suggest a scientific reason why our brains might naturally draw a connection between the melliferous insects and the abstract idea of value. <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536400/original/file-20230709-15-2u5ywn.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/536400/original/file-20230709-15-2u5ywn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536400/original/file-20230709-15-2u5ywn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536400/original/file-20230709-15-2u5ywn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536400/original/file-20230709-15-2u5ywn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536400/original/file-20230709-15-2u5ywn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536400/original/file-20230709-15-2u5ywn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /><figcaption>A Royal Australian Mint 2022 two-dollar coin representing 200 years since the introduction of the honeybee to Australia.</figcaption></figure> <h2>What is currency and why is it important?</h2> Money is a store of value, and can act as a medium of exchange for goods or services. Currency is a physical manifestation of money, so coins are a durable representation of value. Coins have had central role in many communities to enable efficient trade since ancient times. Their durability makes them important time capsules. Ancient Malta was famous for its honey. The modern 3 Mils coin (<a href="https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces1775.html">1972-81</a>) celebrates this history with images of a bee and honeycomb. According to the information card issued with the coin set, <blockquote> A bee and honeycomb are shown on the 3 Mils coin, symbolising the fact that honey was used as currency in Ancient Malta. </blockquote> <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536403/original/file-20230709-23-drk2lj.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/536403/original/file-20230709-23-drk2lj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=582&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536403/original/file-20230709-23-drk2lj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=582&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536403/original/file-20230709-23-drk2lj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=582&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536403/original/file-20230709-23-drk2lj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=732&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536403/original/file-20230709-23-drk2lj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=732&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536403/original/file-20230709-23-drk2lj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=732&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /><figcaption>A circulating 3 Mils coin from Malta showing a honeybee on honeycomb.</figcaption></figure> In ancient Greece, bees were used on some of the earliest coins made in Europe. A silver Greek obol coin minted in Macedon between 412 BCE and 350 BCE, now housed in the British Museum, shows a bee on one side of the coin. <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536411/original/file-20230709-182252-v4evxr.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/536411/original/file-20230709-182252-v4evxr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=293&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536411/original/file-20230709-182252-v4evxr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=293&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536411/original/file-20230709-182252-v4evxr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=293&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536411/original/file-20230709-182252-v4evxr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=368&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536411/original/file-20230709-182252-v4evxr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=368&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536411/original/file-20230709-182252-v4evxr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=368&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /><figcaption>An ancient obol from Macedon, dated between 412 BCE and 350 BCE, shows a bee one side.</figcaption></figure> Bees also feature on coins minted elsewhere in the ancient Greek world, such as a bronze coin minted in Ephesus dated between 202 BCE and 133 BCE. <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536407/original/file-20230709-27-a2jvo3.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/536407/original/file-20230709-27-a2jvo3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=546&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536407/original/file-20230709-27-a2jvo3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=546&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536407/original/file-20230709-27-a2jvo3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=546&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536407/original/file-20230709-27-a2jvo3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=686&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536407/original/file-20230709-27-a2jvo3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=686&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536407/original/file-20230709-27-a2jvo3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=686&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /><figcaption>A bronze coin minted in Ephesus, dated between 202BCE and 133BCE, featuring a honeybee.</figcaption></figure> The use of bees on ancient coins extended for many centuries including widely circulated bronze coins, and new varieties <a href="https://coinweek.com/bee-all-that-you-can-bee-honeybees-on-ancient-coins/">continue to be discovered</a>. <h2>Why we might like bees on coins</h2> Why have bees appeared so often on coins? One approach to this question comes from the field of neuro-aesthetics, which seeks to understand our tastes by understanding the basic brain processes that underpin aesthetic appreciation. From this perspective, it seems likely the sweet taste of honey – which indicates the large amount of sugar it delivers – promotes positive neural activity <a href="https://brill.com/view/journals/artp/10/1/article-p1_2.xml">associated with bees and honey</a>. Indeed, primatologist Jane Goodall once proposed that obtaining high-calorie nutrition from bee honey may have been <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0066185668800032">an important step</a> in the cognitive development of primates. Our brain may thus be pre-adapted to liking bees due to their association with the sweet taste of honey. Early usage of bees on coins may have been a functional illustration of the link between a known value (honey) and a new form of currency: coins as money. <h2>The bee on modern coins</h2> <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536393/original/file-20230709-17-jywq3f.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/536393/original/file-20230709-17-jywq3f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=588&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536393/original/file-20230709-17-jywq3f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=588&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536393/original/file-20230709-17-jywq3f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=588&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536393/original/file-20230709-17-jywq3f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=738&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536393/original/file-20230709-17-jywq3f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=738&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536393/original/file-20230709-17-jywq3f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=738&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /><figcaption>A 1920 Italian bronze ten-centesimi coin featuring featuring an Italian honeybee on a flower.</figcaption></figure> The use of bees as a design feature has persisted from ancient to modern times. A honeybee visiting a flower is shown on a series of ten-centesimi bronze coins issued in Italy from <a href="https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces1960.html">1919 to 1937</a>. (As an aside, the world’s last stock of pure Italian honeybees is found in Australia, on Kangaroo Island, which was declared a sanctuary for Ligurian bees by an <a href="https://www.legislation.sa.gov.au/home/historical-numbered-as-made-acts/1885/0342-Lingurian-Bees-Act-No-342-of-48-and-49-Vic,-1885.pdf">act of parliament</a> in 1885.) <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536416/original/file-20230709-15-60yst8.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/536416/original/file-20230709-15-60yst8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=586&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536416/original/file-20230709-15-60yst8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=586&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536416/original/file-20230709-15-60yst8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=586&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536416/original/file-20230709-15-60yst8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=737&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536416/original/file-20230709-15-60yst8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=737&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536416/original/file-20230709-15-60yst8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=737&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /><figcaption>A coin from Tonga showing 20 honeybees emerging from a hive.</figcaption></figure> More recently, a 20-seniti coin from the Pacific nation of Tonga shows 20 honeybees flying out of a hive. This coin was part of a series initiated by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations to promote sustainable agricultural and cultural development around the world. Bees are relevant here because their pollinating efforts contribute to about one-third of the food required to feed the world, with a value in excess of <a href="https://zenodo.org/record/2616458">US$200 billion per year</a>, and they are threatened by climate change and other environmental factors. <h2>Bees on coins, today and tomorrow</h2> Public awareness of bees and environmental sustainability may well be factors in the current interest in bee coins. The diversity of countries using bees as a design feature over the entire history of coins suggests people have valued the relationship with bees as essential to our own prosperity for a long time. In Australia, the 2022 honeybee $2 coin is part of a series developed by the <a href="https://www.ramint.gov.au/about-mint">Royal Australian Mint</a>. In 2019, the Perth Mint in Western Australia also released coins and stamps celebrating native bees. <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536405/original/file-20230709-15-iditcb.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/536405/original/file-20230709-15-iditcb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=373&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536405/original/file-20230709-15-iditcb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=373&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536405/original/file-20230709-15-iditcb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=373&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536405/original/file-20230709-15-iditcb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=469&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536405/original/file-20230709-15-iditcb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=469&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536405/original/file-20230709-15-iditcb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=469&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /><figcaption>Australian native bee coin and stamps released in 2019 by the Perth Mint.</figcaption></figure> Despite the decline of cash, bee coins still appear to be going strong. The buzzing companions of human society are likely to be an important subject for coin design for as long as coins continue to be used.<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/208912/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/adrian-dyer-387798">Adrian Dyer</a>, Associate Professor, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a> Image credits: Australian Royal Mint / NZ Post Collectables 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/bees-have-appeared-on-coins-for-millennia-hinting-at-an-age-old-link-between-sweetness-and-value-208912">original article</a>.

Money & Banking

Who’s taking COVID antivirals like Paxlovid? Hint: it helps if you’re rich

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nicole-allard-1349026">Nicole Allard</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-peter-doherty-institute-for-infection-and-immunity-2255">The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity</a> When it comes to COVID, people living in disadvantaged communities are hit with a triple whammy. First, they’re <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports-data/health-conditions-disability-deaths/covid-19/overview">more likely</a> to get infected, and when sick, are more likely to have serious disease. Second, they’re <a href="https://theconversation.com/first-covid-hit-disadvantaged-communities-harder-now-long-covid-delivers-them-a-further-blow-183908">more likely</a> to develop long COVID. Third, our <a href="https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2023/218/10/access-oral-covid-19-antivirals-community-are-eligibility-criteria-and-systems">recent research</a> suggests they’re less likely to get antivirals and when they do, it’s on average later. We’ve just <a href="https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2023/218/10/access-oral-covid-19-antivirals-community-are-eligibility-criteria-and-systems">published the data</a> to map how disadvantage is linked with access to COVID antiviral drugs you can take at home. Here’s why our findings matter and what we can do to level the playing field for this critical part of Australia’s COVID response. <h2>What we did and what we found</h2> Our team looked at Victorian and national prescribing data trends for the oral antiviral medications eligible Australians can take at home – Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir/ritonavir) and Lagevrio (molnupiravir). My health department colleagues linked data from the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme with information from the Victorian health department’s COVID surveillance database. They then matched levels of socioeconomic disadvantage by postcode, according to criteria from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Their analysis showed people living in the most disadvantaged postcodes were 15% less likely to receive oral antivirals compared with those in the most advantaged postcodes. Those in the most disadvantaged postcodes were supplied with the antivirals on average a day later (three days versus two days) than those in the most advantaged postcodes. There are some limitations to our analysis. Not everyone who tests for COVID reports their positive result. And we suspect there may be more under-reporting of infections in disadvantaged areas. Nevertheless, our findings about the influence of disadvantage on antiviral supply are not surprising. In the United States, there have been <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/mm7125e1.htm?utm">similar results</a>. <h2>Why has this happened?</h2> We know <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/health-alerts/covid-19/treatments/eligibility">early access to antivirals</a>, within the first five days of symptoms starting, is important to reduce the chances of severe disease and hospitalisation in those at risk. So why are people in disadvantaged areas less likely to have access to COVID antivirals? The answers are multiple and complex. Some relate to <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11069-019-03584-6/tables/1">disadvantage</a> that existed before the pandemic – for instance, poverty, homelessness, lower levels of English or formal education, and being less likely to have a regular GP. Some factors relate specifically to antivirals. For instance, to access antivirals, you first have to know they exist and whether you might be eligible, then know how to access them and when. There may be out-of-pocket costs to see a GP to be assessed, then there’s the cost of filling the prescription, even with a concession card. <h2>How can we address this?</h2> We have an opportunity to address this inequity, whether that’s by addressing social determinants of health more broadly, or specifically related to antivirals access. Equity depends on continuing to address the structural inequalities in our health system that create barriers to people accessing primary health services, and tailoring responses to communities. For instance, earlier in the pandemic we saw funding to house homeless people, provide COVID-related health care to non-English speaking communities, and for people isolated at home. These initiatives need to continue. Other countries have also recognised the need for more equitable access to COVID antivirals. Initiatives have included: <ul> <li> COVID medicine <a href="https://phlgroup.co.uk/our-services/cmdu/">delivery units</a> in the United Kingdom. These identify, triage and arrange for high-risk people to receive antivirals at home </li> <li> <a href="https://covid19.govt.nz/testing-and-isolation/if-you-have-covid-19/medicines-to-treat-covid-19">pharmacists prescribing antivirals</a> in New Zealand, and </li> <li> “<a href="https://aspr.hhs.gov/TestToTreat/Pages/default.aspx#:%7E:text=To%20find%20a%20participating%20Test%20to%20Treat%20site%20near%20you%3A&text=Call%20the%20Centers%20for%20Disease,more%20than%20150%20other%20languages.">test to treat</a>” services in the US. This is where people can get tested, assessed and access antivirals in one spot, in one visit. </li> </ul> <h2>What needs to happen next?</h2> As <a href="https://theconversation.com/were-in-another-covid-wave-but-its-not-like-the-others-206493">COVID waves continue</a>, we must focus on reducing deaths and hospitalisations. Antiviral treatments are part of our armour and equity must drive our response. Our ongoing COVID response should be designed with consumer input, supported by an adequately funded public health system and be data driven. Here’s what needs to happen next: <ul> <li> encourage a tired public to see COVID testing as an important first step to accessing antiviral treatment, and why they should consider treatment </li> <li> address the health care inequality in primary care (for instance, boosting timely access to a GP people can afford to visit) by increasing resourcing in areas where we know there are gaps </li> <li> provide culturally safe health care, delivered in community languages, co-designed with community input </li> <li> evaluate current and future antiviral medications </li> <li> communicate up-to-date information to the public and health professionals about antivirals, particularity GPs </li> <li> access more data on the coverage and equity of antiviral COVID treatments, to help direct us to the gaps in the health system that need to be plugged. </li> </ul> <h2>Why this matters now</h2> For many of us in the past year, COVID has become another “cold” we encounter and may not even bother testing. Yet, we continue to see <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/health-alerts/covid-19/weekly-reporting">deaths and hospitalisations</a> across the country. Serious COVID infections continue to affect our most vulnerable people. These include elderly people, especially those over 80, First Nations people, people living with a disability and people who are socioeconomically disadvantaged. We have a chance to ensure antivirals are used to reduce existing disparities in hospitalisation and death – not to make them worse.<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/207822/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nicole-allard-1349026">Nicole Allard</a>, Post doctoral researcher and medical epidemiologist, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-peter-doherty-institute-for-infection-and-immunity-2255">The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/whos-taking-covid-antivirals-like-paxlovid-hint-it-helps-if-youre-rich-207822">original article</a>.

Caring

"Everything comes to an end": Kochie drops more hints on Sunrise future

Sunrise host David Koch has disappeared from the Channel Seven morning show just days after making a bold statement about his retirement. Kochie, 67, was noticeably absent from the hosting chair last week as he attended a technology conference in Perth, with Matt Shirvington standing in in his place. Expecting Kochie's return on Tuesday morning, Shirvington was once again in the hosting chair alongside Nat Barr with Kochie nowhere to be seen. Seven told <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-11958443/David-Koch-absent-Sunrise-days-hinting-future-breakfast-show.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Daily Mail Australia</a> on Tuesday afternoon that Kochie flew to Melbourne on Friday to support Seven Network's annual fundraiser, the Good Friday Appeal, in aid of the Royal Children’s Hospital. The network says he "took time out from his Easter annual leave to be involved" and will continue his absence from Sunrise for the rest of the week. Kochie's disappearance comes just days after he told the <a href="https://www.heraldsun.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=HSWEB_WRE170_a&dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.heraldsun.com.au%2Fentertainment%2Ffiona-byrne%2Feverything-has-to-come-to-an-end-david-koch-hints-at-sunrise-future%2Fnews-story%2Fc3d7efd25079cf48a37ccd94c88932e2&memtype=anonymous&mode=premium&v21=dynamic-groupb-control-noscore&V21spcbehaviour=append" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Herald Sun</a> that he is looking to scale things back, as he starts to look at what life will be like when he retires from Sunrise. "I have been doing it almost 21 years. I love it, I still have a passion for it, but I want a bit more flexibility in my life," he explained. "My wife Libby and I want to enjoy our lives and Channel Seven are happy to help." Kochie signed a two-year contract extension with Seven in late 2022 that will see him stay with Sunrise until at least 2024 - although he negotiated for "greater flexibility" with his working commitments. "Everything has to come to an end. I have got the flexibility to do it on my terms and I am incredibly grateful I have that opportunity," he added. Image credits: Sunrise

Cate Blanchett hints at early retirement

Cate Blanchett has alluded to an early retirement from acting in a candid interview. The Aussie actress, who is currently based in Los Angeles, is primed for yet another Oscars win for her role in the upcoming psychological drama Tár, but shared that the movie took a major toll. Chatting with The Sunday Project, the 53-year-old said she was still trying to "process" the emotional load of working on the film, in which she plays the fictional world-famous pianist Lydia Tár. “I think it was because it was such a physical role, the echoes of it are still with me and I think I’m like a lot of audience members, I need time to process it,” Blanchett said. “Obviously I’m lucky enough to work with some amazing directors who have changed my life, but when it all comes together like that, it does stay with you." “So I don’t ever want to work again …” she added, laughing. After working in show business for three decades, Blanchett admitted she has been “profoundly homesick over the last four years”, after basing herself in Los Angeles from 2015 alongside husband Andrew Upton and their four children. “‘I’m very obsessed, as most Australians, obsessed by water. I want to be by the water, in the water,” she said. “I would love to learn to be patient, to be still and think. My grandmother was a wonderful gardener and my mother is likewise an excellent gardener and she lives with us, and I really want to spend time in the garden with my mum.” At the end of the interview, The Project co-host Hamish McDonald joked, “Congrats on the film, and your retirement.” Blanchett added, “I’m sure there are millions of people around the world applauding right now.” Image credits: Getty Images

Retirement Life

Nick Kyrgios hints at retirement bombshell

Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios has hinted he could retire and walk away from the sport completely if he wins a grand slam in 2023. Kyrgios enjoyed a breakout season after winning the doubles title at the Australian Open with his good friend Thanasi Kokkinakis. He reached the Wimbledon final where he lost to Novak Djokovic in four sets. Currently playing in Dubai in the inaugural World Tennis League, along with Djokovic, Iga Swiatek, Felix Auger-Aliassime and Alexander Zverev, Kyrgios admitted the stress is getting too much. “Hopefully, I can win a slam and just retire,” Kyrgios said. Asked whether he would be happy with a similar performance next year, Kyrgios said: “Would I sign again? Honestly, I don’t know about it. “It took a lot of hard work this [2022] season, a lot of discipline and it seems the better you do, everyone wants a bit more of you and it becomes more stressful. “But I had a lot of fun this season. And I’m finally just proud to say I made a slam final and started to meet some expectations. “I had a lot of fun, I enjoyed it, definitely felt better off and on the court.” Kyrgios’ shock announcement comes as Netflix dropped a new trailer for the ‘Break Point’ tennis series which begins in January, days before the Australian Open. Image: Getty

Retirement Life

A clever trick to make your rubbish smell nice (and 11 other handy home hints)

You’ll wonder how you ever got along without knowing these sneaky home cleaning tricks. 1. Throw lemon, lime or orange peels into your garbage disposal to clean the drain and give your kitchen a lovely fresh scent. 2. Clean your silver quickly by lining your sink with foil, and then add half a cup salt and half a cup baking soda. Fill the sink with hot water and place your silverware inside for 30 minutes. The tarnish will transfer to the foil saving you loads of time as you won’t need to clean each piece separately. 3. Use an old dryer sheet to polish and metal in your car. It will give much better shine than a regular cloth. 4. To clean your cutting board, slice a lemon in half and rub it all over a plastic or wooden board. Leave to work its magic for 20 minutes before washing it. 5. Clean the ceiling fan by sliding a pillowcase over each blade, then pull it off gently to collect the dust. 6. If you have a grease stain on clothing, rub some chalk over it before washing to help get rid of the marks. 7. Keep the tops of cupboards cleaner by lining with plain paper or newspaper. Simply replace every couple of months. 8. Make your loo smell great by popping a few drops of your favourite essential oil in the middle of the roll. Lavender or rose are great options. 9. Make your own fabric freshener in a spray bottle by combining one-eight of a cup of fabric softener, two tablespoons of baking soda, and topping it up with hot tap water. Shake well and use to freshen up clothing or upholstery. 10. Clean vomit off a rug or carpet by baking a paste of baking soda and water. Clear up as much of the mess as you can and then smear the stain with the paste. Leave it to dry overnight until it becomes powdery and then just vacuum up. 11. Clean your sandwich press or bench top grill by placing a doubled up sheet of damp paper towel in the press after you have used it and switched it off. The heat will cause the towel to steam and clean the press. Then just wipe it clean with another piece of paper towel. 12. Clean up stained plastic containers by filling them two-thirds full with water and a tablespoon of washing up liquid. Add a quarter cup of bleach and microwave for 40 seconds, or until the solution is boiling. Leave to cool until the water is lukewarm and then wash your container as normal. Image: Getty

Home & Garden

Royal biographer hints at Queen's cause of death

A royal expert claims Queen Elizabeth II was suffering from a “relatively painless” but “invariably fatal” condition before announcing her death 90 minutes before Buckingham Palace. In a video uploaded to YouTube at 5pm local time (2am AEST), controversial royal biographer Lady Colin Campbell claimed the Queen had passed away at 2.37pm (11.37pm AEST). Buckingham Palace announced the monarch’s passing 90 minutes later, at around 6.30pm UK time. Her announcement came at the end of a lengthy clip where the royal expert spoke about a condition the Queen was allegedly suffering from. Lady Campbell, who is most well-known for her books about Princess Diana and the Queen Mother, claimed that Her Majesty was suffering from a serious bone condition, though she wouldn’t reveal “the word that accurately conveys her diagnosis” out of respect for her “dignity and privacy”. “If she wants to reveal that word, or her advisors wish to reveal it, that is up to them. I don’t think one needs to use the word to get across the point that I think most people will be able to pick up, that this is a really serious situation,” Lady Campbell said in the video, prior to announcing the monarch’s passing. “The condition has been induced, in part, according to people who know her well, has been created by the tremendous stress to which she has been subjected over the last three years.” The Palace has not confirmed the Queen’s cause of death. “Can you imagine an older woman, as her life is winding down, and she is hoping to enjoy the last few years of her life in good health being bombarded by the tremendous abuse to which she and the monarchy have been subjected,” Lady Campbell said. She went on to say she had tried to warn people that the Queen was “far more ill than they thought she was” over the past few months. “I have on several occasions in the last few weeks, if not months, made the point that she had been affected to her bones. I used that repeatedly to get across the point that what she was suffering from was a malady of the bones,” she continued. “There are two maladies of the bones, one is more painful than the other. Fortunately the Queen’s malady, although it falls in the same category and condition of the more painful one, has been the less painful one. “It has been restrictive, and I will not go into the medical treatments she has been receiving. I have previously indicated that her bruising was due to cannulas and I have left it at that.” After the video cuts away, Lady Campell continued filming, claiming she had found out about the Queen’s passing. “Having just made this video it is with great sadness that I have to inform you that events have yet again overtaken one’s plans, and I am reliably informed that the Queen died at 14.37pm this afternoon,” she said. “And that the reason why the announcement has not been made so far is that they are waiting for Harry and Meghan to arrive at Balmoral, after which the announcement will be made.” Buckingham Palace went on to announce the news of Her Majesty’s passing before Harry arrived at Balmoral, while Meghan remained in London. “I think we should be very grateful for having had such a wonderful monarch,” Lady Campbell continued. “And I think we can be also grateful for the fact that her death was relatively painless. Bone cancer is not fun. “But she was fortunate enough to have the lesser of the forms of bone cancer, and she kept her spirits and her vitality to practically the end. “And now, I would say, my sympathies to all her loved ones, all her family, and really, all her subjects many of whom love her.” However, the <a href="https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/world/queen-elizabeths-cause-of-death-may-never-be-released/news-story/47ceca6491d9ef44b1d9112061674cdb" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Courier Mail</a> reported that medical experts said frailty and “geriatric syndrome” - a term describing a group of common health conditions older people experience that don’t fit in distinct disease categories - could have been contributors to her passing. Her symptoms reportedly met five of seven criteria used by Britain’s NHS to classify people as frail, including being over 85, having ongoing health conditions, requiring regular help, being forced to cancel activities and using a walking stick. In the hours before her death, a statement from Buckingham Palace said doctors were “concerned” for the Queen’s health and that she was “comfortable” at Balmoral. Images: Getty Images / Lady Colin Campbell (YouTube)

Caring

Ash Barty drops huge hint on life beyond tennis

Ash Barty insisted that she is not hiding anything from her fans after her shock retirement announcement. The 25-year-old <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/tennis-legends-react-to-ash-barty-s-retirement?fbclid=IwAR0yatVVM585Th8Ch0NcLsJd7eCUEaILs0w-Y2K03R3KAbxODsjJAVsknQk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> her retirement from tennis on Wednesday after winning Wimbledon and the Australian Open. Speaking to the media, Barty revealed that she was not lying about her reasons behind retirement and there are no regrets for the decision. “I’ve said exactly what I wanted to say,” she said. “I’m an open book. I’m not hiding anything, I’ve got no secrets. I am just so proud of all of the work that I have done with my team. “We have done this together right from the start, have enjoyed every single minute and we have no regrets. We have achieved so much together and it’s been fun on the way. “I just knew for me the time was right. I’d given absolutely everything that I could to this sport, and I knew that it wouldn’t be fair to my team and the people that have invested so much time and energy into my life to not be 100 per cent committed to them. “It’s been a hell of a journey. I wouldn’t change a thing and I certainly have no regrets.” Questioned about whether her retirement was due to a previous hip injury, Barty refuted the question stating she had taken a break when it didn’t heal the way she expected it to. “No, that was an old injury that we repeatedly over my career had to manage, and that was the truth,” she explained. “After the Australian Open it just didn’t heal quite as well as I would have liked and I didn’t get to get back on court until a few weeks ago. That’s what I mean. We were never hiding anything. “The fact is I have given everything I can to this sport. I’m absolutely spent and had nothing more to give. I’m just really excited now for what comes next and I’m excited for the new challenges.” Barty said retirement had been on her mind for a while and knew that when she achieved what she wanted, such as winning Wimbledon, Australian Open, and becoming the first Australian woman in 44 years to win at Melbourne Park, she knew it was time. “We’ve been in discussions for a while,” she said. “After Wimbledon my perspective changed a lot and there was this beautiful challenge of trying to play the Australian Open and trying to win an Australian Open which was always another goal of mine, and to do that as a team and to do that with the people that meant so much to me was incredible. “There is no perfect way, there is no perfect timing but this was our perfect way, and it was a great finish. “That crowd (for) the final of the Australian Open was like nothing I have ever played in front of before and it was so much fun to enjoy that with them as well as my team. “Yeah, it was a brilliant way to finish. “I have so much love and support, and I’m so lucky to get so much love and support here in Australia, and so many people have made my career so much more fun, and being able to share that with them and experience that with them made it all the better, and I think the Australian public allowed me to be myself. “They allowed me to make mistakes, they allowed me to be imperfect and it just made it so much more fun, and it really did make that Australian Open so much more enjoyable for all of us to be able to go, ‘You know what? This is one last crack. Let’s see what we can do’. “And it was really cool.” Ever the cheeky one, Barty told fans that they’d have to wait and see what she plans to do in the future. “You have to wait and see,” she said. “I’m not giving you everything right now. It’s all right. You can be patient. Patience is a virtue.” Barty joked that she may even switch sports thanks to photoshop images she sees online from fans. "I have seen some brilliant photoshops as a jockey, lawn bowler. Like many sports, I am lured to it,” she said. "I have always been an athlete in the sense of trying different things. We will see how we go." Excited about the next chapter of her life, Barty said she wants to spend time with her family and within the community. "I am excited about my next chapter as Ash Barty the person and not the athlete," she explained. "I hit as recently as 10 days ago. I will forever be connected to tennis, I will never stop loving the sport, I will never stop hitting tennis balls. "I have always been a homebody, and this is where I recharge. "This is where I get my energy from. I'm excited to reacquaint myself with my mum and dad and sisters and nieces and nephews. And spend quality time with them as a person. "Like I said, a new chapter for Garry (her partner) and I, and it is going to be a lot of fun." “I have always wanted to have the time to contribute more in other ways, and I think now I have got that opportunity, and I’ve been fortunate enough to have so many opportunities given to me from tennis, and now I’m ready to really give back in ways that I’m passionate about and visiting Uluru and being up in the community was just incredible,” Barty said. “That’s what lights me up inside. That’s what makes me happy, and we have done a few of those trips now and I can’t wait to do a few more.” Image: Instagram

News

One minute handy home hints

How to dry a damp load of laundry quickly? Add a dry bath towel to the mix and the load should dry a little faster.Make an easy, all-purpose cleaner Here’s a quick cleaning recipe that can make most surfaces sparkle. Combine 4 tablespoons of baking soda and 1 litre of warm water. Use it with a sponge to wipe messes away. This all-purpose cleaner is especially good for cleaning kitchen counters, appliances and inside the refrigerator.Smelly Runners? Freshen up after a gym class by sprinkling some baking soda inside your shoes (and your gym bag while you’re at it). Just tap it out before you wear again.Got creative kids? When your kids have been let loose on the walls, Pro Hart style, clean lightly with a damp sponge sprinkled with little baking soda.Hair brushes and combs need a clean? Combat build-up from hair products with a sudsy solution of a few drops of dish liquid mixed with warm water.Fight pet smells Deodorize the soft furnishings around your home – including the dog’s bed – by sprinkling surfaces with a little baking soda, letting it sit for 15 minutes, and then vacuuming clean.Freshen up stuffed toys In between baths (in the washing machine, of course), clean your kids' plush pals by giving them a quick once-over with a lint roller.Clean a slow drain When you notice your drain is starting to clog, sprinkle ½ a cup of baking soda down the sink, followed by ½ a cup of white vinegar. Cover with a wet cloth to contain the fizz. Wait five minutes then flush clean with hot water.Clean the car on the go A lint roller is a handy, less hefty solution to clean your car’s interior when you’re on the go. It can also fit in most nooks and crannies where your vacuum attachments just can't reach.Clean stains off cutting boards Run the cut side of a lemon over the board to remove food stains and smells. For extra cleaning power, sprinkle the board with salt or baking soda first.Shine silver in a pinch Notice your favorite ring or bracelet looking a bit dull? Wet it, rub with a little toothpaste, rinse, and dry with a clean cloth.De-grime outdoor furniture Add a squirt of dish liquid to a bowl of warm water, and use it to wipe down your outdoor tables and chairs. Then rinse clean with the garden hose.Cleaning windows with vinegar Use white vinegar to brighten your windows. Mix 2 tablespoons of white vinegar with 4 litres of water and dispense into a spray bottle. Squirt on and wipe away with a clean microfibre cloth (not paper towels, which can cause streaking).Erase greasy stains on clothes Salad dressing on your shirt? Rub a little dish liquid into the stain and rinse clean with water. The soap is gentle enough for spot-treating most fabrics — even washable wool and silk.Get rid of sweat stains If you want to keep your whites truly white rub full-strength liquid enzyme detergent on the underarm area and let sit 15 minutes. Then separate whites from colors and wash whites with a full dose of bleach-alternative detergent (for whitening) in the hottest water possible.De-grease kitchen cabinets Just like your cooking utensils, your kitchen cupboards can get quite greasy over time. Add a little dish liquid to a spray bottle with warm water to mist away the grime. Then, rinse with a well-wrung cloth and dry.A quick fix for furniture nicks Got a scuff or a scratch on your old wooden furniture? Rub it with a walnut (shell removed) to mask the damage.Clean porcelain with vodka It's easy to get porcelain fixtures shining like new. Just moisten a soft, clean cloth with vodka, and then apply a little elbow grease.Bedding cleaning You only need to clean your pillows and comforters 2 or 3 times a year or 4 times if super keen. As an easy reminder: Wash them when the seasons change.De-funk your microwave Make the interior easier to wipe clean by heating a cup of water and a chopped-up lemon on high until the microwave's window is steamy. Let the bowl sit for 15 minutes before you open the door then clean away any grime with ease.Clean up pet hair with rubber gloves After you're through washing dishes, don't remove your damp gloves. Take a detour through the living room and quickly clean up animal fur from your soft furnishings by running your gloves over each surface.Wait before you tackle a muddy floor Dry dirt is easier to clean up than sticky mud, so don't bother cleaning until the footprints get dry and crusty; then just open the back door and sweep it all out.Fill your dishwasher with everything but dishes Some plastic toys, toothbrush holders and pet dishes are just a few of the items you can clean in this handy little machine.Silence squeaky floors Squeaky floors can be really annoying. Pour a little baby powder onto your wooden floor and sweep it into the cracks to quiet creaking floorboards. Wipe clean the excess and enjoy the sounds of silence.Remove coffee stains from mugs When your morning brew leaves a stubborn unsightly ring, use a little toothpaste to clean it off.Get a "right away" laundry bin Don't get stuck with a dirty soccer uniform or ballet costume the day your kid needs it. Add an extra "priority" basket to your clean routine and never be empty-handed again.Iron clothes when they're damp The moisture helps release wrinkles, so press your peskiest pieces right off the washing line.Clean plants with mayo Take a tip from professional florists: Clean dusty potted plants with some mild soap and water, then use a paper towel to rub a drop of mayo into the tops of leaves, to shine 'em up.Image: Getty

Home Hints & Tips

Former Yellow Wiggle hints at new character

It's been three months since Emma Watkins announced she was leaving The Wiggles and said goodbye to her well-loved character along with her iconic yellow bow.However fans might not have to wait too much longer to see Emma perform again - with the dancer making a series of cryptic Instagram posts hinting she will be launching a character named 'Emma Memma'."Roses are red, and can be pink too. I can't wait to share Emma Memma with you…," Watkins captioned a bare tile she posted online this week following it up with a change in her profile name to @emmamemmaemma.The children's entertainer also flooding her feed with the colour orange suggesting a big change from her signature yellow.Over the past four weeks Watkins has been posting orange and pink tiles onto her Instagram profile with a series of orange emojis.Although she hasn't yet given too much detail on who 'Emma Memma' is, she did caption a follow-up post with: "She loves to tell stories, in sign, dance and song. So join Emma Memma. Yes, do come along…"She told another fan: "I've got some very excited things I am working on"Watkins also confirmed the orange colour across her profile is a definite hint to her next project - meaning the iconic yellow has officially been replaced.Emma unexpectedly announced she was leaving The Wiggles after ten years with the group in October 2021 saying she wanted to pursue other projects.Images: Instagram

Family & Pets

Massive news hints at when cruising may resume for Aussies

Anyone who’s keen to go cruising again may be tempted by the new season of domestic trips from Sydney, proposed by the second-largest cruise liner in the world, Royal Caribbean International. A luxury cruise liner is taking a punt on Australians getting vaccinated by summer and officials allowing their ships to set sail. The cruise liner has announced a new season of domestic sailings for those who are vaccinated - including trips to places like: Hobart, Kangaroo Island, Airlie Beach and Port Douglas. Foreign-flagged cruise ships have been banned from entering Australian waters since March 2020 and the restriction is not due to lift until September. At this stage, there are no guarantees the ban will be lifted at that time. But Royal Caribbean is expecting one of its vessels to set sail from Sydney between December and March. Industry spokesman, Joel Katz, said the Australian economy has lost more than $6 billion since cruising was suspended and this has jeopardised more than 18,000 local jobs. Katz said he’s concerned by Australia’s lack of progress on resuming cruises and he stated: “The cruise industry has done an enormous amount of work to implement extensive new health protocols globally, but Australia is now the only major cruise destination in the world where there is no progress towards their adoption.” Last year, an inquiry found New South Wales health authorities made serious mistakes in their handling of the Ruby Princess, after the ship was linked to 663 Covid-19 infections and 28 deaths. Despite signs of a major COVID-19 outbreak on board the Ruby Princess, thousands of passengers were allowed to disembark and continue on their travels, leading to further outbreaks. Image: Getty Images

Cruising

Qantas boss hints at four more travel bubbles

Australians are being given the opportunity to travel overseas for the first time in more than a year, in just days. The highly anticipated New Zealand travel bubble will open for reciprocal quarantine-free travel on Monday. However, impatient Aussies are already wondering when they can set their sights further, and go to next. Qantas boss Alan Joyce has given a hint as to where we may be able to go. On Thursday, Joyce suggested there are four countries that could be in line for a travel arrangement. “It all depends on what level of COVID is in an individual country, and what level of restrictions and testing will be put in place,” he said. “There are clearly a lot of countries in the region, especially in the Asia-Pacific, that have had a tight control on COVID. “They give us market opportunities for Singapore, like Japan, markets like Taiwan for us to potentially open up. “But we’re also actively looking at the Pacific Islands because there are really good opportunities in places like Fiji and the Pacific Islands to open up.” Prime Minister Scott Morrison has also hinted at possibly opening up the travel bubble arrangement a little more. “These things are regularly assessed by the Chief Medical Officer and we have looked at places like Singapore and Japan and South Korea, and countries like this,” he said. “But at this stage, we are not in a position to move forward on any of those at this point.” <img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840759/qantas-jacinda-ardern-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/839b26b4d61e4c19a0b9415f1623e95f" /> New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has also revealed that their government is considering whether the Cook Islands could be incorporated into a travel bubble. She says the travel bubble announcement is “world-leading” however stressed that it is fragile. Ardern said three responses are in place should a COVID outbreak happen in Australia or a coronavirus case. They said their process would be to continue, pause or suspend flights. “For instance, if a case is found that is quite clearly linked to a border worker in a quarantine facility and is well contained, you’ll likely see travel continue in the same way as you could see life continue if that happened here in Australia,” she said. “If, however, a case was found that was not clearly linked to the border, and a state responded by a short lockdown to identify more information, we’d likely pause flights from that state in the same way we would stop travel into and out of a region in New Zealand as if it were going into a full lockdown. “And if we saw multiple cases of unknown origin, we would likely suspend flights for a set period of time.”

International Travel

Meghan and Harry’s subtle hint for baby’s gender

Eagle-eyed fans have spotted a tiny detail that they believe may be linked to the gender of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s baby. While the couple have been notoriously private and kept majority of their pregnancy under wraps, royal fans pointed out a large pink sapphire ring worn by Duchess Meghan during a recent video appearance. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840048/meghan-sapphire-ring-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/69c09e4ff9104b93ada4b8c1d5eb57df" /> The large ring from is from the jewellery brand Ecksand and features an ethically sourced 6.000 carat stone with a recycled 18k gold band with 0.20 diamond pave. "Is the 'pink' ring an 'indication/hint' that it might be a little girl?" one fan speculated on Instagram. "Could this be a clue about baby Sussex????! Praying for a safe, healthy delivery and birth for mother and baby, whether it's a girl or a boy!" another said. <blockquote 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);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CLe6Ez8DKWd/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <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> <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;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CLe6Ez8DKWd/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Meghan Markle (@meghan_update)</a> </div> </blockquote> The ring normally retails for $1790 but is currently on sale for $1522. “It’s been a rough few weeks for the queen, that’s for sure,” a royal insider told <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/prince-harry-meghan-markles-distance-is-challenging-for-queen/" target="_blank">Us Weekly.</a> “The situation with Harry and Meghan has been challenging, and on top of that, she’s distraught over her beloved husband’s health setback.”

Family & Pets

NSW acting premier hints at tighter measures after bottle shop outbreak

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> Two employees infected with the coronavirus served thousands of customers at a BWS in Berala, which has prompted fears that the cluster is set to explode. Anyone who visited the bottle shop over the festive period is being considered a close contact and must get tested for coronavirus and isolate for 14 days. Acting Premier John Barilaro said that Sydney wouldn't hesitate to enforce a "Northern Beaches-style lockdown." “Yeah, absolutely,” he replied to Sunrise. “We never take anything off the table.” He's also urged other states to step up when it comes to quarantine. “We, as a state, have had 105,000 passengers through Sydney, [we are] doing the heavy lifting,” he said. “[And] 45 to 50 per cent of those citizens returning to Australia belong to other states. “It’s like we’re the dry cleaner or car wash - we clean them up and send them off clean to other states. “What we do need is other states to start lifting their game and taking more people directly into their states rather than NSW being the laundromat,” Barilaro said. This comes after a south-western Sydney venue operator was fined for a major breach of public health orders as the venue allowed up to 700 guests to attend a wedding. Between 600 to 700 people attended the wedding in Fairfield, double the amount of patrons allowed at the venue under the NSW coronavirus restrictions. The operator will be fined $5,000 for the "high level" breach, according to a livid NSW Police Minister David Elliott. "The police will ensure he gets the $5000 (fine)," Mr Elliott told Today. "He can challenge that and risk himself six months in jail." "It is baffling that somebody would breach it (the public health order) so badly," Mr Elliott said. "This isn't one or two people coming from an area in lockdown or, you know, this isn't a dozen people that turned up unannounced, this is twice the amount of people that were allowed to attend that wedding reception in an area not far from Berala." "It is not about the fines or the punishment, this is about compliance, and people need to realise the police are enforcing a law to keep them healthy," Mr Elliott said. "We don't want to go back into lockdown. That's why we have introduced these Public Health Orders and I'm very disappointed that the Fairfield police area command has had to go through that over the last 48 hours. "It is time that western Sydney needs to be well and truly on its game when it comes to complying with Public Health Orders. This just does not make sense." He said there was now "potentially 700 people that have to monitor their own health and probably go get a COVID-19 test". Photo credits: Today </div> </div> </div>

News

Important health hints hidden in your eye colour

Your eye colour is mostly determined by the luck of the genetic draw. Although there are things you can do to improve your eyesight and keep your eyes healthy, there’s not much you can do to change your eye colour. However, your iris colour might reveal more about your health than you think. Here’s what you need to know about dark and light eyes, and all the shades in between. <img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7837672/01-brown-eyes-shutterstock_1438302062-770.jpg" alt="Dark eyes: May have a lower melanoma risk" data-udi="umb://media/57b271b070354877ba6815722bfd6bf1" /> <ol> <li> Dark eyes: May have a lower melanoma risk</li> </ol> Dark-coloured irises might indicate you have a lower risk of the skin cancer melanoma. In a study published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, researchers took DNA samples and gathered sun exposure data from nearly 500 white children, ages 6 to 10, for four years. Children with the blue eye gene were more likely to develop moles compared to children without the gene. (The number of moles people develop during childhood can predict the risk of melanoma in adulthood.) Other research has found that people with blue or green eyes are at greater risk of melanomas of the eye, most likely because they have less light-absorbing pigment to shield the eyes from sun damage. But no matter what your eye colour meaning may infer, it’s always a good idea to protect your eyes with sunglasses that block 99% to 100% of ultraviolet radiation or UV-absorbent contact lenses, says Christopher Quinn, OD. <img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7837673/02-puffy-eyes-gettyimages-171580559-770.jpg" alt="Dark eyes: May be less likely to have macular degeneration" data-udi="umb://media/efba3ca1081347e99104da5cb9c300d3" /> <ol start="2"> <li> Dark eyes: May be less likely to have macular degeneration</li> </ol> Your eye colour meaning can give insight into your overall eye health. “A dark iris blocks more ultraviolet light,” says Quinn. “UV light is a risk factor for macular degeneration. Extra light that gets into the eyes of people with light-coloured irises may cause them to have more retinal degeneration.” <img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7837674/03-yellow-spots-eyes-gettyimages-746122853-770.jpg" alt="Light eyes: May be less likely to have vitiligo" data-udi="umb://media/e929b3f8046946748e0f2cad54032c86" /> <ol start="3"> <li> Light eyes: May be less likely to have vitiligo</li> </ol> In a University of Colorado School of Medicine study, researchers tracked nearly 3,000 people with vitiligo, an autoimmune disease in which a person’s immune system attacks healthy pigment cells and causes skin blotches. Researchers identified 13 genes linked to a predisposition to vitiligo. They found that people with the disease were less likely to have blue or grey eyes than those without it. People with vitiligo are at higher risk for other autoimmune diseases such as lupus, type 1 diabetes and thyroid disease. <img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7837675/04-dark-eyes-shutterstock_299269262-770.jpg" alt="Dark eyes: May drink less alcohol" data-udi="umb://media/44f3eed8c39c42f4af327f65b25c8e65" /> <ol start="4"> <li> Dark eyes: May drink less alcohol</li> </ol> In a Georgia State University analysis of 12,000 white men and women, researchers found that people with light eyes drank more alcohol and were more likely to abuse it than people with dark eyes. (They looked at data from one study in roughly 10,000 male prisoners and a second from a survey of about 1,800 women.) But, why the link? Researchers hypothesise that it could be due to melanin, the pigment that makes eyes darker. Melanin is involved in electrical connections between brain cells. If the amount of melanin in the eye (dark-eyed people have more) correlates with the amount of melanin in the brain, it could mean dark-eyed people are more sensitive to stimuli like alcohol, which means they may get tipsy off less alcohol than light-eyed people do (and therefore less likely to drink to excess). Still, more research is needed. “People with light irises drink more, that’s an undeniable conclusion of this study,” says Quinn. “What’s harder to say is whether it’s the iris colour that determines if people drink or don’t drink. It shows an association, not a causal relationship.” Images: Shutterstock / Getty Images Written by Kelsey Kloss. This article first appeared on <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/healthsmart/conditions/eyes/4-things-your-eye-colour-might-reveal-about-your-health" target="_blank">Reader’s Digest</a>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a rel="noopener" href="http://readersdigest.com.au/subscribe" target="_blank">here’s our best subscription offer</a>.

Eye Care

Turia Pitt hints at due date for second child

Turia Pitt has shared a picture of her baby bump as she hinted at the due date of her second child. In the photograph shared on Instagram, the burns survivor and mother-of-one could be seen posing at the beach in a set of bikini. “Can’t work out why I seem to be going through my sunscreen faster than six months ago?! Anyone?” she wrote on the caption, suggesting how far along she is in her pregnancy. If the 32-year-old is currently six months pregnant, the baby is likely to be born in March 2020. The snap has gained more than 94,000 likes with fans praising her looks. <blockquote 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);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B6H6k21AlDe/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <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> <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;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B6H6k21AlDe/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Turia (@turiapitt)</a> on Dec 15, 2019 at 10:43pm PST </div> </blockquote> The pregnancy was first announced in August. Pitt and her husband Michael Hoskin are parents to son Hakavai, who was born in December 2017. “Michael and I are both so excited,” Pitt told <a href="https://www.who.com.au/exclusive-turia-pitt-opens-up-about-her-pregnancy-marriage-and-overcoming-adveristy">Who</a> of her second pregnancy. “I’m a little tired, which is probably to be expected. But generally, I’m feeling really well.” She shared having Hakavai has changed her perspective on parenting. “Before I had Hakavai, I thought all I’d want for my kids is for them to be happy,” she said. “We don’t want them to get picked on, we don’t want anything bad to happen to them, we don’t want their hearts to be broken, we don’t want to see them upset and we don’t want them to hurt themselves. But all of that stuff is inevitable. “So the main thing I want to teach my kids is resilience – the belief that they not only will go through hard times, but that they can.”

Body

Prince Harry just revealed a MAJOR hint about Duchess Meghan’s due date

Prince Harry’s recent announcement has left fans scratching their heads over when the Duchess of Sussex will give birth. As reported by <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/8981015/prince-harry-holland-visit-baby-clue/" target="_blank">The Sun</a>, the Duke of Sussex will embark on the overseas trip next Thursday to launch the one year countdown to the Invictus Games. The decision has left royal watchers confused, as the news of Baby Sussex’s arrival should be announced any day now. The announcement comes after mass speculation that the Duchess has already given birth, as earlier in the week, the Queen paid a visit to the couple’s home in Windsor over the Easter weekend. Fans also noted that Meghan’s mum Doria Ragland and her make-up artist both arrived to the UK close to one another in April. Buckingham Palace announced Harry’s royal visit, saying: “The Duke of Sussex will visit the Netherlands on Wednesday 8th and Thursday 9th May 2019. “While in The Netherlands, The Duke will undertake an official engagement in Amsterdam. “His Royal Highness will then travel to The Hague to officially launch the one year countdown to the Invictus Games The Hague 2020.” Previously, it has been said that the father-to-be will take two weeks' paternity leave after the arrival of his first born. But royal reporters claim that the 37-year-old Duchess is yet to give birth, and that Harry’s trip has been a long time coming. Rebecca English, royal editor for the <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/auhome/index.html" target="_blank">Daily Mail</a> said, “Harry is keen to go, but the baby comes first. “If he has to pull out, or amend his itinerary, he will.”

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