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How music is changing the way dementia patients think

New research has proven that music truly is the universal language, with experts discovering how the power of music is helping those suffering with dementia. Music therapists have shown that music brings dementia patients back to the present, with some even finding their voice thanks to the nostalgic memories of the past. According to Registered Music Therapist and Managing Director of music therapy company Music Beat, Dr Vicky Abad, the power of music is not to be overlooked when it comes to degenerative diseases. “Music is a window into people’s pasts,” she said. “It builds on strengths and abilities against a disease that can strip a person of their dignity, abilities and quality of life.” The team at <a href="https://www.tricare.com.au/">TriCare Aged Care and Retirement</a>, who see the devastating impact of dementia each and every day, also experience first-hand the impact music has on residents, with many noticing “unrecognisable” changes in personality when a nostalgic tune is played. Louis Rose, an 80-year-old dementia patient and TriCare resident, was diagnosed with dementia six years ago, and requires assistance with many aspects of day to day life. However, listening to music is one thing he can enjoy on his own. “I grew up in Mauritius and while we didn’t have a lot, we certainly had music. Listening to music has always been an escape for me and a way to relax,” Mr Rose said. “When your brain starts to slow down and you find yourself forgetting things, it can be quite frustrating and confusing. Listening to music has been a way to distract myself from what’s going on in my head, it has helped me so much.” Tamsin Sutherland is a regular live music performer at TriCare facilities across Queensland, and has been able to witness incredible moments with the residents as they come alive as soon as she starts to play. “Watching residents who are often non-verbal sing along to the words is incredible,” she said “It really is like they are coming back to life and reconnecting with who they once were. To be part of that is quite emotional for me.” According to Dr Abad, music can help prevent the restless behaviour that often leads to pacing and wandering, especially in the evenings, which are often difficult times for those battling the disease. “Sundowning usually occurs in the late afternoon as dusk approaches, a time that is also associated with what used to be a busy time period in people’s lives,” she noted. “Personalised music is a simple and effective tool to help residents feel validated in their emotions during this time and provides them an opportunity to experience a calmer state of mind”. Image credits: Getty Images

Mind

Think $5.50 is too much for a flat white? Actually it’s too cheap, and our world-famous cafes are paying the price

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/emma-felton-143029">Emma Felton</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> Even in a stubborn cost-of-living crisis, it seems there’s one luxury most Australians <a href="https://www.comparethemarket.com.au/news/what-australians-wont-give-up-cost-of-living-crisis-report/">won’t sacrifice</a> – their daily cup of coffee. Coffee sales have largely <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/866543/australia-domestic-consumption-of-coffee/">remained stable</a>, even as financial pressures have bitten over the past few years. So too have prices. Though many of us became upset when prices began to creep up last year, they’ve since largely settled in the range between $4.00 and $5.50 for a basic drink. But this could soon have to change. By international standards, Australian coffee prices are low. No one wants to pay more for essentials, least of all right now. But our independent cafes are struggling. By not valuing coffee properly, we risk losing the <a href="https://bizcup.com.au/australian-coffee-culture/">internationally renowned</a> coffee culture we’ve worked so hard to create, and the phenomenal quality of cup we enjoy. <h2>Coffee is relatively cheap in Australia</h2> Our recent survey of Australian capital cities found the average price of a small takeaway flat white at speciality venues is A$4.78. But in <a href="https://pabloandrustys.com.au/blogs/drinkbettercoffee/global-coffee-prices">some international capitals</a>, it’s almost double this, even after adjusting for local <a href="https://www.investopedia.com/updates/purchasing-power-parity-ppp/">purchasing power parity</a>. <iframe id="gaplH" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" style="border: none;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/gaplH/" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0"></iframe> In London, a small flat white costs about A$6.96. Singapore, A$8.42. In Athens, as much as A$9.95. <h2>The cafe business is getting harder</h2> Over the past few decades, coffee prices haven’t kept pace with input costs. In the early 2000s, after wages, food costs, utilities and rent, many cafes <a href="https://www.coffeecommune.com.au/blog-why-are-cafes-so-expensive/">earned healthy profit margins</a> as high as 20%. The <a href="https://www.ibisworld.com/au/industry/cafes-coffee-shops/2015/">most recent data from IBISWorld</a> show that while Australian cafe net profits have recovered from a drop in 2020, at 7.6%, they remain much lower than the Australian <a href="https://www.money.com.au/research/australian-business-statistics">average business profit margin of 13.3%</a>. For an independent owner operating a cafe with the <a href="https://www.ibisworld.com/au/industry/cafes-coffee-shops/2015/">average turnover of A$300,000</a>, this would amount to a meagre A$22,800 annual net profit after all the bills are paid. <h2>What goes into a cup?</h2> Just looking at the cost of raw inputs – milk, beans, a cup and a lid – might make the margin seem lucrative. But they don’t paint the whole picture. <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/584949/original/file-20240328-24-rlngpk.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/584949/original/file-20240328-24-rlngpk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/584949/original/file-20240328-24-rlngpk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/584949/original/file-20240328-24-rlngpk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/584949/original/file-20240328-24-rlngpk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/584949/original/file-20240328-24-rlngpk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/584949/original/file-20240328-24-rlngpk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="A takeaway coffee cup showing the price inputs, with wages and operation costs making up over 65% of the cost of a coffee" /><figcaption>Chart: The Conversation. <a class="source" href="https://pabloandrustys.com.au/blogs/drinkbettercoffee/whats-in-the-cost-of-coffee">Data: Pablo and Rusty's Coffee Roasters</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></figcaption></figure> Over the past few years, renting the building, keeping the lights on and paying staff have all become <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/ground-down-australia-coffee-shops-an-early-inflation-casualty-2023-07-10/">much bigger factors</a> in the equation for coffee shop owners, and many of these pressures aren’t easing. 1. Green coffee price Increasingly <a href="https://www.aa.com.tr/en/environment/brewing-crisis-how-climate-change-is-reshaping-coffee-production/3113886">subject to the effects</a> of climate change, the baseline commodity price of green (unroasted) coffee is <a href="https://perfectdailygrind.com/2024/02/demand-for-robusta-prices-record-high/">going up</a>. Arabica – the higher quality bean you’re most likely drinking at specialty cafes – is a more expensive raw product. Despite levelling off from post-pandemic highs, its price is still trending up. In 2018, it <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/675807/average-prices-arabica-and-robusta-coffee-worldwide/">sold</a> for US$2.93 per kilogram, which is projected to increase to US$4.38 dollars in 2025. Robusta coffee is cheaper, and is the type <a href="https://www.lavazza.com.au/en/coffee-secrets/difference-type-arabica-robusta-coffee">typically used to make instant coffee</a>. But serious drought in Vietnam has just pushed the price of robusta to an <a href="https://www.barchart.com/story/news/25094367/coffee-rallies-with-robusta-at-a-record-high-on-shrinking-coffee-output-in-vietnam">all-time high</a>, putting pressure on the cost of coffee more broadly. 2. Milk prices The price of fresh milk has risen by <a href="https://cdn-prod.dairyaustralia.com.au/-/media/project/dairy-australia-sites/national-home/resources/reports/situation-and-outlook/situation-and-outlook-report-march-2024.pdf?rev=b0222df4b01b40d0ae36cf8ac7b01bc0">more than 20%</a> over the past two years, and remains at a peak. This has put sustained cost pressure on the production of our <a href="https://gitnux.org/australian-coffee-consumption-statistics/#:%7E:text=Coffee%20is%20a%20beloved%20beverage,approximately%206%20billion%20cups%20annually.">most popular drink orders</a>: cappuccinos and flat whites. 3. Wages and utilities Over the past year, Australian wages have grown at their <a href="https://ministers.treasury.gov.au/ministers/jim-chalmers-2022/media-releases/real-wages-growth-back">fastest rate</a> since 2009, which is welcome news for cafe staff, but tough on operators in a sector with low margins. Electricity prices remain elevated after significant inflation, but could <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/heres-how-much-your-energy-bills-might-go-down-by-and-when/k8g00jheg">begin to fall mid-year</a>. <h2>Specialty vs. commodity coffee: why price expectations create an industry divide</h2> One of the key factors keeping prices low in Australia is consumer expectation. For many people coffee is a fundamental part of everyday life, a marker of livability. Unlike wine or other alcohol, coffee is not considered a luxury or even a treat, where one might expect to pay a little more, or reduce consumption when times are economically tough. We anchor on familiar prices. <iframe id="oDbah" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" style="border: none;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/oDbah/" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0"></iframe> Because of this, it really hurts cafe owners to put their prices up. In touch with their customer base almost every day, they’re acutely aware of how much inflation can hurt. But in Australia, a huge proportion of coffee companies are also passionate about creating a world-class product by only using “<a href="https://medium.com/@samandsunrise/why-is-specialty-coffee-so-expensive-6cf298935e4b#:%7E:text=Specialty%20Shops%20Feature%20High%20Grade%20Coffees&text=Their%20coffees%20are%20hand%2Dpicked,even%20on%20the%20same%20tree.">specialty coffee</a>”. Ranked at least 80 on a quality scale, specialty beans cost significant more than commodity grade, but their production offers better working conditions for farmers and encourages more sustainable growing practices. Although not commensurate with the wine industry, there are similarities. Single origin, high quality beans are often sourced from one farm and demand higher prices than commodity grade coffee, where cheaper sourced beans are often combined in a blend. Running a specialty cafe can also mean roasting your own beans, which requires a big investment in expertise and equipment. It’s an obvious example of doing the right thing by your suppliers and customers. But specialty cafes face much higher operating costs, and when they’re next to a commodity-grade competitor, customers are typically unwillingly to pay the difference. <h2>Approach price rises with curiosity, not defensiveness</h2> When cafe owners put up their prices, we often rush to accuse them of selfishness or profiteering. But they’re often just trying to survive. Given the quality of our coffee and its global reputation, it shouldn’t surprise us if we’re soon asked to pay a little bit more for our daily brew. If we are, we should afford the people who create one of our most important “<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-cafes-bars-gyms-barbershops-and-other-third-places-create-our-social-fabric-135530">third spaces</a>” kindness and curiosity as to why. <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/226015/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/emma-felton-143029">Emma Felton</a>, Adjunct Senior Researcher, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</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/think-5-50-is-too-much-for-a-flat-white-actually-its-too-cheap-and-our-world-famous-cafes-are-paying-the-price-226015">original article</a>.

Money & Banking

We talked to dozens of people about their experience of grief. Here’s what we learned (and how it’s different from what you might think)

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michelle-peterie-564209">Michelle Peterie</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/alex-broom-121063">Alex Broom</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> Have you ever felt a sudden pang of sadness? A bird seems to stop and look you in the eye. A photo drops out of a messy drawer from long ago, in the mundanity of a weekend spring clean. Your day is immediately derailed, unsettled. You are pulled into something you thought was past. And yet, in being pulled back, you are grateful, reconnected, and grief-stricken all over again. “You’ll get over it”. “Give it time”. “You need time to move on”. These are common cultural refrains in the face of loss. But what if grief doesn’t play by the rules? What if grief is a different thing altogether? We talked to 95 people about their experiences of grief surrounding the loss of a loved one, and <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/00380261241228412">their stories</a> provided a fundamentally different account of grief to the one often presented to us culturally. <h2>Disordered grief?</h2> Grief is often imagined as a time-bound period in which one processes the pain of loss – that is, adjusts to absence and works toward “moving on”. The bereaved are expected to process their pain within the confines of what society deems “normal”. The <a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-is-the-dsm-and-how-are-mental-disorders-diagnosed-9568">DSM-5 psychiatric manual</a> says if grief drags on too long, in fact, it becomes a pathology (a condition with a medical diagnosis). “Prolonged grief disorder” is the name given to “persistent difficulties associated with bereavement that exceeded expected social, cultural, or religious expectations”. While there can be <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-prolonged-grief-should-be-listed-as-a-mental-disorder-4262">value</a> in clinical diagnostic categories such as this, the danger is they put artificial boundaries around emotions. The pathologisation of grief can be deeply alienating to those experiencing it, for whom the pressure to “move on” can be hurtful and counterproductive. The stories we gathered in our research were raw, complex and often fraught. They did not sit comfortably with commonsense understandings of how grief “should” progress. As bereaved daughter Barbara told us: "Grief is not in the little box, it doesn’t even come close to a little box." <h2>Grief starts early</h2> The tendency is to think of grief as something that happens post death. The person we love dies, we have a funeral, and the grief sets in. Then it slowly subsides with the steady march of time. In fact, grief often begins earlier, often in a clinical consultation where the words “terminal” or “nothing more we can do” are used. Or when a loved one is told “go home and get your life in order”. Grief can begin months or even years before bereavement. As the people we interviewed experienced it, loss was also cumulative. The gradual deterioration of a loved one’s health in the years or months before their death imposed other painful losses: the loss of chosen lifestyles, the loss of longstanding relational rhythms, the loss of shared hopes and anticipated futures. Many participants felt their loved ones – and, indeed, the lives they shared with them – slipping away long before their physical deaths. <h2>Living with the dead</h2> Yet the dead do not simply leave us. They remain with us, in memories, rituals and cultural events. From <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-ancient-cultures-teach-us-about-grief-mourning-and-continuity-of-life-86199">Mexico’s Dia de los Muertos</a> to <a href="https://theconversation.com/japans-obon-festival-how-family-commemoration-and-ancestral-worship-shapes-daily-life-179890">Japan’s Opon</a>, festivals of the dead play a key role in cultures around the world. In that way, remembering the dead remains a critical aspect of living. So too does <a href="https://theconversation.com/theres-not-always-closure-in-the-never-ending-story-of-grief-3096">the ongoing experience of grief</a>. Events of this kind are not merely celebratory. They are critical forms through which life and death, joy and grief, are brought together and integrated. The absence of remembering can hold its own trouble, as our participants’ accounts revealed. As bereaved wife Anna explained: "I just find it really frustrating and I do get quite angry and upset sometimes. I know that life goes on. I’d be talking to girlfriends and stuff like that and it’s like they’ve forgotten that I’ve lost my husband. They haven’t, but nothing really changed in their life. But for me, and my family, it has." Part of the problem, here, is the ambivalent role grief plays in advanced industrialised societies like ours. Many of our participants felt pressure to perform resilience or (in clinical terms) to <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1363459317724854">“recover” quickly after loss</a>. But whose interests does a swift recovery serve? An employer’s? Friends who just want to get on with a death-free life? And, even more importantly, mightn’t ongoing connections with the dead enable better living? Might bringing the dead along with us actually make for better deaths and better lives? Many of our participants felt their loved ones remained with them, and experienced their “absent presence” as a source of comfort. Grieving, in this context, involved spending time “with” the dead. Anna described her practice as follows: "I had a diary, so I just write stuff in it about how I’m feeling or something happened and I’ll say to [my deceased husband], it’s all to [my deceased husband], “Do you remember, blah, blah, blah.” I’ll just talk about that memory that I have of that particular time and I find that that helps." <h2>Caring for those who grieve</h2> Grief does not begin at death, but neither do relationships end there. To rush the bereaved through grief – to usher them towards “recovery” and the more comfortable territories of happiness and productivity – is to do them a disservice. And, perhaps more critically, ridding our lives of the dead and grief may, in the end, make for more limited and muted emotional lives.<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/223848/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michelle-peterie-564209">Michelle Peterie</a>, Research Fellow, Sydney Centre for Healthy Societies, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/alex-broom-121063">Alex Broom</a>, Professor of Sociology & Director, Sydney Centre for Healthy Societies, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</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/we-talked-to-dozens-of-people-about-their-experience-of-grief-heres-what-we-learned-and-how-its-different-from-what-you-might-think-223848">original article</a>.

Caring

"I think I'm done": The question that made Woolies CEO leave interview

Woolworths CEO Brad Banducci has cracked under the pressure during a tense interview with ABC's Four Corners. The supermarket boss sat down with reporter Angus Grigg as part of a deep dive into the supermarket industry in Australia amid the ACCC's investigation into allegations of unfair price gouging. The program questioned how supermarkets have been profiting from rising prices amidst the cost of living crisis and spoke with a number of key players, including Banducci and Coles boss Leah Weckert. The supermarkets have long denied the allegations have since become the focus of investigations by both the Senate and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). “Rod Sims, the former head of the ACCC, says that we have one of the most concentrated supermarket [sectors] in the world, is he lying?” Griggs asked Banducci. “It’s not true. [He’s] retired, by the way,” Banducci said. The comment caught Griggs off guard, to which he responded, “I don’t think you would impugn his integrity and his understanding of competition law. He retired 18 months ago.” Banducci then began to appear agitated and asked if his comments could be removed. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> This is what happened when Four Corners asked Woolworths CEO Brad Banducci about the lack of competition in the Australian grocery market. Watch the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/4Corners?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#4Corners</a> documentary tonight: <a href="https://t.co/dDRYGLaw2i">https://t.co/dDRYGLaw2i</a> <a href="https://t.co/bsrJD9IETB">pic.twitter.com/bsrJD9IETB</a> — ABC News (@abcnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/abcnews/status/1759391473567490367?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 19, 2024</a></blockquote> “Can we take that out? Is that ok? Angus, are we going to leave it in?” he said. “I shouldn’t have said that about Rod, about him being retired. I mean, he is retired, but I shouldn’t have said that. Are we going to leave that in there?” Upon being told that his comments were “on the record” and would not be taken out, Banducci said, “I think I’m done guys.” “I do this with good intent, and I don’t do this with bad intent,” he said as he walked away. “Really, you’re walking out?” Grigg asked. Banducci then disappeared from view, reportedly to talk with his PR team, before returning a few moments later to complete the interview. Speaking to ABC’s News Breakfast on Monday after the episode aired, Griggs called the move “pretty startling”. “I think it shows you that, there you have the boss of the largest supermarket chain in the country really unwilling to face too many questions,” he said. “It shows how little scrutiny they’ve had over the years and I think that’s a really big problem.” Image credits: ABC

Money & Banking

How much weight do you actually need to lose? It might be a lot less than you think

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nick-fuller-219993">Nick Fuller</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> If you’re one of the <a href="https://www.finder.com.au/new-years-resolutions-statistics">one in three</a> Australians whose New Year’s resolution involved losing weight, it’s likely you’re now contemplating what weight-loss goal you should actually be working towards. But type “setting a weight loss goal” into any online search engine and you’ll likely be left with more questions than answers. Sure, the many weight-loss apps and calculators available will make setting this goal seem easy. They’ll typically use a body mass index (BMI) calculator to confirm a “healthy” weight and provide a goal weight based on this range. Your screen will fill with trim-looking influencers touting diets that will help you drop ten kilos in a month, or ads for diets, pills and exercise regimens promising to help you effortlessly and rapidly lose weight. Most sales pitches will suggest you need to lose substantial amounts of weight to be healthy – making weight loss seem an impossible task. But the research shows you don’t need to lose a lot of weight to achieve health benefits. <h2>Using BMI to define our target weight is flawed</h2> We’re a society fixated on numbers. So it’s no surprise we use measurements and equations to score our weight. The most popular is BMI, a measure of our body weight-to-height ratio. BMI classifies bodies as underweight, normal (healthy) weight, overweight or obese and can be a useful tool for weight and health screening. But it shouldn’t be used as the single measure of what it means to be a healthy weight when we set our weight-loss goals. This is <a href="https://theconversation.com/using-bmi-to-measure-your-health-is-nonsense-heres-why-180412">because</a> it: <ul> <li> fails to consider two critical factors related to body weight and health – body fat percentage and distribution </li> <li> does not account for significant differences in body composition based on gender, ethnicity and age. </li> </ul> <h2>How does losing weight benefit our health?</h2> Losing just 5–10% of our body weight – between 6 and 12kg for someone weighing 120kg – can significantly improve our health in four key ways. 1. Reducing cholesterol Obesity increases the chances of having too much low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol – also known as bad cholesterol – because carrying excess weight changes how our bodies produce and manage lipoproteins and triglycerides, another fat molecule we use for energy. Having too much bad cholesterol and high triglyceride levels is not good, narrowing our arteries and limiting blood flow, which increases the risk of heart disease, heart attack and stroke. But <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4987606/">research</a> shows improvements in total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels are evident with just 5% weight loss. 2. Lowering blood pressure Our blood pressure is considered high if it reads more than 140/90 on at least two occasions. Excess weight is <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7082272/">linked to</a> high blood pressure in <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7082272/">several ways</a>, including changing how our sympathetic nervous system, blood vessels and hormones regulate our blood pressure. Essentially, high blood pressure makes our heart and blood vessels work harder and less efficiently, damaging our arteries over time and increasing our risk of heart disease, heart attack and stroke. Like the improvements in cholesterol, a 5% weight loss <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/oby.21358">improves</a> both systolic blood pressure (the first number in the reading) and diastolic blood pressure (the second number). A <a href="https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/01.hyp.0000094221.86888.ae">meta-analysis of 25 trials</a> on the influence of weight reduction on blood pressure also found every kilo of weight loss improved blood pressure by one point. 3. Reducing risk for type 2 diabetes Excess body weight is the primary manageable risk factor for type 2 diabetes, particularly for people carrying a lot of visceral fat around the abdomen (belly fat). Carrying this excess weight can cause fat cells to release pro-inflammatory chemicals that disrupt how our bodies regulate and use the insulin produced by our pancreas, leading to high blood sugar levels. Type 2 diabetes can lead to serious medical conditions if it’s not carefully managed, including damaging our heart, blood vessels, major organs, eyes and nervous system. <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/nejmoa012512">Research</a> shows just 7% weight loss reduces risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 58%. 4. Reducing joint pain and the risk of osteoarthritis Carrying excess weight can cause our joints to become inflamed and damaged, making us more prone to osteoarthritis. <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21425246/">Observational studies</a> show being overweight doubles a person’s risk of developing osteoarthritis, while obesity increases the risk fourfold. Small amounts of weight loss alleviate this stress on our joints. <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15986358/">In one study</a> each kilogram of weight loss resulted in a fourfold decrease in the load exerted on the knee in each step taken during daily activities. <h2>Focus on long-term habits</h2> If you’ve ever tried to lose weight but found the kilos return almost as quickly as they left, you’re not alone. An <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5764193/">analysis</a> of 29 long-term weight-loss studies found participants regained more than half of the weight lost within two years. Within five years, they regained more than 80%. When we lose weight, we take our body out of its comfort zone and trigger its survival response. It then counteracts weight loss, triggering several <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25896063/">physiological responses</a> to defend our body weight and “survive” starvation. Just as the problem is evolutionary, the solution is evolutionary too. Successfully losing weight long-term comes down to: <ul> <li> losing weight in small manageable chunks you can sustain, specifically periods of weight loss, followed by periods of weight maintenance, and so on, until you achieve your goal weight </li> <li> making gradual changes to your lifestyle to ensure you form habits that last a lifetime. </li> </ul> Setting a goal to reach a healthy weight can feel daunting. But it doesn’t have to be a pre-defined weight according to a “healthy” BMI range. Losing 5–10% of our body weight will result in immediate health benefits. At the Boden Group, Charles Perkins Centre, we are studying the science of obesity and running clinical trials for weight loss. You can <a href="https://redcap.sydney.edu.au/surveys/?s=RKTXPPPHKY">register here</a> to express your interest.<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/217287/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nick-fuller-219993">Nick Fuller</a>, Charles Perkins Centre Research Program Leader, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</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/how-much-weight-do-you-actually-need-to-lose-it-might-be-a-lot-less-than-you-think-217287">original article</a>.

Body

Thinking of using an activity tracker to achieve your exercise goals? Here’s where it can help – and where it probably won’t

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/corneel-vandelanotte-209636">Corneel Vandelanotte</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/cquniversity-australia-2140">CQUniversity Australia</a> It’s that time of year when many people are getting started on their resolutions for the year ahead. Doing more physical activity is a popular and <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13668-016-0175-5">worthwhile</a> goal. If you’re hoping to be more active in 2024, perhaps you’ve invested in an activity tracker, or you’re considering buying one. But what are the benefits of activity trackers? And will a basic tracker do the trick, or do you need a fancy one with lots of features? Let’s take a look. <h2>Why use an activity tracker?</h2> One of the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-020-01001-x">most powerful predictors</a> for being active is whether or not <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0140673621026301">you are monitoring</a> how active you are. Most people have a vague idea of how active they are, but this is inaccurate a lot of the time. Once people consciously start to keep track of how much activity they do, they often realise it’s less than what they thought, and this motivates them to be more active. You can self-monitor without an activity tracker (just by writing down what you do), but this method is hard to keep up in the long run and it’s also a lot less accurate compared to devices that track your every move 24/7. By tracking steps or “activity minutes” you can ascertain whether or not you are meeting the <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/topics/physical-activity-and-exercise/physical-activity-and-exercise-guidelines-for-all-australians/for-adults-18-to-64-years">physical activity guidelines</a> (150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week). It also allows you to track how you’re progressing with any personal activity goals, and view your progress over time. All this would be difficult without an activity tracker. Research has shown the most popular brands of activity trackers are generally reliable when it comes to tracking basic measures such as <a href="https://doi.org/10.2196/18694">steps</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1123/jmpb.2019-0072">activity minutes</a>. <h2>But wait, there’s more</h2> Many activity trackers on the market nowadays track a range of other measures which their manufacturers promote as important in monitoring health and fitness. But is this really the case? Let’s look at some of these. Resting heart rate This is your heart rate at rest, which is normally somewhere <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/resting-heart-rate">between 60 and 100 beats per minute</a>. Your resting heart rate will gradually go down as you become fitter, especially if you’re doing a lot of high-intensity exercise. Your risk of dying of any cause (all-cause mortality) is much lower when you have a <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28552551/">low resting heart rate</a>. So, it is useful to keep an eye on your resting heart rate. Activity trackers are pretty good at tracking it, but you can also easily measure your heart rate by monitoring your pulse and using a stopwatch. Heart rate during exercise Activity trackers will also measure your heart rate when you’re active. To improve fitness efficiently, professional athletes focus on having their heart rate in certain “<a href="https://chhs.source.colostate.edu/how-to-target-heart-rate-training-zones-effectively/">zones</a>” when they’re exercising – so knowing their heart rate during exercise is important. But if you just want to be more active and healthier, without a specific training goal in mind, you can exercise at a level that feels good to you and not worry about your heart rate during activity. The <a href="https://doi.org/10.1097/HCO.0000000000000437">most important thing</a> is that you’re being active. Also, a dedicated heart rate monitor with a strap around your chest will do a much better job at measuring your actual heart rate <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41746-020-0226-6">compared</a> to an activity tracker worn around your wrist. Maximal heart rate This is the hardest your heart could beat when you’re active, not something you could sustain very long. Your maximal heart rate is not influenced by how much exercise you do, or your fitness level. Most activity trackers <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamacardiology/article-abstract/2566167">don’t measure it accurately</a> anyway, so you might as well forget about this one. VO₂max Your muscles need oxygen to work. The more oxygen your body can process, the harder you can work, and therefore the fitter you are. VO₂max is the volume (V) of oxygen (O₂) we could breathe maximally (max) over a one minute interval, expressed as millilitres of oxygen per kilogram of body weight per minute (ml/kg/min). Inactive women and men would have a VO₂max lower than 30 and 40 ml/kg/min, respectively. A reasonably good VO₂max would be mid thirties and higher for women and mid forties and higher for men. VO₂max is another measure of fitness that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.3605">correlates well</a> with all-cause mortality: the higher it is, the lower your risk of dying. For athletes, VO₂max is usually measured in a lab on a treadmill while wearing a mask that measures oxygen consumption. Activity trackers instead look at your running speed (using a GPS chip) and your heart rate and compare these measures to values from other people. If you can run fast with a low heart rate your tracker will assume you are relatively fit, resulting in a higher VO₂max. These estimates are <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-021-01639-y">not very accurate</a> as they are based on lots of assumptions. However, the error of the measurement is reasonably consistent. This means if your VO₂max is gradually increasing, you are likely to be getting fitter. So what’s the take-home message? Focus on how many steps you take every day or the number of activity minutes you achieve. Even a basic activity tracker will measure these factors relatively accurately. There is no real need to track other measures and pay more for an activity tracker that records them, unless you are getting really serious about exercise.<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/219235/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/corneel-vandelanotte-209636">Corneel Vandelanotte</a>, Professorial Research Fellow: Physical Activity and Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/cquniversity-australia-2140">CQUniversity Australia</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/thinking-of-using-an-activity-tracker-to-achieve-your-exercise-goals-heres-where-it-can-help-and-where-it-probably-wont-219235">original article</a>.

Body

1 in 4 adults think smacking is necessary to ‘properly raise’ kids. But attitudes are changing

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/divna-haslam-893417">Divna Haslam</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/queensland-university-of-technology-847">Queensland University of Technology</a> “Do you want a smack?!” This has been a common refrain from many parents across history. Right along with “just wait till your father gets home”. Somehow parents thought this threat of violence would magically improve their child’s behaviour. The United Nations <a href="https://www.right-to-education.org/sites/right-to-education.org/files/resource-attachments/CRC_1989.pdf">Convention on the Rights of the Child</a> considers smacking and all types of physical punishment, however mild, a violation of child rights. It’s banned in <a href="https://endcorporalpunishment.org/countdown/">65 countries</a>. Yet it remains <a href="https://aifs.gov.au/resources/resource-sheets/physical-punishment-legislation#:%7E:text=Physical%20punishment%20by%20a%20parent%20towards%20a%20child%20remains%20lawful,'">legal</a> in Australia for parents to use “reasonable force” for discipline. Children are the only group of people it remains legal to hit. Our <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ajs4.301">new research</a> found one in four Australians still think physical punishment is necessary to “properly raise” children. And half of parents (across all age groups) reported smacking their children. But attitudes are slowly changing, with newer generations of parents less likely to smack their kids than previous ones. <h2>What is physical punishment?</h2> <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt1njkrb">Physical</a> or “corporal” punishment is the use of physical force to cause pain, but not injury, to discipline a child for misbehaviour. It’s distinct from physical abuse which is more extreme and not used to correct behaviour. Physical punishment is <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ajs4.276#:%7E:text=Corporal%20punishment%20(CP)%20is%20the,and%20Christian%20missionaries%20during%20colonisation.">the most common type</a> of violence against children. It usually involves smacking, but also includes things like pinching, slapping, or using an implement such as wooden spoon, cane or belt. Smacking doesn’t actually work and makes behaviour <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0956797617729816?casa_token=YHpEf1m4GiwAAAAA%3A8VRH5_z9fufHJiFGpWVYAk0kuTZCCRB-zneATDatqfLomERAhcyyIES30hMPdIIQ-E-IHOTekiC0Zg&journalCode=pssa">worse over time</a>. And it’s <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Ffam0000191">associated with</a> children internalising problems, increased child aggression, poor parent-child relationships, poorer metal heath and more. In contrast, there are a lot of non-violent parenting strategies that <a href="https://theconversation.com/research-shows-its-harmful-to-smack-your-child-so-what-should-parents-do-instead-186739">do work</a>. <h2>Assessing the state of smacking in Australia</h2> We conducted the first <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ajs4.301">study</a> to comprehensively assess the state of smacking and physical punishment in Australia. We wanted to determine if smacking was still common and how many Australians believed we need to smack our kids. We interviewed more than 8,500 Australians aged 16 to 65 years. Our sample was representative of the national population so we can be confident the findings represent the thoughts and experiences of Australians as a nation. Using such a large age range allowed us to compare people across different age groups to determine if changes are occurring. <h2>What we found</h2> Overall, six in ten (62.5%) Australians between 16–65 years had experienced four or more instances of smacking or physical punishment in childhood. Men were slightly more likely to be physically punished than women (66.3% v 59.1%). Young people, aged 16–24, reported slightly lower rates (58.4%) than older people suggesting a slight decline over time. But these rates remain unacceptably high. Overall, one in two (53.7%) Australian parents reported using some type of physical punishment, mostly about once a month. However, older parents reported on this retrospectively (what they did while raising children) and there were clear age differences: <ul> <li>64.2% of parents aged over 65 years had used physical punishment</li> <li>32.8% of parents 25–34 years had used it</li> <li>14.4% of parents under 24 had used it.</li> </ul> So younger generations of parents are substantially less likely to use physical punishment. <iframe id="3dcJw" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" style="border: none;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/3dcJw/2/" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0"></iframe> Concerningly, one-quarter (26.4%) of all Australians still believe physical punishment is necessary to properly raise children. But the vast majority (73.6%) do not. And generational change is occurring. Some 37.9% of Australians older than 65 believe physical punishment is necessary compared to 22.9% of those aged 35–44 years, and only 14.8% of people under age 24. <iframe id="NT51y" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" style="border: none;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/NT51y/3/" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0"></iframe> Socioeconomically disadvantaged people are 2.3 times more likely to believe physical punishment is necessary than those with no disadvantage. Parents who had been physically disciplined when they were children were both more likely to believe it is needed and more likely to use it with their own children. This indicates this form of violence is transmitted across generations. <h2>Time for change</h2> Law reform works best when changes in community attitudes and behaviours are already occurring. So it’s encouraging that younger people are much less likely to believe physical punishment is necessary and are much less likely to use it. This suggests Australians may be open to prohibiting this common form of violence. All states and territories should immediately enact legal reform to prohibit corporal punishment and protect the rights of Australian children. This should be paired with public health and education campaigns about what parents can do instead. If you are a parent looking for effective non-violent parenting strategies the <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/ministers/the-hon-greg-hunt-mp/media/406-million-to-support-the-mental-health-and-wellbeing-of-aussie-kids">government</a> has also made the <a href="https://www.triplep-parenting.net.au/qld-en/free-parenting-courses/triple-p-online-under-12/?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAgqGrBhDtARIsAM5s0_mmMmbY3khwvp306pGOijqntKzYh6dDI5lQYszLgl6_BOGnuk8HMeEaAn_vEALw_wcB">Triple P Positive Parenting Program</a> available for free. This online program provides practical strategies parents can use to encourage positive behaviour and calm, alternative discipline techniques that can be used to instead of smacking. A number of other evidence-based programs, such as <a href="https://tuningintokids.org.au/">Tuning Into Kids</a>, Parents Under Pressure and <a href="https://www.pcit.org/pcit-in-australia.html">Parent Child Interaction Therapy</a>, are also available. Australia has an opportunity to capitalise on naturally occurring societal changes. We can interrupt this cycle of violence and give more Australians a childhood free of violence. <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/218837/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/divna-haslam-893417">Divna Haslam</a>, Senior Research Fellow, <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/1-in-4-adults-think-smacking-is-necessary-to-properly-raise-kids-but-attitudes-are-changing-218837">original article</a>.

Caring

Gift-giving taboos that aren’t as bad as you think

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/mary-steffel-213379">Mary Steffel</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/northeastern-university-1644">Northeastern University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/elanor-williams-213382">Elanor Williams</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/indiana-university-1368">Indiana University</a> There are many social norms that dictate gift-giving, including when, how and what to give as gifts. Interestingly, these norms don’t seem to be about making sure that recipients get the gifts they want. What makes for a good or bad gift often differs in the eyes of givers and recipients. In fact, behavioral science research shows that gifts that may seem “taboo” to givers might actually be better appreciated by recipients than they might think. <h2>Taboo #1: giving money</h2> Givers often worry that giving cash or gift cards might be seen as impersonal, thoughtless or crass. Yet <a href="http://static1.squarespace.com/static/5399fab2e4b083bff5af4518/t/5499c4fee4b0bb5843a0b371/1419363582068/Giver-Recipient+Discrepancies+in+Gift+Giving+Draft+12-17-14+FINAL.pdf">research</a> we have done with Robyn LeBoeuf of Washington University in St Louis shows that recipients prefer these more versatile gifts more than givers think they do. We find that givers underestimate how much recipients like seemingly impersonal monetary gifts, mistakenly thinking that they’ll prefer a traditional gift to a gift card, for instance, or a gift card to cash, when the opposite is true. And, contrary to givers’ expectations, recipients think that these less personal gifts are more thoughtful, too. Why don’t givers realize this? We find that givers tend to focus on recipients’ enduring traits and tastes and choose gifts that are tailored to those characteristics, and recipients are more likely to focus on their varying wants and needs and prefer gifts that give them the freedom to get whatever they currently need or desire most. Prompting givers to shift their focus from what recipients are like to what they would like makes them more likely to choose the versatile gifts that recipients prefer. <h2>Taboo #2: giving a practical gift</h2> A classic sitcom plotline involves the <a href="http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/GiftGivingGaffe">gift-giving gaffe</a>, with a prime example being the husband who buys his wife a vacuum cleaner or something else practical when the occasion seems to call for something more sentimental. These blundering husbands might not be as wrong as you’d think, though: research suggests that practical gifts are actually better-liked by recipients than givers expect. For instance, <a href="https://msbfile03.usc.edu/digitalmeasures/wakslak/intellcont/baskin%20wakslak%20trope%20novemsky%20(2014)-1.pdf">research</a> by Ernest Baskin of Saint Joseph’s University and colleagues demonstrates that givers tend to focus on how desirable a gift is, when recipients might prefer they think a little more about how easy that gift is to use. A gift certificate to the best restaurant in the state might not be so great a gift if it takes three hours to get there; your recipient might think that a gift certificate to a less noteworthy but closer restaurant is actually a better gift. In fact, even gifts that aren’t much fun at all, like the fabled vacuum cleaner, can make for great gifts in recipients’ eyes. <a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/50a5e160e4b0e80bad9bfe3d/t/567755bbc21b8664a205e822/1450661307640/SJDM+2015+Submission_ER_EFW.pdf">Work</a> that Williams has done with Emily Rosenzweig of Tulane University shows that recipients have a stronger preference for useful rather than fun gifts than givers expect them to have. We find that the best gifts people have received are much more useful than the best gifts they think they have given, and they want givers to put less emphasis on the fun features of a gift and more emphasis on its useful features than they themselves would when picking out a gift to give to someone else. <h2>Taboo #3: giving an ‘uncreative’ gift</h2> Givers often feel pressure to think of creative gifts that demonstrate how much thought they put into the gift and how well they know the recipient. This means that, even when they are given explicit instructions on what to purchase, givers frequently ignore recipients’ wish lists or gift registries and instead try to come up with ideas for gifts by themselves. Givers think that their unsolicited gift ideas will be appreciated just as much as the ideas on wish lists and registries, but <a href="http://static1.squarespace.com/static/55dcde36e4b0df55a96ab220/t/55e746dee4b07156fbd7f6bd/1441220318875/Gino+Flynn+JESP+2011.pdf">recipients would rather</a> have the gifts they requested. Another implication of this is that givers often pass up gifts they know would be better-liked in favor of getting different gifts for each person they give a gift to, according to <a href="http://static1.squarespace.com/static/5399fab2e4b083bff5af4518/t/539a15b3e4b0bf580fb57539/1402607027977/SteffelLeBoeuf2014.pdf">research</a> by Steffel and LeBoeuf. Givers feel like they are being more thoughtful by getting something unique and creative for each person on their shopping list, but recipients would rather have what’s on the top of their wish list, especially if they are unlikely to compare gifts. We find that encouraging givers to consider what recipients would choose for themselves before choosing a gift makes them more likely to go ahead and get the same better-liked gift for more than one recipient. <h2>Taboo #4: giving a gift that can’t be unwrapped</h2> The very idea of exchanging gifts suggests to people that they need to give something that can be tied up with a pretty bow and then unwrapped, but, in fact, some of the best gifts aren’t things at all. A <a href="http://static1.squarespace.com/static/5394dfa6e4b0d7fc44700a04/t/547d589ee4b04b0980670fee/1417500830665/Gilovich+Kumar+Jampol+%28in+press%29+A+Wonderful+Life+JCP.pdf">wealth of research</a> has shown that money is often better spent on experiences than on material goods, and this seems to be true for gifts as well as personal purchases. Joseph Goodman of Washington University in St Louis and Sarah Lim of Seoul National University <a href="http://apps.olin.wustl.edu/faculty/goodman/Giving%20Happiness.pdf">have found</a> that givers think that material items that can be physically exchanged and unwrapped make for better gifts, when gifts that are experiences actually make recipients happier. Experiential gifts have benefits beyond simply boosting their recipients’ enjoyment, as well. Cindy Chan of the University of Toronto and Cassie Mogilner of the University of Pennsylvania <a href="https://www.rotman.utoronto.ca/-/media/Files/Programs-and-Areas/Marketing/papers/ChanMogilner2013.pdf">have shown</a> that receiving an experiential gift prompts stronger emotional reactions in recipients, and this makes them feel closer to the person who gave them the gift. In other words, opt for the swing dance lessons over the sweater – it will make the recipient happier, and bring the two of you closer together, to boot. <h2>If you still can’t think of a gift…</h2> Gift-giving, especially around the holidays, can be a stressful process for both giver and recipient. An understanding of which gift-giving norms are misguided can perhaps relieve some of this stress and lead to better gifts and happier recipients (and givers, too). But even if givers ignore this advice, there is hope: one last taboo to bust is the taboo on regifting. According Gabrielle Adams of the London Business School and colleagues, givers <a href="http://www.people.hbs.edu/mnorton/adams%20flynn%20norton.pdf">aren’t as bothered</a> by regifting as recipients think. Even if what you get is not what you want, you can pass it along to someone else, and hope that next time, the norms will work in your favor.<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/52293/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/mary-steffel-213379">Mary Steffel</a>, Assistant Professor of Marketing, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/northeastern-university-1644">Northeastern University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/elanor-williams-213382">Elanor Williams</a>, Assistant Professor, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/indiana-university-1368">Indiana University</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/gift-giving-taboos-that-arent-as-bad-as-you-think-52293">original article</a>.

Money & Banking

Think potholes on our roads are getting worse? You’re right – and here’s why

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/marion-terrill-169480">Marion Terrill</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/grattan-institute-1168">Grattan Institute</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/natasha-bradshaw-1358801">Natasha Bradshaw</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/grattan-institute-1168">Grattan Institute</a> If you’re a driver, particularly in the country, you could be forgiven for thinking potholes have become a design feature of Australia’s local roads. You would certainly know they are in a state of disrepair. And you have every reason to be fed up, because bad roads are dangerous, they increase your travel time, and they force you to spend more on fuel and on car maintenance. They are getting worse because we’re not spending enough to maintain them. Three-quarters of our roads are managed by local councils. Every year, those councils spend A$1 billion less on maintenance than is needed to keep those roads in their current condition – let alone improve them. The underspend is largest in regional and remote areas. New <a href="https://grattan.edu.au/report/potholes-and-pitfalls-how-to-fix-local-roads/">Grattan Institute research</a> finds the typical regional area has a funding shortfall of more 40%. In remote areas, it’s more than 75%. <h2>Federal funding is falling behind</h2> One reason for this underspend is that untied federal government grants to local councils haven’t kept pace with soaring costs. Councils raise most of their own revenue – 80% on average. But in large parts of the country, there are a lot of roads and not enough ratepayers to pay for them. Rural and remote councils have limited ability to raise more revenue from ratepayers. Their ratepayers already pay higher rates than those in cities, despite having lower average incomes. Rate caps in place in New South Wales and Victoria also make it difficult for councils to raise more revenue. <hr /> <hr /> Councils receive top-up grants from the federal and state governments. The primary grants from the federal government, available for councils to spend as they see fit – including on roads – are called <a href="https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/territories-regions-cities/local-government/financial-assistance-grant-local-government">Financial Assistance Grants</a>. These are worth about $3 billion a year. But their value has not kept pace with rising costs. If they had kept pace, on our estimates they would be 20% higher, at $3.6 billion per year. <hr /> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/561231/original/file-20231123-27-oa4fn0.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/561231/original/file-20231123-27-oa4fn0.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/561231/original/file-20231123-27-oa4fn0.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=303&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/561231/original/file-20231123-27-oa4fn0.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=303&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/561231/original/file-20231123-27-oa4fn0.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=303&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/561231/original/file-20231123-27-oa4fn0.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=381&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/561231/original/file-20231123-27-oa4fn0.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=381&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/561231/original/file-20231123-27-oa4fn0.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=381&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /></a><figcaption><a class="source" href="https://grattan.edu.au/report/potholes-and-pitfalls-how-to-fix-local-roads/">Grattan Institute, 2023</a></figcaption></figure> <hr /> <h2>Road use is growing, but maintenance isn’t</h2> Another reason for the underspend is that even as funding dries up, we’re using roads more. A growing population means both more cars on our roads and more trucks needed to keep our shelves stocked. But despite the extra damage to our roads, spending on maintenance has stalled. <hr /> <hr /> <h2>Councils are spending more on other things</h2> Another reason roads are underfunded is that councils are coming under increasing pressure to fund other services. The legislation governing councils doesn’t clearly define what councils are responsible for, and there is no shortage of services communities want. Spending on transport has fallen from almost half of local government spending in the 1960s to 21% today. Environmental protection was only identified as its own area of spending for councils in 2018, but it now makes up 15% of all council spending. <hr /> <hr /> <h2>Delaying will cost us more</h2> If we don’t act now and start spending more to fix our roads, the pothole plague is going to spread. Australia is getting hotter, with more rain and floods. The Local Government Association expects the cost of repairing flood and rain-damaged roads in the eastern states and South Australia to top <a href="https://alga.com.au/building-better-roads-will-prevent-another-3-8-billion-blowout/">$3.8 billion</a>. Tight budgets make it tempting to delay maintenance. But delaying will only end up costing more in the long run, leaving taxpayers paying more to fix more badly damaged roads. <h2>Finally, a circuit-breaker</h2> Some might argue that now is not the time for more spending on roads, given pressures on the budget. But plenty is being spent on big roads and new roads. Infrastructure Minister Catherine King’s recent announcement of a <a href="https://minister.infrastructure.gov.au/c-king/media-release/significant-boost-road-safety">funding boost</a> of for local roads is a very welcome circuit-breaker. She announced the Roads to Recovery program will increase gradually from $500 million to $1 billion per year, the Black Spot program from $110 million to $150 million per year, and funding for an amalgamated Bridges Renewal and Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity program will climb form $150 million to $200 per year. This decision is important. Not only will councils receive more funding for maintenance, but it will be predictable funding, enabling better stewardship of long-lived assets. The money can’t start flowing soon enough.<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/217784/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/marion-terrill-169480">Marion Terrill</a>, Transport and Cities Program Director, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/grattan-institute-1168">Grattan Institute</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/natasha-bradshaw-1358801">Natasha Bradshaw</a>, Associate, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/grattan-institute-1168">Grattan Institute</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/think-potholes-on-our-roads-are-getting-worse-youre-right-and-heres-why-217784">original article</a>.

Travel Trouble

Thinking of trying a detox? Here’s what you need to know first

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/clare-collins-7316">Clare Collins</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-newcastle-1060">University of Newcastle</a> What is a “detox”? It’s a process that involves using particular products, diets or other detoxification methods to try and rid the body of so-called “toxins”. Detoxes are <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1499404619308127">prevalent on social media</a> and spruiked by brands offering detox products, celebrities and influencers. A documentary airing on Channel 10 this week – Todd Sampson’s <a href="https://tvblackbox.com.au/page/2023/11/06/todd-sampson-returns-with-new-mirror-mirror-testing-wellness-industry/">Mirror Mirror: Are You Well?</a> – explores our fascination with detoxing, and the science (or lack thereof) behind it. So if you’re thinking of trying a detox, here’s what you need to know. <h2>Detoxing is not new</h2> Detoxing has held an attraction since the time of <a href="https://bcmj.org/premise/history-bloodletting">Hippocrates</a>, who believed four bodily fluids or “humors” – blood, phlegm, black bile and yellow bile – had to remain in balance to maintain good health. Being unwell meant the body’s organs and fluids were somehow imbalanced and in need of correction. Throughout the centuries these “imbalances” have been treated with everything from <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/leeches-bloodletting-enemas-and-emetics-the-uncomfortable-history-of-medicine-20220726-p5b4u2.html">enemas and emetics</a> to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3757849/">leech therapy</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloodletting">bloodletting</a>. An enema sees a tube <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/enema-administration#administration">inserted into the anus</a> to deliver medication or fluids to the rectum or colon. An <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/emetic">emetic</a> is a compound designed to make you vomit. <a href="https://bcmj.org/premise/history-bloodletting">Bloodletting</a> involved using certain techniques – not for the faint of heart – to remove blood from a patient and supposedly cure disease. Meanwhile, throughout history, the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26133274/">ritual of fasting</a> as a display of self-discipline, purity and holiness was common, particularly among women. <h2>What are the different types of detox?</h2> Fast forward to today, and detoxes look a bit different. Detox products sold over the counter or online are typically teas or drinks to be consumed instead of food. These approaches sometimes start with a fasting phase or use intermittent fasting throughout the program. The “detox” tag is appearing on a growing range of teas, coffee, infused waters, drinks with added fruit, vegetables, herbal mixes, nutrients or added blends of “natural” ingredients. These products often claim to flush toxins from the body, or to boost immunity. <a href="https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/detox-drinks-market-107122">Global predictions</a> indicate the detox drink market, estimated at more than US$5 billion in 2022, will grow in value by another 50% before 2030. A <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22103982/">survey of detoxification therapies</a> used by naturopaths in the United States reported that more than three-quarters recommended dietary measures, including “cleansing foods” (such as beetroot), vitamin, mineral or antioxidant supplements, organic foods, elimination diets and probiotics. While drinks and dietary measures represent typical approaches to a detox, there are also some more unusual detox practices. One-third of patients in that same US study had undergone colonic irrigation, which involves <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/digestive-health/pros-cons-colon-cleanse#what-is-it?">infusing fluids into the colon</a> to remove digestive waste. More than one-quarter had used <a href="https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/homeopathy">homeopathic remedies</a> or laxative herbs. While we don’t have equivalent data for Australia, a survey of <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30470778/">more than 2,000 Australian adults</a> found 63% had either used or consulted someone about complementary therapies in the previous year. A portion of these were likely detox therapies. <h2>Do detoxes work?</h2> The short answer is no. A <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35866077/">review published in 2022</a> found detox diets failed to identify plausible pathways by which toxins could be eliminated, or the specific toxins supposedly removed by a particular diet. This review also pointed out that detoxes defy the general principles of human physiology, in that the liver and kidneys are quite efficient at removing toxins from our bodies. A previous <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25522674/">review from 2015</a> similarly found studies did not provide convincing evidence to support the use of detox diets. Detox products don’t have to prove they’re effective to be on the market. In Australia, complementary medicines sold over the counter are regulated by the <a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/what-tga-regulates">Therapeutic Goods Administration</a>, with ingredients assessed for quality and safety, but not whether the products actually work. You should check any product and marketing claims before purchasing to see what the manufacturers say. Big promises to be sceptical about include eliminating toxins, rapid weight loss, stronger willpower, improved self-esteem, an energy or immunity boost, feeling happier, inner peace, or better skin, hair and nails. <h2>Potential dangers of detoxing</h2> Consuming detox products in place of a regular diet leads to a very low total kilojoule intake, and therefore may lead to <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29124370/">weight loss</a> in the short term. But they’re not a sustainable way to lose weight. Detox diets that severely restrict kilojoules or food groups increase the risk of nutrient deficiencies. Adverse effects <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/detox-diets-101#safety-and-side-effects">include</a> fatigue, irritability and <a href="https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/halitosis-or-bad-breath">bad breath</a>. There’s also a risk detox product ingredient labels <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35866077/">might not be accurate</a>, increasing the risk of side effects, potential overdoses or other adverse events. In Spain, a <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22884574/">50-year-old man</a> died after an incorrect ingredient was added to a liver cleanse detox product he used, leading to manganese poisoning. A 2018-19 <a href="https://www.phrp.com.au/issues/july-2023-volume-33-issue-2/compliance-audit-of-colonic-lavage-businesses/">audit of premises in New South Wales</a> performing colonic irrigation found failures to meet infection control standards. Some people should definitely not try detoxing. This includes people with chronic medical conditions, eating disorders, older adults, children and women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. One positive aspect of detox programs is that they may help raise awareness of your current food, alcohol or lifestyle habits that could be improved. Reflecting on these can potentially provide the motivation to try and eat more healthily.<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/212776/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/clare-collins-7316">Clare Collins</a>, Laureate Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-newcastle-1060">University of Newcastle</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/thinking-of-trying-a-detox-heres-what-you-need-to-know-first-212776">original article</a>.

Body

Do you think you have a penicillin allergy? You might be wrong

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/winnie-tong-1468274">Winnie Tong</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-sydney-1414">UNSW Sydney</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jacqueline-loprete-1468275">Jacqueline Loprete</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-sydney-1414">UNSW Sydney</a> Penicillins are the most prescribed class of antibiotics in Australia. Originally derived from a fungus, penicillin antibiotics such as amoxicillin are used to treat common infections, including chest, sinus, ear, urinary tract and skin infections. Penicillins are effective against a wide range of bacteria that cause common infections. But their activity is not so broad as to impact on good bacteria in our gut like other antibiotic classes do. They’re also cheap and readily accessible. Up to <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772829322000376#bib1">20%</a> of Australians admitted in hospital say they have a penicillin allergy. But not everyone who thinks they’re allergic to penicillin actually is. Research from <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772829322000376?via%3Dihub">our team</a> and others suggests that if we assess all these patients, up to 90% are not allergic to it. <h2>Why does it matter?</h2> People who mistakenly think they’re allergic to penicillin may not get the most effective or safest antibiotics to treat their infection. They are also at greater risk of developing <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S009167491301467X">multidrug-resistant infections</a> or “superbugs”. This is because the antibiotic will kill off the bacteria that are susceptible to it, but the resistant bacteria are left behind to proliferate and cause further infection. People who receive second-line antibiotics are more likely to have complications, such as <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S009167491301467X">antibiotic-induced gut infections</a>. Second-line antibiotics tend to have a wider range of activity, killing both the bacteria causing infection, and the good bacteria required to keep our gut in balance. This allows bugs like Clostridium difficile, which normally lives in our gut but is controlled by other bacteria, to overgrow and cause inflammation. For the health system, using second-line antibiotics means longer, more complicated hospital stays. Hospital stays for patients with penicillin allergies cost up to <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1046/j.1365-2222.2003.01638.x">63% more</a> more than those without. It also results in greater costs for medications and greater resources required to treat the patient. <h2>Why do people think they’re allergic?</h2> People incorrectly believe they are allergic to penicillin for a number of reasons. They may have experienced side effects from penicillin, such as nausea or diarrhoea. But though unpleasant, this doesn’t mean an allergy. Others had a rash as a child, but this could have been due to the illness itself or an interaction between the virus and the antibiotic. An Epstein-Barr viral infection treated with amoxicillin, for example, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23589810/">causes</a> a fine, red rash. Some believe a family history of reactions to penicillin means they cannot take them. But there is no evidence penicillin allergy is inherited. If some time has passed between exposure, people can lose the allergic response. This is typically seen in adults who had a mild allergy as a child, but lose the response with time, so are said to have “grown out” of their allergy. Then there are people who have had a genuine and serious reaction to penicillin. This includes anaphylaxis, with profound swelling, breathing difficulties and low blood pressure, and severe life-threatening reactions such as <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459323/#:%7E:text=Stevens%2DJohnson%20syndrome%2Ftoxic%20epidermal,in%20over%2080%25%20of%20cases.">Steven-Johnson’s syndrome</a>, which causes widespread blisters and wounds that resemble burns. <h2>Testing for penicillin</h2> When someone says they have a penicillin allergy, we first get them to explain what happened with the reaction, including to what antibiotic, in what context and how severe it was. Then we perform skin tests to further assess the person’s risk of reaction. If skin tests are negative, we can then give the patient the penicillin in question under supervision (a “challenge”) to see if they react. Some people can skip the skin tests altogether and go straight to the challenge if the history tells us they are at low risk of reacting. <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772829322000376?via%3Dihub">Our study</a> followed 195 patients who reported a penicillin allergy across six Sydney hospitals. In the first phase, we assessed 85 people and found 82% weren’t allergic to penicillin. In the second phase, we assessed 110 people, of whom 69% weren’t allergic. This is slightly lower than research on the population as a whole, because we only looked at people who were referred for an allergy assessment. Many more patients carry an allergy label than those referred for testing. In our study, eight weeks after their test, just 54% of participants in phase one correctly knew their penicillin allergy status. Some allergic people believed they were not allergic, and many non-allergic people believed they were allergic. For phase two, we ensured people received a standardised letter outlining their results in addition to having a doctor or nurse explain them. This time, 92% were correct in their understanding when contacted eight weeks later. <h2>Reducing long waits for allergy tests</h2> Ruling out allergies among people who think they can’t have penicillin is time- and labour-intensive. The wait time from someone first being referred to an allergy clinic to having testing can be <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10026071/">up to two years</a>. And it’s usually not available outside major metropolitan hospitals. We need to improve access to testing and also look at when people can access allergy services. When a person is sick in hospital with a serious infection, it’s not the right time for testing. We also need to ensure the results of allergy tests translate to the real world so people know their true allergy status. The fragmentation of our medical records are a barrier to clear and effective communication of a patient’s true allergy status, and urgently need to be improved. <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/winnie-tong-1468274">Winnie Tong</a>, Clinical Immunologist & Allergist, Immunopathologist and Senior Lecturer, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-sydney-1414">UNSW Sydney</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jacqueline-loprete-1468275">Jacqueline Loprete</a>, Postdoctoral fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-sydney-1414">UNSW Sydney</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/do-you-think-you-have-a-penicillin-allergy-you-might-be-wrong-212874">original article</a>.

Body

Women and low-income earners miss out in a superannuation system most Australians think is unfair

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/antonia-settle-1019551">Antonia Settle</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a> Most Australians think the superannuation system is unfair, with only one in three agreeing the retirement savings scheme is fair for most Australians, according to a survey conducted for the University of Melbourne. In fact, only about half of those <a href="https://melbourneinstitute.unimelb.edu.au/publications/research-insights/search/result?paper=4630688">surveyed</a> agreed superannuation works well for them. These results contradict a conventional view based on earlier studies and held by academics and many in the personal finance sector, that Australians give little thought to superannuation. A 2013 survey found Australians have <a href="https://search.informit.org/doi/abs/10.3316/INFORMIT.285049750322819">poor knowledge</a> of how the superannuation system works, while another study in 2022 highlighted <a href="https://melbourneinstitute.unimelb.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/4382057/HILDA_Statistical_Report_2022.pdf">low financial literacy</a> in general. Australians also showed <a href="https://behaviouraleconomics.pmc.gov.au/sites/default/files/projects/retirement-planning-saving-attitudes_0_0.pdf">little interest in superannuation</a>, according to a 2020 Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet survey, with few Australians showing interest in reading their superannuation statements, choosing their fund or making voluntary contributions. With Australian households seen as uninformed and uninterested, their opinions tend to be left out of the public debate. We hear much about the gender pension gap, for example, but little about what women actually think about superannuation. Similarly, the distribution of tax advantage in superannuation is hotly debated by economists but survey data tends to refrain from asking households what they think about equity in the superannuation system. The University of Melbourne survey of 1,003 Australians was undertaken by Roy Morgan Research in April. Its results show women and low-income households are widely seen as disadvantaged in the superannuation system. In fact, only one in five Australians see the superannuation system as well suited to the needs of women and of low-income households, while 70% believe super favours wealthy households. <iframe id="5VX3K" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" style="border: none;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/5VX3K/1/" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0"></iframe> This suggests although Australians may show little interest in the management of their super accounts and may report they find the system confusing or even <a href="https://www.professionalplanner.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Attitudes-to-Super-Report-May-2016.pdf">boring</a>, they are surprisingly aware of how superannuation is distributed. <h2>Women, singles and low-income earners miss out</h2> The federal government’s 2020 <a href="https://treasury.gov.au/publication/p2020-100554">Retirement Income Review</a> documents these gaps. Renters, women, uncoupled households and those on low-incomes fare poorly in the retirement income system. With little super to supplement the public pension, these groups are vastly over-represented in elderly poverty statistics, which are among the <a href="https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/sites/d76e4fad-en/index.html?itemId=/content/component/d76e4fad-en">highest in the OECD</a>. Mirroring the gaps in the superannuation system reported by the review, the University of Melbourne survey shows that it is outright homeowners and those who are married who believe the superannuation system works well. Concerns the system works poorly for women and low-income households are strongest among women and low-income households. Only one in three renters believe the superannuation system meets their needs. <iframe id="N9GO6" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" style="border: none;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/N9GO6/1/" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0"></iframe> This suggests individuals’ concerns about fairness in the superannuation system are driven by their own experiences of disadvantage, regardless of financial literacy. This is consistent with my own <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13563467.2023.2195159">research</a> into household attitudes to superannuation, which showed some resentment among women who were well aware their male partners had substantially higher superannuation balances than them. This all matters for policymakers. <h2>Why public perceptions are important</h2> In the short term, these results suggest public support for making super fairer is likely to be stronger than previously thought. Recent government changes to tax concessions on large balances, for example, could have gone much further without losing support from the 70% of households that think the system favours the wealthy. But it matters for the longer term too. Public perceptions of fairness, effectiveness and efficiency are crucial to policy sustainability. This is well established in the academic literature from <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/spol.12683">B Ebbinghaus</a>, 2021 and <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1911-3838.12171">H Chung et al.</a>, and accepted by the Retirement Income Review. The review assessed the public’s confidence in the system to both “deliver an adequate retirement income for them(selves) and (to) generate adequate outcomes across society”. As the review makes clear, the system must avoid a loss of public confidence from perceptions of unfairness. Yet perceptions of unfairness are exactly what the University of Melbourne results suggest. This would have been clearer to policymakers if they asked earlier.<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/207633/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/antonia-settle-1019551">Antonia Settle</a>, Academic (McKenzie Postdoctoral Research Fellow), <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</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/women-and-low-income-earners-miss-out-in-a-superannuation-system-most-australians-think-is-unfair-207633">original article</a>.

Retirement Income

3 household items that expire sooner than you think

Milk, cheese and other fridge-dwelling food items are stamped with expiration dates that, should you choose to ignore them, will make themselves known via smell. But your house is actually peppered with items that require regular replenishment - many of which are outside of the kitchen. Thanks to this handy info, we're now aware of the many surprising household items that require a monthly or yearly upgrade. From knickknacks on your dresser to the staples in your pantry, your house is chock-full of items that can go bad. Here are a few of the most surprising. Hydrogen Peroxide Expires in: 2 months Why: Hydrogen peroxide, the versatile topical antiseptic used to prevent infection in cuts, scrapes, and minor burns, actually turns into water just two months after opening. An unopened bottle should be thrown out after one year. Kitchen spices Expires in: 1-3 years Why: Household kitchen spices, like cinnamon, cumin and basil, reportedly begin losing their lustre after just one year - both in terms of taste and smell. Brightside also claims that ground spices should be thrown out after just six months. Mosquito repellents Expires in: 3 years Why: Mosquito repellents are essentially useless after just two years, according to Brightside. You can usually tell if a bug repellent has expired by the smell - if one spray doesn't emit the pungent odour you've grown used to, it's time to throw it out. Written by Kelsey Clark. First appeared on <a href="http://www.Stuff.co.nz" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Stuff.co.nz</a>. Image credits: Getty Images

Home & Garden

Are fish oil supplements as healthy as we think? And is eating fish better?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/evangeline-mantzioris-153250">Evangeline Mantzioris</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> Fish oil, which contains omega-3 fatty acids, is promoted for a number of health benefits – from boosting our heart health, protecting our brain from dementia, and easing the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. But what exactly are omega-3 fats and what does the evidence say about their benefits for keeping us healthy? And if they are good for us, does eating fish provide the same benefit as supplements? <h2>What are omega-3 fats?</h2> Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of polyunsaturated fatty acid. They are essential to consume in our diet because we can’t make them in our body. Three main types of omega-3 fats are important in our diet: <ul> <li> alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which is found in plant foods such as green leafy vegetables, walnuts, flaxseed and chia seeds </li> <li> eicosapentanoic acid (EPA), which is only found in seafood, eggs (higher in free-range rather than cage eggs) and breast milk </li> <li> docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is also only found in seafood, eggs (again, higher in free-range eggs) and breast milk. </li> </ul> Omega 3s are key to the structure of our cells, and help keep our heart, lungs, blood vessels, and immune system working. <h2>Eating fish vs taking a supplement</h2> The initial studies suggesting omega-3 fats may have health benefits came from <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/j.0954-6820.1976.tb08198.x">observational studies on people eating fish</a>, not from fish oil. So are the “active ingredients” from supplements – the EPA and DHA – absorbed into our body in the same way as fish? An <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002916523281484">intervention study</a> (where one group was given fish and one group fish oil supplements) found the levels of EPA and DHA in your body increase in a similar way when you consume equal amounts of them from either fish or fish oil. But this assumes it is just the omega-3 fats that provide health benefits. There are other <a href="https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/science/monitoringnutrients/afcd/pages/default.aspx">components of fish</a>, such as protein, vitamins A and D, iodine, and selenium that could be wholly or jointly responsible for the health benefits. The health benefits seen may also be partially due to the absence of certain nutrients that would have otherwise been consumed from other types of meat (red meat and processed meat) such as saturated fats and salt. <h2>So what are the benefits of omega 3 fats? And does the source matter?</h2> Let’s consider the evidence for heart disease, arthritis and dementia. Heart disease For cardiovascular disease (heart attacks and stroke), a <a href="https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD003177.pub3/full">meta-analysis</a>, which provides the highest quality evidence, has shown fish oil supplementation probably makes little or no difference. Another <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/12/8/2278">meta-analysis</a> found for every 20 grams per day of fish consumed it reduced the risk of coronary heart disease by 4%. The <a href="https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/getmedia/f1d22267-7381-4513-834b-df317bed9a40/Nutrition_Position_Statement_-_DIETARY_FAT_FINAL-4.pdf">National Heart Foundation</a> recommends, based on the scientific evidence, eating fish rich in omega-3 fats for optimal heart health. <a href="https://apjcn.nhri.org.tw/server/APJCN/17/3/385.pdf">Fish vary in their omega-3 levels</a> and generally the fishier they taste the more omega-3 fats they have – such as tuna, salmon, deep sea perch, trevally, mackeral and snook. The foundation says fish oil may be beneficial for people with heart failure or high triglycerides, a type of fat that circulates in the blood that increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. But it doesn’t recommend fish oil for reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases (heart attack and stroke). Arthritis For rheumatoid arthritis, <a href="https://arthritis-research.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13075-022-02781-2">studies</a> have shown fish oil supplements do provide benefits in reducing the severity and the progression of the disease. Eating fish also leads to these improvements, but as the level of EPA and DHA needed is high, often it’s difficult and expensive to consume that amount from fish alone. <a href="https://arthritisaustralia.com.au/managing-arthritis/living-with-arthritis/complementary-treatments-and-therapies/fish-oils/">Arthritis Australia</a> recommends, based on the evidence, about 2.7 grams of EPA and DHA a day to reduce joint inflammation. Most supplements contain about 300-400mg of omega-3 fats. So depending on how much EPA and DHA is in each capsule, you may need nine to 14 capsules (or five to seven capsules of fish oil concentrate) a day. This is about 130g-140g of grilled salmon or mackeral, or 350g of canned tuna in brine (almost four small tins). Dementia <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0952327807001421?via%3Dihub">Epidemiological studies</a> have shown a positive link between an increased DHA intake (from diet) and a lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, a type of dementia. <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0952327807001421?via%3Dihub">Animal studies</a> have shown DHA can alter markers that are used to assess brain function (such as accumulation of amyloid – a protein thought to be linked to dementia, and damage to tau protein, which helps stabilise nerve cells in the brain). But this hasn’t been shown in humans yet. A systematic review of <a href="http://betamedarts.gr/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/31Psychiatriki03_2020.pdf#page=58">multiple studies in people</a> has shown different results for omega-3 fats from supplements. In the two studies that gave omega-3 fats as supplements to people with dementia, there was no improvement. But when given to people with mild cognitive impairment, a condition associated with increased risk of progressing to dementia, there was an improvement. Another <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25446949/">meta-anlayses</a> (a study of studies) showed a higher intake of fish was linked to lower risk of Alzheimers, but this relationship was not observed with total dietary intake of omega-3 fats. This indicates there may be other protective benefits derived from eating fish. In line with the evidence, the <a href="https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/about-dementia/risk-factors-and-prevention/omega-3-and-dementia#:%7E:text=This%20could%20suggest%20that%20taking,its%20own%20may%20not%20be.">Alzheimer’s Society</a> recommends eating fish over taking fish oil supplements. <h2>So what’s the bottom line?</h2> The more people stick to a healthy, plant-based diet with fish and minimal intakes of ultra-processed foods, the better their health will be. At the moment, the evidence suggests fish oil is beneficial for rheumatoid arthritis, particularly if people find it difficult to eat large amounts of fish. For dementia and heart disease, it’s best to try to eat your omega-3 fats from your diet. While plant foods contain ALA, this will not be as efficient as increasing EPA and DHA levels in your body by eating seafood. Like any product that sits on the shop shelves, check the use-by date of the fish oil and make sure you will be able to consume it all by then. The chemical structure of EPA and DHA makes <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924224421005422">it susceptible to degradation</a>, which affects its nutritional value. Store it in cold conditions, preferably in the fridge, away from light. Fish oil can have some annoying side effects, such as fishy burps, but generally there are <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3664575/">minimal serious side effects</a>. However, it’s important to discuss taking fish oil with all your treating doctors, particularly if you’re on other medication.<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/212250/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/evangeline-mantzioris-153250">Evangeline Mantzioris</a>, Program Director of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Accredited Practising Dietitian, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</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/are-fish-oil-supplements-as-healthy-as-we-think-and-is-eating-fish-better-212250">original article</a>.

Body

What do people think about when they go to sleep?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/melinda-jackson-169319">Melinda Jackson</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hailey-meaklim-151642">Hailey Meaklim</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a> You’re lying in bed, trying to fall asleep but the racing thoughts won’t stop. Instead, your brain is busy making detailed plans for the next day, replaying embarrassing <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@ryanhdlombard/video/7052464974324583681?q=sleep%20thoughts&t=1693536926124">moments</a> (“why did I say that?”), or producing seemingly random thoughts (“where is my birth certificate?”). Many social media users have shared <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@komasawn/video/7267320333613419818">videos</a> on how to fall asleep faster by <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@lilslvrtt/video/7225272823562997000">conjuring</a> up “<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@ekai.is.okay/video/7169530076143439131?q=fake%20scenario%20fall%20asleep&t=1693537172625">fake scenarios</a>”, such as a romance storyline where you’re the main character. But what does the research say? Does what we think about before bed influence how we sleep? <h2>How you think in bed affects how you sleep</h2> It turns out people who sleep well and those who sleep poorly have different kinds of thoughts before bed. <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1087079219302217">Good sleepers report</a> experiencing mostly visual sensory images as they drift to sleep – seeing people and objects, and having dream-like experiences. They may have less ordered thoughts and more hallucinatory experiences, such as imagining you’re participating in events in the real world. For people with insomnia, pre-sleep thoughts tend to be less visual and more focused on planning and problem-solving. These thoughts are also generally more unpleasant and less random than those of good sleepers. People with insomnia are also more likely to stress about sleep as they’re trying to sleep, leading to a vicious cycle; putting effort into sleep actually wakes you up more. People with insomnia often <a href="https://bpspsychub.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1348/014466500163284">report</a> worrying, planning, or thinking about important things at bedtime, or focusing on problems or noises in the environment and having a general preoccupation with not sleeping. Unfortunately, all this pre-sleep mental activity can prevent you drifting off. One <a href="https://academic.oup.com/sleep/article/27/1/69/2707948">study</a> found even people who are normally good sleepers can have sleep problems if they’re stressed about something at bedtime (such as the prospect of having to give a speech when they wake up). Even <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17884278/">moderate levels of stress at bedtime</a> could affect sleep that night. Another <a href="https://jcsm.aasm.org/doi/full/10.5664/jcsm.6704">study</a> of 400 young adults looked at how binge viewing might affect sleep. The researchers found higher levels of binge viewing were associated with poorer sleep quality, more fatigue, and increased insomnia symptoms. “Cognitive arousal”, or mental activation, caused by an interesting narrative and identifying with characters, could play a role. The good news is there are techniques you can use to change the style and content of your pre-sleep thoughts. They could help reduce nighttime cognitive arousal or to replace unwanted thoughts with more pleasant ones. These techniques are called “cognitive refocusing”. <h2>What is cognitive refocusing?</h2> Cognitive refocusing, developed by US psychology researcher <a href="https://artsandsciences.syracuse.edu/people/faculty/gellis-phd-les-a/">Les Gellis</a>, involves distracting yourself with pleasant thoughts before bed. It’s like the “fake scenarios” social media users post about – but the trick is to think of a scenario that’s not too interesting. Decide before you go to bed what you’ll focus on as you lie there waiting for sleep to come. Pick an engaging cognitive task with enough scope and breadth to maintain your interest and attention – without causing emotional or physical arousal. So, nothing too scary, thrilling or stressful. For example, if you like interior decorating, you might imagine redesigning a room in your house. If you’re a football fan, you might mentally replay a passage of play or imagine a game plan. A music fan might mentally recite lyrics from their favourite album. A knitter might imagine knitting a blanket. Whatever you choose, make sure it’s suited to you and your interests. The task needs to feel pleasant, without being overstimulating. Cognitive refocusing is not a silver bullet, but it can help. One <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2022.2109031">study</a> of people with insomnia found those who tried cognitive refocusing had significant improvements in insomnia symptoms compared to a control group. <h2>How ancient wisdom can help us sleep</h2> Another age-old technique is mindfulness meditation. Meditation practice can increase our self-awareness and make us more aware of our thoughts. This can be useful for helping with rumination; often when we try to block or stop thoughts, it can make matters worse. Mindfulness training can help us recognise when we’re getting into a rumination spiral and allow us to sit back, almost like a passive observer. Try just watching the thoughts, without judgement. You might even like to say “hello” to your thoughts and just let them come and go. Allow them to be there and see them for what they are: just thoughts, nothing more. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-021-01714-5">Research from our group</a> has shown mindfulness-based therapies can help people with insomnia. It may also help people with <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-022-01370-z">psychiatric conditions</a> such as bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and schizophrenia get more sleep. <h2>What can help ease your pre-sleep thoughts?</h2> Good sleep starts the moment you wake up. To give yourself your best shot at a good night’s sleep, start by getting up at the same time each day and getting some morning light exposure (regardless of how much sleep you had the night before). Have a consistent bedtime, reduce technology use in the evening, and do regular exercise during the day. If your mind is busy at bedtime, try cognitive refocusing. Pick a “fake scenario” that will hold your attention but not be too scary or exciting. Rehearse this scenario in your mind at bedtime and enjoy the experience. You might also like to try: <ul> <li> keeping a consistent bedtime routine, so your brain can wind down </li> <li> writing down worries earlier in the day (so you don’t think about them at bedtime) </li> <li> adopting a more self-compassionate mindset (don’t beat yourself up at bedtime over your imagined shortcomings!).<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/207406/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> </li> </ul> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/melinda-jackson-169319">Melinda Jackson</a>, Associate Professor at Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hailey-meaklim-151642">Hailey Meaklim</a>, Sleep Psychologist and Researcher, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</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/what-do-people-think-about-when-they-go-to-sleep-207406">original article</a>.

Mind

Why you’re probably paying more interest on your mortgage than you think

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/sander-de-groote-1472267">Sander De Groote</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-sydney-1414">UNSW Sydney</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kevin-li-892606">Kevin Li</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-sydney-1414">UNSW Sydney</a> For most things we buy, the price we are quoted is the price we pay. That’s supposed to be the case even where taxes and fees are involved. Australian law requires anyone selling anything to display a <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/business/pricing/price-displays">total price</a> that includes all “taxes, duties and all unavoidable or pre-selected extra fees”. But our investigations, which compare the interest rate quoted on our mortgages with the fine print in our own mortgage documents, shows this is hardly ever the case for home loans. Even though we are both trained as accountants, until recently we hadn’t bothered to check – even as interest rates climbed. We assumed the rates we were being told we were being charged (say 5% per year) were the rates we were actually paying. This would be easy enough, and in our view the right thing, for banks to do. <h2>The price quoted usually isn’t the price paid</h2> Mortgage interest is usually charged monthly, but the rates are yearly. This means that each time interest is charged, the outstanding amount <a href="https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/compoundinterest.asp">compounds</a> as interest is applied to interest. That sounds bad enough. But this isn’t our main complaint. It’s that there are two possible ways to calculate the amount of interest. Banks calcualte interest on a daily basis. The most reasonable would be to calculate the daily amount in a way that adds up to an annual amount that matches what was quoted. That way, a 5% rate would really be 5%. Although there’s a bit of <a href="https://cdn.theconversation.com/static_files/files/2814/compound_example.pdf">calculation</a> involved, it’s easy enough for banks to do. <h2>How banks calculate mortgage interest</h2> The other, arguably less reasonable, way is what’s called the “<a href="https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/020614/learn-simple-and-compound-interest.asp">simple</a>” method. Our investigations show that this technique is used by all the big four banks, and probably many others too. It’s called the simple method because it involves simply dividing the annual rate (say 5%) by 365 to determine the daily rate. This seems to not be important, but because of compounding it means the amount charged over a year is more than the rate quoted. Say you borrow $100,000 for one year at an annual rate of 5%, repaying the whole amount at the end of the year. You might expect to pay back $105,000. Instead, the banks’ method of calculating interest results in a total repayment of $105,116. This is because the daily interest rate (5% divided by 365) is applied to the outstanding balance each day and added to your balance once a month. These regular increases mean your interest compounds costing you more. <h2>Over decades, the difference matters</h2> In July 2023, the average size of a new mortgage in New South Wales was about A$750,000, with an average interest rate of about 5.95%. The method of calculation used by the banks and in the fine print of their mortgage contracts requires a monthly payment of $4,473 including the repayment of the amount originally borrowed over the life of a 30-year loan. But if 5.95% were actually charged each year, the monthly payment would be $4,398 – a difference of $900 per year. In this typical example, the difference over the life of the loan amounts to about $27,000. It means these borrowers will end up paying an effective interest rate of 6.11%. <h2>We had to read the fine print</h2> We checked the terms and conditions of each of the big four banks – Westpac, the Commonwealth, the National Australia Bank and the ANZ – as well as their biggest subsidiaries which include St George, The Bank of Melbourne, Bank SA and Bankwest. They all charge interest using the “simple” method. Mutual banks – the old credit unions and building societies owned by their members – have different reporting requirements, and we were unable to check the terms and conditions used by each one. But where we could, we found they used the same method as the big four. You can find this small print yourself, usually in the middle of your mortgage document. It’s a formula, accompanied by a paragraph of explanation. But you have to look carefully. Or you could call customer service, as we did, and ask the bank to explain the calculation. You shouldn’t have to. <h2>The price quoted ought to be the price paid</h2> We think the price quoted for a product should be the price that’s actually charged, as the law <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/business/pricing/price-displays">generally requires</a> for products other than mortgages. This means if you are told you’ll be charged 5.95% interest per year, you should pay 5.95% per year – not 6.11% because of a quirk in the formula. Mortgages are a larger financial commitment than most purchases. This means that honesty and clear communication are even more important. It’s worth knowing what you are letting yourself in for when signing up for a mortgage. That way, when the bank or broker explains it to you and it’s not what was advertised, you can ask for a discount.<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/213862/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/sander-de-groote-1472267">Sander De Groote</a>, Lecturer, School of Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-sydney-1414">UNSW Sydney</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kevin-li-892606">Kevin Li</a>, Senior Lecturer, School of Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-sydney-1414">UNSW Sydney</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-youre-probably-paying-more-interest-on-your-mortgage-than-you-think-213862">original article</a>.

Money & Banking

I think I have the flu. Should I ask my GP for antivirals?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/lara-herrero-1166059">Lara Herrero</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/wesley-freppel-1408971">Wesley Freppel</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/yong-qian-koo-1457640">Yong Qian Koo</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a> If you test positive for COVID and you’re eligible for antivirals, you’ll likely ask your GP for a script to protect you from severe disease. <a href="https://healthdispatch.com.au/news/immunisation-coalition-urging-people-with-flu-like-symptoms-to-g">Antivirals</a> are also available to fight influenza viruses, via a doctor’s prescription. But they have a mixed history, with their benefits at times <a href="https://theconversation.com/controversies-in-medicine-the-rise-and-fall-of-the-challenge-to-tamiflu-38287">overstated</a>. It can be difficult to get an appointment to see your GP. So when should you make the effort to see a GP for a prescription for influenza antivirals? And how effective are they? <h2>What exactly is influenza?</h2> The flu is primarily a viral infection of the respiratory system that can spread through sneezing, coughing, or touching contaminated objects then touching your nose or mouth. Common symptoms include headache, sore throat, fever, runny or blocked nose and body aches that last a week or more. Influenza is actually a group of viruses, divided into several <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/viruses/types.htm#:%7E:text=There%20are%20four%20types%20of,global%20epidemics%20of%20flu%20disease,%20https://www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/acip/background-epidemiology.htm">sub-groups</a>. Flu A and B are the <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/resources/collections/aisr?language=en,%20https://www.health.gov.au/resources/collections/australian-influenza-surveillance-reports-2023?language=en">most common groups</a> that circulate in humans. <h2>What are flu antivirals?</h2> Influenza antivirals, target specific parts of the viral life cycle, which prevents the virus replicating and spreading. Most flu antivirals <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMra050740">target</a> neuraminidase, an important enzyme the virus uses to release itself from cells. On the other hand, COVID antivirals work by inhibiting other parts of the viral life cycle involved in the <a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/news/media-releases/tga-provisionally-approves-two-oral-covid-19-treatments-molnupiravir-lagevrio-and-nirmatrelvir-ritonavir-paxlovid">virus replicating itself</a>. Three influenza antivirals are <a href="https://australianprescriber.tg.org.au/articles/influenza-overview-on-prevention-and-therapy.html#r20">used in Australia</a>. Relenza (zanamivir) is an inhaled powder and Tamiflu (oseltamivir) is a capsule; both are five-day treatments. Rapivab (peramivir) is a single injection. These antivirals may also come with <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/antivirals/summary-clinicians.htm">side effects</a>, such as a headache, vomiting, cough, or <a href="https://www.immunisationcoalition.org.au/resources/antiviral-treatments-for-influenza/">fever</a>. Tamiflu and Relenza generally cost A$40-50 in Australia, plus the cost of the consultation fee with your doctor, if applicable. <h2>How effective are antivirals for the flu?</h2> Antivirals have the greatest effect if started 24-72 hours after symptoms. This is to prevent the virus from reaching <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/5/3018">high levels in the body</a>. Among healthy adults, if Relenza or Tamiflu are started within 48 hours from your first symptoms, they can <a href="https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD008965.pub4/full">reduce the duration</a> of symptoms such as cough, blocked nose, sore throat, fatigue, headache, muscle pain and fever by just under a day. For people who have developed severe flu symptoms or who have existing health conditions such as heart disease or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), antivirals that start later (but still before day five of symptoms) can still reduce the <a href="https://academic.oup.com/cid/article/52/4/457/378776?login=true">severity of infection</a> and reduce the <a href="https://thorax.bmj.com/content/thoraxjnl/65/6/510.full.pdf?frbrVersion=3">chance of</a> <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/215903">hospitalisation</a> and <a href="https://academic.oup.com/jac/article/72/11/2990/4091484?login=false">death</a>. In a study from the 2009 swine flu (H1N1) pandemic in the United States, treatment with antivirals (Tamiflu and Relenza) <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3358088/">reduced</a> the chance of needing to be hospitalised. Around 60% of hospitalisations prevented were among 18-64 years olds, around 20% in children 0-17 years, and 20% in adults aged over 65. The research is less clear about whether antivirals prevent the development of flu complications such as secondary bacterial pneumonia. They might, but so far the data aren’t clear. <h2>Are flu antivirals becoming less effective?</h2> Antiviral resistance to Tamiflu has been <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10096-020-03840-9">reported</a> around the world, mostly in <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7223162/">immunocompromised people</a>, as they <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10096-020-03840-9">have</a> a weakened immune system that allows higher viral loads and prolonged viral shedding. The impact of the antiviral resistance is unclear but there is evidence indicating resistant strains can uphold their ability to replicate effectively and spread. So far it’s not clear if these stains cause more severe disease. However, government agencies and surveillance programs are constantly monitoring the spread of antiviral resistance. Currently there is <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/flu/treatment/antiviralresistance.htm">minimal concern</a> for strains that are resistant to Tamiflu or Relenza. <h2>Antivirals can also prevent the flu if you’ve been exposed</h2> Tamiflu and Relenza can also be used to <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/irv.12046">prevent flu infections</a>, if we’re exposed to the virus or come into contact with infected people. Some studies suggest Tamiflu and Relenza can <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/326/7401/1235.long">reduce the chance of developing symptomatic influenza</a> by 70-90%. Many health agencies around the world <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8165743/">recommend</a> “prophylactic” treatment for high-risk patients in hospitals or age care setting when people have been in contact with others infected with influenza. <h2>So who should talk to their GP about a prescription?</h2> <a href="https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/factsheets/Pages/racf-antiviral-treatments-and-prophylaxis.aspx#:%7E:text=The%20Australian%20Therapeutic%20Guidelines*%20recommends,of%20severe%20disease%20from%20influenza.&text=people%20with%20chronic%20conditions%20including,heart%20disease">Australian guidelines recommend</a> doctors offer antivirals to people with influenza who have severe disease or complications. Doctors can also consider treatment for people at higher risk of developing severe disease from influenza. This includes: <ul> <li>adults aged 65 years or older</li> <li>pregnant women</li> <li>people with certain chronic conditions (heart disease, Down syndrome, obesity, chronic respiratory conditions, severe neurological conditions)</li> <li>people with compromised immunity</li> <li>Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people</li> <li>children aged five years or younger</li> <li>residents of long-term residential facilities</li> <li>homeless people.</li> </ul> Doctors can prescribe antivirals for the prevention of influenza <a href="https://australianprescriber.tg.org.au/articles/influenza-overview-on-prevention-and-therapy.html#r20">in</a> vulnerable people who have been exposed to the virus. Antiviral treatment also can be <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/antivirals/summary-clinicians.htm#:%7E:text=Antiviral%20treatment%20also%20can%20be,48%20hours%20of%20illness%20onset">considered</a> for otherwise healthy symptomatic patients who have confirmed or suspected influenza, if they can start treatment within 48 hours of developing symptoms. In some instances a doctors can make a clinical diagnosis of influenza based on the symptoms and known close flu positive contacts of the patient. However, it is preferred to have flu diagnosed by one of the approved diagnostic tests, such as a <a href="https://24-7medcare.com.au/influenza/australian-gp-influenza-2023-guide/">rapid antigen test</a> (RAT) or the more accurate <a href="https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/factsheets/Pages/influenza_factsheet.aspx">PCR test</a>, similar to what is perfomed for COVID. There are also now combo tests that can <a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/news/media-releases/first-combination-covid-19-and-influenza-self-tests-approved-australia">distinguish between SARS-CoV-2 and influenza virus</a>. Remember, the flu can cause <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-07-23/flu-season-hitting-children-hard-antivirals-may-help/102633722">severe illness or death</a>, particularly among people from the high-risk groups. So if you think you might have the flu, wear a mask and stay away to avoid spreading the virus to others. <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/210457/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/lara-herrero-1166059">Lara Herrero</a>, Research Leader in Virology and Infectious Disease, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/wesley-freppel-1408971">Wesley Freppel</a>, Research Fellow, Institute for Glycomics, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/yong-qian-koo-1457640">Yong Qian Koo</a>, , <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</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/i-think-i-have-the-flu-should-i-ask-my-gp-for-antivirals-210457">original article</a>.

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"What were their parents thinking?!" Teacher releases list of hilarious student names

In a world where coming up with a standard name seems about as trendy as using a landline phone, parents are unleashing their inner creativity by bestowing upon their offspring names that sound like they were created during a fever dream. We are clearly smack bang in the middle of the era of "Name your child after a random object you find in the pantry" – and teachers are the unsung heroes bravely navigating the choppy waters of these monikers. Specifically, how to spell (and pronounce) them properly. Now, let's not pretend this phenomenon is fresh off the naming press. Celebrities have been gifting their kids with names that could pass as WiFi passwords for donks. It was just a matter of time before the masses caught onto the fad like a catchy tune you can't unhear. But spare a thought for those noble educators who are more baffled than a cat watching a magic trick when confronted with these labels during roll call. Enter one valiant and anonymous teacher, armed with a class register that reads like a cryptic crossword puzzle. She unveiled her list of quirky names on the modern-day town square, aka Facebook, explaining that she merely gave the enrolment list a "blink and you'll miss it" glance. Because let's face it, no one has time to decode this kindergarten code on a Tuesday morning. So, brace yourself, because the highlights of this peculiar parade include names like Jaxen (apparently the 'x' gives it that extra pizzazz) and Aliyah, which sounds like a harmonious collision of Aladdin and Elijah. But the true gems are still to come. Hold onto your hats, for there's a Syakyra in the house! It's pronounced like "Shakira", because why make life easy when you can transform spelling into an extreme sport? Also on the roster of eccentricities are Rhydah, Presillar, Christisarah (which sounds like someone sneezed while naming their child), Anjewel'Lea (because apostrophes are the new vowels), and Biar Biar – quite possibly the sound of someone giving up mid-naming. The list goes on, unveiling Deklyn, Alarna (Is this a name or an exotic spice?), Aaryah (a name that looks like a typo in progress), Maz (likely short for Mazel Tov), Angel-Lee (a tribute to both celestial beings and two first names), and Karleb (a rebel in the world of traditional spelling). Social media users eagerly devoured this buffet of bewildering baby names, chiming in with their own comedic relief. One humorist quipped that some parents should enrol themselves in school, presumably for a crash course in 'Name Your Kid Without Making Them the Butt of Jokes.' Another jester added, "This really is tragic, at least none of them will get bullied because they're all so bad lol." A self-proclaimed comedian jibed, "These parents really aren't thinking it through." Yet amid the chuckles and facepalms, some thought the names were about as wild as a cup of herbal tea. One wise soul pointed out that among the chaos were rather mundane names like Diamond, Aliyah, Jaylene, Porsha, and Aalijah. Apparently, normality is now measured against the Syakyras of the world. Meanwhile, teachers everywhere collectively sighed in sympathy as they remembered their own quirky classroom encounters. One recounted an encounter with a "J'ley" (pronounced like Jaylee), a name that's the linguistic equivalent of a Rubik's Cube. A pupil named Pistol also made an appearance – because what kid doesn't want a name that guarantees zero playground conflicts? And lest we forget, a friend's teacher had the honour of teaching A'Blessyn. It's like the alphabet gipped, and the resulting letters spelled "Bless this child with an unforgettable name." However, the chaos isn't limited to the classroom. It's infiltrated even the most intimate corners of existence. Enter Reddit, where an expectant British dad took to the digital confessional to seek advice on his partner's fantastical name choices for their impending bundle of joy. The British bloke confessed that he'd prefer his offspring not be mistaken for an experimental rocket launch or a motor oil brand. He's opting for classic dignity, imagining a world where his kid doesn't have to explain why their name sounds like a weather forecast for Mercury. Meanwhile, the partner, a visionary in the field of avant-garde nomenclature, has pitched names like Fennix (for the spelling-challenged phoenix), Park (because nature reserves are inspiring, apparently), and Diesel (coming soon to a gas station near you). And so, as teachers practice their tongue-twister warm-ups and parents wage a war of wits over naming rights, we bid adieu to a world where names like John and Sarah were once considered bold. The age of the bewildering baby name is upon us, and the only certainty is that there's a whole generation of kids out there ready to conquer the world with names that defy both pronunciation and reason. Image: Shutterstock

Family & Pets

People thinking of voluntary assisted dying may be able to donate their organs. We need to start talking about this

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/robert-ray-1441988">Robert Ray</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a> The number of people needing an organ transplant vastly outweighs the number of organs available. <a href="https://www.donatelife.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-02/OTA%202022%20Donation%20and%20Transplantation%20Activity%20Report.pdf">In 2022</a> there were about 1,800 Australians waiting for an organ but only about 1,200 people received an organ transplant. But in <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/imj.16085">a recent paper</a>, I outline one unexplored option for increasing the number of potential organ donors in Australia – transplanting organs from people undergoing voluntary assisted dying. This would involve transplanting organs only after someone had died. It’s estimated <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2616383">about 10%</a> of people eligible for voluntary assisted dying are likely to be medically suitable to donate their organs. Based on <a href="https://www.safercare.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2022-09/Voluntary%20Assisted%20Dying%20Review%20Board%20Report%20of%20Operations%20July%202021-June%2022_FINAL.pdf">Victorian figures</a> alone, this could lead to about an extra 40 potential organ donors each year. This type of organ donation has taken place <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9297969/">for more than 20 years</a> in Europe, and more recently in Canada. Organs transplanted from donors undergoing voluntary assisted dying <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamasurgery/article-abstract/2769118">have</a> <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/ajt.16267">similar</a> <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/ajt.16971">success rates</a> to more traditional donations. Yet, this is a discussion we’ve yet to have in Australia. Here are some of the ethical and practical issues we need to start talking about. <h2>Is this ethical? It’s tricky</h2> The main ethical challenge is ensuring a person isn’t motivated to end their life prematurely so they can donate their organs. <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/ajt.13746">Internationally</a>, <a href="https://jme.bmj.com/content/42/8/486.short">this challenge</a> is mainly addressed by having <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1600613523000291">independent assessments</a> by multiple doctors. This is to ensure the motivation is genuine and honest, much like assessing someone before voluntary assisted dying. Similarly, it is important the doctor of someone undergoing voluntary assisted dying isn’t persuading them to donate an organ. This means any doctor overseeing voluntary assisted dying may be limited in how much they can discuss organ donation with their patient. Again, this <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/ajt.13746">has been managed internationally</a> by having separate, independent doctors overseeing organ donation and voluntary assisted dying, <a href="https://www.cmaj.ca/content/190/44/E1305.short">without one influencing</a> the other. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/528192/original/file-20230525-27-sjwdaa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/528192/original/file-20230525-27-sjwdaa.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/528192/original/file-20230525-27-sjwdaa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=437&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528192/original/file-20230525-27-sjwdaa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=437&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528192/original/file-20230525-27-sjwdaa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=437&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528192/original/file-20230525-27-sjwdaa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=549&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528192/original/file-20230525-27-sjwdaa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=549&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528192/original/file-20230525-27-sjwdaa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=549&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Elderly woman in bed hand on covers" /></a><figcaption>Is this what people really want, with so little time left? <a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/senior-woman-laying-on-bed-hospital-1054837748">Shutterstock</a></figcaption></figure> Organ donation may also affect the way voluntary assisted dying is conducted, which <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1600613523000291">may impact</a> participants’ very limited quality of life. That’s because determining if someone is eligible to donate an organ involves a number of <a href="https://jme.bmj.com/content/43/9/601.short">investigations</a>. These may include blood tests, radiology (imaging) and numerous clinical encounters to exclude diseases such as cancer, which would prevent someone donating their organs. These investigations may be exhausting but necessary. This burden must be weighed against the participant’s wishes and motivation to donate their organs. So people must also be informed of the impact organ donation will have on their limited life left. The choices of people considering this option must be respected and they must be given multiple opportunities to review their decision, without undue influence or bias. <h2>Practical issues: coordination, location, regulation</h2> Practically, combining organ donation and voluntary assisted dying is <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/ajt.13746">challenging</a>. This includes the difficulty organising and coordinating specialists in organ donation, voluntary assisted dying and transplantation. This is why, internationally, organ donation of this nature mostly occurs in large hospitals, where it’s easier to coordinate. So if people want to donate an organ this way, they may spend their last moments in an unfamiliar environment. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/528195/original/file-20230525-15-irsqg9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/528195/original/file-20230525-15-irsqg9.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/528195/original/file-20230525-15-irsqg9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528195/original/file-20230525-15-irsqg9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528195/original/file-20230525-15-irsqg9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528195/original/file-20230525-15-irsqg9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528195/original/file-20230525-15-irsqg9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528195/original/file-20230525-15-irsqg9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Patient being wheeled on stretcher through hospital corridors" /></a><figcaption>People may have to be moved to a large hospital with the facilities and staff on hand. <a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/surgeon-assistant-team-transport-move-stretcher-2062330820">Shutterstock</a></figcaption></figure> Efforts have been made <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamasurgery/article-abstract/2776765">internationally</a> to prioritise these valuable last moments by giving people the choice of where voluntary assisted dying occurs (<a href="https://www.cmaj.ca/content/190/44/E1305.short">such as their home</a>). But this currently only occurs in a minority of cases and increases the complexity of organ donation. Regulating the process is also essential to developing a safe, trustworthy and effective program. Ideally a centralised organisation such as Australia’s national <a href="https://www.donatelife.gov.au">Organ and Tissue Authority</a> would organise, undertake and regulate this. However, this may be challenging given voluntary assisted dying practices are specific to each state. <h2>The challenges ahead</h2> If someone considering voluntary assisted dying wants to donate their organs and is deemed eligible, there is currently <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/imj.16085">no legal barrier in Australia</a> to stop them. What might prevent them is how their doctor responds, and whether there are the services and organisations willing to fulfil this request ethically and practically. The next step in considering this form of organ donation is to discuss the prospect publicly. Every extra donated organ is potentially lifesaving. So we should make every effort to consider potential safe and ethical ways to increase donation and transplantation rates.<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/206298/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/robert-ray-1441988">Robert Ray</a>, Affiliate Associate Lecturer, School of Medicine, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a> Image credit: 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/people-thinking-of-voluntary-assisted-dying-may-be-able-to-donate-their-organs-we-need-to-start-talking-about-this-206298">original article</a>.

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What Julie Bishop really thinks of King Charles

Julie Bishop has shared what she really thinks of King Charles, just days after rubbing shoulders with members of the royal family at the coronation. The former Foreign Minister was invited to the historic event for her role as chair of the Princes Trust, as she joined Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and other politicians in Westminster Abbey. Now, in a social media Q&A for Marie Claire Australia, Bishop has described King Charles as an inspiration. The 66-year-old shared her admiration for the King, while commending his work in the royal family. "I admire King Charles," Bishop said in the video, adding, "I think he's been an extraordinarily focused King in waiting." <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/reel/CsDK7LUIo9t/?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/CsDK7LUIo9t/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Marie Claire Australia (@marieclaireau)</a> </div> </blockquote> Bishop made headlines from the coronation when her selfie with Lionel Ritchie went viral, as Julie <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/beauty-style/julie-bishop-tells-all-from-inside-king-charles-coronation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shared</a> what it was really like inside Westminster Abbey for the royal event. Bishop told 7News that she and Ritchie were making comments to each other throughout the service, as they pointed out who else was invited to the coronation. "During the procession, we'd be whispering to each other... I'd say that's the Papua New Guineans and he'd tell me who somebody else was." "But then as he was singing a hymn, I was very quiet. I didn't want to have my voice heard. That's quite an experience in itself having Lionel Ritchie singing hymns next to you." <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';">Julie said she felt honoured to be invited to the historic ceremony, admitting. "I have never been to anything like this." <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';">"I felt deeply privileged to be invited and to witness the pageantry and the beauty and the religious and historical significance of this service was deeply moving." <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';">"When you're actually there, there was a sense of excitement and anticipation." <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';">Image credits: Instagram

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