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From eye exams to blood tests and surgery: how doctors use light to diagnose disease

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/matthew-griffith-1539353">Matthew Griffith</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> You’re not feeling well. You’ve had a pounding headache all week, dizzy spells and have vomited up your past few meals. You visit your GP to get some answers and sit while they shine a light in your eyes, order a blood test and request some medical imaging. Everything your GP just did relies on light. These are just some of the optical technologies that have had an enormous impact in how we diagnose disease. <h2>1. On-the-spot tests</h2> Point-of-care diagnostics allow doctors to test patients on the spot and get answers in minutes, rather than sending samples to a lab for analysis. The “flashlight” your GP uses to view the inside of your eye (known as an <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003881.htm">ophthalmoscope</a>) is a great example. This allows doctors to detect abnormal blood flow in the eye, deformations of the cornea (the outermost clear layer of the eye), or swollen optical discs (a round section at the back of the eye where the nerve link to the brain begins). Swollen discs are a sign of elevated pressure inside your head (or in the worst case, a brain tumour) that could be <a href="https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/headache/increased-intracranial-pressure-icp-headache">causing your headaches</a>. The invention of <a href="https://openmedscience.com/lighting-the-way-in-healthcare-the-transformative-role-of-lasers-in-medicine/">lasers and LEDs</a> has enabled many other miniaturised technologies to be provided at the bedside or clinic rather than in the lab. <a href="https://theconversation.com/whats-a-pulse-oximeter-should-i-buy-one-to-monitor-covid-at-home-174457">Pulse oximetry</a> is a famous example, where a clip attached to your finger reports how well your blood is oxygenated. It does this by <a href="https://www.howequipmentworks.com/pulse_oximeter/">measuring</a> the different responses of oxygenated and de-oxygenated blood to different colours of light. Pulse oximetry is used at hospitals (and <a href="https://theconversation.com/whats-a-pulse-oximeter-should-i-buy-one-to-monitor-covid-at-home-174457">sometimes at home</a>) to monitor your respiratory and heart health. In hospitals, it is also a valuable tool for detecting <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(12)60107-X/fulltext">heart defects in babies</a>. <h2>2. Looking at molecules</h2> Now, back to that blood test. Analysing a small amount of your blood can diagnose <a href="https://theconversation.com/blood-tests-and-diagnosing-illness-what-can-blood-tell-us-about-whats-happening-in-our-body-80327">many different diseases</a>. A machine called an automated “full blood count analyser” tests for general markers of your health. This machine directs focused beams of light through blood samples held in small glass tubes. It counts the number of blood cells, determines their specific type, and reports the level of haemoglobin (the protein in red blood cells that distributes oxygen around your body). In minutes, this machine can provide a <a href="https://www.nuffieldhealth.com/article/inside-the-pathology-lab-what-happens-to-my-blood">snapshot</a> of your overall health. For more specific disease markers, blood serum is separated from the heavier cells by spinning in a rotating instrument called a centrifuge. The serum is then exposed to special chemical stains and enzyme assays that change colour depending on whether specific molecules, which may be the sign of a disease, are present. These colour changes can’t be detected with the naked eye. However, a light beam from an instrument called a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5476943/#R88">spectrometer</a> can detect tiny amounts of these substances in the blood and determine if the biomarkers for diseases are present, and at what levels. <h2>3. Medical imaging</h2> Let’s re-visit those medical images your GP ordered. The development of fibre-optic technology, made famous for transforming high-speed digital communications (such as the NBN), allows light to get inside the body. The result? High-resolution optical imaging. A common example is an <a href="https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/153737#risks-and-side-effects">endoscope</a>, where fibres with a tiny camera on the end are inserted into the body’s natural openings (such as your mouth or anus) to examine your gut or respiratory tracts. Surgeons can insert the same technology through tiny cuts to view the inside of the body on a video screen during <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9553337/">laparoscopic surgery</a> (also known as keyhole surgery) to diagnose and treat disease. <h2>How about the future?</h2> Progress in nanotechnology and a better understanding of the interactions of light with our tissues are leading to new light-based tools to help diagnose disease. These include: <ul> <li> <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/advs.201903441">nanomaterials</a> (materials on an extremely small scale, many thousands of times smaller than the width of a human hair). These are being used in next-generation sensors and new diagnostic tests </li> <li> <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41587-019-0045-y">wearable optical biosensors</a> the size of your fingernail can be included in devices such as watches, contact lenses or finger wraps. These devices allow non-invasive measurements of sweat, tears and saliva, in real time </li> <li> AI tools to analyse how blood serum scatters infrared light. This has allowed researchers to build a <a href="https://www.advancedsciencenews.com/powerful-diagnostic-approach-uses-light-to-detect-virtually-all-forms-of-cancer/">comprehensive database</a> of scatter patterns to detect <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/aisy.202300006">any cancer</a> </li> <li> a type of non-invasive imaging called <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK554044/">optical coherence tomography</a> for more detailed imaging of the eye, heart and skin </li> <li> fibre optic technology to deliver a tiny microscope into the body on the <a href="https://www.uwa.edu.au/projects/microscope-in-a-needle">tip of a needle</a>. </li> </ul> So the next time you’re at the GP and they perform (or order) some tests, chances are that at least one of those tests depend on light to help diagnose disease.<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/231379/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/matthew-griffith-1539353">Matthew Griffith</a>, Associate Professor and ARC Future Fellow and Director, UniSA Microscopy and Microanalysis Facilities, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</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/from-eye-exams-to-blood-tests-and-surgery-how-doctors-use-light-to-diagnose-disease-231379">original article</a>. </div>

Body

What are house dust mites and how do I know if I’m allergic to them?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/deryn-lee-thompson-1449312">Deryn Lee Thompson</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> People often believe they are allergic to <a href="https://ahd.csiro.au/everything-in-our-homes-gathers-dust-but-what-exactly-is-it-where-does-it-come-from-and-why-does-it-keep-coming-back-is-it-from-outside-is-it-fibres-from-our-clothes-and-cells-from-our-skin/">house dust</a>. But of the <a href="https://www.allergy.org.au/patients/allergy-treatments/allergen-minimisation">20% of Australians</a> suffereing with allergies, a number are are actually allergic to microscopic <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/dust-mites">house dust mites</a>. House dust mites belong to the same family as spiders and ticks. They measure just 0.2-0.3 mm, with 50 fitting on a single pinhead. They <a href="https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/71977">live</a> for 65–100 days, and females lay 60–100 eggs in their life. House dust mites love temperate climates and humidity. They feed off the skin cells we and animals shed, as well as mould, which they digest using special enzymes. These enzymes are excreted in their poo about <a href="https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/71977">20 times a day</a>. They also shed fragments of their exoskeletons. All these fragments trigger allergies in people with this type of allergic rhinitis (which is also known as hay fever) <h2>What are the symptoms?</h2> When people with house dust mite allergy inhale the allergens, they penetrate the mucous membranes of the airways and eyes. Their body recognises the allergens as a threat, releasing chemicals including one called histamine. This causes symptoms including a runny nose, an itchy nose, eyes and throat, sneezing, coughing and a feeling of mucus at the back of your throat (known as a post-nasal drip). People with this type of allergy usually mouth breath, snore, rub their nose constantly (creating a nasal crease called the “dust mite salute”) and have dark shadows under their eyes. House dust mite allergy <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7328274/">can also cause</a> poor sleep, constant tiredness, reduced concentration at work or school and lower quality of life. For people with eczema, their damaged skin barrier can allow house dust mite proteins in. This prompts immune cells in the skin to <a href="https://academic.oup.com/bjd/article/190/1/e5/7485663">release chemicals</a> which make already flared skin become redder, sorer and itchier, especially in children. Symptoms of house dust mite allergy occur year round, and are often worse after going to bed and when waking in the morning. But people with house dust mite allergy and pollen allergies find their year-round symptoms worsen in spring. <h2>How is it diagnosed?</h2> House dust mite allergy symptoms often build up over months, or even years before people seek help. But an accurate diagnosis means you can not only access the right treatment – it’s also vital for minimising exposure. Doctor and nurse practitioners can order a <a href="https://www.allergy.org.au/patients/allergy-treatments/allergen-minimisation">blood test</a> to check for house dust mite allergy. Alternatively, health care providers with <a href="https://www.allergy.org.au/hp/a-career-in-clinical-immunology-and-allergy">specialised allergy training</a> can perform skin prick tests. This involves placing drops of the allergens on the arm, along with a positive and negative “control”. After 15 minutes, those who test positive will have developed a mosquito bite-like mark. <h2>How is it treated?</h2> Medication options include one or a combination of: <ul> <li>daily non-sedating antihistamines</li> <li>a steroid nasal spray</li> <li>allergy eye drops.</li> </ul> Your health care professional will work with you to develop a <a href="https://www.allergy.org.au/images/stories/pospapers/ar/ASCIA_HP_Allergic_Rhinitis_2022.pdf">rhinitis (hay fever) medical management plan</a> to reduce your symptoms. If you’re using a nasal spray, your health provider will <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ytYj1TLojM">show you how to use it</a>, as people often use it incorrectly. If you also have <a href="https://www.nationalasthma.org.au/understanding-asthma/how-is-asthma-managed">asthma</a> or eczema which is worsened by dust mites, your health provider will adapt your <a href="https://www.nationalasthma.org.au/health-professionals/asthma-action-plans">asthma action plan</a> or <a href="https://medcast.com.au/qhub/eczema/resources">eczema care plan</a> accordingly. If you experience severe symptoms, a longer-term option is <a href="https://www.allergy.org.au/images/pc/ASCIA_PC_Allergen_Immunotherapy_FAQ_2024.pdf">immunotherapy</a>. This aims to gradually turn off your immune system’s ability to recognise house dust mites as a harmful allergen. Immunotherapy involves taking either a daily sublingual tablet, under the tongue, or a series of injections. Injections require monthly attendances over three years, after the initial weekly build-up phase. These are <a href="https://theconversation.com/im-considering-allergen-immunotherapy-for-my-hay-fever-what-do-i-need-to-know-190408">effective</a>, but are costly (as well as time-consuming). So it’s important to weigh up the potential benefits and downsides with your health-care provider. <h2>How can you minimise house dust mites?</h2> There are also important allergy minimisation measures you can take to reduce allergens in your home. Each week, <a href="https://www.allergy.org.au/component/finder/search?q=minimisation&Itemid=100001">wash</a> your bedding and pyjamas in hot water (over 60°C). This <a href="https://www.nationalasthma.org.au/living-with-asthma/resources/patients-carers/factsheets/dust-mites-trigger-my-asthma">removes</a> house dust mite eggs and debris. Opt for doonas, covers or quilts that can be washed in hot water above 60°C. Alternatively, low-cost waterproof or leak proof covers can keep house dust mites out. If you can, favour blinds and wood floors over curtains and carpet. Dust blinds and surfaces with a damp cloth each week and vacuum while wearing a mask, or have someone else do it, as house dust mites can become airborne during cleaning. But beware of costly products with big marketing budgets and little evidence to support their use. A new mattress, for example, will always be house dust mite-free. But once slept on, the house dust mite life cycle can start. Mattress protectors and toppers commonly claim to be “hypoallergenic”, “anti-allergy” or “allergy free”. But their pore sizes are not small enough to keep house dust mites and their poo out, or shed skin going through. Sprays claiming to kill mites require so much spray to penetrate the product that it’s likely to become wet, may smell like the spray and, unless dried properly, may grow mould. Finally, claims that expensive vacuum cleaners can extract all the house dust mites are unsubstantiated. For more information, visit <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/dust-mites">healthdirect.gov.au</a> or the <a href="https://www.allergy.org.au/patients/allergy-treatments/allergen-minimisation">Australian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy</a>.<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/240918/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/deryn-lee-thompson-1449312">Deryn Lee Thompson</a>, Eczema and Allergy Nurse; Lecturer, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</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/what-are-house-dust-mites-and-how-do-i-know-if-im-allergic-to-them-240918">original article</a>. </div>

Body

How light tells you when to sleep, focus and poo

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/frederic-gachon-1379094">Frederic Gachon</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/benjamin-weger-1646210">Benjamin Weger</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</a> Exposure to light is crucial for our physical and mental health, as this and future articles in the series will show. But the timing of that light exposure is also crucial. This tells our body to wake up in the morning, when to poo and the time of day to best focus or be alert. When we’re exposed to light also controls our body temperature, blood pressure and even chemical reactions in our body. But how does our body know when it’s time to do all this? And what’s light got to do with it? <h2>What is the body clock, actually?</h2> One of the key roles of light is to re-set our body clock, also known as the circadian clock. This works like an internal oscillator, similar to an actual clock, ticking away as you read this article. But rather than ticking you can hear, the body clock is a network of genes and proteins that regulate each other. This network sends signals to organs via hormones and the nervous system. These complex loops of interactions and communications have a rhythm of about 24 hours. In fact, we don’t have one clock, we have trillions of body clocks throughout the body. The central clock is in the hypothalamus region of the brain, and each cell in every organ has its own. These clocks work in concert to help us adapt to the daily cycle of light and dark, aligning our body’s functions with the time of day. However, our body clock is not precise and works to a rhythm of about 24 hours (24 hours 30 minutes on average). So every morning, the central clock needs to be reset, signalling the start of a new day. This is why light is so important. The central clock is directly connected to <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/07487304231225706">light-sensing cells</a> in our retinas (the back of the eye). This daily re-setting of the body clock with morning light is essential for ensuring our body works well, in sync with our environment. In parallel, <a href="https://theconversation.com/does-it-matter-what-time-of-day-i-eat-and-can-intermittent-fasting-improve-my-health-heres-what-the-science-says-203762">when we eat food</a> also plays a role in re-setting the body clock, but this time the clock in organs other than the brain, such as the liver, kidneys or the gut. So it’s easy to see how our daily routines are closely linked with our body clocks. And in turn, our body clocks shape how our body works at set times of the day. <h2>What time of day?</h2> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/627494/original/file-20241023-14-729bed.gif?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/627494/original/file-20241023-14-729bed.gif?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&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/627494/original/file-20241023-14-729bed.gif?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/627494/original/file-20241023-14-729bed.gif?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/627494/original/file-20241023-14-729bed.gif?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/627494/original/file-20241023-14-729bed.gif?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/627494/original/file-20241023-14-729bed.gif?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/627494/original/file-20241023-14-729bed.gif?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /></a><figcaption>Matt Garrow/The Conversation. <a class="source" href="https://delos.com/blog/why-natural-light-is-important-for-mental-and-physical-health/">Adapted from Delos</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></figcaption></figure> <h2>Let’s take a closer look at sleep</h2> The naturally occurring brain hormone <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30311830/">melatonin</a> is linked to our central clock and makes us feel sleepy at certain times of day. When it’s light, our body stops making melatonin (its production is inhibited) and we are alert. Closer to bedtime, the hormone is made, then secreted, making us feel drowsy. Our sleep is also <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2019.00944/full">partly controlled</a> by <a href="https://www.annualreviews.org/content/journals/10.1146/annurev-genom-121222-120306">our genes</a>, which are part of our central clock. These genes influence our <a href="https://theconversation.com/does-it-matter-what-time-i-go-to-bed-198146">chronotype</a> – whether we are a “lark” (early riser), “night owl” (late sleeper) or a “dove” (somewhere in between). But exposure to light at night when we are supposed to be sleeping can have harmful effects. Even dim light from light pollution can impair our <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2113290119">heart rate and how we metabolise sugar</a> (glucose), may lead to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s44220-023-00135-8">psychiatric disorders</a> such as depression, anxiety and bipolar disorder, and increases the overall risk of <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2405924121">premature death</a>. The main reason for these harmful effects is that light “at the wrong time” disturbs the body clock, and these effects are more pronounced for “night owls”. This “misaligned” exposure to light is also connected to the detrimental health effects we often see in people who <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-does-night-shift-increase-the-risk-of-cancer-diabetes-and-heart-disease-heres-what-we-know-so-far-190652">work night shifts</a>, such as an increased risk of cancer, diabetes and heart disease. <h2>How about the gut?</h2> Digestion also follows a circadian rhythm. Muscles in the colon that help move waste <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1572-0241.2004.40453.x">are more active</a> during the day and slow down at night. The most significant increase in colon movement starts at 6.30am. This is one of the reasons why most people feel the urge to poo <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-do-i-poo-in-the-morning-a-gut-expert-explains-229624">in the early morning</a> rather than at night. The gut’s day-night rhythm is a direct result of the action of the gut’s own clock and the central clock (which synchronises the gut with the rest of the body). It’s also influenced by when we eat. <h2>How about focusing?</h2> Our body clock also helps control our attention and alertness levels by changing how our brain functions at certain times of day. Attention and alertness levels improve in the afternoon and evening but dip during the night and early morning. Those fluctuations <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/molecular-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnmol.2012.00050/full">impact performance</a> and can lead to decreased productivity and an <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-40914-x">increased risk</a> of errors and accidents during the less-alert hours. So it’s important to perform certain tasks that <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30923475/">require our attention</a> at certain times of day. That includes driving. In fact, disruption of the circadian clock at the start of daylight savings – when our body hasn’t had a chance to adapt to the clocks changing – <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960982219316781?via%3Dihub">increases the risk</a> of a car accident, particularly in the morning. <h2>What else does our body clock control?</h2> Our body clock influences many other aspects of our biology, including: <ul> <li>physical performance by controlling the activity of our <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41574-023-00805-8">muscles</a></li> <li>blood pressure by controlling the <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-time-of-day-should-i-take-my-medicine-125809">system of hormones</a> involved in regulating our blood volume and blood vessels</li> <li>body temperature by controlling our metabolism and our level of physical activity</li> <li>how our body handles drugs and toxins by <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/17460441.2023.2224554">controlling enzymes</a> involved in how the liver and kidneys eliminate these substances from the body.</li> </ul> <h2>Morning light is important</h2> But what does this all mean for us? Exposure to light, especially in the morning, is crucial for synchronising our circadian clock and bodily functions. As well as setting us up for a good night’s sleep, increased morning light exposure benefits our <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165032721008612?via%3Dihub">mental health</a> and <a href="https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article/101/9/3539/2806883">reduces the risk of obesity</a>. So boosting our exposure to morning light – for example, by going for a walk, or having breakfast outside – can directly benefit our mental and metabolic health. However, there are other aspects about which we have less control, including <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168952524001100">the genes</a> that control our body clock.<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/236780/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/frederic-gachon-1379094">Frederic Gachon</a>, Associate Professor, Physiology of Circadian Rhythms, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/benjamin-weger-1646210">Benjamin Weger</a>, NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow Institute for Molecular Bioscience, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</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/how-light-tells-you-when-to-sleep-focus-and-poo-236780">original article</a>. </div>

Body

Nearly 200 chemicals linked to cancer found in everyday food packaging

A new study has uncovered the alarming amount of potential carcinogens in food packaging and plastic tableware. Researchers from the Food Packaging Forum found that nearly 200 chemicals linked to breast cancer are being used in food packaging, with dozens of these carcinogens able to find their way into the body. “There is strong evidence that 76 known or potential breast carcinogens from food contact materials recently purchased all over the world can be found in people,” study co-author Jane Muncke said. “Getting rid of these known or suspected carcinogens in our food supply is a huge opportunity for cancer prevention.” Muncke is managing director and chief scientific officer at the Food Packaging Forum, a non-profit foundation based in Zurich, Switzerland focusing on science communication and research. The study, published last month in the journal Frontiers In Toxicology, compared a list of potential breast carcinogens to a list of chemicals that have been found in food contact materials to find out which of the potential carcinogens could be getting into people's diets. Of the 189 potential mammary carcinogens in food contact materials, with 143 of these found in plastics and 89 found in paper or cardboard. Of the recently detected chemicals found in food packaging, 40 have already been classified as hazardous by regulatory agencies around the world. Another research scientist, Jenny Kay, from Silent Spring Institute an organisation focused on the link between chemicals, women's health, and breast cancer said: “So many of these chemicals have already been classified as human health hazards, yet they are still allowed to be used in food contact materials thus allowing them to migrate into the food we eat." Early-onset breast cancer rates in women younger than 50 have been increasing, and experts said the trend cannot be explained by genetics alone. “Many of the mammary carcinogens are hormone disruptors, too, and many of the chemicals on our list can also damage DNA," Kay said. “Consumers should not have to keep track of all of the scientific literature on what chemicals to avoid. It should be on regulators to recognise the danger and take action.” The Consumer Brands Association, which represents the consumer products industry, said its members adhered to the US Food and Drug Administration’s evidence-based safety standards. “Packaging exists to protect and keep food safe for consumption,” the association’s senior vice president of product policy and federal affairs Sarah Gallo told CNN. “The FDA reviews and approves food contact substances through their science and risk-based system before they go to market. “The agency’s post-market review also provides continuous safety analysis and regulation of the approved substances.” Image: Shutterstock

Body

Readers response: What exercises or activities do you enjoy that help you stay mobile?

It's no secret that we start to physically show down as we age, but keeping active and mobile can keep us going. We asked our readers what exercised they do to keep mobile in retirement years, and the response was overwhelming. Here's what they said. Karen Ambrose - I’ve been a dance teacher since 1982 and am still teaching. Dancing is my happy place! Rosemary Andrews - Dragon Boat Paddling. I started when I was 59. Still going 14 years on. Love it!! Anne Gray - Pilates, Yoga, Zumba. Sue Ryan - Boxing, HIIT, Body Attack, Pilates, Aqua, Pump and running. I’m 72. Wendy Oliver - Chair based exercises. Anne Moulynox - Pickleball at least twice a week. I took up ballet at 70 but gave it up as it was far too sedate, so took up Pickleball at 73. Sally O'Neill - Volunteering makes me get up and meet other people. Robyn Harrison - Swim a kilometre twice a week and two long walks on the beach each week. Suzanne Bluett - Nothing better than walking. Lorraine Clarbull - Tai Chi. Image credits: Shutterstock

Body

For type 2 diabetes, focusing on when you eat – not what – can help control blood sugar

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/evelyn-parr-441878">Evelyn Parr</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/australian-catholic-university-747">Australian Catholic University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/brooke-devlin-2237174">Brooke Devlin</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</a> Type 2 diabetes affects <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/diabetes/diabetes/contents/how-common-is-diabetes/type-2-diabetes">1.2 million Australians</a> and accounts for <a href="https://www.diabetesaustralia.com.au/about-diabetes/type-2-diabetes/">85-90%</a> of all diabetes cases. This chronic condition is characterised by high blood glucose (sugar) levels, which carry serious <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(17)30058-2/abstract">health</a> risks. <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nrendo.2017.151">Complications</a> include heart disease, kidney failure and vision problems. Diet is an important way people living with type 2 diabetes manage blood glucose, alongside exercise and medication. But while we know individualised, professional dietary advice improves blood glucose, it can be <a href="https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0168822717317588">complex</a> and is not always <a href="https://www.publish.csiro.au/py/PY13021">accessible</a>. <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168822724008039">Our new study</a> looked at the impact of time-restricted eating – focusing on when you eat, rather than what or how much – on blood glucose levels. We found it had similar results to individualised advice from an accredited practising dietitian. But there were added benefits, because it was simple, achievable, easy to stick to – and motivated people to make other positive changes. <h2>What is time-restricted eating?</h2> Time-restricted eating, also known as <a href="https://www.annualreviews.org/content/journals/10.1146/annurev-nutr-082018-124320">the 16:8 diet</a>, became popular for weight loss around 2015. Studies have since shown it is also an <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2811116">effective way</a> for people with type 2 diabetes to manage blood glucose. Time-restricted eating involves limiting when you eat each day, rather than focusing on what you eat. You restrict eating to a window during daylight hours, for example between 11am and 7pm, and then fast for the remaining hours. This can sometimes naturally lead to also eating less. Giving your body a break from constantly digesting food in this way helps align eating with natural <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/jne.12886">circadian rhythms</a>. This <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/jnc.15246">can help</a> regulate metabolism and improve overall health. For people with type 2 diabetes, there may be specific benefits. They often have their <a href="https://doi.org/10.2337/dc12-2127">highest blood glucose</a> reading in the morning. Delaying breakfast to mid-morning means there is time for physical activity to occur to help reduce glucose levels and prepare the body for the first meal. <h2>How we got here</h2> We ran an <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/12/11/3228">initial study</a> in 2018 to see whether following time-restricted eating was achievable for people with type 2 diabetes. We found participants could easily stick to this eating pattern over four weeks, for an average of five days a week. Importantly, they also had improvements in blood glucose, spending less time with high levels. <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/12/2/505">Our previous research</a> suggests the reduced time between meals may play a role in how the hormone insulin is able to reduce glucose concentrations. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.39337">Other studies</a> have confirmed these findings, which have <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s12986-021-00613-9">also shown</a> notable improvements in HbA1c. This is a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK304271/">marker</a> in the blood that represents concentrations of blood glucose over an average of three months. It is the <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.4137/BMI.S38440">primary clinical tool</a> used for diabetes. However, these studies provided intensive support to participants through weekly or fortnightly meetings with researchers. While we know this level of support <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/0802295">increases</a> how likely people are to stick to the plan and improves outcomes, it is not readily available to everyday Australians living with type 2 diabetes. <h2>What we did</h2> In our <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168822724008039">new study</a>, we compared time-restricted eating directly with advice from an <a href="https://dietitiansaustralia.org.au/working-dietetics/standards-and-scope/role-accredited-practising-dietitian">accredited practising dietitian</a>, to test whether results were similar across six months. We recruited 52 people with type 2 diabetes who were currently managing their diabetes with up to two oral medications. There were 22 women and 30 men, aged between 35 and 65. Participants were randomly divided into two groups: diet and time-restricted eating. In both groups, participants received four consultations across the first four months. During the next two months they managed diet alone, without consultation, and we continued to measure the impact on blood glucose. In the diet group, consultations focused on changing their diet to control blood glucose, including improving diet quality (for example, eating more vegetables and limiting alcohol). In the time-restricted eating group, advice focused on how to limit eating to a nine-hour window between 10am and 7pm. Over six months, we measured each participant’s blood glucose levels every two months using the HbA1c test. Each fortnight, we also asked participants about their experience of making dietary changes (to what or when they ate). <h2>What we found</h2> We found time-restricted eating was as effective as the diet intervention. Both groups had reduced blood glucose levels, with the greatest improvements occurring after the first two months. Although it wasn’t an objective of the study, some participants in each group also lost weight (5-10kg). When surveyed, participants in the time-restricted eating group said they had adjusted well and were able to follow the restricted eating window. Many told us they had family support and enjoyed earlier mealtimes together. Some also found they slept better. After two months, people in the time-restricted group were looking for more dietary advice to further improve their health. Those in the diet group were less likely to stick to their plan. Despite similar health outcomes, time-restricted eating seems to be a simpler initial approach than making complex dietary changes. <h2>Is time-restricted eating achievable?</h2> The main barriers to following time-restricted eating are social occasions, caring for others and work schedules. These factors may prevent people eating within the window. However, there are many benefits. The message is simple, focusing on when to eat as the main diet change. This may make time-restricted eating more translatable to people from a wider variety of socio-cultural backgrounds, as the types of foods they eat don’t need to change, just the timing. Many people don’t have access to more individualised support from a dietitian, and receive nutrition advice from their GP. This makes time-restricted eating an alternative – and equally effective – strategy for people with type 2 diabetes. People should still try to stick to <a href="https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/guidelines/guidelines">dietary guidelines</a> and prioritise vegetables, fruit, wholegrains, lean meat and healthy fats. But our study showed time-restricted eating may also serve as stepping stone for people with type 2 diabetes to take control of their health, as people became more interested in making diet and other positive changes. Time-restricted eating might not be appropriate for everyone, especially people on medications which don’t recommend fasting. Before trying this dietary change, it’s best speak to the healthcare professional who helps you manage diabetes.<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/241472/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/evelyn-parr-441878">Evelyn Parr</a>, Research Fellow in Exercise Metabolism and Nutrition, Mary MacKillop Institute for Health Research, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/australian-catholic-university-747">Australian Catholic University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/brooke-devlin-2237174">Brooke Devlin</a>, Lecturer in Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</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/for-type-2-diabetes-focusing-on-when-you-eat-not-what-can-help-control-blood-sugar-241472">original article</a>. </div>

Body

Olympic champion inducted to Sport Australia Hall of Fame

Olympic gold medallist Sally Pearson and surfing legend Mick Fanning have joined the most elite group of Australian sportspeople, after being inducted to the Sport Australia Hall of Fame (SAHOF). Pearson is one of only nine Australian women to win an Olympic track and field gold medal, winning her first gold in London 2012. She won a silver medal in 2008 for the 100m hurdles, and has World Championship success in 2011 and 2017. She is also the first Australian to be named World Athlete of the year, and won the SAHOF’s “The Don” Award twice. Pearson said it was “surreal” to be included in such esteemed company, including the likes of Cathy Freeman, her childhood hero. “I don’t think it’s really sunk in. It’s so surreal. It feels like it just happens to people you see on TV,” she said. “I still feel like I’m watching the Sydney Olympics and watching Cathy Freeman run. When Steve Hooker won gold in Beijing I was sitting on the sidelines. “Even though I won silver, I was thinking, this is really cool. I’m watching this person, this athlete, just doing amazing things. It’s a bizarre feeling that I’m one of those people now.” Surfing legend Mick Fanning, who is already a member of the World Surfers’ Hall of Fame and Australian Surfing Hall of Fame and said he was pretty “flabbergasted” to be elevated into the SAHOF. “Australia produces so many incredible sporting stars and to be honoured as one of those, among the greats, I’m pretty flabbergasted, to be honest,” he said. “It’s not something that we ever look for when we’re doing our sport, but to be acknowledged later in life is very special and I’m very honoured to be able to share it with people who have supported me. “I wasn’t the most talented person, I wasn’t the most gifted, I didn’t have the most money or anything like that, but I just gave it my all.’’ Fanning enters as a three-time world champion for surfing. Motorsport great Mark Skaife, former Kookaburras’ captain Mark Knowles, lawn bowls trailblazer Karen Murphy and dual-sport Paralympics champion Liesl Tesch are some of the other 2024 inductees. Image: Colorsport/ Shutterstock Editorial

Body

We know parents shape their children’s reading – but so can aunts, uncles and grandparents, by sharing beloved books

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/emily-grace-baulch-1399683">Emily Grace Baulch</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</a> <a href="https://creative.gov.au/news/media-releases/revealing-reading-a-survey-of-australian-reading-habits/">Over 80%</a> of Australians with children encourage them to read. Children whose parents enjoy reading are <a href="https://www.booktrust.org.uk/news-and-features/news/news-2023/new-research-from-booktrust-reveals-the-impact-of-parental-reading-enjoyment-on-childrens-reading-habits/">20% more likely</a> to enjoy it too. My research has found parents aren’t the only family members who play an important role in developing a passion for reading – extended family, from grandparents to siblings, uncles and great-aunts, also influence readers’ connections to books. I surveyed 160 Australian readers about their home bookshelves and reading habits. More than 80% of them acknowledged the significant influence of family in what and how they read. Reading to children is often <a href="https://www.booktrust.org.uk/globalassets/resources/research/booktrust-family-survey-research-briefing-2-reading-influencers.pdf">the invisible workload of mothers</a>: 95% of mothers read to children, compared to 67% of fathers. Yet intriguingly, those I surveyed – whose ages ranged from their early 20s to their 70s – collectively talked about books being passed down across eight generations. Family members were associated with their most valued books – and their identities as readers. <h2>Treasured possessions</h2> Books passed down through generations often become treasured possessions, embodying a shared family history. One person discussed an old hardcover copy of <a href="https://www.harpercollins.com.au/9780732284350/blinky-bill/">Blinky Bill</a> by Dorothy Wall. Originally given to her father and his siblings by their great-aunt in 1961, the book’s pages are now discoloured and falling out. “Although I always think of my mother as having been my reading role model,” she wrote, “actually my father had an equally big impact, just in another way.” Her father is a central organising figure on her home bookshelf: she has dedicated a whole shelf to the books he liked. The story she tells about his old copy of Blinky Bill, however, crosses generations. The book’s battered state is a testament to its longevity and well-loved status. Its inscription to her family members makes the copy unique and irreplaceable. Another person remembered a set of Dickens’ novels, complete with margin notes and century-old newspaper clippings, carefully stored with her most special books. These volumes, initially owned by her great-great-grandmother and later gifted by her great-aunt, represent a reading bond passed down through generations. Such books can never be replaced, no matter how many copies might be in circulation. These books are closely associated with memories and experiences – they are invaluable for who they represent. A third person has her father’s “old” Anne McCaffrey’s <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/40323-dragonriders-of-pern">Dragonriders of Pern</a> series: he read it to her as a teenager, then passed it down. The book “sparked” her interest in science-fiction, and she now intends to pass it on to her own teenager. Her book, too, is “battered”, with “chunks falling out when you read it”. The cover is falling off. The deteriorating state of a book is part of the book’s legacy. It shows how loved it has been. Reading passions can be deliberately cultivated through family, but their value is less connected to reading comprehension or literacy than a sense of connection through sharing. Inherited, much-loved books bind families together. They can anchor absent family members to the present. These books can come to symbolise love, connection and loss. The family members who’ve passed down their books might not be physically present in children’s lives – they may not be reading aloud to them at bedtime – but through their books, they can have a strong presence in their loved ones’ memories. That indelible trace can be sustained into adulthood. <h2>Buying books for the next generation</h2> Another way relatives contribute to a family reading legacy is by buying new copies of much-loved books for the next generation. Theresa Sheen, from The Quick Brown Fox, a specialist children’s bookstore in Brisbane, notes that customers often ask for copies of books they had when they were younger. They may have read them to their children and now want them for their grandchildren. For example, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/40767-the-baby-sitters-club">The Babysitters Club series</a> by Ann M. Martin was mentioned multiple times as a nostalgic favourite, now being sought after by grandparents. Readers’ habits of re-buying favourite books can affect the publishing industry. With older children’s classics still selling, publishers seek to update the text to reflect contemporary cultural mores. Enid Blyton is one author who endures through intergenerational love and nostalgia. However, her work is regularly <a href="https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/books-magazines/books/enid-blytons-famous-five-books-edited-to-remove-offensive-words/news-story/47a63bb79a5d870f19aed58b19469bb5">edited and bowdlerised</a> to update it. Books can be imbued with the voices and emotions of others. They are more than just physical objects – they are vessels of shared experiences that can be passed down, up and across generations. This enduring bond between family members does more than preserve individual stories. It actively shapes and sustains a vibrant reading culture.<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/232372/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/emily-grace-baulch-1399683">Emily Grace Baulch</a>, Producer at Ludo Studio & Freelance Editor, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</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/we-know-parents-shape-their-childrens-reading-but-so-can-aunts-uncles-and-grandparents-by-sharing-beloved-books-232372">original article</a>. </div>

Family & Pets

I have hay fever. How can I tell what I’m allergic to?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ryan-mead-hunter-1480189">Ryan Mead-Hunter</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/curtin-university-873">Curtin University</a> When we think of spring we think of warming weather, birdsong and flowers. But for many people, this also means the return of their seasonal hay fever symptoms. Around <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/health-conditions-and-risks/health-conditions-prevalence/latest-release">24% of Australians</a> get hay fever, with sneezing, a runny or blocked nose, and itchy or watery eyes the most common symptoms. In <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/hay-fever#:%7E:text=Key%20facts,dust%20mites%2C%20and%20animal%20fur">severe cases</a>, this may impact sleep and concentration, or be linked to increased frequency of sinus infections. The exact timing of the symptoms depends on your exposure to an allergen – the thing you’re allergic to. Those impacted by tree pollen (from plane trees or cypress pine, for example) may experience symptoms at different times of the year than those impacted by grass pollen (such as rye grass). This will also vary around the country. In Perth, for example, tree pollen (cypress pine) is generally present in August to October, while grass pollen counts tend to be highest in October to November. Other cities and regions may have longer pollen seasons, which may extend further into summer. <h2>Remind me, how does hay fever impact the body?</h2> What we know colloquially as hay fever is called allergic rhinitis. Exposure to a specific allergen (or allergens) triggers an immune response in the body. This leads to inflammation and swelling of the tissue lining the nasal passages in the nose. A range of <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/hay-fever#:%7E:text=Key%20facts,dust%20mites%2C%20and%20animal%20fur.">allergens</a> may trigger such a response: pollen (from trees, grass or weeds), dust mites, pet fur, dander, mould and some air pollutants. Those with allergies that are only present for part of the year, such as pollen, experience what we call seasonal hay fever, while those with allergies that may be present at any time, such as dust mites and pet dander, experience perennial hay fever. <h2>Getting a diagnosis</h2> Many people with hay fever self-manage their symptoms by limiting exposure to allergens and using over-the-counter <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-do-hay-fever-treatments-actually-work-and-whats-best-for-my-symptoms-213071">antihistamines and steroid nasal sprays</a>. But this may require assistance from your GP and confirmation that what you’re experiencing is hay fever. Your GP can assess your symptoms and medical history, provide a diagnosis, and help with treating and managing your symptoms. Your GP may also be able help you identify potential allergens, based on when you experience symptoms and the environments to which you’re exposed. If symptoms persist, your GP may suggest allergy testing. They may refer you to a specialist called an immunologist, to determine what particular allergen is causing your symptoms, using <a href="https://www.allergy.org.au/patients/allergy-testing/allergy-testing">skin prick tests or blood tests</a>. Tests typically involve controlled exposure to small quantities of suspected allergens. But note, there are a number of tests marketed online that are unproven and not recommended by reputable bodies. <h2>How else can I work out what I’m allergic to?</h2> For those with seasonal hay fever, resources are available to help manage exposures, based on the flowering seasons for common allergy-related species or through pollen forecasting services. The Australian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy provides a <a href="https://www.allergy.org.au/patients/allergic-rhinitis-hay-fever-and-sinusitis/guide-to-common-allergenic-pollen">useful pollen guide</a> for each species and when they’re most likely to cause symptoms, broken down for each state and territory. Pollen monitoring and forecasting services – such as <a href="https://www.perthpollen.com.au/">Perth Pollen</a>, <a href="https://www.melbournepollen.com.au/">Melbourne Pollen</a> and <a href="https://www.sydneypollen.com.au/">Sydney Pollen</a>, as well as for other cities – can help you plan outdoor activities. There are also associated phone apps for these services, which can give notifications when the pollen count is high. You can down load these apps (such as <a href="https://airrater.org/">AirRater</a>, Perth Pollen, Melbourne Pollen and Sydney Pollen) from your preferred app store. Apps such as <a href="https://airrater.org/">AirRater</a> also allow you to enter information about your symptoms, which can then be matched to the environmental conditions at the time (pollen count, temperature, smoke, and so on). Using statistical modelling, the app may be able to establish a link between symptoms and exposure. If a sufficiently high correlation is established, the app can send you notifications when the <a href="https://airrater.org/how-does-it-work/">exposure risk</a> is high. This may prompt you to limit outdoor activities and have any medication readily available. <hr /> Further information about managing allergic rhinitis is available from <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/hay-fever">healthdirect</a> and <a href="https://allergyfacts.org.au/__interest/allergic-rhinitis/">Allergy and Anaphylaxis Australia</a> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ryan-mead-hunter-1480189">Ryan Mead-Hunter</a>, Senior lecturer, School of Population Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/curtin-university-873">Curtin 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-have-hay-fever-how-can-i-tell-what-im-allergic-to-240450">original article</a>. </div>

Body

Scurvy is largely a historical disease but there are signs it’s making a comeback

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/lauren-ball-14718">Lauren Ball</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</a> Scurvy is often considered a historical ailment, conjuring images of sailors on long sea voyages suffering from a lack of fresh fruit and vegetables. Yet doctors in developed countries have recently reported treating cases of scurvy, including Australian doctors who <a href="https://casereports.bmj.com/lookup/doi/10.1136//bcr-2024-261082">reported their findings</a> today in the journal <a href="https://casereports.bmj.com/">BMJ Case Reports</a>. <h2>What is scurvy?</h2> Scurvy is a disease caused by a severe deficiency of vitamin C (ascorbic acid), which is essential for the production of collagen. This protein helps maintain the health of skin, blood vessels, bones and connective tissue. Without enough vitamin C, the body cannot properly repair tissues, heal wounds, or fight infections. This can lead to a range of <a href="https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/9781400884544/html">symptoms</a> including: <ul> <li>fatigue and weakness</li> <li>swollen, bleeding gums or loose teeth</li> <li>joint and muscle pain and tenderness</li> <li>bruising easily</li> <li>dry, rough or discoloured skin (reddish or purple spots due to bleeding under the skin)</li> <li>cuts and sores take longer to heal</li> <li>anaemia (a shortage of red blood cells, leading to further fatigue and weakness)</li> <li>increased susceptibility to infections.</li> </ul> <h2>It historically affected sailors</h2> Scurvy was <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23183299/">common</a> from the 15th to 18th centuries, when naval sailors and other explorers lived on rations or went without fresh food for long periods. You might have heard some of these milestones in the history of the disease: <ul> <li> in 1497-1499, Vasco da Gama’s crew <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(03)13131-5/fulltext#:%7E:text=After%205%20weeks%20at%20sea,lemons%2C%20clearing%20up%20the%20condition">suffered severely from scurvy</a> during their expedition to India, with a large portion of the crew dying from it </li> <li> from the 16th to 18th centuries, scurvy was rampant among European navies and explorers, affecting notable figures such as <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/26305889">Ferdinand Magellan and Sir Francis Drake</a>. It was considered one of the greatest threats to sailors’ health during long voyages </li> <li> in 1747, British naval surgeon <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3536506/">James Lind</a> is thought to have conducted one of the first clinical trials, demonstrating that citrus fruit could prevent and cure scurvy. However, it took several decades for his findings to be widely implemented </li> <li> in 1795, the British Royal Navy officially adopted the <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/003591572601902602">practice of providing lemon or lime juice to sailors</a>, dramatically reducing the number of scurvy cases. </li> </ul> <h2>Evidence of scurvy re-emerging</h2> In the new case report, doctors in Western Australia <a href="https://casereports.bmj.com/lookup/doi/10.1136//bcr-2024-261082">reported</a> treating a middle-aged man with the condition. In a separate case report, doctors in Canada <a href="https://www.cmaj.ca/content/196/33/E1144">reported</a> treating a 65-year old woman. Both patients presented with leg weakness and compromised skin, yet the doctors didn’t initially consider scurvy. This was based on the <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/12/7/1963">premise</a> that there is abundant vitamin C in our modern food supply, so deficiency should not occur. On both occasions, treatment with high doses of vitamin C (1,000mg per day for at least seven days) resulted in improvements in symptoms and eventually a full recovery. The authors of both case reports are concerned that if scurvy is left untreated, it could lead to inflamed blood vessels (<a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/vasculitis/symptoms-causes/syc-20363435">vasculitis</a>) and potentially <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211419X11001625">cause fatal bleeding</a>. Last year, a major New South Wales hospital undertook a <a href="https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2023/219/10/serum-vitamin-c-status-people-new-south-wales-retrospective-analysis-findings">chart review</a>, where patient records are reviewed to answer research questions. This found vitamin C deficiency was common. More than 50% of patients who had their vitamin C levels tested had either a modest deficiency (29.9%) or significant deficiency (24.5%). Deficiencies were more common among patients from rural and lower socioeconomic areas. Now clinicians are <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.5694/mja2.52146">urged to</a> consider vitamin C deficiency and scurvy as a potential diagnosis and involve the support of a dietitian. <h2>Why might scurvy be re-emerging?</h2> Sourcing and consuming nutritious foods with sufficient vitamin C is unfortunately <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10260575/">still an issue</a> for some people. Factors that increase the risk of vitamin C deficiency include: <ul> <li> poor diet. People with restricted diets – due to poverty, food insecurity or dietary choices – <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10296835/">may not get enough</a> vitamin C. This includes those who rely heavily on processed, nutrient-poor foods rather than fresh produce </li> <li> food deserts. In areas where access to fresh, affordable fruits and vegetables is limited (often referred to as food deserts), people may <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9587807/">unintentionally suffer from a vitamin C deficiency</a>. In some parts of developing countries such as India, lack of access to fresh food is <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10296835/">recognised as a risk</a> for scurvy </li> <li> the cost-of-living crisis. With greater numbers of people <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10935407/">unable to pay for fresh produce</a>, people who limit their intake of fruits and vegetables may develop nutrient deficiencies, including scurvy </li> </ul> <ul> <li> weight loss procedures and medications. Restricted dietary intake due to weight loss surgery or weight loss medications may <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/oby.24067">lead to nutrient deficiencies</a>, such as in this <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3320124/">case report of scurvy</a> from Denmark </li> <li> mental illness and eating disorders. Conditions such as depression and anorexia nervosa can lead to severely restricted diets, increasing the risk of scurvy, such as in this <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32291151/">case report</a> from 2020 in Canada </li> <li> isolation. Older adults, especially those who live alone or in nursing homes, may have <a href="https://doi.org/10.1136//bcr-2024-261082">difficulty</a> preparing balanced meals with sufficient vitamin C </li> <li> certain medical conditions. People with digestive disorders, malabsorption issues, or those on restrictive medical diets (due to severe allergies or intolerances) can develop scurvy if they are <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8248877/">unable to absorb or consume enough vitamin C</a>. </li> </ul> <h2>How much vitamin C do we need?</h2> Australia’s dietary guidelines <a href="https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/nutrient-reference-values/nutrients/vitamin-c">recommend</a> adults consume 45mg of vitamin C (higher if pregnant or breastfeeding) each day. This is roughly the amount found in half an orange or half a cup of strawberries. When more vitamin C is <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/health-conditions-and-risks/australian-health-survey-usual-nutrient-intakes/latest-release">consumed</a> than required, excess amounts leave the body through urine. Signs of scurvy can appear as early as a month after a daily intake of less than 10 mg of vitamin C. Eating vitamin C-rich foods – such as oranges, strawberries, kiwifruit, plums, pineapple, mango, capsicum, broccoli and Brussels sprouts – can resolve symptoms within a few weeks. Vitamin C is also readily available as a supplement if there are reasons why intake through food may be compromised. Typically, the supplements contain 1,000mg per tablet, and the <a href="https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/nutrient-reference-values/nutrients/vitamin-c">recommended upper limit</a> for daily Vitamin C intake is 2,000mg.<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/241894/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/lauren-ball-14718">Lauren Ball</a>, Professor of Community Health and Wellbeing, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</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/scurvy-is-largely-a-historical-disease-but-there-are-signs-its-making-a-comeback-241894">original article</a>. </div>

Body

1 in 5 Australians admit they don’t wash their hands every time they use the toilet

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/christine-carson-109004">Christine Carson</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-western-australia-1067">The University of Western Australia</a> Do you wash your hands every time you use the toilet? How about before you handle food? Be honest. Australia’s Food Safety Information Council has released its <a href="https://www.foodsafety.asn.au/topic/latest-report-card-on-aussie-handwashing-blokes-still-need-to-do-better-global-handwashing-day-15-october-2024/">latest report card</a> on the country’s hand washing habits. It found 19% of Australians don’t wash their hands every time they use the toilet. Close to half (42%) admit they don’t always wash hands before handling food. So who’s doing well when it comes to hand hygiene, who’s not – and why does it matter? <h2>What did the report find?</h2> The new report surveyed hand washing practices of 1,229 people. Results were consistent with what we’ve learned from <a href="https://www.foodsafety.asn.au/topic/latest-research-shows-improvement-in-aussie-handwashing-but-blokes-still-need-to-do-better-global-handwashing-day-15-october-2023/">similar surveys</a>. Once again, women do better than men at washing their hands after using the toilet, although only slightly (80% of men say they do every time, versus 83% of women). Just 55% of men wash their hands before touching food, compared to 62% of women. Age also seemed to make a difference. Under 34 years old, 69% of people washed their hands every time they used the toilet. Over age 65, that jumped to 86%. Although some of these differences aren’t completely unexpected – such as <a href="https://slate.com/technology/2020/02/women-hand-washing-more-than-men-why-coronavirus.html">the gap</a> between men’s and women’s hand washing habits – the reasons remain unclear. <h2>Why don’t people wash their hands?</h2> Public health messaging often focuses on how to wash hands well. But there’s less research that follows up on how widely people actually adopt these practices. And to understand why – if they are skipping the soap and water – those messages might not be getting through effectively. <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33998334/">One study</a> that looked at this question in India asked school children about barriers to hand washing. The vast majority (91%) had low “illness threat perception”. In other words, they simply didn’t perceive a risk of getting sick form not washing their hands after going to the toilet. Interestingly, the inability to see germs with their own eyes was one of the biggest barriers, cited by 46% of the children. But 72% said they would wash their hands if their friends did. It’s tempting to speculate these reasons may also apply to other age groups, but we simply haven’t done enough research to know. People’s reasons for hand washing, or not, likely vary across their lifetime and with their circumstances. <h2>What are the risks?</h2> Urine and faeces contain millions of germs, especially faeces, which has more than <a href="https://theconversation.com/your-poo-is-mostly-alive-heres-whats-in-it-102848">100 billion</a> germs per gram. When you use the toilet and touch surfaces in the bathroom, you will pick up germs. People who skip the hand washing step on the way out take those germs with them when they leave, depositing them on each surface they touch afterwards. You may not get sick yourself, but you’re increasing the spread of bacteria. This can increase the risk of infection and illness for other people, including those with compromised immune systems such as older people and those undergoing common forms of treatment for cancer. Hand washing before cooking and eating is also important. The risk here goes both ways. If you have disease-causing germs on your hands (maybe because you didn’t wash them after the toilet) you may transfer them to the food where they can multiply and even produce toxins. People who eat the food may then get sick, often involving vomiting and diarrhoea. In the other direction, some foods naturally carry germs before cooking – such as <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7697675/">salmonella and campylobacter bacteria in raw poultry</a>. If you don’t wash your hands after handling these foods you may transfer them to other surfaces and risk spreading infection. <h2>How should I wash my hands?</h2> Follow these three simple tips for hand washing correctly: <ol> <li> wet your hands and rub them together well to build up a good lather with soap for at least 20 seconds and don’t forget to wash between your fingers and under your nails. You might have to use a nail brush </li> <li> rinse well under running water to remove the bugs from your hands </li> <li> dry your hands thoroughly on a clean towel for at least 20 seconds. Touching surfaces with moist hands encourages bugs to spread from the surface to your hands. </li> </ol> <h2>What about hand sanitiser?</h2> If no running water is available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitiser. These rapidly inactivate a wide range of germs, rendering them non-infectious. Hand sanitisers are effective against a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK513254/#_article-17334_s3_">wide range of bacteria and viruses</a> that can cause many common gastrointesintal and respiratory infections. However if your hands are soiled with organic matter – such as blood, faeces, meat, sand or soil – they won’t be effective. In that case you should clean your hands with soap and water. <h2>The bottom line</h2> Hand washing is a bit like wearing a seat belt — you do that every time you get in a car, not just on the days you “plan” to be involved in an accident. The bottom line is hand washing is a simple, quick intervention that benefits you and those around you — but only if you do it.<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/241481/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/christine-carson-109004">Christine Carson</a>, Senior Research Fellow, School of Medicine, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-western-australia-1067">The University of Western Australia</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/1-in-5-australians-admit-they-dont-wash-their-hands-every-time-they-use-the-toilet-241481">original article</a>. </div>

Body

Readers response: How do you handle changes in energy levels as you age?

As we get older, our levels of energy, ability and agility can slowly start to decrease, making us change our day-to-day lifestyles. We asked our readers how they handle these changes, and the response was overwhelming. Here's what they said. Margo Courtney - Eat clean and healthy and your body will reward you with heaps of energy and vitality. I have a very big green smoothie most days as one of my 2 meals, along with 2 litres of water a day, and I don't even need much sleep. Ron Stubbs - Up at 8am, can’t be late for my walk in the sun, and feeling great. Don’t need afternoon snooze then. I’m 77. Kristeen Bon - I don’t handle them. I flop on the couch most afternoons for a quick five minute interior eye check! Sylvia Brice - I have an autoimmune disease so my levels of energy are way down. I do what l can in small bursts and rest when l need to. Luckily l read and craft so can always do them. It's very hard to adapt but that's life and l am so much better for off than younger people with my disease. Think positive. Judie Fisher - Do chores in small stretches, and have regular breaks. Diane Green - Adjust. I do what I can, and what I can't just has to wait. Raymond Richards - As they told us at the heart clinic, if you have something you HAVE to do - do it first. Janis St George - Listen to your body - rest awhile when you need to. Kaylene Samuels - Have a SCAN..... Seniors Compulsory Afternoon Nap. Image credits: Shutterstock

Body

Why do I have hay fever? I didn’t have it as a child

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/janet-davies-103598">Janet Davies</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/queensland-university-of-technology-847">Queensland University of Technology</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/joy-lee-1480523">Joy Lee</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a> Hay fever (or allergic rhinitis) is a long-term inflammatory condition that’s incredibly common. It affects about <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/health-conditions-and-risks/national-health-survey-state-and-territory-findings/latest-release">one-quarter</a> of Australians. Symptoms vary but <a href="https://www.allergy.org.au/patients/fast-facts/hay-fever-allergic-rhinitis">can include</a> sneezing, itchy eyes and a runny or blocked nose. Hay fever can also contribute to sinus and ear infections, snoring, poor sleep and asthma, as well as lower performance at school or work. But many people didn’t have hay fever as a child, and only develop symptoms as a teenager or adult. Here’s how a combination of genetics, hormones and the environment can lead to people developing hay fever later in life. <h2>Remind me, what is hay fever?</h2> Hay fever is caused by the nose, eyes and throat coming into contact with a substance to which a person is allergic, known as an allergen. Common sources of outside allergens include airborne grass, weed or tree pollen, and mould spores. Pollen allergens can be carried indoors on clothes, and through open windows and doors. Depending on where you live, you may be exposed to a range of pollen types across the pollen season, but grass pollen is the most common trigger of hay fever. In <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0013935122010891?via%3Dihub">some regions</a> the grass pollen season can extend from spring well into summer and autumn. <h2>How does hay fever start?</h2> Hay fever symptoms most commonly start in adolescence or young adulthood. <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/JAA.S170285">One study</a> found 7% of children aged six had hay fever, but that grew to 44% of adults aged 24. Before anyone has hay fever symptoms, their immune system has already been “sensitised” to specific allergens, often allergens of grass pollen. Exposure to these allergens means their immune system has made a particular type of antibody (known as IgE) against them. During repeated or prolonged exposure to an allergen source such as pollen, a person’s immune system may start to respond to another part of the same allergen, or another allergen within the pollen. Over time, these new allergic sensitisations can lead to development of <a href="https://www.jacionline.org/article/S0091-6749(12)00959-1/fulltext">hay fever</a> and possibly other conditions, such as allergic asthma. <h2>Why do some people only develop hay fever as an adult?</h2> 1. Environmental factors Some people develop hay fever as an adult simply because they’ve had more time to become sensitised to specific allergens. Migration or moving to a new location can also change someone’s risk of developing hay fever. This may be due to exposure to different <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969722076884">pollens</a>, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969724060194?via%3Dihub">climate and weather</a>, green space <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/all.14177">and/or</a> air quality factors. A number of studies <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0105347">show</a> people who have migrated from low- and middle-income countries to higher-income countries may be at a higher risk of developing hay fever. This may due to local environmental conditions influencing expression of genes that regulate the immune system. 2. Hormonal factors <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anai.2015.04.019">Hormonal changes</a> at puberty may also help drive the onset of hay fever. This may relate to sex hormones, such as oestrogen and progesterone, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9392967/#R55">affecting</a> histamine levels, immune regulation, and the response of cells in the lining of the nose and lower airways. 3. Genetic factors <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/ng.3985">Our genes</a> underpin <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK542187/">our risk</a> of hay fever, and whether this and other related allergic disease persists. For instance, babies with the skin condition eczema (known as atopic dermatitis) have a <a href="https://www.annallergy.org/article/S1081-1206(21)00172-1/abstract">three times greater risk</a> of developing hay fever (and asthma) later in life. Having a food allergy in childhood is also a risk factor for developing hay fever later in life. In the case of a peanut allergy, that risk is more than <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27542726/">2.5 times greater</a>. <h2>What are the best options for treatment?</h2> Depending on where you live, avoiding allergen exposures can be difficult. But <a href="https://auspollen.edu.au/auspollensitesmap/">pollen count forecasts</a>, if available, can be useful. These can help you decide whether it’s best to stay inside to reduce your pollen exposure, or to take preventative medications. You may also find <a href="https://www.health.vic.gov.au/environmental-health/epidemic-thunderstorm-asthma-risk-forecast">alerts on thunderstorm asthma</a>, where pollens combine with specific weather conditions to trigger <a href="https://theconversation.com/we-could-see-thunderstorm-asthma-in-south-eastern-australia-this-season-heres-how-to-prepare-215793">breathing difficulties</a>. If you have mild, occasional hay fever symptoms, you can take non-drowsy antihistamines, which you can buy at the pharmacy. However, for more severe or persistent symptoms, intranasal steroid sprays, or an intranasal spray containing a steroid with antihistamine, are the <a href="https://theconversation.com/can-i-take-antihistamines-everyday-more-than-the-recommended-dose-what-if-im-pregnant-heres-what-the-research-says-228390">most effective treatments</a>. However, it is important to use these <a href="https://allergyfacts.org.au/allergic-rhinitis-treatment/">regularly and correctly</a>. Allergen immunotherapy, also known as desensitisation, is an <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/all.13201">effective treatment</a> for people with severe hay fever symptoms that can reduce the need for medication and avoiding allergens. However, it involves a longer treatment course (about three years), usually with the supervision of an allergy or immunology specialist. <h2>When should people see their doctor?</h2> It is important to treat hay fever, because symptoms can significantly affect a <a href="https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/10/11/e038870.long">person’s quality of life</a>. A GP can: <ul> <li> recommend treatments for hay fever and can guide you to use them correctly </li> <li> organise blood tests to confirm which allergen sensitisations (if any) are present, and whether these correlate with your symptoms </li> <li> screen for asthma, which commonly exists with hay fever, and may require other treatments </li> <li> arrange referrals to allergy or immunology specialists, if needed, for other tests, such as allergen skin prick testing, or to consider <a href="https://www.allergy.org.au/patients/allergy-treatments/allergen-immunotherapy">allergen immunotherapy</a> if symptoms are severe. </li> </ul> <hr /> More information about hay fever is available from the <a href="https://www.allergy.org.au/patients/fast-facts/hay-fever-allergic-rhinitis">Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy</a> and <a href="https://allergyfacts.org.au/">Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia</a>.<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/239409/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/janet-davies-103598">Janet Davies</a>, Respiratory Allergy Stream Co-chair, National Allergy Centre of Excellence; Professor and Head, Allergy Research Group, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/queensland-university-of-technology-847">Queensland University of Technology</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/joy-lee-1480523">Joy Lee</a>, Respiratory Allergy Stream member, National Allergy Centre of Excellence; Associate Professor, School of Translational Medicine, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash 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/why-do-i-have-hay-fever-i-didnt-have-it-as-a-child-239409">original article</a>. </div>

Body

Trying to lose weight? Here’s why your genetics could be just as important as your exercise regime

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/henry-chung-1279176">Henry Chung</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-essex-1291">University of Essex</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/chris-mcmanus-2226445">Chris McManus</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-essex-1291">University of Essex</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/sally-waterworth-2226444">Sally Waterworth</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-essex-1291">University of Essex</a> Weight loss is a complicated process. There are so many factors involved including your diet, how much sleep you get each night and the kind of exercise you do. Our recent study shows that your <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02701367.2024.2404981">specific genetic profile</a> may also have a dominant effect on how well you lose weight through exercise. This might explain why two people who do an identical workout will see very different results. We identified 14 genes that appeared to significantly contribute to how much weight a person lost through running. This suggests that some of us have a natural talent when it comes to burning fat and losing weight through exercise. To conduct our study, we recruited 38 men and women born in the UK aged between 20 and 40. None of the participants regularly exercised at the start of the study. The group was randomly divided, with one half following a strict eight-week endurance programme that consisted of three weekly runs of 20-30 minutes. The other group acted as a <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/control-group">control</a>. They were instructed to refrain from exercise and continue their daily routines as normal over this study period, including diet and lifestyle habits. All participants conducted a running test to see how far they could run in 12 minutes, and were weighed before and after the study period. This was to gauge their initial fitness level and see how much they changed over the duration of the study. <a href="https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/obesity/">Body mass index</a> (BMI) was also calculated. Additionally, a saliva sample was collected from each person with a <a href="https://muhdo.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwiIOmBhDjARIsAP6YhSUB3WI81JP4Q_snYLhh-SBVNeCJNy2m63C8bKJFvO-nJ5UsHuCCdqMaAhTeEALw_wcB">DNA test kit</a> at the end of the study to assess their unique genetic profile. It’s important to note that everyone who participated in the study had a similar body weight, BMI and aerobic fitness level at the start of the study. This is beneficial for <a href="https://casp-uk.net/news/homogeneity-in-research/">multiple reasons</a>. It meant everyone was at the same starting point, and some <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/nursing-and-health-professions/confounding-variable">confounding variables</a> were already controlled for such as <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10128125/">fitness level</a>. This ultimately improves accuracy in interpreting the results. <h2>Exercise genes</h2> Everyone in the exercise group managed to lose weight – around 2kg on average. The control group, on the other hand, put on a little bit of weight. While a 2kg weight loss may not sound like a lot, it’s significant considering the exercise regime only lasted eight weeks and participants made no <a href="https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/87186">changes to their diet</a>. More significant, however, was the large variation in results among those that exercised – with an up to 10kg difference in weight loss between some of the participants. In fact, everyone within the exercise group improved at different rates. Since we controlled for factors such as the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3529283/">intensity, duration and frequency</a> of the exercises and used participants who’d had a similar body weight and fitness level at the start of the study, this suggests that some people naturally benefited more than others from endurance training. When we looked at the genetic profiles of our participants, we found that differences in each person’s response to the exercise was strongly associated with their specific genetics. We showed there was a strong linear correlation between the amount of weight participants lost and 14 genes that have previously been shown to be associated with body weight, metabolism or <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41380-018-0017-5">psychological conditions</a> that affect BMI. The greater number of these genes a participant had, the more weight they lost. Our results also revealed that around 63% of the variance in weight lost among participants were explained by the genes identified. For example, research has shown the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/10891">PPARGC1A gene</a> plays a role in metabolism and the <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/S11033-020-05801-Z">use of fats for energy</a> while exercising. Our study found that all participants who lost more than 1.5kg from exercise had this gene. Those who lost less than this did not have this gene. Our findings align with what <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0249501&s2=P875440273_1683331208925004155">previous studies</a> have shown. But while previous papers have only looked at the link between individual genes and weight loss, ours is the first to show that 14 different genes appear to work in combination to affect whether a person loses weight from endurance exercise. <h2>Piece of the puzzle</h2> Our study also suggests that while some people possess genes that make it easier for them to get fit and lose weight, people with these favourable genetics can only flourish if they actually exercise. In fact, our control group also had a number of these listed genes, but without exercise these genes could not activate, and so the participants did not lose any weight. While our study provides compelling findings, it’s not without limitations. Since we only looked at endurance-based exercise, it will be important for future studies to investigate whether there are similar links between weight loss, genetics and combinations of different types of training (such as a mixture of endurance and strength sessions into a training plan). It’s also worth mentioning that exercise is only <a href="https://www.who.int/activities/controlling-the-global-obesity-epidemic">one piece of the puzzle</a> when it comes to weight loss. So even if you have all 14 of these genes, you won’t lose any weight or get fit if you don’t exercise and maintain a healthy diet and sleep pattern. On the flip side, someone that only has a few of these favourable genes can still benefit if they exercise and are mindful of other aspects of their lifestyle.<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/240506/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/henry-chung-1279176">Henry Chung</a>, Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Science, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-essex-1291">University of Essex</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/chris-mcmanus-2226445">Chris McManus</a>, Lecturer, School of Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-essex-1291">University of Essex</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/sally-waterworth-2226444">Sally Waterworth</a>, Lecturer, School of Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-essex-1291">University of Essex</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/trying-to-lose-weight-heres-why-your-genetics-could-be-just-as-important-as-your-exercise-regime-240506">original article</a>. </div>

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"Absolute king of kings": Nedd Brockmann completes incredible 1600km run

Nedd Brockmann has completed a 1600km run spanning 12 days at Sydney Olympic Park. The ultra-marathon legend raised $2.6 million for homelessness charity, We Are Mobilise, as part of the Uncomfortable Challenge on Wednesday. Brockmann was cheered by a crowd of thousands as he completed 3,760 laps of the track at Sydney Olympic Park, which is equivalent to 125.325 master laps (a master lap covers a distance of 12.84 kilometres). Upon crossing the finish line, Brockmann hugged his mum and burst into tears saying, "I can't wait for a shower," as he laid on the track. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DBKIBGLB2Sj/?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/DBKIBGLB2Sj/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Nedd Brockmann (@neddbrockmann)</a> </div> </blockquote> It was also the biggest day of donations, with over $770,000 raised for the charity. "12 days, 13 hours, 16 minutes, and 45 seconds. Average 128 kilometres a day. $2.6 million raised for Aussies experiencing homelessness and counting," Brockmann wrote on social media following his mammoth run. "CONQUER." Brockmann started his run on October 3, with the goal of beating the world record of running 1600km in 10 days, while trying to raise $10 million for We Are Mobilise. While significant injuries prevented him from beating the world record, he has still managed to raise $2.6 million for We Are Mobilise, an incredible achievement for a 25-year-old. Many have praised him for being an inspiration on social media. "You've lifted a nation, and deeply, deeply sunken a track that never stood a chance! You're special Neddy, we are all blessed to have witnessed this. Thank you," one wrote. "You’re an inspiration and an unbelievable human being. What a mountain to conquer!" added another. "Absolute king of kings. You’re an inspiration to every one mate. Truly unbelievable," commented a third. Images: Instagram

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Woman sentenced to life for murdering parents and living with their bodies

A British woman, who murdered her parents and lived with their bodies for four years, was sentenced to life imprisonment on Friday and is not eligible for parole for 36 years. When Essex Police raided Virginia McCullough's house in Great Baddow last September, the 36-year-old confessed that her parents' bodies were in the house and that she had killed them. She admitted to poisoning her father, John McCullough, 70, with prescription medication that she put into his drink, and then a few days later, beat her 71-year-old mother Lois McCullough with a hammer and fatally stabbed her. “I did know that this would kind of come eventually,” she said while handcuffed in body cam footage released by police on Friday. “It’s proper that I serve my punishment.” After McCullough was arrested, she told an officer: “Cheer up, at least you’ve caught the bad guy,” adding that “I know I don’t seem 100 per cent evil.” Further body cam footage showed her at the police station telling officers where to find the tools she used to kill her mother. She had pleaded guilty to murdering her parents at a previous hearing in June 2019. In the words of the prosecution, McCullough kept her father in a “homemade mausoleum” in his bedroom and study, in a structure that was “composed with masonry blocks stacked together.” She wrapped her mother's body in a sleeping bag and put it in a wardrobe on the top floor of the property. In the four years after the murder, she ran up £149,697 ($AU289,792) on credit cards in her parents’ names and continued to spend their pensions. The court heard she cancelled family arrangements and told doctors and relatives that her parents were unwell or away on a trip. Statements from her three unnamed siblings were also read in court, and one said: “our parents were completely blameless victims”. “Virginia always said Mum and Dad were fine and made up lie after lie about their daily activities," another said. Judge Jeremy Johnson said at the sentencing hearing on Friday that McCullough’s actions represented a “gross violation of the trust that should exist between parents and their children.” Judge Johnson said that she had maintained an “elaborate, extensive and enduring web of deceit” over months and years and that he was sure there was a “substantial degree of both pre-meditation and planning," that went into the murder. Essex Police said documents found in the home showed that McCullough was trying desperately” to keep her parents from discovering the poor state of her finances, and gave “false assurances” about her employment and future prospects. “She is an intelligent manipulator who chose to kill her parents callously, without a thought for them or those who continue to suffer as a result of their loss,” said Detective Superintendent Rob Kirby. "The details of this case shock and horrify even the most experienced of murder detectives, let alone any right-thinking member of the public.” Image: Essex Police/ 7NEWS

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Are you over 75? Here’s what you need to know about vitamin D

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/elina-hypponen-108811">Elina Hypponen</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/joshua-sutherland-1646406">Joshua Sutherland</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> Vitamin D is essential for bone health, immune function and overall wellbeing. And it becomes even <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38337682/">more crucial</a> as we age. New guidelines from the international Endocrine Society <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38828931/">recommend</a> people aged 75 and over should consider taking vitamin D supplements. But why is vitamin D so important for older adults? And how much should they take? <h2>Young people get most vitamin D from the sun</h2> In Australia, it is possible for most people under 75 to get enough vitamin D from the sun <a href="https://healthybonesaustralia.org.au/your-bone-health/vitamin-d-bone-health">throughout the year</a>. For those who live in the top half of Australia – and for all of us during summer – we <a href="https://healthybonesaustralia.org.au/your-bone-health/vitamin-d-bone-health">only need</a> to have skin exposed to the sun for a few minutes on most days. The body can only produce a certain amount of vitamin D at a time. So staying in the sun any longer than needed is not going to help increase your vitamin D levels, while it will increase your risk of skin cancer. But it’s difficult for people aged over 75 to get enough vitamin D from a few minutes of sunshine, so the Endocrine Society <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38828931/">recommends</a> people get 800 IU (international units) of vitamin D a day from food or supplements. <h2>Why you need more as you age</h2> This is higher than the recommendation for younger adults, reflecting the increased needs and reduced ability of older bodies to produce and absorb vitamin D. Overall, older adults also tend to have <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3356951/">less exposure</a> to sunlight, which is the primary source of natural vitamin D production. Older adults may spend more time indoors and wear more clothing when outdoors. As we age, our skin also becomes <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18290718/">less efficient</a> at synthesising vitamin D from sunlight. The kidneys and the liver, which help convert vitamin D into its active form, also lose some of their efficiency with age. This makes it <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0889852913000145">harder for the body to maintain</a> adequate levels of the vitamin. All of this combined means older adults need more vitamin D. <h2>Deficiency is common in older adults</h2> Despite their higher needs for vitamin D, people over 75 may not get enough of it. Studies <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/articles/vitamin-d">have shown</a> one in five older adults in Australia have vitamin D deficiency. In higher-latitude parts of the world, such as the United Kingdom, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6627050/">almost half</a> don’t reach sufficient levels. This increased risk of deficiency is partly due to <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33309415/">lifestyle factors</a>, such as spending less time outdoors and insufficient dietary intakes of vitamin D. It’s difficult to get enough vitamin D from food alone. <a href="https://dietitiansaustralia.org.au/health-advice/vitamin-d">Oily fish, eggs and some mushrooms</a> are good sources of vitamin D, but few other foods contain much of the vitamin. While foods can be fortified with the vitamin D (margarine, some milk and cereals), these may not be readily available or be consumed in sufficient amounts to make a difference. In some countries such as the <a href="https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/">United States</a>, most of the dietary vitamin D comes from fortified products. However, in <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35253289">Australia</a>, dietary intakes of vitamin D are typically very low because only a few foods are fortified with it. <h2>Why vitamin D is so important as we age</h2> Vitamin D <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5367643/">helps the body absorb calcium</a>, which is essential for maintaining bone density and strength. As we age, our bones become more fragile, increasing the risk of fractures and conditions like osteoporosis. Keeping bones healthy is crucial. Studies <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28726112/">have shown</a> older people hospitalised with hip fractures are 3.5 times more likely to die in the next 12 months compared to people who aren’t injured. Vitamin D may also help <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28202713/">lower the risk</a> of respiratory infections, which can be more serious in this age group. There is also emerging evidence for other potential benefits, including <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29233204/">better brain health</a>. However, this requires more research. According to the society’s systematic review, which summarises evidence from randomised controlled trials of vitamin D supplementation in humans, there is <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38828931/">moderate evidence</a> to suggest vitamin D supplementation can lower the risk of premature death. The society estimates supplements can prevent six deaths per 1,000 people. When considering the uncertainty in the available evidence, the actual number could range from as many as 11 fewer deaths to no benefit at all. <h2>Should we get our vitamin D levels tested?</h2> The Endocrine Society’s guidelines <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38828931/">suggest</a> routine blood tests to measure vitamin D levels are not necessary for most healthy people over 75. There is no clear evidence that regular testing provides significant benefits, unless the person has a specific medical condition that affects vitamin D metabolism, such as kidney disease or certain bone disorders. Routine <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10498906">testing</a> can also be expensive and inconvenient. In most cases, the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38828931/">recommended approach</a> to over-75s is to consider a daily supplement, without the need for testing. You can also try to boost your vitamin D by adding fortified foods to your diet, which might lower the dose you need from supplementation. Even if you’re getting a few minutes of sunlight a day, a daily vitamin D is still recommended.<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/231820/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/elina-hypponen-108811">Elina Hypponen</a>, Professor of Nutritional and Genetic Epidemiology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/joshua-sutherland-1646406">Joshua Sutherland</a>, PhD Candidate - Nutrition and Genetic Epidemiology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</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/are-you-over-75-heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-vitamin-d-231820">original article</a>. </div>

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An unbroken night’s sleep is a myth. Here’s what good sleep looks like

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/amy-reynolds-424346">Amy Reynolds</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/flinders-university-972">Flinders University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/claire-dunbar-1651340">Claire Dunbar</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/flinders-university-972">Flinders University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/gorica-micic-187159">Gorica Micic</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/flinders-university-972">Flinders University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hannah-scott-424633">Hannah Scott</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/flinders-university-972">Flinders University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nicole-lovato-60684">Nicole Lovato</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/flinders-university-972">Flinders University</a> What do you imagine a good night’s sleep to be? Often when people come into our sleep clinic seeking treatment, they share ideas about healthy sleep. Many think when their head hits the pillow, they should fall into a deep and restorative sleep, and emerge after about eight hours feeling refreshed. They’re in good company – many Australians hold <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychores.2014.09.011">the same belief</a>. In reality, healthy sleep is cyclic across the night, as you move in and out of the different stages of sleep, often waking up several times. Some people remember one or more of these awakenings, others do not. Let’s consider what a healthy night’s sleep looks like. <h2>Sleep cycles are a roller-coaster</h2> As an adult, our sleep moves through <a href="https://www.sleepfoundation.org/stages-of-sleep">different cycles</a> and brief awakenings during the night. Sleep cycles last roughly 90 minutes each. We typically start the night with lighter sleep, before moving into deeper sleep stages, and rising again into rapid eye movement (REM) sleep – the stage of sleep often linked to vivid dreaming. If sleeping well, we get most of our deep sleep in the first half of the night, with <a href="https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/sleep/stages-of-sleep#:%7E:text=During%20REM%20sleep%2C%20your%20eyes,from%20acting%20out%20your%20dreams">REM sleep</a> more common in the second half of the night. Adults usually move through five or six sleep cycles in a night, and it is entirely <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychores.2014.09.011">normal</a> to wake up briefly at the end of each one. That means we might be waking up five times during the night. This can increase with older age and still be healthy. If you’re not remembering these awakenings that’s OK – they can be quite brief. <h2>What does getting a ‘good’ sleep actually mean?</h2> You’ll often hear that adults <a href="https://www.sleephealthfoundation.org.au/sleep-topics/how-much-sleep-do-you-really-need#:%7E:text=Sleep%20requirements%20stabilise%20in%20early,their%20best%20the%20next%20day">need between seven and nine hours</a> of sleep per night. But good sleep is about more than the number of hours – it’s also about the quality. For most people, sleeping well means being able to fall asleep soon after getting into bed (within around 30 minutes), sleeping without waking up for long periods, and waking feeling rested and ready for the day. You shouldn’t be feeling excessively sleepy during the day, especially if you’re regularly getting at least seven hours of refreshing sleep a night (this is a rough rule of thumb). But are you noticing you’re feeling physically tired, needing to nap regularly and still not feeling refreshed? It may be worthwhile touching base with your general practitioner, as there a range of possible reasons. <h2>Common issues</h2> Sleep disorders are common. Up to <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35478719/">25% of adults</a> have insomnia, a sleep disorder where it may be hard to fall or stay asleep, or you may wake earlier in the morning than you’d like. Rates of common sleep disorders such as insomnia and <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/sleep-apnea/symptoms-causes/syc-20377631">sleep apnoea</a> – where your breathing can partially or completely stop many times during the night – also increase with age, affecting <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32280974/">20% of early adults</a> and 40% of people in <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35082023/">middle age</a>. There are effective treatments, so asking for help is important. Beyond sleep disorders, our sleep can also be disrupted by chronic health conditions – such as <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0012369218311139">pain</a> – and by <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jsr.13075">certain medications</a>. There can also be other reasons we’re not sleeping well. Some of us are woken by children, pets or traffic noise during the night. These “<a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/07420528.2021.2003375">forced awakenings</a>” mean we may find it harder to get up in the morning, take longer to leave bed and feel less satisfied with our sleep. For some people, night awakenings may have no clear cause. A good way to tell if these awakenings are a problem for you is by thinking about how they affect you. When they cause feelings of frustration or worry, or are impacting how we feel and function during the day, it might be a sign to seek some help. We also may struggle to get up in the morning. This could be for a range of reasons, including not sleeping long enough, going to bed or waking up at irregular times – or even your own <a href="https://www.sleephealthfoundation.org.au/sleep-categories/circadian-rhythm-disorders#:%7E:text=The%20circadian%20rhythms%20throughout%20the,regulation%20of%20our%20sleeping%20patterns">internal clock</a>, which can influence the time your body prefers to sleep. If you’re regularly struggling to get up for work or family needs, it can be an indication you may need to seek help. Some of these factors can be explored with a sleep psychologist if they are causing concern. <h2>Can my smart watch help?</h2> It is important to remember sleep-tracking devices can <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41746-024-01016-9">vary in accuracy</a> for looking at the different sleep stages. While they can give a rough estimate, they are not a perfect measure. In-laboratory <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31277862/">polysomnography</a>, or PSG, is the best standard measure to examine your sleep stages. A PSG examines breathing, oxygen saturation, brain waves and heart rate during sleep. Rather than closely examining nightly data (including sleep stages) from a sleep tracker, it may be more helpful to look at the patterns of your sleep (bed and wake times) over time. <a href="https://jcsm.aasm.org/doi/10.5664/jcsm.8356">Understanding your sleep patterns</a> may help identify and adjust behaviours that negatively impact your sleep, such as your bedtime routine and sleeping environment. And if you find viewing your sleep data is making you feel worried about your sleep, this may not be useful for you. Most importantly, if you are concerned it is important to discuss it with your GP who can refer you to the appropriate specialist sleep health provider.<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/238069/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/amy-reynolds-424346">Amy Reynolds</a>, Associate Professor in Clinical Sleep Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/flinders-university-972">Flinders University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/claire-dunbar-1651340">Claire Dunbar</a>, Research Associate, Sleep Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/flinders-university-972">Flinders University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/gorica-micic-187159">Gorica Micic</a>, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Clinical Psychologist, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/flinders-university-972">Flinders University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hannah-scott-424633">Hannah Scott</a>, Research Fellow in Sleep Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/flinders-university-972">Flinders University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nicole-lovato-60684">Nicole Lovato</a>, Associate Professor, Adelaide Institute for Sleep Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/flinders-university-972">Flinders 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/an-unbroken-nights-sleep-is-a-myth-heres-what-good-sleep-looks-like-238069">original article</a>. </div>

Body

I have a stuffy nose, how can I tell if it’s hay fever, COVID or something else?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/deryn-thompson-1449312">Deryn Thompson</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> Hay fever (also called allergic rhinitis) affects <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/health-conditions-and-risks/national-health-survey-state-and-territory-findings/latest-release">24%</a> of Australians. <a href="https://www.allergy.org.au/patients/allergic-rhinitis-hay-fever-and-sinusitis/allergic-rhinitis-or-hay-fever">Symptoms</a> include sneezing, a runny nose (which may feel blocked or stuffy) and itchy eyes. People can also experience an itchy nose, throat or ears. But COVID is still <a href="https://theconversation.com/xec-is-now-in-australia-heres-what-we-know-about-this-hybrid-covid-variant-239292">spreading</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/i-feel-sick-how-do-i-know-if-i-have-the-flu-covid-rsv-or-something-else-234266">other viruses</a> can cause cold-like symptoms. So how do you know which one you’ve got? <h2>Remind me, how does hay fever cause symptoms?</h2> <a href="https://www.allergy.org.au/hp/papers/allergic-rhinitis-clinical-update">Hay fever</a> happens when a person has become “sensitised” to an allergen trigger. This means a person’s body is always primed to react to this trigger. Triggers can include allergens in the air (such as pollen from trees, grasses and flowers), mould spores, animals or house dust mites which mostly live in people’s mattresses and bedding, and feed on shed skin. When the body is exposed to the trigger, it produces IgE (immunoglobulin E) antibodies. These cause the release of many of the body’s own chemicals, including histamine, which result in hay fever symptoms. People who have asthma may find their asthma symptoms (cough, wheeze, tight chest or trouble breathing) worsen when exposed to airborne allergens. Spring and sometimes into summer can be the worst time for people with grass, tree or flower allergies. However, animal and house dust mite symptoms usually happen year-round. <h2>What else might be causing my symptoms?</h2> Hay fever does not cause a fever, sore throat, muscle aches and pains, weakness, loss of taste or smell, nor does it cause you to cough up mucus. These symptoms are likely to be caused by a virus, such as COVID, influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) or a “cold” (often caused by rhinoviruses). These conditions can occur all year round, with some overlap of symptoms: <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/624085/original/file-20241007-16-xf6euv.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/624085/original/file-20241007-16-xf6euv.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&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/624085/original/file-20241007-16-xf6euv.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=582&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/624085/original/file-20241007-16-xf6euv.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=582&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/624085/original/file-20241007-16-xf6euv.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=582&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/624085/original/file-20241007-16-xf6euv.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=731&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/624085/original/file-20241007-16-xf6euv.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=731&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/624085/original/file-20241007-16-xf6euv.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=731&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /></a><figcaption><a class="source" href="https://theconversation.com/i-feel-sick-how-do-i-know-if-i-have-the-flu-covid-rsv-or-something-else-234266">Natasha Yates/The Conversation</a></figcaption></figure> COVID still <a href="https://theconversation.com/xec-is-now-in-australia-heres-what-we-know-about-this-hybrid-covid-variant-239292">surrounds</a> us. <a href="https://www.sahealth.sa.gov.au/wps/wcm/connect/public+content/sa+health+internet/about+us/health+statistics/surveillance+of+notifiable+conditions/respiratory+infections+dashboard">RSV and influenza</a> rates appear higher than before the COVID pandemic, but it may be <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10888990/#:%7E:text=Increases%20in%20RSV%20patient%20volume,with%20an%20RSV%20diagnosis%20occurred">due to more testing</a>. So if you have a fever, sore throat, muscle aches/pains, weakness, fatigue, or are coughing up mucus, stay home and avoid mixing with others to limit transmission. People with COVID symptoms can take a rapid antigen test (<a href="https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-04/coronavirus-covid-19-rapid-antigen-tests.pdf">RAT</a>), ideally when <a href="https://www.cochrane.org/CD013705/INFECTN_how-accurate-are-rapid-antigen-tests-diagnosing-covid-19">symptoms start</a>, then isolate until symptoms disappear. <a href="https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2023/219/11/covid-19-rapid-antigen-tests-approved-self-testing-australia-published">One negative RAT alone</a> can’t rule out COVID if symptoms are still present, so test again 24–48 hours after your initial test if symptoms persist. You can now test yourself for COVID, RSV and influenza in a <a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-02/covid-19-rapid-antigen-self-tests-are-approved-australia-ifu-406813.PDF">combined RAT</a>. But again, a negative test doesn’t rule out the virus. If your symptoms continue, <a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-02/covid-19-rapid-antigen-self-tests-are-approved-australia-ifu-406813.PDF">test again</a> 24–48 hours after the previous test. <h2>If it’s hay fever, how do I treat it?</h2> Treatment involves blocking the body’s histamine release, by taking antihistamine medication which helps reduce the symptoms. Doctors, nurse practitioners and pharmacists can develop a <a href="https://www.allergy.org.au/images/pc/ASCIA_Allergic_Rhinitis_Treatment_Plan_2024.pdf">hay fever care plan</a>. This may include using a nasal spray containing a topical corticosteroid to help reduce the swelling inside the nose, which causes stuffiness or blockage. Nasal sprays need to delivered <a href="https://allergyfacts.org.au/are-you-using-your-nasal-spray-correctly/">using correct technique</a> and used over several weeks to work properly. Often these sprays can also help lessen the itchy eyes of hay fever. Drying bed linen and pyjamas inside during spring can <a href="https://www.allergy.org.au/patients/allergy-treatments/allergen-minimisation">lessen symptoms</a>, as can putting a <a href="https://www.nps.org.au/consumers/managing-hay-fever">smear of Vaseline</a> in the nostrils when going outside. Pollen sticks to the Vaseline, and gently blowing your nose later removes it. People with asthma should also have an <a href="https://asthma.org.au/manage-asthma/asthma-action-plan/">asthma plan</a>, created by their doctor or nurse practitioner, explaining how to adjust their asthma reliever and preventer medications in hay fever seasons or on allergen exposure. People with asthma also need to be <a href="https://www.nationalasthma.org.au/living-with-asthma/resources/patients-carers/factsheets/thunderstorm-asthma">alert for thunderstorms</a>, where pollens can burst into tinier particles, be inhaled deeper in the lungs and cause a severe asthma attack, and even death. <h2>What if it’s COVID, RSV or the flu?</h2> Australians aged 70 and over and others with underlying health conditions who test positive for COVID are <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/covid-19/medications#at-home">eligible for antivirals</a> to reduce their chance of severe illness. Most other people with COVID, RSV and influenza will recover at home with rest, fluids and paracetamol to relieve symptoms. However some groups are at greater risk of serious illness and may require additional treatment or hospitalisation. For <a href="https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/factsheets/Pages/respiratory-syncytial-virus.aspx">RSV</a>, this includes premature infants, babies 12 months and younger, children under two who have other medical conditions, adults over 75, people with heart and lung conditions, or health conditions that lessens the immune system response. For influenza, people at <a href="https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/Influenza/Pages/at-risk.aspx">higher risk</a> of severe illness are pregnant women, Aboriginal people, people under five or over 65 years, or people with long-term medical conditions, such as kidney, heart, lung or liver disease, diabetes and decreased immunity. If you’re concerned about severe symptoms of COVID, RSV or influenza, consult your doctor or call 000 in an emergency. If your symptoms are mild but persist, and you’re not sure what’s causing them, book an appointment with your doctor or nurse practitioner. Although hay fever season is here, we need to avoid spreading other serious infectious. For more information, you can call the healthdirect helpline on 1800 022 222 (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria); use the <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/symptom-checker">online Symptom Checker</a>; or visit <a href="http://healthdirect.gov.au/">healthdirect.gov.au</a> or the <a href="https://www.allergy.org.au/patients/allergy-treatments/allergen-minimisation">Australian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy</a>.<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/240453/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/deryn-thompson-1449312">Deryn Thompson</a>, Eczema and Allergy Nurse; Lecturer, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</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-have-a-stuffy-nose-how-can-i-tell-if-its-hay-fever-covid-or-something-else-240453">original article</a>. </div>

Body

Is there anything good about menopause? Yep, here are 4 things to look forward to

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/yvonne-middlewick-1395795">Yvonne Middlewick</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/edith-cowan-university-720">Edith Cowan University</a> Menopause is having a bit of <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/13675494231159562">a moment</a>, with less stigma and more awareness about the changes it can bring. A recent senate inquiry <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Community_Affairs/Menopause/Report">recommended</a> public education about perimenopause and menopause, more affordable treatments and flexible work arrangements. But like many things in life the experiences of menopause are on a continuum. While some women find it challenging and require support, others experience some physical and emotional benefits. These are rarely reported – but we can learn from the research available and, importantly, from people’s lived experiences. Here are four changes to look forward to once you reach menopause. <h2>1. No more periods or related issues</h2> <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-are-the-most-common-symptoms-of-menopause-and-which-can-hormone-therapy-treat-225174">Menopause</a> is considered “complete” 12 months after the final period of a woman (or person assigned female at birth) who previously menstruated. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the benefit at the top of the list is no more periods (unless you are taking hormone therapy and still have your womb). This can be particularly beneficial for women who have had to manage <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/4/1951">erratic, unpredictable and heavy bleeding</a>. At last, you don’t need to keep sanitary protection in every bag “just in case”. No more planning where the bathroom is or having to take extra clothes. And you’ll save money by not purchasing sanitary products. There is also good news for women who have had heavy bleeding due to uterine fibroids – common benign gynaecological tumours that affect up to 80% of women. The evidence <a href="https://journals.lww.com/menopausejournal/abstract/2020/02000/uterine_fibroids_in_menopause_and_perimenopause.17.aspx">suggests</a> hormonal changes (for women not taking hormone therapy) can lead to a reduction in the size of fibroids and relieve symptoms. Women who suffer from menstrual migraine may experience an improvement in migraines post-menopause as their hormonal fluctuations begin to settle – but the timeframe for this <a href="https://www.maturitas.org/article/S0378-5122(20)30329-7/abstract">remains unclear</a>. For some women, no more periods also means more participation in social activities from which they may have been excluded due to periods. For example, <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08952841.2014.954502">religious activities or food preparation</a> in some cultures. <h2>2. Getting your body and your groove back</h2> Throughout their reproductive lives, women in heterosexual relationships are usually the ones expected to be <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6115298/">proactive about preventing pregnancy</a>. Some post-menopausal women <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08952841.2018.1396783">describe</a> a re-emergence of their sexuality and a sense of sexual freedom that they had not previously experienced (despite contraceptive availability) as there is no longer a risk of pregnancy. A participant in my research <a href="https://eprints.soton.ac.uk/451254/">into women’s experiences of menopause</a> described the joy of no longer being child-bearing age: <blockquote> I’ve got a body back for me, you know, coz I can’t get pregnant, not that I haven’t enjoyed having [children] and things like that and it was a decision to get pregnant but I feel like, ooh my body isn’t for anybody now but me, people, you know? </blockquote> For women who have chosen to be child-free there may also be a sense of freedom from social expectations. People will likely stop asking them when they are planning to have children. <h2>3. A new chapter and a time to focus on yourself</h2> Another participant <a href="https://eprints.soton.ac.uk/451254/">described</a> menopause as an unexpected “acceleration point” for change. Women told us they were more accepting of themselves and their needs rather than being focused on the needs of other people. Researchers have previously <a href="https://sk.sagepub.com/books/individualization">tracked this shift</a> from “living for others” to “a life of one’s own”. Some women find the strength of emotions at this time a challenge, whereas others find their potency can <a href="https://doi.org/10.1145/3290605.3300710">facilitate liberation</a> – enabling them to speak their minds or be more assertive than at any other time in their lives. <h2>4. Increased self-confidence</h2> A new sense of liberation can fuel increased self-confidence at menopause. This has been <a href="https://doi.org/10.1145/3290605.3300710">reported</a> in studies based on in-depth <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/0167482X.2016.1270937">interviews with women</a>. Confidence boosts can coincide with <a href="https://eprints.soton.ac.uk/451254/">changes in career and sometimes in relationships</a> as priorities and self-advocacy transform. <h2>Life on the other side</h2> It can be hard to think about what is good about menopause, particularly if you are having challenges during perimenopause – but these can get better with time. In <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6910086/">cultures where women are valued as they become older</a>, women describe themselves as positively contributing to the community. They find they gain power and respect as they age. We need to work towards more positive societal attitudes on this front. Our bodies change across the lifespan and are remarkable at every stage, including menopause.<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/239725/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/yvonne-middlewick-1395795">Yvonne Middlewick</a>, Nurse, Lecturer & Director of Post-graduate Studies in the School of Nursing and Midwifery, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/edith-cowan-university-720">Edith Cowan 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/is-there-anything-good-about-menopause-yep-here-are-4-things-to-look-forward-to-239725">original article</a>. </div>

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