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You’re probably brushing your teeth wrong – here are four tips for better dental health

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/clement-seeballuck-583867">Clement Seeballuck</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-dundee-955">University of Dundee</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nicola-innes-388237">Nicola Innes</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-dundee-955">University of Dundee</a> We all know the advice for healthy teeth – brush twice daily and don’t eat too much sugar. So why do those of us following these instructions find we sometimes need a filling when we visit the dentist? The truth is, there’s a little more to preventing tooth decay than these guidelines suggest. Here’s what you need to know. <h2>Brush up on your skills</h2> How you brush makes a big difference. The mechanical act of brushing removes the very sticky dental plaque – a mixture of bacteria, their acids and sticky byproducts and food remnants. It forms naturally on teeth immediately after you’ve eaten but doesn’t get nasty and start to cause damage to the teeth until it reaches a certain stage of maturity. The exact amount of time this takes isn’t known but is at least more than 12 hours. Bacteria consume sugar and, as a byproduct, produce acids which dissolve mineral out of the teeth, leaving microscopic holes we can’t see. If the process isn’t stopped and they aren’t repaired, these can become big, visible cavities. Taking two minutes to brush your teeth is a good target for removing plaque and you should brush at night and one other time daily. Brushing frequently stops the bacteria developing to a stage where the species which produce the most acid can become established. Electric toothbrushes can be <a href="https://www.cochrane.org/CD002281/ORAL_poweredelectric-toothbrushes-compared-to-manual-toothbrushes-for-maintaining-oral-health">more effective than manual brushing</a> and a small toothbrush head helps to reach awkward areas in the mouth, while medium-textured bristles help you clean effectively without causing harm to gums and teeth. The main thing, however, is to get brushing! <h2>Use fluoride toothpaste and disclosing tablets</h2> Most of the benefit from brushing comes from toothpaste. The key ingredient is fluoride, which evidence shows <a href="https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD002278/full#CD002278-abs-0003">prevents tooth decay</a>. Fluoride replaces lost minerals in teeth and also makes them stronger. For maximum benefit, <a href="https://www.cochrane.org/CD007868/ORAL_comparison-between-different-concentrations-of-fluoride-toothpaste-for-preventing-tooth-decay-in-children-and-adolescents">use toothpaste with 1350-1500 ppmF</a> – that’s concentration of fluoride in parts per million – to prevent tooth decay. Check your toothpaste’s concentration by reading the ingredients on the back of the tube. <a href="https://theconversation.com/childrens-toothpaste-the-facts-80508">Not all children’s toothpastes are strong enough</a> for them to gain maximum benefit. Your dentist may prescribe higher strength fluoride toothpaste based on their assessment of your or your child’s risk of tooth decay. Plaque is difficult to see because it is whitish, like your teeth. Disclosing tablets are available in supermarkets and chemists and they make plaque more visible, showing areas you may have missed when brushing. <h2>Spit, don’t rinse</h2> At night, you produce less saliva than during the day. Because of this, your teeth have less protection from saliva and are more vulnerable to acid attacks. That’s why it’s important to remove food from your teeth before bed so plaque bacteria can’t feast overnight. Don’t eat or drink anything except water <a href="https://www.sign.ac.uk/assets/sign138.pdf">after brushing at night</a>. This also gives fluoride the longest opportunity to work. Once you’ve brushed, don’t rinse your mouth with water or mouthwash – you’re washing away the fluoride! This can be a difficult habit to break, but can <a href="https://www.sign.ac.uk/assets/sign138.pdf">reduce tooth decay by up to 25%</a>. <h2>No more than four ‘sugar hits’</h2> Intrinsic sugars are found naturally in foods like fruit and they are far less likely to cause tooth decay than added or <a href="https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/nutrition/sugar-salt-and-fat/free-sugars">free sugars</a>. Free sugars are generally those added to foods by manufacturers but also include honey, syrup and fruit juices. These are all easy for bacteria to consume, metabolise and produce acids from. However, it can be difficult to tell which are the worst sugars for teeth. For example, although normal amounts of fruit are fine, fruit juices have sugar liberated from the plant cells and heavy consumption can cause decay. <a href="http://www.who.int/nutrition/publications/guidelines/sugars_intake/en/">The World Health Organization</a> and <a href="https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/food-and-diet/how-much-sugar-is-good-for-me/">NHS</a> recommend free sugars should ideally make up less than 5% of your daily calorie intake. So what does this look like? For adults and children over about 11 years old, this is around 30g – about eight teaspoons – of sugar daily. A 330ml can of Coke has <a href="https://www.coca-cola.co.uk/drinks/coca-cola/coca-cola">35g of sugar</a>. The <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.phe.c4lfoodsmart&hl=en_GB">change4life app</a> is helpful to track how much sugar you consume in your diet. Although not as important as how much, how often you eat sugar also matters. Simple carbohydrates like sugar are easier for bacteria to digest than proteins or complex carbohydrates. Bacteria produce acids after they metabolise sugar which causes demineralisation. Fortunately, through the actions of fluoride toothpaste and the remineralising effects of saliva, your teeth can recover from the early stages of these attacks. It’s like having a set of scales – trying to keep the balance between sugars on one side, fluoride toothpaste and cleaning on the other. Typically, your teeth can be exposed to four “sugar hits” – episodes of sugar intake – daily without irreversible damage to the teeth. Why not try counting how many sugary hits you have a day? This includes biscuits, cups of sugary tea or coffee and other snacks with refined carbohydrates like crisps. A simple way of cutting down would be to stop putting sugar in hot drinks and limiting snacking. Brush twice daily with fluoride toothpaste, spit don’t rinse, eat and drink nothing after brushing, and don’t have sugar more than four times daily. Easy!<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/103959/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/clement-seeballuck-583867">Clement Seeballuck</a>, Clinical Lecturer in Paediatric Dentistry, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-dundee-955">University of Dundee</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nicola-innes-388237">Nicola Innes</a>, Professor of Paediatric Dentistry, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-dundee-955">University of Dundee</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/youre-probably-brushing-your-teeth-wrong-here-are-four-tips-for-better-dental-health-103959">original article</a>.

Body

Is still water better for you than sparkling water?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/christian-moro-121754">Christian Moro</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/charlotte-phelps-1187658">Charlotte Phelps</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a> Still or sparkling? It’s a question you’ll commonly hear in a café or restaurant and you probably have a preference. But is there any difference for your health? If you love the fizz, here’s why you don’t have to pass on the sparkling water. <h2>What makes my water sparkle?</h2> This article specifically focuses on comparing still filtered water to carbonated filtered water (called “sparkling water” or “unflavoured seltzer”). Soda water, mineral water, tonic water and flavoured water are similar, but not the same product. The bubbles in sparkling water are created by adding carbon dioxide to filtered water. It reacts to produce carbonic acid, which makes sparkling water more acidic (a pH of <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5747581/">about 3.5</a>) than still (closer to neutral, with a pH around 6.5-8.5). <h2>Which drink is healthiest?</h2> Water is the best way to hydrate our bodies. Research shows when it comes to <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26702122/">hydration</a>, still and sparkling water are <a href="https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jnsv/58/5/58_333/_article">equally effective</a>. Some people believe water is healthier when it comes from a sealed bottle. But in Australia, tap water is <a href="https://www.waterquality.gov.au/guidelines/drinking-water">monitored very carefully</a>. Unlike bottled water, it also has the added benefit of fluoride, which can help protect young children against <a href="https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0002-8177(14)60225-7">tooth decay</a> and cavities. Sparkling or still water is always <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30354445/">better</a> than artificially sweetened flavoured drinks or juices. <h2>Isn’t soda water bad for my teeth and bones?</h2> There’s no evidence sparkling water damages your bones. While drinking a lot of soft drinks is linked to increased <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7071508/">fractures</a>, this is largely due to their association with higher rates of obesity. Sparkling water is more acidic than still water, and acidity can soften the teeth’s <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35635779/">enamel</a>. Usually this is not something to be too worried about, unless it is mixed with sugar or citrus, which has much higher levels of acidity and can harm teeth. However, if you grind your teeth often, the softening could enhance the <a href="https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/teeth-grinding#risk-factors-for-tooth-grinding">damage it causes</a>. If you’re undertaking a home whitening process, sparkling water <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39123328/">might discolour</a> your teeth. In most other cases, it would take a lot of sparkling water to pass by the teeth, for a long period of time, to cause any noticeable damage. <h2>How does drinking water affect digestion?</h2> There is a <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/digestion/faq-20058348">misconception</a> drinking water (of any kind) with a meal is bad for digestion. While theoretically water could dilute stomach acid (which breaks down food), the practice of drinking it doesn’t appear <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11045127/">to have any negative effect</a>. Your digestive system simply adapts to the consistency of the meal. Some people do find that carbonated beverages cause some stomach upset. This is due to the build-up of <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0939475309000787">gases</a>, which can cause bloating, cramping and discomfort. For people with an <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-44916-8">overactive bladder</a>, the acidity might also aggravate the <a href="https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/ajpcell.00441.2022">urinary</a> system. Interestingly, the fizzy “<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34399552/">buzz</a>” you feel in your mouth from sparkling water fades the more you drink it. <h2>Is cold water harder to digest?</h2> You’ve chosen still or sparkling water. What about its temperature? There are surprisingly few studies about the effect of drinking cold water compared to room temperature. There is some evidence colder water (at two degrees Celsius) might inhibit <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7000532/">gastric contractions</a> and slow down digestion. Ice water may constrict blood vessels and cause <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0306362383900642">cramping</a>. However other research suggests drinking cold water might temporarily boost <a href="https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article/88/12/6015/2661518">metabolism</a>, as the body needs to expend energy to warm it up to body temperature. This effect is minimal and unlikely to lead to significant <a href="https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article/91/9/3598/2656772">weight loss</a>. <h2>Which water wins?</h2> The bottom line is water is essential, hydrates us and has countless other <a href="https://news.com.au/lifestyle/health/diet/fewer-than-25-per-cent-simple-question-most-aussies-cant-answer/news-story/04693f23f03d9e8b6483cf34b47d9fcb">health benefits</a>. Water, with carbonated bubbles or without, will always be the healthiest drink to choose. And if you’re concerned about any impact to teeth enamel, one trick is to follow sparkling water with a glass of still. This helps rinse the teeth and return your mouth’s acidity back to normal.<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/237125/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/christian-moro-121754">Christian Moro</a>, Associate Professor of Science & Medicine, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/charlotte-phelps-1187658">Charlotte Phelps</a>, Senior Teaching Fellow, Medical Program, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond 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-still-water-better-for-you-than-sparkling-water-237125">original article</a>.

Food & Wine

10 tips for a better night’s sleep in a hotel room

From noisy neighbours to unbearable bedding, a good night’s sleep in a hotel room can be hard to come by. Here are 10 tips to help you get decent shut eye. 1. Book a room midway down a hallway This is generally the quietest part of the floor, way from ice and wending machines, laundry facilities, exits, closets and any other places where sudden noises might occur. 2. Try to avoid rooms facing a pool While the view is something to admire, pools can also be the sight of noise generating late-night gathering and any sounds generally echo loudly off the water. 3. Inquire at the front desk about pillow options If the wrong pillow gives you back or neck pain have a chat to the front desk when checking in. Most hotels stock pillows of varying firmness, and can offer a better fit. 4. Pack earplugs and eyeshades When you’re struggling to get to sleep the tiniest noise or ray of light can end up being a huge distraction. Nip this in the bud by packing earplugs and eyeshades. 5. Turn your mobile phone off Mobile notifications can be a huge distraction (particularly when they’re coming from friends and family in different time zones). Turn your phone off, and enjoy the bliss. 6. Make use of your ‘do not disturb’ sign If you’re planning to sleep in make sure you put your ‘do not disturb’ sign on the outside doorknob, otherwise you might get a rude awakening from a housekeeper. 7. Report any noises immediately Sometimes a quick pound of the wall will quiet down a noisy neighbour, but this doesn’t always work. If the people in the room next to you won’t keep quiet, make sure you let the front desk know and they can take the necessary actions. 8. Adjust the room temperature Most people sleep better in a cooler room, so make sure you adjust the temperature to whatever is the best fit for you to get sleep. Even just opening the window a tiny little crack can make a big difference in terms of your overall comfort levels. 9. Ask the front desk about blackout shades Particularly if you’re staying in a city that’s full of lights, noises and distractions, blackout shades can provide you with a level of peace and comfort that will help you sleep. 10. Consider bringing your own sheets Particularly if you’ve got skin sensitives, it’s generally a good idea to bring your own sheets (if you’ve got enough space). The familiar scent and feel will really help you sleep. Image credits: Shutterstock

Travel Tips

Better sleep is a protective factor against dementia

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/andree-ann-baril-1494268">Andrée-Ann Baril</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/universite-de-montreal-1743">Université de Montréal</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/matthew-pase-1494296">Matthew Pase</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a> Dementia is a progressive loss of cognitive abilities, such as memory, that is significant enough to have an impact on a person’s daily activities. It can be caused by a number of different diseases, including <a href="https://alzheimer.ca/en/about-dementia/what-alzheimers-disease">Alzheimer’s</a>, which is the most common form. Dementia is caused by a loss of neurons over a long period of time. Since, by the time symptoms appear, many changes in the brain have already occurred, many scientists are focusing on studying the risk and protective factors for dementia. A risk factor, or conversely, a protective factor, is a condition or behaviour that increases or reduces the risk of developing a disease, but does not guarantee either outcome. Some risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, such as age or genetics, are not modifiable, but there are several other factors we can influence, <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/article/S0140-6736(20)30367-6/fulltext">specifically lifestyle habits and their impact on our overall health</a>. These risk factors include depression, lack of physical activity, social isolation, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, excessive alcohol consumption and smoking, as well as poor sleep. We have been focusing our research on the question of sleep for over 10 years, particularly in the context of the <a href="https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/science/framingham-heart-study-fhs">Framingham Heart Study</a>. In this large community-based cohort study, ongoing since the 1940s, the health of surviving participants has been monitored to the present day. As researchers in sleep medicine and epidemiology, we have expertise in researching the role of sleep and sleep disorders in cognitive and psychiatric brain aging. As part of our research, we monitored and analyzed the sleep of people aged 60 and over to see who did — or did not — develop dementia. <h2>Sleep as a risk or protective factor against dementia</h2> Sleep appears to play an essential role in a number of brain functions, such as memory. Good quality sleep <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaneurology/fullarticle/2793873">could therefore play a vital role in preventing dementia</a>. Sleep is important for maintaining <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.1241224">good connections in the brain</a>. Recently, research has revealed that sleep seems to have a function similar to that of a garbage truck for the brain: <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mad.2023.111899">deep sleep could be crucial for eliminating metabolic waste from the brain</a>, including clearing certain proteins, such as those known to accumulate in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease. However, the links between deep sleep and dementia still have to be clarified. <h2>What is deep sleep?</h2> During a night’s sleep, we go through several <a href="http://ceams-carsm.ca/en/a-propos-du-sommeil/">sleep stages</a> that succeed one another and are repeated. NREM sleep (non-rapid eye movement sleep) is divided into light NREM sleep (NREM1 stage), NREM sleep (NREM2 stage) and deep NREM sleep, also called slow-wave sleep (NREM3 stage). The latter is associated with several restorative functions. Next, REM sleep (rapid eye movement sleep) is the stage generally associated with the most vivid dreams. An adult generally spends around 15 to 20 per cent of each night in deep sleep, if we add up all the periods of NREM3 sleep. Several sleep changes are common in adults, such as going to bed and waking up earlier, sleeping for shorter periods of time and less deeply, and waking up more frequently during the night. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/579041/original/file-20240229-16-efo9mx.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/579041/original/file-20240229-16-efo9mx.jpg?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/579041/original/file-20240229-16-efo9mx.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=279&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/579041/original/file-20240229-16-efo9mx.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=279&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/579041/original/file-20240229-16-efo9mx.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=279&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/579041/original/file-20240229-16-efo9mx.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=350&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/579041/original/file-20240229-16-efo9mx.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=350&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/579041/original/file-20240229-16-efo9mx.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=350&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /></a><figcaption>Sleep stages, and the role of deep sleep for brain health. (Andrée-Ann Baril)</figcaption></figure> <h2>Loss of deep sleep linked to dementia</h2> Participants in the <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaneurology/fullarticle/2810957">Framingham Heart Study</a> were assessed using a sleep recording — known as polysomnography — on two occasions, approximately five years apart, in 1995-1998 and again in 2001-2003. Many people showed a reduction in their deep slow-wave sleep over the years, as is to be expected with aging. Conversely, the amount of deep sleep in some people remained stable or even increased. Our team of researchers from the Framingham Heart Study followed 346 participants aged 60 and over for a further 17 years to observe who developed dementia and who did not. Progressive loss of deep sleep over time was associated with an increased risk of dementia, whatever the cause, and particularly Alzheimer’s type dementia. These results were independent of many other risk factors for dementia. Although our results do not prove that loss of deep sleep causes dementia, they do suggest that it could be a risk factor in the elderly. Other aspects of sleep may also be important, such as its duration and quality. <h2>Strategies to improve deep sleep</h2> Knowing the impact of a lack of deep sleep on cognitive health, what strategies can be used to improve it? First and foremost, if you’re experiencing sleep problems, it’s worth talking to your doctor. Many sleep disorders are underdiagnosed and treatable, particularly through behavioural (i.e. non-medicinal) approaches. Adopting good sleep habits can help, such as going to bed and getting up at consistent times or avoiding bright or blue light in bed, like that of screens. You can also avoid caffeine, limit your alcohol intake, maintain a healthy weight, be physically active during the day, and sleep in a comfortable, dark and quiet environment. The role of deep sleep in preventing dementia remains to be explored and studied. Encouraging sleep with good lifestyle habits could have the potential to help us age in a healthier way.<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/222854/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/andree-ann-baril-1494268">Andrée-Ann Baril</a>, Professeure-chercheure adjointe au Département de médecine, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/universite-de-montreal-1743">Université de Montréal</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/matthew-pase-1494296">Matthew Pase</a>, Associate Professor of Neurology and Epidemiology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/better-sleep-is-a-protective-factor-against-dementia-222854">original article</a>. </div>

Mind

Asking ChatGPT a health-related question? Better keep it simple

It’s tempting to <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/news/chatgpt-and-dr-google/">turn to search engines</a> to seek out health information, but with the rise of large language models, like ChatGPT, people are becoming more and more likely to depend on AI for answers too. <div class="copy"> Concerningly, an Australian study has now found that the more evidence given to <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/chatgpt-an-intimate-companion/">ChatGPT</a> when asked a health-related question, the less reliable it becomes. Large language models (LLM) and artificial intelligence use in health care is still developing, creating a a critical gap when providing incorrect answers can have serious consequences for people’s health. To address this, scientists from Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, and the University of Queensland (UQ) explored a hypothetical scenario: an average person asking ChatGPT if ‘X’ treatment has a positive effect on condition ‘Y’. They presented ChatGPT with 100 questions sourced from the <a href="https://trec-health-misinfo.github.io/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TREC Health Misinformation track</a> – ranging from ‘Can zinc help treat the common cold?’ to ‘Will drinking vinegar dissolve a stuck fish bone?’ Because queries to search engines are typically shorter, while prompts to a LLM can be far longer, they posed the questions in 2 different formats: the first as a simple question and the second as a question biased with supporting or contrary evidence. By comparing ChatGPT’s response to the known correct response based on existing medical knowledge, they found that ChatGPT was 80% accurate at giving accurate answers in a question-only format. However, when given an evidence-biased prompt, this accuracy reduced to 63%, which was reduced again to 28% when an “unsure” answer was allowed. “We’re not sure why this happens,” says CSIRO Principal Research Scientist and Associate Professor at UQ, Dr Bevan Koopman, who is co-author of the paper. “But given this occurs whether the evidence given is correct or not, perhaps the evidence adds too much noise, thus lowering accuracy.” Study co-author Guido Zuccon, Director of AI for the Queensland Digital Health Centre at UQ says that major search engines are now integrating LLMs and search technologies in a process called Retrieval Augmented Generation. “We demonstrate that the interaction between the LLM and the search component is still poorly understood, resulting in the generation of inaccurate health information,” says Zuccon. Given the widespread popularity of using LLMs online for answers on people’s health, Koopman adds, we need continued research to inform the public about risks and to help them optimise the accuracy of their answers. “While LLMs have the potential to greatly improve the way people access information, we need more research to understand where they are effective and where they are not.” Image credits: Getty Images <div> </div> <img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=301406&title=Asking+ChatGPT+a+health-related+question%3F+Better+keep+it+simple" width="1" height="1" loading="lazy" aria-label="Syndication Tracker" data-spai-target="src" data-spai-orig="" data-spai-exclude="nocdn" /><a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/ai/asking-chatgpt-a-health-related-question-better-keep-it-simple/">This article</a> was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com">Cosmos Magazine</a> and was written by <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/contributor/imma-perfetto/">Imma Perfetto</a>. </div>

Caring

Here’s why having chocolate can make you feel great or a bit sick – plus 4 tips for better eating

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/saman-khalesi-366871">Saman Khalesi</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/cquniversity-australia-2140">CQUniversity Australia</a> Australians are <a href="https://www.retail.org.au/media/sweet-spending-boon-predicted-for-easter-retail">predicted</a> to spend around A$1.7 billion on chocolates, hot cross buns and other special foods this Easter season. Chocolate has a long history of production and consumption. It is made from cacao beans that go through processes including fermentation, drying, roasting and grounding. What is left is a rich and fatty liquor that is pressed to remove the fat (cocoa butter) and the cacao (or “cocoa”) powder which will then be mixed with different ingredients to produce dark, milk, white and other types of chocolates. There are several health benefits and potential problems that come in these sweet chocolatey packages. <h2>The good news</h2> Cacao beans contain <a href="https://foodstruct.com/food/cocoa-bean">minerals</a> like iron, potassium, magnesium, zinc and phosphorus and some vitamins. They are also rich in beneficial chemicals called <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23150750/">polyphenols</a>. These are great antioxidants, with the potential to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5465250/">improve heart health</a>, increase <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25164923/">nitric oxide</a> (which dilates blood vessels) and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3488419/">reduce blood pressure</a>, provide food for gut microbiota and <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/12/7/1908">promote gut health</a>, boost the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5465250/">immune system</a> and reduce inflammation. However, the concentration of polyphenols in the chocolate we eat depends largely on the cocoa solid amounts used in the final product. In general terms, the darker the chocolate, the more cocoa solids, minerals and polyphenols it has. For example, dark chocolates may have around <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10942912.2011.614984">seven times more polyphenols</a> compared to white chocolates and <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10942912.2011.614984">three times more polyphenols</a> compared to milk chocolates. <h2>But also some bad news</h2> Unfortunately, the <a href="https://theconversation.com/treat-or-treatment-chocolate-is-good-but-cocoa-is-better-for-your-heart-3084">health benefits of cocoa solids</a> are easily offset by the high sugar and fat content of modern-day chocolates. For example, milk and white chocolate eggs are on average 50% sugar, 40% fat (mostly saturated fats) – which means a lot of added kilojoules (calories). Also, there may be some side effects that come with ingesting chocolate. Cocoa beans include a compound called theobromine. While it has the anti-inflammatory properties responsible for some of the health benefits of chocolate, it is also a mild brain stimulant that acts in a similar way to caffeine. The mood boost it offers may also be partly responsible for how much we <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2015.00030/full?crsi=662496658&cicada_org_src=healthwebmagazine.com&cicada_org_mdm=direct">like chocolate</a>. Dark chocolate has higher theobromine compared to milk and white chocolate. But accordingly, overindulging in chocolate (and therefore theobromine) may lead to feeling restless, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3672386/">headaches</a> and nausea. <h2>What else is in your chocolate?</h2> Milk and dairy-based chocolates may also cause stomach upset, abdominal pain and bloating in people with <a href="https://dietitiansaustralia.org.au/health-advice/lactose-intolerance">lactose intolerance</a>. This happens when we don’t produce enough lactase enzymes to digest milk sugar (lactose). People with lactose intolerance can usually tolerate up to 6 grams of lactose without showing symptoms. Milk chocolate can have around <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK310258/">3 grams of lactose</a> per 40 grams (the size of a standard chocolate bar). So two chocolate bars (or the equivalent in milk chocolate eggs or bunnies) may be enough to cause symptoms. It’s worth noting that lactase enzyme activity dramatically declines as we age, with the highest activity in newborns and children. So lactose sensitivity or intolerance may not be such an issue for your kids and your symptoms may increase over time. Genetics also plays a major role in how sensitive people are to lactose. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6815241/">Allergic reactions</a> to chocolate are usually due to the added ingredients or cross-contamination with potential allergens such as nuts, milk, soy, and some sweeteners used in the production of chocolate. Symptoms can be mild (acne, rashes and stomach pain) or more severe (swelling of the throat and tongue and shortness of breath). If you or your family members have known allergic reactions, make sure you read the label before indulging – especially in a whole block or basket of the stuff. And if you or your family members do experience symptoms of an allergic reaction after eating chocolate, <a href="https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/allergic-reactions-emergency-first-aid">seek medical attention</a> immediately. <h2>4 take home tips</h2> So, if you are like me and have a weakness for chocolate there are a few things you can do to make the experience a good one.<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/202848/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <ol> <li>keep an eye out for the darker chocolate varieties with higher cocoa solids. You may notice a percentage on labelling, which refers to how much of its weight is from cocoa beans. In general, the higher this percentage, the lower the sugar. White chocolate has almost no cocoa solid, and mostly cocoa butter, sugar and other ingredients. Dark chocolate has 50–100% cocoa beans, and less sugar. Aim for at least 70% cocoa</li> <li>read the fine print for additives and possible cross-contamination, especially if allergies might be an issue</li> <li>the ingredients list and nutrition information panel should tell you all about the chocolate you choosing. Go for varieties with lower sugar and less saturated fat. Nuts, seeds and dried fruits are better ingredients to have in your chocolate than sugar, creme, syrup, and caramel</li> <li>finally, treat yourself – but keep the amount you have within sensible limits!</li> </ol> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/saman-khalesi-366871">Saman Khalesi</a>, Postdoctoral Fellow of the National Heart Foundation & Senior Lecturer and Discipline Lead in Nutrition, School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/cquniversity-australia-2140">CQUniversity Australia</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/heres-why-having-chocolate-can-make-you-feel-great-or-a-bit-sick-plus-4-tips-for-better-eating-202848">original article</a>.

Food & Wine

Eating leafy greens could be better for oral health than using mouthwash

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/mia-cousins-burleigh-1201153">Mia Cousins Burleigh</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-the-west-of-scotland-1385">University of the West of Scotland</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/siobhan-paula-moran-1506183">Siobhan Paula Moran</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-the-west-of-scotland-1385">University of the West of Scotland</a> Over half the adult population in the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26052472">UK and US</a> have gum disease. Typical treatments include <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-61912-4">mouthwash</a> and in severe cases, <a href="https://www.magonlinelibrary.com/doi/abs/10.12968/vetn.2017.8.10.542">antibiotics</a>. These treatments have side effects, such as dry mouth, the development of <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30967854/">antimicrobial resistance</a> and increased <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-61912-4">blood pressure</a>. But research has indicated that a molecule called <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-69931-x">nitrate</a>, which is found in leafy green vegetables, has fewer side effects and offers greater benefits for oral health. And it could be used as a natural alternative for treating oral disease. Inadequate brushing and flossing leads to the build up of <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-69931-x">dental plaque</a>, a sticky layer of bacteria, on the surface of teeth and gums. Plaque causes tooth decay and gum disease. Sugary and acidic foods, dry mouth, and smoking can also contribute to bad breath, tooth decay, and gum infections. The two main types of gum disease are gingivitis and periodontitis. <a href="https://www.spandidos-publications.com/10.3892/etm.2019.8381">Gingivitis</a> causes redness, swelling and bleeding of the gums. <a href="https://www.spandidos-publications.com/10.3892/etm.2019.8381">Periodontitis</a> is a more advanced form of gum disease, causing damage to the soft tissues and bones supporting the teeth. Periodontal disease can therefore, lead to tooth loss and, when bacteria from the mouth enter the bloodstream, can also contribute to the development of <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/bdjteam2015163">systemic disorders</a> such as cardiovascular disease, dementia, diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis. <h2>Leafy greens may be the secret</h2> Leafy greens and root vegetables are bursting with <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666149723000312">vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants</a> – and it’s no secret that a diet consisting of these vegetables is crucial for maintaining a healthy weight, boosting the immune system, and preventing <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/2048004016661435">heart disease, cancer and diabetes.</a> The multiple health benefits of leafy greens are partly because spinach, lettuce and beetroots are brimming with <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-69931-x">nitrate</a>, which can be reduced to nitric oxide by nitrate-reducing bacteria inside the mouth. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7zrRlMGeBes?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption>Popeye knew a thing or two about the health benefits of eating leafy greens. Boomerang Official, 2017.</figcaption></figure> Nitric oxide is known to <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0006295222004191">lower blood pressure</a> and improve <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0243755#:%7E:text=Nitrate%2Drich%20beetroot%20juice%20offsets,healthy%20male%20runners%20%7C%20PLOS%20ONE">exercise performance</a>. However, in the mouth, it helps to prevent the overgrowth of bad bacteria and reduces <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0243755#:%7E:text=Nitrate%2Drich%20beetroot%20juice%20offsets,healthy%20male%20runners%20%7C%20PLOS%20ONE">oral acidity</a>, both of which can cause gum disease and tooth decay. As part of our research on nitrate and oral health, <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0243755#:%7E:text=Nitrate%2Drich%20beetroot%20juice%20offsets,healthy%20male%20runners%20%7C%20PLOS%20ONE">we studied competitive athletes</a>. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9839431/">Athletes are prone to gum disease</a> due to high intake of carbohydrates – which can cause inflammation of the gum tissues – stress, and dry mouth from breathing hard during training. Our study showed that beetroot juice (containing approximately 12 <a href="https://www.nursingtimes.net/students/an-easy-guide-to-mmols-09-02-2012/">millimole</a> of nitrate) protected their teeth from acidic sports drinks and carbohydrate gels during exercise – suggesting that nitrate could be used as a prebiotic by athletes to reduce the risk of tooth decay. Nitrate offers a lot of promise as an oral health <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-69931-x">prebiotic</a>. Good oral hygiene and a nitrate rich diet could be the key to a healthier body, a vibrant smile and disease-free gums. This is good news for those most at risk of oral health deterioration such as <a href="https://www.news-medical.net/health/Periodontitis-and-Pregnancy.aspx">pregnant women</a>, and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8771712/">the elderly</a>. In the UK, antiseptic mouthwashes containing <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-61912-4">chlorhexidine</a> are commonly used to treat dental plaque and gum disease. Unfortunately, these mouthwashes are a blunderbuss approach to oral health, as they indiscriminately remove both good and bad bacteria and increase oral acidity, which can cause disease. Worryingly, early research also indicates that chlorhexidine may contribute to <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30967854/">antimicrobial resistance</a>. Resistance occurs when bacteria and fungi survive the effects of one or more <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4768623/">antimicrobial drugs</a> due to repeated exposure to these treatments. Antimicrobial resistance is a <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(21)02724-0/fulltext">global health concern</a>, predicted to cause 10 million deaths yearly by the year 2050. In contrast, dietary nitrate is more targeted. Nitrate eliminates disease-associated bacteria, reduces oral acidity and creates a balanced <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2944498/">oral microbiome</a>. The oral microbiome refers to all the microorganisms in the mouth. Nitrate offers exciting potential as an <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-69931-x">oral health prebiotic</a>, which can be used to prevent disease onset or limit disease progression. <h2>How many leafy greens for pearly whites?</h2> So how much should we consume daily? As a rule of thumb, a generous helping of spinach, kale or beetroot at mealtimes contains about 6-10 mmol of nitrate and offers immediate health benefits. Work we have done with our collaborators has shown that treating <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-69931-x">plaque samples</a> from periodontal disease patients with 6.5 mmol of nitrate increased healthy bacteria levels and reduced acidity. For example, consuming <a href="https://aap.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/JPER.20-0778">lettuce juice</a> for two weeks reduced gum inflammation and increased healthy bacteria levels in patients with gum disease. Growing evidence suggests that nitrate is a cornerstone of oral health. Crunching on a portion of vegetables at mealtimes can help to prevent or treat oral disease and keeps the mouth fresh and healthy.<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/221181/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/mia-cousins-burleigh-1201153">Mia Cousins Burleigh</a>, Lecturer, School of Health and Life Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-the-west-of-scotland-1385">University of the West of Scotland</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/siobhan-paula-moran-1506183">Siobhan Paula Moran</a>, PhD candidate, School of Health and Life Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-the-west-of-scotland-1385">University of the West of Scotland</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/eating-leafy-greens-could-be-better-for-oral-health-than-using-mouthwash-221181">original article</a>.

Body

15 hacks that make running errands so much better

Run errands during the week More than 90 per cent of people do errands on the weekends, meaning shops will be packed and traffic will be a nightmare. Running errands on a weeknight will get you in and out in half the time. Once the kids are in bed, have one parent stay home while the other drives to the shops. You’ll miss the crowds and keep your weekend free for fun and family. Turn on a podcast Radio music – and its deejays and commercials – can get intense. Switch off the FM and plug in your phone so you can listen to a podcast or audiobook. You’ll be more relaxed, and the time will fly as you get engrossed in the story. Make the most of your time Never run out for just one task. Save time, petrol, and stress by getting more than one thing done when you’re out of the house. After dropping your child off at soccer practice, drop off your dry cleaning or pick up the milk from the supermarket. Set up an errand centre in your home Keeping all the objects you’ll need to complete your errands – packages to be mailed, dry cleaning to be delivered, library books to be returned – in one place will make it easy to get out the door when you get the chance. Designate a space by the door or in your car as a visual reminder of what needs to get done. Buy in bulk Picking up big batches of items like toilet paper, dog food, and tampons means fewer trips to the supermarket and less time running errands. Plus, you save money by buying bulk packages or stocking up while the items are on sale. Use long lines for "me time" Instead of griping about how long your wait to the cash register is, think of it as a few peaceful moments to yourself. Close your eyes (don’t be self-conscious!) and imagine yourself sitting on a quiet beach or getting a massage. Take several deep breaths while you mentally escape to that place. You’ll be much more relaxed, and you can wait in line with less frustration. Practice mindfulness Performing a ‘walking meditation’ while you shop will keep you engaged with your task instead of letting your mind wander to other stressors. By the end of your trip, you’ll have more energy and less frustration. Pay attention to the bright colours of the produce, the scents wafting from the bakery, and the feeling of each step you take. Do someone else's errands If you have an elderly neighbour or know a mother with young kids, offer to add some of their tasks to your to-do list. Studies have shown that helping others can reduce stress. Tune out Instead of drowning out your thoughts with music, keep the radio off when you’re driving and allow your own thoughts to come to you. The stimuli of everyday life can be overwhelming, so this is your chance to recharge your energy in the silence. Keep a grocery list on your phone You probably buy the same things on most of your grocery runs. Instead of writing a new list every week, keep an ongoing list on your phone, which makes it easy to add and remove items. Organise your list in the order you’ll find them at the supermarket. For instance, if you start near the produce section, write the fruits and vegetables first. Reward yourself To keep yourself motivated while you’re out, add a little luxury to your shopping list. Treat yourself with nice bath soap, a bouquet of flowers, or your favourite craft beer. Keep an ongoing errands list Write down your usual tasks, along with the ones you keep forgetting to do, like buying socks for your child or making a vet appointment for the dog, in a notepad. Carry it with you so you don’t miss anything when you’re out. When you’re home, stash it where the rest of your family can access it and jot down their needs. Buy online as much as possible The possibilities are endless: order groceries, buy stamps, cash checks, and renew library books online. Giving your credit card number over a secured server is safer than stating your number over the phone, and sometimes safer than handing your card over at a store. Alternate tasks with your neighbours Make a deal with your neighbours in which you do the grocery shopping one week, and they take care of it the next. You can watch each other’s kids when it’s your turn to stay home, and both of you will make fewer trips to the supermarket. Or plan to go grocery shopping with a friend. You’ll have more fun with the social support, and your kids might behave better with someone else present. Have dad run errands with the kids Kids who cook, clean, and run errands with their dads have more friends and are better behaved, according to a University of California study. Make sure your partner (or you, if you’re a dad) takes the kids along every now and then. As a bonus, wives of men who do chores with their kids find their husbands more attractive. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/culture/15-hacks-that-make-running-errands-so-much-better?pages=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.

Money & Banking

"Do better": Baggage handlers captured recklessly throwing wheelchairs

American Airlines has been forced to apologise after two baggage handlers were captured recklessly throwing around wheelchairs. The video of the staffers was captured and posted to TikTok, showing two men in hi-vis at Miami Airport throwing a wheelchair down a slide. The chair hits the bottom with such force that it is catapulted off the chute. In the caption of the video, the poster revealed it was not the first mobility device to suffer such a fate, as she wrote, "Dang, after I saw them do this and laugh with the first two wheelchairs I had to get it on film." She added that it wasn't what she would call "handling with care" for a mobility device. <div class="embed" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none !important;"><iframe class="embedly-embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 600px; max-width: 100%; outline: none !important;" title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7303306999909960990&display_name=tiktok&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40haez93%2Fvideo%2F7303306999909960990%3Flang%3Den&image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign.tiktokcdn-us.com%2Fobj%2Ftos-useast8-p-0068-tx2%2FoIRPINBLSaBIEAVIxqpEaik1LBxVjiEZAq5m5%3Fx-expires%3D1700863200%26x-signature%3DumASXIu6Qa1eNNxX0Jshk1pfrJQ%253D&key=59e3ae3acaa649a5a98672932445e203&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> The video has racked up over 2 million viewers, with many flocking to the comments to share their thoughts. "This makes me rage. That is literally someone's lifeline," one person wrote. "Knowing our healthcare system that basic wheelchair was soooooo f-ing expensive," another added. A commenter clarified, "these chairs cost upwards of $3k plus. They aren't easily replaceable and insurance only covers new chairs every 5 years". Another person wrote, "From a wheelchair user, thank you for posting this and raising awareness," while another angry viewer simply wrote, "Do better American Airlines". After the video quickly went viral on social media, the airline issued a statement on the incident, as American Airlines spokesperson Amy Lawrence told <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/airline-news/2023/11/20/american-airlines-wheelchair-miami-mishandling-video/71655649007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">USA Today</a> in a statement: "We recognise how important it is to support the independence of customers with disabilities by ensuring the proper care of mobility devices throughout their journey with us." "This visual is deeply concerning and we are gathering more details so that we can address them with our team. We will continue to work hard to improve our handling of assistive devices across our network." Image credits: TikTok

Travel Trouble

Homeowners often feel better about life than renters, but not always – whether you are mortgaged matters

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rachel-ong-viforj-113482">Rachel Ong ViforJ</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/curtin-university-873">Curtin University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hiroaki-suenaga-1477343">Hiroaki Suenaga</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/curtin-university-873">Curtin University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ryan-brierty-1477346">Ryan Brierty</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/curtin-university-873">Curtin University</a> Homeownership has long been thought of as the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-08-23/why-australians-are-obsessed-with-owning-property/8830976">great Australian dream</a>. For individuals, it’s seen as the path to adulthood and prosperity. For the nation, it’s seen as a cornerstone of economic and social policy. Implicit in this is the assumption that owning a home rather than renting one makes people better off. It’s an assumption we are now able to examine using data from the government-funded <a href="https://melbourneinstitute.unimelb.edu.au/hilda">Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia</a> (HILDA) survey, which for two decades has asked questions both about homeownership and satisfaction with life. The <a href="https://melbourneinstitute.unimelb.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/4694137/ContinuingPersonQuestionnaireW23M.pdf">overarching question</a> asks "all things considered, how satisfied are you with your life? Pick a number between 0 and 10 to indicate how satisfied you are". We also looked at people’s satisfaction with their financial situation, their home and the neighbourhood in which they live. In a study published in the journal <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/00420980231190479">Urban Studies</a>, we linked those answers to home ownership and characteristics including age and income. As expected, we found homeowners were generally more satisfied with their lives than renters. But we also find the extent to which they were more satisfied depended on whether or not they were still paying off a mortgage. <h2>Mortgaged homeowners about as satisfied as renters</h2> Outright home owners were 1.5 times as likely to report high overall satisfaction as renters. But home owners still paying off a mortgage were only a little more likely to feel high overall satisfaction. Similarly, outright owners were 2.3 times as likely to report high financial satisfaction as renters – but mortgaged owners were only 1.1 times as likely. When it comes to satisfaction with their home and neighbourhood, the differences were less extreme. Outright home owners were 3.1 times as likely to report high satisfaction with their home as renters, while mortgaged owners were 2.8 times as likely. Outright owners were 1.6 times as likely to report high satisfaction with their neighbourhood as renters, and mortgaged owners 1.4 times as likely. The results also varied with age and income. <hr /> <iframe id="hK9Ua" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" style="border: none;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/hK9Ua/3/" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0"></iframe> <hr /> As shown in the graph above, outright owners were more likely to report high financial satisfaction than renters across almost the entire age range. But mortgaged owners only showed a demonstrably greater financial satisfaction than renters between the ages of 25 and 50. Beyond age 50, the existence of a mortgage debt burden appeared to cancel out any boost to financial satisfaction from homeownership. This potentially reflects the growing financial stress of making mortgage payments as retirement approaches. <hr /> <iframe id="f2GSl" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" style="border: none;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/f2GSl/3/" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0"></iframe> <hr /> By income, mortgaged owners reported experiencing more financial satisfaction compared to renters the more they earned between A$80,000 and A$240,000. Outright owners experienced more financial satisfaction than renters up to A$320,000. Beyond these income levels, owners did not have greater financial satisfaction than renters, perhaps because high-earning renters have other sources of financial satisfaction. <h2>How satisfied people feel beyond 60</h2> In other respects, outright owners and mortgaged homeowners showed similar patterns, becoming more satisfied with their homes relative to renters the more they age up – until the age of 60. That’s when their satisfaction relative to renters declined, as illustrated below. This decline might reflect the growing physical burden of maintaining an owned home as people age. <hr /> <iframe id="oLrHz" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" style="border: none;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/oLrHz/2/" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0"></iframe> <hr /> Our study has important implications. One is that age matters. Although older people consistently express a desire to <a href="https://www.ahuri.edu.au/analysis/brief/whats-needed-make-ageing-place-work-older-australians">age in place</a>, we found satisfaction among those who owned vs rented their home declined beyond age 60. This suggests better integration between housing and care is critical to support people ageing in place. Another implication is that as low-income owners are more reliant on their homes as a source of relative financial satisfaction than high earners, they are <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-social-policy/article/housing-equity-withdrawal-perceptions-of-obstacles-among-older-australian-home-owners-and-associated-service-providers/268F54A8EAA1E9ECA118E243505AA9FD">more exposed</a> in times of crisis. They may face the risk of being forced to sell suddenly with little time to consider the consequences. And another implication is as the relative financial satisfaction of mortgage holders disappears after the age of 50, and as more of us approach retirement with mortgages intact, more of us will either <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/00420980211026578">postpone retirement</a> or become dissatisfied. Our findings suggest the extension of mortgage debt into later life should be discouraged if the benefits of the Australian dream are to be preserved.<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/215147/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rachel-ong-viforj-113482">Rachel Ong ViforJ</a>, ARC Future Fellow & Professor of Economics, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/curtin-university-873">Curtin University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hiroaki-suenaga-1477343">Hiroaki Suenaga</a>, Senior Lecturer School of Accounting, Economics and Finance, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/curtin-university-873">Curtin University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ryan-brierty-1477346">Ryan Brierty</a>, PhD candidate, School of Accounting, Economics and Finance, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/curtin-university-873">Curtin University</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/homeowners-often-feel-better-about-life-than-renters-but-not-always-whether-you-are-mortgaged-matters-215147">original article</a>.

Home & Garden

The path to better hearing, today

In 1902, Princess Alexandra of Denmark, who would very soon become Queen Consort of the United Kingdom alongside King Edward VII, found herself enraptured by a fascinating new device that was fast becoming the talk of Europe. The young princess had been fitted with one of the world’s first portable electric hearing aids, and it proved to be a life-changing success. Back in Denmark, the impact of this event became a clarion call to one Hans Demant, a bicycle manufacturer and purveyor of sewing machines. His wife, Camilla, also suffered from severe hearing loss and so, after a determined journey to London, Hans returned with a precious electric “Acousticon”. Witnessing Camilla’s progress served as a source of inspiration for Hans to extend his assistance to a broader community of individuals suffering with hearing loss, and so he initiated the import of hearing devices from America. In 1904, Hans Demant founded the company that would later become known as <a href="https://www.oticon.co.nz/">Oticon</a>, a name now synonymous with cutting-edge hearing solutions, paving the way for the modern hearing aids we know today and bringing new-found joy to millions worldwide. <h3>Hearing health</h3> Hearing health is a such critical aspect of our overall well-being, yet it often goes overlooked until problems arise. In New Zealand, hearing issues affect a surprisingly large portion of the population, with a 2022 EHIMA report estimating as many as one in ten New Zealanders are living with hearing loss. Sadly, a lack of awareness can lead to irregular hear- ing check-ups, which in turn leads to delayed diagnosis and treatment. <h3><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-50616" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2023/11/miniRITE_R_H1-2023_RightLeft_C090ChromaBeige_LEDgreen_Speaker60_OpenBassDome_500pctSize_w_shadow_1280.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="642" /></h3> <h3>A new world of sounds</h3> A far cry from the bulky hearing aids of over a century ago that were hailed as a miracle in the press and transformed Queen Alexandra’s life, the pinnacle of today’s devices – such as <a href="https://www.oticon.co.nz/hearing-aid-users/hearing-aids/products/real" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Oticon Real™ hearing aids</a> – continue to change the way we experience the world of sound. With their advanced processing capabilities and state-of-the-art technology, Oticon Real can help get back the real sounds of life, precise and optimally balanced, whether it’s the laughter of grandchildren, musical notes or simply the rustling of leaves in the wind. One of the standout features of Oticon Real hearing aids is a unique technology called Deep Neural Network (DNN). This built-in intelligence has learned to recognise all types of sounds, their details, and how they should ideally sound. This means they can instantly adapt to changes, keeping you at your best wherever life takes you. By analysing and adjusting to your environment, Oticon Real hearing aids ensure that they provide what you need to hear. They do this by reducing background noise, which can help enhance speech comprehension and allow you to engage effortlessly in conversations, even in noisy settings. <h3>Connection is key</h3> In today’s digital age, connectivity is paramount, and Oticon Real hearing aids certainly rise to the challenge, offering seamless connectivity to compatible* smartphones and other Bluetooth-enabled devices. You can effortlessly stream phone calls, music and other audio directly to your hearing aids, vastly enhancing your listening experience. <h3><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-50617" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2023/11/Oticon_Real_Still_Life_miniRITE_R_Wallet_JBS_24873_1280.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="863" /></h3> <h3>Improved quality of life</h3> Perhaps the most significant benefit of Oticon Real hearing aids is their positive impact on your quality of life. Improved hearing can lead to increased social engagement, better relationships and enhanced overall well-being. With the help of Oticon Real, you can participate more actively in social gatherings, make the most of your favourite activities and feel more connected to the world around you. Oticon Real hearing aids aren’t just devices; they are a life-changing gift that allow you to reconnect with the sounds and people you love. No longer are they fit just for a queen; they are readily available to anyone with the need and the longing to be truly present for life’s most cherished moments. For more information and to find your nearest hearing clinic, visit <a href="https://www.oticon.co.nz/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">oticon.co.nz</a> *For information on hearing aid and device compatibility, visit <a href="https://www.oticon.co.nz/compatibility" target="_blank" rel="noopener">www.oticon.co.nz/compatibility</a> <img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-50618" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2023/11/Oticon_Real_miniRITE_R_9_colors_lineup_1280.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="125" /> All images: Supplied. This is a sponsored article produced in partnership with Oticon.

Hearing

Handkerchief or tissue? Which one’s better for our health and the planet?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/mark-patrick-taylor-11394">Mark Patrick Taylor</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/macquarie-university-1174">Macquarie University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hester-joyce-122106">Hester Joyce</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/la-trobe-university-842">La Trobe University</a> Maybe you have hay fever, COVID, a cold or the flu, and are reaching for a tissue or handkerchief. But which one’s better at stopping infections spreading? Which has a smaller environmental impact? Is it the hanky, which has been with us since at least Roman times? Or the more recent and widely-used paper tissue? You might be surprised at the results. <h2>A short history of the handkerchief and tissue</h2> Today, we think of hankies as something to wipe noses, and catch coughs and sneezes. But such a simple square of cloth has a complex history. In the first century, the Romans <a href="http://margaretroedesigns.com/wp-content/uploads/HandkerchiefHist.pdf">used</a> a sudarium (Latin for sweat cloth) to wipe off sweat, or to mask the mouth and face. Over time, people have used what we now call a handkerchief or hanky, as a head covering, as a veil and for disguise, to clean hands, for wounds and to staunch blood. Wealthy people have used them to signify class and manners, and for discretely wiping away phlegm rather than smearing snot on sleeves or down skirts. Royalty have used them to indicate wealth and power through their gifts of fine linen and silk handkerchiefs to favoured subjects. Henry VIII owned an extensive collection, some embossed with gold and silver. Handkerchiefs have also been <a href="https://www.bl.uk/collection-items/italian-handkerchief">markers of</a> love, fidelity and sexual preferences. In the late 19th century the “handkerchief code” was a system of colour coding and handkerchief placement used to indicate sexual preferences, <a href="https://www.refinery29.com/en-au/lgbtq-secret-handkerchief-code-language">which is still active</a> in LGBTQ+ communities today. We can <a href="https://www.euppublishing.com/doi/epub/10.3366/cult.2020.0214">trace the origins</a> of paper tissue to China in the 2nd century BC. But it wasn’t until the 1920s that tissue as we know it today <a href="https://www.kleenex.co.uk/kleenex-history">was developed</a> to remove make-up and wipe runny noses from hay fever. <h2>So, which one is better for our health?</h2> More than 100 years ago, a cloth hanky was considered a “<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5248216/pdf/hosplond73063-0008b.pdf">little flag of Death</a>” because of the germs it carried and how it contaminated pockets it was left in. Later, we were urged to use a hanky <a href="http://resource.nlm.nih.gov/101449736">as</a> “coughs and sneezes spread diseases”. <figure class="align-right zoomable"><figcaption></figcaption></figure> Today, we know nasal secretions harbour cold-type viruses that can be <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jmv.22027">transferred</a> to a <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/health/talkinghealth/factbuster/stories/2011/06/02/3231404.htm">range of surfaces</a> – hands, handkerchiefs, tissues, door knobs, keyboards – sometimes surviving <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a113473">long after</a> the initial exposure. So blowing your nose into a reusable cotton hanky, then touching another object, means these viruses can spread. Even if you put your cotton hanky in the wash immediately, you’d likely contaminate surfaces on the way, such as doorknobs, and use your infected hands to operate the washing machine. Viruses don’t tend to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/infdis/146.1.47">survive so long</a> on tissues. As long as you throw tissues away after using them, and don’t leave them lying around for others to pick up, the chance of passing germs to others from a used tissue is far lower. Then there’s the question of whether hankies or tissues are effective barriers to coughing and respiratory spray. Basic cloth coverings, such as handkerchiefs or bandannas, can catch sputum, as can tissues. But several studies have shown they do not effectively <a href="https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.nanolett.0c02211">filter</a> <a href="https://aaqr.org/articles/aaqr-13-06-oa-0201.pdf">respiratory aerosols</a>, or <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/153567601001500204">stop you inhaling</a> pollutants, pathogens or <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheh.2018.03.012">small airborne particles</a>. <h2>Which one is better for the planet?</h2> If you want to look at environmental considerations, US company Ecosystem Analytics <a href="https://ecosystem-analytics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Complete-LCA-Facial-Tissue-Handkerchief.pdf">compared</a> resusable cotton hankies to disposable paper tissues using a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02978505">lifecycle analysis</a>. It considered four measures of environmental impacts associated with production, transport, use and disposal: <ul> <li> climate change (sum of greenhouse gases: carbon dioxide, methane, water vapour, nitrous oxide and CFCs) </li> <li> ecosystem quality (chemical pollution of land and water) </li> <li> human health (carcinogenic and non‐carcinogenic toxicity to humans) </li> <li> resources (total energy requirements of non‐renewable energy and mineral extraction). </li> </ul> The verdict? Across the four measures, a cotton hanky had five to seven times greater impact than an equivalent tissue. And, by far, the greatest impacts were related to the production of each of these products, rather than using or disposing of them. If you’re still keen to use a cotton hanky, you could opt for organic cotton, which has a <a href="https://www.sei.org/publications/ecological-footprint-water-analysis-cotton-hemp-polyester/">lower ecological footprint</a> compared to standard cotton produced in the same location. But organic cotton production has <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/blog/is-organic-cotton-better-for-the-environment/">lower yields</a> than its conventional equivalent, meaning more land is needed to produce an equivalent amount, compounding the total environmental impact. If you want to feel better about using tissues, ones made from recycled material may be a better option. Their manufacture leads to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s11367-013-0597-x">fewer</a> greenhouse gas emissions compared with making regular tissues. <h2>The verdict</h2> Wiping our noses with paper tissues we dispose of properly after use (and don’t store in our pocket), made from recycled material, is preferable from both a health and environmental perspective. But tissues don’t quite have the same panache as the historic and versatile cloth hanky.<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/213065/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/mark-patrick-taylor-11394">Mark Patrick Taylor</a>, Chief Environmental Scientist, EPA Victoria; Honorary Professor, School of Natural Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/macquarie-university-1174">Macquarie University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hester-joyce-122106">Hester Joyce</a>, Adjunct Associate Professor, Creative Arts, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/la-trobe-university-842">La Trobe University</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/handkerchief-or-tissue-which-ones-better-for-our-health-and-the-planet-213065">original article</a>.

Caring

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

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/evangeline-mantzioris-153250">Evangeline Mantzioris</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> Fish oil, which contains omega-3 fatty acids, is promoted for a number of health benefits – from boosting our heart health, protecting our brain from dementia, and easing the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. But what exactly are omega-3 fats and what does the evidence say about their benefits for keeping us healthy? And if they are good for us, does eating fish provide the same benefit as supplements? <h2>What are omega-3 fats?</h2> Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of polyunsaturated fatty acid. They are essential to consume in our diet because we can’t make them in our body. Three main types of omega-3 fats are important in our diet: <ul> <li> alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which is found in plant foods such as green leafy vegetables, walnuts, flaxseed and chia seeds </li> <li> eicosapentanoic acid (EPA), which is only found in seafood, eggs (higher in free-range rather than cage eggs) and breast milk </li> <li> docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is also only found in seafood, eggs (again, higher in free-range eggs) and breast milk. </li> </ul> Omega 3s are key to the structure of our cells, and help keep our heart, lungs, blood vessels, and immune system working. <h2>Eating fish vs taking a supplement</h2> The initial studies suggesting omega-3 fats may have health benefits came from <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/j.0954-6820.1976.tb08198.x">observational studies on people eating fish</a>, not from fish oil. So are the “active ingredients” from supplements – the EPA and DHA – absorbed into our body in the same way as fish? An <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002916523281484">intervention study</a> (where one group was given fish and one group fish oil supplements) found the levels of EPA and DHA in your body increase in a similar way when you consume equal amounts of them from either fish or fish oil. But this assumes it is just the omega-3 fats that provide health benefits. There are other <a href="https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/science/monitoringnutrients/afcd/pages/default.aspx">components of fish</a>, such as protein, vitamins A and D, iodine, and selenium that could be wholly or jointly responsible for the health benefits. The health benefits seen may also be partially due to the absence of certain nutrients that would have otherwise been consumed from other types of meat (red meat and processed meat) such as saturated fats and salt. <h2>So what are the benefits of omega 3 fats? And does the source matter?</h2> Let’s consider the evidence for heart disease, arthritis and dementia. Heart disease For cardiovascular disease (heart attacks and stroke), a <a href="https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD003177.pub3/full">meta-analysis</a>, which provides the highest quality evidence, has shown fish oil supplementation probably makes little or no difference. Another <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/12/8/2278">meta-analysis</a> found for every 20 grams per day of fish consumed it reduced the risk of coronary heart disease by 4%. The <a href="https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/getmedia/f1d22267-7381-4513-834b-df317bed9a40/Nutrition_Position_Statement_-_DIETARY_FAT_FINAL-4.pdf">National Heart Foundation</a> recommends, based on the scientific evidence, eating fish rich in omega-3 fats for optimal heart health. <a href="https://apjcn.nhri.org.tw/server/APJCN/17/3/385.pdf">Fish vary in their omega-3 levels</a> and generally the fishier they taste the more omega-3 fats they have – such as tuna, salmon, deep sea perch, trevally, mackeral and snook. The foundation says fish oil may be beneficial for people with heart failure or high triglycerides, a type of fat that circulates in the blood that increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. But it doesn’t recommend fish oil for reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases (heart attack and stroke). Arthritis For rheumatoid arthritis, <a href="https://arthritis-research.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13075-022-02781-2">studies</a> have shown fish oil supplements do provide benefits in reducing the severity and the progression of the disease. Eating fish also leads to these improvements, but as the level of EPA and DHA needed is high, often it’s difficult and expensive to consume that amount from fish alone. <a href="https://arthritisaustralia.com.au/managing-arthritis/living-with-arthritis/complementary-treatments-and-therapies/fish-oils/">Arthritis Australia</a> recommends, based on the evidence, about 2.7 grams of EPA and DHA a day to reduce joint inflammation. Most supplements contain about 300-400mg of omega-3 fats. So depending on how much EPA and DHA is in each capsule, you may need nine to 14 capsules (or five to seven capsules of fish oil concentrate) a day. This is about 130g-140g of grilled salmon or mackeral, or 350g of canned tuna in brine (almost four small tins). Dementia <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0952327807001421?via%3Dihub">Epidemiological studies</a> have shown a positive link between an increased DHA intake (from diet) and a lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, a type of dementia. <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0952327807001421?via%3Dihub">Animal studies</a> have shown DHA can alter markers that are used to assess brain function (such as accumulation of amyloid – a protein thought to be linked to dementia, and damage to tau protein, which helps stabilise nerve cells in the brain). But this hasn’t been shown in humans yet. A systematic review of <a href="http://betamedarts.gr/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/31Psychiatriki03_2020.pdf#page=58">multiple studies in people</a> has shown different results for omega-3 fats from supplements. In the two studies that gave omega-3 fats as supplements to people with dementia, there was no improvement. But when given to people with mild cognitive impairment, a condition associated with increased risk of progressing to dementia, there was an improvement. Another <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25446949/">meta-anlayses</a> (a study of studies) showed a higher intake of fish was linked to lower risk of Alzheimers, but this relationship was not observed with total dietary intake of omega-3 fats. This indicates there may be other protective benefits derived from eating fish. In line with the evidence, the <a href="https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/about-dementia/risk-factors-and-prevention/omega-3-and-dementia#:%7E:text=This%20could%20suggest%20that%20taking,its%20own%20may%20not%20be.">Alzheimer’s Society</a> recommends eating fish over taking fish oil supplements. <h2>So what’s the bottom line?</h2> The more people stick to a healthy, plant-based diet with fish and minimal intakes of ultra-processed foods, the better their health will be. At the moment, the evidence suggests fish oil is beneficial for rheumatoid arthritis, particularly if people find it difficult to eat large amounts of fish. For dementia and heart disease, it’s best to try to eat your omega-3 fats from your diet. While plant foods contain ALA, this will not be as efficient as increasing EPA and DHA levels in your body by eating seafood. Like any product that sits on the shop shelves, check the use-by date of the fish oil and make sure you will be able to consume it all by then. The chemical structure of EPA and DHA makes <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924224421005422">it susceptible to degradation</a>, which affects its nutritional value. Store it in cold conditions, preferably in the fridge, away from light. Fish oil can have some annoying side effects, such as fishy burps, but generally there are <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3664575/">minimal serious side effects</a>. However, it’s important to discuss taking fish oil with all your treating doctors, particularly if you’re on other medication.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/212250/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/evangeline-mantzioris-153250">Evangeline Mantzioris</a>, Program Director of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Accredited Practising Dietitian, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/are-fish-oil-supplements-as-healthy-as-we-think-and-is-eating-fish-better-212250">original article</a>.

Body

How can I get better sleep on long-haul flights?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/leigh-signal-1462806">Leigh Signal</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/massey-university-806">Massey University</a> For most of us, the prospect of a long-haul flight is exciting, mixed with a few nerves. We’re off somewhere different – perhaps a holiday, maybe to catch up with friends or family. Even work can be more interesting when you’re in a new location. Of course, you want to arrive fully rested and ready to go. But by its very definition, a long-haul flight involves travelling for a long period of time, often more than 12 hours. If you’re on a flight from New York to Singapore, it can be close to 19 hours. All that time you’re confined in a seat that’s supposed to recline but feels like it hardly moves, while the seat in front seems to recline ten times lower than yours. So, what can you do to get a a decent rest? <h2>Accept the situation</h2> The first tip for sleep in this setting is to relax your expectations a little. Humans are just not well designed to sleep in an almost upright position. Unless you’re lucky to fly in a class with a lie-flat seat, you’re very unlikely to step off a long-haul flight having had a solid eight hours of sleep. Research by colleagues and myself <a href="https://academic.oup.com/sleep/article/36/1/109/2656896">has shown</a> pilots – who get a bunk to sleep in during their in-flight rest breaks – have light and fragmented sleep. Despite not having great quality sleep, you can be assured <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/jsr.12071?casa_token=S_3bRlU31x8AAAAA:BDeXhWwlMUXfDvtz59M0eSRGfXiK2jm45Tsr5uzMM02t3hktXfEEzU9OjSdGwbVZ_YuCIoUvnpDaKO0">our research</a> <a href="https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/asma/asem/2014/00000085/00000012/art00007">also shows</a> pilots remain very good at their job throughout a long-haul flight. This, <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.3109/07420528.2012.719957?casa_token=zoFj2qt5RPMAAAAA%3ANeXdd1ALMMv9zxRJF3GhpoCS3u3eT8Q_kmNqFpsWh7oz1dLyVJgDpU3vo547iGotvX5d9CCiTfi62g">plus findings</a> from <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/B9780444537027000099">many other lab-based studies</a>, tells us that even a short amount of light sleep has benefits. So, even if you can’t get your usual eight hours during the flight, any sleep you do get will help you feel and function better at your destination. Also, we’re not great at judging how much sleep we’ve had, particularly if our sleep is light and broken. So you’re likely to have slept more than you think. <h2>Time your sleep and drinks</h2> The timing of your flight, and consumption of alcohol and caffeine will directly impact your ability to sleep on an aircraft. Assuming you’re adjusted to the time zone the flight departs from, daytime flights will make sleep on board much harder, whereas nighttime flights make sleep easier. All humans have a circadian (24-hour) time-keeping system, which programs us for sleep at night and wakefulness during the day. Sleeping (or waking) against this biological time-keeping system poses significant challenges. We do have a natural decrease of alertness in the middle of the afternoon, which makes this a good time to try for sleep on a daytime flight. On nighttime flights it will be easier to sleep once the dinner service is finished, otherwise you will be battling noise, light and the movement of people around you. As a stimulant, caffeine helps us stay alert. Even if you’re a regular coffee drinker and can fall asleep after drinking caffeine, your sleep will be lighter and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2016.01.006">you’ll be more easily woken</a>. On the other hand, alcohol makes us feel sleepy, but it interferes with our brains’ ability to have REM sleep (also known as dreaming sleep). Although you may fall asleep more easily after consuming alcohol, your sleep will be more disturbed once your body metabolises the alcohol and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5821259/">attempts to catch up</a> on the REM sleep it’s missed out on. <h2>What about taking melatonin or other drugs?</h2> Some people find taking a sleeping tablet or melatonin can help on a plane. This is a very personal choice. Before taking sleeping medication or melatonin you should see your doctor, and only take what’s prescribed for you. Many sleeping medications <a href="https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/ben/cnsnddt/2023/00000022/00000002/art00006">do not allow perfectly normal sleep to occur</a> and can make you feel <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3657033">groggy and drowsy</a> after waking. Importantly, melatonin is a hormone our brains use to tell us it’s nighttime. Melatonin can assist with sleep, but depending on when and how much you take, it can also shift your circadian clock. This could shift you further away from being aligned with the destination time zone. Taking melatonin in your biological afternoon and evening will shift your circadian time-keeping system east (or earlier) and taking it toward the end of your biological night and in your biological morning will shift the circadian time-keeping system west (or later). It gets complicated very quickly! <h2>Prepare your clothes and accessories</h2> Be prepared so you can create the best possible sleep situation within the constraints of an aircraft seat. Wear comfy layers, so you can take things off if you get too hot or put things on when you cool down, and hang on to that blanket instead of losing it under your seat. Light and noise disturb sleep, so pack eye shades and earplugs (or a noise cancelling headset) to block these out. Practice with eye shades and earplugs at home, as it can take a few sleeps to get used to them. A normal and necessary part of the falling asleep process is relaxation, including our neck muscles. When sitting up, this means our heavy heads will no longer be well supported, resulting in that horrible head-dropping experience most of us have had. Try supporting your head with a neck pillow or, if you have a window seat, against the aircraft wall. (Unless you know the person in the next seat well, they are probably not a good option to prop you up.) <h2>Don’t try to force it</h2> Finally, if you wake up and are struggling to go back to sleep, don’t fight it. Take advantage of the in-flight entertainment. This is one of the few times sleep scientists will tell you it’s okay to turn on the technology – watch a movie, binge-watch a TV series, or if you prefer, listen to music or read a good book. When you feel sleepy, you can try going back to sleep, but don’t get stressed or worried about getting enough sleep. Our brains are very good at sleeping – trust that your body will catch you up when it can.<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/211821/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/leigh-signal-1462806">Leigh Signal</a>, Professor in Fatigue Management and Sleep Health/Associate Dean, Research, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/massey-university-806">Massey 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/how-can-i-get-better-sleep-on-long-haul-flights-211821">original article</a>.

Travel Tips

"Do better": Subway under fire over "distasteful" sign

A Subway store in the US has come under fire for poking fun at the Titan submersible implosion on a promotional sign. The fast food store, located in the Atlanta capital of Georgia, referenced the recent disaster in which five people were killed on an excursion to the Titanic wreckage, as their vessel imploded after it lost contact with its mothership. Their sign read, "Our subs don't implode". Following immense backlash, the store manager told a local radio station that the sign had been taken down. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <a href="https://twitter.com/SUBWAY?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SUBWAY</a> this is at your store in Rincon, GA. Not only is it distasteful, it’s just sad. Do better. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/subway?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#subway</a> <a href="https://t.co/PfgABPU8ML">pic.twitter.com/PfgABPU8ML</a> — Amanda Butler (@Amanda72118560) <a href="https://twitter.com/Amanda72118560/status/1675599325613654018?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 2, 2023</a></blockquote> “We have been in contact with the franchise about this matter and made it clear that this kind of comment has no place in our business,” a statement from Subway to Fox News said. Social media users were quick to condemn the "distasteful" sign, after it went viral on Twitter. One person shared a photo of the sign and wrote, "Not only is it distasteful, it’s just sad. Do better." Another commenter took a stance against the fast food chain, saying, "I’ll never eat at Subway ever again. It is distasteful and disrespectful to families who lost loved ones." Despite the online backlash, some people believed the sign was not the worst thing Subway has done in terms of controversies, with many pointing out the sign is "far less worse than Jared [Fogle]", in reference to the spokesperson for the restaurant in the early 2000s who was arrested for possession of child pornography. Others chose to see the lighter side of the joke on the promotional sign, with one person adding, "No, but Subway subs make your insides explode." Image credits: Twitter

Legal

10 tips for planning a staycation that’s better than an overseas trip

We spent so much of our lives daydreaming to be somewhere else that sometimes we lose sight of how amazing our surrounds actually are! Of course it’s nice to venture overseas, but sometimes it’s equally as nice to take a moment to smell the roses. Here are 10 tips to help you get the most out of your staycation: 1. Plan ahead Not having a clear idea of what you’re actually going to do on the day is the death knell of any staycation. So do some research and figure out some interesting activities to try in your city. A little bit of planning ahead can go a long way. 2. Find timely events Is there a festival you’ve always wanted to go to but never managed to find the time? Well, a staycation is the perfect opportunity to try this. Staycations are pretty much designed for this sort of experience, so enjoy! 3. Don’t go it alone A staycation is also a great opportunity to catch up with some old friends (or even make new ones) so make sure you invite some other people along. 4. Set a budget Even though you’re not really travelling anywhere, it makes sense to set a weekly budget to make sure you’re not spending too much. Or if that seems like a bit too much, even just set out a basic daily limit. Also, take advantage of free regular events in your own city. 5. Check the weather before you head out There’s nothing worse than getting rained on without an umbrella. Check the forecasts and make sure the weather suits your staycation. 6. Say yes as much as you can We spend so much of our lives saying no, but when you’re on a staycation this is your opportunity to say yes as much as possible. Be spontaneous and fun! 7. Ice cream and junk food Well you are on vacation after all! This is a great opportunity to take advantage of those foods you avoid on a weekly basis, even if your belt ends up fitting to a different notch. 8. Mix up your routine Sleep in, stay out late and throw your routine out the window. Enjoy your city for what it is and make sure you take advantage of everything. 9. Be silly Don’t take yourself too seriously when you’re on a staycation and make sure you spend plenty of time enjoying the company of those that are nearest and dearest. 10. Reward yourself While you’re technically not travelling everywhere, staycations still require a lot of work, so make sure you reward yourself with a glass of wine. Image credit: Shutterstock

Domestic Travel

How to make your next holiday better for the environment

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/brendan-canavan-228682">Brendan Canavan</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-nottingham-1192">University of Nottingham</a> Being an environmentally friendly tourist can be challenging. Tourism is an industry that brings many <a href="https://www.unwto.org/EU-guidebook-on-sustainable-tourism-for-development">negative environmental impacts</a> – our pleasure often comes at the expense of local habitats or wildlife. Maya Bay on Thailand’s uninhabited Phi Phi Leh island became famous as the location of the 2000 Hollywood movie The Beach. But this led to rapid growth in visitors to the bay – as many as 8,000 a day at its peak – and put enormous strain on the bay’s natural habitats. In 2018, the bay was <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/maya-bay-thailand-recovery-c2e-spc-intl/index.html">closed to tourists</a> for four years to let its coral reefs and wildlife recover. But tourism can also be an inspiring way to connect with oneself, with others and with new places. As tourists, we can learn, share and contribute to positive environmental practices. As a tourist, you also have influence. The money you spend, the social interactions you have and the resources you consume all <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0261517715300224?casa_token=TaXMOLW6Sp4AAAAA:PEnSG1AaAZ-MiuTNZ1wJfLRrzaNVIbaBsk1cKsP8M-_6KjruLO9tp09BqqzGnJTIZbN8_CoP4Q">help to shape an area</a>. So here are four pieces of advice for making your next holiday better for the environment. <h2>Spend locally</h2> We’ve all heard variations on the mantra “<a href="https://cleanisland.org/history-of-the-leave-only-footprints-initiative/#:%7E:text=%E2%80%9CTake%20only%20memories%2C%20leave%20only,the%20Leave%20Only%20Footprints%20program.">take only memories, leave only footprints</a>”. This message of less consumption and lower impact is a good ethos for environmentally sensitive tourism. The first thing to do is think about how you can leave more positive footprints behind. An excellent way to make the most of your economic footprint is to stay and shop in <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09669580802359293?casa_token=eNeLWWRPHxIAAAAA:9bT4S5-0O5b2JQWrYKgmjtDxrZzlv0P-H-9T2SoWT1fX6tFRkoVenNNcfmJbHV9ebhF2kP7XIEgz">independent businesses</a>. These businesses tend to pay local taxes and are owned by and employ local people. More of the money you spend stays in the immediate area as a result. Where tourist money directly benefits local people and businesses, their support for conservation is <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/26069456.pdf?casa_token=rdKkHk5QviUAAAAA:2ZCqsGG1f-2wFTIdmptbrJDVo8iPjYnam7QPdHXviRy_e0wA7YMY7fc0Qm1smIII4cg6_WriJ1OQwPvxMibmeHQxnO81NPd9jwoeVRudUS2TVv2TNeg">often encouraged</a>. Tourists <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0261517709000120#sec5">visiting rhino sanctuaries</a> in Botswana, for example, bring income and support jobs. In 2010, the country’s Khama Rhino Sanctuary employed 26 permanent staff and many more casual labourers. This economic security can, in turn, prompt local people to appreciate the importance of protecting vulnerable animal species like rhinos. <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09669582.2021.1932927?casa_token=rffO3wgsu6UAAAAA:7dounwsgVunXCW4-NERDNDX9Ks_OVfa3z5TfZDojAdiVVKuXbU52_3DnRNfALNjMCW0PzGPPOu0MQQ">Separate research</a> on people living around Kenya’s Maasai Mara nature reserve found that people whose livelihoods were dependent on tourism were more likely to support efforts to conserve local wildlife. <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/524360/original/file-20230504-19-znuosc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/524360/original/file-20230504-19-znuosc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/524360/original/file-20230504-19-znuosc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/524360/original/file-20230504-19-znuosc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/524360/original/file-20230504-19-znuosc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/524360/original/file-20230504-19-znuosc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/524360/original/file-20230504-19-znuosc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Two white rhinos drinking from a pond." /><figcaption>Two white rhinos at Khama Rhino Sanctuary, Botswana. <a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/white-rhinoceros-ceratotherium-simum-squarelipped-khama-2060738441">Al Carrera/Shutterstock</a></figcaption></figure> <h2>Tread lightly</h2> Tourism creates waste and uses up resources. Treading carefully will minimise the environmental impact you have on your holiday destination. A simple way to lower your environmental footprint is to use fewer resources at every stage of your holiday. A single tourist uses <a href="https://www.e-unwto.org/doi/pdf/10.18111/9789284414529">300 litres</a> of water in their holiday accommodation on average each night. Reusing towels, flushing the toilet less and shortening your shower time can all help to reduce demand for water resources. Thinking about the footprints you leave as a tourist is a useful mindset. You may even become more aware of the positive legacy you can leave behind. Learn about the local area and the environmental issues that matter there. If habitat loss is a problem, contribute to local organisations that support conservation. Organisations like the <a href="https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/holidays">National Trust</a> even offer holidays in the UK that help to fund their work. <h2>Place matters</h2> Tourism shifts you away from the familiar and gives you <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0160738312001211?casa_token=zHTCleS_F3kAAAAA:jWMOOtEJzH8OXySUqafP5Z7koLFOtNSJ2Ik4ncoA9wPCHTW-1MRNJJwRvYtoopoSqCwTRm_TeA">space for self-reflection</a>. Research has found that people have been <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02508281.2017.1342349?role=button&needAccess=true&journalCode=rtrr20">inspired by travel to make life changes</a> such as relocating or shifting career. Many keen rock climbers, for instance, adopt a <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/17450101.2014.977667?casa_token=gCsYfe0mSDkAAAAA:q8f6HbQ9rlwXS5_DGl3De1XUnHXX6U0EC3QUNz65pFivUgPo7RDH0-zGXvspjrTrv73FKkouDPM-">minimalist and mobile lifestyle</a>. <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14616688.2012.762691?needAccess=true">One study</a> on climbers’ lifestyles in the US showed that the challenges of life on the road, gatherings at campgrounds and the considerable amount of time spent in nature can be enriching. Rock climbers’ lifestyles are inspired by and connected to natural settings. And many alternative types of tourism are too. These tourists can become powerful advocates for the protection of the places they care deeply about. Surf tourists, for example, have driven <a href="https://www.sas.org.uk/">various campaigns</a> against the discharge of sewage into UK bathing waters. You and those you travel with can be similar cheerleaders for the places you care about. Join organisations fighting for their conservation, contribute to their sustainable development and share your appreciation of these places with others. <h2>Stay curious</h2> A final thing you can do as a tourist is to keep exploring. It can be tempting to stay in a <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/40970087.pdf?casa_token=zGlcyUgr_JcAAAAA:TzIuU8wrbvXyjAxawpea1Nw35y-5DSZX-MShnpndR4iEwzOQqCul3Hn61SFdotC4dO3hMZ6ddpOI-O0v45K7Jwo6TY9I4FVbUaE8QMuGo7qsBFbvbXE">tourist bubble</a> and not leave the confines of your resort or stick with familiar travel groups and activities. Cruises are a classic example of bubble tourism. The places visited do not really matter; the floating hotel is the main attraction. But cruise tourism rarely benefits local populations and brings <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0261517717302418?casa_token=dz_gzPmnVTsAAAAA:o6WggzlegsnTGIh9__NvL7POYKzGB3pHd44TNswicbl0sOSc5uTUYG-G_qZroQ3gaQVchZR5Gw">significant negative environmental impacts</a>. In the Trujillo Bay area of Honduras, for example, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0261517717302418?casa_token=DDSyzNJhU5sAAAAA:vqMQqzyKJMXHLZmVfcuYesAmc-0KsqzR8GdX97r0AzecrnXCRPNMC7_lHBKyqYKzLbMoHh83zQ#sec7">increases in garbage and sewage</a> have been reported since commercial cruise tourism began operating in the area in 2014. <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/524072/original/file-20230503-28-w8obuy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/524072/original/file-20230503-28-w8obuy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=402&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/524072/original/file-20230503-28-w8obuy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=402&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/524072/original/file-20230503-28-w8obuy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=402&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/524072/original/file-20230503-28-w8obuy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=505&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/524072/original/file-20230503-28-w8obuy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=505&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/524072/original/file-20230503-28-w8obuy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=505&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="A beach full of tourists from the cruise ship moored nearby." /><figcaption>A cruise ship moored near Mahogany Bay beach, Honduras. <a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/mahogany-bay-beach-full-tourists-cruise-1647866578">Ramunas Bruzas/Shutterstock</a></figcaption></figure> Similar concerns have prompted calls to restrict cruise tourism in popular European destinations like <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jul/25/cruise-passengers-shuttled-into-venice-by-motor-boat-to-dodge-big-ships-ban">Venice</a>, <a href="https://www.euronews.com/travel/2022/09/01/stop-cruises-50000-people-sign-petition-to-regulate-polluting-ships-in-marseille">Marseille</a> and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/apr/09/a-plague-of-locusts-barcelona-battles-port-authorities-to-curb-cruise-tourists">Barcelona</a>. In 2022, more than 50,000 people signed a petition to ban cruise ships from Marseille. Going beyond familiar or fashionable tourist bubbles can help you avoid such negative associations. <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0261517709001113?casa_token=SHXc1sqnFOkAAAAA:T8KwGbxBT_jHQv1RMWfJaQagU4C_XnnOKxxwNqODHpboL6YRkzRsr-C9W6mgRHQDa-M6vcAYAA#sec7">Short-haul city breaks</a> are a more environmentally friendly option. Travellers to these destinations are more likely to use means of transportation that are associated with <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/transport-and-environment-statistics-autumn-2021/transport-and-environment-statistics-autumn-2021#:%7E:text=The%20biggest%20contributors%20to%20this,of%20emissions%2C%2019%20MtCO2e%20">less CO₂ emissions</a> than long-haul travel, such as <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959652613005131?casa_token=INw7hbOMnDEAAAAA:Do8AzrmSnJZtOHdqWtc7QLFhgrWF520ej0-_gt0rcZmhzyLGT5DSS3SdmRR6tnxC3qtOHXIThQ">trains or coaches</a>. And in urban areas, their activities are likely to take place in a concentrated geographical area. Thinking about the footprints you leave and the memories you take can help you to become a more environmentally aware tourist. Leave positive imprints behind, tread carefully, put yourself out there and keep exploring. This is a mantra to adopt and share with your travel groups to get the most out of your holiday experiences while simultaneously reducing your impact on the planet.<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/203445/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/brendan-canavan-228682">Brendan Canavan</a>, Senior Lecturer in Marketing, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-nottingham-1192">University of Nottingham</a> 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-to-make-your-next-holiday-better-for-the-environment-203445">original article</a>. Images: Getty

International Travel

Ableism and disablism – how to spot them and how we can all do better

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kelsey-chapman-1345505">Kelsey Chapman</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/angel-dixon-1412256">Angel Dixon</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/elizabeth-kendall-210342">Elizabeth Kendall</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/katie-kelly-1436986">Katie Kelly</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a> When the 2022 Australian of the Year was announced, <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/the-defining-moments-of-dylan-alcotts-time-as-australian-of-the-year/anpkgw2gw">Dylan Alcott</a> wheeled onto the stage. Australian audiences are tuning in to watch TV shows featuring people with disability: <a href="https://iview.abc.net.au/show/you-can-t-ask-that/series/7/video/LE2021H003S00?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIlMCoiYLY_gIVl1l9Ch2plwHkEAAYASAAEgKiC_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds">You Can’t Ask That</a>, <a href="https://iview.abc.net.au/show/love-on-the-spectrum">Love on the Spectrum</a> and <a href="https://iview.abc.net.au/show/employable-me-australia">Employable Me</a>. The Disability Pride movement is gaining momentum and people with disability are becoming part of the diversity conversation. On the surface, it would appear we have come a long way in our collective attitudes towards disability. But two of society’s biggest “-isms” still go largely <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-02-27/harry-styles-concerts-marvel-stadium-accessibility-chloe-hayden/102025124">unnoticed and unaddressed</a>: ableism and disablism. What do these terms mean? And how can we all do better to dismantle them? <h2>Two types of discrimination</h2> Ableism and disablism both refer to types of disability discrimination. The nuance between the two words can cause confusion but are important for acknowledging, detecting, and dismantling the types of barriers people with disability encounter. <a href="https://www.attitude.org.au/uploads/120/Perspective%20Shift_Series%201_Study%20Guide_Nov_FINAL.pdf">Ableism</a> is discrimination that favours “able-bodied” people, or people without disability. Ableism prioritises the needs of people without disability. A building designed without a ramp or a lift for people who require them, a lack of captions for a meeting, and stadiums without <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/health-and-wellness/what-is-a-sensory-space-and-why-are-they-so-important-20230227-p5cnwy.html">low-sensory spaces</a> are all examples of ableism. <a href="https://www.sense.org.uk/information-and-advice/ableism-and-disablism/">Disablism</a> is the inherent belief that people with disability are inferior to those without disability. It is discrimination against people with disability, like those shared in the <a href="https://disability.royalcommission.gov.au/system/files/2022-03/Issues%20paper%20-%20Rights%20and%20attitudes.pdf">Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability</a>. Disablism can be a more direct, conscious act of discrimination and abuse. Using disability slurs, ignoring someone, or speaking in a patronising way are common examples. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Weekly reminder: If your event doesn't have a virtual option, it's not inclusive or accessible. Thank you for coming to my Twitter talk on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ableism?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ableism</a> — chantzy (@chantz_y) <a href="https://twitter.com/chantz_y/status/1653033877105934339?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 1, 2023</a></blockquote> <h2>Ingrained and everywhere</h2> If we are honest, we can acknowledge ableism and disablism are ubiquitous in our language, our homes, children’s stories, media, at work and in our daily social interactions. Indeed, ableism and disablism can be so ingrained in our daily lives that most people are unaware of them. Both forms of discrimination can be subtle and insidious, making them difficult to detect and address. They often operate at systemic levels and are not identified as discrimination. A good example of systemic ableism is the forced segregation of people with disability into <a href="https://disability.royalcommission.gov.au/system/files/2022-03/Issues%20paper%20-%20Education%20and%20learning.pdf">“special” schools or “sheltered” workplaces</a> through limited choice and structural support of these options. Although the process of forcing people into these options no longer occurs in such blatantly disrespectful ways, the result is the same. Ableist and disablist attitudes are frequently encountered in daily conversation. Subtle ableism manifests in the use of well-intended “empathetic” comments, like “I can’t imagine losing my eyesight. That would be the worst.” These remarks, even when intended to prompt a connection between two people, reveal deep-seated beliefs and create a greater divide. People with disability, along with other marginalised communities, categorise these types of interactions as “<a href="https://hbr.org/2020/07/when-and-how-to-respond-to-microaggressions">microaggressions</a>”. Disablist attitudes are more overt. Comments like “If you are unable to walk down the ramp then you shouldn’t have gotten tickets to this concert” demonstrate the low expectations and damaging beliefs that impact on people’s opportunities for education, employment and social interaction. <h2>Challenging but worth it</h2> Combating disablism and ableism is a great challenge but one that is worthwhile. A broad spectrum of challenges is at play: confronting and disrupting the status quo, valuing diverse types of knowledge and experience and acknowledging the unconscious biases we all have. At a systemic and societal level, the way we design and deliver systems, polices, virtual and physical environments, products and experiences need to be co-designed in partnership with people with disability – or better yet, through disability-led initiatives. Generating new ideas and better ways of working will contribute to improvements in daily life for all people – just like ramps benefit parents pushing prams and people using mobility aids. The emphasis on <a href="https://anzsog.edu.au/research-insights-and-resources/research/the-promise-of-co-design-for-public-policy/">co-design</a> and engagement with people with disability is <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1440-1630.12847">increasingly prevalent</a>. However, it is critical to conduct co-design in ways that are not tokenistic and don’t merely validate current practice. Frameworks like the <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1440-1630.12847">Dignity Project Framework</a>, which includes principles of importance for engaging with people with disability, can better support a dignified process of co-design and citizen partnership. <h2>‘Not yet disabled’</h2> At an individual level, we all have a part to play in creating an inclusive future. Disability has been called the <a href="https://www.un.org/development/desa/disabilities/resources/factsheet-on-persons-with-disabilities.html">world’s largest minority</a> and is a group any person can join at any time in their life. The late disability rights activist <a href="https://judithheumann.com/">Judith Heumann</a> preferred to use the term “not yet disabled” to emphasise that we will all experience impairment and disability at some stage. Thus, we may all confront ableism and disablism at some point. The way to prepare for that time is to actively acknowledge and challenge personal biases, learn about and advocate for accessibility and inclusion in the spaces where you live, work and play and amplify the voices of people with disability at every opportunity. As advocate <a href="https://tiltingthelens.com/about-us/#:%7E:text=As%20a%20passionate%20writer%2C%20podcast,of%20Fashion%2C%20and%20many%20more.">Sinead Burke from Tilting the Lens</a> says in <a href="https://www.vogue.co.uk/article/vogue-disability-portfolio-2023">British Vogue’s</a> May issue, "Accessibility and disability inclusion is everyone’s responsibility and opportunity. This is a movement, not a moment. And it involves all of us.<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/204541/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />" <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kelsey-chapman-1345505">Kelsey Chapman</a>, Research Fellow Dignity Project, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/angel-dixon-1412256">Angel Dixon</a>, Researcher, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/elizabeth-kendall-210342">Elizabeth Kendall</a>, Professor, Director, Griffith Inclusive Futures, Griffith University, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/katie-kelly-1436986">Katie Kelly</a>, Research fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/ableism-and-disablism-how-to-spot-them-and-how-we-can-all-do-better-204541">original article</a>.

Caring

Readers respond: What's a cover song that's better than the original?

Just because a particular version of a song came first, doesn't necessarily mean it's better than a cover. We asked our readers what their favourite cover tracks are, and the response was overwhelming. Here's what they said. Moses Serugo - All Whitney Houston covers! Glen Crawford - Johnny Cash’s cover of Trent Reznor’s ‘Hurt’. It was one of the last songs Johnny recorded, and is awesome! Vicki Hunt - Torn by Natalie Imbruglia. Apparently someone recorded it before she did, although I've only heard her version, which was a major hit for her. Bruce Winther - Fields of Gold by Eva Cassidy. Sheila Schmidt - Bette Midler’s version of Beast of Burden is better than the Rolling Stones. Ken Jacob - Simply the Best by Tina Turner better than the original by Bonnie Tyler. Harold Hanlon - Elton John doing Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. Judi Nicholls - U2 doing Unchained Melody. Michael Zoellner - Blinded By The Light by Manfred Mann. Much better than Bruce Springsteen who originally did the song. Jennifer Mitchell - Hallelujah by Lucy Thomas is absolutely beautiful. Leanne Guthrie - We've gotta get out of this place, The Angels. Best version ever!! Weeze Aitch - Horses by Darryl Braithwaite. Originally by Ricki Lee Jones. Noelene Braidwood - The Wonder Of You, by Elvis Presley. Michael Pemberton - All Along the Watchtower (Dylan) cover by the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Rick Graham - The Sound of Silence by Disturbed. Steve Pullan - Smooth Criminal by Alien Ant Farm. Deirdre Dee O'Hanlon McGregor - Dear Prudence Beatles song covered by Doug Parkinson, he does a great job, better than the Beatles. Graham Anderson - Can't think of one. The originals are the best. Image credits: Getty Images

Music

Why it’s so much better to explore your own backyard

Travelling overseas is very enticing. From diving into a new culture and learning their customs, to absorbing and learning a new language, it’s no doubt an incredible experience – but don’t neglect the beauty of your own country. You might be surprised at what you're missing out on right on your own doorstep. Here are just a few simple reasons why thinking local is often the best way to explore. 1. It’s cheaper Most people are eager to see the world but overseas travel is expensive! You can have your holiday with money left over if you travel locally. You can stay with friends to keep accommodation costs low and since you’re in your own country, you don’t need to worry about taxi drivers ripping you off, or if lunch comes with a hefty price tag as you are already well acquainted with currency and costs. 2. It’s more eco-friendly Road trip time! Or just shorter flights. Driving or taking shorter flights will reduce your carbon footprint compared to travelling overseas. Driving in particular is a fantastic way of taking in the scenery. 3. It’s easier You don’t need months to plan a domestic trip, and if your plans change, no worries! Last-minute changes are much easier to handle since you’re already in the country. Travelling locally also allows for far more spontaneity. 4. It’s a chance to support local enterprise Travelling in your own country will help to give your local economy a boost. You’re sure to discover hidden gems and form long-lasting relationships with small businesses, which will only entice you to return for years to come. 5. It’s never too late to go back Coming home from a holiday and realising you haven’t ticked off all the boxes on your itinerary can be disappointing because you don’t know when you’ll have the money or the time to go back! Travelling locally allows for more trips, especially if you drive, so you’ll have the opportunity to go back again and again! Image credit: Shutterstock

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Readers respond: What's a cover song that's better than the original?

Why it’s so much better to explore your own backyard