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

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/janet-davies-103598">Janet Davies</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/queensland-university-of-technology-847">Queensland University of Technology</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/joy-lee-1480523">Joy Lee</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a> Hay fever (or allergic rhinitis) is a long-term inflammatory condition that’s incredibly common. It affects about <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/health-conditions-and-risks/national-health-survey-state-and-territory-findings/latest-release">one-quarter</a> of Australians. Symptoms vary but <a href="https://www.allergy.org.au/patients/fast-facts/hay-fever-allergic-rhinitis">can include</a> sneezing, itchy eyes and a runny or blocked nose. Hay fever can also contribute to sinus and ear infections, snoring, poor sleep and asthma, as well as lower performance at school or work. But many people didn’t have hay fever as a child, and only develop symptoms as a teenager or adult. Here’s how a combination of genetics, hormones and the environment can lead to people developing hay fever later in life. <h2>Remind me, what is hay fever?</h2> Hay fever is caused by the nose, eyes and throat coming into contact with a substance to which a person is allergic, known as an allergen. Common sources of outside allergens include airborne grass, weed or tree pollen, and mould spores. Pollen allergens can be carried indoors on clothes, and through open windows and doors. Depending on where you live, you may be exposed to a range of pollen types across the pollen season, but grass pollen is the most common trigger of hay fever. In <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0013935122010891?via%3Dihub">some regions</a> the grass pollen season can extend from spring well into summer and autumn. <h2>How does hay fever start?</h2> Hay fever symptoms most commonly start in adolescence or young adulthood. <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/JAA.S170285">One study</a> found 7% of children aged six had hay fever, but that grew to 44% of adults aged 24. Before anyone has hay fever symptoms, their immune system has already been “sensitised” to specific allergens, often allergens of grass pollen. Exposure to these allergens means their immune system has made a particular type of antibody (known as IgE) against them. During repeated or prolonged exposure to an allergen source such as pollen, a person’s immune system may start to respond to another part of the same allergen, or another allergen within the pollen. Over time, these new allergic sensitisations can lead to development of <a href="https://www.jacionline.org/article/S0091-6749(12)00959-1/fulltext">hay fever</a> and possibly other conditions, such as allergic asthma. <h2>Why do some people only develop hay fever as an adult?</h2> 1. Environmental factors Some people develop hay fever as an adult simply because they’ve had more time to become sensitised to specific allergens. Migration or moving to a new location can also change someone’s risk of developing hay fever. This may be due to exposure to different <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969722076884">pollens</a>, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969724060194?via%3Dihub">climate and weather</a>, green space <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/all.14177">and/or</a> air quality factors. A number of studies <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0105347">show</a> people who have migrated from low- and middle-income countries to higher-income countries may be at a higher risk of developing hay fever. This may due to local environmental conditions influencing expression of genes that regulate the immune system. 2. Hormonal factors <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anai.2015.04.019">Hormonal changes</a> at puberty may also help drive the onset of hay fever. This may relate to sex hormones, such as oestrogen and progesterone, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9392967/#R55">affecting</a> histamine levels, immune regulation, and the response of cells in the lining of the nose and lower airways. 3. Genetic factors <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/ng.3985">Our genes</a> underpin <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK542187/">our risk</a> of hay fever, and whether this and other related allergic disease persists. For instance, babies with the skin condition eczema (known as atopic dermatitis) have a <a href="https://www.annallergy.org/article/S1081-1206(21)00172-1/abstract">three times greater risk</a> of developing hay fever (and asthma) later in life. Having a food allergy in childhood is also a risk factor for developing hay fever later in life. In the case of a peanut allergy, that risk is more than <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27542726/">2.5 times greater</a>. <h2>What are the best options for treatment?</h2> Depending on where you live, avoiding allergen exposures can be difficult. But <a href="https://auspollen.edu.au/auspollensitesmap/">pollen count forecasts</a>, if available, can be useful. These can help you decide whether it’s best to stay inside to reduce your pollen exposure, or to take preventative medications. You may also find <a href="https://www.health.vic.gov.au/environmental-health/epidemic-thunderstorm-asthma-risk-forecast">alerts on thunderstorm asthma</a>, where pollens combine with specific weather conditions to trigger <a href="https://theconversation.com/we-could-see-thunderstorm-asthma-in-south-eastern-australia-this-season-heres-how-to-prepare-215793">breathing difficulties</a>. If you have mild, occasional hay fever symptoms, you can take non-drowsy antihistamines, which you can buy at the pharmacy. However, for more severe or persistent symptoms, intranasal steroid sprays, or an intranasal spray containing a steroid with antihistamine, are the <a href="https://theconversation.com/can-i-take-antihistamines-everyday-more-than-the-recommended-dose-what-if-im-pregnant-heres-what-the-research-says-228390">most effective treatments</a>. However, it is important to use these <a href="https://allergyfacts.org.au/allergic-rhinitis-treatment/">regularly and correctly</a>. Allergen immunotherapy, also known as desensitisation, is an <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/all.13201">effective treatment</a> for people with severe hay fever symptoms that can reduce the need for medication and avoiding allergens. However, it involves a longer treatment course (about three years), usually with the supervision of an allergy or immunology specialist. <h2>When should people see their doctor?</h2> It is important to treat hay fever, because symptoms can significantly affect a <a href="https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/10/11/e038870.long">person’s quality of life</a>. A GP can: <ul> <li> recommend treatments for hay fever and can guide you to use them correctly </li> <li> organise blood tests to confirm which allergen sensitisations (if any) are present, and whether these correlate with your symptoms </li> <li> screen for asthma, which commonly exists with hay fever, and may require other treatments </li> <li> arrange referrals to allergy or immunology specialists, if needed, for other tests, such as allergen skin prick testing, or to consider <a href="https://www.allergy.org.au/patients/allergy-treatments/allergen-immunotherapy">allergen immunotherapy</a> if symptoms are severe. </li> </ul> <hr /> More information about hay fever is available from the <a href="https://www.allergy.org.au/patients/fast-facts/hay-fever-allergic-rhinitis">Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy</a> and <a href="https://allergyfacts.org.au/">Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia</a>.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/239409/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/janet-davies-103598">Janet Davies</a>, Respiratory Allergy Stream Co-chair, National Allergy Centre of Excellence; Professor and Head, Allergy Research Group, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/queensland-university-of-technology-847">Queensland University of Technology</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/joy-lee-1480523">Joy Lee</a>, Respiratory Allergy Stream member, National Allergy Centre of Excellence; Associate Professor, School of Translational Medicine, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-do-i-have-hay-fever-i-didnt-have-it-as-a-child-239409">original article</a>.

Body

Readers response: What career path could you have seen yourself taking but didn’t?

When it comes to work, we often pick a career path and stick with the same industry for most of our working lives. However, it's not uncommon to have regrets over work, given many people pick their career paths as a young adult. We asked our readers what career path they could you have seen themselves taking but didn’t, and the response was overwhelming. Here's what they said. Jill Waterhouse - Nursing, but my parents wouldn't let me. I would have loved to have been a nursery nurse. After coming to Australia I did become a medical secretary, so I suppose I was a bit there. Nola Martin - Primary school teacher but my father wouldn't let me. Unforgivable. Peter King - Medicine, but ended up doing aviation instead. Joy Saker - Speech therapist, but I would have had to live at home for another 4 years. Helen McKee - I always wanted to be a police officer. Charlie Hedges - Wanted to be a doctor in space but could not afford the many years of college. Christina Hutchings - I wanted to be a librarian. Sue Nixon - I wish I was an airline stewardess or researcher, something to do with travel. Image credits: Shutterstock

Retirement Life

Woman “bullied” on plane over budget seating trick

A young woman has recalled a flight from hell when she was “bullied” by a couple who were trying to utilise a seating hack that went viral on TikTok. The solo traveller took to Reddit to recount the story and ask social media users if she was in the wrong for her action. The woman began by saying she usually pays more to select her plane seat ahead of time, but a medical emergency on another plane had her waiting on standby and left with no option other than to sit in a middle seat. When she was finally able to board, she was greeted by a couple who had purchased both the window and aisle seats in a bid to have more space, utilising a travel “trick” that has been popular on TikTok. The method, which has been dubbed the 'poor man's business class', usually leaves travellers with an empty middle seat and more space, and few travellers opt to pick a middle seat. “When I got to my row the man and woman were chatting and sharing a snack... it was obvious they were together. I mentioned to the man that I'm in the middle, and he got up to let me in,” the unsuspecting traveller wrote on Reddit. “I asked them if they would prefer to sit together, I said I was totally okay with that. The woman reacted rudely to this and said ‘you're not supposed to be sitting here anyway’.” After noticing how the plane was full, she offered to show the pair her new ticket with the correct seat number on it. “She flicked her hand at my ticket and made a disgusted sound. I offered again if they wanted to sit together to which she didn't reply, her partner said it's okay and... made some small talk,” she continued. The man’s girlfriend then interrupted their conversation to ask,”'Did you use one of those third party websites to book your flight? It's so frustrating when people cheap out to inconvenience others.” The American woman explained that she had booked her flight directly and she had been placed on standby like everyone else and didn't choose the middle seat - she was assigned it. She then tried to keep the peace by refusing to engage with the furious woman. “I was so done with her attitude, I put my headphones on and attempted to do my own thing,” she explained. But the “entitled” girlfriend wasn't letting it go, as the woman explained, “This woman kept reaching over me and tapping her partner and trying to talk to him in a way that was super intrusive.” “I could tell even her partner was trying to engage her less so that she would hopefully stop, but she didn't.” “I think they tried to pull that tactic where they don't sit together on purpose...hoping no one will sit between them. But on full flights it doesn't work. And even so - it's not the other person's fault.” The traveller's post was met with hundreds of comments slamming the girlfriend’s behaviour, as one person wrote, “It's like a toddler having a tantrum.” “She was disappointed and a total a**hole. Gross entitled people,” another added. Another person applauded the traveller’s level-headed behaviour, writing, “Wow! You are my hero for keeping it classy - I’m afraid I would not have been as kind as you.” Image credits: Shutterstock

Travel Trouble

We finally know why some people got COVID while others didn’t

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/marko-nikolic-1543289">Marko Nikolic</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/ucl-1885">UCL</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kaylee-worlock-1543639">Kaylee Worlock</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/ucl-1885">UCL</a> Throughout the pandemic, one of the key questions on everyone’s mind was why some people avoided getting COVID, while others caught the virus multiple times. Through a collaboration between University College London, the Wellcome Sanger Institute and Imperial College London in the UK, we set out to answer this question using the world’s first controlled <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-022-01780-9">“challenge trial” for COVID</a> – where volunteers were deliberately exposed to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID, so that it could be studied in great detail. Unvaccinated healthy volunteers with no prior history of COVID were exposed – via a nasal spray – to an extremely low dose of the original strain of SARS-CoV-2. The volunteers were then closely monitored in a quarantine unit, with regular tests and samples taken to study their response to the virus in a highly controlled and safe environment. For our <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-07575-x">recent study</a>, published in Nature, we collected samples from tissue located midway between the nose and the throat as well as blood samples from 16 volunteers. These samples were taken before the participants were exposed to the virus, to give us a baseline measurement, and afterwards at regular intervals. The samples were then processed and analysed using single-cell sequencing technology, which allowed us to extract and sequence the genetic material of individual cells. Using this cutting-edge technology, we could track the evolution of the disease in unprecedented detail, from pre-infection to recovery. To our surprise, we found that, despite all the volunteers being carefully exposed to the exact same dose of the virus in the same manner, not everyone ended up testing positive for COVID. In fact, we were able to divide the volunteers into three distinct infection groups (see illustration). Six out of the 16 volunteers developed typical mild COVID, testing positive for several days with cold-like symptoms. We referred to this group as the “sustained infection group”. Out of the ten volunteers who did not develop a sustained infection, suggesting that they were able to fight off the virus early on, three went on to develop an “intermediate” infection with intermittent single positive viral tests and limited symptoms. We called them the “transient infection group”. The final seven volunteers remained negative on testing and did not develop any symptoms. This was the “abortive infection group”. This is the first confirmation of abortive infections, which were previously <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-021-04186-8">unproven</a>. Despite differences in infection outcomes, participants in all groups shared some specific novel immune responses, including in those whose immune systems prevented the infection. When we compared the timings of the cellular response between the three infection groups, we saw distinct patterns. For example, in the transiently infected volunteers where the virus was only briefly detected, we saw a strong and immediate accumulation of immune cells in the nose one day after infection. This contrasted with the sustained infection group, where a more delayed response was seen, starting five days after infection and potentially enabling the virus to take hold in these volunteers. In these people, we were able to identify cells stimulated by a key antiviral defence response in both the nose and the blood. This response, called the “interferon” response, is one of the ways our bodies signal to our immune system to help fight off viruses and other infections. We were surprised to find that this response was detected in the blood before it was detected in the nose, suggesting that the immune response spreads from the nose very quickly. <h2>Protective gene</h2> Lastly, we identified a specific gene called HLA-DQA2, which was expressed (activated to produce a protein) at a much higher level in the volunteers who did not go on to develop a sustained infection and could hence be used as a marker of protection. Therefore, we might be able to use this information and identify those who are probably going to be protected from severe COVID. These findings help us fill in some gaps in our knowledge, painting a much more detailed picture regarding how our bodies react to a new virus, particularly in the first couple of days of an infection, which is crucial. We can use this information to compare our data to other data we are currently generating, specifically where we are “challenging” volunteers to other viruses and more recent strains of COVID. In contrast to our current study, these will mostly include volunteers who have been vaccinated or naturally infected – that is, people who already have immunity. Our study has significant implications for future treatments and vaccine development. By comparing our data to volunteers who have never been exposed to the virus with those who already have immunity, we may be able to identify new ways of inducing protection, while also helping the development of more effective vaccines for future pandemics. In essence, our research is a step towards better preparedness for the next pandemic.<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/233063/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/marko-nikolic-1543289">Marko Nikolic</a>, Principal Research Fellow/Honorary consultant Respiratory Medicine, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/ucl-1885">UCL</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kaylee-worlock-1543639">Kaylee Worlock</a>, Postdoc Research Fellow, Molecular and Cellular Biology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/ucl-1885">UCL</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/we-finally-know-why-some-people-got-covid-while-others-didnt-233063">original article</a>.

Body

Lion King at 30: the global hit that Disney didn’t believe in

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/joel-gray-1539770">Joel Gray</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/sheffield-hallam-university-846">Sheffield Hallam University</a> Thirty years ago audiences were introduced to the epic story of one little lion’s journey to find himself and his family. Little did Disney know what a roaring success the Lion King would be when it was released in 1994. In fact, they fully expected it wouldn’t be. In the 80s and 90s, the movie studio experienced huge hits with the animated films The Little Mermaid (1989) and Beauty and the Beast (1991). This left many of the creatives at the Disney studio keen to <a href="https://www.theringer.com/movies/2019/7/19/20699678/the-lion-king-original-animation-1994">continue making princess stories</a>. Disney executive and Hollywood stalwart Jeffrey Katzenberg was banking on Pocahontas (1995) to be their next hit. Therefore, the Lion King’s development was undertaken by artists and storytellers who were expected to produce something that would only ever be second best. It’s this underdog feeling that resulted in a hungry and competitive creative team producing this original hit story (it’s <a href="https://www.oprahdaily.com/entertainment/tv-movies/a28376309/the-lion-king-hamlet-comparison/">not a direct retelling of Hamlet</a>, as some might think). Taking heed of its immediate film predecessors, Disney ensured the movie put music at the forefront of its storytelling, teaming up film scorist Hans Zimmer (Rain Man, Gladiator) with lyricist Tim Rice (Aladdin, Jesus Christ Superstar) and acclaimed international pop star Elton John. This combination of talent resulted in a soundtrack that won the film two Oscars in 1995 (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uB5k_flnqf0">best score</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjgWWjkNbhU">best original song for Can You Feel The Love Tonight?</a>). The songs and music have played a critical role in the cultural and commercial impact of The Lion King. While some elements might change, in nearly every adaptation the songs have remained. The measure of success often used for movies is box office revenue, and the film’s 1994 total was <a href="https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0110357/">US$763 million</a> (£603 million) worldwide. Compare that with Disney’s previous great successes, The Little Mermaid <a href="https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0097757/">US$84 million</a> worldwide and Beauty and the Beast <a href="https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0101414/?ref_=bo_se_r_2">US$249 million</a>. Pocahontas, the great hope, also failed to outperform The Lion King bringing in <a href="https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0114148/?ref_=bo_se_r_1">US$142 million</a>. Its success spawned direct-to-video sequels, including The Lion King 2: Simba’s Pride. In 1997, the film was adapted into a <a href="https://www.thelionking.co.uk/about-the-show">musical theatre production</a>, which, as well as touring globally, is a permanent fixture in the West End of London and on Broadway in New York. Then in 2019, Disney released <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TavVZMewpY">a live-action remake</a>. And now, as the original celebrates its 30th anniversary, the prequel, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjQG-a7d41Q">Mufasa: The Lion King</a>, will hit cinemas. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lFzVJEksoDY?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> Disney has cleverly followed the fans with these iterations. The 1997 stage adaptation tapped into the late <a href="https://www.onstageblog.com/columns/2017/4/13/the-50-best-musicals-of-the-1990s">90s resurgence in live musical theatre</a>. Since its debut the musical has received 70 major arts awards, including the 1999 Grammy for best musical show album and the 1999 Laurence Olivier awards for best choreography and best costume design. Then 25 years after the original’s release, Disney decided to remake The Lion King (following other hits such as Beauty and the Beast remake in 2017) – but the social environment had changed. In 2019, the “live action” remake of the movie ensured that this story set in Africa was rightly <a href="https://toofab.com/2019/07/04/original-lion-king-had-35-percent-black-main-cast/">cast with majority Black performers</a>. The cast introduced new names, but also attracted huge stars, including Beyoncé Knowles-Carter who voiced the character Nala. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MjQG-a7d41Q?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> After The Lion King’s early success, Disney’s subsequent movies (including Pocahontas) did not live up to commercial expectations. From the mid-90s, Disney’s dominance at the animated movie box office was overtaken by Pixar and their hits, including Toy Story. Disney experienced inconsistent success until 2010 when they embraced CGI 3D animation as the primary production technique for their movies. This new style was applied to their tried-and-tested format of retelling classic fairytales and placing music at the heart of the storytelling, leading to hits such as Tangled (2010) and Frozen (2013). The Lion King’s enduring success should be a stand-out moment of clarity for Disney: with a focus on good quality animation and solid music storytelling, even the unexpected can become a roaring success.<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/233024/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/joel-gray-1539770">Joel Gray</a>, Associate Dean for Teaching and Learning, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/sheffield-hallam-university-846">Sheffield Hallam University</a> Image credits: Walt Disney Pictures 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/lion-king-at-30-the-global-hit-that-disney-didnt-believe-in-233024">original article</a>. </div>

Movies

Here’s what would happen to your body if you didn’t have your morning coffee

What happens when you skip coffee entirely? Coffee is a morning constant for many, as reliable as the sunrise or the tides. Miss it, and you can feel dazed, confused and even risk a pounding headache. There’s a good reason for that: Caffeine produces some reliable physical changes in your body upon which you can easily become dependent. With that first sip of coffee, caffeine enters your bloodstream and begins making its way to your brain where it blocks an inhibitory neurotransmitter called adenosine, according to the National Academy of Sciences. That, in turn, sets off the release of feel-good hormones like dopamine and serotonin, causing a stimulant effect. Coffee’s so-called half-life – meaning the amount of time it takes for the amount of caffeine in the body to be reduced by 50 per cent – is about five hours on average. That explains why the average energy drink or coffee buzz lasts about that long. But how quickly caffeine leaves your system depends on a number of things, including age, medical conditions, drug interactions and lifestyle habits (like smoking). A shock to the system So, no surprise, when you’re deprived of your morning coffee, you don’t just suffer due to routine alteration. You suffer chemically, too. As anybody who’s kicked their coffee habit will tell you: The side effects can be pretty noticeable and jarring. Some of the more common symptoms of caffeine withdrawal stem from the inherent perks of those multi cups of Joe. Minus the kickstart to your metabolism, you’ll feel tired, sluggish, foggy-headed, and physically delayed, according to a review of studies published in 2020 in StatPearls. Researchers found that the more caffeine you consume, the more severe the withdrawal; but abstinence from even small amounts – we’re talking one cup of coffee per day – also produced symptoms of caffeine withdrawal. They kick in 12 to 24 hours after your last caffeine fix and may last up to nine days, says Dr Sherry A Ross, women’s health expert, author of She-ology: The She-quel. “Caffeine is a stimulating drug that some people can easily become addicted to,” she explains. “Depending on the quantity and type of caffeine you are consuming daily, your body type and frequency of consumption can set you up for a caffeine addiction.” Coffee's not all bad Just because you can develop a dependence on your morning jolt doesn’t mean that cup of java belongs on the do-not-consume list. Just the opposite, in fact. A large review of studies published in 2017 in the journal BMJ found that coffee consumption is not only safe for most people (except pregnant women and women who are at an increased risk of fracture), it also provides a number of health benefits, especially for people with chronic liver disease. The review also showed that participants who consistently drank at least three cups of coffee per day had a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, kidney disease, gallstone disease, cancer (including melanoma, leukaemia and prostate, endometrial, oral, and liver cancer), as well as cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease and stroke as compared with coffee abstainers. The trick, of course, is practicing portion control. The researchers found that the health benefits of coffee top out at three to four cups a day (as compared to none). That echoes the larger caffeine recommendation from the US Food and Drug Administration, which suggests no more than 400 mg of caffeine per day; that’s the amount in about four cups of coffee, 10 cans of cola, or two energy drinks. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/healthsmart/heres-what-would-happen-to-your-body-if-you-didnt-have-your-morning-coffee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.

Food & Wine

Iconic movie scenes that nearly didn’t happen

There are a multitude of significant changes that get made throughout the creation of a feature film. These iconic movie scenes nearly didn’t happen but thankfully, a spark of genius made these beloved movie moments make it on our screens. 1. E.T. the Extra Terrestrial <iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gTVoFCP1BLg?feature=oembed" width="500" height="281" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> Originally, Spielberg went for a bleak ending where E.T. dies in government captivity, but people thought this ending was much too miserable. Instead, the ending was famously reworked to see E.T fly across the moon into freedom. Spielberg also ended up making that shot the logo of his production company Amblin Entertainment. 2. Lady and the Tramp <iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9gwZC5s2IU0?feature=oembed" width="500" height="281" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> The spaghetti date between Lady and the Tramp is the most iconic moment in the 1955 animation. Walt Disney thought the idea was a bit far-fetched to begin with and so he cut the scene from the first storyboards. “Walt wasn't convinced that that would be a very clean-cut scene," former Disney archivist Steven Vagnini told Yahoo Movies. "As you can imagine, if you have two pets and they eat a plate of spaghetti, it's hard to envision that being too graceful." Thankfully, the adorable scene was included. 3. Rocky The original ending of Rocky was going to feature Sylvester Stallone crowd surfing towards Adrian after his victory. However, there were not enough extras to carry Stallone so instead, a more intimate scene was created where he yells his girlfriend’s name. 4. Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan <iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LXVqSa2l6mg?feature=oembed" width="400" height="300" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> Wrath of Khan’s ending was altered after a test audience said Spock’s death was too bleak. A last-minute scene was shot showing his coffin landing on the Genesis Planet, giving a glimmer of hope of his return. Leonard Nimoy only learned of the change when he watched the completed film. Images: Universal Pictures

Movies

6 amazing things you didn’t know your phone could do

Nobody ever bought a shiny brand new smartphone and then studiously read the manual! Maybe it’s just us but unfortunately it means we’ve missed out on the secret but amazing things your smartphone can do. You don't even need to download any apps to do these nifty tricks. Here are some of our favourite ones that we’re sure will impress next time you need them. Taking a screenshot A great trick if you want to share a hilarious text, picture or Facebook post with friends or family. iPhones – SImultaneously press (but not hold) the Home button and the Sleep/Wake button (top right of phone). You should hear a shutter click as well as see a white flash. The screenshot will be located on your Camera Roll in photos. Androids - Hold down the Power button and Volume -down button at the same time for a couple of seconds. Or hold down power button and home icon at the same time. If this doesn’t work, you can hold down the power button until the option to take a screen shot appears. Taking multiple photos at once A life-saver if you are taking pictures of wriggling kids or people who blink exactly when you take the picture (there’s always someone in the group isn’t there?). This little trick lets you take multiple pictures with a single click. iPhones – In the camera app, rather than tapping capture button to take photos, hold it down. Your camera will automatically take multiple picture (around 10 pictures a second) until you release the button. Androids - In the camera app, tap the gear icon and turn on “Burst Shot” settings. Return to your camera app and hold onto the capture button. Or go to camera, select mode, auto and click on burst shots. Change text size If the tiny text on the smartphone is giving you a headache, there’s an easily solution. You can change the settings so all text on your phone is large. iPhones - Go to Settings > General > Accessibility and turn on “Larger Text.” Androids - Go to Settings > Accessibility > Vision and tap font size and set it to Large. Read to you It really seems like technology can do anything, including programming your smartphone to read to you. iPhones - Go to Settings > General > Accessibility and turn on “Speak Selection.” You can even customise the voice that speaks to you choosing from a wide range of accent including Australian. To get your phone to speak to you, highlight text (double-tapping or tapping and holding on to it) and then tap Speak button in the pop-up menu. Turn off music automatically If you are one to listen to music or audiobooks as you drift off to sleep, you can use a timer to turn it off so it doesn’t drain your battery life. iPhones - Go to the Clock app and tap on "Timer," then "When Timer Ends." From here, scroll all the way down to the bottom of the screen and select "Stop Playing." Androids - Open the music player and go to Settings. Look for "Music auto off" and set it to however long you want the music to play. Search text messages Searching for messages is handy if you are looking for a specific text containing details like addresses, emails or dates. iPhones – When you open your Message app, scroll up and a search bar should pop up at the top of all your messages. Type in the phrase you are looking for. Androids – Open the Message app and then tap on the Menu. A few options will appear and click search. Image: Shutterstock

Technology

5 films you didn’t know were inspired by Shakespeare

Hands up who had to study Shakespeare in high school English class? You may have had to sit through some B grade telemovie versions of the classic novels during your teen years, but many have actually been re-written as blockbuster films. See how many of these you knew were based on Shakespeare’s plays. 1. 10 Things I Hate About You – ‘The Taming Of The Shrew’ It might be an obvious one if you know the play, but in the modern film Heath Ledger is paid to take the highly strung Julia Styles to the prom so that his friend can date her younger sister. 2. The Lion King – ‘Hamlet’ An evil uncle kills the king and usurps the throne – yes, that’s right, it’s Shakespeare for kids (with lions). If you already knew this one, did you know this – Simba’s pals Timon and Pumbaa are based on Hamlet’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. The good news is, the film ends on a happy note and there is a lot less bloodshed. 3. Forbidden Planet – ‘The Tempest’ Considered one of Shakespeare’s finest works, The Tempest is all about the supernatural, while Forbidden Planet is more a sci-fi style. But while there were no lasers, aliens or robots in the original, it’s the themes and stories in the film where you can see the similarities. Swap a group of sailors for a space crew and it’s very much the same. 4. She’s The Man – ‘Twelfth Night’ This time the main characters (and many others) even have the same name (and the same predicament - love). Shakespeare’s story begins on a shipwreck where Viola decides to disguise herself as her twin brother, while in the film Viola dresses as her twin brother in order to play on the boys’ soccer team. In both stories she falls in love and has to deal with the fallout of her betrayal. 5. West Side Story – ‘Romeo and Juliet’ While Shakespeare didn’t have any catchy numbers in his play, he did have young lovers from rival gangs whose relationship led to tragedy. Interestingly, the modern version of Romeo and Juliet did rely heavily on the music to support the story. Essentially though, you can’t beat forbidden love for a rollicking good show. Images: Getty

Movies

“I didn’t want to come out!”: Spanish mountaineer emerges after 500 days underground

When Spanish mountaineer Beatriz Flamini descended into her cave - and home for the next 500 days - the world was an entirely different place. COVID-19 restrictions were still enforced, Queen Elizabeth II was still alive and on the throne, war hadn’t been declared in Ukraine, and Flamini herself was only 48. She entered the cave on November 20 2021, and while she was forced to surface for eight days while repairs were made to a router - one used for transmitting audio and video - she spent that brief period isolated in a tent. And then, a year and a half later, a 50-year-old Flamini emerged from 230 feet underground outside of Granada, Spain. And while most would be eager for some sunshine and some company after such a stint, Flamini had an entirely different take, informing everyone that she had actually been sound asleep when her team came to collect her. “I thought something had happened,” she said. “I said, ‘already? Surely not.’ I hadn’t finished my book.” And when it came to whether or not she’d struggled while down there, Flamini was quite to declare “never. In fact, I didn’t want to come out!” To keep herself occupied during the marathon stay, Flamini tried her hand at a whole host of popular pastimes, from knitting to exercising, painting, knitting, and reading. The effort paid off, the days flying by as the determined mountaineer successfully lost track of time. “On day 65, I stopped counting and lost perception of time,” she explained. “I didn’t talk to myself out loud, but I had internal conversations and got on very well with myself. “You have to remain conscious of your feelings. If you’re afraid, that’s something natural, but never let panic in, or you get paralysed.” Flamini was given a panic button in case of emergency, but she never felt the need to use it. And while her support team were on hand to give her clean clothing, provide essential food, and remove any waste that had accumulated, they were not to talk to her. “If it’s no communication it’s no communication, regardless of the circumstances,” Flamini said of that particular decision. “The people who know me knew and respected that.” As for what comes next, Flamini will now be studied by a team of experts - psychologists, researchers, and the like - to determine what impact the isolation of her extended time below might have had on her. Images: Getty, Sky News

Travel Trouble

10 things you didn't know about Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace is one of the most famous residences in the world. While many people are aware of the Changing of the Guard and the royals using the balcony on big occasions, there are many facts that people don't know. Here are 10 interesting facts about the palace that sits in the heart of London. 1. The Queen isn't the only inhabitant While it is obvious that she shares her palace with her husband, Prince Philip, there are more individuals who live there. The palace has 188 staff bedrooms and 52 royal and guest bedrooms. 2. The flags Buckingham Palace uses two flags, one when the Queen is home and the other when she is away. When she is home, the Royal Standard flag is used and when she is away, the Union Jack is flown. 3. Queen Victoria first made the palace home to the reigning monarch While King George III bought the palace for his wife, Queen Victoria was the first reigning monarch to make the palace her home in 1837. Ever since, Buckingham Palace has been home to the reigning monarch. 4. Secret tunnels In 2006, the Queen confirmed the rumour that there were secret tunnels under the palace. She revealed that she had gone into the basement and encountered a squatter who had been living in the tunnels. 5. Full-time clockmakers Buckingham Palace has full-time clockmakers who repair and wind up all the clocks and watches that the monarchy owns. The monarchy owns a reported 1,000 clocks in total. 6. Royal announcements There are two traditions the royals adhere to when they have an important announcement. If there is a death, the announcement is first posted onto the Buckingham Palace gates. If there is a birth, the announcement is placed on an easel at the palace gates. 7. Lighting Good Housekeeping has reported that there are 40,000 light bulbs throughout the residence. There are also 760 windows that are cleaned every six weeks. 8. Rose garden The Queen's rose garden is massive and contains 25 different types of roses. The Queen's Royal Garden is roughly equivalent to 30 American football fields or four Wembley Stadiums. 9. ATM In 2001, bank manager Gordon Pell confirmed that there is a cash machine at Buckingham Palace. 10. King Charles I's memorial King Charles I was executed at 2pm. As a memorial to the royal, the clock face above Buckingham Palace and St. James Place has a "black blot" covering that hour. Images: Shutterstock

International Travel

5 films we didn’t know were books first

While you might already know that films such as Gone With The Wind or The Shining were based on books, there are some other very well known films that you may not have realised started out the same way. Not many people know that, for instance, Forrest Gump was actually a novel first. How many of these have you seen? 1. Jaws The film that made us scared to go back in the water started out as a chilling novel called Jaws by Peter Benchley. Interestingly, Benchley based the novel on a series of real shark attacks at the Jersey Shore in the early 1900s. The producers of the film read an advanced copy of Benchley’s book and purchased the rights to the 1975 film before the book was even published. 2. Forrest Gump This box office sensation was based on a novel of the same name by Winston Groom. There were many differences between the two, and several more ‘out there’ parts of the novel were left out of the film. For instance in the novel Forrest is sent on a mission for NASA where he meets an ape named Sue. They crash in the jungle and get attacked by cannibals. 3. Die Hard Bruce Willis became a household name starring in the 1988 film adaptation of Nothing Lasts Forever by Roderick Thorp. Thorp penned the novel based on NYPD detective Joe Leland (the main character’s name is changed to John McClane in the film). The movie has a relatively happy ending compared to the book - one might assume they had planned to make the sequel if the original film was successful. 4. Slumdog Millionaire The smash hit Academy Award winning film directed by Danny Boyle was based on the novel Q&A by Indian author Vikas Swarup. Both the novel and the film follow the story of a young orphan who faces accusations of cheating after becoming a winner on a popular game show. One of the main differences is the main character’s motivation for going on the game show – in the novel his love interest Latika is a prostitute and Jamal hopes to win the prize money to pay off her pimp. In the film he hopes to reach out to Latika as he knows that she watches the program and hasn’t seen her in a long time. 5. Psycho Robert Bloch sold the rights to his horror novel Psycho to Alfred Hitchcock for $9,500 in 1959. So keen was Hitchcock to keep the story a secret that he bought every copy of the novel in the country. Psycho became one of the director’s most popular films but at the time Paramount Pictures didn’t want it made. Hitchcock believed in the film and used his own money to make it, shooting in black-and-white to save money on production costs. Related links: <a href="/entertainment/books/2016/04/five-books-to-read-before-seeing-film-2016/">Read these five books before you see the film</a> <a href="/entertainment/books/2016/04/best-books-to-read-in-autumn/">6 classic books to get you in the mood for autumn</a> <a href="/entertainment/books/2016/03/celebrities-who-have-written-books/">7 celebrities that you didn’t know have written a book</a>

Books

“I didn’t come to play”: Bruce Willis’ wife smacks down trolls

Emma Heming Willis has been forced to shut down the heartless trolls targeting her in the wake of husband Bruce Willis’ dementia diagnosis. In a video posted to social media, the 44-year-old model throws away claims that she’s been using Bruce for her “five minutes” of fame, and instead declares that she will turn them “into 10 because I'm always going to advocate for my husband.” Emma - who has spoken openly about her support for Bruce - once again stressed that she would be using this opportunity to raise awareness, before she was “going to turn my grief, and my anger, and my sadness, and do something good, around something that feels less than.” “So, watch this space,” she said, “because I didn’t come to play.” Emma’s message comes barely three days after she <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/any-tips-bruce-willis-wife-posts-heartfelt-plea" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reached out to followers</a>, “caregivers, or dementia care specialists navigating this world” alike, seeking advice on how to help “get your loved ones out in the world safely”. “If you are someone who is looking after someone who has dementia,” she said in the clip, “you know how difficult and how stressful it can be, just to get them out into the world and navigate them safely - even just to get a cup of coffee.” And while the response to her post was overwhelmingly positive, the cruel few determined to make things worse for everyone just had to say their piece, and to prompt Emma’s fight back. They were nowhere to be seen in her latest post - possibly hiding with their tails tucked between their legs - and instead, she was once more met with an outpouring of support. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cpf2KBOOVc7/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cpf2KBOOVc7/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Emma Heming Willis (@emmahemingwillis)</a> </div> </blockquote> “HELL YES!” wrote Bruce’s eldest daughter, Rumer. “I am so so proud of you!” “As a Registered Nurse, I appreciate you being a patient advocate for your husband,” said another, before requesting Emma do the exact opposite of what the internet trolls craved, “please don’t stop, we need people like you in the medical community!!! Hang in there. You are doing beautiful.” One now-supporter, who admitted that her previous perception of Emma had been negative and generated by the paparazzi, said, “Good for you … so sorry for what you and your family are going through. You truly are a woman of substance and power. I will be listening and learning.” “You go girl! There is an army of people behind you,” urged another. “Having to deal with your husband’s illness is bad enough but also having to deal with rude and intrusive press is unimaginable,” one said. “Keep shouting, keep protecting. He deserves the best life imaginable!!” “Emma, how sad is it when people don't get it,” another wrote, “this is such a problem in our society today...the lack of empathy. Why would people choose to believe that this is something you are doing for attention? Your family is going through hell - their foundation rocked, but it's a ploy??? Advocating for and protecting your family is what mama bears do!!!” Images: Instagram

Caring

7 things you didn’t know your rice cooker could do

You’d be forgiven for thinking that the humble rice cooker is a one trick pony. After all, the name implies that it performs a highly specific function with no mention of anything else. Interestingly, though, the rice cooker can be used for a whole range of culinary tasks far above and beyond booking your long grain. Here are seven of our favourite dishes to cook in the rice cooker. <ol> <li>Frittata – Perfect frittata by simply switching to the cook setting, heat olive oil, add veggies followed by beaten eggs, cover and reset to let the cycle run through.</li> <li>Macaroni and cheese – Super simple with minimal mess. Add all the ingredients and set to cook. Perfect mac and cheese with no washing up!</li> <li>Rice pudding – Cook in the same way you’d usually cook your rice, just make sure to stir every 15 minutes or so.</li> <li>Cheesecake and banana bread – Prepare your recipe as you usually would and then pour the batter into the lined rice cooker insert.</li> <li>Porridge – Wake up to perfect porridge every time! Presoak steel cut oats overnight in the rice cooker then run the cook cycle in the morning for creamy, delicious porridge.</li> <li>Quinoa – If you fancy jumping on the quinoa train, try cooking it in your rice cooker. It cooks at the same rate as long grain white rice so makes the perfect substitute that doesn’t require any fiddly programming changes.</li> <li>Polenta – Create creamy polenta by adding one cup of polenta to three cups of liquid and set to cook. Add cheese or butter at the end and you’re done.</li> </ol> Have you ever used your rice cooker to cook something other than rice? Share your experience with us in the comments below. Related links: <a href="/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/08/your-bed-sheets-could-be-making-you-sick/">Your bed sheets could be making you sick</a> <a href="/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/08/how-to-clean-your-bathroom-like-a-professional/">How to clean your bathroom like a professional</a> <a href="/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/08/ways-to-ripen-your-avocado-in-minutes/">5 ways to ripen your avocado in minutes</a>

Home & Garden

“I hope you didn't travel all the way here to ask that question”: Princess Mary shuts down journalist

Princess Mary refused to stoop to her sister-in-law’s level when a journalist questioned her about Queen Margrethe of Denmark's decision to strip four grandchildren of their royal titles. The Australian-born Princess was on a royal tour of Vietnam when a journalist asked about the Queen’s decision. But Princess Mary was not having any of it and quickly shut down the question and put the journalist in their place. "I have nothing more to add to what I already said,” Princess Mary interjected. “I hope you didn't travel all the way here to ask that question. Do you have any other questions?" This however did not stop the journalist from going on saying: "Princess Marie told me that your relationship is complicated.” "I have nothing further to add,” the Princess replied, ending the conversation. The footage was shared to Twitter showing a composed Princess Mary shutting down the journalist and their incessant questions about the Queen’s decision. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> “I have nothing more to add to what I already said. I hope you didn't travel all the way here to ask that question. Do you have any other questions?” "Princess Marie told me that your relationship is complicated." "I have nothing further to add." 🎥BT <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CrownPrincessMary?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CrownPrincessMary</a> <a href="https://t.co/2SLo3ZG7Cw">pic.twitter.com/2SLo3ZG7Cw</a> — ChristinZ (@ChristinsQueens) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChristinsQueens/status/1587695273274376193?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 2, 2022</a></blockquote> Queen Margrethe II of Denmark <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/news/news/denmark-s-queen-strips-grandkids-of-royal-titles" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stripped four of her grandchildren of their royal titles</a> in hopes they will be “able to shape their own lives to a much greater extent”. The Queen has two sons, Crown Prince Frederik and Prince Joachim, and eight grandchildren. Her sons, their wives, and children all have the titles of count and countess of Monpezat, referring to Margrethe's husband, who was born Henri de Laborde de Monpezat. Prince Joachim’s children - Prince Nikolai, 23, Prince Felix, 20, Prince Henrik, 13 and Princess Athena, 10 - will not be able to use their “prince” and “princess” titles from January 1, 2023. Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary’s children are not affected by the decision. Princess Mary was dragged into the family drama when Joachim and his second wife Marie said the relationship between Mary and Frederik is “complicated”. Princess Mary defended Queen Margrethe’s decision, saying that change is never easy. “Change can be extremely difficult and can really hurt,” Princess Mary said. “I think most people have tried it. But this does not mean that the decision is not the right one. “… And I can understand that it is a very difficult decision to have to make, and also a very difficult decision to receive.” Images: Twitter

Travel Trouble

Why Harry didn't end up wearing military outfit to Queen’s funeral

Prince Harry’s uniform has been the subject of heated discussion following the death of his grandmother Queen Elizabeth II. The former working royal first made headlines after he was spotted in a suit during royal events where Prince Andrew was wearing his military uniform. Despite his father, King Charles III, giving Prince Harry permission to wear his dress uniform at Queen Elizabeth II’s vigil over the weekend, the 38-year-old arrived at Westminster Hall in his morning suit during <a href="https://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/family-pets/final-farewell-for-longest-reigning-queen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Monday morning’s service</a>. The prince added his medals to his black suit jacket which he wore while walking in the procession to and from Westminster Abbey during the funeral. But he wasn’t the only one not in uniform, after Prince Andrew was also prohibited from wearing official military dress during the service. The <a href="https://www.oversixty.co.nz/news/news/major-backflip-over-prince-harry-s-military-uniform-rules" target="_blank" rel="noopener">changes to uniform permissions</a> came after the palace announced that only working members of the royal family who hold a rank could wear military uniforms at the funeral, with both Prince Harry and Prince Andrew being excluded from that category after leaving royal life. A source told Page Six last week that Prince Harry was just “prepared to wear whatever his grandmother made plans for”. “He’s focused on honouring her and that’s it,” they said. In a statement, the prince said what he wore wasn’t reflective of his military service. “Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex will wear a morning suit throughout events honouring his grandmother. His decade of military service is not determined by the uniform he wears and we respectfully ask that focus remain on the life and legacy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.” During the funeral, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were seated in the second row behind King Charles III and Camilla, the Queen Consort. Meghan was spotted wearing a touching tribute to her grandmother-in-law, donning pearl earrings the Queen gave her in 2018. After the service, the couple walked behind the Queen’s coffin, with Prince Harry joining male family members for a procession through London streets ahead of her burial at Windsor Castle. Image: Getty Images

Family & Pets

5 ways you didn’t know you are ruining your sheets

We spend a lot of our time laying on sheets – approximately a third of our lives – so it makes sense that you would want to make them last as long as possible. Here are the five most common mistakes that could be ruining your sheets. 1. You put too many sets of sheets into the washer or dryer Large items like sheets should always be loosely placed into the washer/dryer so it can tumble freely, which means better cleaning and less tangling. If you’re finding you are jamming sheets in, wash one set at a time instead. 2. You wash sheets on the heavy-duty cycle A normal cycle is sufficient to clean sheets. Heavy-duty cycles can cause tangling and winkling. 3. You dry them for too long If you use a dryer for your sheets, be cautious of over-drying your sheets, which can cause them to wear and tear more easily. 4. You don’t change them often enough Sheets that have been used too long might not be stretched out and unable to recover their shape in the washer and dryer. It’s best to change sheets weekly or fortnightly. 5. You don’t fold your fitted sheets Don’t just ball your sheets up and throw it in the closet as it can stress and stretch fabric, not to mention cause all those creases. Image: Getty

Home Hints & Tips

8 surprising facts you probably didn’t know about your brain

The brain is one of, if not, the most vital part of our bodies yet it’s also one of the most mysterious. Here are 8 amazing facts about that grey matter in between our ears that will make you appreciate it a whole lot more. 1. The brain is a hog The brain accounts for only two per cent of your weight but it uses 20 per cent of the oxygen you breathe and 25 per cent of the glucose circulating in your bloodstream. A continuous supply of oxygen is essential for the brain’s survival with just 10 minutes of lost oxygen causing significant neutral damage. 2. Brain tissue feels like tofu According to neurosurgeon Katrina Firlik, the texture and consistency of the brain is similar to “tofu – the soft variety,” she writes in her memoir Another Day in the Frontal Lobe: A Brain Surgeon Exposes Life on the Inside. 3. Night vision is different to day vision When it is dark outside your peripheral vision actually works better than your front-on vision. This is because our rod cells – the photoreceptors that respond best to dim light – are located in the periphery. Take a page from pilots who look for traffic out the side of their eyes next time you’re driving at night. 4. Your brain doesn’t feel pain If you like watching your medical dramas on TV you might have wondered why patients undergo open brain surgery without being sedated. Surprisingly, it’s not because the medical dramas are wrong, it’s because the brain itself doesn’t feel pain. This allows doctors to probe areas of the brain while the patient is conscious. 5. You use more than 10 per cent of your brain Thanks to Hollywood, there is a common myth that humans only use 10 percent of their brains. However, there is absolutely no scientific evidence to support this. It is true that scientist still do not completely understand how the brain functions but brain mapping suggests all areas of the brain have a function and are used. 6. The brain is big The average adult brain weighs around 1.3 to 1.4 kilograms and has 100,000 miles worth of blood vessels (enough to circle the Earth four times) and 100 billion neurons. 7. Size doesn’t matter Having a bigger brain doesn’t necessarily mean you are smarter. In fact, Albert Einstein had a relatively small brain. His weighed 1,230 grams whereas the average male brain weighs 1,360 grams. 8. There is no left brain/right brain divide Another common myth that says logical, methodical and analytical people are left-brain dominant while the creative and artistic types are right-brain dominant. Scientists at the University of Utah have disproved this with their analysis of 1,000 brains. They found no evidence that people use their left or right brain more but that participants used their entire brain. Image credits: Getty Images

Mind

"She didn't add any smiley faces!" Woman fired for not using emojis

A Queensland woman has won an unfair dismissal case, after the ex-wife of the business owner demanded she was fired immediately over sending a text message that didn’t include any smiley face emojis. According to the Fair Work Commission (FWC), Phoebe Wang who was overseeing her ex-husband’s Sens and Goya cafes on the Gold Coast had smashed her phone on the counter, jumped up and down while screaming “Kristen Gordon must be fired” immediately after receiving messages from her about a staffing issue. Ms Gordon had been employed by the business for about 14 months and was a casual working full-time hours. Part of her job included rostering staff and time sheets. Her colleague, who was there at the time of the incident, told the FWC she asked to see the messages to understand why Ms Wang was so angry however, she found the messages to be normal. Allegedly, Ms Wang said that Ms Gordon was arguing with her because there were no emojis included. Ms Gordon told the FWC that she had been told Ms Wang repeatedly stated she “didn’t add any smiley faces! There are no emotions!”. Ms Gordon went on to say she was unaware her “completely reasonable text message” had caused so much upset. The next day after working a full shift, Ms Gordon was told by a manager they were forced to dismiss her. Fair Work Commissioner Chris Simpson concluded that Ms Gordon was dismissed at this point, despite any attempts for it to appear otherwise. Commissioner Simpson ordered Sens Catering Group Pty Ltd to pay Ms Gordon $5357.80, plus 9.5% superannuation. Image: Getty

Legal

“I didn’t know how to ask for help”: Naomi Watts shares important message on ageing

Naomi Watts got candid about the topic of menopause and how the word used to “freak her out” in a bid to normalise conversations about this aspect of every woman’s life. The 53-year-old took to Instagram to tackle the topic, which she describes as “a natural phase in life”, sharing her own experience and revealing that it began earlier than she expected. “When I was in my late 30s, I was finally ready to start thinking about creating a family. Then the M word swiftly blew my doors down, it felt like a head-on collision with a Mack truck.🚚💥,” she began. “How could I figure this out when no one was talking? I was earlier to it than my peers. My mentors and mum didn’t seem up for discussing it, I didn’t know how to ask for help and they didn’t know how to provide… even doctors had little to say. “It’s oddly like an unwritten code of silence: women should suck it up and cope, because that’s how generations past have done it.” <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CejRzoprP0H/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CejRzoprP0H/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Naomi Watts (@naomiwatts)</a> </div> </blockquote> Watts then called for more representation of women “in this phase of life” and age group in the media. “We’ve been under-served in media, stories and marketing for far too long”, she continued. “Particularly since 1 billion people worldwide will be menopausal by 2025… “When you spotlight uncomfortable conversations, they get easier. Progress is made. Why has this particular one taken so long?” She concluded the post by urging everyone to “conquer the stigma” and “address the secrecy and shame” for the sake of generations to come. “Getting older is a privilege and a time for us to feel proud of our cumulative experiences - to feel empowered, unapologetically so,” she wrote. “I think being part of a change-maker generation is exciting. No more walking through this alone.” Watts, who became a mother at the age of 38, hinted that she is “working on something” she is “super proud of”, with more details to come soon. Image: @naomiwatts (Instagram)

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"She didn't add any smiley faces!" Woman fired for not using emojis

“I didn’t know how to ask for help”: Naomi Watts shares important message on ageing