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Can I actually target areas to lose fat, like my belly?

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nick-fuller-219993">Nick Fuller</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a></em></p> <p>Spend some time scrolling social media and you’re all-but-guaranteed to see an ad promising to help you with targeted fat loss. These ads promote a concept known as “spot reduction”, claiming you can burn fat in a specific body area, usually the belly, with specially designed exercises or workouts.</p> <p>It’s also common to see ads touting special diets, pills and supplements that will blast fat in targeted areas. These ads – which often feature impressive before and after photos taken weeks apart – can seem believable.</p> <p>Unfortunately, spot reduction is another weight-loss myth. It’s simply not possible to target the location of fat loss. Here’s why.</p> <h2>1. Our bodies are hardwired to access and burn all our fat stores for energy</h2> <p>To understand why spot reduction is a myth, it’s important to understand how body fat is stored and used.</p> <p>The fat stored in our bodies takes the form of triglycerides, which are a type of lipid or fat molecule we can use for energy. Around 95% of the dietary fats <a href="https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/triglycerides">we consume are triglycerides</a>, and when we eat, our bodies also convert any unused energy consumed into triglycerides.</p> <p>Triglycerides are stored in special fat cells called adipocytes, and they’re released into our bloodstream and transported to adipose tissue – tissue we more commonly refer to as body fat.</p> <p>This body fat is found all over our bodies, but it’s primarily stored as subcutaneous fat under our skin and as visceral fat around our internal organs.</p> <p>These fat stores serve as a vital energy reserve, with our bodies mobilising to access stored triglycerides to provide energy during periods of prolonged exercise. We also draw on these reserves when we’re dieting and fasting.</p> <p>However, contrary to what many spot-reduction ads would have us think, our muscles can’t directly access and burn specific fat stores when we exercise.</p> <p>Instead, they use a process called lipolysis to convert triglycerides into free fatty acids and a compound called glycerol, which then travels to our muscles via our bloodstream.</p> <p>As a result, the fat stores we’re using for energy when we exercise come from everywhere in our bodies – not just the areas we’re targeting for fat loss.</p> <p>Research reinforces how our bodies burn fat when we exercise, confirming spot reduction is a weight-loss myth. This includes a randomised <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25766455/">12-week clinical trial</a> which found no greater improvement in reducing belly fat between people who undertook an abdominal resistance program in addition to changes in diet compared to those in the diet-only group.</p> <p>Further, <a href="https://www.termedia.pl/A-proposed-model-to-test-the-hypothesis-of-exerciseinduced-localized-fat-reduction-spot-reduction-including-a-systematic-review-with-meta-analysis,129,45538,0,1.html">a 2021 meta-analysis</a> of 13 studies involving more than 1,100 participants found that localised muscle training had no effect on localised fat deposits. That is, exercising a specific part of the body did not reduce fat in that part of the body.</p> <p><a href="https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/7/3845">Studies</a> purporting to show spot-reduction benefits have small numbers of participants with results that aren’t clinically meaningful.</p> <h2>2. Our bodies decide where we store fat and where we lose it from first</h2> <p>Factors outside of our control influence the areas and order in which our bodies store and lose fat, namely:</p> <ul> <li> <p>our genes. Just as DNA prescribes whether we’re short or tall, genetics plays a significant role in how our fat stores are managed. Research shows our genes can account for <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24632736/">60% of where fat is distributed</a>. So, if your mum tends to store and lose weight from her face first, there’s a good chance you will, too</p> </li> <li> <p>our gender. Our bodies, by nature, have distinct fat storage characteristics <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11706283/">driven by our gender</a>, including females having more fat mass than males. This is primarily because the female body is designed to hold fat reserves to support pregnancy and nursing, with women tending to lose weight from their face, calves and arms first because they impact childbearing the least, while holding onto fat stored around the hips, thighs and buttocks</p> </li> <li> <p>our age. The ageing process triggers changes in muscle mass, metabolism, and hormone levels, which can impact where and how quickly fat is lost. Post-menopausal <a href="https://theconversation.com/is-menopause-making-me-put-on-weight-no-but-its-complicated-198308">women</a> and middle-aged <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/british-journal-of-nutrition/article/sex-differences-in-fat-storage-fat-metabolism-and-the-health-risks-from-obesity-possible-evolutionary-origins/00950AD6710FB3D0414B13EAA67D4327">men</a> tend to store visceral fat around the midsection and find it a stubborn place to shift fat from.</p> </li> </ul> <h2>3. Over-the-counter pills and supplements cannot effectively target fat loss</h2> <p>Most advertising for these pills and dietary supplements – including products claiming to be “the best way to lose belly fat” – will also proudly claim their product’s results are backed by “clinical trials” and “scientific evidence”.</p> <p>But the reality is a host of independent studies don’t support these claims.</p> <p>This includes two recent studies by the University of Sydney that examined data from more than 120 placebo-controlled trials of <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31984610/">herbal</a> and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33976376/">dietary</a> supplements. None of the supplements examined provided a clinically meaningful reduction in body weight among overweight or obese people.</p> <h2>The bottom line</h2> <p>Spot reduction is a myth – we can’t control where our bodies lose fat. But we can achieve the results we’re seeking in specific areas by targeting overall fat loss.</p> <p>While you may not lose the weight in a specific spot when exercising, all physical activity helps to burn body fat and preserve muscle mass. This will lead to a change in your body shape over time and it will also help you with long-term weight management.</p> <p>This is because your metabolic rate – how much energy you burn at rest – is determined by how much muscle and fat you carry. As muscle is more metabolically active than fat (meaning it burns more energy than fat), a person with a higher muscle mass will have a faster metabolic rate than someone of the same body weight with a higher fat mass.</p> <p>Successfully losing fat long term comes down to losing weight in small, manageable chunks you can sustain – periods of weight loss, followed by periods of weight maintenance, and so on, until you achieve your goal weight.</p> <p>It also requires gradual changes to your lifestyle (diet, exercise and sleep) to ensure you form habits that last a lifetime.</p> <p><em>At the Boden Group, Charles Perkins Centre, we are studying the science of obesity and running clinical trials for weight loss. You can <a href="https://redcap.sydney.edu.au/surveys/?s=RKTXPPPHKY">register here</a> to express your interest.</em><!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><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/205203/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nick-fuller-219993"><em>Nick Fuller</em></a><em>, Charles Perkins Centre Research Program Leader, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>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/can-i-actually-target-areas-to-lose-fat-like-my-belly-205203">original article</a>.</em></p>

Body

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"Plenty of fire in his belly": Derryn Hinch confirms big plans

<p dir="ltr">Media personality and former senator Derryn Hinch has confirmed he will be planning to run for a seat in Victoria’s state election in November.</p> <p dir="ltr">The 78-year-old, who founded Derryn Hinch’s Justice Party, shared the news on Tuesday night via Twitter.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Yes… it is true,” he tweeted in response to a question about his run.</p> <p dir="ltr">Hinch is looking to claim a seat in the Victorian Upper House after failing to keep his seat in the federal Senate last month, per <em><a href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/derryn-hinch-confirms-vic-parliament-230902577.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Yahoo News</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Stuart Grimley, the Victorian Justice Party leader, also took to Twitter once the news broke.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The secret is out! Derryn, our Party Leader, will be running for State Parliament this November!” Grimley wrote.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-49fa64ad-7fff-ed64-25bb-d24379bb308f"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“Still plenty of fire in his belly in standing up for justice issues!”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">The secret is out! Derryn, our Party Leader, will be running for State Parliament this November! Still plenty of fire in his belly in standing up for justice issues! <a href="https://t.co/6XhT6QwxIH">https://t.co/6XhT6QwxIH</a></p> <p>— Stuart Grimley (@stuartgrimleyMP) <a href="https://twitter.com/stuartgrimleyMP/status/1536815777377964032?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 14, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">According to his website, Hinch describes himself as “a man of the people” who promises to do “what is right and just, no matter the cost”, with policies calling for tougher parole and bail legislation and the creation of a public sex offenders register.</p> <p dir="ltr">Hinch has previously been jailed for breaching suppression orders against the names of sex offenders and in relation to a trial involving the murder of Jill Meagher.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-cebdaa16-7fff-0b4a-06bc-e46b2e521069"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: @derrynhinch (Instagram)</em></p>

News

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7 easy bedtime fixes to help reduce belly bloat while you sleep

<p><strong>What causes belly bloat?</strong></p> <p>Waking up with a bloated stomach is not a good feeling. But before you start blaming your puffy tummy on gas or PMT, you should know that bloating can also be a side effect of other conditions like diarrhoea, constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, or a food allergy or intolerance. For persistent belly bloat, seek a physician’s advice to get the help you need.</p> <p><strong>Eat at the dinner table</strong></p> <p>Lounging in bed while snacking is the perfect recipe for morning bloat. “If you lay down at night to munch, that allows gas to go down into your lower abdomen,” says Dr James Reynolds. “You should be sitting upright when you eat so if you do swallow excess air, it encourages the gas to go up and out versus down and in.” You should also eat slowly and avoid gulping your drink during your meals; inhaling your food and drinking while you eat can also increase air intake and up your risk for developing gas later on. Consuming vegetables like asparagus, bok choy and celery throughout the day are great options for keeping your belly bloat-free.</p> <p><strong>Give your belly a massage</strong></p> <p>Mum might have been onto something when she rubbed your belly as a kid to soothe a tummy ache. Sometimes bloating can be caused by constipation or problems in the gut, so gently massaging your stomach in bed may actually help move things along overnight. It increases your motility to move your hands along your gastrointestinal tract,” says gastroenterologist, Dr Judy Nee. Press along your colon, going from the right side of your lower abdomen up into your stomach area and down to the left side; this follows the path of the gastrointestinal tract. Dr Nee tells her patients to write out “I [heart] U” across their stomachs to ensure they massage their gastrointestinal tract in its entirety.</p> <p><strong>Avoid taking vitamins before bed</strong></p> <p>Some vitamin supplements have earned a bad rap for increased belly bloat because of certain ingredients. “Certain vitamin supplements have non-absorbable sugar alcohols like sorbitol and xylitol syrups in them,” says gastroenterologist, Dr Alan Brijbassie. “These are non-digestible.” Since our body has trouble digesting sugar alcohols, additives and fillers found in some supplements, our gut bacteria have more time to feast on them and produce gas. A good ingredient label is typically short and sweet with easy-to-pronounce words that you know – if it looks like gibberish, chances are it contains additives or fillers. Steer clear of vitamins that list sugar alcohols, lactose and gluten as the ingredients (they may disguise them under words like food starch or wheat germ). An even better bet: get your vitamins and minerals from natural sources by eating a well-balanced diet.</p> <p><strong>Do a low-intensity bedtime workout</strong></p> <p>A small dose of light to moderate exercise before bed may just be the ticket to moving things along overnight and quelling any morning belly bloat. “Walking around or doing light exercise for 15 minutes after you eat increases your motility and moves the gastrointestinal tract along to help that feeling of bloating,” says Dr Nee. Try taking a 15-minute stroll around the neighbourhood after dinner or do some light yoga poses to relieve your digestive discomfort.</p> <p><strong>Colour in an adult colouring book</strong></p> <p>Stressing about that upcoming work presentation or job interview can put a real damper on your mood, hair, skin, heart, weight and even your belly. Your gut is extremely vulnerable to stress, which can cause changes in your motility and inflame your intestines, giving you that puffy, uncomfortable sensation in your stomach. Before bed, take a half-hour to decompress and rid your mind of any negativity or worries. Reading a book, writing in a journal, or dumping out the crayons to colour in an adult colouring book are just a few ways to put your mind – and stomach – at ease.</p> <p><strong>Skip the nightcap</strong></p> <p>“Carbonated beverages and beer are the two biggest culprits of bloating,” says Dr Brijbassie. “Stay away from drinking those at least two hours before bed.” Even better? Avoid all alcohol and food at least two hours before bed to give your digestive system a rest. It takes at least two to three hours for your stomach to empty itself out and laying down while your digestive enzymes are at work pulls the gas further into your abdomen.</p> <p><strong>Drink peppermint tea</strong></p> <p>Peppermint isn’t just reserved for minty fresh breath – it may also help relax the gastrointestinal tract and alleviate bloating. “A lot of the proof is anecdotal but it does help some people,” says Dr Brijbassie. “Peppermint oil [mixed with a little water] may also help the digestive enzymes break down food better.” Simply mix two to three drops of peppermint oil with a cup of hot water and drink up! But avoid sucking on peppermint candies or chewing gum because they may be loaded with sugar alcohols, which the bacteria in the small bowel ferments to produce gas and bloating. If you don’t consider yourself a peppermint person, try taking some artichoke leaf extract before bed.</p> <p><em><span id="docs-internal-guid-66a0327c-7fff-c4af-a2e6-bb74192d91ba">Written by Ashley Lewis. This article first appeared in <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/healthsmart/7-easy-bedtime-fixes-to-help-reduce-belly-bloat-while-you-sleep" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader’s Digest</a>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a href="http://readersdigest.innovations.com.au/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&amp;utm_medium=articles&amp;utm_campaign=RDSUB&amp;keycode=WRA87V" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here’s our best subscription offer.</a></span></em></p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Body

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Delicious pork belly and prawn fresh rice paper rolls

<p>Time to prepare 20 mins | Serves 4-6</p> <p>A great fresh-tasting starter or snack, and you can even get creative with the ingredients you put inside!</p> <p>“Although I love Vietnamese fried spring rolls, these fresh rice paper rolls are my favourite rolls to eat. They’re light and delicious and hugely popular in Vietnam as well as all around the world,” says chef Adam Liaw.</p> <p><em>Recipe from <u><a href="http://t.dgm-au.com/c/185116/71095/1880?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.booktopia.com.au%2Fadam-liaw-s-asian-cookery-school-adam-liaw%2Fprod9780733634307.html">Asian Cookery School by Adam Liaw</a></u> (Hachette, RRP $49.99)</em> -.</p> <p><strong>Ingredients</strong>:</p> <ul> <li>300g pork belly, skin and bone removed </li> <li>1 tbsp salt </li> <li>100g dried rice vermicelli </li> <li>30 rice paper sheets </li> <li>3 cups shredded iceberg lettuce </li> <li>1 cup loosely packed mint </li> <li>1 cup loosely packed coriander or perilla </li> <li>300g cooked prawns, peeled, deveined and split lengthways </li> <li>1 bunch Chinese chives, halved </li> <li>1 cup Nuoc Cham* (see tip below), to serve</li> </ul> <p>*If you don’t feel like making it yourself or can’t find Nuoc Cham at your local Asian supermarket then try it with sweet chilli sauce or experiment with your favourite Asian dipping sauce.</p> <p><strong>Directions</strong></p> <p>1. Place the pork belly in a pot just big enough to fit it. Cover with cold water. Add the salt, bring the water to a simmer and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the pork belly is cooked through. Remove from the water and allow to cool. Thinly slice the pork into 5cm wide slices no more than a few millimetres thick.</p> <p>2. Place the rice vermicelli in a large bowl and pour over plenty of boiling water. Leave for 5 minutes then drain, rinse in cold water, drain again and cut into 5cm lengths.</p> <p>3. Fill a large bowl with lukewarm water and dip a sheet of rice paper into the water until it slightly softens. (It will continue to soften out of the water.) Transfer the rice paper to a plate and place a pile of pork, lettuce, rice vermicelli and some mint and coriander on the paper in a line just in from the edge closest to you.</p> <p>4. Place a few prawns at the centre of the paper with the orange backs facing down and roll the paper, folding in the edges halfway along, as shown. Add a few spears of chives just before finishing the roll so the cut ends stick out of the top. Serve with Nuoc Cham.</p> <p><strong>Tips</strong>:</p> <ul> <li>Keeping the prawns separate from the other fillings is purely for presentation, so you can see the colourful backs facing outward through a single layer of rice paper.</li> <li>You don’t need to do all the work yourself – you can put the ingredients on platters on the dining table with bowls of warm water to dip the rice papers into and everyone can make their own.</li> <li>The filling of the rolls can be whatever you like. Try leftover <a href="https://www.wyza.com.au/recipes/lemongrass-beef.aspx">Lemongrass Beef </a>or <a href="https://www.wyza.com.au/recipes/porchetta-sliders-by-matt-moran.aspx">shredded chicken</a>. </li> </ul> <p><em>Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.wyza.com.au/recipes/fresh-rice-paper-rolls.aspx">Wyza.com.au.</a></em></p>

Food & Wine

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Yikes! Gigantic red-bellied black snake found hiding in the suburbs

<p>An enormous 1.8m red-bellied black snake has been discovered in suburban Brisbane.</p> <p>Snake Catchers Brisbane shared a photo of the terrifying reptile to its Facebook page, which was captured on Tuesday in the southeast suburb of Belmont.</p> <p>Commenting on the snap was a woman who said that the area was “overloaded” with snakes and was concerned one may have killed her father’s dogs.</p> <p>“I’m so bloody freaked out at the moment! My poor father has lost three dogs now and the next door neighbours with damn snakes in Belmont,” she said.</p> <p>Others were a bit more relaxed saying how the snake was a “beautiful” and “spectacular” specimen.</p> <p>Speaking to<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://10daily.com.au/" target="_blank"><em>10 daily</em></a>, snake catcher Bryce Lockett said it was a “solid build animal” that people shouldn’t be afraid of.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fwww.snakecatchers.com.au%2Fposts%2F1098654720323140&amp;width=500" width="500" height="618" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe></p> <p>“They’re generally a very placid snake, they aren’t really defensive,” he said.</p> <p>“During breeding season male snakes tend to travel some distance looking for a mate.</p> <p>“We’re being called out to a lot of carpet pythons fighting in people’s roof cavities.”</p> <p>He told<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.nine.com.au/" target="_blank"><em>Nine</em></a><span> </span>it was “abnormally large” for that type of snake.</p> <p>The average size for an adult is between 1.5-2m, with males growing slightly larger than females.</p> <p>The snakes are found in northern and central eastern Queensland and then more continuously from southeastern Queensland through eastern NSW and Victoria.</p>

Home & Garden

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Terrified woman discovers red-bellied black snake in her bedroom

<p>As a woman from Holsworthy in NSW woke up to face another day, she got the fright of her life as she saw a red-bellied black snake slither across her bedroom floor.</p> <p>As she awoke, she noticed her dog staring at her bed as “stiff as a board”.</p> <p>It was then she realised that there was a 1.2m red-bellied black snake in her bedroom.</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7822857/snake-video-screenshot.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/9583291bcae74c4ca3e8a69e0bd09b22" /></p> <p>The removal of the snake was “quick and painless”, according to Kane Durrant from WILD Snake Catchers.</p> <p>“Sometimes it can take much longer but luckily today the snake was out and about and the resident had closed the door and kept an eye on the exit.”</p> <p><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fwildspec%2Fvideos%2F1145882328916058%2F&amp;show_text=0&amp;width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p> <p>Mr Durrant was shocked to be called out to the same resident's house, as he had just removed another red-bellied black snake from their backyard just two weeks prior.</p> <p>He explained why the snake had decided to go indoors: <span>“I guess the bedroom is quite scary as you sleep in there and should feel safe.</span></p> <p>“Hot weather like this week can push snakes indoors searching for a cool spot to rest.”</p> <p>Have you woken up to a snake in your bedroom? What did you do? Let us know in the comments.</p>

Home & Garden

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Red-bellied black snake surprises driver as it hitches a ride on ute

<p>A NSW South Coast driver has received an unpleasant surprise, after spotting a red-bellied black snake on his car window while driving.</p> <p>Ted Ogier was in the middle of completing a delivery for his employer when the snake slithered out from the bonnet.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="500" height="334" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7266742/1_500x334.jpg" alt="1 (73)"/></p> <p>As Ted continued driving, the snake then wrapped itself around the driver’s side mirror.</p> <p>"It'd come out from under the engine bay under the bonnet, it was probably a bit warm there," Ted told the ABC.</p> <p>Ted then called his co-worker Kai Pearse, who got a broom to remove the snake.</p> <p>"I just had a broom in the back of the ute and … basically just got him off the car nice and safely, and just ushered him into the bushland off on the side of the road," Kai said.</p> <p>The pair believe the snake was around 2.5 metres long and Kai thought it entered the engine bay to keep warm.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="500" height="500" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7266744/2_500x500.jpg" alt="2 (48)"/></p> <p>"Last night it got a bit cold down here on the South Coast, so I think he's got up into the engine bay of the vehicle, and he sat up on the engine to keep himself warm," he said.</p> <p>"Then this morning Ted's taken that vehicle down to Eden and it might've got a bit too hot in there, so he wanted out."</p> <p>Despite the scare, Ted said there were worse things that could show up in his car on the road.</p> <p>"Not as frightening as getting a spider on the inside — spiders are one thing I don't like, but I don't like snakes either," he said.</p> <p>What is the worst critter you have encountered while driving? Let us know in the comments below. </p> <p><em>Image credit: Nolans Auto Parts via Facebook </em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Strange body part to apply perfume to make it last longer

<p>It seems every day we’re being told something new that we’ve been doing wrong all these years, and this one has to be the strangest yet. Steven Claisse, senior perfumer at fragrance company Takasago, has revealed that to make your perfume last longer, you should apply a few drops to your belly button. Yes, you read that right!</p> <p>While most people opt for a spritz on the wrists and each side of the neck, Claisse claims the navel is the best place to apply fragrance. “Any area on your body that radiates heat will enhance a scent, and your belly button does just that,” he told <a href="http://www.self.com/story/how-to-apply-perfume" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">SELF</span></strong></a>.</p> <p>In addition, Claisse says applying perfume to your hair, the top of your ears, inside the elbows, behind your knees, down your calves or on your ankles will make the fragrance last longer and help you leave a “trail of scent” wherever you go.</p> <p>Tell us in the comments below, would you ever consider applying perfume to your belly button? Have you tried it before?</p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="/news/news/2016/11/107-year-old-man-swears-this-drink-is-key-to-his-long-life/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>107-year-old man swears this drink is key to his long life</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="/news/news/2016/11/how-to-pronounce-scone/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>The correct pronunciation of “scone” revealed</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="/news/news/2016/11/9-foods-that-lower-cholesterol/"><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>9 foods that lower cholesterol</strong></span></em></a></p>

Beauty & Style

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Slow-cooked pork belly with Asian flavours

<p>Slow-cooking pork belly creates a super tasty treat – its high fat content makes it rich and incredibly succulent.</p> <p>This dish can be cooked a day or two ahead: let the pork cool in the cooking liquid then remove to a flat plate or tray, cover and refrigerate. Slice the meat and let it come to room temperature before grilling.</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Serves:</span></strong> 4-6</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ingredients:</span></strong></p> <ul> <li>1.25-1.5kg piece or pieces of pork belly (bones removed)</li> <li>1 tablespoon peanut oil</li> <li>1 tablespoon sesame oil</li> <li>2 medium cinnamon sticks</li> <li>3 whole star anise</li> <li>1 thumb ginger, peeled and finely sliced</li> <li>3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely sliced</li> <li>200ml orange juice</li> <li>¼ cup brown sugar, plus 1-2 tablespoons extra for gravy </li> <li>¼ cup soy sauce</li> <li>2 tablespoons rice vinegar</li> <li>1 tablespoon sweet chilli sauce</li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Method:</span></strong></p> <ol start="1"> <li>Heat oven to 150°C. If the pork skin hasn't already been scored, do this with a very sharp knife, in lines about a finger-width apart. </li> <li>Heat peanut and sesame oils in a flameproof casserole large enough to hold the pork snugly. Sear pork on both sides, finishing with the pork skin side up.</li> <li>Combine remaining ingredients in a bowl or large jug. Pour over and around pork. The liquid should come at least two-thirds of the way up the meat – if necessary add water.</li> <li>Place a piece of baking paper inside casserole over pork and cover with casserole lid. Place in the oven and cook 3 hours until pork is very soft. (This dish can also be cooked on the stove top at a gentle simmer for 3 hours.)</li> <li>Carefully remove pork from juices and allow to rest 15 minutes then pat skin dry with a paper towel. Place pork skin side up under a pre-heated grill until the skin starts to crackle. </li> <li>To reduce the cooking liquid for serving as a gravy, pour it through a sieve into a small saucepan, adding an extra 1-2 tablespoons brown sugar, and simmer, stirring until sugar dissolves. Cook until reduced and thickened slightly. For a thicker sauce, add a little cornflour. </li> <li>Serve pork with the gravy and garnished with chopped spring onions and coriander leaves if desired.</li> </ol> <p><em>Written by Bernadette Hogg. First appeared on <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stuff.co.nz</span></strong></a>. Image credit: Manja Wachsmuth.</em></p>

Food & Wine

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Handler pulls red-bellied black snake from 10-metre pit

<p>In case you had any doubt in your mind that the folks at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SnakeCatchersAdelaide/" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Snake Catchers Adelaide</strong></span></a> are at the very top of their game, a new video has emerged of a dramatic rescue of a deadly red-bellied black snake that had fallen into a 10-metre pit in Victor Harbor.</p> <p>The gripping video shows the catchers making a precarious descent into the pit at a plant at Trility, an irrigation company, to get the snake back on solid ground.</p> <p>Ange, one of the staff at Snake Catchers Adelaide, posted the video on Facebook with the caption, “There’s only one way out – up!”.</p> <p>You got to take your hat off to the handler in the video. And goodness knows how they decided which one was going to have to go down the hole!</p> <p><em>Facebook/Snake Catchers Adelaide via Storyful</em></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/news/news/2017/01/snake-eats-wallaby/"><em>Snake devours an entire wallaby whole</em></a></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/news/news/2017/01/croc-surprises-aussie-town-on-nye/"><em>Croc gives Aussie town a wild New Year’s Eve surprise</em></a></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/news/news/2016/12/snake-found-lurking-in-toilet-bowl/"><em>Snake found lurking in toilet bowl</em></a></strong></span></p>

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The cutest animal bellies that beg to be tickled

<p>When an animal presents their belly to you must drop everything and give it a thorough rub. Because how could you resist this adorably cute animal who want nothing more than some belly love?</p><p>&nbsp;<img width="499" height="665" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/9037/1_499x665.jpg" alt="1 (57)" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"></p><p><img width="499" height="665" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/9038/2_499x665.jpg" alt="2 (60)" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"></p><p><img width="499" height="665" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/9039/3_499x665.jpg" alt="3 (56)" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"></p><p><img width="500" height="334" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/9040/4_500x334.jpg" alt="4 (53)" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"></p><p><img width="500" height="500" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/9041/5_500x500.jpg" alt="5 (51)" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"></p><p><img width="499" height="388" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/9044/6_499x388.jpg" alt="6 (50)" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"></p><p><img width="500" height="375" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/9046/7_500x375.jpg" alt="7 (44)" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"></p><p><img width="499" height="650" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/9048/9_499x650.jpg" alt="9 (33)" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"></p><p><img width="500" height="250" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/9050/10_500x250.jpg" alt="10 (26)" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"></p><p><strong>Related links:</strong></p><p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="/lifestyle/pets/2015/08/animal-sleeping-buddies/">Unlikely animal sleeping buddies that will melt your heart</a></strong></em></span></p><p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="/lifestyle/pets/2015/08/teeny-tiny-animal-gallery/">14 teeny tiny animals</a></strong></em></span></p><p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="/lifestyle/pets/2015/07/camouflaged-cats/">Can you spot the cats playing hide-and-seek?</a></strong></em></span></p>

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