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The internet is worse than it used to be. How did we get here, and can we go back?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/marc-cheong-998488">Marc Cheong</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/wonsun-shin-1300054">Wonsun Shin</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a> When it comes to our experience of the internet, “the times, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Times_They_Are_a-Changin%27_(song)">they are a-changin’</a>”, as Bob Dylan would say. You can’t quite recall how, but the internet certainly feels different these days. To some, it is “<a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/01/16/1224878097/everyday-users-are-complaining-that-the-internet-is-more-chaotic-than-ever">less fun and less informative</a>” than it used to be. To others, online searches are made up of “<a href="https://www.theverge.com/c/23998379/google-search-seo-algorithm-webpage-optimization?src=longreads">cookie cutter</a>” pages that drown out useful information and are saturated with scams, spam and content generated by artificial intelligence (AI). Your social media feeds are full of eye-catching, provocative, hyper-targeted, or anger-inducing content, from <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-dead-internet-theory-makes-eerie-claims-about-an-ai-run-web-the-truth-is-more-sinister-229609">bizarre AI-generated imagery</a> to robot-like comments. You’re lucky if your video feeds are not solely made up of exhortations to “subscribe”. How did we get here? And can we claw our way back? <h2>Commercial interests rule</h2> One major factor contributing to the current state of the internet is its over-commercialisation: financial motives drive much of the content. This has arguably led to the prevalence of sensationalism, prioritising virality over information quality. Covert and deceptive advertising is widespread, blurring the line between commercial and non-commercial content to attract more attention and engagement. Another driving force is the dominance of tech giants like Google, Meta and Amazon. They reach billions worldwide and wield immense power over the content we consume. Their platforms use advanced tracking technologies and opaque algorithms to generate hyper-targeted media content, powered by extensive user data. This creates <a href="https://www.campaignasia.com/article/the-echo-chamber-effect-how-algorithms-shape-our-worldview/491762">filter bubbles</a>, where users are exposed to limited content that reinforces their existing beliefs and biases, and <a href="https://philarchive.org/archive/NGUECA">echo chambers</a> where other viewpoints are actively discredited. Bad actors like <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/ai-fuel-financial-scams-online-industry-experts/story?id=103732051">cyber criminals and scammers</a> have been an enduring problem online. However, evolving technology like generative AI has further empowered them, enabling them to create highly realistic fake images, deepfake videos and <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/science/annals-of-artificial-intelligence/the-terrifying-ai-scam-that-uses-your-loved-ones-voice">voice cloning</a>. AI’s ability to automate content creation has also flooded the internet with low-quality, misleading and harmful material at an unprecedented scale. In sum, the accelerated commercialisation of the internet, the dominance of media tech giants and the presence of bad actors have infiltrated content on the internet. The rise of AI further intensifies this, making the internet more chaotic than ever. <h2>Some of the ‘good’ internet remains</h2> So, what was the “good internet” some of us long for with nostalgia? At the outset, the internet was meant to be a free egalitarian space people were meant to “surf” and “browse”. Knowledge was meant to be shared: sites such as Wikipedia and The Internet Archive are continuing bastions of knowledge. Before the advent of filter bubbles, the internet was a creative playground where people explored different ideas, discussed varying perspectives, and collaborated with individuals from “outgroups” – those outside their social circles who may hold opposing views. Early social media platforms were built on the ethos of reconnecting with long-lost classmates and family members. Many of us have community groups, acquaintances and family we reach out to via the internet. The “connection” aspect of the internet remains as important as ever – as we all saw during the COVID pandemic. What else do we want to preserve? Privacy. A New Yorker cartoon joke in 1993 stated that “<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20051029045942/http://www.unc.edu/depts/jomc/academics/dri/idog.html">on the internet, nobody knows you’re a dog</a>”. Now everyone – especially advertisers – wants to know who you are. To quote the <a href="https://www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/your-privacy-rights/your-personal-information/what-is-privacy">Office of the Australian Information Commissioner</a>, one of the tenets of privacy is “to be able to control who can see or use information about you”. At the very least, we want to control what big tech knows about us, especially if they could stand to profit from it. <h2>Can we ever go back?</h2> We can’t control “a changin’” times, but we can keep as much of the good parts as we can. For starters, we can vote with our feet. Users can enact change and bring awareness to problems on existing platforms. In recent times, we have seen this with the <a href="https://theconversation.com/thinking-of-breaking-up-with-twitter-heres-the-right-way-to-do-it-195002">exodus of users</a> from X (formerly Twitter) to other platforms, and the <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2023/06/26/why-reddit-users-are-protesting-against-the-sites-leadership">platform-wide protest against Reddit</a> for changing its third-party data access policies. However, voting with our feet is only possible when there’s competition. In the case of X, various other platforms – from Mastodon to Threads to Bluesky – enable users to pick one that aligns with their preferences, values and social circles. Search engines have alternatives, too, such as DuckDuckGo or Ecosia. But competition can only be created by moving to decentralised systems and removing monopolies. This actually happened in the early days of the internet during the 1990s “<a href="https://thehistoryoftheweb.com/browser-wars/">browser wars</a>”, when Microsoft was eventually accused of illegally monopolising the web browser market in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_v._Microsoft_Corp.">a landmark court case</a>. As users of technology, all of us must remain vigilant about threats to our privacy and knowledge. With cheap and ubiquitous generative AI, misleading content and scams are more realistic as ever. We must exercise healthy scepticism and ensure those most at risk from online threats – such as children and older people – are educated about potential harms. Remember, the internet is not optimised for your best interests. It’s up to you to decide how much power you give to the tech giants who are fuelling theirs.<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/236513/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/marc-cheong-998488">Marc Cheong</a>, Senior Lecturer of Information Systems, School of Computing and Information Systems; and (Honorary) Senior Fellow, Melbourne Law School, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/wonsun-shin-1300054">Wonsun Shin</a>, Associate Professor in Media and Communications, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</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/the-internet-is-worse-than-it-used-to-be-how-did-we-get-here-and-can-we-go-back-236513">original article</a>. </div>

Technology

MSG is back. Is the idea it’s bad for us just a myth or food science?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/evangeline-mantzioris-153250">Evangeline Mantzioris</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> MSG is making a comeback. The internet’s favourite cucumber salad recipe includes fish sauce, cucumber, garlic and – as the video’s creator Logan tells us with a generous sprinkle from the bag – “MSG, obviously”. But for many of us, it’s not obvious. Do you have a vague sense MSG is unhealthy but you’re not sure why? Here is the science behind monosodium glutamate, how it got a bad rap, and whether you should add it to your cooking. <h2>What is MSG?</h2> Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a sodium salt of glutamic acid, one of the amino acids that make up proteins. It occurs naturally in <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10942912.2017.1295260#d1e167">foods</a> such as mature cheeses, fish, beef, mushrooms, tomatoes, onion and garlic. It provides their savoury and “meaty” flavour, known as <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022316622140186">umami</a>. MSG has been used to season food for <a href="https://wjpsonline.com/index.php/wjps/article/view/effects-monosodium-glutamate-human-health-review">more than 100 years</a>. Traditionally it <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/epdf/10.1021/ed081p347?ref=article_openPDF">was extracted</a> from seaweed broth, but now it’s made by fermenting starch in sugar beets, sugar cane and molasses. Today it’s widely used as a flavour enhancer in many dishes and pre-packaged goods, including soups, condiments and processed meats. There is no chemical difference between the MSG found in food and the additive. <h2>Is it safe?</h2> For most people, yes. MSG is a safe and authorised additive, according to the Australian agency that regulates food. This corresponds with food standards in the <a href="https://www.fda.gov/food/food-additives-petitions/questions-and-answers-monosodium-glutamate-msg">United States</a>, <a href="https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A02008R1333-20201223#tocId3">European Union and United Kingdom</a>. Two major <a href="https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/sites/default/files/consumer/additives/msg/Documents/MSG%20Technical%20Report.pdf">safety reviews</a> have been conducted: one in 1987 by a United Nations expert committee and another 1995 by the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. Both concluded MSG was safe for the general population. In 2017 the <a href="https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/4910">European Food Safety Authority</a> updated its stance and set a recommended limit based on body weight, aimed to prevent headaches and increased blood pressure. That limit is still higher than most people consume. The authority says an 80kg person should not have more than 2.4g of added MSG per day. <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/1602526">For reference</a>, Europeans average less than a gram per day (0.3-1 gram), while in Asia intake is somewhere between 1.2-1.7 grams a day. Food Standards Australia New Zealand says the European update does not raise any new safety concerns not already assessed. <h2>Isn’t it bad for me?</h2> Despite the evidence, the idea MSG is dangerous persists. Its notorious reputation can be traced back to a <a href="https://news.colgate.edu/magazine/2019/02/06/the-strange-case-of-dr-ho-man-kwok/">hoax letter</a> published in the <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM196805162782014">New England Journal of Medicine</a> in 1968. A doctor claiming to have experienced palpitations, numbness and fatigue after eating at a Chinese restaurant suggested MSG could be to blame. With a follow-up article in the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1968/05/19/archives/-chinese-restaurant-syndrome-puzzles-doctors.html">New York Times</a>, the idea of “Chinese Restaurant Syndrome” took off. Eating MSG was associated with a range of symptoms, including headache, hives, throat swelling, itching and belly pain. However an <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/027869159390012N?via%3Dihub">early randomised control trial</a> showed no difference in these symptoms between people who were given MSG versus a placebo. This has since been confirmed in a <a href="https://ift.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1541-4337.12448">review of many studies</a>. <h2>Can MSG cause reactions?</h2> A very small percentage of people may have hypersensitivities to MSG. The reported reaction is now known as MSG symptom complex, rather than so-called Chinese restaurant syndrome, with its <a href="https://www.jandonline.org/article/S2212-2672(21)00068-X/abstract#:%7E:text=A%20New%20York%20Times%20piece,connecting%20MSG%20to%20health%20outcomes.">problematic</a> racial connotations. Symptoms are usually mild, short-term and don’t need treatment. <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0091674999703714">One study</a> looked at 100 people with asthma, 30 of whom believed they had hypersensitivities to MSG. However when participants were blinded to whether they were consuming MSG, not one reported a reaction. If you believe you do react to added MSG, it’s relatively easy to avoid. In Australia, it is <a href="https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/consumer/additives/msg">listed</a> in ingredients as either monosodium glutamate or flavour enhancer 621. <h2>Is it better than table salt?</h2> Using MSG instead of regular salt may help <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6893472/">reduce</a> your overall sodium intake, as MSG <a href="https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/msg-what-the-science-says-about-its-safety#Uses-of-MSG">contains</a> about one third the amount of sodium. <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21372742/">One study</a> found people who ate soup seasoned with MSG rather than salt actually liked it more. They still found it salty to taste, but their sodium intake was reduced by 18%. MSG still contains sodium, so high use is associated with increased <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21372742/">blood pressure</a>. If you’re using MSG as a substitute and you have high blood pressure, you should closely monitor it (just as you would with other salt products). <h2>Should I use MSG in my cooking?</h2> If you want to – yes. Unless you are one of the rare people with hypersensitivities, enhancing the flavour of your dish with a sprinkle of MSG will not cause any health problems. It could even help reduce how much salt you use. If you’re <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/25765299.2020.1807084#d1e199">vegetarian or vegan</a>, cooking with MSG could help add the umami flavour you may miss from animal products such as meat, fish sauce and cheese. But buying foods with added MSG? Be aware, many of them will also be <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/public-health-nutrition/article/un-decade-of-nutrition-the-nova-food-classification-and-the-trouble-with-ultraprocessing/2A9776922A28F8F757BDA32C3266AC2A">ultra-processed</a> and it’s that – not the MSG – that’s associated with poor physical and mental <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/14/1/174">health outcomes</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/237871/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/evangeline-mantzioris-153250">Evangeline Mantzioris</a>, Program Director of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Accredited Practising Dietitian, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> Image credits: 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/msg-is-back-is-the-idea-its-bad-for-us-just-a-myth-or-food-science-237871">original article</a>. </div>

Food & Wine

Network Seven claps back after Robert Ovadia's claims of "evil" conduct

Channel Seven has clapped back at claims from former 7News presenter Robert Ovadia that they are engaging in "evil" conduct, claiming they have found more inappropriate emails from the veteran journalist. Robert Ovadia, who worked with Seven for 23 years, was fired in June and has taken the matter to court claiming he was unfairly dismissed, while also claiming the network is hellbent on destroying his reputation. However, the network has finally spoke out about the claims, saying they have recent complaints from more female staffers about inappropriate behaviour. “Mr Ovadia commenced Federal Court proceedings against Seven over his dismissal for serious misconduct following the sending of inappropriate emails to a 23-year-old news producer and other employees of Seven," a Seven spokesman said. “In doing so, Seven is discharging its obligations to prevent sexual harassment at work, including as more recently expanded under recent legislation. Mr Ovadia was trained about these new legislative obligations by Seven and failed to comply with them.” The statement from the network went on to suggest there are further revelations to come, as more women have come forward with allegations of inappropriate conduct. “At the first hearing of those proceedings on Thursday, 29 August 2024 about Orders for the filing of evidence and timetable steps, Justice Raper asked Seven whether any other conduct would be relied upon by Seven other than set out in the termination letter," the spokesman said. “In that context, Seven confirmed it has had complaints or allegations about Mr Ovadia from 13 other employees. Although Seven was not required to provide examples of the other conduct it intends to rely on at this stage, Seven has provided Mr Ovadia and his lawyers examples of some of the inappropriate emails by Mr Ovadia, which will be further detailed in Seven’s defence required to be filed on 12 September 2024." “Out of respect for their privacy, Seven has not chosen to make further even more inappropriate emails public at this stage. In response to this, Mr Ovadia has made outlandish complaints about Seven being an ‘evil company’ with a ‘propaganda unit’ that is setting out to destroy his reputation. Seven is confident its position on this matter will be upheld by the Courts." In response to the statement, Ovadia took to Instagram to take another swing at his former employer while also maintaining his innocence. “I can be crass, I can be blunt, I can be obnoxious, my humour is dark – 20 years surrounded by trauma and danger will do all of that to you – but I do NOT mistreat women,” Mr Ovadia said in a lengthy Instagram post. “I’ll expect more smear over the coming months as this evil company (in whose service I risked my life and safety many times) now seeks to destroy my reputation further,” Mr Ovadia said. “When this kicked off, the day Seven first leaked this story, my teenage daughter asked if people will think her dad is a rapist. At least Four Corners’ laboured hatchet job got one thing right – the Seven Network is diabolical.” The journalist went on to share screenshots of conversations he had with female staffers who shared their words of support for Ovadia, saying they believe the allegations are false. Image credits: Instagram

Legal

Is white rice bad for me? Can I make it lower GI or healthier?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/emma-beckett-22673">Emma Beckett</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-sydney-1414">UNSW Sydney</a> Rice is a <a href="http://www.ipni.net/publication/bci.nsf/0/42A2EA40E95CBD1385257BBA006531E9/$FILE/Better%20Crops%20International%202002-3%20p03.pdf">culinary staple</a> in Australia and around the world. It might seem like a given that brown rice is healthier than white and official <a href="https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/eating-well/healthy-recipes/recipe-modification-tips">public health resources</a> often recommend brown rice instead of white as a “healthy swap”. But <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34441728/">Australians definitely prefer white rice</a> over brown. So, what’s the difference, and what do we need to know when choosing rice? <h2>What makes rice white or brown?</h2> Rice “grains” are technically seeds. A complete, whole rice seed is called a “paddy”, which has <a href="https://www.fao.org/4/t0567e/t0567e07.htm">multiple parts</a>: <ol> <li>the “hull” is the hard outer layer which protects the seed</li> <li>the “bran”, which is a softer protective layer containing the seed coat</li> <li>the “germ” or the embryo, which is the part of the seed that would develop into a new plant if was germinated</li> <li>the “endosperm”, which makes up most of the seed and is essentially the store of nutrients that feeds the developing plant as a seed grows into a plant.</li> </ol> Rice needs to be <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/87559128509540778">processed</a> for humans to eat it. Along with cleaning and drying, the hard hulls are removed since we can’t digest them. This is how <a href="https://ift.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1541-4337.12449">brown rice is made</a>, with the other three parts of the rice remaining intact. This means brown rice is regarded as a “wholegrain”. White rice, however, is a “refined” grain, as it is <a href="https://ift.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1541-4337.12449">further polished</a> to remove the bran and germ, leaving just the endosperm. This is a mechanical and not a chemical process. <h2>What’s the difference, nutritionally?</h2> Keeping the bran and the germ means <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/cche.10322">brown rice has more</a> magnesium, phosphorus, potassium B vitamins (niacin, folate, riboflavin and pyridoxine), iron, zinc and fibre. The germ and the bran also contain more bioactives (compounds in foods that aren’t essential nutrients but have health benefits), like <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/28/2/532#:%7E:text=Brown%20rice%20(BR)%20is%20obtained,and%20phenolic%20compounds%20%5B3%5D.">oryzanols and phenolic compounds</a> which have antioxidant effects. But that doesn’t mean white rice is just empty calories. It <a href="https://www.glnc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/GLNC_Rice-factsheet_WEB.pdf">still contains</a> vitamins, minerals and some fibre, and is low in fat and salt, and is naturally gluten-free. White and brown rice actually have <a href="https://ift.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1541-4337.12449">similar</a> amounts of calories (or kilojoules) and total carbohydrates. There are studies that show eating more white rice is linked to <a href="https://diabetesjournals.org/care/article/43/11/2625/35820/A-Global-Perspective-on-White-Rice-Consumption-and">a higher risk</a> of type 2 diabetes. But it is difficult to know if this is down to the rice itself, or other related factors such as socioeconomic variables or other dietary patterns. <h2>What about the glycaemic index?</h2> The higher fibre means brown rice has a <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002916523314862">lower glycaemic index</a> (GI), meaning it raises blood sugar levels more slowly. But this is highly variable between different rices within the white and brown categories. The <a href="https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/carbohydrates-and-the-glycaemic-index#:%7E:text=The%20glycaemic%20index%20(GI)%20is,simple'%20or%20'complex'.">GI system</a> uses low (less than 55), medium (55–70) and high (above 70) categories. <a href="https://glycemicindex.com/gi-search/?food_name=rice&product_category=&country=&gi=&gi_filter=&serving_size_(g)=&serving_size_(g)_filter=&carbs_per_serve_(g)=&carbs_per_serve_(g)_filter=&gl=&gl_filter=">Brown rices</a> fall into the low and medium categories. <a href="https://glycemicindex.com/gi-search/?food_name=rice&product_category=&country=&gi=&gi_filter=&serving_size_(g)=&serving_size_(g)_filter=&carbs_per_serve_(g)=&carbs_per_serve_(g)_filter=&gl=&gl_filter=">White rices</a> fall in the medium and high. There are specific <a href="https://www.gisymbol.com/low-gi-products/sunrice-doongara-low-gi-white-clever-rice-1kg/">low-GI types available</a> for both white and brown types. You can also lower the GI of rice by <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jf503203r">heating and then cooling it</a>. This process converts some of the “available carbohydrates” into “resistant starch”, which then functions like dietary fibre. <h2>Are there any benefits to white rice?</h2> The <a href="https://www.realsimple.com/brown-rice-vs-white-rice-8417468#:%7E:text=The%20eating%20experience%20between%20these,chewier%20texture%20and%20nuttier%20flavor.">taste and textural qualities</a> of white and brown rices differ. White rice tends to have a softer texture and more mild or neutral flavour. Brown rice has a chewier texture and nuttier flavour. So, while you can technically substitute brown rice into most recipes, the experience will be different. Or other ingredients may need to be added or changed to create the desired texture. Removing more of the outer layers may also reduce the levels of <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10375490/">contaminants</a> such as pesticides. <h2>We don’t just eat rice</h2> Comparing white and brown rice seems like an easy way to boost nutritional value. But just because one food (brown rice) is more nutrient-dense doesn’t make the other food (white rice) “bad”. Ultimately, it’s not often that we eat just rice, so we don’t need the rice we choose to be the perfect one. Rice is typically the staple base of a more complex dish. So, it’s probably more important to think about what we eat with rice. Adding vegetables and lean proteins to rice-based dishes can easily add the micronutrients, bioactives and fibre that white rice is comparatively lacking, and this can likely do more to contribute to diet quality than eating brown rice instead.<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/236767/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/emma-beckett-22673">Emma Beckett</a>, Adjunct Senior Lecturer, Nutrition, Dietetics & Food Innovation - School of Health Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-sydney-1414">UNSW Sydney</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/is-white-rice-bad-for-me-can-i-make-it-lower-gi-or-healthier-236767">original article</a>. </div>

Food & Wine

How long does back pain last? And how can learning about pain increase the chance of recovery?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/sarah-wallwork-1361569">Sarah Wallwork</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/lorimer-moseley-1552">Lorimer Moseley</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> Back pain is common. One in thirteen people have it right now and worldwide a staggering 619 million people will <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7186678/">have it this year</a>. Chronic pain, of which back pain is the most common, is the world’s <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7186678/">most disabling</a> health problem. Its economic impact <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92510/">dwarfs other health conditions</a>. If you get back pain, how long will it take to go away? We scoured the scientific literature to <a href="https://www.cmaj.ca/content/cmaj/196/2/E29.full.pdf">find out</a>. We found data on almost 20,000 people, from 95 different studies and split them into three groups: <ul> <li>acute – those with back pain that started less than six weeks ago</li> <li>subacute – where it started between six and 12 weeks ago</li> <li>chronic – where it started between three months and one year ago.</li> </ul> We found 70%–95% of people with acute back pain were likely to recover within six months. This dropped to 40%–70% for subacute back pain and to 12%–16% for chronic back pain. Clinical guidelines point to graded return to activity and pain education under the guidance of a health professional as the best ways to promote recovery. Yet these effective interventions are underfunded and hard to access. <h2>More pain doesn’t mean a more serious injury</h2> Most acute back pain episodes are <a href="https://www.racgp.org.au/getattachment/75af0cfd-6182-4328-ad23-04ad8618920f/attachment.aspx">not caused</a> by serious injury or disease. There are rare exceptions, which is why it’s wise to see your doctor or physio, who can check for signs and symptoms that warrant further investigation. But unless you have been in a significant accident or sustained a large blow, you are unlikely to have caused much damage to your spine. Even very minor back injuries can be brutally painful. This is, in part, because of how we are made. If you think of your spinal cord as a very precious asset (which it is), worthy of great protection (which it is), a bit like the crown jewels, then what would be the best way to keep it safe? Lots of protection and a highly sensitive alarm system. The spinal cord is protected by strong bones, thick ligaments, powerful muscles and a highly effective alarm system (your nervous system). This alarm system can trigger pain that is so unpleasant that you cannot possibly think of, let alone do, anything other than seek care or avoid movement. The messy truth is that when pain persists, the pain system becomes more sensitive, so a widening array of things contribute to pain. This pain system hypersensitivity is a result of neuroplasticity – your nervous system is becoming better at making pain. <h2>Reduce your chance of lasting pain</h2> Whether or not your pain resolves is not determined by the extent of injury to your back. We don’t know all the factors involved, but we do know there are things that you can do to reduce chronic back pain: <ul> <li> understand how pain really works. This will involve intentionally learning about modern pain science and care. It will be difficult but rewarding. It will help you work out what you can do to change your pain </li> <li> reduce your pain system sensitivity. With guidance, patience and persistence, you can learn how to gradually retrain your pain system back towards normal. </li> </ul> <h2>How to reduce your pain sensitivity and learn about pain</h2> Learning about “how pain works” provides the most sustainable <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/376/bmj-2021-067718">improvements in chronic back pain</a>. Programs that combine pain education with graded brain and body exercises (gradual increases in movement) can reduce pain system sensitivity and help you return to the life you want. These programs have been in development for years, but high-quality clinical trials <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2794765">are now emerging</a> and it’s good news: they show most people with chronic back pain improve and many completely recover. But most clinicians aren’t equipped to deliver these effective programs – <a href="https://www.jpain.org/article/S1526-5900(23)00618-1/fulltext">good pain education</a> is not taught in most medical and health training degrees. Many patients still receive ineffective and often risky and expensive treatments, or keep seeking temporary pain relief, hoping for a cure. When health professionals don’t have adequate pain education training, they can deliver bad pain education, which leaves patients feeling like they’ve just <a href="https://www.jpain.org/article/S1526-5900(23)00618-1/fulltext">been told it’s all in their head</a>. Community-driven not-for-profit organisations such as <a href="https://www.painrevolution.org/">Pain Revolution</a> are training health professionals to be good pain educators and raising awareness among the general public about the modern science of pain and the best treatments. Pain Revolution has partnered with dozens of health services and community agencies to train more than <a href="https://www.painrevolution.org/find-a-lpe">80 local pain educators</a> and supported them to bring greater understanding and improved care to their colleagues and community. But a broader system-wide approach, with government, industry and philanthropic support, is needed to expand these programs and fund good pain education. To solve the massive problem of chronic back pain, effective interventions need to be part of standard care, not as a last resort after years of increasing pain, suffering and disability.<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/222513/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/sarah-wallwork-1361569">Sarah Wallwork</a>, Post-doctoral Researcher, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/lorimer-moseley-1552">Lorimer Moseley</a>, Professor of Clinical Neurosciences and Foundation Chair in Physiotherapy, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-long-does-back-pain-last-and-how-can-learning-about-pain-increase-the-chance-of-recovery-222513">original article</a>. </div>

Body

Do you have knee pain from osteoarthritis? You might not need surgery. Here’s what to try instead

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/belinda-lawford-1294188">Belinda Lawford</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/giovanni-e-ferreira-1030477">Giovanni E. Ferreira</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/joshua-zadro-504754">Joshua Zadro</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rana-hinman-1536232">Rana Hinman</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a> Most people with knee osteoarthritis can control their pain and improve their mobility without surgery, according to <a href="https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/standards/clinical-care-standards/osteoarthritis-knee-clinical-care-standard">updated treatment guidelines</a> from the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care. So what is knee osteoarthritis and what are the best ways to manage it? <h2>More than 2 million Australians have osteoarthritis</h2> Osteoarthritis is the most common joint disease, affecting <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/chronic-musculoskeletal-conditions/osteoarthritis">2.1 million Australians</a>. It <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/chronic-musculoskeletal-conditions/osteoarthritis">costs the economy</a> A$4.3 billion each year. Osteoarthritis commonly <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33560326/">affects</a> the knees, but can also affect the hips, spine, hands and feet. It impacts the whole joint including bone, cartilage, ligaments and muscles. Most people with osteoarthritis have persistent pain and find it difficult to perform simple daily tasks, such as walking and climbing stairs. <h2>Is it caused by ‘wear and tear’?</h2> Knee osteoarthritis is most likely to affect older people, those who are overweight or obese, and those with previous knee injuries. But contrary to popular belief, knee osteoarthritis is <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31192807/">not caused by</a> “wear and tear”. <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21281726/">Research shows</a> the degree of structural wear and tear visible in the knee joint on an X-ray does not correlate with the level of pain or disability a person experiences. Some people have a low degree of structural wear and tear and very bad symptoms, while others have a high degree of structural wear and tear and minimal symptoms. So X-rays are <a href="https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/standards/clinical-care-standards/osteoarthritis-knee-clinical-care-standard">not required</a> to diagnose knee osteoarthritis or guide treatment decisions. Telling people they have wear and tear can make them worried about their condition and afraid of damaging their joint. It can also encourage them to try invasive and potentially unnecessary treatments such as surgery. We have <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37795555/">shown this</a> in people with osteoarthritis, and other common pain conditions such as <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9545091/">back</a> and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33789444/">shoulder</a> pain. This has led to a global call for a <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38354847/">change in the way</a> we think and communicate about osteoarthritis. <h2>What’s the best way to manage osteoarthritis?</h2> Non-surgical treatments work well for most people with osteoarthritis, regardless of their age or the severity of their symptoms. These <a href="https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/standards/clinical-care-standards/osteoarthritis-knee-clinical-care-standard">include</a> education and self-management, exercise and physical activity, weight management and nutrition, and certain pain medicines. Education is important to dispel misconceptions about knee osteoarthritis. This includes information about what osteoarthritis is, how it is diagnosed, its prognosis, and the most effective ways to self-manage symptoms. Health professionals who use positive and reassuring language <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35750241/">can improve</a> people’s knowledge and beliefs about osteoarthritis and its management. Many people believe that exercise and physical activity will cause further damage to their joint. But it’s safe and can reduce pain and disability. Exercise has fewer side effects than commonly used pain medicines such as <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36593092/">paracetamol and anti-inflammatories</a> and can <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26488691/">prevent or delay</a> the need for joint replacement surgery in the future. Many types of exercise <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30830561/">are effective</a> for knee osteoarthritis, such as strength training, aerobic exercises like walking or cycling, Yoga and Tai chi. So you can do whatever type of exercise best suits you. Increasing general physical activity is also important, such as taking more steps throughout the day and reducing sedentary time. Weight management is important for those who are overweight or obese. Weight loss <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34843383/">can reduce knee pain and disability</a>, particularly when combined with exercise. Losing as little as 5–10% of your body weight <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36474793/">can be beneficial</a>. Pain medicines should not replace treatments such as exercise and weight management but can be used alongside these treatments to help manage pain. <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33786837/">Recommended medicines</a> include paracetamol and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Opioids are <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35137418/">not recommended</a>. The risk of harm outweighs any potential benefits. <h2>What about surgery?</h2> People with knee osteoarthritis commonly undergo two types of surgery: knee arthroscopy and knee replacement. Knee arthroscopy is a type of keyhole surgery used to remove or repair damaged pieces of bone or cartilage that are thought to cause pain. However, high-quality research <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24369076/">has shown</a> arthroscopy is not effective. Arthroscopy should therefore not be used in the management of knee osteoarthritis. Joint replacement involves replacing the joint surfaces with artificial parts. In 2021–22, <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/chronic-musculoskeletal-conditions/osteoarthritis">53,500 Australians</a> had a knee replacement for their osteoarthritis. Joint replacement is often seen as being inevitable and “necessary”. But most people can effectively manage their symptoms through exercise, physical activity and weight management. The new guidelines (known as “care standard”) recommend joint replacement surgery only be considered for those with severe symptoms who have already tried non-surgical treatments. <h2>I have knee osteoarthritis. What should I do?</h2> The <a href="https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/standards/clinical-care-standards/osteoarthritis-knee-clinical-care-standard">care standard</a> links to free evidence-based resources to support people with osteoarthritis. These include: <ul> <li>education, such as a <a href="https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/making-a-decision-about-knee-osteoarthritis-v1.pdf.pdf">decision aid</a> and <a href="http://www.futurelearn.com/courses/taking-control-hip-and-knee-osteoarthritis">four-week online course</a></li> <li>self-directed <a href="https://healthsciences.unimelb.edu.au/departments/physiotherapy/chesm/patient-resources/my-knee-exercise">online exercise</a> and <a href="https://myjointyoga.com.au/">yoga</a> programs</li> <li><a href="https://www.gethealthynsw.com.au/program/standard-coaching/">weight management support</a></li> <li>pain management strategies, such as <a href="https://www.myjointpain.org.au/">MyJointPain</a> and <a href="http://www.paintrainer.org/">painTRAINER</a>.</li> </ul> If you have osteoarthritis, you can use the <a href="https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/standards/clinical-care-standards/osteoarthritis-knee-clinical-care-standard">care standard</a> to inform discussions with your health-care provider, and to make informed decisions about your care.<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/236779/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/belinda-lawford-1294188">Belinda Lawford</a>, Postdoctoral research fellow in physiotherapy, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/giovanni-e-ferreira-1030477">Giovanni E. Ferreira</a>, NHMRC Emerging Leader Research Fellow, Institute of Musculoskeletal Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/joshua-zadro-504754">Joshua Zadro</a>, NHMRC Emerging Leader Research Fellow, Sydney Musculoskeletal Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rana-hinman-1536232">Rana Hinman</a>, Professor in Physiotherapy, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</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/do-you-have-knee-pain-from-osteoarthritis-you-might-not-need-surgery-heres-what-to-try-instead-236779">original article</a>. </div>

Body

Thinking about trying physiotherapy for endometriosis pain? Here’s what to expect

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/peter-stubbs-1531259">Peter Stubbs</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-technology-sydney-936">University of Technology Sydney</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/caroline-wanderley-souto-ferreira-1563754">Caroline Wanderley Souto Ferreira</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-technology-sydney-936">University of Technology Sydney</a> Endometriosis is a condition that affects women and girls. It occurs when tissue similar to the lining of the uterus ends up in other areas of the body. These areas <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/endometriosis/symptoms-causes/syc-20354656">include</a> the ovaries, bladder, bowel and digestive tract. Endometriosis will <a href="https://endometriosisaustralia.org/understanding-endometriosis/">affect</a> nearly one million Australian women and girls in their lifetime. Many high-profile Australians are affected by endometriosis including <a href="https://www.endofound.org/bindi-irwin-shares-her-endometriosis-story-in-detail-as-she-prepares-to-receive-endofounds-blossom-a">Bindi Irwin</a>, <a href="https://www.endofound.org/actress-sophie-monk-reveals-endometriosis-diagnosis">Sophie Monk</a> and former Yellow Wiggle, <a href="https://endometriosisaustralia.org/emma-watkins-ambassador/">Emma Watkins</a>. <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0092867421005766">Symptoms</a> of endometriosis include intense pelvic, abdominal or low back pain (that is often worse during menstruation), bladder and bowel problems, pain during sex and infertility. But women and girls wait an average of <a href="https://www.epworth.org.au/newsroom/reducing-time-to-an-endometriosis-diagnosis">seven years to receive a diagnosis</a>. Many are living with the burden of endometriosis and not receiving treatments that could improve their quality of life. This includes physiotherapy. <h2>How is endometriosis treated?</h2> No treatments cure endometriosis. Symptoms can be reduced by taking <a href="https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/endometri/conditioninfo/treatment">medications</a> such as non-steriodal anti-inflammatories (ibuprofen, aspirin or naproxen) and hormonal medicines. Surgery is sometimes used to diagnose endometriosis, remove endometrial lesions, reduce pain and improve fertility. But these lesions can <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39098538/">grow back</a>. Whether they take medication or have surgery, many women and girls continue to experience pain and other symptoms. Pelvic health physiotherapy is <a href="https://australian.physio/inmotion/physiotherapists-can-help-endometriosis">often recommended</a> as a non-drug management technique to manage endometriosis pain, <a href="https://www1.racgp.org.au/ajgp/2024/january-february/endometriosis">in consultation</a> with a gynaecologist or general practitioner. The goal of physiotherapy treatment depends on the symptoms but is usually to reduce and manage pain, improve ability to do activities, and ultimately improve quality of life. <h2>What could you expect from your first appointment?</h2> Physiotherapy management can differ based on the severity and location of symptoms. Prior to physical tests and treatments, your physiotherapist will comprehensively explain what is going to happen and seek your permission. They will ask questions to better understand your case and specific needs. These will include your age, weight, height as well as the presence, location and intensity of symptoms. You will also be asked about the history of your period pain, your first period, the length of your menstrual cycle, urinary and bowel symptoms, sexual function and details of any previous treatments and tests. They may also assess your posture and movement to see how your muscles have changed because of the related symptoms. They will press on your lower back and pelvic muscles to spot painful areas (trigger points) and muscle tightness. If you consent to a vaginal examination, the physiotherapist will use one to two gloved fingers to assess the area inside and around your vagina. They will also test your ability to coordinate, contract and relax your pelvic muscles. <h2>What type of treatments could you receive?</h2> Depending on your symptoms, your physiotherapist may use the following treatments: General education Your physiotherapist will give your details about the disease, pelvic floor anatomy, the types of treatment and how these can improve pain and other symptoms. They might <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38452219/">teach you about</a> the changes to the brain and nerves as a result of being in long-term pain. They will provide guidance to improve your ability to perform daily activities, including getting quality sleep. If you experience pain during sex or difficulty using tampons, they may teach you how to use vaginal dilators to improve flexibility of those muscles. Pelvic muscle exercises Pelvic muscles often contract too hard as a result of pain. <a href="https://www.physio-pedia.com/Pelvic_Floor_Exercises">Pelvic floor exercises</a> will help you contract and relax muscles appropriately and provide an awareness of how hard muscles are contracting. This can be combined with machines that <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7843943/">monitor muscle activity or vaginal pressure</a> to provide detailed information on how the muscles are working. Yoga, stretching and low-impact exercises <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27869485/">Yoga</a>, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37467936/">stretching and low impact aerobic exercise</a> can improve fitness, flexibility, pain and blood circulation. These have <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28369946/">general pain-relieving properties</a> and can be a great way to contract and relax bigger muscles affected by long-term endometriosis. These exercises can help you regain function and control with a gradual progression to perform daily activities with reduced pain. Hydrotherapy (physiotherapy in warm water) Performing exercises in water improves blood circulation and muscle relaxation due to the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4049052/">pressure and warmth of the water</a>. Hydrotherapy allows you to perform aerobic exercise with low impact, which will reduce pain while exercising. However, while hydrotherapy shows positive results clinically, scientific studies to show its effectiveness studies <a href="https://anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?ACTRN=12619001611112">are ongoing</a>. Manual therapy Women frequently have small areas of muscle that are tight and painful (trigger points) inside and outside the vagina. Pain can be temporarily reduced by <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37176750/">pressing, massaging or putting heat on</a> the muscles. Physiotherapists can teach patients how to do these techniques by themselves at home. <h2>What does the evidence say?</h2> Overall, patients report <a href="https://www.wmhp.com.au/blog/endo-story">positive experiences</a> pelvic health physiotherapists treatments. In a <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37176750/">study of 42 women</a>, 80% of those who received manual therapy had “much improved pain”. In studies investigating yoga, one study <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27869485/">showed</a> pain was reduced in 28 patients by an average of 30 points on a 100-point pain scale. Another study showed yoga was beneficial for pain in <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27552065/">all 15 patients</a>. But while some studies show this treatment <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36571475/">is effective</a>, a review <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9740037/">concluded</a> more studies were needed and the use of physiotherapy was “underestimated and underpublicised”. <h2>What else do you need to know?</h2> If you have or suspect you have endometriosis, consult your gynaecologist or GP. They may be able to suggest a pelvic health physiotherapist to help you manage your symptoms and improve quality of life. As endometriosis is a chronic condition you <a href="https://www9.health.gov.au/mbs/fullDisplay.cfm?type=item&q=10960">may be entitled</a> to five subsidised or free sessions per calendar year in clinics that accept Medicare. If you go to a private pelvic health physiotherapist, you won’t need a referral from a gynaecologist or GP. Physiotherapy rebates can be available to those with private health insurance. The Australian Physiotherapy Association has a <a href="https://choose.physio/find-a-physio">Find a Physio</a> section where you can search for women’s and pelvic physiotherapists. <a href="https://endometriosisaustralia.org/">Endometriosis Australia</a> also provides assistance and advice to women with Endometriosis. Thanks to UTS Masters students Phoebe Walker and Kasey Collins, who are researching physiotherapy treatments for endometriosis, for their contribution to this article.<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/236328/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/peter-stubbs-1531259">Peter Stubbs</a>, Senior Lecturer in Physiotherapy, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-technology-sydney-936">University of Technology Sydney</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/caroline-wanderley-souto-ferreira-1563754">Caroline Wanderley Souto Ferreira</a>, Visiting Professor of Physiotherapy, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-technology-sydney-936">University of Technology Sydney</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/thinking-about-trying-physiotherapy-for-endometriosis-pain-heres-what-to-expect-236328">original article</a>. </div>

Body

No, your aches and pains don’t get worse in the cold. So why do we think they do?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/manuela-ferreira-161420">Manuela Ferreira</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/george-institute-for-global-health-874">George Institute for Global Health</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/leticia-deveza-1550633">Leticia Deveza</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> It’s cold and wet outside. As you get out of bed, you can feel it in your bones. Your right knee is flaring up again. That’ll make it harder for you to walk the dog or go to the gym. You think it must be because of the weather. It’s a common idea, but a myth. When we looked at the evidence, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0049017224000337">we found</a> no direct link between most common aches and pains and the weather. In the first study of its kind, we found no direct link between the temperature or humidity with most joint or muscle aches and pains. So why are so many of us convinced the weather’s to blame? Here’s what we think is really going on. <h2>Weather can be linked to your health</h2> The weather is often associated with the risk of new and ongoing health conditions. For example, cold temperatures <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27021573/">may worsen</a> asthma symptoms. Hot temperatures <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanplh/article/PIIS2542-5196(22)00117-6/fulltext">increase the risk</a> of heart problems, such as arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat), cardiac arrest and coronary heart disease. Many people are also convinced the weather is linked to their aches and pains. For example, <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1479-8077.2004.00099.x?casa_token=jvpSbA4szqoAAAAA%3ATyHyGaqXmfevWyuJe6LW_3Pap3IPHC8HSMTl3RN63mFzNO0X7ozQjBb6Bi3yVFuPjqkrf-WlB-J5A1q1">two in every three</a> people with knee, hip or hand osteoarthritis <a href="https://bmcmusculoskeletdisord.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-2474-15-66">say</a> cold temperatures trigger their symptoms. Musculoskeletal conditions affect more than <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/chronic-musculoskeletal-conditions/musculoskeletal-conditions-comorbidity-australia/summary">seven million Australians</a>. So we set out to find out whether weather is really the culprit behind winter flare-ups. <h2>What we did</h2> Very few studies have been specifically and appropriately designed to look for any direct link between weather changes and joint or muscle pain. And ours is the first to evaluate data from these particular studies. We looked at data from more than 15,000 people from around the world. Together, these people reported more than 28,000 episodes of pain, mostly back pain, knee or hip osteoarthritis. People with rheumatoid arthritis and gout were also included. We then compared the frequency of those pain reports between different types of weather: hot or cold, humid or dry, rainy, windy, as well as some combinations (for example, hot and humid versus cold and dry). <h2>What we found</h2> We found changes in air temperature, humidity, air pressure and rainfall do not increase the risk of knee, hip or lower back pain symptoms and are not associated with people seeking care for a new episode of arthritis. The results of this study suggest we do not experience joint or muscle pain flare-ups as a result of changes in the weather, and a cold day will not increase our risk of having knee or back pain. In order words, there is no direct link between the weather and back, knee or hip pain, nor will it give you arthritis. It is important to note, though, that very cold air temperatures (under 10°C) were rarely studied so we cannot make conclusions about worsening symptoms in more extreme changes in the weather. The only exception to our findings was for gout, an inflammatory type of arthritis that can come and go. Here, pain increased in warmer, dry conditions. Gout has a very different underlying biological mechanism to back pain or knee and hip osteoarthritis, which may explain our results. The combination of warm and dry weather may lead to increased dehydration and consequently increased concentration of uric acid in the blood, and deposition of uric acid crystals in the joint in people with gout, resulting in a flare-up. <h2>Why do people blame the weather?</h2> The weather can influence other factors and behaviours that consequently shape how we perceive and manage pain. For example, some people may change their physical activity routine during winter, choosing the couch over the gym. And we know <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28700451/">prolonged sitting</a>, for instance, is directly linked to worse back pain. Others may change their sleep routine or sleep less well when it is either too cold or too warm. Once again, a bad night’s sleep can trigger your <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00586-021-06730-6">back</a> and <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1063458421007020">knee</a> pain. Likewise, changes in mood, often experienced in cold weather, trigger increases in both <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00586-021-06730-6">back</a> and <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1063458421007020">knee</a> pain. So these changes in behaviour over winter may contribute to more aches and pains, and not the weather itself. Believing our pain will feel worse in winter (even if this is not the case) may also make us feel worse in winter. This is known as the <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12891-018-1943-8">nocebo effect</a>. <h2>What to do about winter aches and pains?</h2> It’s best to focus on risk factors for pain you can control and modify, rather than ones you can’t (such as the weather). You can: <ul> <li> become more physically active. This winter, and throughout the year, aim to walk more, or talk to your health-care provider about gentle exercises you can safely do at home, with a physiotherapist, personal trainer or at the pool </li> <li> lose weight if obese or overweight, as this is linked to <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2799405">lower levels</a> of joint pain and better physical function </li> <li> keep your body warm in winter if you feel some muscle tension in uncomfortably cold conditions. Also ensure your bedroom is nice and warm as we tend to sleep <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0033350623003359">less well</a> in cold rooms </li> <li> maintain a healthy diet and <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanrhe/article/PIIS2665-9913(23)00098-X/fulltext">avoid smoking</a> or drinking high levels of alcohol. These are among <a href="https://ard.bmj.com/content/annrheumdis/82/1/48.full.pdf">key lifestyle recommendations</a> to better manage many types of arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions. For people with back pain, for example, a healthy lifestyle is linked with <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36208321/">higher levels</a> of physical function.<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/235117/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> </li> </ul> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/manuela-ferreira-161420">Manuela Ferreira</a>, Professor of Musculoskeletal Health, Head of Musculoskeletal Program, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/george-institute-for-global-health-874">George Institute for Global Health</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/leticia-deveza-1550633">Leticia Deveza</a>, Rheumatologist and Research Fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</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/no-your-aches-and-pains-dont-get-worse-in-the-cold-so-why-do-we-think-they-do-235117">original article</a>. </div>

Body

"Go back to your ocean": Olympic medallist insulted by French customs officer

An Aussie Olympic medallist was caught off guard upon his return home to Brisbane, when he was called out by a French customs officer. Jack Robinson, who won silver in the surfing competition in Tahiti as part of the Paris Games, was returning to Aussie shores with his medal in tow and happy with his Olympic performance. However, when he was greeted by a customs officer who happened to be French, things took a turn. The Frenchman took the opportunity to stick it to the Aussie Olympic runner up, relishing the fact that Kauli Vaast, from France, had won gold in the comp. Taking to TikTok to share the hilarious encounter with his followers, Mr Robinson said: "what are the odds of being welcomed like this?" <div class="embed" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: currentcolor !important;"><iframe class="embedly-embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; border-style: none; vertical-align: baseline; width: 600px; max-width: 100%; outline: currentcolor !important;" title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7400700745911225618&display_name=tiktok&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40jackrobinsonsurf%2Fvideo%2F7400700745911225618%3Fembed_source%3D121374463%252C121451205%252C121439635%252C121433650%252C121404359%252C121351166%252C121331973%252C120811592%252C120810756%253Bnull%253Bembed_masking%26refer%3Dembed%26referer_url%3Dwww.escape.com.au%252Fnews%252Faussie-silver-medal-surfer-jack-robinson-brutally-burned-by-french-customs-officer%252Fnews-story%252F48306be5756c2cf2d353787e823bf812%26referer_video_id%3D7400700745911225618&image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign-sg.tiktokcdn.com%2Fobj%2Ftos-alisg-p-0037%2F99adeff03a574c23861d622aa90e9b89_1723109925%3Flk3s%3Db59d6b55%26nonce%3D74009%26refresh_token%3Db5b746d3b3a1eb36e30b00a6f4cd678d%26x-expires%3D1723780800%26x-signature%3Dh7x7Li%252B%252BEw4xdRkWkw2PKU3jkNQ%253D%26shp%3Db59d6b55%26shcp%3D-&key=59e3ae3acaa649a5a98672932445e203&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> "Yeah ze French guy in the Australian customs. So on my way back from Tahiti I arrive from ze flight and I get ze dec-er-al-ation, I come to ze customs, the guy looks at me and says 'Ey, better luck next time zon, go back to your ocean.'" Despite the customs officer's remarks, many Aussies praised Robinson's performance in Tahiti, as fans hailed his "amazing efforts". His TikTok was flooded with comments, with many saying they believed that the officer "did not mean it badly", as Robinson confirmed he had taken the jibe in his stride. Others said the Frenchman could "go back to his 'La Seine'", while others remarked, "Bro the French are cocky asf, you did good man" and "Why the French so smug? That's a Tahitian gold, not a 'French' one." Image credits: TikTok

Travel Trouble

Sacked Olympic commentator hits back at "massive overreaction"

Fired Olympics commentator Bob Ballad has hit back at the "massive overreaction" to the sexist comments he made about the Aussie swim team that cost him his job at the Paris Games. Ballard was <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/entertainment/tv/commentator-sacked-after-sexist-comment-on-aussie-swim-team" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sacked</a> by EuroSport after making a sexist remark about Australia's female swimmers after their gold medal win in the 4x100m freestyle. After the win, the former BBC commentator said, "Well, the women just finishing up. You know what women are like… hanging around, doing their make-up.” Ballard’s co-commentator Lizzie Simmonds laughed at the remark, calling it "outrageous". The commentator was then sacked from the Games, issuing an apology statement online, saying, "It was never my intention to upset or belittle anyone and, if I did, I apologise." However, speaking to British media outlet LBC on Tuesday, Ballard said the public's response to his sexist comments were an "overreaction". He said, "I am overwhelmed by the reaction I’ve had from the British public." "It was a throwaway line - some people might say it’s a bit old-fashioned but it was never meant to offend. It was never meant to upset everybody and I think there’s been a massive overreaction from my employers." "I’m dealing with it as best I can right now." These comments welcomed a fresh wave of backlash, with commenters on social media saying his sacking was the "right message to send" in response to everyday sexism. One person wrote on X, "This sort of “joke” for women is part of the every day, sexist, chipping away we are used to. People (often men, but women too) say it’s harmless but consider very recent news to see how this can contribute to much worse attitudes to women. It was the right message to send." Another person added, "Because even us oldies, who grew up in a different time, know it was inappropriate." After Ballard's comments during the Olympics, his employer EuroSport issued a statement to confirm that he would be let go from his commentating position. "During a segment of Eurosport’s coverage last night, commentator Bob Ballard made an inappropriate comment," EuroSport wrote online. "To that end, he has been removed from our commentary roster with immediate effect." Images: Twitter (X) | Paul Kitagaki, Jr/ZUMA Press Wire | Shutterstock

Could the shingles vaccine lower your risk of dementia?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ibrahim-javed-1552271">Ibrahim Javed</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> A <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-024-03201-5">recent study</a> has suggested Shingrix, a relatively new vaccine given to protect older adults against shingles, may delay the onset of dementia. This might seem like a bizarre link, but actually, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34697158/">research</a> has previously shown an older version of the shingles vaccine, Zostavax, reduced the risk of dementia. In this new study, published last week in the journal Nature Medicine, researchers from the United Kingdom found Shingrix delayed dementia onset by 17% compared with Zostavax. So how did the researchers work this out, and how could a shingles vaccine affect dementia risk? <h2>From Zostavax to Shingrix</h2> Shingles is a viral infection caused by the varicella-zoster virus. It causes <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/shingles">painful rashes</a>, and affects older people in particular. Previously, Zostavax was used to vaccinate against shingles. It was administered as a single shot and provided good protection for about <a href="https://immunisationhandbook.health.gov.au/contents/vaccine-preventable-diseases/zoster-herpes-zoster">five years</a>. Shingrix has been developed based on a newer vaccine technology, and is thought to offer stronger and longer-lasting protection. Given in two doses, it’s now the preferred option for shingles vaccination in Australia and elsewhere. In November 2023, Shingrix replaced Zostavax on the <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/news/national-immunisation-program-changes-to-shingles-vaccination-from-1-november-2023">National Immunisation Program</a>, making it available for free to those at highest risk of complications from shingles. This includes all adults aged 65 and over, First Nations people aged 50 and older, and younger adults with certain medical conditions that affect their immune systems. <h2>What the study found</h2> Shingrix was approved by the US Food and Drugs Administration in <a href="https://www.drugs.com/history/shingrix.html">October 2017</a>. The researchers in the new study used the transition from Zostavax to Shingrix in the United States as an opportunity for research. They selected 103,837 people who received Zostavax (between October 2014 and September 2017) and compared them with 103,837 people who received Shingrix (between November 2017 and October 2020). By analysing data from electronic health records, they found people who received Shingrix had a 17% increase in “diagnosis-free time” during the follow-up period (up to six years after vaccination) compared with those who received Zostavax. This was equivalent to an average of 164 extra days without a dementia diagnosis. The researchers also compared the shingles vaccines to other vaccines: influenza, and a combined vaccine for tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis. Shingrix and Zostavax performed around 14–27% better in lowering the risk of a dementia diagnosis, with Shingrix associated with a greater improvement. The benefits of Shingrix in terms of dementia risk were significant for both sexes, but more pronounced for women. This is not entirely surprising, because we know women have <a href="https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/blog/why-dementia-different-women">a higher risk</a> of developing dementia due to interplay of biological factors. These include being more sensitive to certain genetic mutations associated with dementia and hormonal differences. <h2>Why the link?</h2> The idea that vaccination against viral infection can lower the risk of dementia has been around for more than two decades. Associations have been <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11762573/">observed</a> between vaccines, such as those for diphtheria, tetanus, polio and influenza, and subsequent dementia risk. Research has shown Zostavax vaccination can <a href="https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/11/10/e045871">reduce the risk</a> of developing dementia by 20% compared with people who are unvaccinated. But it may not be that the vaccines themselves protect against dementia. Rather, it may be the resulting lack of viral infection creating this effect. Research indicates bacterial infections in the gut, as well as viral infections, are associated with a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10169152/">higher risk of dementia</a>. Notably, untreated infections with herpes simplex (herpes) virus – closely related to the varicella-zoster virus that causes shingles – can <a href="https://alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/trc2.12119">significantly increase</a> the risk of developing dementia. Research has also shown shingles increases the risk of a later dementia diagnosis. The mechanism is not entirely clear. But there are two potential pathways which may help us understand why infections could increase the risk of dementia. First, certain molecules are produced when a baby is developing in the womb to help with the body’s development. These molecules have the potential to cause inflammation and accelerate ageing, so the production of these molecules is silenced around birth. However, viral infections such as shingles can <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.virol.2018.07.011">reactivate</a> the production of these molecules in adult life which could <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8717685/#:%7E:text=The%20disease%20mechanisms%20of%20AD,may%20lead%20to%20new%20therapies.">hypothetically lead to dementia</a>. Second, in Alzheimer’s disease, a specific protein called Amyloid-β go rogue and kill brain cells. Certain proteins produced by viruses <a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.05.16.594465v1">such as COVID</a> and <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/advs.202001299">bad gut bacteria</a> have the potential to support Amyloid-β in its toxic form. In laboratory conditions, these proteins have been shown to <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plospathogens/article?id=10.1371/journal.ppat.1003537">accelerate the onset</a> of dementia. <h2>What does this all mean?</h2> With an ageing population, the burden of dementia is only likely to become greater in the years to come. There’s a lot more we have to learn about the causes of the disease and what we can potentially do to prevent and treat it. This new study has some limitations. For example, time without a diagnosis doesn’t necessarily mean time without disease. Some people may have underlying disease with delayed diagnosis. This research indicates Shingrix could have a silent benefit, but it’s too early to suggest we can use antiviral vaccines to prevent dementia. Overall, we need more research exploring in greater detail how infections are linked with dementia. This will help us understand the root causes of dementia and design potential therapies.<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/235597/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ibrahim-javed-1552271">Ibrahim Javed</a>, Enterprise and NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow, UniSA Clinical & Health Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/could-the-shingles-vaccine-lower-your-risk-of-dementia-235597">original article</a>. </div>

Mind

"We should give back": Bill Gates' ex-wife on giving away her $16bn fortune

Melinda French Gates has opened up on her decision to give away her fortune after leaving the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in June. Melinda, who is reportedly worth $16.8 billion, said that she will stick with her decision to give away her fortune on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, as it's "the right thing to do for society". "If we grew up in the United States, anybody who has grown up in this country has been really lucky and I don't care who you are," she explained. "To be able to go to a decent school, grow up and pursue your career, and if so you are a billionaire, my gosh, you have benefited from this country, right? "So we should give back." She also feels there is "a responsibility and to do it in a way that's incredibly thoughtful". Melinda, who divorced the Microsoft founder Bill Gates back in 2021, has announced her plans to focus on her organisation Pivotal Ventures, which she founded in 2015. The organisation's aim is to "advance social progress by removing barriers that hold people back." She said that she is determined to ensure that "women's rights are not only on the agenda, but that women are setting the agenda" – especially after watching women's rights be rolled back internationally over the last few years." "What I saw, part of why our women's rights got rolled back in the United States is that those organisations were starved for funding, and they were playing defense," she explained. Melinda has pledged to donate $1 billion to this end over the next two years. Image: Julien De Rosa/EPA/ Shutterstock Editorial

Money & Banking

Susan Sarandon's daughter claps back at wedding dress critics

Susan Sarandon's daughter has spoken out against body-shaming trolls who were criticising her wedding dress. Eva Amurri, who like her mum is also an actress, became the subject of online criticism after she shared photos from her wedding day online. Writing on her blog Happily Eva After the 39-year-old admitted that the comments left her in tears, "in a way that brought me right back to Middle School". "Here were people I didn't even know and who didn't know me, spending time and energy typing something that they hoped would bring me one thing and one thing only: Shame," she recalled the moment she came across the "hundreds of cruel comments". "It wasn't what they were saying per se, I've had much more horrible things directed at me on the internet, but it was the yucky feeling of knowing that there are people out there (and lots of them!) whose immediate reaction upon witnessing my little family's joy was to try to hurt us." She continued to explain that she was shocked that her wedding photos had gone viral due to something beyond her control. "I was so taken aback by the fact that it was already viral... and for two reasons completely out of my control: My Breasts," she wrote. <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/C82pK8juxqM/?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/C82pK8juxqM/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by People Magazine (@people)</a> </div> </blockquote> "I've always been naturally very large-chested, and my breast size fluctuates with my weight (as real breasts often do)," she wrote, adding that she is a mother of three and she had breastfed all of her children. "Are my breasts the same perkiness they were at 20 years old before they sustained human life three times over? Definitely not. Do I care? Some days more than others. But my body isn't something I'm ashamed of." She then said that she chose the dress because she wanted to feel "sexy and elegant" on her special day. "I had purposefully gone into my wedding dress shopping wanting to show my figure and really celebrate myself as a woman - body parts included," she shared. "It had never occurred to me that people I don't even know would find my body so offensive, and especially that they would care so much about what I would choose to wear on my own wedding day." She then criticised the online trolls for their "embarrassing" behaviour and how unfortunate it was that women still experience this kind of criticism. "You don't need anybody's permission to make the choices you make for yourself," she wrote. "And when people feel something about those choices? Well, that's none of your business." Images: Instagram

Body

Mysterious leg pain that’s quietly killing older Australians

Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) has long been overshadowed by its more widely recognised counterparts, such as heart attacks and strokes. Often referred to as the “poor cousin” or “Cinderella” of cardiovascular diseases, PAD affects one in five older Australians, yet it remains largely under-diagnosed and misunderstood. However, a wave of optimism is sweeping through the medical community with the launch of <a href="https://www.hri.org.au/our-research/centreforpad" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Centre for Peripheral Artery Disease</a>, an Australian-first facility dedicated to pioneering research and improving patient outcomes. Spearheaded by the Heart Research Institute, the Centre for Peripheral Artery Disease, marks a significant step forward in addressing the challenges posed by PAD. The centre aims to fill critical gaps in our understanding of the disease, which is responsible for a limb amputation in Australia every two hours. This initiative promises to enhance diagnosis, transform patient care, and raise awareness about PAD. Associate Professor Mary Kavurma, the Centre Lead, is at the forefront of this ground-breaking effort. “We’re supercharging research into PAD because there are still many unknowns about the disease’s biology that could unlock new methods for early detection and better management,” she explains. This research is particularly urgent given the prevalence of PAD among women and First Nations Australians, groups that remain disproportionately affected by this condition. The centre’s mission is to develop a simple blood test for early diagnosis and explore novel therapies that could reduce the need for limb amputations and significantly improve patients’ quality of life. Unlike current treatments that primarily focus on symptom management, this new approach seeks to prevent the disease from progressing. One of the most inspiring aspects of the centre is its commitment to involving patients and their families in the research process. At the inaugural consumer meeting, nearly 20 patients and their carers shared their personal experiences with PAD. Take the story of Simon Josephson, a renowned advertising guru – who famously designed the Solo logo. PAD almost cost him his life after taking more than five years to diagnose. He woke up one morning with a sore leg, thinking he’d overdone it exercising but the 73-year-old – who was otherwise healthy and active – unknowingly had Peripheral Artery Disease, caused by a build-up of plaque in his arteries causing them to narrow and stiffen. It wasn’t until a trip to the hospital emergency department years later that doctors would discover his aorta had expanded to more than twice the usual size and was at risk of rupturing. He immediately underwent open heart surgery and has faced a lengthy recovery. The launch of <a href="https://www.hri.org.au/our-research/centreforpad" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Centre for Peripheral Artery Disease</a> heralds a new era of hope and progress in the fight against PAD. Through world-leading research, community engagement, and a commitment to patient-centred care, the CPAD is poised to make a profound impact on the lives of many Australians. As Assoc Prof Kavurma aptly put it, “By understanding more about this debilitating condition, we are paving the way for better health outcomes and a brighter future for all those affected by PAD.” Images: CPAD

Caring

Robert Irwin hits back over nasty reports about mum

Robert Irwin has hit back at the nasty comments about his close relationship with mum Terri Irwin. The wildlife conservationist appeared with I’m A Celebrity... co-star Julia Morris on The Kyle & Jackie O show on Monday morning to discuss their Gold Logie nominations, when Kyle Sandilands expressed his surprise that Terri didn't join Robert in the studio for the interview. “Are you saying that the press reports are inaccurate that everywhere you go, your mother’s there?” Sandilands asked. “I hear it all the time but I don’t believe it’s even true.” Robert laughed and jokingly responded: “Who would’ve thought press reports are inaccurate?” But, co-host Julia Morris was quick to come to his defence. “Can I just address that because it drives me absolutely nuts,” she said on-air. “It takes all my strength not to go onto the internet and go absolutely spare every time [Robert and Terri headlines are] written. All I want you to do is every time you see that written that, you know, ‘Terri hangs around’, I want you to go directly to who’s written that story and know that that person hates their parents.” “If you’ve got parents that are as unbelievably awesome as Terri, and you have a great relationship, you want them to be around at all times,” she added. “If you’re trying to hide stuff from your parents, or your parents are constantly badgering or at you, then you don’t want them around and you can’t get why anyone would want their parents around, you know?” she concluded. Robert then chimed in and explained that people often don't understand his close relationship with his mother, and how they became especially tight as a family following Steve Irwin's death in 2006. “I think loss brings a family together like nothing else. People forget,” he said. “I think when we lost dad, our little tight knit family unit became incredibly tight.” “And we travel with the whole family everywhere most of the time. It’s nice.” This comes after a few <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/international-travel/every-day-is-precious-fans-defend-robert-irwin-over-posts-with-mum" target="_blank" rel="noopener">trolls</a> criticised his close relationship to his mother during a trip to the US back in May. A few outlets have also suggested that the mother and son are unhealthily attached, but many fans have since defended their close relationship. “People saying why Robert has he’s mum in so many photos. Remember every day is precious. Life is fragile. The Irwin’s like millions of other families have experienced loss on a monumental scale,” one wrote on Instagram. Image: The Kyle and Jackie O Show

Family & Pets

"The pain is unbearable": Nick Campo's family speaks out

The parents of a Perth teenager who tragically died in a car crash have started an emotional campaign for road safety in the name of their late son. Budding footballer Nick Campo, who had just turned 18, was the rear passenger in a Toyota HiLux that rolled and collided with a Jeep Patriot in Perth’s southern suburbs on Saturday night and was pronounced <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/rising-star-footy-player-dies-at-just-18" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dead</a> at the scene. Campo's parents Daniel and Bianca told <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/nick-campo-parents-speak-of-unbearable-pain-after-losing-son-to-horror-crash/a5ab695f-d536-4fbb-9a95-088e155e3cba" target="_blank" rel="noopener">9News</a> of their "unbearable pain" since the sudden and tragic loss of their son. "My Nick, he was definitely one of a kind," his mum Bianca said. "I knew he was special, but he was really special to a lot of people." "And he was a beautiful boy, and he's going to be missed by so many, so many people." His father Daniel said his son was "the complete package" but was best known for his quick wit cheekiness. "If you had to sum Nick up in one word, 'cheeky'," he said. "From day dot .... Cheeky, cheeky." Sitting in the ute alongside Nick at the time of the crash were two of his teammates from the South Fremantle Football club, as well as the 17-year-old driver and one other young man. "He loved footy, he loved cricket, he just was so committed," his mum said. "He loved getting around all the boys, you know all the teammates. He loved being in the clubs." The 17-year-old boy accused of being behind the wheel, who was also injured in the crash alongside one of the other passengers, is facing serious charges. Another boy is fighting for his life in Royal Perth Hospital. Nick's parents are praying their son's friend pulls through and don't want other families to go through what they have gone through. "(Because) It is, it is the worst nightmare that you can imagine and the pain is unbearable," his mum said. The family is now channelling their grief towards a road safety campaign called "Call Out for Nick". "If it doesn't look right, that person doesn't look right to drive, the habits - it's got to be called out," his father said. "We see it every day - young kids they think they're bulletproof, they're not." Image credits: Nine

Caring

Young Aussies hit back at Steve Price for calling them "lazy"

Young Aussies have hit back at Steve Price after being criticised as lazy by the broadcaster. Prince unleashed at younger generations on The Project while they were discussing the campaign for more leave initiated by the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association, which is pushing to increase annual leave to five weeks a year. The union hopes to ease burnout in employees, and Price was not impressed with the calls for extra leave. "We're trying to get productivity up in this country," he said. "So we've got people refusing to go back to the office, working from home in barely washed tracksuit tops and bottoms, three days a week. "And now they want five weeks holiday." Georgie Tunny, a millennial, hit back at the boomer by arguing that the "work culture" has changed, especially among those new to the workforce. "Especially for the younger generations, they see work completely differently," she said. Price interrupted her saying that young Aussies just did not want to "work very hard", to which Tunny replied: "There's been a death of your job as your identity or career." Social media users were quick to back Tunny, and took aim at Price. "Where's the incentive for young people to work hard when working hard won't buy you a house or even afford you basic veggies," one said. "You get what you pay for, and it's not worth it to work hard. There's literally no benefit to working as hard as you can," another added. "When you're priced out of the market, priced out of holidays and priced out of necessities, what motivation is there to care or be productive," another added. Others suggested that employers should "increase wages and introduce bonuses as incentives," to encourage their staff to work harder. "Nobody is interested in working themselves to death for scraps," one person said. "I don't want to work very hard for CEOs to make millions while I'm barley able to afford bread," another said. "Our generation is just sick of working hard to have all the higher ups take the credit and the bag. We know what we're worth," a third added. A recent Productivity Commission report found that Aussies born after 1990 are finding more difficult than previous generations to move up the financial ladder. The report also found that young Aussies are increasingly earning less than their parents did at the same age, with the global financial crisis partially to blame for the weak income growth. Images: The Project

Money & Banking

Tastes from our past can spark memories, trigger pain or boost wellbeing. Here’s how to embrace food nostalgia

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/megan-lee-490875">Megan Lee</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/doug-angus-1542552">Doug Angus</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kate-simpson-1542551">Kate Simpson</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a> Have you ever tried to bring back fond memories by eating or drinking something unique to that time and place? It could be a Pina Colada that recalls an island holiday? Or a steaming bowl of pho just like the one you had in Vietnam? Perhaps eating a favourite dish reminds you of a lost loved one – like the sticky date pudding Nanna used to make? If you have, you have tapped into <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02699931.2022.2142525">food-evoked nostalgia</a>. As researchers, we are exploring how eating and drinking certain things from your past may be important for your mood and mental health. <h2>Bittersweet longing</h2> First named in 1688 by Swiss medical student, <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/44437799">Johannes Hoffer</a>, <a href="https://compass.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/spc3.12070">nostalgia</a> is that bittersweet, sentimental longing for the past. It is experienced <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1111/j.1467-8721.2008.00595.x">universally</a> across different cultures and lifespans from childhood into older age. But nostalgia does not just involve positive or happy memories – we can also experience nostalgia for <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2F0022-3514.91.5.975">sad and unhappy moments</a> in our lives. In the <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Femo0000817">short and long term</a>, nostalgia can positively impact our health by improving <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Fa0025167">mood</a> and <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Femo0000817">wellbeing</a>, fostering <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Fa0017597">social connection</a> and increasing quality of life. It can also trigger feelings of <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Femo0000817">loneliness or meaninglessness</a>. We can use nostalgia to <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Fa0025167">turn around a negative mood</a> or enhance our sense of <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Femo0000817">self, meaning and positivity</a>. Research suggests nostalgia alters activity in the <a href="https://academic.oup.com/scan/article/17/12/1131/6585517">brain regions associated with reward processing</a> – the same areas involved when we seek and receive things we like. This could explain the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2352250X22002445?via%3Dihub">positive feelings</a> it can bring. Nostalgia can also increase feelings of loneliness and sadness, particularly if the memories highlight dissatisfaction, grieving, loss, or wistful feelings for the past. This is likely due to activation of <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352250X22002445?casa_token=V31ORDWcsx4AAAAA:Vef9hiwUz9506f5PYGsXH-JxCcnsptQnVPNaAGares2xTU5JbKSHakwGpLxSRO2dNckrdFGubA">brain areas</a> such as the amygdala, responsible for processing emotions and the prefrontal cortex that helps us integrate feelings and memories and regulate emotion. <h2>How to get back there</h2> There are several ways we can <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/2006-20034-013.html">trigger</a> or tap into nostalgia. Conversations with family and friends who have shared experiences, unique objects like photos, and smells can <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2352250X23000076">transport us back</a> to old times or places. So can a favourite song or old TV show, reunions with former classmates, even social media <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2015/3/24/8284703/facebook-on-this-day-nostalgia-recap">posts and anniversaries</a>. What we eat and drink can trigger <a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/QMR-06-2012-0027/full/html">food-evoked nostalgia</a>. For instance, when we think of something as “<a href="https://theconversation.com/health-check-why-do-we-crave-comfort-food-in-winter-118776">comfort food</a>”, there are likely elements of nostalgia at play. Foods you found comforting as a child can evoke memories of being cared for and nurtured by loved ones. The form of these foods and the stories we tell about them may have been handed down through generations. Food-evoked nostalgia can be very powerful because it engages multiple senses: taste, smell, texture, sight and sound. The sense of <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09658211.2013.876048?casa_token=wqShWbRXJaYAAAAA%3AqJabgHtEbPtEQp7qHnl7wOb527bpGxzIJ_JwQX8eAyq1IrM_HQFIng8ELAMyuoFoeZyiX1zeJTPf">smell</a> is closely linked to the limbic system in the brain responsible for emotion and memory making food-related memories particularly vivid and emotionally charged. But, food-evoked nostalgia can also give rise to <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/hpja.873">negative memories</a>, such as of being forced to eat a certain vegetable you disliked as a child, or a food eaten during a sad moment like a loved ones funeral. Understanding why these foods <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02699931.2022.2142525?casa_token=16kAPHUQTukAAAAA%3A9IDvre8yUT8UsuiR_ltsG-3qgE2sdkIFgcrdH3T5EYbVEP9JZwPcsbmsPLT6Kch5EFFs9RPsMTNn">evoke negative memories</a> could help us process and overcome some of our adult food aversions. Encountering these foods in a positive light may help us reframe the memory associated with them. <h2>What people told us about food and nostalgia</h2> Recently <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/hpja.873">we interviewed eight Australians</a> and asked them about their experiences with food-evoked nostalgia and the influence on their mood. We wanted to find out whether they experienced food-evoked nostalgia and if so, what foods triggered pleasant and unpleasant memories and feelings for them. They reported they could use foods that were linked to times in their past to manipulate and influence their mood. Common foods they described as particularly nostalgia triggering were homemade meals, foods from school camp, cultural and ethnic foods, childhood favourites, comfort foods, special treats and snacks they were allowed as children, and holiday or celebration foods. One participant commented: <blockquote> I guess part of this nostalgia is maybe […] The healing qualities that food has in mental wellbeing. I think food heals for us. </blockquote> Another explained <blockquote> I feel really happy, and I guess fortunate to have these kinds of foods that I can turn to, and they have these memories, and I love the feeling of nostalgia and reminiscing and things that remind me of good times. </blockquote> Understanding food-evoked nostalgia is valuable because it provides us with an insight into how our sensory experiences and emotions intertwine with our memories and identity. While we know a lot about how food triggers nostalgic memories, there is still much to learn about the specific brain areas involved and the differences in food-evoked nostalgia in different cultures. In the future we may be able to use the science behind food-evoked nostalgia to help people experiencing dementia to tap into lost memories or in psychological therapy to help people reframe negative experiences. So, if you are ever feeling a little down and want to improve your mood, consider turning to one of your favourite comfort foods that remind you of home, your loved ones or a holiday long ago. Transporting yourself back to those times could help turn things around.<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/232826/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/megan-lee-490875">Megan Lee</a>, Senior Teaching Fellow, Psychology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/doug-angus-1542552">Doug Angus</a>, Assistant Professor of Psychology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kate-simpson-1542551">Kate Simpson</a>, Sessional academic, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/tastes-from-our-past-can-spark-memories-trigger-pain-or-boost-wellbeing-heres-how-to-embrace-food-nostalgia-232826">original article</a>. </div>

Mind

"Take it back to her”: Parents' heartbroken plea to thieves who targeted their daughter's grave

When three-year-old Brittany Conway died after swelling a button battery, news of her death made headlines and prompted urgent warnings to parents everywhere. Now, just one month out from the four-year anniversary of Brittany's death, her parents are grieving all over again after their daughter's grave was targeted by callous thieves, who took off with a "precious" keepsake. “She was a vivacious little girl, there was a sparkle in her eye,” Brittany’s mother Lorraine told <a href="https://7news.com.au/news/our-little-princess-parents-anguish-after-precious-item-stolen-from-childs-grave-c-15205766" target="_blank" rel="noopener">7News</a>. “She was a very loving, gentle, funny character.” Brittany’s love of tiaras was immortalised when one was placed inside a locked glass-front box attached to her grave. “Brittany loved wearing big bows and pretty dresses, she loved the tiaras and high heels,” Lorraine said. “We just wanted her to know she was our little princess.” Brittany's parents were heartbroken when they discovered that thieves had pried open the lockbox on the grave and stolen the tiara. “I was so angry to think someone had taken something so precious, taken it out of somewhere so sacred,” Lorraine said. The local Gold Coast community has rallied around the family, offering to replace the tiara and even reward money for the beloved item to be returned. Brittany’s parents are still hoping the tiara will be returned, and sharing a public message to the thief that they “did not hate them” for what they had done, but urged them to give the item back. “I’m still angry, I’m hurt, but my main thing now is to get (the tiara) home, and bring it back to Brittany where it belongs,” Lorraine said. “They haven’t thought about how much of an impact it has had on the family." “If you’re watching this, and you’ve taken it, I don’t hate you — just take it back to her.” Image credits: 7News

Family & Pets

Tucker Carlson hits back at "stupid" Aussie journalist

The poster boy for conservative America has locked horns with an Aussie journalist in a heated exchange that has gone viral. Tucker Carlson, a former Fox News host in the USA and all round controversial figure, is currently doing the rounds Down Under as a guest of Clive Palmer, and took to the stage to make a speech at the Australian Freedom Conference at the Hyatt Hotel in Canberra on Tuesday. With his signature move being to look for an argument, Carlson found a worthy opponent in AAP Newswire’s Kat Wong, who wasted no time in attempting to get under the 55-year-old’s skin. Wong quizzed Carlson about his controversial immigration views, saying he had “talked” about the “Great Replacement Theory” and how “white Australians, Americans and Europeans” are being replaced by “non-white immigrants”, but Carlson was quick to challenge the question. “Whites are being replaced? I don’t think I said that,” he interjected. “Well, it’s been mentioned on your show 4000 times,” Wong replied. “Really? When did I say that? I said ‘whites’ are being replaced?” he responded. When Wong insisted he had, Carlson challenged her to “cite that”. “I said native-born Americans are being replaced, including blacks,” he continued. “African-Americans have been in the United States, in many cases, for more than 400 years and their concerns are as every bit as real and valid and alive to me as the concerns of white people whose families have been there for 400 years." “I’ve never said that ‘whites’ are being replaced. Not one time and you can’t cite it.” When Wong said “I believe that’s untrue”, Carlson took it up a level. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Meet the Australian media. <a href="https://t.co/IyiEqihPkb">pic.twitter.com/IyiEqihPkb</a> — Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) <a href="https://twitter.com/TuckerCarlson/status/1806034521369776406?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 26, 2024</a></blockquote> “We just met, but when our relationship starts with a lie, it makes it tough to be friends,” he said. “You actually can’t cite it because I didn’t say it and I don’t believe it, and I’m telling you that to your face. So, why don’t you just accept me at face value?” Carlson doubled down on his views by calling immigration "immoral", saying governments were negligent by “shifting their concern” to immigrants in order to solve the population growth. “In my view, happy people have children,” he said. “And a functioning economy allows them to do that.” “So you need to fix the economy and fix the culture so the people who want to have kids can,” he continued. “You don’t just go for the quick sugar fix of importing new people. That’s my position and if you think that’s racist, that’s your problem.” Wong replied by saying “I never called you a racist” but it only fired Carlson up more. “But of course, you are suggesting … I must say one of the reasons why people don’t like people like you in the media is that you never say exactly what you mean,” Carlson said. “Your slurs are all by implication. You’re about to tell me the Great Replacement Theory is racist or antisemitic, whatever. I’ve said what I’ve said to you right now like 100 times in public." “I hope to, if I live long enough, to say it 100 more times. I think it’s completely honest and real, not racist or scary. It’s factually true. It’s not a theory, it’s a fact." Carlson then took the fight to the issue of gun control when Wong suggested that it is Americans the same immigration theories that turn to violence and commit mass shootings, to which Carlson quickly rejected as he took aim at Wong. “Oh god, come on,” Carlson said. “How do they get people this stupid in the media? I guess it doesn’t pay well. Look, I’m sorry, I’ve lived among people like you for too long. I don’t mean to call you stupid, maybe you’re just pretending to be." He clarified his stance by saying, "But I’m totally against violence." But Wong wouldn’t stop her line of questioning, asking “Right, so therefore you support gun control?” “What?! I thought it couldn’t get dumber, but it did,” he said. “No, I don’t support disarming law-abiding people so they can’t defend themselves, so the government has a monopoly on violence. I don’t think so." Before leaving the stage, Carlson took a broad swipe at Australian media, saying, "I got here and the country is so unbelievably beautiful, and the people are so cheerful and funny, and cool, and smart. " “I’m like, ‘your media has got to be better than ours. It can’t just be a bunch of castrated robots reading questions from the boss’." “And then it turns out it’s exactly the same. Maybe even a tiny bit dumber.” A lengthy clip of the tense exchange has since gone viral amongst conservative X users, with Sky News Australia host Rita Panahi chiming in on the discourse. “If you are going to show up and make outrageous claims and try to connect Tucker Carlson to mass killers, then I don’t know, perhaps go to the trouble of citing a source, have a direct quote from the man,” Ms Panahi said. “Otherwise, you are going to look like an absolute fool.” Image credits: LUKAS COCH/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Editorial <p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-size: 18px; vertical-align: baseline;">

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