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Do any non-drug treatments help back pain? Here’s what the evidence says

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <p>Jason, a 42-year-old father of two, has been battling back pain for weeks. Scrolling through his phone, he sees ad after ad promising relief: chiropractic alignments, acupuncture, back braces, vibrating massage guns and herbal patches.</p> <p>His GP told him to “stay active”, but what does that even mean when every movement hurts? Jason wants to avoid strong painkillers and surgery, but with so many options (and opinions), it’s hard to know what works and what’s just marketing hype.</p> <p>If Jason’s experience sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Back pain is one of the most common reasons people visit a doctor. It can be challenging to manage, mainly due to widespread <a href="https://theconversation.com/having-good-posture-doesnt-prevent-back-pain-and-bad-posture-doesnt-cause-it-183732">misunderstandings</a> and the <a href="https://ebm.bmj.com/content/early/2025/03/02/bmjebm-2024-112974">overwhelming number</a> of ineffective and uncertain treatments promoted.</p> <p>We assessed the best available evidence of non-drug and non-surgical treatments to alleviate low back pain. <a href="https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD014691.pub2/full">Our review</a> – published today by the independent, international group the Cochrane Collaboration – includes 31 Cochrane systematic reviews, covering 97,000 people with back pain.</p> <p>It <a href="https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD014691.pub2/full">shows</a> bed rest doesn’t work for back pain. Some of the treatments that do work can depend on how long you’ve been in pain.</p> <h2>Is back pain likely to be serious?</h2> <p>There are different types of low back pain. It can:</p> <ul> <li>be short-lived, lasting less than six weeks (acute back pain)</li> <li>linger for a bit longer, for six to twelve weeks (sub-acute)</li> <li>stick around for months and even years (chronic, defined as more than 12 weeks).</li> </ul> <p>In <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/article/S0140-6736(16)30970-9/abstract">most cases</a> (90-95%), back pain is non-specific and cannot be reliably linked to a specific cause or underlying disease. This includes common structural changes seen in x-rays and MRIs of the spine.</p> <p>For this reason, imaging of the back is <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(09)60172-0/abstract">only</a> recommended in rare situations – typically when there’s a clear suspicion of serious back issues, such as after physical trauma or when there is numbness or loss of sensation in the groin or legs.</p> <p>Many people expect to receive <a href="https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD013815.pub2/full">painkillers</a> for their back pain or even surgery, but these are no longer the front-line treatment options due to limited benefits and the high risk of harm.</p> <p>International <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(18)30489-6/fulltext">clinical guidelines</a> recommend people choose non-drug and non-surgical treatments to relieve their pain, improve function and reduce the distress commonly associated with back pain.</p> <p>So what works for different types of pain? Here’s what <a href="https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD014691.pub2/full">our review found</a> when researchers compared these treatments with standard care (the typical treatment patients usually receive) or no treatment.</p> <h2>What helps for short-term back pain</h2> <p><strong>1. Stay active – don’t rest in bed</strong></p> <p>If your back pain is new, the best advice is also one of the simplest: keep moving despite the pain.</p> <p>Changing the way you move and use your body to protect it, or resting in bed, can seem like to right way to respond to pain – and may have even been recommended in the past. But we know know this excessive protective behaviour can make it harder to return to meaningful activities.</p> <p>This doesn’t mean pushing through pain or hitting the gym, but instead, trying to maintain your usual routines as much as possible. Evidence suggests that doing so won’t make your pain worse, and may improve it.</p> <p><strong>2. Multidisciplinary care, if pain lingers</strong></p> <p>For pain lasting six to 12 weeks, multidisciplinary treatment is likely to reduce pain compared to standard care.</p> <p>This involves a coordinated team of doctors, physiotherapists and psychologists working together to address the many factors contributing to your back pain persisting:</p> <ul> <li> <p>neurophysiological influences refer to how your nervous system is currently processing pain. It can make you more sensitive to signals from movements, thoughts, feelings and environment</p> </li> <li> <p>psychological factors include how your thoughts, feelings and behaviours affect your pain system and, ultimately, the experience of pain you have</p> </li> <li> <p>occupational factors include the physical demands of your job and how well you can manage them, as well as aspects like low job satisfaction, all of which can contribute to ongoing pain.</p> </li> </ul> <h2>What works for chronic back pain</h2> <p>Once pain has been around for more than 12 weeks, it can become more difficult to treat. But relief is still possible.</p> <p><strong>Exercise therapy</strong></p> <p>Exercise – especially programs tailored to your needs and preferences – is likely to reduce pain and help you move better. This could include aerobic activity, strength training or Pilates-based movements.</p> <p>It doesn’t seem to matter what type of exercise you do – it matters more that you are consistent and have the right level of supervision, especially early on.</p> <p><strong>Multidisciplinary treatment</strong></p> <p>As with short-term pain, coordinated care involving a mix of physical, occupational and psychological approaches likely works better than usual care alone.</p> <p><strong>Psychological therapies</strong></p> <p>Psychological therapies for chronic pain include approaches to help people change thinking, feelings, behaviours and reactions that might sustain persistent pain.</p> <p>These approaches are likely to reduce pain, though they may not be as effective in improving physical function.</p> <p><strong>Acupuncture</strong></p> <p>Acupuncture probably reduces pain and improves how well you can function compared to placebo or no treatment.</p> <p>While some debate remains about how it works, the evidence suggests potential benefits for some people with chronic back pain.</p> <h2>What doesn’t work or still raises uncertainty?</h2> <p>The review found that many commonly advertised treatments still have uncertain benefits or probably do not benefit people with back pain.</p> <p>Spinal manipulation, for example, has uncertain benefits in acute and chronic back pain, and it likely does not improve how well you function if you have acute back pain.</p> <p>Traction, which involves stretching the spine using weights or pulleys, probably doesn’t help with chronic back pain. Despite its popularity in some circles, there’s little evidence that it works.</p> <p>There isn’t enough reliable data to determine whether advertised treatments – such back braces, vibrating massage guns and herbal patches – are effective.</p> <h2>How can you use the findings?</h2> <p>If you have back pain, start by considering how long you’ve had it. Then explore treatment options that research supports and discuss them with your GP, psychologist or physiotherapist.</p> <p>Your health provider should reassure you about the importance of gradually increasing your activity to resume meaningful work, social and life activities. They should also support you in making informed decisions about which treatments are most appropriate for you at this stage.</p> <p><!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><em><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/253122/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />By <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rodrigo-rossi-nogueira-rizzo-1544189">Rodrigo Rossi Nogueira Rizzo</a>, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/neuroscience-research-australia-976">Neuroscience Research Australia</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/aidan-cashin-2355450">Aidan Cashin</a>, NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/neuroscience-research-australia-976">Neuroscience Research Australia</a></em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/do-any-non-drug-treatments-help-back-pain-heres-what-the-evidence-says-253122">original article</a>.</em></p> <p><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></p> </div>

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Calls for major shops to ditch "toxic" product

<p>Common poisons sold at Bunnings, Mitre 10, Coles and Woolworths could potentially wipe out five species of carnivorous mammals.</p> <p><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S004896972500467X" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" data-i13n="cpos:2;pos:1" data-ylk="slk:and a new study by Edith Cowan University;cpos:2;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" data-rapid_p="12" data-v9y="1">A new study by Edith Cowan University</a> has discovered the impact of these common rat poisons is more widespread than first thought, with predators also being impacted by the toxins as well as the pests.</p> <p>“This is the first documentation of pretty substantial rodenticide exposure in our entire suite of top marsupial carnivores in Australia,” researcher and adjunct lecturer Dr Michael Lohr told <a href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/calls-for-bunnings-mitre-10-coles-and-woolworths-to-ditch-toxic-product-going-to-kill-everything-063045604.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Yahoo News</em></a>.</p> <p>“Tasmanian devils and quolls are potentially being exposed at rates that could have a substantial impact on the trajectory of their populations going forward, and not in a good way.”</p> <p>The use of second-generation rat baits is currently under review by a government regulator – the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA), with Dr Lohr urging retailers to take them off shelves. </p> <p>"I think it's really important for Australia at this point to try to catch up to the rest of the developed world," he said. "Action is needed on this and the world has already agreed on that."</p> <p>The use and sale of these pesticides are heavily restricted in the United States, European Union and United Kingdom, but are freely available in Australia.</p> <p>More than 7,000 people have signed a <a href="https://www.change.org/p/help-wildlife-and-pets-poisoned-dying-in-agony-bunnings-stop-selling-sgar-rat-baits" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-i13n="cpos:9;pos:1" data-ylk="slk:Change.org petition;cpos:9;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" data-rapid_p="20" data-v9y="1">Change.org petition</a> calling for supermarket giants Coles and Woolworths to ditch these "highly toxic" rat baits which it said can kill pets and native animals.</p> <p>Veteran wildlife advocate Cat Coake told <em>Yahoo</em> retailers have a duty to stop non-targeted poisons, as she said, "Otherwise they're going to kill everything."</p> <p>In a statement, Bunnings noted that it's not the only major retailer in Australia selling second-generation rodenticides.</p> <p>"Like many retailers, we offer a range of rodent control products, including anticoagulant rodenticides and non-poisonous alternatives, to provide choice for customers on the best solution to their specific rodent problem," it said.</p> <p>Bunnings also said it's complying with government regulations on the sale of these poisons. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock</em></p>

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Vitamin B6 is essential – but too much can be toxic. Here’s what to know to stay safe

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/vasso-apostolopoulos-105605">Vasso Apostolopoulos</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jack-feehan-1239419">Jack Feehan</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a></em></p> <p>In recent weeks, <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-01-08/vitamin-b6-toxicity-peripheral-neuropathy-health-supplements/104793006">reports have been circulating</a> about severe reactions in people who’ve taken over-the-counter vitamin B6 supplements.</p> <p>Vitamin B6 poisoning can injure nerves and lead to symptoms including numbness, tingling and even trouble walking and moving.</p> <p>In some cases, those affected <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-01-28/vitamin-b6-toxicity-cases-rise-vitamins-supplements-tga-review/104863232">didn’t know the product contained</a> any vitamin B6.</p> <p>So what is vitamin B6, where is it found and how much is too much? Here’s what you need to know about this essential nutrient.</p> <h2>What is vitamin B6?</h2> <p>Vitamin B6 (also known as pyridoxine) is a group of six compounds that share a similar chemical structure.</p> <p>It is an essential nutrient, meaning we need it for normal body functions, but we can’t produce it ourselves.</p> <p><a href="https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/nutrient-reference-values/nutrients/vitamin-b6">Adults aged 19–50</a> need 1.3mg of vitamin B6 per day. The recommended dose is lower for teens and children, and higher for those aged 51 and over (1.7mg for men and 1.5mg for women) and people who are breastfeeding or pregnant (1.9mg).</p> <p>Most of us get <a href="https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/vitamin-b/">this in our diet</a> – largely from animal products, including meat, dairy and eggs.</p> <p>The vitamin is also available in a range of different plant foods, including spinach, kale, bananas and potatoes, so deficiency is <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8150266/">rare</a>, even for vegetarians and vegans.</p> <p>The vitamin B6 we consume in the diet is inactive, meaning the body can’t use it. To activate B6, the liver transforms it into a compound called pyridoxal-5’-phosphate (PLP).</p> <p>In this form, vitamin B6 helps the body with more than 140 cellular functions, including building and breaking down proteins, producing red blood cells, regulating blood sugar and supporting brain function.</p> <p>Vitamin B6 is important for <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6071262/">overall health</a> and has also been associated with reduced <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28376200/">cancer</a> risk and <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0098299716300395">inflammation</a>.</p> <p>Despite being readily available in the diet, vitamin B6 is also widely included in various supplements, multivitamins and other products, such as Berocca and energy drinks.</p> <h2>Should we be worried about toxicity?</h2> <p>Vitamin B6 toxicity is extremely rare. It <a href="https://europepmc.org/article/nbk/nbk470579?crsi=6624972170&amp;cicada_org_src=healthwebmagazine.com&amp;cicada_org_mdm=direct&amp;client=bot">almost never occurs from dietary intake alone</a>, unless there is a genetic disorders or disease that stops nutrient absorption (such as coeliac disease).</p> <p>This is because all eight vitamins in the B group are water-soluble. If you consume more of the vitamin than your body needs, it can be excreted readily and harmlessly in your urine.</p> <p>However, in some rare cases, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37447150/">excessive vitamin B6</a> accumulates in the blood, resulting in a condition called peripheral neuropathy. We’re still not sure why this occurs in some people but not others.</p> <p>Peripheral neuropathy <a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/14737-peripheral-neuropathy">occurs when the sensory nerves</a> – those outside our brain and spinal cord that send information to the central nervous system – are damaged and unable to function. This can be caused by a wide range of diseases (and is most well known in type 2 diabetes).</p> <p>The most common symptoms are numbness and tingling, though in some cases patients may experience difficulty with balance or walking.</p> <p>We don’t know exactly how excess vitamin B6 causes peripheral neuropathy, but it is thought to <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8483950/">interfere with how the neurotransmitter GABA</a> sends signals to the sensory nerves.</p> <p>Vitamin B6 can cause permanent damage to nerves. <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10343656/">Studies have shown</a> symptoms improved when the person stopped taking the supplement, although they didn’t completely resolve.</p> <h2>What is considered excessive? And has this changed?</h2> <p><a href="https://www.cureus.com/articles/199499-vitamin-b6-toxicity-secondary-to-daily-multivitamin-use-a-case-report#!/">Toxicity usually occurs</a> only when people take supplements with high doses of B6.</p> <p>Until 2022, only products with more than 50mg of vitamin B6 were required to display a warning about peripheral neuropathy. But the <a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/news/safety-updates/peripheral-neuropathy-supplementary-vitamin-b6-pyridoxine">Therapeutic Goods Administration lowered this</a> and now requires any product containing more than 10mg of vitamin B6 to carry a warning.</p> <p>The Therapeutic Goods Administration has also halved the daily upper limit of vitamin B6 a product can provide – from 200mg to 100mg.</p> <p>These changes followed a review by the administration, after receiving 32 reports of peripheral neuropathy in people taking supplements. Two thirds of these people were taking less than 50mg of vitamin B6.</p> <p>The <a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/news/safety-updates/peripheral-neuropathy-supplementary-vitamin-b6-pyridoxine#what-should-health-professionals-do">Therapeutic Goods Administration acknowledges</a> the risk varies between individuals and a lot is unknown. Its review could not identify a minimum dose, duration of use or patient risk factors.</p> <h2>But I thought B vitamins were good for me?</h2> <p>Too much of anything can cause problems.</p> <p>The updated guidelines are likely to significantly lower the risk of toxicity. They also make consumers more aware of which products contain B6, and the risks.</p> <p>The Therapeutic Goods Administration will continue to monitor evidence and revise guidelines if necessary.</p> <p>While vitamin B6 toxicity remains very rare, there are still many questions about why some people get peripheral neuropathy with lower dose supplements.</p> <p>It could be that some specific vitamin B compounds have a stronger effect, or some people may have genetic vulnerabilities or diseases which put them <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2161831322004781">at higher risk</a>.</p> <h2>So what should I do?</h2> <p>Most people don’t need to actively seek vitamin B6 in supplements.</p> <p>However, many reports to the Therapeutic Goods Administration were of vitamin B6 being added to supplements labelled as magnesium or zinc – and some weren’t aware they were consuming it.</p> <p>It is important to always check the label if you are taking a new medicine or supplement, especially if it hasn’t been explicitly prescribed by a health-care professional.</p> <p>Be particularly cautious if you are taking multiple supplements. While one multivitamin is unlikely to cause an issue, adding a magnesium supplement for cramping, or a zinc supplement for cold and flu symptoms, may cause an excessive vitamin B6 dose over time, and increase your risk.</p> <p>Importantly, pay attention to symptoms that may indicate peripheral neuropathy, such as pins and needles, numbness, or pain in the feet or hands, if you do change or add a supplement.</p> <p>Most importantly, if you need advice, you should talk to your doctor, dietitian or pharmacist.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/248443/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/vasso-apostolopoulos-105605">Vasso Apostolopoulos</a>, Distinguished Professor, Professor of Immunology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jack-feehan-1239419">Jack Feehan</a>, Vice Chancellors Senior Research Fellow in Immunology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/vitamin-b6-is-essential-but-too-much-can-be-toxic-heres-what-to-know-to-stay-safe-248443">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

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"Non-fixable": Neighbours icon reveals terminal diagnosis

<p>Veteran actor Ian Smith, beloved for his role as Harold Bishop on the long-running soap <em>Neighbours</em>, has filmed his final scenes, marking an emotional farewell to the show and his career.</p> <p>At 85, Smith revealed his decision to step away from acting follows a terminal diagnosis of pulmonary pleomorphic carcinoma, a rare and aggressive form of cancer.</p> <p>“It isn’t just my last day in <em>Neighbours</em>, it’s my last day of work,” Smith <a href="https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/celebrity-life/aussie-tv-icon-ian-smith-shares-tragic-health-update/news-story/3edbe4d153e7f322b08258ec86360bba" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told 10 News First reporter Angela Bishop</a>. “I found out a few months back that I have cancer, that I have a very aggressive, non-fixable cancer, and they expect me to die.”</p> <p>Smith, who has undergone three rounds of treatment, including immunotherapy, expressed his determination to maintain his quality of life for as long as possible. “I’ve really put my hand up just to be a guinea pig, I think, plus the fact I don’t want to die. I want to stay alive with quality as long as I can,” he said. “I wake up every morning hoping there’s no pain because I know that’s the beginning of the bad part.”</p> <p>Smith, a staple of Ramsay Street since 1987, was honoured by cast and crew on his final day of filming. The emotional farewell included heartfelt speeches, tears and hugs, reflecting the profound impact Smith has had on the<em> Neighbours</em> family.</p> <p>“There were real tears,” Smith shared. “In fact, one young fella worried me a bit. I had to follow up and make sure he was alright the next day. It knocked me out a bit honestly.”</p> <p>Smith’s final storyline features the return of Anne Charleston, who famously played Harold’s wife, Madge. Charleston will reprise a new role in the upcoming episodes. Executive Producer Jason Herbison praised Smith’s contributions, saying, “The way the residents of Ramsay Street feel about Harold is how we all feel about Ian – we couldn’t love him more than we do.</p> <p>“Despite the challenges he was facing with his health, he wanted to give Harold a proper send-off. It was a very emotional moment on set as we paid tribute to him and the incredible contribution he has made to the show.”</p> <p>Smith’s personal life has been marked by loss, having endured the passing of his wife, Gail, of five decades, and several family members to cancer. His own health battles have included prostate cancer and a stroke, yet he has remained a resilient and cherished figure in Australian television.</p> <p>Network 10 expressed their sorrow over his diagnosis and immense gratitude for his contributions. “Ian has brought joy, laughter and inspiration to audiences all around the world for decades,” a spokesperson said. “Along with the cast and crew and all his fans from around the world, we will support Ian in any way we can during this difficult time.”</p> <p>Smith’s final scenes on Neighbours will air in April 2025, bringing a 30-year chapter of television history to a close.</p> <p><em>Images: Supplied</em></p>

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"Lots of NDAs": Channel Nine could face class action

<p>Channel Nine could face a class action over <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/damning-report-exposes-toxic-workplace-culture-at-channel-nine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">allegations of bullying</a>, sexual harassment and inappropriate conduct, according to one of Australia's leading employment lawyers Josh Bornstein. </p> <p>Bornstein told<em><a href="https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/media/channel-nine-could-face-class-action-over-allegations-of-bullying-sexual-harassment-and-inappropriate-conduct/news-story/7e7f5979007ae16ae81621e48e48acab" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> news.com.au</a></em> that a class action might be an option for men and women who were the victims of a "hostile workplace". </p> <p>“There is a provision of the Sex Discrimination Act that is relatively recent and was introduced as a result of the Respect At Work changes,” he said.</p> <p>“It is a new provision that says that it’s a breach of the Act for an employer to maintain a workplace that is hostile for women.</p> <p>“So in light of the report, which indicates widespread bullying, sexism, punishment, sexual harassment, and favouritism of male reporters over female reporters getting access to stories, there is at least the basis on which to start considering whether a class action could be brought.”</p> <p>Bornstein is the principal lawyer at Maurice Blackburn, a law firm that has won more than  $4.3 billion in settlements for clients since their inception in 1998. </p> <p>“If the report is right, it’s systemic, which means many women have been impacted, and they’ve been subjected to an environment that’s hostile to them because of their gender, and if they’ve been harmed by that, a class action could give them some form of redress," he added. </p> <p>However, one of the complications would be the nondisclosure agreements some of the women may have signed before leaving the companies. </p> <p>“I’m aware there’s lots of NDA, particularly at Nine, and lots of releases as well.</p> <p>“A class action just requires a sufficiently large enough group of affected people who come together to lodge a case that says, ‘This is the sort of workplace environment we’ve been subjected to’.</p> <p>“They have to show that they’ve been subjected to the sorts of behaviours that are dealt with in the report and that or that adverse conduct was based on their gender, and then if they were able to show that the law had been breached, then compensation would be based on individual harm.”</p> <p>He added that in his opinion, while it might be better "for women to band together to pursue a collective case" it may be a bit more difficult as "there’s a fear that if you take on commercial networks, that’s the end of your career," which he said is a "well founded" fear. </p> <p><em>Image: FiledIMAGE / Shutterstock.com</em></p>

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Damning report exposes toxic workplace culture at Channel Nine

<p>A damning culture investigation has revealed a history of systemic bullying and harassment within the Channel Nine workplace. </p> <p>The <a href="https://www.nineforbrands.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Intersection-Nine-Entertainment-2024-Report-FA.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a>, which was conducted by independent investigators, revealed their findings on Thursday, sharing the extent of the disturbing behaviour going on inside the network's offices.</p> <p>As stated in the report, Nine has “has a systemic issue with abuse of power and authority; bullying, discrimination and harassment; and sexual harassment”, with several employees sharing their own horror stories of working for the network. </p> <p>Dozens of female workers came forward with allegations of sexual assault, with one employee saying, “When I was in (location), (employee) tried to groom me. He also touched me on the bum at the Christmas party and at other times he would rub my legs under the table."</p> <p>“I saw him do it to other women.”</p> <p>Another staff member was warned not to let a senior male employee “touch (her) boobs”, adding, “His comments about my body were constant.”</p> <p>“He made me feel like I was just a piece of meat to be ogled at, and that he was the credible one just because he was the older man. Over time, this eroded my confidence. It just chipped away at it.”</p> <p>Other employees said the culture at Nine “destroyed (them) as a human being”, left them “broken” and a “shell” or gave them “debilitating” anxiety.</p> <p>“I was broken,” one former employee said. “I left the newsroom after a year. By the time I left my soul was gone.”</p> <p>If anyone complained about the toxic culture and inappropriate behaviour, they were allegedly sent to what was known as “punishment island”.</p> <p>“I have only been at the company a short time, but in my opinion there is a concerning culture among senior older men of sexual(ly) inappropriate jokes. There is sexual intimidation against young women and I find this completely unacceptable. I will always call them out,” another said.</p> <p>Others said talking about getting bullied at Nine had become commonplace, with one employee saying, “We used to talk about being bullied, harassed or publicly humiliated like you’d talk about the weather. Now when I look back it horrifies me how normalised it had become."</p> <p>Nine’s new chair Catherine West released a statement on Thursday after the report finding, saying, “We are deeply sorry ... I unreservedly apologise.”</p> <p>“Today is an incredibly difficult day for Nine as we confront these findings and reflect on serious cultural issues as an organisation."</p> <p>“The behaviour outlined in the report is unacceptable. Abuse of power, bullying, sexual harassment and inappropriate conduct is not OK. This behaviour has no place at Nine.”</p> <p>The report concluded with 22 recommendations to address the negative culture, including training, accountability and another external review in three years.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <div class="hide-print ad-no-notice css-svlwa0-StyledAdUnitWrapper ezkyf1c0" style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: #292a33; color: #292a33; font-family: HeyWow, Montserrat, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"> </div>

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Tourists reveal the world’s best “non-mainstream” cities

<p dir="ltr">While many eager travellers head to a nation’s capital city when travelling abroad, others prefer to steer off the beaten track for a more authentic experience. </p> <p dir="ltr">A group of keen tourists discussed their favourite “non-mainstream” cities in a popular travel thread on Reddit, with eight destinations around the world coming out on top. </p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Turin, Italy</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Most travellers that head to Italy tend to stick to the main tourist-driven cities of Rome, Florence, Milan and Venice. </p> <p dir="ltr">However, according to one traveller, the city of Turin (also known as Torino) is “one of the best cities in the country and it gets ignored by most tourists.”</p> <p dir="ltr">One person wrote, “Great architecture, very walkable, fantastic museums, delicious regional dishes and stunning Alpine backdrop.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Another agreed, adding, “Torino is really great. [It] feels different to any other Italian city. [It's] also totally uncrowded even during peak season.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Oulu, Finland</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Aside from the Finnish capital of Helsinki in the far south of the country, some travellers prefer to venture up north into colder climates away from the bustling city. </p> <p dir="ltr">One hotspot is the city of Oulu, which offers a more relaxed pace of life despite its harsh weather. </p> <p dir="ltr">One traveller wrote, “I really enjoyed Oulu in Finland. So much space between buildings, green trees everywhere, a nice beach to relax on and watch the sunset, [and] beautiful parks.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“To me, it looked like the ideal city to live in. I was there in July. I think winters can be harsh.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Ouray, Colorado, USA</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Situated in the heart of the San Juan Mountains in southwest Colorado, Ouray is often referred to as the 'Switzerland of America', with many travellers in awe of its beauty. </p> <p dir="ltr">One person simply wrote, “Ouray is stunningly beautiful!” sharing their love for the quaint city. </p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Nuremberg, Germany</strong> </p> <p dir="ltr">Germany’s most visited cities are usually Berlin and Munich, but Nuremberg also offers a unique glimpse into Germany’s history and culture. </p> <p dir="ltr">One traveller described the city as “amazing” while another said they “absolutely loved the place”. </p> <p dir="ltr">Another claimed that Nuremberg was “so beautiful, magical and fun” during wintertime that it “ruined Christmas for the rest of my life”.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Townsville, Australia</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">When you think of coastal Aussie getaways, many think of Noosa or the Gold Coast as the best places to visit. </p> <p dir="ltr">However, others encouraged travellers to head to the “super-underrated” Townsville in northeastern Queensland instead.</p> <p dir="ltr">One traveller remarked that it has “great bars and restaurants”, adding, “It was a good base to get around the place. I found the locals friendly, [it] wasn't overrun with tourists like Cairns. My wife and I both thought it was a super-underrated place and we'll be back.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Khiva, Uzbekistan </strong></p> <p dir="ltr">The city of Khiva, locally pronounced 'Heevah', is more than 2,500 years old and is a keen holiday destination for history buffs. </p> <p dir="ltr">One traveller wrote of the charming city, “The old city inside the walls is so well preserved that it's like entering another time. Early morning and after dark, when the tourist market has closed, and the buses have left, makes for a magical experience. I've been to a lot of places in the world but will never forget the magic of that place.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Salta, Argentina</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Located in the north of the country, Salta is “definitely not on the mainstream path”, but worth the journey.</p> <p dir="ltr">One tourist wrote, “The city itself isn't the most exciting but it's safe, the food is incredible, and it's the gateway to some of the most beautiful natural areas I've seen in my life.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Kastoria, Greece</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Located in northern Greece in the region of Western Macedonia, Kastoria sits on the shore of Lake Orestiada and is surrounded by limestone mountains. </p> <p dir="ltr">One traveller fell in love with the Greek destination, writing, “This is the definition of a hidden gem. It's deep in northern Greece and on a peninsula jutting into the middle of a lake, so it's just this incredibly serene and picturesque setting. There's history on every street corner, too.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p> </p>

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Bombshell allegations of "toxic" Channel Seven workplace aired

<p>Allegations of a "soul crushing" and "degrading" workplace at Channel Seven have been aired by ABC's <em>Four Corners</em>, with current and former staff members lifting the lid on the "toxic" and "sexist" culture. </p> <p>The ABC program spoke to more than 200 people from Channel Seven for the bombshell expose in which staff made allegations of a “boys club” where women were forced to work harder than men.</p> <p>One female journalist claims she was told to handover her hard-won stories to male journalists while another said she had to work late while her male colleagues went out and got drunk.</p> <p>As a result of the culture at Seven, one woman allegedly was left feeling suicidal over the work conditions and threw herself in front of a car outside the network’s Brisbane office after allegedly working extremely long hours for not much more than minimum wage.</p> <p>The woman had tried to resign from her job, but claims the network wouldn't accept her resignation and was kept on for another six months. </p> <p>“The only way I can describe it is I felt like I had a noose around my neck,” the young woman told Four Corners.</p> <p>One of the woman’s colleagues received a call from her in which she was “wailing, hysterical, incredibly emotional”, and in notes taken of the incident, they wrote, “Couldn’t understand what she was saying apart from ‘they won’t let me go’, ‘i’ve f**ked up my career’, ‘I want to be hit by a car’.”</p> <p>The woman attempted suicide and mercifully, the car didn't hit her. She was taken to the hospital in an ambulance and never returned to Channel Seven. </p> <p>Another woman, who is suing Channel Seven for sexual discrimination, said she was left feeling suicidal after working on the network’s <em>Spotlight</em> program.</p> <p>She claims she was forced to work 10-12 hour days, seven days a week and was once forced to use her own money to finish a story, leaving her with no money for rent while she waited for expenses to be reimbursed.</p> <p>“[It was] incredibly stressful,” she said.</p> <p>The woman then fell ill with a serious respiratory illness, and doctors told her she needed some time away from work to rest and recover. </p> <p>“I just started sobbing because the pressure of going home and not going back to the office and what the retribution would be if I did that was so great,” she says.</p> <p>“[The doctor] said, ‘If you don’t go home now, you’re going to be in bed with pneumonia for six weeks … I’ll call an ambulance to your office if I have to.’”</p> <p>The journalist claims that the network wanted her to keep working at home.</p> <p>“I got to the point where I was suicidal, and I remember in one particularly dark moment where I’d worked all weekend,” she says.</p> <p>“I rang Lifeline, and I made a doctor’s appointment because I knew I was so close to taking my own life. And I had a child that I couldn’t do that to because I was a single parent.”</p> <p>One Seven employee, Olivia Babb, told <em>Four Corners</em> of the unsustainable salaries within the network, revealing how many of her colleagues have been forced to take up second jobs to make ends meet. </p> <p>On top of her fears of becoming homeless due to the minimum wages, Olivia also claims  she was “harassed and bullied” during her time at Seven.</p> <p>“It is one of the most degrading, soul-crushing places you can work,” the former reporter said.</p> <p>Solicitor Josh Bornstein, who has multiple clients taking legal action against Seven, said there was “enormous hostility to women”.</p> <p>In a statement after <em>Four Corners</em> aired, Seven West Media said it was “clearly concerned about allegations of poor behaviour and mistreatment of employees”.</p> <p><em><strong>Need to talk to someone? Don't go it alone. Call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or <a href="https://www.lifeline.org.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">lifeline.org.au</a></strong></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Four Corners</em></p>

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Drinking lots of water may seem like a healthy habit – here’s when and why it can prove toxic

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/adam-taylor-283950">Adam Taylor</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/lancaster-university-1176">Lancaster University</a></em></p> <p>In late 2023, actor <a href="https://www.glamour.com/story/brooke-shields-recently-experienced-a-full-blown-seizure-and-bradley-cooper-came-running?utm_source=instagram&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_content=instagram-bio-link&amp;client_service_id=31196&amp;client_service_name=glamour&amp;service_user_id=1.78e+16&amp;supported_service_name=instagram_publishing&amp;utm_brand=glm&amp;utm_social_type=owned">Brooke Shields</a> suffered a seizure after “flooding” her body with water. Shields became dangerously low on sodium while preparing for her show by drinking loads of water. “I flooded my system and I drowned myself,” she would later explain. “And if you don’t have enough sodium in your blood or urine or your body, you can have a seizure.”</p> <p>Shields said she found herself walking around outside for “no reason at all”, wondering: “Why am I out here?”</p> <blockquote> <p>Then I walk into the restaurant and go to the sommelier who had just taken an hour to watch my run through. That’s when everything went black. Then my hands drop to my side and I go headfirst into the wall.</p> </blockquote> <p>Shields added that she was “frothing at the mouth, totally blue, trying to swallow my tongue”.</p> <p>Like Shields, many people may be unaware of the dangers of drinking excessive amounts of water – especially because hydration is so often associated with health benefits. Models and celebrities <a href="https://www.teenvogue.com/story/drinking-water-flawless-skin#:%7E:text=If%20you're%20reading%20a,long%20hours%20at%20a%20time.">often advocate</a> drinking lots of water to help maintain clear, smooth skin. Some <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/75-hard-challenge-before-and-after-tiktok-b2382706.html">social media influencers</a> have promoted drinking a gallon of water daily for weight loss.</p> <p>But excessive water consumption can cause <a href="https://patient.info/treatment-medication/hyponatraemia-leaflet">hyponatraemia</a> – a potentially fatal condition of low sodium in the blood.</p> <h2>Worried about hydration levels? Check your urine</h2> <p>The body strictly regulates its water content to maintain the optimum level of <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2323003/">total body water</a> and “osmolality” – the concentration of dissolved particles in your blood. Osmolality increases when you are dehydrated and decreases when you have too much fluid in your blood.</p> <p>Osmolality is monitored by <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9074779/">osmoreceptors</a> that regulate sodium and water balance in the hypothalamus – the part of the brain that controls numerous hormones. These osmoreceptors signal the release of antidiuretic hormone (ADH), which acts on blood vessels and the kidneys to control the amount of water and salt in the body.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Qghf7Y9ILAs?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <p>In healthy people, the body releases ADH when osmolality becomes high. ADH tells the kidneys to reabsorb water, which makes urine more concentrated. The reabsorbed water dilutes the blood, bringing osmolality back to normal levels.</p> <p>Low blood osmolality suppresses the release of ADH, reducing how much water the kidneys reabsorb. This dilutes your urine, which the body then passes to rid itself of the excess water.</p> <p>Healthy urine should be clear and odourless. Darker, yellower urine with a noticeable odour can indicate dehydration – although medications and certain foods, including <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3433805/">asparagus</a>, can affect urine colour and odour, too.</p> <h2>How much is too much?</h2> <p>Adults should consume <a href="https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/food-guidelines-and-food-labels/water-drinks-nutrition/">two-to-three litres per day</a>, of which around 20% comes from food. However, we can lose <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK236237/">up to ten litres</a> of water through perspiration – so sweating during exercise or in hot weather increases the amount of water we need to replace through drinking.</p> <p>Some medical conditions can cause overhydration. Approximately <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3616165/">one in five</a> schizophrenia patients drink water compulsively, a dangerous condition known as <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/apr/15/woman-died-mental-hospital-excessive-water-drinking-inquest#:%7E:text=Woman%20died%20at%20mental%20hospital%20after%20excessive%20water%20drinking%2C%20inquest%20told,-Parents%20of%20Lillian&amp;text=A%20woman%20collapsed%20and%20died,water%2C%20an%20inquest%20has%20heard.">psychogenic polydipsia</a>. One long-term study found that patients with psychogenic polydipsia have a <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18984069/">“74% greater chance</a> of dying before a non-polydipsic patient”.</p> <p>In <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22306188/">some cases</a>, people with <a href="https://psychiatry-psychopharmacology.com/en/childhood-and-adolescence-disorders-psychogenic-polydipsia-in-an-adolescent-with-eating-disorder-a-case-report-132438">anorexia nervosa</a> can also suffer from compulsive water drinking.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ReQew2zcN7c?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <p>For those suffering from polydipsia, treatment is focused on medication to reduce the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10675986/">urge to drink</a>, as well as <a href="https://www.uptodate.com/contents/overview-of-the-treatment-of-hyponatremia-in-adults/print">increasing sodium levels</a>. This should be done gradually to avoid causing <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK562251/">myelinolysis</a> – <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK551697/">neurological damage</a> caused by rapid changes in sodium levels in nerve cells.</p> <p>In rare but often highly publicised cases such as that of <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/november/13/newsid_2516000/2516593.stm">Leah Betts</a> in 1995, some users of the illegal drug MDMA (also known as <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6119400/">ecstasy)</a> have <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11265566/">died</a> after drinking copious amounts of water to rehydrate after dancing and sweating.</p> <p>The drug <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5008716/">increases body temperature</a>, so users drink water to avoid overheating. Unfortunately, MDMA also triggers the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12105115/">unnecessary release of ADH</a>, causing water retention. The body becomes unable to rid itself of excess water, which affects its electrolyte levels – causing cells to swell with water.</p> <p>Symptoms of water intoxication start with nausea, vomiting, blurred vision and dizziness. As the condition progresses, sufferers can often display symptoms of <a href="https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/psychosis/symptoms/">psychosis</a>, such as inappropriate behaviour, confusion, delusions, disorientation and hallucinations.</p> <p>These symptoms are caused by <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470386/">hyponatraemia</a>, where sodium levels are diluted or depleted in blood and the subsequent imbalance of electrolytes affects the nervous system. Water begins to move into the brain causing <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1572349604000149">a cerebral oedema</a> – brain swelling because of excessive fluid buildup, which is usually fatal if not treated.</p> <p>A healthy body will tell you when it needs water. If you’re thirsty and your urine is dark with a noticeable odour, then you need to drink more. If you aren’t thirsty and your urine is clear or the colour of light straw, then you’re already doing a good job of hydrating yourself.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/228715/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/adam-taylor-283950"><em>Adam Taylor</em></a><em>, Professor and Director of the Clinical Anatomy Learning Centre, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/lancaster-university-1176">Lancaster University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/drinking-lots-of-water-may-seem-like-a-healthy-habit-heres-when-and-why-it-can-prove-toxic-228715">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

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How to write creative non-fiction history

<p><em>Discovering an old photo album from the 1920s, celebrated author and adjunct professor <strong>Paul Ashton</strong> embarked on a journey to turn historical research into engaging creative non-fiction, blending meticulous evidence with captivating storytelling. Here he shares he insights on the fascinating process. </em></p> <p>One afternoon my elderly father and niece came to my home for lunch. On their way they had seen something on a council clean up. ‘We thought you might be interested in this,’ said my father handing me a small, brown photo album. I was.</p> <p>The album contained around 100 undated black and white photographs. It became apparent quickly that this was the record of a road trip done in the 1920s or 1930s. A boy, two women and a man had gone on a trip from Sydney up through New England, to Tamworth then to Brisbane and back to Sydney. Shadows in some of the images indicate that they were taken by the man and at least one of the women. The album provided the basis for my first children’s book, Palmer’s Mystery Hikes.</p> <p>One photograph stood out for me. Hundreds of people were gathered somewhere in the bush. In the far left-hand corner in the background was an elevated table covered with a large white tablecloth. With a magnifying glass I could just make out ‘Palmers [something] Hike’. In 1932 Palmer’s men and boys’ department store, in Park Street in Sydney, had established a hiking club to promote the sale of hiking apparel. You bought a ‘mystery’ ticket from New South Wales Railways with which Palmer had an arrangement; turned up at Central Station on Sunday morning; and were taken to a mystery destination. From there you did a ten-mile hike to another station and were then trained back to Sydney. There were five hikes. The third one to the Hawkesbury River attracted over 8,000 people.</p> <p>Turning historical research into believable fiction or creative non-fiction has certain demands. How do you strike a balance between historical research and evidence and the narrative form? This is a big question and will ultimately depend on many things, including the availability of primary and secondary sources and the nature of the particular narrative. But perhaps the most important question is: how do writers use the past to give their work historical dimensions and insights?</p> <p>For me, the most critical element is context. And it’s the thing most missing in much historically based fictional literature. Evoking people, places and periods involves understandings of things such as continuity and change over time, historical process – like colonisation and suburbanisation – ideologies and superstitions. Where appropriate, these should form subtle backgrounds to the narrative. Fiction and creative non-fiction as historical modes of presenting history should also show – not tell.</p> <p>My edited collection, If It’s not True It Should Be (Halstead Press), explores writing history using fictional techniques. As Peter Stanley has written in that book, ‘those who seek to illuminate the past through the imaginative recreation of historical fiction … [are] motivated by the fundamental conviction that what links the fidelity of the historian and the imagination of the historical novelist is that the work of both should be offered and read as if it were true.’</p> <p><em>ABOUT THE AUTHOR<br />Paul Ashton is adjunct professor and co-founder of the Australian Centre for Public History at the University of Technology Sydney and adjunct professor at the University of Canberra and Macquarie University. He has authored, co-authored, edited and co-edited over 40 books and is editor of the journal Public History Review. His series of creative non-fiction children’s histories – Accidental Histories – is being published by Halstead Press.</em></p> <p><em>Images: Supplied</em></p>

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How much stress is too much? A psychiatrist explains the links between toxic stress and poor health − and how to get help

<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/lawson-r-wulsin-1493655">La<em>wson R. Wulsin</em></a><em>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-cincinnati-1717">University of Cincinnati </a></em></p> <p>COVID-19 taught most people that the line between tolerable and toxic stress – defined as persistent demands that lead to disease – varies widely. But some people will age faster and die younger from toxic stressors than others.</p> <p>So how much stress is too much, and what can you do about it?</p> <p>I’m a <a href="https://researchdirectory.uc.edu/p/wulsinlr">psychiatrist specializing in psychosomatic medicine</a>, which is the study and treatment of people who have physical and mental illnesses. My research is focused on people who have psychological conditions and medical illnesses as well as those whose stress exacerbates their health issues.</p> <p>I’ve spent my career studying mind-body questions and training physicians to treat mental illness in primary care settings. My <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/toxic-stress/677FA62B741540DBDB53E2F0A52A74B1">forthcoming book</a> is titled “Toxic Stress: How Stress is Killing Us and What We Can Do About It.”</p> <p>A 2023 study of stress and aging over the life span – one of the first studies to confirm this piece of common wisdom – found that four measures of stress all speed up the pace of biological aging in midlife. It also found that persistent high stress ages people in a comparable way to the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1097/PSY.0000000000001197">effects of smoking and low socioeconomic status</a>, two well-established risk factors for accelerated aging.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yiglpsqv5ik?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption><span class="caption">Children with alcoholic or drug-addicted parents have a greater risk of developing toxic stress.</span></figcaption></figure> <h2>The difference between good stress and the toxic kind</h2> <p>Good stress – a demand or challenge you readily cope with – is good for your health. In fact, the rhythm of these daily challenges, including feeding yourself, cleaning up messes, communicating with one another and carrying out your job, helps to regulate your stress response system and keep you fit.</p> <p>Toxic stress, on the other hand, wears down your stress response system in ways that have lasting effects, as psychiatrist and trauma expert Bessel van der Kolk explains in his bestselling book “<a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/313183/the-body-%20keeps-the-score-by-bessel-van-der-kolk-md/">The Body Keeps the Score</a>.”</p> <p>The earliest effects of toxic stress are often persistent symptoms such as headache, fatigue or abdominal pain that interfere with overall functioning. After months of initial symptoms, a full-blown illness with a life of its own – such as migraine headaches, asthma, diabetes or ulcerative colitis – may surface.</p> <p>When we are healthy, our stress response systems are like an orchestra of organs that miraculously tune themselves and play in unison without our conscious effort – a process called self-regulation. But when we are sick, some parts of this orchestra struggle to regulate themselves, which causes a cascade of stress-related dysregulation that contributes to other conditions.</p> <p>For instance, in the case of diabetes, the hormonal system struggles to regulate sugar. With obesity, the metabolic system has a difficult time regulating energy intake and consumption. With depression, the central nervous system develops an imbalance in its circuits and neurotransmitters that makes it difficult to regulate mood, thoughts and behaviors.</p> <h2>‘Treating’ stress</h2> <p>Though stress neuroscience in recent years has given researchers like me <a href="https://doi.org/10.1097/PSY.0000000000001051">new ways to measure and understand stress</a>, you may have noticed that in your doctor’s office, the management of stress isn’t typically part of your treatment plan.</p> <p>Most doctors don’t assess the contribution of stress to a patient’s common chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and obesity, partly because stress is complicated to measure and partly because it is difficult to treat. In general, doctors don’t treat what they can’t measure.</p> <p>Stress neuroscience and epidemiology have also taught researchers recently that the chances of developing serious mental and physical illnesses in midlife rise dramatically when people are exposed to trauma or adverse events, especially during <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/aces/ace-brfss.html">vulnerable periods such as childhood</a>.</p> <p>Over the past 40 years in the U.S., the alarming rise in <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/health-equity/diabetes-by-the-numbers.html">rates of diabetes</a>, <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hestat/obesity-child-17-18/overweight-obesity-child-H.pdf">obesity</a>, depression, PTSD, <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db433.htm">suicide</a> and addictions points to one contributing factor that these different illnesses share: toxic stress.</p> <p>Toxic stress increases the risk for the onset, progression, complications or early death from these illnesses.</p> <h2>Suffering from toxic stress</h2> <p>Because the definition of toxic stress varies from one person to another, it’s hard to know how many people struggle with it. One starting point is the fact that about 16% of adults report having been exposed to <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/aces/fastfact.html">four or more adverse events in childhood</a>. This is the threshold for higher risk for illnesses in adulthood.</p> <p>Research dating back to before the COVID-19 pandemic also shows that about 19% of adults in the U.S. have <a href="https://doi.org/10.7249/TL221">four or more chronic illnesses</a>. If you have even one chronic illness, you can imagine how stressful four must be.</p> <p>And about 12% of the U.S. population <a href="https://blogs.worldbank.org/opendata/introducing-second-edition-world-banks-global-subnational-atlas-poverty">lives in poverty</a>, the epitome of a life in which demands exceed resources every day. For instance, if a person doesn’t know how they will get to work each day, or doesn’t have a way to fix a leaking water pipe or resolve a conflict with their partner, their stress response system can never rest. One or any combination of threats may keep them on high alert or shut them down in a way that prevents them from trying to cope at all.</p> <p>Add to these overlapping groups all those who struggle with harassing relationships, homelessness, captivity, severe loneliness, living in high-crime neighborhoods or working in or around noise or air pollution. It seems conservative to estimate that about 20% of people in the U.S. live with the effects of toxic stress.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WuyPuH9ojCE?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption><span class="caption">Exercise, meditation and a healthy diet help fight toxic stress.</span></figcaption></figure> <h2>Recognizing and managing stress and its associated conditions</h2> <p>The first step to managing stress is to recognize it and talk to your primary care clinician about it. The clinician may do an assessment involving a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1097/PSY.0000000000001051">self-reported measure of stress</a>.</p> <p>The next step is treatment. Research shows that it is possible to retrain a dysregulated stress response system. This approach, <a href="https://lifestylemedicine.org/">called “lifestyle medicine</a>,” focuses on improving health outcomes through changing high-risk health behaviors and adopting daily habits that help the stress response system self-regulate.</p> <p>Adopting these lifestyle changes is not quick or easy, but it works.</p> <p>The <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/prevention/index.html">National Diabetes Prevention Program</a>, the <a href="https://www.ornish.com/">Ornish “UnDo” heart disease program</a> and the <a href="https://www.ptsd.va.gov/understand_tx/tx_basics.asp">U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs PTSD program</a>, for example, all achieve a slowing or reversal of stress-related chronic conditions through weekly support groups and guided daily practice over six to nine months. These programs help teach people how to practice personal regimens of stress management, diet and exercise in ways that build and sustain their new habits.</p> <p>There is now strong evidence that it is possible to treat toxic stress in ways that improve health outcomes for people with stress-related conditions. The next steps include finding ways to expand the recognition of toxic stress and, for those affected, to expand access to these new and effective approaches to treatment.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/222245/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/lawson-r-wulsin-1493655"><em>Lawson R. Wulsin</em></a><em>, Professor of Psychiatry and Family Medicine, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-cincinnati-1717">University of Cincinnati</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-much-stress-is-too-much-a-psychiatrist-explains-the-links-between-toxic-stress-and-poor-health-and-how-to-get-help-222245">original article</a>.</em></p>

Mind

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‘Why didn’t we know?’ is no excuse. Non-Indigenous Australians must listen to the difficult historical truths told by First Nations people

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/heidi-norman-859">Heidi Norman</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-technology-sydney-936">University of Technology Sydney</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/anne-maree-payne-440459">Anne Maree Payne</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-technology-sydney-936">University of Technology Sydney</a></em></p> <p>Big things are being asked of history in 2023. Later this year, we will vote in the referendum to enshrine an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representative body – the <a href="https://theconversation.com/10-questions-about-the-voice-to-parliament-answered-by-the-experts-207014">Voice to Parliament</a> – in the Australian constitution.</p> <p>The Voice was introduced through the Uluru Statement from the Heart, which outlines reforms to advance treaty and truth, in that order. And it calls for “truth telling about our history”.</p> <p>Truth-telling has been key to restoring trust and repairing relationships in post-conflict settings around the world. Historical truth-telling is increasingly seen as an important part of restorative justice in settler-colonial contexts.</p> <p>The UN recognises the “<a href="https://www.un.org/en/observances/right-to-truth-day">right to truth</a>”. It’s important to restore dignity to victims of human rights violations – and to ensure such violations never happen again. But there’s also a collective right to understand historical oppression.</p> <p>The Uluru Statement, too, <a href="https://theconversation.com/first-nations-people-have-made-a-plea-for-truth-telling-by-reckoning-with-its-past-australia-can-finally-help-improve-our-future-202137">sees truth-telling</a> as essential for achieving justice for Australia’s First Nations people.</p> <p>A successful “Yes” referendum outcome has the potential to make history. The Voice will structure a more effective relationship between Aboriginal nations or peoples and government. It will better represent Indigenous interests and rights in Australia’s policy development and service delivery.</p> <p>However modest this reform, the Voice is outstanding business for the nation.</p> <p>But the Uluru statement’s call for “truth-telling about our history” will prove more difficult.</p> <h2>Barriers to ‘truth hearing’</h2> <p>“Why didn’t we know?” non-Indigenous Australians still lament when confronted with accounts of past violence and injustice against Indigenous Australians, despite decades of curriculum reform.</p> <p>Our current research reflects on the barriers to “truth hearing”. The barriers are not just structural. Negative attitudes need to be overcome, too. Researchers have noted <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/340480495_NEW_Preface">the levels of</a> “disaffection, disinterest and denial of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history”. They’ve also lamented the piecemeal nature of current educational approaches.</p> <p><a href="https://www.newsouthbooks.com.au/books/historys-children_history-wars-in-the-classroom/">Anna Clark’s research</a> on attitudes in schools towards learning Australia history – particularly Indigenous history – shows that students experience Australian history as both repetitive and incomplete, “taught to death but not in-depth”.</p> <p>Bain Attwood has <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/48554763">convincingly argued</a> that early settler denial of the violence of Indigenous dispossession was followed by a century of historical denial. History as a discipline, he argues, needs to reckon with the truth about its own role in supporting <a href="https://theconversation.com/truth-telling-and-giving-back-how-settler-colonials-are-coming-to-terms-with-painful-family-histories-145165">settler colonialism</a>.</p> <h2>50+ years of Aboriginal history</h2> <p>For more than 50 years, historians have produced an enormous body of work that’s brought Aboriginal perspectives and experiences into most areas of Australian history – including gender, class, race, <a href="https://theconversation.com/friday-essay-when-did-australias-human-history-begin-87251">deep history</a> and global histories.</p> <p>Until the late 1970s, academic interest in Aboriginal worlds was led by mostly white anthropologists and their gaze was set to the traditional north. But historians were then challenged to address the “silence” of their profession when it came to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. They needed to write them into history.</p> <p>This meant “restoring” the Aboriginal worlds omitted in the Australian history texts of the 20th century. This called for new ways of doing research: oral history, re-evaluating the archive, drawing on a wider range of sources than the official and written text.</p> <p>Today, some historians work with scientists and traditional knowledge holders to tell stories over much longer time periods. For example, Australian National University’s <a href="https://re.anu.edu.au/">Centre for Deep History</a> is exploring Australia’s deep past, with the aim of expanding history’s time, scale and scope.</p> <p>And the <a href="https://www.monash.edu/arts/monash-indigenous-studies/global-encounters-and-first-nations-peoples">Global Encounters and First Nations Peoples</a> Monash project, led by Lynette Russell, applies interdisciplinary approaches to consider a range of encounters by First Nations peoples over the past millennium, challenging the view that the Australian history “began” with British colonisation.</p> <p>On the other side of the sandstone gates, an incredible flourishing of historically informed Aboriginal creative works has taken centre stage in Australian cultural life. This includes biographies, memoirs, literature, painting, documentary and performance: often with large audiences and readerships. They are all forms of truth-telling.</p> <p>In <a href="https://press.anu.edu.au/publications/black-words-white-page">Black Words, White Page</a> (2004), Adam Shoemaker details the extent of Aboriginal writing focused on Australian history from 1929 to 1988: writers like <a href="https://ia.anu.edu.au/biography/noonuccal-oodgeroo-18057">Oodgeroo Noonuccal</a>, <a href="https://ia.anu.edu.au/biography/davis-jack-17788">Jack Davis</a>, <a href="https://ia.anu.edu.au/biography/gilbert-kevin-john-18569">Kevin Gilbert</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/charles-perkins-forced-australia-to-confront-its-racist-past-his-fight-for-justice-continues-today-139303">Charles Perkins</a>.</p> <p>This body of work – and much more since – conveys an Aboriginal interpretation of past events, through oral history and veneration of leaders and heroes, drawing together the past and future.</p> <p>Some early examples include Wiradjuri man Robert (Bobby) Merritt’s <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-great-australian-plays-the-cake-man-and-the-indigenous-mission-experience-88854">The Cake Man</a> (1975), set on a rural mission, which explores causes of despair, particularly for Aboriginal men. It was performed by the then newly formed <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Black_Theatre_(Australia)">Black Theatre</a> in Redfern in the same year it was published.</p> <p>Indigenous autobiographies, like Ruby Langford Ginibi’s <a href="https://www.uqp.com.au/books/dont-take-your-love-to-town-2">Don’t Take Your Love to Town</a> (1988), just reissued in UQP’s First Nations Classics series, and Rita Huggins’ biography <a href="https://shop.aiatsis.gov.au/products/auntie-rita-revised-edition">Auntie Rita</a> (1994) are realist accounts of Aboriginal lives, devoid of moralism or victimology.</p> <p>Many more have followed, including Tara June Winch’s novel <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-yield-wins-the-miles-franklin-a-powerful-story-of-violence-and-forms-of-resistance-142284">The Yield</a> (2019), winner of the 2020 Stella prize for literature. Through Wiradjuri language, she gathers the history of invasion and loss – and survival in the present.</p> <p>Indigenous artists are exploring ways to represent the past in the present: overlaid, but still present and continuous. Jonathon Jones’ 2020 <a href="https://mhnsw.au/whats-on/exhibitions/untitled-maraong-manaouwi/">artwork</a> to commemorate the reopening of the Sydney Hyde Park Barracks, built originally in 1817 to house convicts, is one example.</p> <p>Jones <a href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=374269496789482">explained</a> the installation’s interchangeable use of the broad arrow and maraong manaóuwi (emu footprint) as a matter of perspective: one observer will see the emu print, another the broad arrow.</p> <p>Each marker, within its own sphere of significance, served similar purposes. The emu print is known to be engraved into the sandstone ledges of the Sydney basin and marked a people and their place. The broad arrow inscribed institutional place and direction. Jones wants to show how the landscape can be written over – but never lost – to those who hold its memory.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WPGcFDw5c_s?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption><span class="caption">Jonathan Jones’ artwork is part of an incredible flourishing of historically informed Aboriginal creative works.</span></figcaption></figure> <p><a href="https://www.uapcompany.com/projects/the-eyes-of-the-land-and-the-sea">The Eyes of the Land and the Sea</a>, by artists Alison Page and Nik Lachajczak, commemorates the 250th anniversary of the 1770 encounter between Aboriginal Australians and Lt James Cook’s crew of the <em>HMB Endeavour</em> at Kamay Botany Bay National Park. This work, too, represents the duality of interpretation and meaning. The monumental bronze sculpture takes the form of the rib bones of a whale – and simultaneously, the hull of the <em>HMB Endeavour</em>.</p> <p>This body of work by dedicated educators, researchers, artists and families has been highly contested.</p> <h2>Truth-telling, healing and restorative justice</h2> <p>Many non-Indigenous Australians are interested in – but anxious about – truth-telling, our early research findings suggest. They don’t know how to get involved and are unsure about their role. Indigenous respondents are deeply committed to truth-telling. But they have anxieties about the process, too.</p> <p>Only 6% of non-Indigenous respondents to Reconciliation Australia’s most recent <a href="https://www.reconciliation.org.au/publication/2022-australian-reconciliation-barometer/">Reconciliation Barometer report</a> had participated in a truth-telling activity (processes that seek to engage with a fuller account of Australian history and its ongoing legacy for First Nations peoples) in the previous 12 months. However, 43% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander respondents had participated in truth-telling.</p> <p>Truth-telling is seen as an important part of healing, but there is uncertainty about its potential to deliver a more just future for First Nations peoples. And it’s acknowledged that <a href="https://theconversation.com/albanese-is-promising-truth-telling-in-our-australian-education-system-heres-what-needs-to-happen-191420">truth-telling</a> might emphasise divisions and differences between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. There are also concerns about <a href="https://theconversation.com/more-than-half-of-australians-will-experience-trauma-most-before-they-turn-17-we-need-to-talk-about-it-159801">trauma</a> and issues of cultural safety.</p> <p>But during the regional dialogues that led to the Uluru Statement from the Heart, the demand for truth-telling was unanimous from the Indigenous community representatives. Constitutional reform should only proceed if it “tells the truth of history”, they agreed. This was a key guiding principle that emerged from the process.</p> <p>Why does truth-telling remain a central demand? The final report of the <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/constitutionalrecognition">Joint Select Committee on Constitutional Recognition relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples</a> described its multiple dimensions.</p> <p>Truth-telling is a foundational requirement for healing and reconciliation. It’s also a form of restorative justice – and a process for Indigenous people to share their culture and history with the broader community. It builds wider understanding of the intergenerational trauma experienced by Indigenous Australians. And it creates awareness of the relationship between past injustices and contemporary issues.</p> <p>“Truth-telling cannot be just a massacre narrative in which First Nations peoples are yet again dispossessed of agency and identity,” <a href="https://research.usq.edu.au/item/q6316/teaching-as-truth-telling-a-demythologising-pedagogy-for-the-australian-frontier-wars">argue</a> Indigenous educators Alison Bedford and Vince Wall. Indigenous agency and the long struggle for Indigenous rights need to be recognised.</p> <p>And there is an ongoing need to deconstruct Australia’s national foundational myths. A focus on military engagements overseas has obscured the violent dispossession of First Nations Australians at home. As Ann Curthoys argued more than two decades ago, white Australians positioned themselves as heroic strugglers to cement their moral claim to the land. This myth overlooked their role in dispossessing First Nations people.</p> <h2>Makarrata Commission</h2> <p>The Uluru Statement called for <a href="https://theconversation.com/response-to-referendum-council-report-suggests-a-narrow-path-forward-on-indigenous-constitutional-reform-80315">a Makarrata Commission</a> to be established to oversee “agreement-making” and “truth-telling” processes between governments and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.</p> <p>As part of its commitment to the full implementation of the Uluru Statement from the Heart, the current federal government committed $5.8 million in funding in 2022 to start the work of establishing the Commission.</p> <p>Yet few details have been provided so far about the form truth-telling mechanisms might adopt. And there’s been little acknowledgement that the desire to “tell the truth” about the past runs counter to the contemporary study of history, which sees history as a complex and ongoing process – rather than a set of fixed “facts” or “truths”.</p> <p>Worimi historian <a href="https://www.newcastle.edu.au/profile/john-maynard">John Maynard</a> describes Aboriginal history research as generative: the work reinforces and sustains Aboriginal worlds – and it reflects a yearning for truth by Aboriginal people that was denied.</p> <p>The impact of colonisation not only targeted the fracturing of Aboriginal people but, as Maynard says, “a state of forgetting and detachment from our past”. Wiradjuri historian <a href="https://researchers.anu.edu.au/researchers/bamblett-l">Lawrence Bamblett</a> develops a similar theme. “Our stories are our survival,” <a href="https://onesearch.slq.qld.gov.au/discovery/fulldisplay?vid=61SLQ_INST:SLQ&amp;search_scope=Everything&amp;tab=All&amp;docid=alma9915551944702061&amp;lang=en&amp;context=L&amp;adaptor=Local%20Search%20Engine&amp;query=sub,exact,Australia%20--%20Race%20relations%20--%20History,AND&amp;mode=advanced&amp;offset=10">he says</a>, in his account of Aboriginal approaches to history.</p> <p>Consider the dedicated labour to <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/religion/heidi-norman-bob-weatherall-weve-got-to-bring-them-home/13962068">return Ancestral Remains to their country</a>. Consider the the work of Aboriginal people to restore the graves of their family and community on the old missions. And the work to document sites, such as <a href="https://youtu.be/gTh2rV_VuwQ">Tulladunna cotton chipping Aboriginal camp</a>, on the plains country of north west New South Wales.</p> <p>Some of this dedicated labour to care for the past is made possible by the recognition of Aboriginal land rights. Aboriginal communities are documenting their history in order to communicate across generations – and to create belonging, sustain community futures and know themselves.</p> <p>These processes of documenting and remembering Aboriginal stories of the past are less concerned with the state, and settler hostility. They are <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-the-dark-emu-debate-limits-representation-of-aboriginal-people-in-australia-163006">unburdened by categorising time</a>. The “old people” or “1788” appear irrelevant in the enthusiasm for living social and cultural history.</p> <p>That history is not confined to the “fixed in time” histories called upon in Native Title litigation, or the debates among historians and their detractors over method and evidence. Nor is it confined to the moral weight of such accounts in the national story.</p> <h2>History and political questions</h2> <p>When discussing Aboriginal history, there is an unbreakable link between the history being studied and the present.</p> <p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presentism_(literary_and_historical_analysis)">Presentism</a> – the concern that the past is interpreted through the lens of the present – and the concept of the “activist historian” can both impact on the way Aboriginal history is perceived or judged. Disdain for “presentism” has leaked into contemporary discussions recently.</p> <p>A <a href="https://www.historians.org/publications-and-directories/perspectives-on-history/september-2022/is-history-history-identity-politics-and-teleologies-of-the-present">widely criticised column</a> by the president of the American Historical Association – James Sweet, a historian of Africa and the African diaspora – is a recent example.</p> <p>He argued that the increasing tendency to interpret the past through the lens of the present, plummeting enrolments in undergraduate history courses and a greater focus on the 20th and 21st centuries all put history at risk of being mobilised “to justify rather than inform contemporary political positions”.</p> <p>These are not new debates. They have taken place within and outside the academy across the world, including in Australia.</p> <p>But the realities of the histories of <a href="https://theconversation.com/eliza-batman-the-irish-convict-reinvented-as-melbournes-founding-mother-was-both-colonised-and-coloniser-on-two-violent-frontiers-206189">colonisation</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/unpapering-the-cracks-sugar-slavery-and-the-sydney-morning-herald-202828">slavery</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/empire-of-delusion-the-sun-sets-on-british-imperial-credibility-89309">imperialism</a> mean they continue to have an impact in the present. Reparations and apologies happen because of the work of historians and others. They are real-world, present impacts of the work being undertaken.</p> <p>It’s the role of historians to understand the past on its own terms – <em>and</em> to produce work relevant to contemporary political questions.</p> <p>Applied (or public) history produces this work. In this work, particularly historical work that sits outside the academy, we do often find “truth telling”. For example, in the important work done for the <a href="https://humanrights.gov.au/our-work/bringing-them-home-report-1997">Bringing them Home</a> Commission, the <a href="https://theconversation.com/indigenous-deaths-in-custody-inquests-can-be-sites-of-justice-or-administrative-violence-158126">Aboriginal Deaths in Custody Royal Commission</a> and Native Title claims in courts.</p> <p>But somehow, these efforts at truth-telling – and other historical research conducted since colonisation – seem not to have impacted on the overall “history” of Australia.</p> <h2>Forgetting and resistance</h2> <p>As the referendum vote edges closer, Australians are being asked to make provisions for the First Peoples to have a role in the political process – and the decisions that impact them.</p> <p>The challenge to address the “<a href="https://theconversation.com/friday-essay-the-great-australian-silence-50-years-on-100737">Great Australian Silence</a>” – to include First Peoples in the stories of the nation, where they were otherwise omitted – has been largely addressed by the significant body of historical work added over the last 50 or more years. That work, and the correction it has delivered, has generated discomfort and hostility.</p> <p>Yet Australians’ appreciation – and even awareness – of the history of its First Nations people remains deeply unsatisfactory.</p> <p>There is now little justification for the laments <em>Why weren’t we told?</em> or <em>How come we didn’t know?</em>. Our undergraduate students continue to ask these questions, though.</p> <p>Australia has a difficult relationship – a kind of historical amnesia; a forgetting and resistance – to hearing those First Nations stories. That resistance is much deeper than simply being <em>told</em>.</p> <p>The current focus on truth-telling will once again draw our attention to dealing with difficult history. This time, different questions need to be asked.</p> <p>Not <em>why didn’t I know</em>? But <em>how can I find out</em>?</p> <hr /> <p><em>Heidi Norman and Anne Maree Payne will be presenting their research at the upcoming 50th Milestones Anniversary of the Australian Historical Association. Heidi will deliver the keynote address, <a href="https://web-eur.cvent.com/event/f99aac02-b195-46e5-b1d9-bf5183aea6fc/websitePage:150e8a3c-395b-4de3-bf2b-98ac8be5929e">The End of Aboriginal History?</a><!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/208780/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></em></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/heidi-norman-859">Heidi Norman</a>, Professor, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-technology-sydney-936">University of Technology Sydney</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/anne-maree-payne-440459">Anne Maree Payne</a>, Senior Lecturer, Centre for the Advancement of Indigenous Knowledges, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-technology-sydney-936">University of Technology Sydney</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-didnt-we-know-is-no-excuse-non-indigenous-australians-must-listen-to-the-difficult-historical-truths-told-by-first-nations-people-208780">original article</a>.</em></p>

Caring

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Woman praised for confronting pickpockets

<p dir="ltr">An Italian woman has generated a lot of praise after her “brilliant” way of calling out pickpockets disguised as tourists has gone viral.</p> <p dir="ltr">Monica, 57, is part of a volunteer group called Cittadini Non Distratti, meaning "Citizens not distracted," which aims to to disturb and prevent active pickpockets in the popular tourist destination.</p> <p dir="ltr">She works alongside 40 other volunteers and has dedicated 30 years of her life saving tourists from the sneaky snatchers, and they’re doing it out of sheer goodwill.</p> <p dir="ltr">"People are pickpocketed for their American or English passport, then to return to their country they have to go to the embassy in [...] Rome," Monica told <em>Newsweek</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">"This incurs additional expenses for them, so it is better to prevent this by warning tourists of the problem."</p> <p dir="ltr">The videos, which were originally posted on Facebook, have gained the attention of a younger audience after they started posting on TikTok.</p> <p dir="ltr">"We decided to make our videos go viral to inform tourists to be careful," she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"There is a lack of prevention and information about what is happening in the city and we are all happy that these videos are letting people see the problem in Venice and throughout Italian cities."</p> <p dir="ltr">Many of the volunteers have their own way of weeding out the pickpockets, with some using a deafening whistle to capture the attention of everyone around them.</p> <p dir="ltr">Others just call out “attention pickpocket” in both English and Italian then proceed to shoo away the pickpockets, telling them to “go away” and for tourists to “watch out for their wallets”.</p> <div><iframe title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7248214400102944027&display_name=tiktok&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40minutesofentertainment%2Fvideo%2F7248214400102944027&image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign-va.tiktokcdn.com%2Fobj%2Ftos-useast2a-p-0037-euttp%2F22dfb064ae9640a7b60ede7892167b41_1687606456%3Fx-expires%3D1687755600%26x-signature%3DkrwLySytAL%252FmznIUf7jxQKln%252Bl4%253D&key=5b465a7e134d4f09b4e6901220de11f0&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> <p> </p> <p dir="ltr">In the video that has gone viral, the pickpockets can be seen scurrying away from the crowd as soon as these volunteers call them out.</p> <p dir="ltr">Although the original video and account “citadininondistratti” got banned on TikTok, many other accounts have reposted and reshared the content.</p> <p dir="ltr">Many have commented their praise for the group, despite local police officers reportedly not supporting this form of <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/woman-cheered-confronting-suspected-pickpockets-targeting-tourist-1807553" target="_blank" rel="noopener">vigilante justice</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Thank you for your service ma’am,” wrote one person.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Brilliant 👏” wrote a second person.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I was in Rome, both times I was on the train the locals warned and pushed the pickpockets away from me. Love the locals,” wrote a third.</p> <p dir="ltr">“She called them purse thieves in Italian,” commented one amused person.</p> <p><em>Images: TikTok</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Ethical non-monogamy: what to know about these often misunderstood relationships

<p>Imagine Sarah and John have been in a <a href="https://www.queerlit.co.uk/products/rewriting-the-rules?_pos=1&amp;_sid=0287cd7c7&amp;_ss=r">monogamous relationship</a> for five years. Although they love each other, Sarah, who is bisexual, has recently started feeling an attraction to her coworker, Andrea. This has led to several sexual encounters, leaving Sarah feeling guilty. However, she has not talked to John about her feelings or experiences with Andrea.</p> <p>No matter how much you love your partner, it’s common to feel attracted to someone outside of a relationship. Some couples may even want sexual encounters with other people. It can be difficult to navigate these feelings, especially when they conflict with the commitment and promises made in the relationship. While the sex between Sarah and Andrea was consensual, Sarah engaged in non-consensual sex by stepping outside of her monogamous relationship without John’s consent.</p> <p>There is growing curiosity about ethical or consensual <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2022.101468">non-monogamous relationships</a>, particularly among young people. YouGov data found that 43% of millennial Americans say their <a href="https://today.yougov.com/topics/society/articles-reports/2020/01/31/millennials-monogamy-poly-poll-survey-data">ideal relationship</a> is non-monogamous, even if few are in such a relationship. And a survey commissioned by sex toy brand <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/love-sex/throuples-restaurants-valentines-day-b2010151.html">Lelo</a>, found that 28% of aged 18 to 24 would consider an open relationship.</p> <p>What makes non-monogamy “ethical” is an emphasis on <a href="https://bettymartin.org/videos/">agreed, ongoing consent</a> and mutual respect. All parties involved are fully aware of the situation and voluntarily agree to participate. Partners are free to change their minds at any time and (re)negotiate boundaries that work for everyone involved. Ethical non-monogamy can take many forms, including <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8321986/">polyamory</a>, open relationships and <a href="https://bpspsychub.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1348/014466606X143153">swinging</a>.</p> <p>These relationships are often <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/epub/10.1177/01461672221139086">stigmatised</a> and misunderstood. They challenge the traditional notion of monogamy, which is commonly viewed in most western and religious societies as the only acceptable way of engaging in romantic relationships.</p> <p>Yet <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1948550619897157">research has shown</a> that consensual non-monogamy can have positive effects on relationships and the people in them. People in consensual non-monogamous relationships have <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1088868312467087?casa_token=We5Fp9hOPjQAAAAA:LI0m000j1SwvqGMbCVWekUcZ5z9DfqzuMmUtdIi59-OJiEZJ0_EjxlYq3pU6xcUZr5jIG9vlvXxztA">reported</a> higher levels of sexual and relationship satisfaction and greater <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19419899.2011.631571">relational intimacy</a> than people in monogamous relationships.</p> <h2>Misconceptions and stigma</h2> <p>One <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13178-021-00667-7">stigmatising view</a> is that people in non-monogamous relationships pose a greater risk to their partners’ sexual health. This is based on the assumption that having multiple sexual partners increases the likelihood of <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/282130422_A_Comparison_of_Sexual_Health_History_and_Practices_among_Monogamous_and_Consensually_Nonmonogamous_Sexual_Partners">sexually transmitted infections</a> (STIs).</p> <p>However, research shows that people in open and non-monogamous relationships have <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S174360951534008X?via%3Dihub">safer sex practices</a> than monogamous, but unfaithful partners. Ethical non-monogamy can be a safer outlet for sexual expression compared with monogamous relationships that have led to <a href="https://academic.oup.com/jsm/article-abstract/12/10/2022/6966715">cheating</a> where someone ends up passing an STI to their partner.</p> <p>In healthy relationships, partners recognise that each person has their own unique sexual preferences and <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13178-021-00667-7">diverse needs</a>. For consensually non-monogamous partners, this means understanding that their primary relationship may not always fulfil all their sexual desires.</p> <p>Although jealousy can still exist within non-monogamous relationships, <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/1041794X.2018.1531916">research</a> has found that it can be more <a href="https://nsuworks.nova.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3297&amp;context=tqr">manageable</a> than in monogamous ones. This is because, in secure non-monogamous partnerships, there are open discussions about sexual attraction and setting boundaries, where partners can address jealousy anxiety.</p> <h2>Exploring non-monogamy</h2> <p>Ethical non-monogamy is not for everyone. You should only explore this type of relationship if it feels comfortable, you seek appropriate consent and the existing relationship is solid. Outsiders often hold the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33990929/">stereotypical</a> view that people only engage in ENM if their current relationship is unstable.</p> <p>If you decide that it’s right for you, keep the following in mind.</p> <p><strong>1. Communicate openly</strong></p> <p>Communication is important in any relationship, but especially critical in ENM relationships. Partners must be transparent and honest about their intentions, feelings, expectations and boundaries. People in non-monogamous relationships need to be aware of their emotional boundaries and be prepared to navigate feelings of <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10508-018-1286-4">jealousy</a>.</p> <p><strong>2. Practice safe sex</strong></p> <p>Sexual health is key regardless of your relationship status or style. Get tested regularly for STIs and to use protection during sexual encounters to minimise the risk of transmission.</p> <p><strong>3. Stop shame</strong></p> <p>Managing stigma is one of the most difficult parts of an ENM relationship. When people are socialised to believe that having multiple partners is wrong or immoral, this can lead to feelings of shame and self-doubt. It is important to recognise that consensually non-monogamous and multipartnered relationships are a valid lifestyle choice. You can seek support from like-minded people or talk to a sex and relationship therapist if necessary.</p> <p>While non-monogamy is not everyone’s cup of tea, these tips can be helpful for any relationship. Ultimately, it is essential to keep communication, consent and respect at the heart of your partnership.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Shutterstock</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/ethical-non-monogamy-what-to-know-about-these-often-misunderstood-relationships-200785" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.</em></p>

Relationships

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"The opposite of wellness": Gwyneth Paltrow slammed over "toxic" daily routine

<p>Gwyneth Paltrow has been slammed online for sharing her "detox" wellness routine, making people question her definition of "wellness". </p> <p>The Goop founder appeared on the The Art of Being Well podcast with Dr. Will Cole, where she shared her insanely strict daily regime. </p> <p>The 50-year-old touched on a series of topics, including keyboard warriors and "conscious uncoupling", but it was her comments about her routine and diet that caused the biggest upset.</p> <p>A 40 second clip of the hour long interview has gone viral on TikTok, as Paltrow answered Dr. Cole's question: "What does your wellness routine look like right now?"</p> <div class="embed" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none !important;"><iframe class="embedly-embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 610px; max-width: 100%; outline: none !important;" title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7210104654460521774&amp;display_name=tiktok&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40dearmedia%2Fvideo%2F7210104654460521774&amp;image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign.tiktokcdn-us.com%2Fobj%2Ftos-useast5-p-0068-tx%2F17cff0a159f0493eaee1639d24531142%3Fx-expires%3D1678921200%26x-signature%3D2lWmwOFgi5LyMZXZha769GLwnG4%253D&amp;key=59e3ae3acaa649a5a98672932445e203&amp;type=text%2Fhtml&amp;schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> <p>The actress says, "I eat dinner early in the evening. I do a nice intermittent fast."</p> <p>"I usually eat something about 12 and in the morning I have things that won't spike my blood sugar so I have coffee."</p> <p>"But I really like soup for lunch. I have bone broth for lunch a lot of the days. Try to do one hour of movement, so I'll either take a walk or I'll do Pilates or I'll do my Tracy Anderson."</p> <p>"And then I dry brush and I get in the sauna. So I do my infrared sauna for 30 minutes and then for dinner I try to eat according to paleo - so lots of vegetables."</p> <p>She concluded, "It's really important for me to support my detox."</p> <p>The strict regime welcomed a flood of criticism online, as many questioned Paltrow's definition of the word "wellness". </p> <p>One shocked user wrote, "Is starving wellness?" while another added, "I feel light headed just listening to this."</p> <p>A third person simply said, "I relate to nothing in this video", while another outraged viewer wrote, "Is this wellness? Or is this punishment?"</p> <p>However, the criticism did not stop there as professional dietitians also weighed in with their own thoughts.</p> <p>Expert Lauren Cadillac created a duet with the clip on the video sharing platform to share her reaction to Gwyneth's revelations.</p> <p>In it, the nutritionist repeatedly rolls her eyes, shakes her head, and gasps before claiming "bone broth is not a meal."</p> <p>She concludes, "This is not enough food. Support you detox from WHAT?! You're not eating anything."</p> <p>Another nutritionist weighed in on her routine, simply stating, "This is not wellness. This is not health. This is clinically concerning and toxic behaviour, and it's horrific that it's packaged as new age wellness."</p> <p><em>Image credits: TikTok / Instagram</em></p>

Body

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Toxic pollutants can build up inside our homes. Here are 8 ways to reduce the risks

<p>We know everything in our homes gathers dust. What you probably don’t know is whether there are toxic contaminants in your house dust, and where these might come from. </p> <p>Our <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2022.115173">newly published research</a> found most of the dust inside homes came from outside and contains potentially toxic trace metals such as lead, arsenic and chromium. </p> <p>Worryingly, we found some contaminants can accumulate at higher concentrations inside homes than outside. This happened in homes with certain characteristics: older properties, metal construction materials enriched in zinc, recent renovations and deteriorating paint. </p> <p>Fortunately, you can take some simple steps to reduce your exposure, which we explain later.</p> <h2>What’s in house dust?</h2> <p>Our study explored the connected sources, pathways and potentially harmful exposures to trace metals at homes across Sydney. We collected and analysed 383 samples from nearby road dust (51 samples) and garden soil (166), as well as indoor dust (166).</p> <p>We found the dust in homes comes from a range of sources including outdoor environments and soil, skin, cleaning products, pet hair and cooking particles.<br />Nearly 60% of dust particles inside the homes originated from their immediate outdoor environment – it was <a href="https://theconversation.com/wearing-shoes-in-the-house-is-just-plain-gross-the-verdict-from-scientists-who-study-indoor-contaminants-177542">dirt from outside</a>! Wind, your shoes or your pets can carry in <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412021002075?via%3Dihub">soil</a> and <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.1c04494">dust</a>-related contaminants.</p> <p>The remaining 40% of home dust came from indoor sources. These included <a href="https://theconversation.com/microplastics-are-common-in-homes-across-29-countries-new-research-shows-whos-most-at-risk-189051">fibres from clothes, carpets and furnishings</a>, cleaning products, skin and hair.</p> <p>Some dust sources can carry a cocktail of potentially harmful contaminants including:</p> <ul> <li> <p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117064">microplastics</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2014.10.009">persistent organic pollutants</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.05.463">perfluorinated chemicals</a> (PFAS)</p> </li> <li> <p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117593">trace metals</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2021.754657">bacterial communities</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2021.106501">antimicrobial resistance genes</a>. </p> </li> </ul> <p>The nature of the risk is related to how much of the contaminant you’re exposed to and for how long. The risks are greatest in children under the age of five. This is because they are small, closer to the floor and have frequent hand-mouth contact, which increases ingestion of contaminants.</p> <h2>How do contaminants build up in homes?</h2> <p>Industrial activity has left a marked legacy of contaminants in many city neighbourhoods. We analysed road dust, garden soil and vacuum dust samples from 166 homes in Sydney to see how this risk translated to inside homes. We used high-magnification microscopy and <a href="https://www.climate-policy-watcher.org/earth-sciences/lead-isotopes-as-tools-for-source-identification.html">lead isotopic ratios</a> to understand trace metal composition in the samples. </p> <p>On average, concentrations of trace metals arsenic, chromium, copper, manganese, lead and zinc were all higher inside homes than outside. This means homes are not only “accumulators” of trace metal contaminants but also important sources of a significant proportion of harmful contaminants that we can be exposed to. </p> <p>The lead isotopic ratios, or the lead “fingerprints”, of each home and its garden soil matched. This confirms the soil is the main source of lead inside homes. </p> <p>Most of this lead is the result of the pre-1970s use of high concentrations of lead in <a href="https://www.dcceew.gov.au/environment/protection/chemicals-management/lead/lead-in-house-paint">paints</a> and <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeochem.2017.02.007">petrol</a>, which contaminated many garden soils. Even <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-lead-is-dangerous-and-the-damage-it-does-116506">low levels of lead exposure</a> can be harmful. Lead levels in some <a href="https://theconversation.com/elevated-lead-levels-in-sydney-back-yards-heres-what-you-can-do-68499">Sydney backyards</a> pose a risk for <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2021.107151">urban veggie growers</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/backyard-hens-eggs-contain-40-times-more-lead-on-averagethan-shop-eggs-research-finds-187442">backyard chickens and their eggs</a>.</p> <p>High-magnification images of house dust showed mineral particles that have been blown in or tracked in on shoes. The rest of the dust was elongated fibres and hair from indoor sources.</p> <h2>Which homes are most at risk?</h2> <p>We also collected information about each house, relevant activities and renovations at the property. We found house age, proximity to the city centre and renovations had the greatest influence on levels of lead and other trace metals in the home. </p> <p>All homes more than 50 years old had higher concentrations of arsenic, copper, lead and zinc in their garden soil and house dust. They are typically <a href="https://iupui-earth-science.shinyapps.io/MME_Sydney/">located closer to city centres</a>, where early industrial activity has contaminated soils. </p> <p>As older homes in former industrial areas are renovated, trace metal loads in these homes and gardens can increase. Walls and ceilings contain decades of dust. Old paint buried under more recent layers can also be released, causing <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/backgroundbriefing/3983094">lead exposure risks</a>. </p> <p>It is critical that home renovators take appropriate remediation steps or <a href="https://painters.edu.au/Training-Courses/CPCCPD3031-Work-safely-with-lead-painted-surfaces-in-the-painting-industry.htm">employ a qualified paint professional</a> so lead dust isn’t spread across the area.</p> <h2>8 ways to reduce your risk</h2> <p>We spend about <a href="https://escholarship.org/uc/item/1zg3q68x#main">70% of our time at home</a>, which the pandemic has increased. Understanding the environmental <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/exposome/default.html">conditions and contaminants we encounter</a>and their effects on our health is more important than ever. </p> <p>Armed with this knowledge, though, you can take some simple steps to reduce your exposure to contaminants in your home and garden:</p> <ol> <li> <p>regularly vacuum carpeted areas with a good vacuum cleaner fitted with a <a href="https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/ventilation-air-purification/print-all">HEPA filter</a></p> </li> <li> <p>wet mop and wet dust hard surfaces</p> </li> <li> <p>mulch areas of exposed soil in your garden</p> </li> <li> <p>use a quality doormat and wash it regularly, which can roughly <a href="https://nrl.northumbria.ac.uk/id/eprint/51148/1/Manuscript_File_Global_Pb_Modeling_Final_clean_1%20%281%29.pdf">halve the amount of lead</a> in your home within three months</p> </li> <li> <p>leave your shoes at the door as they can <a href="https://theconversation.com/wearing-shoes-in-the-house-is-just-plain-gross-the-verdict-from-scientists-who-study-indoor-contaminants-177542">bring all sorts of nasties into the home</a></p> </li> <li> <p>wash your hands and your veggies thoroughly </p> </li> <li> <p>close windows on windy days</p> </li> <li> <p>when renovating, use dust-mitigation strategies and personal protective equipment (PPE).</p> </li> </ol> <p>You can dig a little deeper into what’s in your own home environment by sending your soil to <a href="https://www.360dustanalysis.com/">VegeSafe Australia</a> or <a href="https://www.epa.vic.gov.au/for-community/get-involved/citizen-science-program/gardensafe">EPA Victoria’s GardenSafe</a> for analysis. If you live in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom or Australia you can also send your vacuum dust to <a href="https://www.360dustanalysis.com/">DustSafe</a> for testing. You will receive a report outlining what was in your sample, with links and advice on what to do next where necessary.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/toxic-pollutants-can-build-up-inside-our-homes-here-are-8-ways-to-reduce-the-risks-197908" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. </em></p>

Home Hints & Tips

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“So many non-technical people will fall for this”: New myGov scam that looks real

<p>Australians are being urged to be especially cautious of a new online myGov scam that purports to offer hundreds of dollars in tax refunds – and once you click through, the interfaces are so expertly copied that even highly vigilant scam experts are worried people will be taken in, and could potentially lose all their savings. </p> <p>The email, once it drops in your inbox, will inform you of an outstanding myGov refund, and will appear to genuinely be from the government agency. </p> <p>Email security software company MailGuard raised the alarm this week when it intercepted one of the suspect messages.</p> <p>Once you click through, you’ll be asked to enter login details and billing info. “These details will again be stolen by the criminal and will likely be used for their personal financial gain or sold on the dark web,” MailGuard warns.</p> <p>Space, software and politics expert @oferzelig deliberately went through all the steps to find out what happens, and then published the very disturbing results on Twitter.</p> <p>“A new ‘You have a message from myGov’ scam. I entered the link using a safe sandbox as I was curious,” he wrote. </p> <p>“They mimicked all the major Aussie banks' login pages, the bastards. So many non-technical people will fall for this, unfortunately 😢”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">A new "You have a message from myGov" scam. I entered the link using a safe sandbox as I was curious.</p> <p>They mimicked all the major Aussie banks' login pages, the bastards.</p> <p>So many non-technical people will fall for this, unfortunately 😢<a href="https://twitter.com/troyhunt?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@troyhunt</a> <a href="https://t.co/ZJ25x9XuoZ">pic.twitter.com/ZJ25x9XuoZ</a></p> <p>— 𝓞𝓯𝓮𝓻 𝓩𝓮𝓵𝓲𝓰 🚀💻 🇦🇺 🇮🇱 (@oferzelig) <a href="https://twitter.com/oferzelig/status/1610200580076769281?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p>Services Australia, which delivers myGov, is aware of the scam and urged Australians to be on the alert. “We will never send you an email or SMS with a hyperlink directing you to sign in to your myGov account,” it says.</p> <p>“If you get an email like this, don’t open any links, download attachments or respond.</p> <p>“We’ll never ask you to open a link or a file attached to an email.”</p> <p>“When you are signed in to myGov, the messages in your myGov Inbox are secure. It’s safe to open links included in myGov Inbox messages,” it says.</p> <p>Check out all of the images below to see just how convincing the fake pages are – and please be extra cautious!</p> <p><em>Images: Twitter</em></p> <p> </p> <p> </p>

Money & Banking

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Explainer: why, exactly, is alcohol bad for us long-term?

<p>What, exactly, makes alcohol unhealthy?</p> <p>After a big night, the answer to this might seem obvious – or perhaps more disturbingly, not obvious at all. But even in moderation, alcohol carries longer-term health risks too.</p> <p>So what are they, and why do they happen? Cosmos investigates.</p> <h2>Why is alcohol bad for you long-term?</h2> <p>The biggest culprit is a substance called acetaldehyde.</p> <p>Alcohol – or strictly speaking, ethanol – doesn’t stay that way in the body for long. The body metabolises it and turns it into a few different compounds, mostly acetaldehyde.</p> <p>As well as causing a lot of the symptoms you’d experience during a hangover, like headaches, nausea, and facial flushing, acetaldehyde is a carcinogen.</p> <p>“Acetaldehyde is highly reactive and extremely toxic,” says Dr Leon Booth, a research fellow at the George Institute for Global Health in Sydney.</p> <p>“It binds to different proteins, or to DNA, and it can impair enzyme and cell functions.</p> <p>“Essentially, because it’s so reactive, it increases the risk of cell mutations and therefore increases the risk of a cancer developing.”</p> <p>Globally, around 4% of cancers can be attributed to alcohol. The Lancet estimates that in 2020, there were 741,300 new cancers around the world that came from alcohol consumption.</p> <p>“A lot of them are in the digestive tract, which kind of intuitively makes sense, because that’s where the alcohol is coming into contact with the body,” says Booth.</p> <p>“So there’s an increased risk of cancer in the throat, mouth, oesophagus, liver, in the colon and for females, quite an increased risk for breast cancer.”</p> <p>One study estimates that a bottle of wine per week is roughly the equivalent of smoking 10 cigarettes per week for women, or five cigarettes per week for men.</p> <p>Acetaldehyde doesn’t stay in your body forever: an enzyme called acetaldehyde dehydrogenase, or ALDH, turns it into largely harmless acetic acid, and then eventually on to carbon dioxide and water.</p> <p>But here’s where genetics can play a role in your susceptibility too: some people have a genetic mutation that makes their ALDH enzymes less effective.</p> <p>This gene is particularly common among people of East Asian descent, which is why some East Asian people flush red after only a small drink. Unfortunately, there’s evidence that people with this gene are also more susceptible to cancer.</p> <p>“In studies of Asian populations, they seem to have a much greater risk of getting cancer from alcohol,” says Booth.</p> <p>While cancer and acetaldehyde draw the most attention, alcohol can have other long-term effects too – like high blood pressure and increased risk of strokes.</p> <p>“If you drink heavily and consistently, you get scarring in the liver – cirrhosis, which is also linked to an increased risk of cancers in the liver,” says Booth.</p> <p>Alcohol can also interfere with hormones, causing poorer sleep or – once again – a higher risk of cancer.</p> <p>It’s also linked to mental health issues, like anxiety and depression, but Booth says this can be a “chicken-and-egg situation”.</p> <p>“There’s a lot of literature to suggest that people with mental health issues drink to help cope. But unfortunately, it tends to make things worse.”</p> <p>All in all, not a great wrap. Is there any good news?</p> <h2>Isn’t low or moderate drinking a little bit good for you?</h2> <p>We’ve all seen – and Cosmos has published – headlines about low and moderate drinkers (around 10 or fewer standard drinks per week) doing better in some health metrics, particularly heart disease.</p> <p>Does this really mean that regular low-moderate drinking might be better than not drinking at all?</p> <p>“Long story short, I think the jury’s probably still out on that one,” says Booth.</p> <p>The trick is that a lot of non-drinkers avoid alcohol for health reasons. This is called the “sick quitter” effect.</p> <p>If you develop a health condition, or discover you’re at an increased risk of something like heart disease, often one of the first things a doctor will recommend is that you stop drinking.</p> <p>“What that means is, sometimes when you do these big population studies, the people who don’t drink alcohol can look less healthy than the people who do drink alcohol,” says Booth.</p> <p>While many of these studies have tried to control for the sick quitter effect, and still produced some compelling evidence that low or moderate drinking helps, other studies have found the opposite.</p> <p>“My overall opinion would be that it’s just a bit too early to know, and to really understand that relationship,” says Booth.</p> <p>“And even in those studies, once you get beyond that moderate consumption, alcohol does seem to be really detrimental to cardiovascular health.”</p> <p>So, for now – other than the benefit you get from spending a night at the pub in good company – you probably can’t claim alcohol’s improving your health. We’re as sorry about this as you are.</p> <p><strong>This article originally appeared in <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/explainer-alcohol-health/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cosmosmagazine.com</a> and was written by Ellen Phiddian.</strong></p> <p><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></p>

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Iran: protesters call for move to a non-religious state. What changes would that bring?

<p>My friend was in Tehran during protests after <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/events-iran-since-mahsa-aminis-arrest-death-custody-2022-10-05/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the death</a> of Mahsa Amini while in the custody of the morality police (Gasht-e Ershad). My friend went into a grocery shop intending to buy milk. The seller refused to sell anything to her. “Why are you refusing?” she asked. “I can see that you have milk.” “Because you are wearing a hijab,” the seller responded.</p> <p>This is part of a backlash by those who see themselves as oppressed by the Islamic Republic’s discriminatory hijab law, which prosecutes women for not “covering up”. The term hijab is an Arabic word meaning cover. It’s used to refer to different types of covering, from a long-sleeved coat, pants and scarf to the Islamic government’s preferred form of dress, chador, which is a loose-fitting black cloth worn over the entire body. After Mahsa Amini’s killing in September, mass protests broke out over this law and its enforcement.</p> <p>Wearing hijab became obligatory for all Iranian women from April 1983, after the 1979 revolution. Since then, all women have been forced by law to wear hijab (a covering of hair and or body) in public, even non-Muslims and foreigners visiting Iran. If they don’t they face prosecution.</p> <p>The government of Iran, the Islamic Republic, argues that God commands women to wear hijab. This is a government which has leaders who are members of the clergy and merged religious beliefs into state law. But even some Islamic scholars argue that the Qur'an does not suggest that hijab should be <a href="https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300257311/women-and-gender-in-islam/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">compulsory</a>.</p> <p>Mahsa Amini’s case is polarising Iran: those who rigorously advocate the hijab and religious law are set against those who prefer a <a href="https://time.com/6216024/iran-protests-islamic-republic-response/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">secular state</a>, not run by religious values.</p> <p>This has led the nation to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/oct/26/iran-at-least-15-killed-after-gunmen-attack-shrine-in-shiraz" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the current upheaval</a>, with <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/oct/08/are-hijab-protests-the-beginning-of-the-end-for-irans-regime" target="_blank" rel="noopener">vast</a> protests across the country, and <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-63410577" target="_blank" rel="noopener">people being killed</a>.</p> <p>At many protests the Iranian resistance chant is <a href="https://www.politico.eu/article/iran-protests-women-life-freedom-mahsa-amini-killing/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Zan, Zendegi, Azadi</a> (#WomenLifeFreedom) is heard. The protesters call for life and liberty to be applicable to everyone (religious and non-religious). A big part of <a href="https://theconversation.com/iran-protests-majority-of-people-reject-compulsory-hijab-and-an-islamic-regime-surveys-find-191448" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the motivation</a> behind these protests is to challenge how the current religious law takes away the right of women to choose what to wear.</p> <h2>What is secularism?</h2> <p>Secularism is the idea that states should be <a href="https://academic.oup.com/book/1881/chapter-abstract/141631825?redirectedFrom=fulltext" target="_blank" rel="noopener">neutral about religion</a>. The state should not <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2012/feb/16/what-mean-secular-state-neutral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">back</a> a specific religion over others. A secular state <a href="https://anthrosource.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1548-1360.2011.01117.x" target="_blank" rel="noopener">provides</a> equal opportunity for religious and non-religious citizens to pursue their lives. The state must respect everyone’s values (including minorities), not just some people’s values.</p> <p>Secularism seems reasonable <a href="https://academic.oup.com/book/28394" target="_blank" rel="noopener">to many</a> because it is unusual for an entire nation to believe in a religion as one source of law. Some <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00263206.2019.1643330" target="_blank" rel="noopener">scholars of Islam</a> disagree with the established interpretation of the Islamic Republic about whether God has commanded a mandatory hijab. As a result, they claim that hijab is not about covering hair but about “modesty”. Some others challenge <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/oct/12/iran-hijab-law-protest-ali-larijani" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the way</a> the morality police treat women in the street.</p> <p>While some people might be railing against women being forced to wear the hijab, others continue to feel strongly about its continued use. <a href="https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-qom-women-hijab/31929986.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reports</a> say that Iranian authorities have closed some coffee shops because of the “improper” hijab of some female customers. And more <a href="https://english.alaraby.co.uk/news/iran-detains-woman-eating-breakfast-without-hijab" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recently</a>, a woman was arrested for eating breakfast in a café with no hijab.</p> <h2>Iranian history of secularism</h2> <p>Modern debates about secularism in Iran can be traced back to the <a href="https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/irans-constitutional-revolution-9780755649235/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Constitutional Revolution</a> in 1906. It advocated <a href="https://iranicaonline.org/articles/constitutional-revolution-i" target="_blank" rel="noopener">liberalism and secularism</a> and began conversations about a society without religious rules for all.</p> <p>Iranians experienced enforced secularisation shortly after Reza Shah Pahlavi was <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Reza-Shah-Pahlavi" target="_blank" rel="noopener">crowned</a> in 1925. In 1936 he issued a decree <a href="https://www.brookings.edu/opinions/iran-and-the-headscarf-protests/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kashf-e hijab</a> that any public expression of religious faith, including wearing hijab, was illegal. Again, this was a leader was telling women what to wear. However, his attempt to militantly secularise and westernise Iran faced <a href="https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/mono/10.4324/9780203060636-22/banning-veil-consequences-dr-stephanie-cronin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">resistance</a> from society.</p> <p>The overthrow of the Pahlavi dynasty in 1979 led to the establishment of a militant Islamic government based on <a href="https://www.icit-digital.org/books/islam-and-revolution-writings-and-declarations-of-imam-khomeini-1941-1980" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shia Muslim teachings</a>. After the hijab became <a href="https://www.mei.edu/publications/irans-headscarf-politics" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mandatory</a>, it became a symbol of compulsory faith. It has also played a significant role in pushing some parts of the Iranian population towards a more secular state.</p> <p>In 2022 Iran is experiencing some dramatic shifts, including what appears to be a shift towards secularism. Some argue that secularism is an <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1979/05/25/archives/khomeini-terms-secular-critics-enemies-of-islam-dictatorship-of-the.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">enemy</a> of religion or a product of <a href="https://nyupress.org/9780814795644/democracy-in-modern-iran/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">western colonisation</a>. Despite the majority of Iranians considering themselves <a href="https://gamaan.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/GAMAAN-Iran-Religion-Survey-2020-English.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">religious</a>, some evidence shows that Iranians are <a href="https://theconversation.com/iran-protests-majority-of-people-reject-compulsory-hijab-and-an-islamic-regime-surveys-find-191448" target="_blank" rel="noopener">less religious</a> than before.</p> <p>Since the Islamic revolution there’s been a lot of research about how Iran could work as a <a href="https://www.routledge.com/Secularization-of-Islam-in-Post-Revolutionary-Iran/Pargoo/p/book/9780367654672" target="_blank" rel="noopener">secular</a> society and about religious <a href="https://brill.com/view/book/9789047400714/B9789047400714_s006.xml" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tolerance</a>.</p> <p>The current protest movement, led mainly by <a href="https://www.mei.edu/publications/irans-rising-generation-z-forefront-protests" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gen Z in Iran</a>, is growing partly because of its use of the internet and social media to communicate and share information. People can also learn from other nations’ experiences of secularism through social media. This is why the regime is <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/audio/2022/oct/06/why-is-the-government-in-iran-shutting-down-the-internet-podcast" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shutting down</a> the internet and censoring YouTube, Instagram and Twitter.</p> <p><a href="https://gamaan.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/GAMAAN-Political-Systems-Survey-2022-English-Final.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">One poll</a> suggests that more than 60% of Iranians now want a non-religious state, the question is whether those in power are willing to give it to them.</p> <p><strong>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/iran-protesters-call-for-move-to-a-non-religious-state-what-changes-would-that-bring-193198" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.</strong></p> <p><em>Image: Sky News</em></p>

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Bride called out for list of “non-negotiables” at wedding

<p dir="ltr">A Queensland woman has been dubbed a bridezilla for her “non-negotiable” list at her wedding. </p> <p dir="ltr">Kara Hansen took to TikTok announcing that she has been engaged for a year and is organising her wedding. </p> <p dir="ltr">A part of her and her fiancé’s special day includes a list of things that are non-negotiable which Ms Hansen says “may p*** people off”. </p> <p dir="ltr">First on her list was no children under the age of 16 because it is simply “not the right place for them”. </p> <p dir="ltr">“There is loud music, they don’t eat the food, they don’t drink the alcohol, they don’t party, their parents have to leave too, it just feels like it’s not the right place for them,” she says in the video. </p> <p dir="ltr">The second non-negotiable on Ms Hansen’s list is not having dessert when there is cake. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I am not paying for a third course when I have already paid $400 for a wedding cake, I don’t care about keeping the top tier of my wedding cake, you guys can just eat it all,” she says.</p> <p dir="ltr">Other things included in her list are keeping speeches short and sweet and that she will wear a short dress for the reception because she “hates to wear long dresses”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Ms Hansen also said her husband can see her dress before the big day as long as she’s not wearing it, and finally wanting to have coffee with her husband on the morning of the wedding. </p> <p dir="ltr">Several people called out Ms Hansen for her harsh rules saying that everyone will be able to enjoy the day no matter their age. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Sorry, but I am having kids at my wedding, I don’t care if they don’t like the food or they drink just as long as everyone has a good time,” one wrote. </p> <p dir="ltr">“We are having kids at our wedding. We have two flower girls and two ring boys so we feel we can’t have them and not others. It feels wrong to us,” another person commented. </p> <p dir="ltr">Others however agreed with Ms Hansen, calling her list “freaking genius” and that they will be adopting some of her non-negotiables for their weddings. </p> <p dir="ltr">Watch the video <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@karaaaashley/video/7147551332994403586?embed_source=null_null_null&amp;is_copy_url=1&amp;is_from_webapp=v1&amp;refer=embed&amp;referer_url=www.news.com.au%2Flifestyle%2Frelationships%2Fmarriage%2Fbridezilla-reveals-wedding-nonnegotiables%2Fnews-story%2F1724eae5a63c8627526ae78c2916f7b6&amp;referer_video_id=7147551332994403586" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: TikTok</em></p>

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