Struggling to sleep? This fruit could help you
Researchers observed this benefit in 969 US adults with larger waistlines over a six-month period.
The sleep-enhancing effects are attributed to nutrients in avocados like tryptophan, folate, and magnesium, which aid in melatonin production and muscle relaxation.
The findings emerged as unexpected secondary results from a cardiovascular health trial, lending them additional credibility.
Daily avocado consumption was also associated with a better diet and lower cholesterol levels, contributing to overall heart health.
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Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Plastic surgeons reveal what could be behind Tom Brady's changing appearance
It's often said that Tom Brady has aged like fine wine, and on his 48th birthday this month the retired quarterback looked as suave as ever. To mark the occasion, the NFL shared 13 photos of the football legend showcasing his remarkably youthful features over his two-decade career. Now, plastic surgeon Dr Smita Ramanadham has analyzed the images to reveal whether he may have had any subtle work to enhance his features. 'With Brady, he is very much an example of plastic surgery done right,' she said. 'You want surgery where you can't quite tell what it is you got, and that is the case here. 'We can't stop aging no matter what we do, but I don't see those changes with Brady that I see with everyone else, even myself, and that makes me suspicious.' 'I think he's definitely had some 'tweakments,' small procedures, either surgical or nonsurgical, to maintain his looks so that he ages gracefully, but no major work.' She suggested he had likely received a barely-there surgery to remove skin around the eyes, a subtle nose job to slightly refine the nose, and Botox and fillers for lines. But much of his youthful appearance was down to his workout regimen and strict diet, she suggested. Since retiring, he has lost 10lbs and continues to avoid refined sugars, salt, caffeine, white flour and dairy. Other surgeons previously suggested to after looking at images of him that Brady had also received a facelift. Dr Ramanadham said this was possible, but added that the shift could similarly be down to his fitness regime, diet, skincare regimen and filler. Dr Ramanadham, who runs a clinic in New Jersey, based her analysis on pictures of the star over the years and did not examine him in person. Brady has not publicly addressed whether he has undergone plastic surgery. Daily Mail reached out to representatives for the football player but did not receive a response. Rumors about potential cosmetic enhancements, including Botox, a facelift and buccal fat removal, where fat is removed from the cheeks, have circulated for years. They were reignited in September 2024, when the NFL posted an Instagram video of Brady that triggered further comments about his youthful appearance. After viewing photos of the sporting legend, Dr Ramanadham was quick to suggest he may have had an upper bletharoplasty, or surgery to remove skin above the eyes. The skin is more prominent in his early photos from the 2000s, and would be expected to gradually droop over time in normal aging. But in photos, it stays in the same place. 'Really, the only way that could happen is that if he had a small upper bletharoplasty,' she said. 'He doesn't look like he has the super awake eyes that can result from the procedure, but there is no way he would have looked this way now, with virtually no change in the skin, without something being done.' Dr Ramanadham also pointed to Brady's nose, which she said appeared to become slightly more refined over the years. This suggested to her that he may have received a nose job, or rhinoplasty. She said: 'His nose appears to be more refined. As we progress through the years, his nostrils get slimmer and his nose tip definitely looks more refined.' NFL stars can break or fracture their noses on the field, which can then lead to them being referred to surgeons for cosmetic work. Brady injured his nose in a 2012 game against the Tennessee Titans, suffering a bloodied face after he was tackled from behind while holding the ball. He did not confirm whether he broke his nose at the time, but told reporters that he needed 'some scars' to boost his career. Dr Ramanadham said the tight skin around Brady's jawline was also unusual because the skin tends to sag in this area as people age. Brady is shown above early in his sporting career in 2001, left, and 2002, when he was about 24 and 25 years old The tight appearance suggested, she said, that Brady had used Botox or fillers injected along the jawline to boost its definition. Brady has also lost a significant amount of weight over the years, which could also be contributing to the tighter appearance. He has focused on fitness since retiring from the NFL, saying in a September 2023 episode of the SiriusXM show 'Let's Go!': 'Yeah, I'm down about 10lbs, but I'm actually very fit right now. 'I haven't had the stress that I had while I was playing, so that's allowed me to focus a little bit more on my physical health.' He added: 'It's just nice to feel good, to wake up every day and know that I'm taking care of myself in a different way.' Previously, surgeons told after looking at images of him that Brady had received a facelift to tighten his jawline. Dr Tijion Esho, a cosmetic surgeon and founder of Cultskin in the UK, said at the time that Brady's appearance was similar to that 'typically seen after a full face lift which is still in the process of healing'. While it is possible that he had a facelift, Dr Ramanadham said it was also possible that an excellent maintenance regimen and skincare routine could have contributed to the appearance. Overall, she said that it remained difficult to tell which procedures Brady had received, which is 'exactly what happens with excellent plastic surgery'. 'I am definitely less certain about these procedures compared to those of other stars,' she said.
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Wylie thought he was fit and healthy. Now he's fighting for his life at just 39 after doctors dismissed his 'vague' symptom
Wylie Dixon was excited to build a future with his beautiful wife - from travelling across Australia to starting the family they had always dreamed of. But everything came to a halt when the 'fit and healthy' retail manager received devastating news that he had an aggressive form of appendix cancer. The then 38-year-old had been struggling with months of fatigue, but doctors dismissed the 'vague' symptom so he assumed there was nothing to worry about. It wasn't until he began experiencing excruciating stomach pains and vomiting that he was rushed to the emergency room - where he learned he had stage four cancer. 'I was heartbroken,' Wylie, now 39, told FEMAIL. 'I was in disbelief as I'd never heard of the cancer before... I wasn't someone who had scheduled health check-ups but I went to the doctor often when something would arise. 'I was fit and healthy, not overweight, I was very active and walking 10,000 to 20,000 steps per day was normal for me at work.' By the time he was diagnosed in August 2024, Wylie was told he may have just three months to live - completely turning his world upside down. He explained that he just can't fathom how his condition turned into such an extremely rare case, especially since there were no alarming symptoms before his appendix cancer diagnosis. 'I didn't have any major symptoms besides fatigue. That's the problem with this cancer, everything was vague and didn't persist, besides the fatigue,' he said. For Wylie, the most disheartening part of his diagnosis was feeling a 'massive sense of being let down' by doctors. 'Unfortunately the many GP visits over two years failed to diagnose me,' he said. 'Ultimately I ended up in emergency one night with acute abdominal pain and vomiting caused by a blockage right where the appendix is located. 'I trusted what I was being told but as I now know from my own research many GP visits were caused by the cancer.' Wylie has lived in Cairns, Far North Queensland, for most of his life but after the diagnosis, he and his wife Ked relocated to Sydney to be closer to the only specialist cancer centre offering the urgent care he needs. As he was spending more time in Sydney, it only made sense for the couple to move. The couple made the heartbreaking decision to sell their home, quit their jobs and leave behind their family and friends so they could give Wylie a fighting chance. He underwent a 19-hour peritonectomy surgery, a highly invasive surgical procedure to remove the cancerous tumours from his body. Since then, he has been enduring intense rounds of chemotherapy. 'It's been a very long recovery from the operation, I'm still going eight months on. It's very much a watch and wait game at the moment,' he explained. Despite getting the all-clear, his cancer has returned, and he's now looking into travelling to Japan or Germany for new treatment options. 'The likelihood of recurrence is very high,' he explained. With both Wylie and his wife unable to work, the rising cost of flights, temporary accommodation, medications, ongoing treatment, and countless specialist appointments have become overwhelming. 'The stress of mounting bills threatens to overshadow the one thing that matters most: Wylie's recovery,' his cousin Ashleigh said on his GoFundMe page. 'We are asking for your help. Your donation, no matter the size, will help lift some of this burden - giving Wylie the chance to focus on healing without the added weight of financial stress. It will help ensure he can continue receiving the lifesaving care. 'Please consider supporting Wylie during this incredibly difficult chapter. Every dollar and every message of encouragement means more than you can imagine.' Signs and symptoms of appendix cancer Appendix cancer may not cause symptoms in its early stages. However, some people may experience symptoms such as: appendicitis (lower right abdominal pain) gradual increase in waist size build-up of fluid in the abdomen bloating changes in bowel habits hernia ovarian mass or lump Source: Cancer Council According to Cancer Council, appendix cancer occurs when cells in the appendix become abnormal and continue to grow, forming a tumour. The causes are unknown, and there are no clear risk factors - it also does not appear to run in families. Increasing age, however, may raise the risk of developing appendix cancer. It's a rare condition, with the most common types occurring in Australians aged between 40 and 60. In 2024, an estimated 874 people were diagnosed with appendiceal cancer. There is currently no screening available for appendix cancer in Australia. It is often discovered during abdominal surgery for a different condition or after surgical removal of the appendix due to a suspected case of appendicitis. 'I just hope there's more awareness of appendix cancer because there is no real screening process for it,' Wylie said. By sharing his story, he hopes to encourage young people to push for more answers if their symptoms are overlooked simply because they're considered 'too young to have cancer'. 'GPs shouldn't dismiss symptoms just because someone is young,' Wylie said. 'We're now seeing cancer rates in younger people go through the roof.'
The Guardian
4 hours ago
- The Guardian
Milk, carbohydrates or a late-night pudding: what's the secret to eating for a good night's sleep?
Have a glass of warm milk. No, a cup of herbal tea. Eat carbs, but only the right carbs. Have fats, but not too much. Have a filling meal. No, not that filling. Eat early, but not too early or you'll get hungry again later. Ask the internet for advice on how to eat for a good night's sleep and you could lose a whole night trying to find a clear answer. But amid a global shortage of good sleep (48% of Australian adults report having at least two sleep-related problems), dietary habits are emerging as an important factor that can make the difference between refreshing rest and a night spent regretting every food choice you made in the previous 24 hours. Some of the most useful insights into the effect of timing, size and quality of meals on sleep come from studies of those who work through the night to keep our world running. At CQUniversity in Adelaide, research psychologist Dr Charlotte Gupta has been studying how different eating patterns affect shift workers' performance. Her most important piece of advice for a good night's sleep is to eat well before bedtime. 'We're not primed to be digesting food at night,' Gupta says. A meal eaten too close to sleep forces the body to focus energy and resources on digestion, when it should be resting and performing other tasks that take place while we rest. 'So it's likely to impact the quality of our sleep; we're more likely to wake up during the night, remember our dreams, not get that really restorative sleep,' she says. The ideal is to eat your last food at least two hours before going to sleep, which means no pre-sleep pecking at leftovers or midnight raid of the fridge for a spoonful of cold pudding. The size of that final meal can also make a difference. Ideally, we should be having a bigger meal in the middle of the day, when light exposure means our body is very much awake and primed for digestion, and a smaller meal in the evening. But not too small. 'We don't want it to be so small for dinner that you feel really hungry during the night, that your body's going to wake you up and want food,' Gupta says. Sign up for our rundown of must-reads, pop culture and tips for the weekend, every Saturday morning On the question of what to eat for a good night's sleep, the answer is less clearcut, says exercise physiologist and nutritionist Dr Elizabeth Machan from the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research and the University of Sydney. 'We haven't got extensive research that has given us the perfect recipe for what the evening meal should be,' she says. There's some evidence that higher-fat meals are more filling, so in theory people will have more restful sleep, Machan says. But diets high in fat are also associated with shorter sleep duration. Similarly, despite the popular idea that eating carbs before bedtime is bad, some studies suggest having a meal higher in carbohydrate can actually help people get to sleep faster. 'I think a lot of people might avoid carbs in the evening, for instance, or they'll reduce their carb intake in the evening, and that's when they can become more food-seeking later in the night as a result,' she says. Machan says it's important to include vegetables in that evening meal to help slow the digestive process. 'Your gut's going to be exposed to those nutrients for longer, it'll have a better chance of absorbing them,' she says. 'So if you've got a meal that is lower energy, for instance, it's going to keep you full, you're not going to wake up in the middle of the night hungry.' There's a lot of interest in micronutrients such as the amino acid tryptophan, which the body can convert into the sleep hormone melatonin, and which is found in a range of foods including eggs, tofu, salmon, milk, turkey and some nuts and seeds. While some studies suggest increasing tryptophan intake might boost melatonin and improve sleep quality, Machan is more sceptical, arguing that light exposure is much more important in regulating melatonin. 'You're not going to make [melatonin] if you're sitting in light – it's a signal that we're not needing to go to sleep, that it's daytime,' she says. One of the challenges with exploring the link between diet and sleep is that it's a two-way street, says Dr Jen Walsh, director of the Centre for Sleep Science at the University of Western Australia. Studies connecting late meal times with poor sleep are measuring not necessarily sleep quality on one night, but over the past month. 'I think what it's telling us is that individuals who have poorer sleep are more likely to eat later in the evening.' While one way of looking at it is that eating later means poorer-quality sleep, another way of interpreting the data is that people who have poorer-quality sleep are more likely to eat later. 'It's potentially [the case] that people who eat later have worse health behaviours in general,' she says. Like so many other health stories, good sleep ultimately seems to come back to that same old chestnut of healthy diet, healthy lifestyle. 'I say that sleep impacts diet and it also impacts exercise, so really we need to be getting the sleep right, and it will get everything else right,' Walsh says.
