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Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Health
- Daily Mirror
'I made 1 change to my meals and lost weight, felt fuller and cut caffeine'
I tried out Sune's protein shakes for women for one week - the health benefits were immediate, from less bloating to more energy As someone who's never dipped a toe into the world of protein shakes, I wasn't sure what to expect when I decided to try Sune for a week. I've been looking for a quick and easy way to improve my overall health in recent months, and with a reported 75 health benefits, this daily drink felt like the ideal solution. My usual morning routine revolves around tea (and lots of it) and often skipping breakfast entirely - a habit that hasn't helped my gut health, especially after a bout of food poisoning last year that left me managing ongoing IBS symptoms. But after a week with Sune, I'm surprised at just how seamlessly it's slipped into my daily routine, not to mention how much better I feel for it. Sune describes itself as 'a premium protein shake formulated by women, for women '. The main question people then tend to ask is, what makes it different from any other protein shake on the market - what makes it so tailored to women's needs? Sune said: 'Amongst many differences, women are more likely to experience tiredness as a result of low iron status, are more likely to experience digestive conditions with more intense symptoms, and experience regular hormonal fluctuation. This creates unique nutritional needs that do not fit a one-size-fits-all approach.' As such, their protein shakes are specifically designed with a blend of plant-based protein, superfoods, and added vitamins and minerals that are designed to support hormone balance, energy, and digestion in women. Sune aren't the only brand to be offering female-centric protein shakes, though, with Free Soul offering a blend of pea protein isolate and white hemp protein from £19.99. Meanwhile, Women's Health rated the Foodspring Clear Whey Raspberry Mojito as the best clear whey protein powder in 2024. It's a low-fat, low-lactose protein powder from grass-fed, pasture-raised cows, offering 26g of protein per serving for £39 a tub. When trialling Sune, given my sensitive stomach and low energy levels, I was especially curious to see how it would perform. I used it over the course of seven days to see what results I might find - but truth be told, after one glass, I was sold. On the first day, I swapped my usual morning tea for a Sune protein shake. I got both the chocolate and salted caramel flavours to try, and on day one, decided to give the chocolate version a go. To make the shake, I added one 30g scoop of powder into my Protein Works shaker along with 300ml of semi-skimmed milk and gave it a shake for around 10 seconds. Each 30g serving provides 20g of plant-based protein, which is the equivalent of a 75g grilled rump steak, one cup of plain low-fat Greek yoghurt or three large eggs. The powder seemed to disperse into the milk really well with no lumps, and while the shake does have a mild powdery finish, as most do, my dad (who has tried over a dozen brands) reliably tells me, it's still incredibly silky and easy to drink straight from the shaker. However, if you don't drink it quickly, it can settle at the bottom, so you need to remember to keep giving it a little stir before sipping, if drinking more leisurely. I expected to miss the comfort of my morning cuppa, but to my surprise, Sune gave me the same kind of lift, and dare I say that, on a sunny May morning, it was perhaps even better than having a hot drink to start the day. As for any noticeable differences, the main thing was that I wasn't craving lunch by 11 am and spending the rest of my morning clockwatching for an appropriate time to make dinner. Throughout the week, I tried having the shake at different times to see what suited me best. I also alternated between the chocolate and salted caramel flavours and found the chocolate to be really rich, indulgent and almost dessert-like. It felt like a real treat, which helped me curb my usual chocolate cravings in the evenings. But my personal favourite - though it was a close choice - was the salted caramel. It was lighter and more refreshing, with a subtler flavour that was really drinkable. I particularly liked putting it in a glass with ice and a straw, which almost felt like a flavoured iced latte, but without the coffee. I do wish there was a little more variety in the flavours, because both of the current offerings are quite buttery and cake-like, so I'd be really keen to see them launch something fruity, like strawberry. As well as drinking the shake first thing in the morning, I also trialled a mid-afternoon shake at my usual 3pm slump, where I find myself rooting through the fridge for a pick-me-up. This really helped me cut down on my snacking, keeping me full until teatime, and focused for the rest of the working day, which makes sense, seeing as improved cognitive function is one of the 75 approved health benefits. Some days I'd drink the shake before going to the gym or working out at home, and I found I was able to do longer workouts before I started to get bored. When drinking it after the gym, it helped me refuel without bloating, which is something I've struggled with when trying to eat solid food after workouts. The combination of probiotics, prebiotics, and digestive enzymes means Sune helps reduce bloating and discomfort - perfect for someone like me with IBS symptoms. One thing that had previously put me off trying protein shakes was the suggestion that many formulas can cause flatulence. This is usually because they contain ingredients like lactose. Sune's formula is completely free from gluten, lactose, and soy, so it is not only easier to digest than whey-based alternatives, but it's also suitable for vegans and vegetarians. Other notable ingredients include B Vitamins and Iron, which I've previously taken supplements for, but I often forget to take them and give up on the habit. They're a powerful combination for fighting fatigue, and if I can ditch capsules and gummies in favour of a multitasking liquid, I absolutely will. After a week, the main changes I had noticed in myself were feeling fuller for longer and not craving snacks 24/7. I also found myself less bloated and more energised during training and generally less tired throughout the day, meaning I was reaching for the kettle less and was able to cut down on caffeine. I was hoping that I'd shed a few pounds during my trial, but the scales only shifted by 2lb (I blame the Bank Holiday) - but a loss is still a loss, right? I'm certainly going to stick it out and continue using the Sune protein shakes alongside a balanced diet and exercise to help me achieve my weight loss goals. So far on the Sune website, there are only three reviews from shoppers, but each of them is five stars. One read: 'I love the taste of this product and I feel much better.' 'I have lost so much weight thanks to PW and am nearly at my ideal BMI,' said another. 'I saw this the other day and thought I would try. It's super delicious and has all the right ingredients and makes me feel full afterwards.' A third added: 'Have tried both flavours and they taste amazing. Definitely feeling the benefit, better mood and energy levels.' Sune is usually £29.99 for a 600g tub, which lasts approximately three weeks. It's currently on offer for £26.99, which works out at £1.35 per shake. Alternatively, there are 1.2kg and 1.8kg options available, with the latter being the most cost effective. It was £87.99 but is reduced to £69.99, which will last two months at £1.17 per shake. Plus, readers can get 10% off with the code PW10, which would take the largest tub to £62.99, or £1.05 per shake. Shoppers can explore the range of Sune shakes here.
New Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Sport
- New Straits Times
'Immature' Tsitsipas looking for solutions after earliest French Open exit in seven years
PARIS: Former French Open finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas blamed his own immaturity for a shock second-round loss to qualifier Matteo Gigante of Italy on Wednesday and said he would need to go back to the drawing board to get his career back on track. The 26-year-old Greek, a six-time Grand Slam semi-finalist, was outclassed by his opponent, ranked 167th in the world, in a 6-4 5-7 6-2 6-4 defeat for his earliest exit in Paris since 2018. He has now won a meagre two matches in total in his last four Grand Slams. "I feel like my focus kind of faded away for quite a bit (during the match) and I wasn't fully present in the moment," Tsitsipas told a press conference. "I seemed to be playing immature sometimes during the match and obviously I'm not extremely happy about that. "I would describe that immaturity, not knowing how to handle those situations a little bit more conservative and not so impulsive." The Greek, once considered a future Grand Slam champion, is ranked 20th in the world – the lowest he has been in almost seven years – and following Wednesday's loss he will drop outside the top 20 for the first time since 2018. The 2021 French Open finalist has been struggling for the better part of two years and, apart from his surprise win in Dubai two months ago, he has not made it past the quarter-finals in any other tournament this season. "I don't want to use any excuses or anything like that, so my entire focus is on how can we come to solutions, solve certain things," he said. "It's a constant puzzle. I'm ambitious, and I want to prove it on the tennis court. Things have definitely changed over the last couple of years, and I know that I find myself in a completely different position now," he said. "I just need to use my experience a little bit more wisely. My experience sometimes kind of stabs me, instead of utilizing it in a more professional and profound way."
New Indian Express
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
Turning back time to learn about royal games
While many of us think of games as something limited to two or four people around the table in a family, in ancient times, games had far wider connotations, not just in India. For example, in Greek and Roman traditions, funerary games were competitions held in honour of the deceased person, often a hero or a noble figure, as part of their funeral rites. This is graphically described in Homer's Iliad, when Achilles organised elaborate games to honour his fallen friend, Patroclus. The purpose of these games was to pay tribute to the dead, to appease the gods as the games were seen as offerings, and of course, to display wealth and power. Closer to home, in India, games were very much a part of the Rajasuya ceremonies. The Rajasuya ceremony was one of the most prestigious and elaborate royal rituals in ancient times. It was a consecration ceremony performed by the king to assert his sovereignty. The purpose of the Rajasuya was to legitimise the king's rule through divine sanction and assert his supremacy over other kings who were invited to attend and who offered tribute. It helped to unify the realm under a single authority.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
'Lost City' Deep Beneath The Ocean Is Unlike Anything We've Seen Before on Earth
Close to the summit of an underwater mountain west of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a jagged landscape of towers rises from the gloom. Their creamy carbonate walls and columns appear ghostly blue in the light of a remotely operated vehicle sent to explore. They range in height from tiny stacks the size of toadstools to a grand monolith standing 60 meters (nearly 200 feet) tall. This is the Lost City. Discovered by scientists in 2000, more than 700 meters (2,300 feet) beneath the surface, the Lost City Hydrothermal Field is the longest-lived venting environment known in the ocean. Nothing else like it has ever been found. For at least 120,000 years and maybe longer, the upthrusting mantle in this part of the world has reacted with seawater to puff hydrogen, methane, and other dissolved gases out into the ocean. In the cracks and crevices of the field's vents, hydrocarbons feed novel microbial communities even without the presence of oxygen. Chimneys spewing gases as hot as 40 °C (104 °F) are home to an abundance of snails and crustaceans. Larger animals such as crabs, shrimp, sea urchins, and eels are rare, but still present. Despite the extreme nature of the environment, it appears to be teeming with life, and researchers think it's worth our attention and protection. In 2024 researchers announced a record-breaking recovery of mantle rock in the form of a 1,268-meter-long core sample dug from the Lost City Hydrothermal Field. It's hoped the core could provide crucial evidence on how life emerged on Earth billions of years ago under conditions preserved in the minerals. While other hydrothermal fields like this one probably exist elsewhere in the world's oceans, this is the only one remotely operated vehicles have been able to find thus far. The hydrocarbons produced by the Lost City's vents were not formed from atmospheric carbon dioxide or sunlight, but by chemical reactions on the deep seafloor. Because hydrocarbons are the building blocks of life, this leaves open the possibility that life originated in a habitat just like this one. And not just on our own planet. "This is an example of a type of ecosystem that could be active on Enceladus or Europa right this second," microbiologist William Brazelton told Anna Kusmer at The Smithsonian in 2018, referring to the moons of Saturn and Jupiter. "And maybe Mars in the past." Unlike underwater volcanic vents called black smokers, which have also been named as a possible first habitat, the Lost City's ecosystem doesn't depend on the heat of magma. Black smokers produce mostly iron- and sulfur-rich minerals, whereas the Lost City's chimneys produce up to 100 times more hydrogen and methane. The calcite vents of the Lost City are also much, much larger than black smokers, which suggests they've been active for longer. The tallest of the monoliths is named Poseidon, after the Greek god of the sea, and it stretches more than 60 meters high. Just northeast of the tower, meanwhile, is a cliffside with short bursts of activity. Researchers at the University of Washington describe the vents here as 'weeping' with fluid to produce "clusters of delicate, multi-pronged carbonate growths that extend outward like the fingers of upturned hands". Unfortunately, scientists aren't the only ones beckoned by that unusual terrain. In 2018, it was announced that Poland had won the rights to mine the deep sea around The Lost City. While there are no precious resources to be dredged up in the actual thermal field itself, the destruction of the city's surroundings could have unintended consequences. Any plumes or discharges, triggered by the mining, could easily wash over the remarkable habitat, scientists warn. Some experts are therefore calling for the Lost City to be listed as a World Heritage site, to protect the natural wonder before it's too late. For tens of thousands of years, the Lost City has stood as a testament to the enduring force of life. It would be just like us to ruin it. An earlier version of this article was published in August 2022. Dolphins Give Themselves Names That Could Hide Secret Information Trees May Be Able to Warn Us When a Volcano Is About to Erupt 60% of The Ocean Floor Could Harbor 'Rare' Supergiant Crustacean
Spectator
4 hours ago
- General
- Spectator
Spinoza, Epicurus and the question of ‘epikoros'
With surprise, I heard from a Jewish friend that a Hebrew term for a heretic is epikoros, apparently derived from the Greek philosopher Epicurus (341-270 bc). The word cropped up recently in a row over a film on the life of Baruch Spinoza, showing that he is not forgiven more than 360 years after his expulsion from the Sephardic community in Amsterdam. An American professor of philosophy, Yitzhak Melamed, asked the Portuguese Jewish synagogue there for permission to film some footage. The rabbi pointed out that Spinoza had been excommunicated 'with the severest possible ban, a ban that remains in force for all time'. So, no he could not visit the synagogue. The rabbi's letter called Spinoza an epikouris, a form of the word used of him in the 17th century. The reason for Spinoza's excommunication (herem in Hebrew) is unknown. Spinoza did write difficult stuff later about all things being God, but not when he was cast out in 1656, aged 23. Anyway, 12th-century Jewish philosopher Moses Maimonides discussed the nature of an epikoros as someone who denies God's providence. That is what Spinoza was to deny, as far as I can understand him, and what Epicurus had denied. To add a complication. Maimonides said in an early work that epikoros came from Aramaic, and others have since derived it from the p-q-r Semitic root, signifying 'licentiousness'. By the time he wrote Guide for the Perplexed, Maimonides had learnt about Epicurus's philosophy. Do, then, epikoros and a modern form, apikoros, come from the Greek philosopher, or was his fame projected on to an extant Semitic word? Professor Melamed eventually received a letter from the Ma'amad (churchwardens) of the synagogue saying the rabbi had exceeded his authority and he was welcome to visit.
