Reader's Digest AUSTRALIA AUG2020

AUSTRALIA PHYSIO
OR PILLS?
OATUSRARPSOLDTDKOCRASISETSS No Simple

Weird and Choice
Wonderful
Inventions PAGE 32

These innovations AUGUST 2020 $6.50
will blow your mind!

PAGE 72

My Year
of Saying
THANK YOU

PAGE 26

This Doctor
CURED
HIS OWN
DISEASE

PAGE 58

Phat Phil’s
Road to Slim:
A CAT’S
DIET DIARY

PAGE 98



72 CONTENTS
AUGUST 2020

Features 48 58

26 food on your table medical drama

inspiration Butter: Silky Smooth He Cured His
Own Disease
My Thank You Year Spread on bread
or added to dishes, Diagnosed with a rare
Expressing butter is making condition, a medical
appreciation isn’t a comeback. student researched
always easy. Here’s ways to heal himself.
how one woman did KATE LOWENSTEIN
it for 365 days. AND DANIEL GRITZER RYAN PRIOR
FROM CNN.COM
GINA HAMADEY 52
72
32 family
technology
health How Star Wars
Helped Me Bond Weird and
No Pills Required With My Dad Wonderful
Inventions
Physiotherapy is In a universe far,
helping patients far away, a dad You’ll wonder how
reduce the need for and daughter find you lived without
medications. common ground. some of these gadgets,
while others are just
SUSAN CATTO MEGAN DUBOIS plain wacky.

38 48 ANDY SIMMONS

drama in real life 81

Nature’s adventure
Deadly Venom
A Message
Working outdoors, in a Bottle
Adrian Main allowed
his vigilance to drop – A family of three finds
and so began a themselves stranded
nightmare race against with little chance of
time. DIANE GODLEY rescue. JEN MCCAFFERY

ON THE COVER: WEIRD AND WONDERFUL INVENTIONS – PAGE 72

readersdigest.com.au 1

CONTENTS 16

AUGUST 2020

86 104 the digest COVER ILLUSTRATION:LOUISE POMEROY
18 Pets
first person health
20 Health
Planting Seeds Watch What
of Hope You’re Eating 24 News From
the World
A nurturing place Sure, processed foods of Medicine
brings the promise are convenient – but
of new beginnings. what are we really 141 RD Recommends
putting in our bodies?
SARA B. FRANKLIN regulars
FROM LONGREADS.COM SUSANNAH HICKLING 4 Editor’s Note

90 114 6 Letters

finish this sentence travel 10 News Worth
Sharing
The First Land of Beauty
Thing I Learned and Spirit 12 My Story
in Isolation Was…
A winding trip through 16 Smart Animals
Readers’ experiences the scenic wonder that
around the world. is New Zealand. 66 Look Twice

98 CARRIE MILLER FROM 92 Diet and Exercise
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
animal kingdom TRAVELER 112 Quotable Quotes

Phat Phil’s Road 124 122 That’s
to Slim Outrageous
bonus read
Putting this gluttonous humour
cat on a diet not of his My Family’s 46 Life’s Like That
own choosing required Secret Past
a lot of kilojoule 70 Laughter, the
counting. A granddaughter’s Best Medicine
search uncovers
LINDSY VAN GELDER the guilt that can stay 96 All in a
with a family for Day’s Work
FOLLOW US generations.
@ReadersDigestAustralia the genius section
BY JULIE LINDAHL 148 Story Time is
2 august 2020 FROM THE BOOK
THE PENDULUM for Everyone

152 Puzzles

154 Trivia

155 Word Power



READER’S DIGEST

EDITOR’S NOTE

Paying It Forward

THE POSITIVE BENEFITS OF GIVING BACK, returning a favour and
paying it forward are values Reader’s Digest celebrates. Repaying a good
deed with kindness to others can be a powerful force. It’s something our
hero in this month’s Drama in Real Life, ‘Nature’s Deadly Venom’ (page
38) by Diane Godley, proved was possible even after the most harrowing
of experiences. Not many victims of a deadly funnel-web spider bite would
want to see another of the little creatures ever again. Not so Adrian Main,
who saw the need to help scientists continue producing the life-saving
antivenom that spared him from death. Today, he regularly ventures out
to collect funnel-web spiders and delivers them, unharmed, to be milked
to create future antivenom. The capacity to give back in this way has
helped Adrian make sense of his ordeal – and being able to turn something
unfortunate into good has helped his recovery.

With the flow of everyday life slowly resuming to a steady pace, the world
we now find ourselves in has changed. Even if your slice of the world hasn’t
changed too much, then most likely your perception of it
has. Maybe, like Gina Hamadey, the author of ‘My Thank
You Year’ (page 26), you’ve experienced a change of
heart about a few things, and come to value the small
things, which Gina proves, really matter.

This month’s issue has plenty of helpful advice
(‘Watch What You Eat’, page 104), amazing
adventures (‘A Message in a Bottle’, page 81)
and a few good laughs (‘Phat Phil’s Road to Slim’,
page 98). There’s plenty of great reading
guaranteed to entertain the entire family.

LOUISE WATERSON
Editor-in-Chief

4 august 2020

AUSTRALIA

Vol. 199
No. 1183
August 2020

EDITORIAL
Editor-in-Chief Louise Waterson
Managing Editor Zoë Meunier
Chief Subeditor Melanie Egan
Art Director Hugh Hanson
Senior Art Designer Adele Burley
Art Designer Annie Li
Senior Editor Diane Godley
Associate Editor Victoria Polzot

DIGITAL
Head of Digital Content Greg Barton

ADVERTISING
Group Advertising
& Retail Sales Director Sheron White
Account Manager Darlene Delaney
Advertising Support Manager Rebecca Zhang

Advertising Inquiries
Sheron White
Mobile Phone 0421 897 140
Phone 02 9004 4407
Email [email protected]

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READER’S DIGEST

LETTERS

Reader’s Comments and Opinions

Healing Ideas to Heed

It is no wonder that Reader’s Digest is
‘the world’s best loved magazine’.
‘18 Foods Proven to Heal’ (February)
sure has educated this old girl – many
of us readers have medical conditions
and I am heeding every wise word.

The three articles in ‘News Worth
Sharing’ had me shedding a sentimental
tear as kindness really changes the world.

LORRAINE POINTON

Inside the Minds of Dogs Joys of Walking

I was so pleased to read that a dog ‘The Walking Cure’ (June) reminded
me of various stages of my life
has a mind that is equivalent to a linked with this exercise. Hiking
during my teenage years in the
human aged between two and two- Macedon Ranges and Hanging
Rock were wonderful times in the
and-a-half-years (‘What Pets Want Australian bush.

You to Know’, June). I have been Three years of working and walking
on a mountainous island in Vanuatu
describing my dog as being a cheeky gave me a deep appreciation of its
tropical abundance.
two year old for the last seven years.
Long corridors and flights of
I thought it was my ‘bad training’

and soft touch that enabled

her convenient disobedience.

Thankfully, it seems that is just the

way dogs are! ARI HUDSON

Let us know if you are moved – or provoked – by any item in the magazine,
share your thoughts. See page 8 for how to join the discussion.

6 august 2020

stairs needed rapid walking to reach Letters

each classroom in time to teach SPOT ON

the next lesson back in Melbourne. We asked you to think up a funny
caption to this photo.
Later, I walked our grandchildren
He heard me say the
to and from school. Yes, walking is office is a jungle!

wonderful. EULALIE HOLMAN MARY VICKERS

More About Foolscap Origins It won’t take us long to get
him up to speed.
The Editor’s Note (June) regarding
the origin of the word foolscap VINCENT BEAUMONT
requires elaboration. Foolscap
was a traditional paper size (most They did say we could bring
commonly 216 x 343 mm) used in our pets to work!
Europe and the Commonwealth
before the adoption of the PATRICIA LORD
international standard of A4 paper.
In North America, foolscap is lined, Job well done. We have devoured
legal-size paper. In South American the competition.
countries, it is called oficio because
it was used for official documents. SATISH NAIR

SYED RIFAQUAT ALI Congratulations to this month’s
winner, Patricia Lord.
WIN A PILOT CAPLESS
FOUNTAIN PEN WIN!

The best letter each month CAPTION CONTEST
will win a Pilot Capless
Fountain Pen, valued at over Come up with the funniest caption
$200. The Capless is the for the above photo and you could win
perfect combination of luxury
and ingenious technology, $100. To enter, email
featuring a one-of-a-kind [email protected]
retractable fountain pen nib,
durable metal body, beautiful or see details on page 8.
rhodium accents and a 14K
gold nib. Congratulations to this
month’s winner, Nelly Oh.

readersdigest.com.au 7

READER’S DIGEST

Revisiting Japan

Rosalind Ho’s ‘A Life Immersed’ READER’S DIGEST SHOP

(My Story, June) was the first article For quality products, book sales and
more, call 1300 300 030 or head to
I read when I opened the latest Readersdigest.com.au/shop

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a cup of freshly brewed matcha tea R E A D ER S D I G E S TAU S T R A L I A

in the comfort of my living room Anecdotes and Jokes $50–$100

and reading about her experiences Send in your real-life laugh for Life’s Like That
or All in a Day’s Work. Got a joke? Send it in for
reminded me of my own, and Laughter Is the Best Medicine!

I was transported back to the Smart Animals Up to $100

times I visited Japan. Share antics of unique pets or wildlife
in up to 300 words.
I have fond memories of the onsen
Reminisce Up to $150
bath I took on a freezing evening in
Share tales of generosity or an event from your
Hokkaido and the many new things past that made a huge impact in 100–500 words.

I learnt in Japan. NELLY OH My Story $400

Soothing Sounds Got an inspiring or life-changing tale?
Submissions must be true, original, unpublished
I can’t imagine life without music and 800–1000 words.
(‘The Healing Power of Music’, June).
It has always been there when I have Letters to the Editor
needed it the most and is the best and Reader Submissions
medicine of all. MICHAEL WOUTERS
Online Follow the ‘Contribute’ link at
Timely Advice on Epilepsy readersdigest.com.au
Email [email protected]
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has three to four epileptic seizures Letters: We may edit letters and use them in all print
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READER’S DIGEST

NEWS WORTH SHARING

Stowaway Tabby Cat Receives
the Goodwill of Strangers

Tabby cat P-Puss used up at ready to head home yet. Half an hour ILLUSTRATION: GETTY IMAGES
least one life when she set off later, Georgia was informed that P-Puss
on a 2500-kilometre adventure had escaped from the container and
around Queensland in June this year. was loose in the Brisbane depot.
P-Puss, who loves to climb into open
cars, jumped into a removal truck While Georgia was in panic mode,
being packed to move neighbours P-Puss was busy tripping motion
to Brisbane – 1200 kilometres away sensors and setting off warehouse
from her Longreach home. Her owner, alarms. When this continued into a
Georgia Whip, thought it strange that second night, security staff took on the
P-Puss didn’t come in on that cold mission of catching her. A few hours
Friday evening but when she missed of cat and mouse ensued with the
breakfast the next morning, her tabby finally tempted out with a can of
suspicions grew. tuna. President of Central Queensland
Animal Society Loz Batley arranged
Although the removalists initially P-Puss’s passage to Emerald through
said that there was no sign of the cat a network of animal lovers, where she
in their load, Georgia received a call on was then passed on to a friend for the
Sunday afternoon to say that P-Puss last leg along the Capricorn Highway –
had been found. But the tabby was not and home to a grateful Georgia.

COMPILED BY VICTORIA POLZOT

10 august 2020

News Worth Sharing

Covid-19 Lockdowns Lower
Global Carbon Emissions

A prediction January and April Quéré, a
by the WMO 2020, compared professor of
(World with 2019 daily climate change
Meteorological averages, to levels science at the
Organisation) that last observed in University of East
global carbon 2006. It’s a drop Anglia in the UK.
emissions would that scientists
fall by up to six believe could Fewer cars
per cent because be the largest in on the road and
of Covid-19 may recorded history. drastic changes
have been grossly to air travel and
underestimated. “Globally, we industrial activity
haven’t seen a are behind the
A global study drop this big ever, decline, but
of 69 countries and at the yearly whether these
found daily level, you would changes last
emissions had have to go back to depends on
declined by an World War II,” said how the world
estimated 17 per the study’s lead responds when the
cent between author Corinne Le pandemic ends.

Being Audacious Can Make the World a Better Place

A udacious, a free programme More than 50 per cent of
run by New Zealand’s Startup Audacious projects are focused on
Dunedin, builds entrepreneurial sustainability or mental wellbeing.

skills and confidence in students at The programme, which has run for

PHOTOS: ARTHUR HON, GETTY IMAGES the University of Otago and Otago ten years, is behind businesses such

Polytechnic so that their enterprising as Globelet, which supplies ongoing

ideas can be made a reality. reusable products for stadiums

around Australia and New Zealand.

One aspiring entrepreneur is

researching how to turn discarded

shoes into high-end leather belts

and wallets, while two others are

developing an online resource so

that teachers can share their lesson

plans with those outside their

immediate circles.

readersdigest.com.au 11

MY STORY

Elephant heading off for a mildly adventurous PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES
Perspective trek. Being animal lovers, we
enjoyed spending time with these
Revisiting these magnificent regal and gentle giants. 
beasts was deeply cathartic
The mahouts (elephant trainers)
BY JJ Rose lived in a dingy and basic camp, but
all were friendly, and the elephants
Back in 2008, my wife, four- didn’t seem unhappy. 
year-old daughter and I
signed up for an elephant We’d convinced ourselves that
riding experience near the elephants barely felt the sharp
Luang Prabang in Laos. hook the mahouts occasionally
We met our living transports in a dug into their skulls as we rode.
jungle camp. We fed the elephants The elephants looked thin, but we
bananas before saddling up and thought it was just because of the
season, or that they were exercised a
lot and were really fit. 

As a journalist, I had cause to do
more research on these beautiful
creatures after our trip and I

12 august 2020

My Story

discovered things that made me about the tourist elephants of Luang
uneasy about our tourist experience. Prabang for many years.  
What we didn’t know was that those
elephants were probably unhappy, In 2019, however, I went back
hungry, and probably abused. to Luang Prabang, determined
to investigate the treatment of
I felt angry and ashamed that elephants in the tourism sector
we had played a part in this and to see if things had improved.
horrible theatre of mistreatment I assumed things would be the
and I became determined to do same, but to my delight it appeared
something about it.  things had changed for the better.
Eleven years earlier, there were
I learned that Asian elephants can signs along Sisavangvong Road
grow up to six metres in length and – Luang Prabang’s main tourist strip
weigh up to 5000 kilograms. In the – inviting visitors to ride elephants.
wild, they live up to 70 years. They Now many were touting ‘no ride’
are highly evolved social animals policies and promoting sustainable
and often live in herds of between experiences. It seemed that the
20 and 100 females and juveniles; sector had actually made progress –
males tend to live alone or in at least at shopfront level. 
loose male groups when mature. A
mature elephant will walk up to ten I had come across a report by
kilometres every day foraging for the an animal rights group which
150 to 300 kilograms of food it needs. identified the most humane
In any single day, elephants are on elephant tourism operators. One
the move as much as 18 hours and was in Luang Prabang, so I tracked
generally only sleep a few hours.  it down and signed on for the next
available elephant experience. 
Such needs are difficult for many
tourism operators to meet. Instead, This operator looks after eight
elephants are kept in small pens or adult elephants and one juvenile
otherwise fenced in, denied proper at a property just outside the
social interaction, fed poor and Ban Xieng Lom village. Their
inadequate amounts of food, and charges consume most of their
are deprived exercise. food roaming freely in the wild
and their diets are supplemented
As life and family took over, my (about one-third of the total
indignation dissipated and I forgot daily intake) by a variety of local
produce, ‘treats’ like pineapples
JJ Rose has worked around the world in and banana trees. Restrictive
areas of social justice and human rights chains are banned during the day,
for almost three decades. He believes all but the elephants are apparently
species deserve rights and respect.

readersdigest.com.au 13

READER’S DIGEST

sometimes chained at night for stomped on the trees, twisted
‘health’ or ‘welfare’ reasons. them with their trunks and
crunched on them – all the while
The day of my elephant experience eyeing us intently.
it was raining heavily. We drove for
about an hour – sloshing on muddy We went looking for others in
roads, through thatched villages with the herd, while the two elephants
jungle crushing in from all sides – to we’d just fed plodded alongside us,
get to our destination. At the camp, walking through walls of rain and
we stepped gingerly into motorised on tracks of red, slippery earth.
river rafts and crossed a seething, Eventually, the humans in the group
brown river to get to the elephant were turned back by the elements –
feeding area. The animals aren’t a raging, uncrossable stream. 
rounded up for voyeuristic
tourists – they come by choice. I loved the fact that the elephants
Unlucky visitors might not see any were in control here. We had to go
elephants or may have to walk some to them and, only if they chose, they
distance to find one. A few generally came to us. It struck me this is how
show up, however, to enjoy the juicy a wildlife experience should be. It
delights on offer. should be up to us to make the effort
and to work around creatures in
Despite the horrible weather, two their natural habitat. 
faithful grey beasts turned up to
check us out and have a feed. There While not all tour operators have
weren’t any chains in sight, or any such high standards, it is obvious
restraint on the animals’ movement, that the last decade has brought
other than the gentle nudging and significant improvements across
grunts of their mahouts.  the tourism sector – in the lives of
elephants at least. 
We were forewarned about
elephant etiquette and behaviour, Having the opportunity to revisit
such as never approaching what had become an emotional
an elephant from the rear, or trigger point for me and to redress
recognising that gently flapping something I denied thinking
ears is a sign of them being happy about was deeply cathartic. For
and relaxed, while ears out and still me, it brought an uncomfortable
is quite the opposite. experience full circle. These
beautiful animals deserve no less.
We were allowed to mingle as the
elephants munched through what Do you have a tale to tell? We’ll pay
looked like whole banana trees as cash for any original and unpublished
thick as fence posts. To make the story we print. See page 8 for details
food manageable, the elephants on how to contribute.

14 august 2020

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READER’S DIGEST

SMART ANIMALS

These clever critters know when it’s time to arrive – and leave

Echidna Escape I took the bundle, carefully ILLUSTRATIONS: GETTY IMAGES
unwrapped him and, to my relief,
ANNE MARR saw that all four legs were intact.
There was blood streaming from
One Saturday evening, there was a his nose. A few hours later, I arrived
knock at my door. My friend Jacqui home from the local vet, armed
was standing there holding a blood- with a small oxygen tank and mask
stained towel wrapped around attached to the echidna’s nose, who
something. “I saw him being hit by was nestled inside a cage.
a car and roll to the side of the road,”
she said. “It’s an echidna, he may The next morning, I removed the
have lost a leg.” oxygen mask. He seemed alert and
his condition was much improved.
Birds are my usual specialty. I Luckily, we had an empty aviary in
know a lot about the local native the garden, and inside it was a large
varieties that live around the
caravan park I manage. The Parks You could earn cash by telling us
and Wildlife officers and tourists about the antics of unique pets or
often drop off injured birds to me to wildlife. Turn to page 8 for details
nurture back to health, but I’d never on how to contribute.
handled an echidna, a mammal also
known as a spiny anteater.

16 august 2020

Smart Animals

bath. I figured the bath was the best door while eating my muesli. As I
place to keep him. I placed lots of was finishing my second spoonful,
leaf litter in the bottom of the bath a magpie walked onto my patio.
for him to dig and bury himself in, as I coughed, which caught the
well as worms, grubs, slater beetles magpie’s attention. He turned
and a shallow dish of water. towards me, cocking his head
from side to side. “Good morning,
When I checked on him the next magpie,” I said.
day, all the leaf litter was piled up
at one end of the bath and a large It walked to my open door
hole had been dug along the side of and stopped at the entrance,
the aviary. There was no echidna. cocking its head as it looked up
I eventually found him attempting towards me. After a short time,
an escape under our front gate. He it curiously entered the room,
was obviously ready to go home, so stopping to briefly examine each
Jacqui and I drove to the spot where item as it walked past.
she’d found him and placed the cage
on the ground, and watched as he I returned to my breakfast,
happily waddled off. scooping a spoonful of muesli into
my mouth. Noticing my action, the
Surprise brazen bird flew up onto the table
Breakfast Guest and stood looking up at me and
my breakfast. Without warning, it
LAURENCE ROBERT picked out the largest raisin from
my bowl and then stared beadily
It was another humid start to a at me. Are you laughing at me or
mid-January day in Brisbane. I thanking me? I wondered, before
was at home sitting at my kitchen letting out an amused “Hey!”
table surveying my few surviving
pot plants through the open front Startled, the magpie jumped
to the floor with the raisin held
firmly in its beak and hopped out
the front door, before flapping its
wings and flying away.

brought to you by

www.houseofpets.com.au

readersdigest.com.au 17

READER’S DIGEST

PETS

Find Your Perfect Match

Consider your lifestyle and needs when choosing a pet

BY Dr Katrina Warren

VETERINARIAN DR KATRINA WARREN shares her
advice about selecting the most appropriate pet.

Our regular pet DOGS AND CATS Both are undoubtably the most
columnist,
Dr Katrina Warren, popular pets and come in a wide choice of pure and
is an established cross breeds. There is an enormous array of sizes,
and trusted animal energy levels, coat types and personalities. While
expert. the characteristics of many purebred animals can be
reasonably predicted, all dogs and cats are individuals,
so their behaviour can vary greatly. These factors mean
it is important to choose carefully, thinking about your
lifestyle and needs, now and into the future.

MIX OF PEOPLE AND PETS Consider whether you

have children or elderly people in your home. Young
children should always be supervised around dogs.
Large and boisterous dogs generally don’t tend to mix
well with young children and the elderly, as the dogs
have the potential to knock them over.

SPACE You must be certain you are permitted to keep PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

a pet where you live, as some apartments do not allow
dogs and cats. You need adequate space to keep a dog.
While they can be kept primarily indoors, you need to
be realistic, and choose an appropriate breed and plan
how you will manage them. You must also be able to

18 august 2020

Pets

keep a dog secure to prevent
them from roaming. In some
areas, this also applies to cats.
If you plan to keep a dog or
cat indoors, it’s a good idea
to select a breed or an
individual that’s calm and
not very active.

EXERCISE Think carefully

about how much daily Indoor rabbits are very sociable and can
exercise you can provide a be trained to use a litter box

dog and choose accordingly.

clipping, which is an additional

GROOMING AND FEEDING Coat expense to consider. Keep in mind

length is particularly important as that larger dogs consume more food,

this will affect the impact of shedding so are more expensive to maintain.

in your home and determine how

much grooming you will have to HOME ALONE Dogs and cats are

do. Cats are naturally exceptionally social animals and need company.

clean, but longer coated breeds are Dogs that are left outside on their

likely to require daily grooming, own all the time are more likely

so you need to allow time for that to become bored and a nuisance.

activity. Likewise, medium- to long- If you’re not going to be able to

coated dogs can require frequent spend time with your dog or cat,

brushing. Some dog breeds are non- you should consider an alternative

shedding, but require professional pet, or perhaps no pet at all.

DR KATRINA’S TIPS FOR OTHER PETS

Fish, birds and consistent care live for up to 50 years
other small pets such as and attention. or more.
mice, rats, rabbits and
reptiles are popular Some species have Children can learn a
and can be kept in specific care needs, great deal by caring for
smaller spaces. require licences and are pets, but the care and
better suited to ongoing maintenance
All pets, no matter enthusiasts. Some should always be
how small, need reptiles and birds can supervised by an adult.

readersdigest.com.au 19

READER’S DIGEST

HEALTH

In
Cold
Blood

Why do some people
always have chilly hands,
even when it’s warm?

by Vanessa Milne

I t’s one thing to have cold fat and muscle to insulate them ILLUSTRATION: GETTY IMAGES
hands on a winter’s day, but from cold temperatures. For some
it’s another thing to feel cold people, lifestyle changes can help:
throughout the year. Many avoiding nicotine and caffeine,
people get cold hands year- which constrict your blood vessels,
round due to a number of causes, and getting regular exercise to
from genetics – the tendency runs in improve circulation.
families – to chronic illnesses.
If your hands are regularly cold or
Common benign reasons people numb, however, it’s a good idea to
might experience this discomfort see a doctor to rule out more serious
include being elderly, so are more causes. Cold hands are one of the
likely to have a slower metabolism, symptoms of both anaemia and
and being thin or underweight, and hypothyroidism. Diabetes, which
therefore may lack adequate body reduces blood circulation, can also

20 august 2020

Health

trigger it. And if your heart is weak conditioned spaces in the summer

from heart disease, your body may or even just grabbing a bag of frozen

prioritise sending blood to your vegetables at the supermarket.

core over your limbs. Raynaud’s is more common in

For many others, cold hands are women, and it most often develops

a sign they have a largely harmless before the age of 30. In fact, if you

condition called Raynaud’s disease. develop Raynaud’s when you’re

When any of us goes out in the cold, older, usually after 40, it can be a

our bodies activate the muscles sign of another underlying issue.

in our smallest blood vessels, That could be a smaller problem

which make them even smaller – a – a previous incident of frostbite,

survival mechanism the onset of carpal

to keep blood, ONLY TEN PER tunnel syndrome
and thus warmer CENT OF PEOPLE or a side effect
temperatures, in from drugs such
our core. For people
WITH RAYNAUD’S as beta blockers
with Raynaud’s, or some migraine
this reaction is too DISEASE SEEK medications – or
strong, and instead TREATMENT a sign of a more

of just a bit less blood serious autoimmune

going to their fingers, condition, like lupus.

far too little gets there. A rare, more severe form of

Named after Maurice Raynaud, Raynaud’s affects less than one in

the French doctor who first 1000 people. In these cases, blood

discovered the condition in the can become completely blocked,

mid-1800s, Raynaud’s disease causing sores on the hands. If they

is surprisingly common. go untreated, it can lead to gangrene

Cardiologist Dr John Osborne says and, very rarely, amputation.

it affects between four and 20 per Thankfully, there are effective

cent of all people. medications for these cases that

One notable characteristic of the help increase blood flow – including

disease is fingers changing colour. losartan, usually used for high

“They call it the French flag,” says blood pressure, and sildenafil, often

Osborne. “The fingers turn white prescribed for erectile dysfunction.

because there’s no blood flow, then For the majority of people

blue due to lack of oxygen and then living with Raynaud’s, however,

red as the blood comes back into medication won’t be necessary. “For

the fingers.” The onset of symptoms them, it’ll be more annoying than

can be cold winter air, overly air- anything else,” says Dr Osborne.

readersdigest.com.au 21

READER’S DIGEST

HEALTH A t your local supermarket, PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES
you’ll see activated
Is Activated charcoal in cleansers,
Charcoal deodorants and even
Good toothpaste. Activated charcoal is
for You? created by burning carbon-rich
materials such as wood, peat,
The substance is coconut shells and olive pits,
showing up in toothpaste, and transforming them into a
concentrated black substance.
cleansers, deodorants Then the charcoal is ‘activated’ by
and even our food steaming it at high temperatures,
which opens up its carbon structure
BY Rebecca Philps and makes it porous, which allows
the binding of gunk like dirt and oil
22 august 2020 on its surface.

Here’s the thing: despite anecdotal
reports of clear, glowing skin from
nutritionists, personal trainers
and celebrities, there simply hasn’t
been any substantive research to
investigate the claims.

Likewise, there is no solid evidence
showing that using charcoal products
for oral health will make your breath
fresher or teeth whiter – in fact, they
may be damaging to tooth enamel.

Activated charcoal is also being
used by restaurants to turn ice
cream, pizza crusts, ramen broth,
juices and other things deep black.
But before you shell out extra cash,
remember that you’re paying for the
look – there’s no scientific evidence
for the ‘detox’ action it promises.

“It’s not going to hurt you,” says
dietician Abby Langer, “but it’s not
going to have the effect you might
think, so what’s the point?”

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READER’S DIGEST

News From the

WORLD OF MEDICINE

UNWILLINGNESS TO TRY NEW nausea or diarrhoea, according to PHOTO: ADAM VOORHES
FOODS LINKED TO RISKS There Dr Christopher Bland, a researcher
at the University of Georgia. In other
is a scientific term for a reluctance cases, patients who had an allergy
to try food you haven’t encountered once – such as a rash, hives, swelling
before: ‘food neophobia.’ A study in the throat or even anaphylaxis –
from Finland and Estonia associated grew out of it. “Five years after the
this behavioural trait with lower event, 50 per cent of people will
quality diets, which may explain why no longer have a reaction,” says
it was also linked to an increased Dr Bland. “After ten years the number
risk of type 2 diabetes and more goes up to 80 per cent.” A skin test
inflammatory biomarkers in the can indicate whether you still have
blood. To add more variety to your a penicillin allergy: positive tests
diet, you need to be persistent. “An result in an itchy red bump.
individual may need to try new
food ten to 15 times before getting HOW TO SHIFT YOUR BODY
accustomed to it,” says co-author CLOCK AHEAD ‘Night owls’ taking
and dietitian Heikiki Sarin.
part in a trial were able to adjust
PENICILLIN ALLERGIES CAN BE their cycles by an average of two
OUTGROWN Nearly 90 per cent of hours within three weeks. Each day,
they got up earlier than usual, had
patients with self-reported penicillin breakfast soon afterwards, took in
allergies have been found not to as much morning outdoor light as
be allergic upon formal testing. possible, ate lunch at a set time,
According to several studies, many avoided caffeine and napping, ate
patients with a penicillin allergy dinner before 7pm, and went to bed
documented in their medical records
were found not to have a true early. The tweaked routine
allergy. The assumptions saw them performing
were often based better and feeling
on non-allergic less sleepy, less
side effects of stressed and
antibiotics, such as less depressed.

24 august 2020

ONLINE

FIND THESE UNIQUE READS AT

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FOOD

13 fruit and vegies

you shouldn’t peel

Plus nine you should. Food
experts share what fruit and
vegetables have edible peels.

CULTURE

A body language
expert weighs in on

11 iconic photos

Think you know what’s going

on in some famous photos?

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26 august 2020

INSPIRATION

MY

YEAR
How writing
365 notes of appreciation
reconnected me to what’s
important in my life

BY Gina Hamadey
PHOTOGRAPHS BY Andrew Hetherington

readersdigest.com.au 27

READER’S DIGEST

January 2018, I was commuting to work
by train each day. I have two small
children and a busy consulting business,
so a quiet train ride felt like a mini
break. Yet I found myself spending that precious time
slack-jawed, scrolling through my social media feeds.

One day, I put down my phone and I recalled when our 14-year-old HAND LETTERING BY MARIA AMADOR
started writing thank-you notes to babysitter dropped off a bag of old
people who had contributed to a board games for our kids.
fundraiser I had organised.
Writing the notes wasn’t all that
When I got off the train that day, I time-consuming: each was two or
was in a noticeably better mood. The three sentences long, taking just a
next day, I wrote more thank yous – few minutes to compose. I focused
and felt the same afterglow. When I on the person I was writing to and
finished writing the notes, I count- what I wanted to say, and the words
ed them up. There were 31 – one for came fairly easily. I quickly learned
every day of the year so far. Some- I couldn’t do it while listening to a
thing clicked. What if I kept it up? podcast or toggling between articles.
That focus felt refreshing. It was good
I decided to write one thank-you for my brain, which had been trained
note for every day of that year. I had to wander, alighting on this feed or
no shortage of people I was grateful that email, darting from app to app.
for. So I picked out a different theme It felt meditative to look at a blank
for each month to keep on task. Jan- white space with a pen in my hand,
uary was charity – and, thankfully, thinking about a person and the way
I had already completed that goal. he or she had helped me.

February would be dedicat- While writing the notes, I eventu-
ed to neighbours, I decided, and ally realised why this task was the
I thought of a dozen names right perfect antidote to my social feeds.
away. I remembered the time when What was I actually doing when I
the owners of our local bookshop scrolled through Facebook? Too
let me and my five-year-old son, often, I was spiralling into rage. Writ-
Henry, in before the shop opened ing thank-you notes was time spent
and offered to play his favourite on something purely positive. What
soundtrack, which is Mary Poppins.

28 august 2020

My Thank-You Year

other neighbours did

something nice for me.

And funny enough, I

started noticing kind-

nesses that were hap-

pening in real time.

There was the driver

who waited for me as I

bolted down the street

to catch his shuttle

bus. There was the

cashier at the super-

market who chased me

with a bag of groceries

I’d left behind.

On the day I de-

livered that card to

the supermarket, my

mother-in-law, Louise,

dropped off a week’s

worth of dinners. OK,

I thought, Louise is not

technically a neigh-

bour. But if I was going

to thank a cashier for

three minutes of his

I wrote each note by hand, with a pen, never on a time, I needed to ac-
computer, and mailed or hand-delivered them all knowledge Louise for
hours of hers.

was I doing when I scrolled through It was important for these months

Instagram? More often than not, I to be flexible, I decided. I would use

was admiring other people’s lives each month’s theme as a starting

– their beach holidays, their chub- point, but I’d also watch for anyone

by babies, their organised kitchens. going above and beyond, regardless

Writing thank-you notes was an act of of whether he or she fitted into the

noticing and honouring my own life. monthly theme.

After handing the first batch of So in the ensuing months, as I

notes to my neighbours, I spent a few wrote to friends, doctors, career men-

days trying to remember times when tors and parenting role models, I also

readersdigest.com.au 29

READER’S DIGEST

dashed off missives to my husband, Dear Julie,
Jake, as well as my siblings, in-laws, I’ve been finding myself missing
and parents. And I found that doing Little Giant lately, as if it were a
so changed the fundamental dynam- person. Thank you for creating
ics of these relationships in small but such a warm and special place,
impactful ways. I was smoothing out and for hosting me and cooking
any prickly bumps and buffing them beautiful and thoughtful food.
to a new shine. It is a powerful thing, The Little Giant menu has
I learned, to fully appreciate and feel informed my cooking – I am
fully appreciated by the people closest always trying to recreate some
to you. of that magic. Jake and I will never
forget when you sent out biscuits
By the time I got to July, my ‘food’ shaped into the Roman numeral
month, I had become adept at retriev- VI for our sixth anniversary.
ing memories and identifying people We talk about it every year.
to thank. Among that month’s recipi- Thank you. We miss Little
ents was a chef, Julie, who had cooked Giant and you.
at my favourite but now defunct res- Love, Gina
taurant. Here’s what I wrote to her:

◆ Don’t bother to buy ◆ Do speak from the heart.
expensive cards. ◆ Do clear away distractions.

◆ Don’t make a preliminary Turn off the TV and your
outline – it’s fussy and phone while you’re writing.
takes too long. ◆ Don’t fret about your messy
handwriting, and if you make
◆ Do spend a minute or two an error, just cross it out.
focusing on the recipient ◆ Don’t expect a response
before you start writing. – but enjoy a grateful surprise
when you receive one.
◆ Don’t worry about crafting
poetic or perfect sentences.

30 august 2020

My Thank-You Year

I was delighted to receive a note reconnecting with people like Julie
back from her. Julie replied, “I don’t – people on the periphery of my life
think I’ve ever received such a touch- who nevertheless made a lasting im-
ing letter before. Out of the blue and pact. And here’s another huge bonus:
incredibly thoughtful. And so needed I was reminded to acknowledge peo-
at a time when I’m struggling profes- ple in the moment, too – to smile or
sionally. Your letter was a fabulous say hello, or thanks, or “Here, let me
reminder that looking back is a good help you with that”.
motivator for moving forward.”
I admit, I fell behind more than
I COMPLETED MY GOAL once during the year. But I completed
WITH HOURS TO my goal with hours to spare – writing
my last card, which was to Jake, on
SPARE, WRITING TO December 31. That night, we hosted a
JAKE ON DECEMBER 31 big New Year’s Eve dinner, and I
looked around at my guests. There
It was one of many responses was Alonso from Berlin, whom I’d
throughout the year that said some- written to in my ‘travel’ month. There
thing along the lines of, “I’m going were Nick and Ro, in from out of town,
through a tough time right now, and who’d received cards in my ‘friends’
this helped.” It turns out a lot of peo- and ‘career mentors’ months. There
ple are going through something a was Mollie, who racked up notes as a
lot of the time. And I wouldn’t have mentor, friend and neighbour. There
known if I hadn’t reached out. was Jake, of course. Henry had fallen
asleep on the couch; his brother,
Part of the magic of what I am Charlie, was upstairs in bed. I snapped
calling my Thank-You Year was a picture of the scene so I could re-
member the feeling welling up inside
me. Gratitude.

Marriage Lines

The longest union in history is believed to be 90 years: Karam and
Kartari Chand of Bradford, England, were married in India in 1925

and were together until Karam’s death in 2016. WWW.BBC.COM

Whoever came up with the idea of combining diamonds with
marriage must have been pretty smart. What better way to
symbolise marriage than the hardest thing known to mankind?

MARK DUGAN, COMEDIAN

readersdigest.com.au 31

HEALTH

NREoQPUilIlRsED

How physiotherapy
can relieve the pain of
some conditions – and
even prevent surgeries

BY Susan Catto

32 august 2020

readersdigest.com.au 33

READER’S DIGEST

IT WAS THE PROSPECT OF BEING FORCED

to give up cooking that made me try physiotherapy. My
hands and wrists had ached ever since I’d binged on note-
taking by hand and on my computer at university. I could
still use a computer, but I had given up opening jars, my
handwriting efforts had dwindled, and even chopping a
single clove of garlic left my forearms throbbing with pain.

My doctor gave me a blood test to I realised that physiotherapy can PHOTO (PREVIOUS SPREAD): PEOPLEIMAGES /GETTY IMAGES
rule out rheumatoid arthritis, but she even treat long-term problems, and
had no idea what to do next. My hus- that I wasn’t looking at months and
band, Andrew, had been urging me months of expensive treatment. In
for years to try physiotherapy – he my case, and in many others, ap-
had used it to recover from tennis-re- pointments taper off rapidly once the
lated injuries – but I assumed I had problem is identified and at-home ex-
the kind of permanent damage that ercises begin.
only painkillers or surgery could ad-
dress. Still, I finally made an appoint- Most people are familiar with
ment with a physiotherapist. physiotherapy’s role in recover y
from accidents, treatment of sports
The results are hard to exaggerate. injuries and stroke rehabilitation.
I left that first session with a diagno- But in recent years, the science of
sis of tendonitis and instructions for evaluating and treating issues relat-
three stretches. The exercises were ed to physical function and move-
easy – in one, I simply touched my ment has started to play a new role in
fingers to a wall and then lowered health care. And it can prevent some
my palm to the wall ten times – but unnecessary surgeries.
they relieved so much muscular
tension that I looked forward to my Here are some of the ways that
thrice-daily ritual. In weekly ses- physiotherapy treats a variety of
sions at the clinic, my physiothera- conditions and diseases.
pist stretched my shortened muscles
and added strengthening exercises HELPS BAD KNEES
to curtail future problems. I experi-
enced some pain relief within days In 2009, The New England Journal of
and a near-total return to normal Medicine published the results of a
after just two months. landmark study. A randomised, con-
trolled trial by Canadian researchers
showed that physiotherapy combined

34 august 2020

Advances in physiotherapy and rehabilitation are assisting a broader range of patients

PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO with medication was just as effective at “looking at the whole picture”, says
as arthroscopic surgery in treating Dr Litchfield.
osteoarthritic knees. “Many arthrit-
ic joints are helped by work on flex- LESSENS CHRONIC PAIN
ibility and strength,” says orthopae-
dic surgeon and study co-author Dr Depending on the cause, a pro-
Robert Litchfield. Physiotherapists gramme of physiotherapy can ease
can often remove the source of the chronic pain by strengthening the
knee pain by identifying a cause muscles that surround painful joints
such as muscle tightness around the or muscles. A Danish study of wom-
knee and treating it with exercises or en with osteoporosis whose chronic
stretching. pain was linked to spinal compres-
sion fractures found that patients
“We’ll do a biomechanical assess- used significantly less pain medica-
ment looking at everything from tion and reported improved quality
muscle tightness to weakness to how of life after just ten weeks of a phys-
joints move,” explains physiother- iotherapy programme designed to
apist Greg Alcock. “Based on that, improve balance and stabilise the
we’ll prescribe a course of action lumbar spine.
that may include exercise to calm an
inflamed joint or muscle or address COMBATS BACK PAIN
the factors contributing to the prob-
lem.” Physiotherapists are very good Problems such as poor posture, mus-
cle strain or arthritis can cause back

readersdigest.com.au 35

Physiotherapists may provide hands-on help, but patients need to follow up
by doing strengthening exercises and stretches at home

pain. Treatment will depend on the RELIEVES PELVIC PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO
source of the problem, but some FLOOR DISORDERS
common principles apply. Paul Van-
Wiechen, director of exercise phys- One fast-growing area of practice
iology at the Cleveland Clinic Can- uses physiotherapy techniques to
ada, advises a three-fold approach: address pelvic floor disorders, which
weight management to reduce stress can occur when pelvic muscles
on joints, muscle strengthening to tighten, shorten or fall into spasm
improve mobility and reduce re- after pregnancy, childbirth or ab-
currence, and ‘re-patterning’ of dominal surgery.
muscles.
Dysfunctions can manifest in con-
That involves changing the co- ditions such as painful intercourse,
ordination of all the muscles in a urinary or bowel incontinence, or
particular area, usually through a general abdominal or groin pain.
series of dynamic exercises. “There Physiotherapists can use a massage
are about two dozen muscles in and technique called ‘trigger point re-
around the lower back that really lease’ directly on the affected pelvic
matter,” he explains. “Strengthening floor muscle to relieve the spasm.
two or three muscles doesn’t have as Many also run integrated practices
much of an effect as teaching all 24 that include core-strengthening ex-
how to work together.” ercises and relaxation techniques
through, for example, Pilates.

36 august 2020

No Pills Required

PROVIDES EASIER retraining. The results showed that
BREATHING the breathing therapy, even when de-
livered to the patient via self-guided
That whole-picture approach doesn’t digital programs rather than in per-
stop with our joints and muscles. son, was successful.
Physiotherapy also addresses condi-
tions in the autonomic nervous sys- But you do have to do your part if
tem – the involuntary muscles and physiotherapy is to be successful.
nerves that control our organs. Stretches and strengthening exercis-
es done at home are crucial to treat-
Patients with asthma or sleep ap- ing most problems. That’s where
noea, for example, can be treated by physiotherapy can lose adherents.
cardiovascular physiotherapists, who “A lot of my clients want to be fixed
may use breathing control exercises yesterday – they don’t want to put a
– a simple one might be blowing up a lot of effort into it,” says physiother-
balloon – or focus on improving the apist Karen Orlando.
mobility of chest and neck muscles
through stretching and strength- It takes time and effort to stretch
ening programmes. In a study pub- or retrain muscles that have a long-
lished in The Lancet in 2018, re- established bad habit. But doing so
searchers in the UK had 655 asthma can prevent a recurrence of the injury.
sufferers, aged 16 to 70, participate
in a randomised, controlled trial for I know that in my case, whenever I
one year. They wanted to learn if the was tempted to skip my exercises, I’d
subjects’ quality of life would im- remember there was a good chance
prove with physiotherapy breathing they could be what I needed to help
prevent riskier interventions.

Inspirational Creatures

We think of country names as coming from – well, where do
they come from? Other than Iceland. That one is easy. It turns out

that the names of some countries were inspired by animals.
A few examples:

ALBANIA: Land of the Eagle

BHUTAN: Land of the Thunder Dragon

CAMEROON: River of Prawns

SINGAPORE: The Lion City

DIGG.COM

readersdigest.com.au 37

DRAMA IN REAL LIFE

NATURE’S PHOTOS: COURTESY HORNSBY SHIRE COUNCIL
DEADLY

VENOM

With a long weekend fast
approaching, and a camping
trip to pack for, one false move
almost cost Adrian Main more

than just his holiday

BY Diane Godley

38 august 2020

Tall eucalypt forests and
bushland north of Sydney are

home to a variety of fauna

readersdigest.com.au 39

READER’S DIGEST

or the Thursday before an Easter long
weekend in 2016, it was unseasonally hot.
By mid-afternoon the sun was beating
down and the clear blue skies showed no
signs of the forecast rain. Adrian Main
was doing what he loved, working outside
in the rugged bushland that surrounds

F the leafy suburbs on the northern
outskirts of Sydney.
Guided by a love of mountain bike was small, and just needed a light
riding, Adrian founded Synergy dig to get beneath the shallow soil
Trails, a construction company spe- and leaf litter. So he used his hands
cialising in installing narrow, wind- instead.
ing, dirt bike trails in bushland for
weekend and competition riders. It But just as his fingers slid under
was dusty, dirty work at times, but the pile of leaf litter, he felt a sharp
with the trees providing a canopy of deep pain in his left hand. He quick-
shade and only the noise of his team ly lifted out his hand to see a spider
and the local birds nearby, there wrapped around his left index finger.
wasn’t any place he’d rather be. The five-centimetre-long glossy black
creature had its fangs firmly embed-
Over the years, the 40-year-old ded, piercing through to his knuckle.
sub-floor carpenter had encountered The pain felt as if a nail was being
many local fauna hazards while dig- hammered into his finger.
ging around in soil, including ven-
omous arachnids and snakes, but But that wasn’t the worst of it. He
he knew how to identify the mild knew straight away that the spider
from the wild ones. Adrian was also was a Sydney funnel-web (Atrax
trained in first aid, though he never robustus) and here he was with it
seriously thought he or anyone work- wrapped firmly around his finger.
ing for him would ever be bitten. Adrian frantically flicked his hand
up and down to remove the spider,
With the clock ticking down to- but it didn’t come off. He persisted,
wards the start of the four-day long shaking his hand even harder and,
weekend, Adrian had some light dig- after three or four seconds, it finally
ging left to do. His shovel was in his let go of its grip and dropped to the
vehicle, parked some 50 metres away. ground at Adrian’s feet.
He considered getting it, but the job
He looked down just in time to

40 august 2020

Nature’s Deadly Venom

quickly double-check the spider’s to get his boss to hospital as fast as

identity before it buried itself back he could.

under the leaf litter. It was a fully Adrian walked into the emergency

grown male Sydney funnel-web, the department with blood still stream-

deadliest spider in Australia. ing down his finger. He calmly told

After 15 years working in the bush, the triage nurse at reception that he’d

encountering different types of spiders been bitten by a funnel-web, and was

and snakes, Adrian never thought he’d quickly moved to a bed.

ever get bitten. But all it took was one He felt lightheaded and strange, as

brief moment when he was trying to if he was going to pass out at any min-

do a simple job quickly, and he be- ute, but he was coherent enough to

came a victim. talk with the nurses,

He called out to his who had hooked him

crew mate, Phil, who up to an array of mon-

was working close itors to start assessing

by. Phil dropped his his vital signs.

shovel and ran over. During summer,

The pair calmly the emergency care

walked to the four- unit (ECU) at the hos-

wheel-drive while pital treats patients

Adrian pinched with spider bites

down hard at the about once a week,

base of his knuckle but only rarely do

to slow the spread of patients have symp-

venom into his blood toms of envenoma-

stream. They both Funnel-webs dig funnel- tion, what we know
knew a bite like this shaped burrows, lined with as venom poisoning.
could cause death Still, they waited and
within an hour if left silk webbing watched.

untreated. “About ten minutes after arriving

Fortunately for Adrian, the trail at hospital, Adrian suddenly became

where they’d been working was only incoherent and couldn’t finish his

PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES a short distance from Hornsby Ku- sentences,” says Dr Clare Skinner,

ring-gai Hospital. Regardless, Phil director of emergency medicine at

raced through the off-road terrain, Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Hospital. Then

jostling them about inside the cab. his face and tongue started twitch-

Once they reached the suburban ing, he felt nauseous, and he started

streets, he mounted a footpath to sweating and drooling. Dr Skinner

take a shortcut onto the main road explained to Adrian that his system

readersdigest.com.au 41

READER’S DIGEST

was starting to react to the funnel-web welfare of their spiders, similar to

venom – the envenomation process how we might care for a pet dog or

was taking hold. It was time to give cat. They ensure the spiders are kept

him the first of two vials of antiven- in ideal conditions – moist, humid

om. If his symptoms and signs didn’t enclosures – and feed them crick-

improve, the emergency staff were ets and cockroaches, because their

ready with two more vials to repeat ultimate goal is to keep people safe

the procedure. from harm.

Funnel-webs’ natural habitats are

ABOUT AN HOUR north of Hornsby rainforests and wet sclerophyll for-

Ku-ring-gai Hospital is the Australian ests, but if your garden is shady and

Reptile Park (ARP) – well-vegetated, they

one of Sydney’s major are more than hap-

tourist attractions. But “AT NIGHT py to share it with
behind closed doors, AFTER RAIN, you. Funnel-webs
the staff at ARP are dig burrows, which

doing very important WHEN IT’S they line with their
work, a service that HUMID AND silk webbing in a
keeps individuals safe WET, THEY GO funnel shape – hence
from death’s door if their name – and

they find themselves, SEARCHING which can reach up
like Adrian, unlucky FOR FEMALES” to 60 centimetres
enough to be bitten in length. Numer-

by a male funnel-web ous thicker lines are

spider. anchored to nearby

Since the 1980s, the rocks and tree roots

ARP has been milking Sydney fun- and act as trip-lines, snaring any

nel-webs and sending the venom to unfortunate insect that happens to

BioCSL in Victoria, where the spiders’ stumble upon one.

poison is turned into antivenom.

Milking the spiders is not for the OF ALL THE FUNNEL-WEB SPECIES,

faint-hearted – many people go the Sydney funnel-web is the most

weak at the knees and scream at the aggressive and the only one that can

sight of a harmless huntsman spi- cause fatalities in humans. Each year

der crawling across their bedroom between 30-40 people are bitten by

walls, let alone a killing machine funnel-web spiders, which are found

like the Sydney funnel-web. along the east coast of New South

But the staff at ARP are not like Wales, mostly between Newcas-

most people. They care about the tle and Wollongong. After a total of

42 august 2020

Nature’s Deadly Venom

13 recorded deaths and years of re- The natural life expectancy of male

search, an antivenom for the Sydney funnel-web spiders is just four years,

funnel-web was finally developed and they don’t mature until they’re at

in 1981. If disturbed, a funnel-web least three, which gives ARP, the sole

spider will rear up in a defensive po- supplier of funnel-web venom in the

sition, raising its front legs, ready to world, between six and 12 months to

strike with its fangs. This is exactly extract the spiders’ venom. “We only

the reaction needed for venom to be milk mature male funnel-webs, be-

produced, and the stance required cause the male is six times more ven-

for ARP ‘milkers’ to extract the life- omous than females. And the antiven-

saving poison. om is made to combat male venom,”

“What we do is says Faulkner.

gently tickle the spi- It’s when the ma-

der with a pipette, ture males start

which is a glass cyl- looking to mate that

inder like a straw those of us living in

with a funnel on the right conditions

the end,” says Tim might be unlucky

Faulkner, general enough to come

manager and head of across one. “They’re

conservation at ARP. out at night after rain,

PHOTO: COURTESY GARY BROWN/AUSTR ALIAN REPTILE PARK “It rears up, and when it’s nice and

venom starts to build humid and wet and

up, producing a they go searching for

tiny droplet on each females. That’s when

fang,” he says. “At When funnel-webs rear up they turn up in your
that point you put the in defence, venom forms in pool, in your house,
funnel part of the pi- in your shoes, in
droplets from each fang

pette near the venom beach towels left out-

and it is sucked up.” side,” says Faulkner.

Spiders are milked once a week. And if an adult man needs at least

But to produce one vial of the fun- two vials of antivenom to reverse the

nel-web antivenom, such as the one effects of a bite, that’s a whole lot of

that Dr Skinner gave Adrian, a spider spiders that need to be milked. A few

needs to be milked between 50 to years ago, a young boy on the Central

100 times as each spider produces Coast, not far from where ARP is lo-

varying amounts. And this is where it cated, was bitten and needed 12 vials

gets complicated for Faulkner and his of antivenom.

team at ARP. This is why Faulkner is always

readersdigest.com.au 43

READER’S DIGEST

looking for volunteers liv- WHAT TO DO
ing between Newcastle and IF BITTEN
Wollongong to become col-
lectors of male funnel-webs First aid for a
for his milking programme. funnel-web
They don’t jump, as many bite is the same
people believe, nor do they as for a snake bite,
run particularly fast, and you need to apply a
according to Faulkner, they pressure-immobilisation
are easy to catch. “We rely bandage. Wrap the entire affected limb
on the community, the ben- firmly with a bandage and, if possible, restrict
eficiaries of the programme, movement by using a splint. For first-aid tips
to get spiders to us,” he says. on Australian venomous creatures, download
the Australian Bites & Stings app.

“We have tried over decades

to send out teams to collect

spiders.” But, unlike the female spi- nauseous and a little dozy, and it took

der, who spends her entire life un- another three weeks before his full

derground, the male spider wanders strength returned.

above ground and so his whereabouts So, wasn’t taking a camping holi-

is more unpredictable. day away from civilisation a bit risky?

Not for an outdoor type like Adri-

A F T E R B E I N G O B S E R V E D f o r an. “For me it wasn’t a big issue,”

24 hours, Adrian was discharged from Adrian admits. “But I did take notice

hospital and allowed to go home. The of where the closest hospital was.”

first thing he did was pack the car, so Since being bitten, Adrian does a

he and his family could set off on their couple of things differently. He always

Easter long weekend camping trip. Al- uses a shovel when digging, and he

though pain is usually the main ongo- and his team catch funnel-webs when-

ing symptom from funnel-web bites, ever they can and deliver them to the

Adrian refused pain killers because ARP. “That antivenom saved my life –

they don’t agree with him. Still, he felt and may save it again one day.”

Going Over the Limit

The world’s first speeding ticket was written in 1896 in the village
of Paddock Wood, England. The violator was caught driving
eight mph through a two-mph zone and fined ten shillings.

GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS

44 august 2020



READER’S DIGEST

LIFE’S LIKE THAT

Seeing the Funny Side

“I see my kids’ laundry” CARTOON: HARLEY SCHWADRON; PHOTO: (CAT) GETTY IMAGES

Eggxactly Right Mail Order

It always irked my mother, who My sister and her husband were
lives on her own, that her local travelling and stopped at a fast food
supermarket didn’t carry eggs in drive-through. My sister gave her
cartons of six – just by the dozen. order through the intercom but
Then one day, her wish came true. couldn’t hear what the employee was
She walked into the supermarket saying. She mentioned this several
and found fresh eggs in cartons times, but it wasn’t helping, so she
of six. got out of her car to speak louder into
the intercom – and realised she was
“I was so excited,” she told us talking into a letterbox.
later, “that I bought two!”
SUBMITTED BY DONNA THOMPSON
SUBMITTED BY THOMAS HASSMANN

46 august 2020

Call It a Day Life’s Like That

People say, “I’m taking it one day THE GREAT TWEET OFF:
at a time.” You know what? So is PASSWORD EDITION
everybody. That’s how time works.
It’s no laughing matter when you can’t
HANNIBAL BURESS, COMEDIAN remember your computer passwords.

Cutting Remark Glad my car insurance company
requires a ten-character password
After my 91-year-old mother to log in. Wouldn’t want someone to
finished having her hair cut and hack in and … pay my insurance bill.
shaped, the stylist announced,
“There, now you look ten years @SORTABAD
younger.” My mother, unimpressed,
replied, “Who wants to look 81 I hate it when I forget my password
years old?” SUBMITTED BY CALVIN UNRUH and can’t answer my secret questions
right. It’s like I don’t even know me.
Delayed Results
@KWIRKYKERRI
It’s been six months since I joined
the gym and no progress. I’m going Apparently my password needs to
there in person tomorrow to see be capitals only so I’ve changed it to
what’s really going on.
LONDONMADRIDROME.
@_CAKEBAWSE
ON THE INTERNET
WITTY KITTIES
I needed a password eight
Need a star-studded pet name? characters long, so I picked Snow
Consider these feline monikers,
found on a database of insured pets: White and the Seven Dwarfs.

◆ Isaac Mewton NICK HELM
◆ Farrah Pawcett
◆ Yoyo Meow I’ve just reset my password to
◆ Obi Wan Catnobi Delicate Luggage Handler, as I was
◆ The Great Catsby
◆ Winston Purrchill told it had to be case-sensitive.
◆ Reese Whiskerspoon
@JULIANLEECOMEDY

readersdigest.com.au 47

I Am the Some foods were never meant
to be liked. The lima beans
FOOD ON of the world, the powdered
YOUR TABLE coffee creamers, those
black-bean-lentil cakes that
I Am Butter... call themselves burgers, all born into

Silky sad-sackery. Me, though, I am a
Smooth and superstar, a talented actor with

Ready for celebrity charisma. I’m the one
Any Stage people gravitate to at the din-
ner party. The smooth one who
BY Kate Lowenstein inspires superlative idioms and
AND Daniel Gritzer gets featured in dramatically lit
PHOTOGRAPHS BY Joleen Zubek
portraits on Time magazine.
48 august 2020 So why am I slogging it out with

other fats just to stay relevant? When
you’ve needed something silky and
spreadable to moisten your bread,
I’ve been there. When you’ve han-
kered for creamy sauces, I’ve melted
myself right into them. And yet you’ve
forsaken me. Butter consumption de-
clined during the 20th century, main-
ly because of the rising popularity of
margarine, which, until recent years,
was perceived as being healthier.

Take that Time cover. That was ac-
tually a good moment for me. It was
captioned ‘Eat Butter’, which I loved.
I had survived the low-fat craze of the
’80s and ’90s, had endured marga-
rine’s half century in the sun, celebrat-
ing when she finally got locked away
in health gaol. Butter was back, the
article said. But as soon as it hit news-
stands, Harvard University nutrition-
ists and other wonks were so eager
to tear me down again. They recom-
mended ‘moderation’ and reasserted