Inhaltsverzeichnis für August 2019 in Readers Digest Australia

OUR AUGUST ISSUE is a bit different from last month’s. You’ll notice some changes – the magazine has undergone a revamp, with a new look that pays homage to the pages of yesteryear while embracing a modern, simplified design. Inspiration for the updated version of the magazine came from the core design of our 1950s issues. It was a time when the words dominated the page, and design made its impact through strong borders that surrounded the section heads (shown above, right), creating a smart and approachable statement on each opening page. Added to this is a totally new family of fonts, also designed to further enhance your reading experience and enjoyment. What remains the same is the richness of stories about awesome people we’ve selected for you this month.…

LANGUAGE + COMMUNICATION 15 of the hardest words to spell in the English language In a language sprinkled with words that make little sense, these are some of our favourites, explained. HEALTH + WELLBEING THE 10 BEST MEALS TO EAT WHEN YOU FEEL YOUR WORST When your body feels out of whack, these will set you on the right track. HUMOUR + FAMILY Great, short jokes anyone can remember For when you need the laughs to come fast, share these in any situation. PLUS SIGN UP TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER FOR MORE HOT OFFERS, TOP STORIES AND PRIZES!…

GOOD FOOD Keeping your pet’s diet healthy and nutritious is vital at any stage of their life, but as they age they require a different set of vitamins and minerals. Most brands have a senior range of food that will likely include more omega 3, 6 and 9 for their bones and joints. GETTING OUT AND ABOUT Although older pets may have a slower pace and preference for snuggles over outdoor activity, this doesn’t mean they should avoid regular exercise. You don’t have to drag them on a ten-kilometre uphill hike, but encourage your pet to get out and about in the fresh air. The sights and smells should inspire their natural urge to trot about and explore again. If they’re particularly lazy, try small indoor games and play with…

MESS CAN LEAD TO DISTRESS For people who don’t regularly sort through and purge their stuff, excess belongings can build up and disrupt wellbeing, suggests research published in Current Psychology. Social and emotional problems caused by a cluttered home – feeling overwhelmed, depression, family tensions – tended to increase with age. And among the older subjects, these issues were associated with reduced overall life satisfaction. There’s no harm in having a few possessions, the lead author said, but if you struggle to let go of anything, try instead to centre your sense of being ‘at home’ on the important people in your life FLU SHOT BOOSTS SURVIVAL FOR HEART FAILURE PATIENTS Need another reason to get your flu shot? According t analysis of data from mor 78,000 patients with he…

It was a typical freezing cold winter’s night back in 2017, as Adrian Young, now ten, raced his father, Will, to their car in the largely empty carpark of the local Super Rooster restaurant in Toowoomba, in Southern Queensland. His mother, Jennifer, lagged behind the pair with Adrian’s younger sister, Emily Rose. They were keen to get into the car to escape the cold 1°C night. But as they reached the car, Adrian’s gaze turned towards the rear of the carpark, where a man was laying on a makeshift bed of blankets. “I felt bad as I was trying to get out of the cold and he was about to sleep in the freezing cold,” says Adrian. Will went over to the man to see if he was safe, and…

Mia and the White Lion (Adventure, family, drama) Ten-year-old Mia (Daniah De Villiers) has her life turned upside-down when her family of four move from London to Africa to manage a lion farm. Her parents Alice (Mélanie Laurent) and John (Langley Kirkwood) don’t know what to do with their unhappy daughter so pair her with an unusual pet. Soon a rare white lion cub called Charlie finds his way into her heart. But Charlie grows into an adult lion and when Mia’s father decides to sell him, she escapes with her four-legged friend to protect him. Directed by French filmmaker Gilles de Maistre, the cinematography by Brendan Barne is what makes this worth seeing on the big screen. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (Drama, black comedy) Oscar-winning writer and…

A COMMON PROBLEM with pet owners is the stray hairs their dogs and cats leave around the house on floors, furniture and clothes. As our pets have become important family members, they’ve moved out of the backyard and into the house. This means hair shedding and cleanliness have become more of a concern. Fortunately, there are ways to reduce the impact, explains veterinarian Dr Katrina Warren. LOW-SHEDDING BREEDS All dogs and cats shed hair – some more than others. Choosing a low-shedding breed can make a huge difference. Remember that low-shedding dog breeds require regular clipping, an additional expense to consider. Choosing a smooth or short-coated breed may also reduce the overall volume of shedding. REGULAR GROOMING It may sound obvious, but brushing pets regularly will remove loose fur that…

On an early January morning in 2018, Emily Denstedt and her fellow Gorilla Doctors trekked single file into the thick fern and vines of Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. They were searching for Buzinza, the matriarch of the Rushegura mountain gorilla group, because they feared she had broken her arm. Mountain gorillas tend to move around a lot, so it’s not always easy to find them, and this was the team’s second day on Buzinza’s trail. The doctors had spent all of the previous morning and afternoon tracking the gorilla’s family, only to have Buzinza scamper into a treetop when they finally spotted her. She stayed there until nightfall – too late and too dark for an intervention. The team was luckier the next day, however. They had to push through…

Who let the chefs of Twitter loose in the kitchen with their cooking hacks? Tired of boiling water every time you make pasta? Boil a few litres at the beginning of the week and freeze it for later. @SWAGLORDPAT Cooking tip: Quickly slice a block of cheese by throwing it through a harp. @MARKLEGGETT I hate cooking, but I am excited to debut my cookbook, Toast on a Paper Towel, 365 Ways. @LIZHACKETT I tell people that the secret ingredient in my cookies is ‘love’, but it’s actually ‘floor’. @UGHREVOLUTION Fill your coffee maker with cake mix for an amazingly delicious yet entirely unexpected Thursday morning. @8989BELINDA…

I realised that part of my identity is saying no to things I don’t wanna do ... It is your right to choose what you do and don’t do. It is your right to choose what you believe in and don’t believe in. It is your right to curate your life and your own perspective. LADY GAGA, SINGER YOU NEED TO TAKE PRIDE IN WHERE YOU’RE FROM. HENRY GOLDING, ACTOR I TRY TO GIVE PEOPLE A DIFFERENT WAY OF LOOKING AT THEIR SURROUNDINGS. THAT’S ART TO ME. MAYA LIN, ARCHITECT I like to listen. I have learned a great deal from listening carefully. Most people never listen. ERNEST HEMINGWAY, WRITER THE MOST COMMON WAY PEOPLE GIVE UP THEIR POWER IS BY THINKING THEY DON’T HAVE ANY. ALICE WALKER, AUTHOR…

Five years ago, Wim Tilburgs couldn’t walk 500 metres without gasping for breath. At 1.77 metres tall and weighing 125 kilograms he was, officially, terribly obese. The high-flying business consultant booked an aisle seat every time he travelled for work because he couldn’t squeeze past other passengers. Still, despite his doctors’ warnings that his weight was the root cause of his numerous medical problems, including type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure, Wim couldn’t lose it. Instead, he used food to make himself feel better. Sometimes, the lift it gave him lasted a whole afternoon and sometimes, only a few minutes. He was an addict, unthinking, self-loathing and out of control. “It was like living in a world of grey,” says the 58 year old. “I couldn’t find my way…

What we ask Google about most frequently can easily be discovered by seeing how the search engine autofills the beginning of a statement or question we’ve typed in. These top results are also, then, a snapshot of what other inquiring minds privately think of the subject that’s just been raised. In 2013, social scientists from the Centre for the Study of Group Processes at the University of Kent in the UK explored a specific collective bias by typing “old people should” into the search bar. “Old people should not drive,” read the top result. And, more disconcertingly, the second most popular was: “Old people should die.” These troubling findings indicate our society’s indictment of the elderly. But also, on a deeper level, they’re a reflection of our views on the…

YOU’RE TRYING to get a good night’s sleep. You pour your last cup of coffee for the day approximately five minutes after you get up in the morning, and your bedtime routine is so calming, it could put a wired four year old into a coma. You banish worries by writing them down in a special notebook you keep by the bed, right next to your warm milk and drug-free, homeopathic, fragrance-based sleep aids. So why do you still find yourself staring at the ceiling? It’s time to listen to what some unexpected experts have to say. Their jobs don’t necessarily include long hours in a laboratory studying sleep problems, but what they know about a multitude of other irritants – stomach ills and back pain and windows in need…

I was born on April 7, 1964, in Launceston, Tasmania. At that time The Beatles were riding high on the Billboard Hot 100 charts and The Pink Panther, starring Peter Sellers, was making people laugh at the movies. My entry into the world was without incident. Mum’s contractions began around midnight the night before her due date. After opening Mum’s door and guiding her through the entrance and into the trusted hands of the nursing staff, Dad was told ever so politely, “We’ll take it from here, Mr Fulton.” Dutifully, Dad went back home to look after my siblings. Mine was an easy birth – at least that’s what Mum tells me. When she saw me for the first time, Mum thought I was on the chubby side but just…

Furious Hours Casey Cep WILLIAM HEINEMANN Harper Lee, the famed author of To Kill a Mockingbird, was obsessed with researching this criminal case for years, yet never released her book with the working title of The Reverend. Debut author Casey Cep picks up where Lee left off, investigating the 1970s trial of an Alabama serial killer, Reverend Willie Maxwell. This cold-blooded rural preacher was accused of murdering five members of his family for insurance money. Despite evidence of his guilt, Maxwell was acquitted, then shot dead at the funeral of his alleged last victim. It’s a fascinating true crime story yet the interwoven portrait of Lee and why her book never saw the light of day is just as compelling. The Carer Deborah Moggach HACHETTE AUSTRALIA Best-selling author Deborah Moggach…

1. Which Singaporean singer released the album Message in a Bottle in December, 2017? 1 point 2. In 2015, the New Horizons space probe found a heart-shaped pool of poison ice on what planet? 1 point 3. Unusually, who played lead guitar on the Beatles’ ‘Taxman’? 1 point 4. What is the fastest land two-legged animal? 1 point 5. Who gave a copy of his novel A Farewell to Arms to James Joyce with all of the censored swear words written back in? 2 points 6. What is the largest bone in the human body? 1 point 7. What is the square root of 256? 1 point 8. Igor Sikorsky, creator of the world’s first mass-produced helicopter, said he was inspired by Clipper of the Clouds, a novel by what…

Anecdotes and jokes 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 Laughter is the Best Medicine! Smart Animals Share antics of unique pets or wildlife in up to 300 words. Reminisce Share the tales of an event from your past that made a huge impact in 100–500 words. My Story Do you have an inspiring or life-changing tale to tell? Submissions must be true, unpublished, original and 800–1000 words – see website for more information. Letters to the editor, caption competitions and other reader submissions ONLINE Follow the ‘Contribute’ link at the RD website in your region EMAIL  AU: editor@readersdigest.com.au NZ: nzeditor@readersdigest.com.au ASIA: asiaeditor@readersdigest.com.au WE MAY EDIT LETTERS AND USE THEM IN ALL MEDIA. SEE WEBSITE…

Low-shedding Dog Breeds Bedlington terriers, bichon frise, Maltese dogs, poodles and schnauzers. These breeds all need regular clipping and grooming. Minimal Grooming Dog Breeds Chinese crested dogs, chihuahuas, whippets, greyhounds and Italian greyhounds. These breeds all shed hair but their fine coats mean less hair and little grooming. Low-shedding Cat Breeds Devon rex, Cornish rex, Bengal, Russian blue and Siamese.…

You’ve heard the advice since you were young – wash your hands to avoid getting sick. Hand sanitisers are making it easier to keep our hands clean, especially when we’re travelling. Here are some points to remember when choosing a hand sanitiser, which are available in the form of a gel, cream or foam as well as wipes. ARE ALL HAND SANITISERS THE SAME? According to experts, it’s important to use a hand sanitiser that contains at least 60 per cent alcohol. This type of sanitiser not only is more effective at killing germs, but non-alcohol-based sanitisers can potentially be harmful and can cause germs to develop resistance to sanitising. DO THEY PREVENT ILLNESS? Remember to use sufficient sanitiser, to rub it over all surfaces of your hands including between…

CURING ESSENTIAL TREMOR Retired teacher Julia Czyz, 78, loved painting and other crafts. But in 2006 she developed a tremor in her right hand that was diagnosed as essential tremor. This most common of movement disorders can cause uncontrollable shaking. Julia’s condition soon progressed to the point where she could no longer write her name. In June 2018 a new procedure, focused ultrasound, gave Julia her life back. Doctors fitted Julia’s head with a device that resembled a rimmed helmet, slid her into an MRI machine and directed ultrasound waves to the precise neurons causing her tremors, zapping them out of existence without harming surrounding brain tissue. To test whether they had eliminated the problem, they slid Julia out of the MRI several times and asked her to hold a…

1 Help a friend practice self-care Slip an envelope containing a small packet of tea bags or bath salts into a friend’s handbag with a note inviting her to take some relaxing time for herself. Your kind action is now causing another – your friend can now be kind to herself. 2 Praise a parent Tell a parent they’re doing a good job. (They probably rarely hear that!) You are almost guaranteed to be rewarded with a shy but bright smile in return. Sometimes the simplest things mean the most. 3 Offer to take a photo Whenever you see someone taking a family photo, offer to snap the shot so everyone can be included in the moment. You never know – that photo could be featured on…

BY Michael Paterniti FROM GQ When Martin Kunze was 13, he went on holiday with his parents to Spain. At a Mediterranean beach, he did what kids sometimes do out of curiosity and boredom: he started digging a hole in the sand. There was a plastic bottle his parents had brought with them, and on a childish lark, Martin jotted his name, number, and address on a piece of newspaper with a message: If you find this, please contact me. “I put this into the bottle, and put it into the ground, hoping that some beautiful girl would find it in the next year,” Martin says. Decades passed. Then, four years ago, more than 30 years after Martin had buried the bottle, a retiree from the area contacted Martin’s parents,…

CREEPY CHORUS For about a year, residents of the British town of Ipswich suffered from what seemed to be a collective nightmare. They were awoken at night by the sound of a child singing ‘It’s Raining, It’s Pouring’. Last September, the cause of the vocals was revealed to be freakier than the disembodied lullaby itself: spiders had been triggering a motion sensor on a property, activating an audio clip set up as a theft deterrent. The song is no longer in use, allowing the town’s old men to snore in peace again. RINGING REMINDER In 2004, Jerry Lynn of Pennsylvania wanted to run TV cable through his walls but wasn’t sure where to drill the hole. He tied an alarm clock to a makeshift harness, set it to go off…

What do you do when a pet owner won’t scoop the poop? An apartment complex in Raleigh, North Carolina, is using dog DNA to catch pet owners who fail to clean up green spaces and footpaths after their canines. Apartment residents who own dogs are required to bring them to a ‘pup party’, where PawzLife collects their DNA with a simple saliva swipe and creates a unique DNA profile for each dog. The company then visits the neighbourhood to pick up and test any mess, and owners whose dogs are a match with the poop DNA are fined $100 per offence. Other apartment complexes and town councils in several parts of the world are trialling the idea. www.newsobserver.com…

David Tennant Does a Podcast With... In this series, Tennant (Dr Who, Broadchurch) chats to actor mates including Sir Ian McKellen, Tina Fey and Whoopi Goldberg. It’s like hanging around with a couple of famous friends over a cup of coffee. RD Talks: Entwined Twins Joyce and Judith have a bond that can’t be broken despite being separated at the age of seven. Decades later, they reunite and Joyce discovers a way to inspire Judith who was born with Down syndrome and has an undiscovered creative talent for art. Mr Brown Show The infamous Mr Brown is actually Kin Mun Lee, a Singapore-based satirist, writer and lyricist. His podcasts have his own unique take on news delivered in a humorous way, candid conversations with locals and quirky parodies. HOW TO…

1. assumption – A: theory that the simplest explanation is the most likely one. B: slippery-slope argument. C: the act of taking something for granted. 2. altruistic – A: demonstrating great intellectual ability. B: showing unselfish concern for others. C: believing all things are true. 3. aestheticism – A: devotion to beauty. B: study of the human form. C: use of narcotics to seek truth. 4. consensus – A: notion that we can know nothing. B: acceptance of reason as the source of truth. C: agreement reached by a group as a whole. 5. ethics – A: logical conclusion. B: moral principles. C: elaborate argument. 6. fallacy – A: change of opinion. B: mistaken idea. C: a paradox. 7. empirical – A: verifiable by observation. B: meant to control vast…