Lifestyle News This Week #19 | NF World Latest News
Cancer with rare syndrome | Fasting benefits | Taiwan tourism funding | Yuzu fruit benefits | Largest Wire Art – Lifestyle News This Week
Check out below to read the Top 5 Interesting Lifestyle News this week in the NF World Latest News section. In this section, you can read the weekly summary of Health, Food, Travel, and Fashion related Lifestyle News.
Man with Prostate Cancer Diagnosed with Rare Foreign Accent Syndrome
A man in his 50s, suffering from metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer, was diagnosed with a rare condition known as Foreign Accent Syndrome (FAS), which caused him to speak in an uncontrollable ‘Irish brogue’ accent.
The patient had no Irish background and showed no signs of neurological abnormalities or psychiatric history, as per the findings published in the British Medical Journal.
The man, who also suffered from a gradual onset of paralysis, maintained his Irish accent for the 20 months of his treatment, even as imaging revealed the progression of his prostate cancer. Biopsy confirmed transformation to small cell neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC).
Despite undergoing chemotherapy, the man’s neuroendocrine prostate cancer continued to progress, resulting in multifocal brain metastases and likely paraneoplastic ascending paralysis, ultimately leading to his death.
The study’s authors suggested that his accent change was most likely linked to an underlying paraneoplastic neurological disorder (PND), where a cancer patient’s immune system attacks parts of the brain, spinal cord, peripheral nerves, or muscles.
Fasting May Impair Immune Response and Increase Heart Disease Risk, Study Suggests
A recent study from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai suggests that fasting could make it more difficult for the body to fight infections and increase the risk of heart disease.
The study, which used mouse models, is one of the first to show that skipping meals causes the brain to respond in a way that harms immune cells.
The findings, which focused on breakfast, were published in the Immunity journal and could provide researchers with a better understanding of how long-term fasting might affect the body.
Although there is a growing body of evidence to suggest that fasting is beneficial for health, the study’s lead author, Filip Swirski, warns that there may also be a cost to fasting that carries health risks.
The study shows that there is a conversation between the nervous and immune systems, and that fasting – from a relatively short fast of only a few hours to a more severe fast of 24 hours – can have an impact on the immune system.
Researchers divided the mice into two groups: one group ate breakfast right after waking up (breakfast was their largest meal of the day), and the other group had no breakfast. Blood samples were taken from both groups at baseline, four hours later, and eight hours later.
The researchers noted a distinct difference in the number of monocytes, which are white blood cells that play a critical role in fighting infections, heart disease, and cancer, in the fasting group.
While there is still much to learn about how fasting affects the body, this study provides a word of caution for those considering fasting for health reasons.
Taiwan Offers $165 Incentives to Boost Post-Pandemic Tourism Industry
Taiwan is offering cash or discount incentives to half a million international tourists in an effort to boost its travel industry, which was severely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. The initiative, which is part of a NT$5.3bn ($177m) package, will offer tourists NT$5,000 ($165) each.
The perks will have a total value of NT$2.5bn ($82.4m). The incentives will be distributed through lucky draws or via airlines, with a rollout plan to be determined at an appropriate time. The money may be handed out electronically or as discounts for accommodation, transport or other purchases.
Taiwan is aiming to attract six million tourists this year, according to Transportation Minister Wang Kwo-tsai. Before the pandemic, tourism contributed around 4% of Taiwan’s GDP. However, the sector was severely hit as the country closed its borders and implemented quarantine rules to contain the virus.
Taiwan’s tourism sector was also affected by geopolitical tensions, as China banned individual tourists from travelling to Taiwan in 2019 and excluded it from a list of 20 permitted destinations for Chinese tour groups last month.
Taiwan is not alone in attempting to revitalise its tourism industry; for example, the “Hello Hong Kong” campaign involves giving out 500,000 air tickets and other perks.
Discover the Skin Benefits of Yuzu Fruit Extract: The Latest Ingredient in Korean Skincare
Yuzu fruit extract is the latest buzz in the Korean skincare industry due to its high concentration of vitamins and minerals, making it an ideal ingredient for supple and smooth skin. Originating from the Rutaceae family, the citrusy fruit is also known as Japanese grapefruit and contains three times more vitamin C than lemons.
According to celebrity dermatologist Dr Batul Patel, the phytochemicals in yuzu are rich in anthocyanins, carotenoids, and flavonoids, which are antioxidant agents that inhibit glycation or oxidative stress, thereby maintaining the radiance of the skin.
The fruit provides hydration to the skin without feeling too heavy, which helps in restoring the skin barrier and the moisture balance. Yuzu contains flavonoids, which fight free radicals, stimulate collagen production, and inhibit the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs), thus reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Yuzu has also been used for calming the body and mind since ancient times and is known to promote blood circulation, lower the heart rate, and reduce anxiety, anger, depression, and stress.
To include yuzu in a skincare routine, Dr Patel recommends applying it during the day on cleansed skin, followed by a moisturiser and sunscreen.
However, people with sensitive skin should conduct a patch test before using yuzu extract as it may cause photosensitisation when exposed to the sun.
Self-taught Iraqi artist creates largest wire art featuring Assyrian winged bull, sets Guinness World Record
Iraqi artist Ali AlRawi has set a new Guinness World Record for the largest wire art with his 203.76 m² (2193 ft² 36 in²) creation of the ancient Assyrian winged bull, known as ‘The Lamassu’.
The artwork is made from 89,000 nails and 250 kilograms of copper wires measuring 35,714 meters that are wrapped around wooden boards to depict the mythological hybrid creature composed of the head of a human, the body of a bull, and the wings of a bird.
The project took the self-taught artist one year to complete and he moved it to several different locations in Iraq for the final measurements and filming.
AlRawi, who works as a physician assistant in Ramadi, nurtured his artistic talent by scribbling on a school bench. His interest in wire art was ignited in 2016 after seeing a German artist using the technique. He experimented with materials and decided to use copper wires and 1-inch nails with small heads to ensure they did not affect the shape of the work. He also coated the wood with three materials to insulate it from heat, moisture and scratching.
The ancient Assyrian Empire, which once marked the centre of a great empire in ancient Mesopotamia, now known as Iraq and north-eastern Syria, has left a legacy of cultural significance that has largely been lost. Ali AlRawi’s record-breaking artwork celebrates this cultural heritage, drawing attention to the importance of preserving it.
The artist described his achievement as the biggest of his life, saying, “The Guinness World Records title crowned years of training and perseverance, and I am very grateful.”
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