Placeholder Content Image

Hotel guest wakes to find his toes in the manager’s mouth

<p>A Hilton guest in Nashville has experienced the stuff of nightmares during his overnight stay, having woken in the middle of the night to find the hotel’s manager sucking on his toes. </p> <p>The now-former employee allegedly crept into Peter Brennan’s room using a ‘ghost key card’, according to Brennan’s lawyer, and a warrant has been placed for the arrest of the 52-year-old culprit, David Neal. </p> <p>Brennan is also looking to sue the Hilton Hotel where the incident occurred, <em>WSMV</em> have reported. </p> <p>“I woke up at about 5am,” Brennan explained, “and I was being sexually assaulted by a man who had broken into my room.”</p> <p>Metro police reported that Neal was the night manager at the establishment, and attorney Michael Fisher has claimed that Neal had access to hotel keys despite a criminal past. </p> <p>As court documents note, Neal was previously indicted by the Wilson County Grand Jury in 1996 for second-degree murder in relation to his roommate’s death. In 1997, a jury had found him guilty of manslaughter, while Neal claimed self-defence.</p> <p>And as <em>WKRN</em> have reported, for his 2023 toe sucking offence, Neal allegedly told investigators that he had gone into Brennan’s room without permission using a duplicate key because he could smell smoke and had wanted to check in on its occupant. </p> <p>Brennan, upon waking to find Neal there, confronted his assaulter immediately. He also recognised him as someone who had entered his room the previous day, alongside another hotel employee, to check out a TV issue with the room.</p> <p>"[I] instantly jumped up and was screaming,” he told <em>News Channel 5</em>. “Went into sort of fact-finding mode. ‘Who are you? Why are you in my room? What are you doing here?’</p> <p>"I could see he was wearing a uniform, he had his name tag on. He was talking to me but not giving me any substantive answers."</p> <p>A spokesperson for the hotel directed the station to the hotel’s local manager for comment, though they refused to comment, telling them that “the safety and security of our guests and team members is our highest priority. We are working closely with the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, and, as part of company policy, we do not comment on ongoing investigations."</p> <p>Which can’t have come as much comfort to Brennan, who was trying to come to terms with what he’d been through, and noted that he was “having problems sleeping frankly, I’m going through some PTSD, talking to a therapist.</p> <p>"I still don’t really feel safe in my own home."</p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Travel Trouble

Placeholder Content Image

The benefits of vitamin D – from head to toe

<p><strong>The benefits of vitamin D</strong></p> <p>Is it the magic vitamin? Well, it might be close. Research in recent years has shown that vitamin D may be one of the most powerful supplements to boost your total wellness and even help promote longevity. For years, vitamin D was touted as an ace for stronger bones, shinier hair and as a potential mood-booster. But you might not be aware of the many benefits vitamin D can provide for your whole system.</p> <p><strong>Brain</strong></p> <p>When taken with fish oil, vitamin D is a powerful mood booster, according to a study published in the <em>FASEB </em>journal. The aptly named ‘sunshine vitamin’ improves mood and lowers depression by aiding the conversion of the essential amino acid tryptophan into serotonin – a brain chemical that regulates mood. But that’s not all! Vitamin D improves memory and cognitive functions in older women, according to a separate study published in <em>Journals of Gerontology A</em>. Meanwhile, previous research has found it may also have some protective effects against Alzheimer’s disease.</p> <p><strong>Eyes</strong></p> <p>Laugh lines aside, your eyes themselves undergo signs of ageing that can impair your vision. According to a study published in <em>Neurobiology of Ageing</em>, a daily dose of vitamin D reduced some of the effects of ageing on eyes, reduced inflammation and improved vision in mice. A second study found that it may also help prevent macular degeneration, a common eye disease that can lead to blindness if it goes untreated.</p> <p><strong>Ears</strong></p> <p>What causes vertigo, that disorienting sensation of dizziness and spinning? Vertigo may feel like your head is spinning, but the problem often stems from the structures in your inner ear that are responsible for balance. However, taking vitamin D and calcium twice a day may reduce vertigo and lower your chances of getting vertigo again, according to a study published in <em>Neurology</em>.</p> <p><strong>Teeth</strong></p> <p>Want stronger, whiter teeth and fewer cavities? Taking a daily vitamin D supplement may help, according to a meta-analysis published in <em>Nutrients</em>. Researchers analysed dozens of controlled studies with thousands of participants in several countries to find that that vitamin D was associated with a 50 per cent reduction in the incidence of tooth decay.</p> <p><strong>Gums</strong></p> <p>The same vitamin D supplement that strengthens your teeth can also help protect your gums from bacterial infections that lead to problems like gingivitis and periodontitis, according to the <em>Nutrients </em>study. Periodontitis, a potentially serious infection of the gum tissue, is a major cause of tooth loss and can also contribute to heart disease.</p> <p><strong>Heart</strong></p> <p>One of vitamin D’s most powerful roles is in the cardiovascular system, where there are 200 genes regulated by vitamin D. How does it work? Vitamin D may help stop cholesterol from clogging arteries, regulate blood pressure and improve the function of cells in the heart. Even better, it may also be able to help heal existing heart damage, according to research published in the <em>International Journal of Nanomedicine</em>.</p> <p><strong>Lungs</strong></p> <p>Asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema and chronic bronchitis affect many people. While it’s not a cure, vitamin D can reduce the number of lung disease flareups by 40 per cent, a study published in <em>The Lancet</em> concluded. The same may be true for asthma, according to a separate study published in <em>Cochrane Review</em>. Researchers found that people who took a daily dose of vitamin D in addition to their asthma medication reduced the number of severe asthma attacks they experienced.</p> <p><strong>Gut</strong></p> <p>People with metabolic syndrome – increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist and abnormal cholesterol or triglyceride levels – are at a high risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. Exercise and a healthy diet are important practices to avoid or heal the syndrome, but research has suggested vitamin D may also help. In a study published in <em>Frontiers in Physiology</em>, vitamin D improved signs of metabolic syndrome by boosting healthy gut bacteria in mice.</p> <p><strong>Liver</strong></p> <p>Higher vitamin D levels are linked with lower levels of cancer in general, and less liver cancer specifically, according to a <em>BMJ </em>study. Researchers took samples from over 33,000 adult participants and found that higher levels of the nutrient were associated with a 20 per cent reduction in cancer and a 30-50 per cent reduction in liver cancer.</p> <p><strong>Reproductive system</strong></p> <p>Both men and women show reproductive and fertility benefits from vitamin D. Female participants who had a healthy vitamin D level early in pregnancy were more likely to have a baby with a healthy weight and head size in a study published in the <em>Journal of Clinical Endocrinology &amp; Metabolism</em>. Similarly, men with higher vitamin D levels had a better fertility potential, particularly through better sperm motility, say researchers in a separate study, published in<em> World Journal of Men’s Health</em>.</p> <p><strong>Bones</strong></p> <p>Think calcium is the best nutrient for bones? Think again. The positive effects of vitamin D on bone health are some of the most documented benefits of the nutrient. Vitamin D is essential for building and maintaining strong bones, while inadequate vitamin D can lead to osteoporosis, a brittle bone disease, according to the Mayo Clinic.</p> <p><strong>Knees</strong></p> <p>Your knees are one of the most-used joints in your body and often one of the first places to experience joint pain as you get older. Research has suggested the most common causes of joint pain are osteoarthritis from joint overuse or injury, and rheumatoid arthritis – an autoimmune disease that attacks joints. Vitamin D can help protect against both types of arthritis. People who maintained healthy vitamin D levels were less likely to get rheumatoid arthritis, according to a study published in <em>Journal of Autoimmunity</em>. Similarly, people with low vitamin D levels reported more symptoms of osteoarthritis, like knee pain and difficulty walking, according to research by the American College of Rheumatology.</p> <p><strong>Feet</strong></p> <p>Stress fractures – microfractures that often occur in small bones due to overuse – are fairly common injuries, particularly in people who participate in high impact activities, like running, or people who are significantly overweight. According to a study published in <em>The Journal of Foot and Ankle Surgery</em>, vitamin D may reduce stress fractures by helping improve bone density.</p> <p><em><span id="docs-internal-guid-41d08e27-7fff-fd5c-6a8f-fc6514936626">Written by Charlotte Hilton Andersen. This article first appeared in <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/healthsmart/the-benefits-of-vitamin-d-from-head-to-toe" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader’s Digest</a>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a href="http://readersdigest.innovations.com.au/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&amp;utm_medium=articles&amp;utm_campaign=RDSUB&amp;keycode=WRA87V" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here’s our best subscription offer.</a></span></em></p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Body

Placeholder Content Image

Jamie Durie's big news will set toes tapping across the country

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> <p>Jamie Durie is set to perform on Seven's new<span> </span><em>Dancing With the Stars: All Stars,<span> </span></em>much to the delight of fans.</p> <p>The veteran host, 50, will return to the stage after initially being on the show back in 2007.</p> <p>He came in seventh on the show but won't let that stop him from dancing again.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CMa8bHPhC6y/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CMa8bHPhC6y/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by DancingAU (@dancingau)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>"I'm thrilled to be returning to<span> </span><em>DWTS</em><span> </span>for this year's All Stars season," he tells<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.nowtolove.com.au/reality-tv/dancing-with-the-stars/dancing-with-the-stars-jamie-durie-67042" target="_blank"><em>Woman's Day</em>.</a></p> <p>"It's been almost 14 years since I was last on the show, so I'm looking forward to dusting off my dancing shoes.</p> <p>"From the cast I've seen coming back again so far, I'm sure it's going to be a tough competition," he adds.</p> <p>Durie will be dancing alongside Fifi Box, Bec Hewitt, Tom Williams and wild card Schapelle Corby.</p> </div> </div> </div>

Music

Placeholder Content Image

Check your feet! 'COVID toes' are a new and more rampant sign of coronavirus

<p>Skin doctors are currently looking at a lot of toes, as concern grows that for some people, a symptom COVID-19 might be in an unusual spot.</p> <p>Boston dermatologist Esther Freeman expected to see skin complaints as COVID-19 hit the US but wasn’t expecting them to be toes.</p> <p>"But I was not anticipating those would be toes," Massachusetts General Hospital employee Dr Freeman said to <em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/covid-toe-rash-possible-coronavirus-infection-sign/5bf041bd-a472-44e9-9e95-f8eb10695447" target="_blank">9news</a>.</em></p> <p>Cases were initially recorded in children but has appeared to have spread to adults as well.</p> <p>Dr Freeman has viewed via telemedicine more toes in the last several weeks than in her entire week.</p> <p>They’re being called ‘COVID toes’, which are red, sore and sometimes itchy swellings on toes.</p> <p>"I think it's much more rampant than we even realize. The good news is it resolves spontaneously," Dr Amy Paller of Northwestern University said.</p> <p>There are many theories as to why ‘COVID toes’ are appearing, including that it could be inflammation triggered by the infection instead of the cold as well as the virus potentially irritating the lining of blood vessels in the skin.</p> <p>"The public health message is not to panic," Dr Freeman said, noting that most toe patients she's seen haven't become severely ill. Are they contagious?</p> <p>"We can't tell if you've got COVID-19 just by looking at your toes," she said.</p>

Body

Placeholder Content Image

Surprising new coronavirus symptom has people itching for information

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text "> <p>As the world continues to battle coronavirus, new symptoms are emerging that have people looking at their feet.</p> <p>With headaches, muscle aches, a dry cough, fever, chills and losing your sense of taste and smell are established, doctors in Italy have noticed a rash appearing on people diagnosed with coronavirus’ toes.</p> <p>Viral rashes can occur when anyone has a virus, but dermatologists in Italy investigated the rate of skin-related symptoms in COVID-19 patients, they discovered one in five coronavirus patients had developed a rash.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">COVID TOES! As more patients throughout the country are getting tested for COVID-19 and more research is being conducted, more symptoms are starting to emerge, including signs and skin changes to your feet...Sudden onset increase redness, pain, blistering, itchiness. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVIDTOES?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVIDTOES</a> <a href="https://t.co/ldm7zA5BqQ">pic.twitter.com/ldm7zA5BqQ</a></p> — Jason Mendivil, DPM (@Dr_JMendivil) <a href="https://twitter.com/Dr_JMendivil/status/1253038875657846786?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 22, 2020</a></blockquote> <p>Texan dermatologist Dr Sanober Amin sparked interest when she suggested that “some skin findings are more consistent with superficial clotting in blood vessels close to the skin”.</p> <p>“It looks like the blood vessels are getting clotted, so patients are presenting with painful bumps on their toes. A lot of these patients are younger population and most of them didn’t have any COVID symptoms or had mild symptoms to begin with,” she said.</p> <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fphoto%2F%3Ffbid%3D714584779277938%26set%3Da.363761154360304&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=552&amp;height=702&amp;appId" width="552" height="702" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe> <p>For scientists, the rash is just more evidence that COVID is one of the “great imitators” as it can present with symptoms that sound like a cold or flu.</p> <p>“There’s clearly a respiratory syndrome, and that’s why people end up in the hospital. Some people get a gastrointestinal illness with diarrhoea, maybe some abdominal pain, which may or may not be associated with a respiratory illness,” Dr Joseph Vinetz, an infectious disease specialist at Yale School of Medicine said.</p> <p>However, Australian infectious diseases expert and ANU Professor Peter Collignon remains cautious.</p> <p>“The one thing that you have to be a bit careful of is people with COVID can have other infections too,’’ he said.</p> <p>“And some of those pictures looked like foot and mouth disease, which is a virus children get. So, you’ve got to be careful that what’s being attributed to COVID is not just another virus they have at the same time.</p> <p>“You can’t assume that just because someone has COVID that COVID is the cause of a rash.”</p> <p>The phenomena of COVID toes has not yet been recognised as a symptom by the World Health Organisation and more work needs to be done to investigate whether or not it is a legitimate symptom.</p> <p>“This is a manifestation that occurs early on in the disease, meaning you have this first, then you progress,” says the University of Pennsylvania’s chief of infectious disease Dr Ebbing Lautenbach.</p> <p> “Sometimes this might be your first clue that they have COVID when they don’t have any other symptoms.”</p> <p>“The short answer is, nobody knows.”</p> </div> </div> </div>

Body

Placeholder Content Image

“He’s keeping us on our toes”: Duchess Kate reveals what Prince Louis is really like

<p>As Prince Louis has turned one on April 23, Duchess Kate has revealed that he is a handful to keep up with and hinted that he’s already walking.</p> <p>Duchess Kate spoke about Louis during an outing to Bletchley Park on Tuesday afternoon.</p> <p>She spoke to former Bletchley Park worker Georgina Rose, and then the Duchess admitted he is keeping her and Prince William “on their toes”.</p> <p><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-7031393/Kate-reveals-boisterous-Prince-Louis-one-keeping-toes.html" target="_blank">The<span> </span><em>Daily Mail</em></a><em> </em>reported that Rose, who was a teleprinter operator in WWII, offered Duchess Kate her “congratulations” on her “beautiful family”.</p> <p>The Duchess replied: “Thank you so much. Louis is keeping us on our toes. I turned around the other day and he was at the top of the slide – I had no idea!”</p> <p>The duchess also revealed in March that the little prince was “cruising”, which is when a child pulls themselves up and uses furniture to move around.</p> <p>“Louis just wants to pull himself up all the time. He has got these little walkers and is bombing around in them.”</p> <p>Louis has already appeared to be a handful due to the outtakes of Prince Charles’ royal portrait for his 70th birthday.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bwlmzlbh9Z6/" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bwlmzlbh9Z6/" target="_blank">Here’s to Prince Louis, here’s to moments like this 📸 - Happy Birthday!!! 🥳 🎁 #princelouis #happybirthdayprincelouis</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/chrisjacksongetty/" target="_blank"> Chris Jackson</a> (@chrisjacksongetty) on Apr 22, 2019 at 11:14pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>As Prince Louis has now reached his first year birthday milestone, it’s clear he’s eager to get up to more mischief and explore.</p>

News

Placeholder Content Image

How to do a natural pedicure at home

<p>From saving money to knowing exactly what’s in the products used during a pedicure, the benefits of a natural pedicure at home are vast.</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">You will need:</span></strong></p> <ul> <li>Pumice stone</li> <li>Nail brush</li> <li>Loofah</li> <li>File</li> <li>Nail cleaner</li> <li>Cuticle pusher</li> <li>Moisturiser</li> <li>Nail cutter</li> <li>1 tbsp. Lemon juice</li> <li>1 tbsp. vinegar</li> <li>Herbal shampoo</li> <li>Lemon slices</li> <li>A tub of hot water</li> <li>Marigold flowers</li> <li>Honey</li> <li>Towels</li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">How to:</span></strong></p> <ol> <li>Are you already wearing nail polish you need to take off? Take the vinegar and lemon juice and blend them together well. You can use this instead of acetone. </li> <li>Massage a little cream or honey on the nails and dip into a tub of hot soapy water to which you have added some fresh lemon slices and marigold petals.</li> <li>Once the nails and skins have softened, clean the nails with the help of the brush, and use a pumice stone to dislodge dead skin on the heels. Pat dry and clean the nails with a cleaner and cuticle pusher.</li> <li>Rub the lemon slices on the skin to remove tan and use a towel to pat dry.</li> <li>Use the loofah to smooth out dead skin and mix two tablespoons each of honey and cream and massage well into the skin. Wipe off with hot towels and you are done!</li> </ol> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/beauty-style/2016/06/beauty-foods-for-skin-and-hair/"><em><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">10 beauty foods for skin and hair</span></strong></em></a></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/beauty-style/2016/03/a-brief-history-of-nails/"><em><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">A brief history of nails</span></strong></em></a></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/beauty-style/2016/01/reasons-your-nails-keep-breaking/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">6 reasons your nails keep breaking</span></em></strong></a></p>

Beauty & Style

Our Partners