EXCLUSIVE The embarrassing symptom women are told is just 'part of being pregnant' was a sign of a silent killer. Thank god I listened to my gut or I might not be here
Sally Lewer, 36, from Melbourne, was overjoyed to be expecting her third child - a long-awaited IVF baby she was carrying as a solo mum by choice.
Having already navigated two pregnancies, Sally felt confident and prepared for what lay ahead.
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Daily Mail
44 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Prisoner dies at correctional centre, sparking protests from fellow inmates who allege the man suffered for days before his death
An inmate at a Sydney correctional centre has died, prompting protests from other prisoners who say he was denied proper medical care in the days before his death. A 41-year-old Aboriginal male inmate at Parklea Correctional Centre, in Sydney' north-west, died on Friday night after being taken to hospital for treatment. A group of inmates conducted protests inside the correctional centre in response to the man's death at 9am the following day. The protesters reportedly barricaded a wing of the prison while outbound calls and visits to Parklea were temporarily suspended. Family members of a man inside the pod told the Saturday Telegraph the inmates protested because they believed the deceased was given a lack of medical attention in the week leading up to his death. The fellow inmate was reportedly friends with the deceased. One family member told the Telegraph that the 41-year-old's cellmates alleged the prison had not done enough to care for him. 'They are serving these sentences and doing their time but it should be done humanely… he had been begging for help,' the family member said. The Saturday Telegraph understands the deceased inmate was seen by medical professionals on a daily basis in the lead-up to his death. Police said a report would be prepared for the coroner but initial inquiries indicated the death of the inmate was 'not suspicious'. 'About 11.20am yesterday (Friday June 27), emergency services were called to a correctional centre in Parklea following reports of an inmate requiring medical assistance,' a NSW Police spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia. 'A 41-year-old man was treated by NSW Ambulance paramedics before being taken to Blacktown Hospital, and then transferred to Westmead Hospital for further treatment.' Parklea, a medium and maximum security facility, is privately owned by Management and Training Corp (MTC) but is expected to return to public ownership next year. An MTC spokesperson confirmed the inmate's death sparked 'peaceful protests' in an accommodation unit on Saturday which ended within hours. 'After a period of negotiation, the majority of inmates were voluntarily secured in their cells,' the spokesperson said. 'A small number of inmate representatives then spoke with centre management. 'At about 12.30pm, inmates were released from their cells, and normal routine recommenced. 'There were no injuries to staff or inmates during the incident, and nothing was damaged.' The spokesperson said MTC was working with Corrective Services NSW and NSW Police who investigate all deaths in custody 'regardless of the circumstances'. 'As the matter will be subject to a coronial inquest, it would be inappropriate to comment further,' they said.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
As 2025 kicked off my life was perfect - then everything spiralled out of control. Now I'm dealing with unimaginable grief and a stage three cancer diagnosis at just 27 years old
At the start of 2025 Chloe Haynes ' future felt busy in the best possible way. The special-education teacher and her partner Tom were saving for their first home, mapping a long-awaited trip to Japan, and quietly hoping to start a family by Christmas. Then, during a summer swim, Chloe brushed her hand beneath her left arm. 'I was fixing my swimmers and I felt a small little lump, the size of a pea,' Chloe, from Newcastle, told FEMAIL. Her mum and sister, who is a nurse, reassured her it was just a lymph node, so Chloe agreed and pushed the worry aside. Everything changed in March. Her 21-year-old brother died in a sudden traumatic accident and Chloe rushed home to Gloucester, taking six weeks off work to help plan the funeral and spend time with her grieving family. 'I was very stressed. I noticed the lump had grown, but I thought, my lymph nodes are probably flaring up because I'm grieving,' the 27-year-old said. By the end of May the bulge under her arm was unmistakable. When her sister finally saw it, she 'panicked' and ordered Chloe straight to a GP. Soon after, an ultrasound technician fell silent, ushered in colleagues, and sent Chloe for an emergency mammogram and biopsy. The call came the next afternoon as she shepherded students back from an excursion. 'The doctor said, "Chloe, I've got the results… is now a good time?" But I told him if he was ringing me in the middle of my work day, I knew it wasn't good.' He confirmed stage 3 triple-negative breast cancer that had 'already spread excessively' to her lymph nodes. Chloe has no family history of cancer and couldn't even get a referral for a mammogram at first because she was considered 'too young' for the killer disease. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) accounts for about 10 to 15 percent of all breast cancers. It differs from other types in that it tends to grow and spread faster, has fewer treatment options and usually has a worse prognosis. This type of breast cancer has an average 77 percent five-year survival rate, but depending on the stage of the cancer, that rate can be as low as 12 percent. Triple negative cancers do not respond to hormone therapy or to the targeted therapy drugs used for other cancers. 'I just went completely numb,' Chloe said, recalling how she crumpled in the school office and sobbed in the principal's arms. 'I haven't been back to work since.' Only 24 hours earlier, Chloe and Tom had signed off on their first mortgage approval. 'We had actually been approved for a home loan the day before my diagnosis,' she said. 'We went back to the broker and said no. I'll be out of work for 12 months.' 'We thought we were going to have the house, the babies… all the fun, exciting things you're hoping for when you're 27. Now it's all pushed back by cancer.' Their Japan itinerary is cancelled; a visit to her best friend in England postponed. The travel fund now pays for petrol, parking, and hospital bills. Because chemotherapy could leave her infertile, Chloe was rushed into egg retrieval last week. 'It was really important for me to have one shot at saving that chance. If this round doesn't work, I don't have time for another,' she said. The moment doctors finish collecting her eggs, she begins six months of 'intense' weekly chemotherapy - sometimes three infusions a week - alongside year-long immunotherapy. Surgery will follow, perhaps a mastectomy; radiation may come after that. Chloe's parents, still raw from losing their son, drive two hours from Gloucester for every appointment. 'I don't know how Mum and Dad are doing it, but they drop everything for me,' she said. Tom takes unpaid days off to sit beside her in waiting rooms; the Gloucester Soccer Club raised $5,000 in a single weekend; an online appeal organised by friend Ella grows daily. Yet Chloe lies awake wondering how to cover rent and groceries. 'I've got no leave left - I used it all when my brother died,' she admitted. 'I hate that I'm stressing about money when I should be focusing on surviving.' Life that once raced from classroom to dinners, soccer matches and weekend getaways has slammed to a halt. 'I used to be go, go, go. Now I'm waiting between medical appointments. It's very different - and I'm scared.' She forces herself to find tiny joys: sunrise at the beach, craft videos on YouTube, lunch with a friend before her strength fades. 'I'm trying to flip it: these are terrible cards, but maybe I'll discover something that helps me relax.' Chloe is clinging to the dream that next year, when the IV drips are gone and her hair begins to grow back, she and Tom can restart the life they mapped out: a modest house, a Japan rail pass, a baby's first kicks. For now, Chloe takes each day as it comes. 'I'm trying to stay as positive as I can,' she said 'Everything is on hold - but I have to believe it's not gone forever.' What are the common symptoms of breast cancer? Breast lumps Changes in size or shape of breasts Changes to the skin including dimpling, a rash or puckering of the breast Changes to a nipple such as turning in or just feeling different to usual Abnormal nipple discharge Inflamed breast where your breast may look red or swollen Hard breasts A red, scaly rash on the breast Breast pain
The Guardian
17 hours ago
- The Guardian
The truth about fruit juice and smoothies: should you down them or ditch them?
When my sister saw me drinking a glass of orange juice at breakfast, she was horrified. 'You're drinking pure sugar!' she said. Juice, once considered so virtuous people paid good money to go on 'juice fasts', has been demonised over the past decade. The epidemiologist and author Tim Spector has said orange juice should 'come with a health warning' and he'd rather people drink Coca-Cola. Despite this, the global juice market is growing, with chains such as Joe & the Juice expanding rapidly – and in an umbrella review last year, Australian researchers found potential health benefits to drinking juice. So should you jettison your juicer and boycott juice bars? Or add a glass of OJ to your daily diet? I asked the experts to clear up the confusion. It depends where you live. In the US, 100% juice is a recommended 'primary beverage' alongside water. In Canada, though, juice has been excluded from healthy eating guidelines altogether. Other countries tend to be somewhere in between. The UK, Spain and the Netherlands recommend limiting juice to one serving a day, while in New Zealand the limit is once a week and Australia suggests one serving 'occasionally'. Sammie Gill, a registered dietitian with the British Dietetic Association, says juices offer a concentrated source of vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals, such as polyphenols. Studies from the US, Canada and Iran 'have shown that drinking orange or apple juice is linked with lower levels of inflammation and improvements in cardiovascular health,' she says. 'Fruit juice shouldn't be discouraged within the context of a healthy balanced diet.' As well as vitamins, juice also provides a concentrated source of sugar (mainly fructose). Consuming too many of these 'free sugars' – released when the fruit is crushed into juice – contributes to tooth decay and obesity and may put you at risk of type 2 diabetes. The WHO suggests limiting the intake of free sugars, including those found in fruit juice, to less than 10% of daily calories; the UK limit is 5%, or 30g (seven teaspoons). 'A 150ml serving of fruit juice contains around 12g of free sugars, so it's very easy to exceed your maximum with just a few glasses,' says Gill. 'Drinking fruit and vegetables in liquid form is very different to eating whole fruit and vegetables in their intact form,' Gill says. 'You're only getting partial benefit.' Namely, you miss out on the fibre found in the fruit's skin and flesh. 'With whole fruit, mechanical breakdown (chewing) and chemical breakdown (enzymes) slowly release the contents of the fruit's cells. In liquid form, fruit passes through your gut and is absorbed more quickly, which can result in a rapid release of sugar into the bloodstream.' She adds that large amounts of fructose in one go can trigger symptoms in people with a sensitive gut, such as those with irritable bowel syndrome. Rob Hobson, the author of Unprocess Your Family Life, says vegetable juice tends to be lower in sugar and contain a wider range of nutrients: 'For example, beetroot juice contains nitrates, carrot juice contains vitamin A and dark leafy greens such as kale contain magnesium and calcium.' With shop-bought green juices, he advises checking the ingredients list – many are mainly apple juice. And, he stresses: 'Drinking green juice is never as good as eating the whole vegetable.' The 2024 Australian review concludes that while more studies are needed on vegetable juice, it could be a useful addition to people's diets. 'Vegetable consumption is even lower than fruit consumption at a population level. As such, it is important to consider the potential for vegetable juices to be incorporated into models of healthy eating to address this gap,' write the researchers. Even Spector is a fan. In his book The Diet Myth, he says a regular multi-vegetable juice has health benefits. If they are made from whole fruits and vegetables blended up, smoothies will contain beneficial fibre – but beware shop-bought ones made from fruit purees. 'Homemade smoothies are your best bet because you can use all edible parts of the fruits and vegetables, including the juice, flesh, seeds and skins,' says Gill. 'Leaving the skins on can increase the fibre content by up to 50%. You're getting more nutritional bang for your buck.' In the UK, frozen berries were added to the ONS inflation basket in 2023 and mango was added this year, reflecting the growing popularity of homemade smoothies. Vary your ingredients for maximum nutritional benefit and prioritise vegetables over fruit, says Gill. You can add protein, healthy fats and additional fibre in the form of milk, yoghurt or kefir, nut butter, seeds and oats. Hobson likes to make a smoothie bowl topped with coconut shavings and chopped fruit. Bridget Benelam of the British Nutrition Foundation advises keeping an eye on calories. 'There's a feeling that if it's a drink, it doesn't count, but of course it does. Just be aware of it and adjust other things in your diet to maintain balance.' Dietary advice in many countries is to drink no more than 125-150ml of fruit juice, vegetable juice or smoothie daily – a small glass. The Australian study concluded you can be a little more generous: 'The multiple potential beneficial effects detected at low to moderate levels (50-240 ml/day) of 100% juice consumption can provide exposure to beneficial nutrients and bioactive compounds, without the risks associated with excess consumption of free sugars and calories.' Gill says that consuming anything in excess can be harmful to health. 'Enjoy a glass of fruit juice or smoothie, but don't rely on it to hydrate you throughout the day. It shouldn't be your default drink … Think of it this way: it takes three to four oranges to make one glass of juice. You wouldn't eat four oranges in one sitting.' No. Even a green juice containing five different vegetables, or a smoothie made from five kinds of fruit, counts for only one of your five a day, because of the free sugars and lack of fibre. Hobson goes further. 'Juice is an extra – you should still eat at least five fruits and vegetables in whole form,' he says. 'You shouldn't get into the habit of drinking your nutrition. We should be chewing, not sipping!' As well as prioritising vegetables, include lower-sugar fruits such as berries, stone fruits, citrus fruits, kiwi and avocado. Consider diluting juices and smoothies with still or sparkling water, or ice – Benelam says juice should always be diluted half and half with water when given to children. The NHS advises drinking juices and smoothies at mealtimes, not as a between-meal snack, to reduce the risk of tooth decay. This may have an added benefit, says Hobson – especially for vegetarians and vegans. 'Vitamin C helps the body absorb iron from plant-based sources such as dark green leafy vegetables, tofu, seeds, beans and lentils.' 'Always choose a pure 100% fruit juice, ideally with pulp,' says Gill. Avoid 'fruit nectars' and products labelled 'juice drinks': 'They are bulked out with other ingredients such as sweeteners, colours and flavourings.' 'It depends what you can afford,' points out Hobson. 'Buy fresh juice if you can – pasteurised juice loses vitamin C. You'll still get some vitamin C from juice that is made from concentrate, but avoid any with added sugar or syrup.' 'Vitamin C is sensitive to oxidisation and levels do decline, so freshly made juices at a juice bar may contain more,' says Benelam. 'But portions tend to be very large – go for a small size.' Gill says there is evidence to show that ginger can help with nausea and that turmeric has anti-inflammatory effects. 'There is no harm in taking a daily shot if you enjoy it,' she says. 'At the same time, they are often expensive, can contain added sugars and different brands contain different amounts of ginger.' She notes that supplementing with ginger can interact with medications such as blood thinners; seek advice from a pharmacist if necessary. Hobson is more sceptical. 'I'm not sold on fruit shots,' he says. 'A lot of them are apple juice with a bit of ginger.' It's probably better – and certainly cheaper – to use ginger and turmeric in cooking instead. 'Juice fasts are unsustainable and unrealistic for most people,' says Gill. 'While fruit and vegetables are a rich source of many nutrients, including fibre and vitamin C, they are limited in other nutrients – such as vitamin B12, iron, omega 3 and protein. They cannot provide the body with all its nutritional needs. Food diversity is what's needed for optimal health.' There is no need to 'detox', adds Benelam. 'Our bodies are very good at getting rid of toxins.' And Hobson is unequivocal: 'Avoid juice fasts at all costs. There are no health benefits whatsoever.' 'We should get most of our hydration from water,' says Benelam – but it doesn't have to be plain. Gill suggests flavouring still or sparkling water with chopped fruit or berries; a squeeze of lemon or lime; herbs such as mint, basil or rosemary; or slices of cucumber. She says other drink options include kombucha – 'Just check the amount of sugar, which can vary from brand to brand' – and herbal and fruit teas (hot or iced). Gill suggests Greek yoghurt topped with banana or berries, chia seeds and honey. Benelam keeps it simple: 'A glass of milk – cow's or plant-based – is a good alternative before or after the gym. It contains protein, nutrients and electrolytes.' In an ideal world, we'd get our vitamins, minerals and bioactive compounds (such as polyphenols, flavonoids and carotenoids) from whole fruits and vegetables, rather than juices and smoothies. However, most of us don't eat enough of them. As the Australian review points out, juices and smoothies are an 'affordable, accessible and palatable' addition to the diet. You're not better off with Cola-Cola – but you should stick to one small glass a day. Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.
