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0NLINEFIND THESE UNIQUE READS ATReadersDigest.com.auT HOU GHT-PR OVOKI N GCan You SpotFake News?Time for a crash course on what’sreal and what’s pure fabricationF OOD, H O M E & G A R DE NPHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES; (TRUMP) WIKICOMMONSDishes in Dispute:Famous FoodFights ThroughoutHistory7HEA LTHSMA R TSURPRISING WAYSTO GET MORE SLEEPInsomnia has no blanket ersDigestAUPLUS Sign up to our FREE newsletter for more hot offers, top stories and prizes!July 2018 9

MY STORYLeaving HomeSometimes, life as a big sister just doesn’t seem fairTerry WolischCole, 52, is amother, writerand story teller.She enjoys baking,yoga and playingmahjong.10 July 2018ONE HOT DAY I WAS PLAYING with the kids next door,and I found out that in other people’s houses, the olderkids had later bedtimes. I was ive years old, and mysister Lisa was two years younger.I go to my mother with my new-found information,and I advocate for policy change. I am denied.his big-sister thing is not what it’s cracked up to be.Every time we do something that we’re not supposed toP H OTO : I S TO C KBY T E R R Y WO L F I S C H CO L E

READER’S DIGESTremember, it’s the 1970s and theydo, I get into more trouble. It seemshave not yet invented suitcases witheverybody’s always paying attentionwheels, and mine is full of books.to her – she’s little, she’s cute. And weSo, with every step, I’m dragginghave to go to bed at the same time,my suitcase. I go down the driveway,I’ve had it!with every step, I’m sweating andSo, I go to my room, and I takedragging and sweating and dragging.my white vinyl Partridge FamilyI’m so intent on my mission that Isleepover suitcase, and I put it ondon’t realise that my mother is aboutthe bed, and I start to pack. Into the20 metres behind me, following andsuitcase go Nancy Drew and Ameliawaving concerned citizens away.Bedelia – I was an early reader –Finally, I get to number 73,and some Barbies, and by the timeGrandma’s apartment building.I’m done, there is no room left forclothes.I go up the stairs, and before I evenBut I’m leaving forever, so I knowknock, the door opens.I’m going to need aMy grandma tells mewardrobe. And I put onshe’s very happy to seetwo pairs of underwearme, but I’m certainlyirst, because you’ve got Every time we do not living there forever.to change, right? A pairAnd I realise my mothersomething weof pants, a pair of shorts, are not supposed has called ahead anda T-shirt, a hoodie, aI have been betrayed.to do, I get intoraincoat, and over itMy grandma says,more trouble “Do you want a drink asall a crocheted ponchowith fringes. And I golong as you’re here?”she’s little,downstairs. My motherShe goes to get meshe’s cuteis in the kitchen. Shesome juice, and I’mlooks up and asks if I’mstanding in her livingrunning away. I told her yes.room taking of my layers, and myShe’s not nearly as upset by this asmother comes sweeping in. AndI feel she should be.she sits down in my grandfather’sShe looks at me and says, “Are youwingback chair, and she pats her lap.going to Grandma Sylvia’s?” whichShe says, “Come here.” I don’t wantis the only other place I know. It’sto because I am righteously peeved,not even two kilometres away. I can’tbut I’m hot and I’m ive, and I get onbelieve she can igure this out. She’smy mother’s lap. She pushes my hairlike some kind of witch!back behind my ear, and she says,I don’t answer her. I go out the front “Sweetheart, what is it? Why havedoor and down the driveway. Now,you left? Why have you run away?”July 2018 11

MY STORYhat night, my motherAnd it all comesfeeds us scrambled eggstumbling out: “It’s notI can read.for dinner, and she givesfair and all the time withI know what an us a bath and puts usLisa, I get into troubleboth to bed at the sameand she doesn’t andorphanage is.we should not have theI start to cry and time, as she will formany years to come.same bedtime!”I beg her,And in those yearsAnd my mother,“Don’t send my to come, Lisa and I willwho has alwaysgrow to be two halvesknown me better thansister away”of the same whole,I know myself, takesthrough adventuresmy hot, red little faceand concerts and boyfriends andin her hands, and she says to me,divorces and death and everything.“Sweetheart, I don’t want you to beBut once in a while, we’ll have aso miserable.” She says, “You cameight. And to this day, if I turn overirst. If it’s that hard for you livingmy shoulder and say, “Mum, Lisa’swith Lisa, tomorrow morning I willbeing mean to me!” my mothercall the orphanage and we’ll sendalways answers in the same way. Sheher away.”I can read. I know what ansays, “You had your chance.”orphanage is. I start to cry, and I begher, “Don’t send my sister away to anDo you have a tale to tell? We’ll payorphanage!” My mother reluctantlycash for any original and unpublishedagrees that we’ll all go home andstory we print. See page 8 for detailsgive it another try.on how to contribute.PRICKLES WITH A PAUNCHTen overweight hedgehogs have had to go on strict dietand exercise regimes. After too much snacking on food leftout for pets, the prickly creatures struggled to curl up intoa ball to fend of predators. Animal-lovers who found themwaddling around the streets of Tel Aviv, Israel, brought theminto Ramat Gan Zoo. One adult male was almost double theaverage weight for a hedgehog his age. He has since lost120 grams after staf monitored his diet and left him to runaround an enclosure. REUTERS12 July 2018

JOIN THECONVERSATIONFour great reasons why you shouldjoin us online We give awaycash and prizesFirst look atfuture issuesJoin funcompetitions andquizzesGet a sneak peekat upcomingstories andcoversWe givegreat adviceGet regular home,health and food tipsfrom The DigestFriends and good manners willcarry you where money won’t go.MARGARET WALKERWe help you getmotivated#QuotableQuotes and#PointstoPonder to get youthrough the day

KINDNESS OF STRANGERSOne Motherto AnotherEmpty rooms are even more keenlyfelt when a phone goes missingEmma Montgomerylives ive hourssouth-west ofBrisbane on thefamily beef andgrain property.Originally fromSomerset, England,she met herhusband Bill in theUK and made herway to the ‘landof plenty’ for anadventure.14 July 2018STRESS LEVELS WERE RIDING HIGH in our house duringthe last week of January this year. But above all, a sadnessenveloped the empty rooms of our farm house west ofGoondiwindi, Queensland, and I physically ached tohave my daughters in its fold again. But our hand wasforced by the distance of this vast land, as four daysearlier we had left our two eldest girls, Georgie, 13, andAnnabel, 11, at a boarding school over 500 kilometresaway. hank goodness we still had our youngest, nineyear-old Lily, at home for a couple more years.It was Australia Day and we had spent the afternooncelebrating with friends. When we arrived home,the message bank on my mobile phone was lashing.Annabel’s concerned voice greeted us: “Hi Mum andDad, you’ll never guess what – I’ve lost my phone!”After just four days at school her main means ofcommunication between us – a very ‘old’ phone – hadbeen lost ‘while doing cartwheels’ at an Australia DayI L L U S T R AT I O N : G E T T Y I M A G E SE M MA MONTGOM E RY

celebration. We kicked ourselvesfor not having installed the Find MyPhone app and realised the chancesof inding the phone were slim.At six the next morning, my mobilebeeped loudly. When I replayed themessage a kind voice announcedthat she thought she had somethingthat belonged to my daughter andcould I please call her back.Annabel had written my numberon the inside of her phone’s case –good thinking! Sure enough, thiswonderful angel, Joy, had beenmanning a charity stand at theAustralia Day celebrations and, whenpacking up, had found a little pinkcase under the table. “I’ll take it towork while you see if anyone can popin and pick it up,” she kindly oferedafter I explained that my daughterwas at boarding school and I lived asix-hour drive away.After contacting the school andpeople I know who live near it, I wasout of luck – no one was able to go andpick up the phone, not surprisingly asit was nearly an hour away.Later that day I decided to askour angel to post the phone to mydaughter. But when I sent her a text toask if this would be OK, she replied:“We will take it tonight as we’re goingto drive down there.” To my uttersurprise, this wonderful couple,who had already spent a busy dayat work and a late night manningtheir charity stand, were making atwo-hour round trip on a Saturdaynight, especially to return a phone toa complete stranger.I gave them directions and theydelivered the phone into the hands ofmy daughter at her boarding house.he only word of an explanation was:“I’ve got four children of my own, Iknow how a mother worries.”After what had been such adistressing week, it was a wonderfulreminder of the good in the worldand how the actions of one personcan mean the world to another.Share your story about a small act ofkindness that made a huge impact.Turn to page 8 for details on how tocontribute and earn cash.July 2018 15

Smart AnimalsAnimals touch our hearts and warm our soulsCAT BURGLARAVRILL DOVERWhen I was a child in the late 1940s,we had a much-loved but eccentricginger cat called Freckles. Freckleswas an enthusiastic hunter, but he didnot hunt for rats, mice or birds likeother cats. His quarry was entirelydiferent – and perhaps he consideredit more useful to humans.After a successful hunt, our youngcat would arrive home uttering thatdistinctive hunting cry that cats givevoice to when they are bringinghome a trophy. He would entertriumphantly, bearing in his moutha rolled-up pair of socks, whichhe would proudly lay at our feet.Sometimes he would bring homeother things – a pullover, a child’sshorts or singlet, and once, with16 July 2018diiculty, dragging it by one sleeve,a grey woollen jumper.We decided he must be jumpingthrough people’s open laundrywindows and raiding their laundrybaskets. I was given the embarrassingjob of going from house to houseasking, “Does this belong to you?Our cat brought it home.”Freckles gained quite a reputationin the neighbourhood, and childrenwould sometimes come to our doorenquiring about mislaid articles:“I can’t ind my hat/swimsuit/schoolbag. Has your cat taken it?”I couldn’t help wondering if someYou could earn cash by telling usabout the antics of unique pets orwildlife. Turn to page 8 for detailson how to contribute.

enterprising child ever used Frecklesas an excuse for undone homework,telling the teacher, “he neighbour’scat stole it!”A few years later, we moved toanother suburb. Perhaps the peoplethere were more security consciousand there was a shortage of openwindows, but whatever the reason,Freckles grew to a contented old agewithout ever again indulging in hisstrange pastime.BEST FRIENDS FOREVERI L L U S T R AT I O N S : G E T T Y I M A G E SLYNETTE TURNERIn March 2009, my husband, Eddie,and I went to the RSPCA in Lonsdale,South Australia, to look for a suitabledog to adopt. We stopped at onekennel and a gorgeous red dog cameup to the door and stared at us withthe most beautiful intelligent eyes.She picked us.Cody is a Stafordshire-Labradorcross with a gentle soul and was14 months old when we adoptedher. She adored our elderly BritishShorthair cat, Cougar, and it took notime for them to become best friends.At mealtimes Cody would alwaysleave a small amount of food in herbowl for Cougar and Cougar wouldalways leave some for Cody. WhenCougar developed kidney disease,Cody looked after her.Just before Cougar passed away,she curled up on her favourite blanketwith Cody next to her, paws placedgently on Cougar, never leaving herside. Cody would try to encourageCougar to stand by lifting her head upwith her nose. Sadly, Cougar passedaway later that night.he next morning, I went out tothe backyard to dig a grave and Codyhelped me dig it with her paws.After I laid Cougar in the grave thehouse phone rang and I ran insideto answer to it. Returning to thegrave, I discovered that Cody hadcompletely buried Cougar. She sat bythe graveside and howled and criedfor several minutes before I walkedher back inside the house. Codywas devastated and missed her bestfriend for a very long time.Cody still loves cats and has sincehelped to raise three orphanedkittens.COUG ARB R O U G H T TO YO U BYhouseofpets.innovations.com.auJuly 2018 17

THE DIGEST7Diabetes SymptomsEvery Man Must KnowWarning signs men should not ignoreBY J E S S I C A M I G A L A A N D K AT H Y B U C H A N A NSHAVING NICKSDON’T HEAL QUICKLYA tiny cut may seem to18 July 2018linger forever. “When your sugarsare on their way up, it may takelonger for a cut to heal,” says Sydneyendocrinologist Jane Holmes-Walker.“You may also notice more shavingbumps and white heads in the hairfollicles in your beard. he sebaceousoil glands in your face are alsovulnerable to low-grade infectionswhen you have type 2 diabetes.”YOUR HANDS AND FEET ARENUMB AND TINGLY A moreadvanced complication is nervedamage, a condition calledperipheral diabeticneuropathy. You mayfeel tingling or pinsand needles in yourfeet, pain or numbness,or a sensation that feelslike you are walking oncotton wool for some orI L L U S T R AT I O N : G E T T Y I M A G E SYOU’RE SO THIRSTY Excessivethirst is common with type 2diabetes – in fact, you may feel thatno amount of water can quenchyour thirst. hat’s due to rising bloodglucose levels: excess sugar buildsup in your bloodstream forcingyour kidneys to work harder to ilterand absorb it; if they can’t keep up,they ramp up urine production.You’ll pass urine more, which canpotentially lead to dehydration,so you’ll want to drink more.If you notice that you’re runningto the bathroom all dayor are excessively thirsty(or dealing with adry mouth), talk toyour doctor.

HEALTHstones for others. Holmes-Walker saysthat it presents in a ‘stocking – glove’pattern. “It happens irst where yoursocks go on, and it may occur in youringertips much later,” she says.depression in older men. he longerthe person had been diagnosed withdiabetes, the more likely they were tosufer from depression.YOU’RE SEEING ‘FLOATERS’Although diabetes can damage eyes,it’s usually not until diabetes is moreadvanced that you start experiencingwarning signs of type 2 diabetes aresymptoms. Over time, high blooderectile dysfunction and a conditionglucose damages bloodcalled balanitis. “his isAmong thevessels in the retina,most commonly due tocausing them to bleedan excess of candida, aproblemsand leading to diabeticnormal resident on thetriggered byretinopathy. You mayskin which increases withhigh blood glucose levels,” diabetes, mood notice black loatingdisorders are spots dotting your ieldsays Holmes-Walker. Ifof vision, and you mayyou experience swellingnotoriousalso have blurred vision.of the foreskin and tip ofIt’s important to have a dilated eyethe penis, any pain or discharge, seeyour doctor. hey will instruct you on exam as diabetes is a leading cause ofpreventable blindess.the best way to keep the area cleanand may recommend an anti-fungalor antibiotic cream depending on the YOUR GUMS ARE BLEEDINGsource of the problem.Holmes-Walker says people withdiabetes are three times more likelyto develop periodontitis – anYOUR MOOD IS LOW Of all theproblems triggered by diabetes, mood infection that damages gums and candisorders are notorious. An Australian lead to tooth loss – than those withoutdiabetes. Red, swollen and bleedingstudy found one in four people withtype 2 diabetes experience depression gums are common signs of thecondition. It’s important to see aand one in six experience anxiety.dentist to get this under control, sinceBlood glucose balance is importantthe infection also works the other wayfor maintaining a stable mood. In a– gum problems can increase blood2016 US study, diabetes wasglucose and lead to diabetes.associated with increased odds ofTHE TIP OF YOUR PENIS IS REDAND SWOLLEN Among the manyJuly 2018 19

HEALTHMore Salt hanYou houghtEight surprising foods that can increase your thirstBY L I S A M A R I E C O N K L I NCOTTAGE CHEESE hese creamyBISCUITS “Just because a product iscurds have at least 400 mg of sodiumper half cup. For a tasty substitute,try Greek yoghurt, which hasmore protein, calcium, vitamin D,probiotics as well as much less salt.sweet doesn’t mean it’s not high insodium,” dietitian Alysha Coughlersays. She also cautions watching forhigh-sodium ‘healthy’ versions.PASTA SAUCE Typical pasta sauceINSTANT OATS Just add water fora nutritious bowl of goodness, right?Not necessarily. Instant oats packin as much as 200 mg per servingcompared to zero salt in plain oats.can put a big dent in your sodiumbudget. Look for lower sodiumvarieties or add in some herbs andspices and you won’t miss the salt.BREAD Some shop-bought breadssweaty gym session you won’t needto reach for a sports drink, whichare created for elite athletes. Waterwill quench your thirst and keep youwithin your daily sodium limit.have double, triple or even quadruplethe salt of homemade versions. “Somehave 325 mg of sodium per slice,”says dietitian Bobby Maknoon. Alsobe mindful of portions. “Most peopleeat two slices at a time but often theserving size is just one slice.”CANNED VEGIES “Fresh or frozenveg is a better option,” says dietitianAsvini Mashru. “But if you want tostick to cans, look for ‘no salt added’or ‘reduced-sodium’ varieties.” Iffull-salt is your only option, drainand rinse thoroughly in cold water.20 July 2018SALAD DRESSING “Sugar and fat getthe blame but some dressings have200 mg of sodium per serving,” saysMaknoon. ‘Low-fat’ and ‘light’varieties usually have extra sodiumto compensate for lower fat content.P H OTO : G E T T Y I M AG E SSPORTS DRINKS Even after a very

HEALTHWhy You FeelLike You’re FallingMost people have experienced this sensationwhen going to sleep at some point in their livesP H OTO : G E T T Y I M AG E SBY S A M B E N S O N S M I T HYOU MAY ALREADY HAVE diicultygetting to sleep each night. But evenwhen you have managed to startdrifting of, something inexplicablebrings you back to consciousness: aninefable sensation of falling.hat feeling goes by several names:a hypnic jerk, hypnagogic jerk, sleepstart, or sleep twitch. According toSleep.org, they’re incrediblycommon; 70 per cent of people haveexperienced the sensation at somepoint. Although usually harmless,their origins are still a bit cloudy.Certain factors play a role in thelikelihood of experiencing hypni

AU: editor@readersdigest.com.au NZ: editor@readersdigest.co.nz ASIA: rdaeditor@readersdigest.com.au 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. Kindness of .