Reader’s Digest Asia (English Edition)

SOMETHING WEIRD OCCURS when one of my family members is feeling unwell. I’ve noticed that a flatness descends over the house, as we all react in sympathy. So I was very keen to read the article by Lisa Kadane about empathetic pain (page 118). While my family’s sympathetic response doesn’t extend to experiencing the illness or pain of the family member, it seems that this potential does exist between some long-term couples. Their health actually falls into sync over time. Experts now think that a better ageing environment can be created by recognising these health similarities and working together on the commonalities with better exercise, diet and medication treatments. We also have a lunar quiz (‘The Moon Has Risen’, page 86), advice on how to stop grinding your teeth while you…

Holding On To Hope Stacey May Fowles’s ‘A Bunny At My Door’ (October) was a very touching story. I was teary reading about her struggles to conceive and at the same time had tears of joy when a cute bunny made her forget all her worries about infertility and just focus on her everyday life. Thank you for this story about hope. KAVITHA SUKIRTHALINGAM 730 Issues… And Counting I’d like to acknowledge my dad, William, a long-time reader of your magazine. He has subscribed to Reader’s Digest and read every issue from front to back since he was 19 years old. He has recently turned 80, so has read 730 magazines! He often announces, “I wonder when they’re going to send me a letter for subscribing for so long?” When us kids were younger we…

Some of my fondest childhood memories include my years at a convent school, where I learnt Christmas carols for the first time. My kindergarten classmates and I would surround the biggest doll to ever have been called Baby Jesus, cheerfully blaring out those Yuletide songs many of us know and love. Standing next to me would be my best friend Boli, a cool, smart five year old who I adored without question. So, as she confidently sang out, ‘White shepherds washed their socks by night’, I blindly followed suit, verbatim. It wasn’t until much later when I learnt to read, that my songbook revealed that the carol was not quite about the nocturnal laundry habits of sheep-rearing men. The words actually go, ‘While shepherds watched their flocks by night’. When I…

Feeling Peckish LOUISE MILLER Over Christmas in 2012, a young peewee (magpie lark) was lodging in my spare room for a few days. The little bird had been found on the ground, with no parents in sight, and brought to me – a volunteer wildlife carer – until longer-term care could be arranged. As it was not yet fully grown into its adult plumage, the peewee had a crown of fuzz on top of its head, the last vestige of its chick stage of development. This fledgling bird was away from its parents and its natural environment, and found itself in alien surroundings in the middle of the city, where everything was new. On the second day, I heard the peewee chirping insistently from inside as I let myself through the gate on my…

Welcoming a new pet can be a magical moment for a lot of people. Unfortunately, many new pet owners can take a while to adjust to their pets and struggle to bond with them. According to celebrity dog trainer Nicole Ellis, following certain steps will help you to become closer to your pet. This should go without saying but spending time with your pets can greatly help you form a relationship with them. Cats, dogs and other animals love to be included in the activities of their humans. Whether it is going on errands or just chilling at home watching a movie, make sure your furry friends are with you and enjoying themselves. Another thing to bear in mind is that playtime between an owner and their pets is a good way…

1 EAT NUTS Just a handful of nuts a day can reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease. In fact, research suggests that they help your heart in a number of ways, including lowering ‘bad’ LDL (lowdensity lipoprotein) cholesterol and triglycerides and the risk of blood clots. So, ditch the crisps and biscuits and reach for the unsalted nuts instead. But beware, they’re high in kilojoules. 2 KEEP A CAT A study of more than 4000 people based on data from the American National Health and Nutrition Examination Study found that those who’d never owned a cat were 40 per cent more likely to die of a heart attack and 30 per cent more likely to die from any cardiovascular event, such as stroke or heart failure. It’s probable that stroking Tiddles…