Arthritis is rife in the UK; more than 10 million people have arthritis or other, similar conditions that affect the joints. Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are the two most common types of arthritis. Their causes may differ, but they share similar symptoms. The most common being stiffness and painful swelling in particular joints.

These symptoms can place an immense burden on people's lives, making everyday tasks painful and difficult.

Unfortunately, there's no cure for arthritis, but there are many treatments that can help slow it down.

One effective strategy is to cut out unhealthy foods that may be exacerbating your symptoms.

Researchers have concluded that fried and processed foods can aggravate arthritis.

READ MORE:Arthritis pain - common household sauce you should avoid or risk painful symptoms

Researchers at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine examined disease prevention through diet.

In their study, they found that decreasing the amount of fried and processed foods eaten can reduce inflammation and actually help restore the bodys natural defences.

Evidence has also shone a light on why fried and processed foods are to be avoided - these foods contain saturated fat.

Several studies have shown that saturated fats trigger adipose (fat tissue) inflammation, which is not only an indicator for heart disease but it also worsens arthritis inflammation.

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Saturated fat is found in:

Butter, ghee, suet, lard, coconut oil and palm oil.

Research also suggests it isn't just what you eat but how you eat that can have a profound impact on arthritis.

An advanced glycation end product (AGE) is a toxin that appears when foods are heated, grilled, fried, or pasteurised.

GEs damage certain proteins in your body - your body tries to break these AGEs apart by using cytokines, which are inflammatory messengers.

Depending on where the AGEs occur, they may result in arthritis or other forms of inflammation.

Research has shown that reducing the amount of food cooked at high temperatures in your diet could potentially help reduce blood AGE levels.

A healthy approach to eating also brings the added benefit of helping you to lose weight.

This is important because losing weight can help you cope with arthritis.

The NHS explains: "Too much weight places excess pressure on the joints in your hips, knees, ankles and feet, leading to increased pain and mobility problems."

Exercise can also encourage weight loss and bring direct benefits for managing arthritis.

According to the NHS, regular exercise can also:

"Combined with a healthy, balanced diet, regular exercise will help you lose weight and place less strain on your joints," adds the health body.

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Arthritis treatment: Avoid this type of food to reduce inflammation and restore defences' - Express

By: Lifestyle Desk | New Delhi | Updated: September 23, 2020 12:33:15 pm Ensure your diet is full of the required amount of protein. (Source: Getty Images/Thinkstock)

If exercise helps build strength and flexibility, it is ones diet and nutrition intake that builds health and energy. While there are different types of diets that may help one achieve the desired results, many people tend to believe that there are not many adequate sources of protein for vegans. Nutritionist Rashi Chowdhury debunks the myth and lists some commonly found sources of protein for vegans that are also lighter on the gut.

Take a look.

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There are SO many plant based foods that are packed with nutrition and are high in protein but a lot of them might cause issues with the gut so Here are some of my favorite sources of vegan protein that are lighter on the gut! 1- Pistachios Pistachios make for an excellent high-protein snack on the go. You can also use them in your favorite recipe. Theyve got 25 grams of protein per cup 2- Almond butter I LOVE nut butters. Almond butter is a little grittier than peanut butter and contains more fiber, calcium, potassium, and iron. Add a scoop of almond butter on top of your oatmeal, in a smoothie, or slather it on top of a banana or piece of sourdough toast. Contains 7 grams of protein per 2Tbsp serving 3- Organic Edamame These crunchy little guys are fun to eat on their own, straight out of the shell, with a generous sprinkling of coarse salt. Contains 18 grams of protein per 1 cup serving (shelled) please try and go organic here. 4- Pea protein powder Pea protein is a popular vegan protein option. It's easy to digest, and a good source of arginine (an amino acid your body needs to build muscle), and branch chain amino acids (protein compounds that can delay fatigue during exercise). Add some in chocolate or vanilla-flavored powder form to your post-workout smoothie. Contains 14 grams of protein per 2T serving (1 scoop) 5- Spirulina Another richer source of protein than most vegetables! Spirulina is a worthy addition to your morning smoothie or juice. Contains a hefty 57g per 100g, but the average serving is between 1-3g. 6- Chia seeds Chia seeds pack a surprising amount of protein and also high in fiber and are a complete protein. Contains 5g protein per 2T serving 7- Sesame seeds Sesame seeds are rich in lignans that may help burn fat as they cause the body to release more fat-burning liver enzymes. They are also an excellent source of vegan protein. Contains 5g protein per 3T serving Try to mix and match all these vegan protein sources and make sure you eat ATLEAST 20% of your calories from protein Have any more interesting vegan protein sources that you love? Share them with me in the comments below!

A post shared by Rashi Chowdhary (@rashichowdhary) on Jul 17, 2020 at 10:23pm PDT

Pistachios

Pistachios make for an excellent high-protein snack on the go. You can also use them in your favourite recipe. Theyve got 25 grams of protein per cup.

Almond butter

Almond butter contains more fibre, calcium, potassium, and iron than peanut butter. Add a scoop of almond butter to your oatmeal, smoothie, or slather it on top of a banana or piece of sourdough toast. Contains seven grams of protein per two-tablespoon of serving.

ALSO READ | Know how to build immunity with protein amidst coronavirus pandemic

Pea protein powder

Pea protein is a popular vegan protein option. Its easy to digest, and a good source of arginine (an amino acid the body needs to build muscle), and branch chain amino acids (protein compounds that can delay fatigue during exercise). Add some to your post-workout smoothie. Contains 14 grams of protein per two teaspoons of serving or one scoop.

Spirulina

Another rich source of protein, spirulina is a worthy addition to your morning smoothie or juice. Contains a hefty 57g per 100g, but the average serving is between 1-3 grams.

Chia seeds

Chia seeds pack a surprising amount of protein, and are also high in fibre. Contain five grams of protein per two teaspoons of serving.

Sesame seeds

Sesame seeds are rich in lignans that may help burn fat as they cause the body to release more fat-burning liver enzymes. They are also an excellent source of vegan protein. Contain five grams of protein per three teaspoons of serving.

Try to mix and match all these vegan protein sources and make sure you eat at least 20 per cent of your calories from protein, she said.

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Excellent sources of protein for those on a vegan diet - The Indian Express

Vegetables are a key tool in aiding weight loss. They are nutrient-rich, fiber-packed, and super good for you. According to the CDC, water and fiber infoodsincrease volume and thereby reduce energy density. In their natural state, fruits andvegetableshave high water and fiber content and are low in calories and energy density.Fatincreases the energy density offoods, while water and fiber decrease energy density. Pairing veggies off with a good protein and fat can help you lose weight, but also give your diet a healthy twist so you have more energy, less stress, and a better mood! Weve made a list of the best vegetables for weight loss, here are some of our favorites.

Spinach is definitely one of our favorites. Its nutrient-dense, has so many nutrients, and is versatile in its use. It is a powerhouse vegetable and helps prevent a lot of diseases out there. You can eat it in a smoothie, in a salad, or cook it as a side dish.

If youre looking for an alternative to grains and carbs, this is the way to go. Its only around 40 50 calories for serving and tastes amazing. Spaghetti is so delicious, its low in fat and full of fiber. Fiber keeps you full for longer. We like to put it in the oven with some olive oil and spices and make fries out of them.

Broccoli has so much fiber, versatility, and can be used in almost every savory dish. You can put in an omelet, add it to pasta, put it in the oven with olive oil, and spaces. Theres so much you can do.

Cauliflower is a super popular vegetable that is all the rage right now. Its only around 20 30 calories per cup, and slows digestion and promote the feeling of fullness. Its fat-free, cholesterol-free, and low in sodium. There are so many things you can do with cauliflower, its one of the best vegetables for weight loss around. You can make rice, pizza crust, or even soup!

Sweet potatos fiber is so incredible, its also a fan favorite amongst the health community because it tastes good with other healthy foods. You can roast sweet potato, turn it into a mash, or even make it a pizza crust. The sweet taste is a lot more interesting than the regular potato, and sweet potato fries are so delicious (we like them better than regular fries, tbh).

Good for babies, and good for you! Green peas are an excellent source of fiber. According to the Food Network, there are almost 9 grams of fiber in every cup and the food possibilities are endless. You can make soup, pea pesto, and even eat them as a side. Add them to pasta and maybe even a casserole!

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The Best Vegetables to Eat When You're Trying to Lose Weight - Sporteluxe

Anushka Sharma and hubby Virat Kohli are currently in Dubai. The stars keep sharing pictures and videos from UAE to keep fans updated about their routine. Recently, the 'Pari' actress took to her Instagram handle to give us a sneak-peek into the best phase of her life. In the video, the star is seen dipping some french fries in a dip. At the ends, she gives a thumbs up for it. Recently, the actress was making headlines as she shared a picture showing off her baby bump in a monokini. She captioned the post using Ram Dass and Eckhart Tolle's quotes. 'Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance - Eckhart Tolle Gratitude to all those who showed me kindness and made me believe in goodness in this world , opening my heart enough to practice the same with the hope to pay it forward Because ... " After all , we are all just walking each other home - Ram Dass #worldgratitudeday '', she wrote. Check out her posts here: Meanwhile, on the work front, she was last seen in 'Zero' with Shah Rukh Khan and Katrina Kaif. Helmed by Aanand L. Rai, the film was released in 2018. The actress did not announce any movie since then.

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Watch: Anushka Sharma satisfies her pregnancy cravings with some french fries - Times of India

The first self-help-adjacent book I ever read was called Every Girls Handbook. My mother bought it for me when I was 12 (coincidentally, at exactly the same time that I discovered Agatha Christie) and it was packed full of useful information about makeup and what star signs I might be compatible with for both friendship and romance. I loved that book, loved in particular the idea of a book designed to help me, and studied it with great passion and commitment night after night. I did not, however, become a regular reader of self-help books at that point in my life after all, I had all of Christie to read, and then Ruth Rendell. I devoted most of my next two reading decades to crime fiction.

I might never have returned to the self-help genre, or become an avid fan of it, were it not for an experience I had in Crete in 2003. I had agreed to teach a creative writing course in Loutro, a rocky village on the Libyan sea, for a company called World Spirit. In those days I would have described World Spirit as a new agey outfit. There was another course running at the same time as mine, and its tutor was a guru. Other people called him that and it was also how he described himself. I caught a ferry with him on the way home. He was fascinating, and spent the ferry ride explaining in the most charming and entertaining way that everything I had ever believed and the entire way I viewed the world were wrong. Meeting him inspired me to read his book, which proved far too new agey for me. Despite coming to this conclusion, I was fascinated by the guru and what he represented. And people were talking, at the time, about another spiritual book called The Power of Now, by Eckhart Tolle, so I thought Id give it a try.

Oliver Burkeman interviews Eckhart Tolle, author of The Power of Now

Its no exaggeration to say that The Power of Now changed my life. Like the Ferry Gurus book, it was definitely new agey, but if you took away the spiritual stuff (I wanted to do this at the time; I wouldnt want to now), what remained was a radical new way of looking at the world. Thanks to Tolle, I learned that I would be entirely mistaken if I were to judge, for example, my friend Zeldas recent actions negatively and imagine Im a better person than her. As Tolle puts it: If her past were your past, her pain your pain, her level of consciousness your level of consciousness, you would think and act exactly as she does. With this realisation comes forgiveness, compassion and peace. (I later wrote a self-help book of my own, called How to Hold a Grudge, that is aimed at solving the conundrum of other people still massively annoying us even once we know that theyre doing their best and that we are in no way superior to them.)

Another vital lesson I learned from Tolle was that its the stories we tell ourselves about events that cause all our pain and suffering, not the events themselves. All happenings and events and facts are neither good nor bad, neither happy nor unhappy, Tolle argues. For instance, if your husband fails to turn up for your 20th wedding anniversary dinner, you might tell yourself the story: He doesnt care. He doesnt love me any more. I dont matter to him. And if you believed that, youd feel terrible. Tolle points out that if we eschewed interpretations and instead stuck to the simple facts, the only truth would be: A woman arrived at a restaurant at 7pm, and a man did not and theres nothing upsetting about that statement.

I found myself thinking about everything differently and creating much less suffering for myself, and I wondered what other books might seriously help me improve my life. Soon I was reading every self-help book I could get my hands on. I learned about emotional incest syndrome which can happen when a parent enmeshes mentally with their child and trains him or her to feel responsible for the parents emotional state and wellbeing. I had encountered many instances of this in real life (havent we all?) but I had never heard it named or anatomised before. I read a fascinating book by Patricia Evans called Controlling People on a plane to New York. Evidently the subtitle How to Recognize, Understand, and Deal with People Who Try to Control You was too small to be visible to my fellow passenger, who leaned across the aisle and said: Hey, is that good? Id love to be able to control people! Does it teach you to do that?

I gulped down books about narcissism (Oh, so thats whats wrong with Fred/Bill/Gordon now it all makes sense!), toxic partners, spouses, bosses, siblings, parents, children and hairdressers. I read all about verbally and emotionally abusive relationships, psychological vampires, energy predators, women who love too much, men who wipe down kitchen work surfaces too infrequently, and how and when to care less. I read a book by Caroline Myss called Why People Dont Heal and How They Can, and many other books about the connection between physical symptoms and psychological states. For a few weeks I stalked around the house muttering: Aha! So that sore throat I had yesterday was caused by my inability to stick up for myself when Lucinda was having a go at me!

Many of these books, including The Power of Now, have a lot to say about how our egos always want to be right and yes, thats obviously true to an extent, but personally I find nothing more exciting than discovering that Ive been massively wrong in some aspect of my thinking, and that I can start to think in the opposite way and achieve an opposite and preferable result. Whenever I have these moments, they land on me with the force of an amazing and delightful twist in a crime novel. If I were Zelda (not her real name, by the way), exactly as she is, I would behave as Zelda does. I would be unable to choose to do otherwise. Amazing! My thoughts and beliefs, not anyone elses behaviour or actions, cause my feelings, and I can always change my thoughts if I want to. Eureka!

I fully understood that there was a strong chance that some of the books I read might be nonsense, but that only made my adventures in self-help all the more exciting. With each new book I thought, either this book will be right and Ill learn something amazing and life-changing, or itll be dead wrong and Ill be able to prove it and still learn something, only in a different way. I treated each book I read as if it was full of clues and as someone who also loved mysteries and Agatha Christie, I loved clues and solving mysteries more than anything.

I started to buy self-help books I had no need for: How to Stop Binge-Drinking Vodka and Healing Emotionally After Being Crushed By a Falling Hippo. It turned out some of the concepts that are key to giving up vodka are also helpful if what you want to give up is smoking that was definitely a problem I had in my 20s, and one that I have chosen to reintroduce into my life many times since. I think the last time was ahem, two days ago. Self-help book addicts understand, you see, that not all problems get solved or stay solved, and that this, crucially, does not mean we shouldnt bother with self-help books. On the contrary: it means we should read more of them, and different ones, and examine all the problems from every possible angle. Lets face it, if the troublesome issues created by our human brains (the only culprit, always) are sticking around, then of course we need a constant supply of suggestions about how to deal with them.

Two years ago, I discovered the best and most helpful self-help content of my life so far: American life coach Brooke Castillos Self-Coaching Scholars programme, and Castillos book Self Coaching 101. Castillo, and her organisation, The Life Coach School, teaches that all circumstances are neutral neither good nor bad and that its never a circumstance but always a thought that creates our feelings and therefore our actions and our life experience. And the good news is: we can always choose what thoughts we want to think, on purpose and keeping in mind a particular feeling or result that wed like to aim for.

This has worked brilliantly for me so brilliantly that Im now evangelical about Castillos approach. For example, I used to be resentful of the teacher who told my son, I dont care if you pass or fail your GCSE, having first threatened to expel him from the same GCSE course after he missed an end-of-year exam that no one knew anything about because the school had sent out a timetable on which that exam did not appear. Now, whenever I think about that teacher, I grin and feel proud because what first springs to mind is the massive breakthrough I made when I realised that what I wanted more than anything, in relation to her, was to return her model and not be affected by it. (If you dont know what that means, then youd probably benefit as much as I have from joining The Life Coach Schools self-coaching scholars programme.)

Now, to return to my copy of How to Stop Binge-Drinking Vodka. Obviously I cant and wont buy or read a book about giving up smoking because I dont really smoke. Just every now and again. Look, stop judging me, OK? Or actually, judge me all you like, because Ive just bought a fascinating book called What You Think of Me Is None of My Business

Happiness, a Mystery: And 66 Attempts to Solve It by Sophie Hannah is published by Profile/Wellcome Collection. To order a copy go to guardianbookshop.com. Delivery charges may apply.

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Why I'm addicted to self-help books - The Guardian

The Covid crisis has put people under immense pressure, adversely impacting their mental health. A positive attitude and regular exercise can help one keep calm, said Dr Manoj Sahu of Pt Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Medical College in Raipur on Thursday.

Students are unable to go to schools and colleges, people cannot move out, meet their friends or relatives and the fear of disease is making a serious negative impact on peoples mental health, Dr Sahu said in a press release.

The symptoms of mental trouble caused by Covid-19 include irregular sleep, urge to cry, irritation, problem in taking rest, worry, feeling physically exhausted, weakness, guilt, problem in smiling or being happy and trouble in following a daily routine, Dr Sahu said.

He said that some cases physical symptoms like stomach ache, dysentery, headache, body pain, decreased appetite or excessive eating, sweating or cold, shock or muscle cramps and increased heartbeat have been noted.

In some cases, the patient has trouble focusing, has excessive negative thoughts and in a few cases they even lose interest in life, Dr Sahu said.

In these conditions, people should adopt a positive mental attitude and focus on solving problems with available resources, he said, adding people should take care of their food habits and do not hesitate to consult a psychologist if needed.

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Be positive to keep good mental health amid Covid - Daily Pioneer

Diamond Vogels 2021 Color of the Year is Dreaming of the Day (0470), a soft, blue-green that offers a relaxed, meditative feel.

Dreaming of the Day offers a harmonious feel, an awakening to a more relaxed state of mind, said Sandy Agar-Studelska, Diamond Vogel marketing manager. This muted blue-green harkens a feel of nature, clarity, and a desire for wellness and healthy living. With Dreaming of the Days color origin centered between blue and green, it offers the best of both worldsfeelings of security, trust, and safety, as well as wellness and health. After a long period of quarantine, separation, and our desire for connection, we all dream of the day we can return to family, share a direct smile, and participate more freely within our community and more fully in life.

Dreaming of the Day can easily transition between interiors and exteriors, and balances warm and cool colors effortlessly, pairing seamlessly with grays, whites, neutral earth-tones, as well as deep green, yellow, and rusty reds.

Our trend report, Comfortable, Nurturing, and Optimistic, provides 20 colors in four trend palettes providing inspiration in our search and desire to stay healthy and strong. Never have our homes been so important, said Agar- Studelska. We have learned to use and adapt them into almost every aspect of our lives. This shift shows just how resilient and creative we are. As we are staying at home, we look to create nurturing environments. Nature has been a partner in finding inspiration. In the great outdoors, we feel safe and know it is important mentally and physically to stay strong.

Pairing Dreaming of the Day with the 2021 Trend Colors offers inspiration found not just in nature but in our search and desire to stay healthy as we dream of the day, we can all be back together.

Diamond Vogel 2021 Trend Palettes:

Durability, strength, and resilience. We desire authentic experiences and relationships during a time when we have a limited ability to have them. In a modern world where it is hard to decipher between what is real or what was created for the experience, we seek the truth. Our new virtual world gives us some of our needs, but we truly need human touch and real encounters to feel strong and alive. This palette offers tender earth neutrals, warm and comforting browns, and a red that makes us feel alive. These durable colors connect us to the reality we seek.

This palette looks to the future with hope, optimism, and confidence. We crave connection and look to elevate our energy for the future. Seeking inner balance at a time when our lives are anything but balanced, this palette offers hope for what lies ahead. Soft blues, saturated greens, and deep yet comfortable neutrals offer a serene, quiet sense of purpose to help us energize for what is ahead.

Appreciating our past while embracing new ideas gives life balance and a deeper understanding. Both old and new ideas offer inspiration, strength, and harmony. Trends in sustainable products, healthy living, wellness, and positive mental attitude offer reassurance for better days ahead. Created by nature, these earth-inspired hues of greens, golds, and yellows offer an encouraging and comfortable backdrop to our lives.

Nostalgia and the desire to escape from the every day is now celebrated. Rekindled hobbies, self-learned crafts, even gardening and preparing our own meals lifts our spirits and gives us a sense of accomplishment. This eclectic palette of classic colors celebrates individualism. Apply these time-tested colors to your own space, as they are sure to deliver.

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Diamond Vogel Announces 2021 Color Of The Year, Annual 2021 Color Trend Report - Coatings World Magazine

Theres a direct correlation between a positive attitude and better relationships, superior health, and greater success.

Some studies show that personality traits like optimism and pessimism can affect many areas of your health and well-being.

The positive thinking that typically comes with optimism is a key part of effective stress management.

A positive attitude can boost your energy, heighten your inner strength, inspire others, and garner the fortitude to meet difficult challenges.

According to research from the Mayo Clinic, positive thinking can increase your life span, decrease depression, reduce levels of distress, offer better psychological and physical well-being, and enable you to cope better during hardships and times of stress.

And effective stress management is associated with many health benefits.

Here are several ways to adopt a positive mental attitude:

Positive thinking often starts with self-talk. Self-talk is the endless stream of unspoken thoughts that run through your head every day. These automatic thoughts can be positive or negative. Some of your self-talk comes from logic and reason. Other self-talk may arise from misconceptions that you create because of lack of information.

Surround yourself with positive people. Spend time with people who are positive, supportive, and who energize you. Remember, if you get too close to a drowning victim, he may take you down with him. Pick a positive person instead.

Be positive yourself. If you dont want to be surrounded by negative people, what makes you think others do? Learn to master your own thoughts.

Control your negative thinking. This can be accomplished in the following ways:

See the glass as half full rather than half empty.

Anticipate the best outcome.

Stay the middle ground. Dont view everything in extremes as either fantastic or

Consciously resist negative thinking. Be cognizant of and mentally avoid negative thinking. This will help you modify your behavior.

Be nice to yourself. Unfortunately, some people say the meanest things to themselves. If you criticize yourself long enough, youll start to believe it. This negativity can drag you down over time. It may be time to fire the critic and hire the advocate.

Set realistic, achievable goals. Theres nothing wrong with setting a high bar unless you beat yourself up for not achieving your goals. The key is to build confidence by setting realistic goals and by hitting a lot of singles rather than swinging for the fences.

Keep it in perspective. Life is all about prioritizing the things that matter most in your life and focusing your efforts in these areas. This means that trivial things that go wrong every day shouldnt get you down. Learn to address or ignore small issues and move on. Its time to sweat the big stuff.

Turn challenges into opportunities. Instead of letting challenges overwhelm you, turn them into opportunities. (Rather than hitting the wall, climb over it or go around.)

Count your blessings. Be grateful and give thanks for the special things in your life rather than taking them for granted. Some people do this by giving thanks around the dinner table, keeping a written journal, or posting one special item each day on Facebook. Remember, some of the greatest possessions in life arent material. Take every opportunity to make a wonderful new memory.

Its unclear why people who engage in positive thinking experience these health benefits. One theory is that having a positive outlook enables you to cope better with stressful situations, which reduces the harmful health effects of stress on your body.

Its also thought that positive and optimistic people tend to live healthier lifestyles they get more physical activity, follow a healthier diet, and dont smoke or drink alcohol in excess.

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Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference - Myjoyonline.com

Michael Bradley

In happier times: Ainsleyana Puleiata takes the ball for her St Mary's College side, before her two ACL reconstructions changed her outlook on life.

One distressing knee injury after another would be enough to crush most young athletes, but not Ainsleyana Puleiata. The rising netball and sevens star tells Suzanne McFadden how she twice overcame the mental and physical torment and now the black dress beckons.

Twelve minutes. Its a timeframe Ainsleyana Puleiata can never wipe from her memory.

Just 12 minutes was all it took to send the promising sports star into a downward spiral. A career-challenging moment the now 20-year-old breaks into tears recalling.

A thrilling young talent from Porirua, excelling in both netball and rugby, Puleiata had just pushed herself through a nine-month comeback from knee surgery, and this was her first real netball game back.

It was early last year, a pre-season match in Auckland with her champion Central Manawa side. A game of little importance.

I remember thinking, OK Im the starting wing attack, Ive worked really hard to get here, Puleiata says.

READ MORE: * Midcourt dynamo Maddy Gordon's big chance to stake claim for Silver Ferns spot * Banishing dark days, Silver Fern Erikana Pedersen changes direction * Sulu Fitzpatrick forever the student as she juggles netball and studying

On court she forgot about her left knee - no painful twinges; no hesitancy.

Twelve uneventful minutes into the game, Puleiata took a ball in the air and landed in the left-hand pocket of the court. As she put a perfectly weighted lob into her shooter, her rebuilt knee just caved in.

Crumpled on the ground, her only thought was: Please dont let it be the ACL.

An MRI scan revealed her worst fear: Puleiata had damaged the same knee twice.

Facing another season off the court and the rugby field, the Samoan teenager hit rock bottom. She doubted she had the strength to do it all over again.

But with a supportive team around her including her parents, former Silver Fern now physio Sharon Gold, and victorious Central Pulse coach Yvette McCausland-Durie Puleiata did another 12 months of intense rehabilitation.

An athlete described as unbelievably gifted, with incredible power and strength, that team only wanted to see the best for her.

And this week, Puleiata joins the New Zealand U21 squad, in camp working towards playing the Silver Ferns in the Cadbury Series in a month's time.

Honestly I didnt expect to make it, Puleiata says. Especially after being off the court for two years. But after hearing the news I was like Oh my god, I need to get myself together! This is a big step for me.

A huge step, considering she had to learn how to walk again twice.

Monique Ford/Stuff

The St Mary's sevens team arrive home from Fukuoka, Japan as 2017 world youth champions.

The year 2017 was, mostly, an outstanding one for 17-year-old Puleiata.

She went to Japan and came home a world champion. The Year 12 student at St Marys College in Wellington a hothouse for young female athletes was part of the schools sevens rugby side who won the world youth tournament. (Also in that team were Monica Tagoai, who became a Black Fern, sisters Lyric and Dhys Faleafaga, who later played for the Black Ferns Sevens, and Renee Saviinaea, who this season played netball for the Pulse.)

Puleiata's side also won the national first XV school title, and she was named in the New Zealand sevens training squad for the 2018 Youth Olympics.

In netball, Puleiata had signed her first contract as a training partner with the Central Pulse, and starred for Central Manawa as they won the inaugural Beko League netballs second-tier championship.

At the 2017 national secondary schools netball champs, St Mary's captain Puleiata was named NZ schools player of the year recognised for her speed, agility, vision and leadership, and her respect for those around her.

Puleiata, who has three younger brothers, was shocked by her sudden rise. Id never expected to get this far in sport, she says. For primary, I went to Windley School [in eastern Porirua] where sport wasnt that big.

Her sport of choice there was basketball. I wasnt really good at it, but I just liked that I could shoot, she says. That shows how modest she is - Puleiata made the New Zealand U14 basketball team.

Around 11, she began taking netball seriously. After arriving at St Marys in Year 9, she was pulled up into the schools senior A side, coached by Pelesa Semu, now Pulse assistant coach.

One of Puleiatas strengths is mastering all three midcourt positions. Midcourt is hard on the lungs, she laughs. But I just love how creative we can be.

Shes always looked up to Silver Ferns Whitney Souness and Laura Langman, and Australian sisters Kelsey and Madi Browne.

At high school, Puleiata decided to give rugby a try. The more I got exposed to it, the more I thought I could balance the two.

A speedy wing, she was preparing to defend their Condors Sevens national title late in 2017 with her St Marys team, coached by Tuga Mativa and his All Black mate, Ardie Savea. The Rongotai College old boys arranged a training game against the Rongotai sevens on their school field.

During the game, Puleiata went to sidestep, but her foot got stuck in a pothole. As I started to turn, my upper body went but my leg stayed, she recalls.

She felt a weird click in her left knee. Off the field, she jogged and did lunges, and was convinced it was okay. She ran back on, but her left leg gave way.

Puleiata refused to let her team-mates carry her off. Hobbling to the sideline, she just wanted to go home.

An MRI scan revealed shed torn her anterior cruciate ligament and needed surgery. I was in tears, thinking why is this happening to me?, she says.

In February 2018, some of her hamstring was used to rebuild the knee. The rehab with her personal trainer Malcolm Toeaiga at Centurion Athletic Performance in Porirua was demanding, but she was driven.

A couple of weeks in my rehab stages I hated being labelled an injured player, Puleiata wrote on Instagram. I felt like an outsider among the athletes, and boy did that fire up my adrenaline. For the next nine months, I would always wake up [in the] early hours to do my knee stretches and muscle activation, I would go to the gym every day to build myself up, I would meditate every night and I would do a lot of video analysis for 273 days straight.

The hardest part, she says, was learning to walk, run and bend her knee again.

CAP

Ainsleyana Puleiata spent almost two years rehabbing in the Centurion Athletic Performance gym.

In November 2018, Puleiata was cleared to return to netball. She was named captain of the Central Manawa team for the 2019 Beko season and was again a training partner for the Pulse. Id made it back to where I wanted to be, she says.

Puleiata got a little court-time at a Pathway to Podium camp, building up players towards New Zealands defence of the 2021 World Youth Cup. Then she headed to Auckland with the Manawa team and that fateful training game that almost broke her after just 12 minutes.

I dont know how this one movement was different; Id done it so many times before, she says.

This time, she explains, her hamstring graft had torn. With her second surgery, they added a tissue graft to the side of the knee to give it more stability.

Puleiata is not alone - around 400 New Zealand netballers have ACL reconstruction surgery each year.

Research from ACC data shows theres been a 120 percent increase in the number of teenage girls in New Zealand having ACL surgery over the last decade. The game has become faster and more physical, and there are more girls playing.

Netball NZ have been proactive, developing an injury prevention programme, NetballSmart, to change how players warm up.

Understandably, Puleiata struggled to come to terms with another long stint off the court.

My mindset changed. I doubted myself. Could I do this again, take another year off? she says. I went downhill.

But with the support of her parents, Diana and Faauliuli, her trainer Toeaiga, and her new physiotherapist, Sharon Gold, Puleiata headed back to the Centurion Athletic Performance gym.

I had their voices in my head when I couldnt be the voice myself, she says.

She decided to step away from the side-lines for a while. Even on crutches, she was going to team trainings and games, but it was torturing her mentally.

There was this imbalance between my mind and my body. Mentally I was like Yo, I could do that when physically I couldnt, she says.

So I thought I should distract myself. She became a full-time student at Victoria University, studying health.

The second rehab was slower and more painful. But Gold knew it was worth nurturing Puleiata towards a netball future. Gold, nee Burridge, played 19 tests for the Silver Ferns between 1988 and 1995, and could see the abundant talent the young woman had.

We all knew we were dealing with someone special. Not just physically, but mentally with all shed been through. Everyone wanted to do something extra for her, Gold says.

Shes one of the coolest kids Ive ever dealt with. She was just so determined and disciplined, and she wasnt going to let this stop her.

Having an ACL tear, then tear again after reconstruction, isnt are, Gold explains. But in Puleiatas case, she was just so powerful.

She generates so much power and force, it put a lot of pressure on that graft, she says. We told her we cant treat you like other people because youre different.

Her strength and power was outrageous. We were taking her to levels we dont take other people because she was just pushing all the time.

As well as the most amazing mental attitude, shes unbelievably gifted. And she wasnt just going to come back, she was going to come back better. Thats an amazing attitude to have.

Gold would regularly liaise with the Pulse physio, Nikki Lynch, who would keep Pulse and NZ U21 coach Yvette McCausland-Durie updated on Puleiatas progress. Everyone was working together for the same cause, Gold says.

Puleiata also had support from another former Silver Fern, Belinda Colling her mentor through a three-year Tania Dalton Foundation scholarship. She was one of the original inductees into the foundation in 2018.

Belindas been so good to me - always checking in to see if Im doing okay, if I need help with uni, Puleiata says. Its really good to talk to someone whos been in the high performance environment, and get some tips on how I can get there too.

Supplied

Ainsleyana Puleiata on the Sky commentary bench.

The biggest lesson Puleiata learned from two ACL comebacks was patience.

I wanted to go for the 12 months recovery the second time round. I kept thinking: Im still young; there will be more opportunities. Youve got to be patient, she says.

In March, Puleiata was ready to return. For her third year running, she was contracted as a Pulse training partner, and she planned to rebuild her skills playing club netball for SMOG (St Marys Old Girls).

Then Level 4 lockdown tested her patience again. It seemed to be such bad timing, but it was actually really good, she says. My expectations and my hopes to play were suddenly taken away so I had to prep myself to adapt again and not get lazy.

Her first club game was horrible, she says, but it wasnt her knee. After 12 months of rehab I only got to play one quarter!

Her game preparation is different now - doing a full warm-up while listening to podcasts. Gold and Toeaiga have helped her build strength in her hamstrings and glutes.

Her plan, she says, is to survive this weeks U21 camp in Wellington, and hopefully play in the Cadbury Series against the Silver Ferns, the NZ Men and a New Zealand A line-up in Palmerston North next month. Then theres the World Youth Cup in December 2021. And then she might return to rugby.

McCausland-Durie is glad shes kept a close eye on Puleiatas lengthy comeback.

Shes worked so hard and been very committed to getting back to this level. Weve seen her resilience, she says.

And McCausland-Durie knows shes an amazing player. There arent many specialist wing attacks around who have continued to be wing attacks. Its really important to help her grow in that area, she says.

She plays low to the ground and can quickly change direction. She has beautiful feeding skills that come from having vision and being able to read the game. She uses a good change of pace to get where she needs to be, but makes it look easy, like she has time. Thats the mark of a great player.

Even though Puleiatas netball career is beginning all over again, shes already looking beyond it.

Ironically as a kid she wanted to be a physiotherapist, but now shes interested in the health and wellbeing of the Pasifika community.

If I can make a change not only in netball but in my career, it would have to be something that relates to Pasifika, she says. And if I could change their health status, and give everyone equal health treatment, that would be great.

I need to have something to fall back on when my netball career is over. Luckily, Im still young!

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Netball prodigy Ainsley Puleiata rebounds from injury and targets Silver Ferns - Stuff.co.nz

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA - JUNE 06: Protesters gather around the statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee on Monument Avenue on June 6, 2020 in Richmond, Virginia, amidst protests over the death of George Floyd in police custody. Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) announced plans to remove the statue. (Photo by Vivien Killilea/Getty Images)

The citizens of Paris awoke one morning in 1792 to find the statue of Louis XV toppled and destroyed, laying in pieces on the ground of its eponymic square. France had been undergoing the early stages of what had been called by the likes of Edmund Burke and many others the most astonishing [revolution] that has hitherto happened in the world, a movement in which ancient social and political truths were challenged. Oppressive institutions that had long masked themselves in benevolence were being re-examined and overturned. Accepted truths about status, religion, and power were rejected. And iconography which had long been a symbol of the greatness of France was smashed to the ground, for its true meaning exalted the elites of an oppressive regime. This was a revolution, and it would give its name to the now reclaimed square, the Place de la Rvolution.

Despite Burkes exaltations, however, the Revolution in France was neither the first of its kind as was shown by the American Revolution in 1776 nor the last. The familiar scenes described above, though changed in setting, have resurfaced in our lives and experiences today. We have found ourselves in what I would call a New Enlightenment. Much like the great thinkers of the age Rousseau, Montesquieu, and Voltaire, to name a few we have gradually unearthed, with empirical evidence and the aid of reason, fundamental problems with the way racism and classism are embedded in our national institutions. Much like those before us, we have denounced a seemingly benevolent establishment for perpetuating a status quo that preserves these deplorable biases. In this New Enlightenment we find ourselves in the midst of this renewed revolutionary process, and like Burke, we have regarded it with both awe and criticism. However, there was an important consideration Burke ignored when he published his Reflections in 1790: what would happen next.

Our position today is no different we are entering uncharted territory. As students, many of us have performed our historical duty as sources of activism and education on ideals that challenge the reigning orthodoxy. These processes are not pleasant, and they shouldnt be. As leaders of this new movement, we can only effect meaningful change if we dare challenge those who oppose us directly. This involves recognizing our harmful, prejudiced views, and holding those in power accountable for their role in perpetuating oppressive and discriminatory systems. Once we are comfortable in this role, and exercise it frequently, we are at our most powerful, but also at our most vulnerable. We run the risk of succumbing to destructive factionalism.

And this is what happened after Burkes reflections were published 1790. Two years after Burkes pamphlet came out, the Reign of Terror descended upon France, when radical Jacobins executed many Girondins once their allies for not being revolutionary enough. The former King and Queen soon followed, along with thousands others who died upon the guillotine erected in place of the statue of Louis XV. Throughout France, tens of thousands more suffered their deaths during this unfortunate year, which ended with the demise of the same Jacobins who started it, consumed by the wildfire they had unleashed and tried to tame. The cobblestones of La Rvolution were now stained with blood.

I do not mean to turn the French Revolution into some silly morality play, but to dispel the romanticism that has been built around it, and around the word revolution. We are at a turning point in which we have the potential to make so much change. The ideas we have conceived in this New Enlightenment such as the need to acknowledge and actively combat systemic racism have fueled impressive feats of activism and solidarity that have made it possible for progress to start. The work is not done, but the only way it will be fulfilled is by responsible, principled and peaceful activism. It is tempting to view caution and difference in approach as weakness. However, while caution might seem slow, brashness is outright destructive, not only endangering lives, but the integrity and credibility of our ideals.

Exercising caution does not mean we must stop the revolution. Arguably, revolutions cannot be stopped, and those who try often escalate the violence by doing so. Our sense of urgency, while fueling us, can make us derail the progress we carry in our actions. If we focus our energies on persecuting those who disagree with us on certain points like those who are less comfortable with some stances of the more left-leaning candidates we will descend upon unnecessary tangents that will delay, and eventually defeat the causes we fight for. The Jacobins feverish desire to divorce themselves from the Ancien Rgime led them to not only reject religion, but to fabricate a cult of reason and even go so far as to re-invent calendars and units of time because of their historical origins within the church. We must work to find common ground despite our differences on issues such as who to vote for or whether to vote at all and the levels of reform needed for police forces. For a revolution is not truly equitable if all perspectives within it are not respected. Radicalism within factions can only lead to a deadly circular firing squad, which will surely leave no one left to advocate.

There is no single revolution that will better the world for good. While remarkable, the revolutions of the 18th and 19th centuries still did not address myriad issues that now are of paramount importance. Human history is a cycle of revolutionary renewal. With every generation, our light shines upon new ideas and measures that allow us to build a happier society. We are entering another of these great cycles, and privileged with the hindsight afforded to us by historiography, we must do all we can to use that knowledge to avoid repeating the blunders of the past. Frances mistake cost it its liberty and stability for the next century, as the country reverted to despotic monarchies at least five times after the Revolution.

This does not have to be us. With every step we take toward progress, we need to ask ourselves: will this help our cause? Most of the time, as many students and activists have shown both in Princeton and beyond the answer will be yes. But it is never excessive to be cautious, for caution is the best measure against excess. Momentum is a sacred flame that can die by gradual decay, but also by rapid, uncontrollable burning, in which case it can take all of us with it. It is our duty to keep that flame burning constantly, but at a level that does not consume everything weve built, and everything we are yet to build.

The French soon realized this. In the aftermath of the revolution, the old Place Louis XV later Place de la Rvolution which had seen the advent of a world without autocrats, and borne the bloody sacrifice of revolutionaries, received a new name. The Place de la Concorde, Square of Harmony, exchanged its guillotine for a fine obelisk, a ray of light frozen in stone, that reminds us how in revolutions the path of harmony is the most enlightened.

Juan Jos Lpez Haddad is a junior in the School of Public and International Affairs from Caracas, Venezuela. He can be reached at jhaddad@princeton.edu.

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The New Enlightenment, and what it means for us - The Daily Princetonian