The trillions of microbes living in the human gut are increasingly recognised as important partners in human health. Scientists have linked the gut microbiome to several aspects of health, from metabolism and immunity to mental health.

A recent study suggests that these microbes may also influence an important aspect of fitness – muscle strength.

Muscle strength is a crucial feature of health for many reasons. It supports our joints and keeps our bones healthy, boosts athletic performance and even plays a role in metabolic health.

Muscle strength also helps us maintain independence later in life. As muscles gradually weaken as we get older, everyday tasks become harder and the risk of falls increases. Understanding what influences muscle strength is therefore an important part of healthy ageing research.

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Muscle is important for good health – here’s how to maintain it after middle age

A recent study explored whether specific gut bacteria might be linked to muscle strength. Researchers analysed the gut microbiomes of two groups of adults: 90 young adults aged 18 to 25 and 33 older adults aged 65 to 75.

Participants provided stool samples so researchers could identify the microbes living in their gut. The researchers used DNA sequencing to read genetic material from the microbes in each sample. By comparing these sequences with large reference databases, they could determine which bacterial species were present and how abundant they were.

Participants also completed several tests designed to measure muscle strength, including a handgrip test. This involves squeezing a handheld device as hard as possible. Grip strength is widely used in health research because it provides a snapshot of overall muscle strength. Lower grip strength has also been linked to a higher risk of premature death.

When the researchers compared participants’ muscle strength with the microbes in their gut, one species stood out. Higher levels of a bacterium called Roseburia inulinivorans were linked to stronger performance across muscle strength measures.

Finding a link like this is interesting, but it does not necessarily mean the microbe is responsible. Many things can be associated without one directly causing the other. Ice-cream sales and shark attacks both increase during summer, for example – but eating ice cream does not cause shark attacks.

So to investigate whether the bacterium might actually influence muscle strength, the researchers carried out additional experiments in mice. After reducing the animals’ existing gut microbes, they introduced Roseburia inulinivorans into the mice’s digestive systems.

Mice that received the bacterium developed noticeably stronger grip strength in their arms than those that did not. Their muscle fibres also became larger and shifted toward a type of fibre associated with more powerful movements (called type II muscle fibres).

Further analysis suggested Roseburia inulinivorans may influence how muscles use energy. In mice given R inulinivorans, several energy‑related pathways inside muscle cells became more active. At the same time, levels of certain amino acids (molecules used by all living things to make proteins) decreased in the gut and bloodstream.

The human data revealed another interesting pattern. Older adults in the study tended to have lower levels of Roseburia inulinivorans in their gut microbiome than the younger participants. This fits with the broader pattern of declining muscle strength that commonly occurs with age.

In humans, it’s still unclear whether gut bacteria influence muscle strength or whether stronger, more active people simply have different microbes in their gut. But the mouse experiments hint that this microbe can directly enhance muscle strength, so larger human studies will be needed to work out the direction of the relationship.

Muscle microbes

One possibility raised by this research is the future use of probiotics. These products contain live microbes intended to benefit health. If further studies confirm that Roseburia inulinivorans supports muscle strength in humans, it could be developed into a probiotic designed to help maintain muscle function as people age.

However, supplements are not the only way to encourage beneficial microbes in the gut. Diet plays a major role in shaping the microbiome.

Prebiotic fibres, which serve as food for gut bacteria, can also support their growth. This is because feeding these microbes allows them to become more established and active in the gut.

The name inulinivorans provides a clue about this bacterium’s preferred food source. It refers to inulin, a type of dietary fibre found naturally in foods such as onions, garlic, leeks, asparagus and chicory root. These fibres are known to support the growth of other beneficial gut bacteria, including members of the Roseburia group.

High‑fibre diets have long been associated with a range of health benefits. A large amount of research has linked higher fibre intake with lower risks of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers. These effects are probably driven by the complex activity of many different microbes rather than a single species. So at the moment, supplementation of any one individual bacterium is not a replacement for a diet high in fibre.

The study does have some limitations to note, however. The human groups were relatively small, and the experiments demonstrating cause and effect were conducted in mice rather than people. The older adults included in the study were also all male. Even so, the findings add to growing evidence that the gut microbiome may influence far more aspects of health than previously thought.

For now, the advice for supporting both muscle strength and a healthy microbiome remains reassuringly familiar: regular strength‑building exercise and a diet rich in fibre.

At the 2023 Women’s World Cup, 12 of the 32 head coaches were female, including England manager Sarina Wiegman.

“There are simply not enough women in coaching today. We must do more to accelerate change by creating clearer pathways, expanding opportunities, and increasing the visibility for women on our sidelines,” said Fifa’s chief football officer Jill Ellis.

“The new Fifa regulations, combined with targeted development programmes, mark an important investment in the current and future generation of female coaches.”

Fifa hopes these new regulations will see a rapid increase in female representation, including at the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil.

Among some of the most high-profile female coaches is London-born Emma Hayes, who is joined by assistant Denise Reddy at the United States.

In 2024, Hayes told BBC Sport that a lack of female coaches in English football is “a massive issue” and urged the game’s administrators to “come up with more creative ways” to address it.

Other female English coaches at international level include Gemma Grainger at Norway, Casey Stoney at Canada and Carla Ward at the Republic of Ireland.

Canadian Rhian Wilkinson led Wales to their first major tournament at Euro 2025 last summer, while Dutchwoman Wiegman has guided England to back-to-back European titles and has been named the Fifa best women’s coach of the year on four occasions.

Wiegman was the only female coach in the quarter-final stage of the 2023 Women’s World Cup.

Speaking at that time, she said: “Of course what we hope is to get more female coaches at the top level and that the balance gets better than it is right now.

“Males are welcome too but if the balance is better than hopefully that will inspire more women to get involved in coaching.”

Premier League Darts is played across 16 initial weeks in the league stage with quarter-finals, semi-finals and a final each night.

Each of the eight players is guaranteed to face the other seven in the quarter-finals in weeks one to seven and 9-15, with week eight and week 16 fixtures done off the table. It means we will get fourth v fifth in Sheffield on the final league-stage night, with the play-off spots potentially on the line.

Players earn two points per quarter-final win, an additional point if they win their semi-final and five for winning the night.

The top four players after the group stage progress to the play-off night at London’s O2 Arena on 23 May, with first facing fourth and second against third in a best-of-19-leg match. The final, which is the best of 21 legs, follows.

If players are level on points after the 16 weeks then places are decided by nights won and then matches won.

Alex Polizzi made a return to our TV screens and helped a family transform their budget bed and breakfast

The Hotel Inspector’s Alex Polizzi was quick to issue an ultimatum to some hotel owners as she spotted a big problem. During Thursday’s (March 19) episode of the Channel 5 hit show, Alex was in the sprawling commuter town of Horley, to check into Gatwick Turret.

The budget bed and breakfast is run by 62-year-old Ram, 61-year-old Anj and their 37-year-old son, Rai. The 10-bedroomed Victorian guest house is just a mile down the road from Gatwick Airport, where over 250,000 flights carry up to 46 million passengers every year.

It seems like a great location for a hotel as a lot of people will be needing somewhere to stay before or after their getaways. However there is a lot of competition as Gatwick Turret is one of over 100 hotels, including big chain brands, fiercely vying for their business.

As the hotel owners wrestle with high overheads in a highly competitive market, the family have no choice but to run the hotel almost single-handedly to keep staffing costs down.

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And Rai has a lot on his hands as the running of the hotel has recently been passed down to him and it’s all on him to turn things around for Mum and Dad and find a way of making a profit.

Alex knew she had a lot to do to help transform the hotel as she found mismatched décor and too many running costs. And before she could even get stuck in she was quick to spot a problem as she discovered that despite their hard work, the business is barely breaking even and the family are struggling to pay themselves.

Alex asked: “Tell me about what it cost you to put on a room?” Rai explained: “Each room costs around £4.20 for the linen. The tea, coffee tray, a bottle of water…”

Before he could finish his sentence, Alex jumped in: “It’s expensive water. I wouldn’t put a very expensive bottle of water in the room. So what does it cost?” Rai continued: “£3.20.”

Alex explained: “Adding to cost per room are roughly £6 on housekeeping, £9 towards the £350,000 pound mortgage, £24 on utilities and taxes and £9 commission for those pesky online booking sites.”

She continued: “So, the grand total of that, my dears, is £56. Lucky lucky you, all this work and all this headache and you’re making a profit of about £4 a night per year – not quite enough for retirement.”

Alex admitted: “There is obviously a problem.” She then asked: “Do you pay yourselves? Rai revealed: “A £1,000 each.” It was clear Alex was stunned as she gasped: “A £1,000 each a month. Gosh darling, I mean, I’m surprised the government allows it, you’re not even making minimum wage.”

Alex gave the owners an ultimatum as she later added: “So we either need to make more money or sell it off.”

After an intense few days of renovations and small changes, Alex managed to help the family turn things around and business seems to be heading in the right direction as Rai revealed that they are now making an extra £140 a week with their breakfast room and they managed to get some positive press.

You can stream The Hotel Inspector on Channel 5

Both sides emerge from the tunnel at Villa Park and we are moments away from kick-off. The home fans pay tribute to their manager bringing up 100 wins in charge of Villa. Here is a reminder of how the two sides line up tonight:

Aston Villa: Martinez, Bogarde, Lindelof, Torres, Maatsen, Luiz, Onana, McGinn, Rogers, Sancho, Abraham.
Substitutes: Bizot, Wright, Mings, Konsa, Digne, Cash, Garcia, Elliott, Buendia, Bailey, Watkins.

Lille: Ozer, Ngoy, Alexsandro, Mbemba, Perraud, Bouaddi, Bentalab, Mukau, Meunier, Giroud, Correia.
Substitutes: Bodart, Lanssade, Fernandez-Pardo, Haraldsson, Edjouma, Tiago Santos, Mandi, Verdonk, Diaoune, Baret, Boussadia.

When questioned, Mr Grewal stated that this was a private booking. During Wednesday’s hearing, Mrs Grewal blamed the former manager, and claimed that as soon as she was told about what was happening they closed it down. Robert Dear, a council licence officer corrected Mrs Grewal, reminding her that it was in fact the authorities that shut down the party.

The passenger, who suffers from a severe air-borne nut allergy became unwell on the Belfast bound flight on Sunday

A passenger at the centre of an emergency diversion on a Belfast-bound flight has criticised easyJet, claiming he was left stranded in France and forced to spend more than £3,000 getting home despite complying with the airline’s requirements.

The Malaga to Belfast International Airport service was diverted to Brest on Sunday after the man, who has a severe airborne nut allergy, became unwell mid-flight. Emergency services met the aircraft on arrival and he received medical treatment before being discharged.

While the airline said the passenger was able to continue his journey, he has since contacted Belfast Live to dispute that account, alleging he was denied boarding on a later flight and left to arrange his own return to Northern Ireland via multiple connections.

The passenger, who asked not to be named, said he had followed all instructions given by the airline, including obtaining a medical certificate confirming he was fit to fly and providing evidence of additional medication.

“I telephoned easyJet and there was a flight from Brest to Gatwick that evening, and there was a flight then from Gatwick to Belfast International at 6 o’clock the following morning. EasyJet booked me on to both of those and my travelling companion. That was fine,” he said.

“I then said that I would find a hotel and I would be back at the airport in the morning because at that point all I wished to do was lie down. However, an exceptional lady who was the manager of check-in and ground staff approached me and said there is one problem. EasyJet were requesting a fitness to fly certificate before they would allow me on the flight to Gatwick this evening.

“I said, that’s fine and asked where the closest medical clinic was. So I went to the medical centre and a doctor carried out a head-to-toe medical. She said, you’re absolutely perfectly able to fly. There is no indication otherwise, and my blood pressure and pulse had both returned to normal.”

The passenger returned to the airport with the fitness-to-fly certificate, and the ground manager forwarded it to easyJet. In addition to that, easyJet then requested proof that he was travelling with more EpiPens.

“As a standard precaution, I will only put my foot onto an aircraft with six, so I produced the other four,” he said.

“They asked how I could prove they had not been used, and I explained that fully. We then waited hours before easyJet came back and said that was fine.”

The passenger said he was then stopped at the gate and told he would not be allowed to board the flight to London.

“I then went to the boarding gate and I was told at the boarding gate for the flight to London Gatwick that the pilot did not want me on the aircraft.

“I asked, could I speak to the pilot. The pilot refused to have any conversation. He said, no, he is not getting onto my aircraft.

“At that juncture, I then had to go back to security, be readmitted to France on my passport. And I then discovered to my horror that there were no other easyJet flights for a few days.”

He said he was ultimately forced to make his own way home via Paris, London and Dublin, incurring significant costs along the way.

“I had phoned easyJet, who were at best disinterested and at worst, couldn’t give a damn. I had adhered to every single thing that they had asked me to do. I had gone to a medical facility. I had had the most thorough medical I’ve ever had in my life. I produced a certificate of fitness to fly. I had proven that I had a quartet remaining of EpiPens. And then they wouldn’t allow me to fly.

“For me to be out in excess of £3000, I think is outrageous.”

He also criticised the airline’s public statement following the incident, which said the passenger had been able to continue his journey.

“When I read easyJet’s statement saying that they had got the passenger safely home on Sunday night on a later flight, I was incandescent.

“That is utter nonsense. I did not get home until the following day after travelling on multiple flights.

“They put me at more danger because I was sitting on longer flights. If I had not had the funds available, what was I meant to do?”

Belfast Live asked easyJet to clarify why they had initially advised that the passenger had travelled home later on Sunday, whether he would be compensated for the money that he had to spend in seeking alternative travel arrangements and whether he would be banned from other easyJet flights in the future.

An easyJet spokesperson said: “When we responded, it was our understanding that there were arrangements for the passenger to travel later that day on an alternative easyJet flight, and we had not yet become aware that he was unfortunately unable to travel on this flight, which meant he travelled with an alternative carrier the next day instead.”

It is understood that the easyJet customer support team have been in touch with the customer to ensure he is reimbursed for his alternative travel expenses, and to look into his feedback on his experience.

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

When Winnie-the-Pooh gets stuck in Rabbit’s doorway after eating too much for elevenses, he is anxious and gloomy at the thought of having to forgo food for a whole week to get out. He asks Christopher Robin to read him “a Sustaining Book, such as would help and comfort a Wedged Bear in Great Tightness”.

A.A. Milne’s first children’s novel, Winnie-the-Pooh, does not exactly explain what a “Sustaining Book” is. But E.H. Shepard’s illustration provides some clue. Christopher Robin is shown reading an alphabet book with the word JAM for J visible on the page.

Jam is not Pooh’s favourite food, of course, but the word is more than apt. Pooh is in a jam, but being read to sustains him in his difficult situation by bringing him comfort. The book acts as “an aid in the crisis”, as former teacher Ethel Newell noted in a study of bibliotherapy for children in 1957.

Dating back to the early 19th century, bibliotherapy is a therapeutic approach that fosters reading books and other forms of literature to support mental wellbeing and healing.

This year marks the centenary of the first Winnie-the-Pooh book. Milne based the timeless tales on the nursery toys and games of his son, Christopher Robin – the boy who lives in the fictional world of the Hundred Acre Wood. His adventures with his bear, Winnie-the-Pooh, and friends (Piglet, Eeyore, Kanga and Roo, Rabbit and Owl), are equally gentle, clever and funny – and above all, comforting.

The book was an overnight success when it was first published (as was its sequel, The House at Pooh Corner, in 1928), and continues to cheer readers world over.

Literary caregiving

When Winnie-the-Pooh was published, books had been used in hospital libraries to alleviate the suffering of ill and wounded soldiers from the first world war. This idea of books as a source of comfort was not new, but there had been an increasing need in this period for what authors Sara Halsam and Edmund G.C. King term “literary caregiving”.

It was at this time that American journalist Samuel McChord Crothers coined the term bibliotherapy, and reading for wellbeing began to be recognised in the medical sphere.

Milne had himself fought in the war and experienced the suffering and trauma firsthand. Winnie-the-Pooh has long been considered a response to war, particularly in terms of the book’s nostalgia and depiction of psychological damage. But as an example of bibliotherapy – and how this too is tied to the war – Winnie-the-Pooh has received scant critical attention.

It is, of course, not just soldiers – nor bears in rabbit burrows – who need good books. Children stuck in hospital need them too. Undergoing medical treatment, especially for serious illness, can be one of the greatest challenges a child can face, as highlighted by the Read for Good initiative.

This hospital reading programme has run in 31 hospitals across the UK over the past 15 years, and has found that books and storytelling can “have a significant impact on children’s health, wellbeing and education” – at a time when children are facing illness or injury, missing out on schooling, and feeling isolated.

While Winnie-the-Pooh is not currently among the books in the Read for Good hospitals programme in the UK, the benefits of this children’s novel in hospitals have long been evident in initiatives in the US.

In 1999, the University of Florida launched a reading programme for the waiting room at the University’s Pediatric Continuity Care Clinic. One report describes a four-year-old girl who, nervously awaiting treatment, was calmed when Winnie-the-Pooh was read to her. And, just like Pooh being taught his ABCs, the child also learned new vocabulary from the story.

This programme is part of the Reach Out and Read campaign, endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics, which serves 4.8 million children across the US each year. Continued research efforts evaluate and maximise the impact of this initiative, and have found that there are positive results for children, families and clinicians.

More recently, in 2024 there was study of the parent-led Little Bookworms bedside reading programme in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in Nashville.

Winnie-the-Pooh was selected as a book from childhood recommended by study participants to read with their infants, to “reduce anxiety and improve attachment for parents and caregivers who have infants in the NICU”. Supporting the wellbeing and engagement of carers in this way can help reduce some of the risks NICU infants face, including interruptions to language development which can affect subsequent literacy development.

Books to grow up with

More broadly, the potential of rereading a childhood book cannot be underestimated. Books read in childhood do not disappear, but “continue to unfold and inform the way in which we interpret the world” in our minds, as children’s literature expert Kimberley Reynolds of Newcastle University has established.

Paula Byrne, founder of the ReLit Foundation – which promotes reading as a way to combat stress and anxiety through “the slow reading of great literature” – has described the rereading of Winnie-the-Pooh in adulthood as therapeutic. Byrne believes the book has the capacity to grow with the reader from childhood to adulthood, offering new insights that can be appreciated in later life.

It is this ability of a book to grow with the reader that is of most help to children in distress, Newell suggested, providing “real armour” to children over a sustained period, and not just “a shot of penicillin for a particular infection”.

Over the past 100 years, Winnie-the-Pooh has grown from a book containing an example of bibliotherapy to a book for bibliotherapy in hospitals. As we celebrate the centenary of its publication, these ties to books as therapy for children and adults are well worth remembering.

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Taylor Frankie Paul’s edition of The Bachelorette will not air after a violent video of her 2023 assault involving her ex, Dakota Mortensen, was leaked just days before the season was slated to premiere.

The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star’s season of The Bachelorette, which wrapped filming in December, was ready to debut Sunday when the network announced Thursday that the show will not go forward as planned.

“In light of the newly released video just surfaced today, we have made the decision to not move forward with the new season of The Bachelorette at this time, and our focus is on supporting the family,” Disney said in a statement.

The video and Bachelorette cancelation come days after fresh domestic violence allegations against Paul, 31, triggered widespread backlash. Paul and Mortensen — who is the father of her youngest child — were previously involved in a domestic violence incident in 2023.

Paul was arrested and charged with aggravated assault in 2023 following an altercation with Mortensen that was chronicled on season one of SLOMW, the Hulu reality show that catapulted the mom-of-three to stardom. In August of that year, she pleaded guilty to a third-degree felony count of aggravated assault; the other charges of criminal mischief and domestic violence against her were dropped. Paul is serving three years’ probation from that case. Another charge would violate her probation, which is set to end in August.

Video of the 2023 incident was leaked Thursday to TMZ, showing Paul repeatedly attacking Mortensen, kicking him and putting him in a headlock.

“This is called physical abuse,” Mortensen said in the video as he pushed her away. “See Taylor, this is all you do.”

She then threw multiple metal barstools at him while her daughter, who was present in the room, began to cry.

“Your daughter is right here,” Mortensen yelled before Paul went on to throw two more stools. Mortensen then repeatedly accused Paul of being drunk.

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After the disturbing footage came to light, Paul released a statement through her representatives to Variety: “It’s sad to see the latest installment of his never-ending, desperate, attention-seeking, destructive campaign to harm Taylor without any regard for the consequences for their child.

“Releasing an old video, which conveniently omits context, on their son’s birthday is a reprehensible attempt to distract from his own behavior. Thankfully, the public has seen this act before and knows who he is and sadly, many will recognize this pattern of manipulation, both in his actions on the show, and from their own experiences,” her representatives said.

Paul’s representatives then released another statement addressing the cancelation of The Bachelorette.

“Taylor is very grateful for ABC’s support as she prioritizes her family’s safety and security. After years of silently suffering extensive mental and physical abuse as well as threats of retaliation, Taylor is finally gaining the strength to face her accuser and taking steps to ensure that she and her children are protected from any further harm,” the statement from her spokesperson read, per Variety. “There are too many women who are suffering in silence as they survive aggressive, jealous ex-partners who refuse to let them move on with their lives.

“Taylor has remained silent out of fear of further abuse, retaliation, and public shaming. She is currently exploring all of her options, seeking support, and preparing to own and share her story.”

News broke earlier this week that season five of SLOMW had paused production due to an alleged domestic dispute between Paul and Mortensen that happened February 24 and February 25. Draper City police said that allegations were made by both Paul and Mortensen and that no charges had been filed. Police refused to comment further to The Independent on the incident, citing the pending investigation.

Despite speculation over SLOMW’s hiatus from filming, Paul continued on her planned Bachelorette press tour throughout the week and doubled down on blaming Mortensen for the investigation.

Speaking about the backlash Wednesday on Good Morning America, Paul said, “It’s supposed to be an exciting time. I’m a person that always speaks her truth, that’s what I’m known for. When the time is right, I will be.”

Paul was announced as the lead of The Bachelorette in September, marking the first time that a person outside of the franchise had been chosen for the role.

The national domestic abuse helpline offers support for women on 0808 2000 247, or you can visit the Refuge website. There is a dedicated men’s advice line on 0808 8010 327. Those in the US can call the domestic violence hotline on 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Other international helplines can be found via www.befrienders.org