During pregnancy, nutritious food and a calm state of mind are considered crucial for the health of both mother and baby.

A pregnant woman must pay attention to her diet and well-being as she is supporting two lives.

Proper health care during pregnancy can ensure a smooth and healthy delivery.

A sattvic diet, which calms the mind and energizes muscles and bones, is viewed as especially beneficial for pregnant women at childbirth.

Stress during pregnancy is potentially harmful to both mother and baby.

THIP Media and ĀCĀRA have collaborated to fact-check Ayurveda-based misinformation in India.

Through this collaboration, THIP Media's RAKSHA chatbot will answer questions and clear doubts regarding Ayurveda.

RAKSHA stands for Readily Accessible Knowledge and Support for Health Action and is operated by The Healthy Indian Project.

India's leadership recognizes that while each country may have its interpretation, pre-competitive research and development is essential for traditional medicine to gain scientific acceptance.

Without scientific validation, traditional medical systems may not achieve international integration, as seen in the case of COVID-19.

Efforts continue to create platforms combining traditional medicine with scientific validation.

India has a rich tradition of Ayurveda, Siddha, and Unani, all of which play vital roles in healthcare.

The Ministry of Ayush is actively working toward the scientific validation of these traditional systems.

Healthy Directions is partnering with Dr. Kulreet Chaudhary to unite Ayurvedic practice with modern scientific approaches.

Traditional Indian medicine is being considered for inclusion in the WHO ICD-11 list, which would standardize its terminology globally.

Ayurveda advocates using herbs and spices for both health promotion and disease prevention, with several common plants recognized for their medicinal value.

Recent research is exploring how culinary herbs and spices may beneficially modulate gut microbes.

During pregnancy, nutritious food and a calm state of mind are considered crucial for the health of both mother and baby.

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  4. Tips for Self-Care during Pregnancy

Tips for Self-Care during Pregnancy

During pregnancy, a woman must take care of her diet intake and well-being as she is not feeding herself but eating for two individuals. Eating fresh fruits, fresh veggies, high fibers, and protein-rich food are good for the mother and the baby. Taking good care of health during pregnancy leads to smooth and healthy delivery.

Edited by: Health Desk
New Delhi Published on: December 26, 2021 10:28 IST

The phase of pregnancy modifies the whole lifestyle of a woman as this period needs extra attention and care. Pregnancy tends to bring about a gamut of physical to emotional changes, mood swings, food cravings are the most common ones. It became of utmost importance to eat more nutritious food and keep the body and mind in a calming stage. The habits and lifestyle followed by a pregnant mother not only affects the health of the mother but also affects the infant's health. Everybody talks about the beauty of being a mother but nobody wants to discuss the complications during pregnancy. The sudden increase in blood pressure, chances of anaemia, bacterial infections, weight change, joint mobility, morning sickness, mood swings are some of the most common complexities of pregnancy.

During pregnancy, a woman must take care of her diet intake and well-being as she is not feeding herself but eating for two individuals. Eating fresh fruits, fresh veggies, high fibers, and protein-rich food are good for the mother and the baby. Taking good care of health during pregnancy leads to a smooth and healthy delivery.

The psychological health of a mother is as important as physical health, taking care of emotions, happiness, and spiritual nourishment leads to a smooth pregnancy period. A pregnant woman can also follow a healthy diet month by month depending on the requirement of each month, considering a healthy diet post-pregnancy is necessary till the recovery period.

Ayurveda recommended some do and don'ts a woman should consider during pregnancy.

Do’s during Pregnancy

•  Follow a Sattvic diet including fresh fruits such as peach, pears, mango, and coconut, sprouted veggies, juices, herbal tea, and seeds. Sattvic diet calms the mind and provides energy to the muscles and bones which is extremely beneficial for women at the time of giving birth.

•  Favor the Appetite when desired, consuming foods with nutritional benefits such as protein, healthy carbohydrates are a must in pregnancy. The intake of plenty of water, juices, and fiber-rich food keep the hunger at rest for a longer period.

•  Doing Pranayam is effective in improving health and erecting the posture of the women, for the difficulty while sitting also practicing the breathing exercise balances the oxygen supply to the tissues.

•  Body Massage with herbal oils is helpful for the relaxation of the whole body and gives relief from muscle tension.

•  Practice Garbha Sanskar helps in educating the mind of the baby in the womb. It is an effective therapy that undergoes music therapy, mantra chanting, yogasana, and spiritual counseling.

Don'ts during Pregnancy
•   Avoid heavy diets and food such as eggplant, papaya, and raw eggs.

•   Stress during pregnancy can be harmful to the mother as well as for the baby. Plenty of sleep and rest and sipping peppermint tea instead of coffee calms the person mentally and refreshes the mind.

•   Avoid uncomfortable positions, as sitting on hard surfaces with wrong positions may lead to pain.

•   Don’t hold urges such as sleeping, eating, and yawning.

•   Ashwagandha is unsafe in pregnancy as the component present in the herb can harm the infant. It must also be avoided during the breastfeeding phase.

Ayurveda is one of the oldest sciences of healing and medicine has numerous benefits. The process of childbirth and pregnancy takes a toll on the female body. Hence, natural healing and home remedies are the best-preferred choices over other medical treatments for the betterment of both mother and child.

(The author is Vikas Chawla, Founder and Director, Vedas Cure)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author. They do not reflect the views of India TV)

A pregnant woman must pay attention to her diet and well-being as she is supporting two lives.

Proper health care during pregnancy can ensure a smooth and healthy delivery.

A sattvic diet, which calms the mind and energizes muscles and bones, is viewed as especially beneficial for pregnant women at childbirth.

Stress during pregnancy is potentially harmful to both mother and baby.

THIP Media and ĀCĀRA have collaborated to fact-check Ayurveda-based misinformation in India.

Title:

Content: THIP Media and ĀCĀRA join hands to Fact Check Ayurveda-based misinformation in India

Under the collaboration, THIP Media’s chatbot RAKSHA will also be answering questions and clearing doubts about Ayurveda. RAKSHA, an acronym for Readily Accessible Knowledge and Support for Health Action (RAKSHA) is a chatbot by The Healthy Indian Project.

THIP Media and Amrita Centre for Advanced Research in Ayurveda on Friday announced their collaboration to check fake claims, myths, misinformation, and dis-information around Ayurveda.

THIP Media, the media arm of The Healthy Indian Project, is a health information and Fact check platform and is a signatory of the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN).

“India’s pluralistic medical systems, less penetration of doctors, and regional language barriers create a perfect breeding ground of misinformation and disinformation about health, which often thrives on social media and WhatsApp forwards. Ayurvedic medicine remains one of India’s traditional health care systems and enjoys massive popularity. But, it is necessary to call out common myths and home remedies being claimed as scientifically proven Ayurveda facts. We are proud to be able to collaborate with ĀCĀRA for this initiative. With this alliance, we take a step forward to get support from ĀCĀRA’s knowledgeable and respected Ayurveda medical practitioners and researchers to build THIP Media as verified health information and fact check platform,” Sudipta Sengupta, Founder and CEO of The Healthy Indian Project said in a statement.

Commenting on the collaboration, Dr. P. Rammanohar from Amrita Centre for Advanced Research in Ayurveda says, “Ayurveda has been highly misunderstood concerning its medicines and treatment procedures. Unregulated advertisements, false claims, and prevailing myths on social media tarnish the reputation of this ancient health care system, whereas its positive contributions and potential are being undermined. The Indian Government has shown keen interest in mainstream Ayurveda in recent days. Favourable research policies have been formulated, allocated funds, and done studies even during the COVID-19 pandemic. At ĀCĀRA, we have been focusing on research to understand how Ayurveda can be deployed to better human health. Working with THIP Media, we wish to bring to light the ‘proven facts’ of Ayurveda,” Dr. P. Rammanohar from Amrita Centre for Advanced Research in Ayurveda said in a statement.

Under the collaboration, THIP Media’s chatbot RAKSHA will also be answering questions and clearing doubts about Ayurveda. RAKSHA, an acronym for Readily Accessible Knowledge and Support for Health Action (RAKSHA) is a chatbot by The Healthy Indian Project.

“Right knowledge is the first step of staying healthy. Any Indian citizen can Ask Raksha about any Ayurveda based questions they want answers to or share any health or Ayurveda-related message they want to get Fact Checked. All they have to do is send a message on whatsapp to +91-85078-85079. If RAKSHA knows the answer, she will reply back immediately. If RAKSHA doesn’t know the answer then she will refer the question to the internal editorial team who will then work with members of ĀCĀRA to get an answer as fast as possible. Through our partnership with ĀCĀRA we aim to make scientifically validated, evidence based knowledge about Ayurveda reach to all Indians and save them from misinformation,” Neelam Singh, Editor, THIP Media said in a statement.

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Through this collaboration, THIP Media's RAKSHA chatbot will answer questions and clear doubts regarding Ayurveda.

RAKSHA stands for Readily Accessible Knowledge and Support for Health Action and is operated by The Healthy Indian Project.

India's leadership recognizes that while each country may have its interpretation, pre-competitive research and development is essential for traditional medicine to gain scientific acceptance.

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G20 science advisors to discuss pre-competitive collaboration, traditional knowledge

Once it reaches a certain level of maturity, of course different countries will have their take. But pre-competitive R&D (research and development) space is what we think should be something where we should work:

New Delhi: In a bid to bolster the fight against future pandemics, India's top scientific advisor Prof Ajay Kumar Sood has urged G20 countries to collaborate in developing vaccine platforms by cooperating with each other in the pre-competitive research and development phase.

In a video interview Sood, who will chair the Chief Scientific Advisors' Roundtable (CSAR) of G20 countries next week, said India will also present its traditional systems of medicine and seek to harness the knowledge of indigenous communities of different countries.

Making a strong pitch for collaboration among G20 nations in drug development, Sood, the principal scientific advisor to the government, said there is enormous scope for cooperation in the pre-competitive research and development space.

"Once it reaches a certain level of maturity, of course different countries will have their take. But pre-competitive R&D (research and development) space is what we think should be something where we should work," he said.

Sood identified emerging technologies for environmental surveillance as another area for cooperation.

"This is something which has to be done by all countries. A lot of it is happening but there are many other countries which will need a helping hand. So, we should be ready to take everyone along," he said.

Pre-competitive collaboration involves two or more companies operating within the same industry coming together to address a shared problem or pain point that doesn't impact direct business competition or contribute to unfair advantage.

"When there is a pandemic, you cannot live in isolation. We have seen it in COVID, all countries will have to fight it together and it has to be eradicated or controlled at all places. If it does not, then it will linger on and that is what you are seeing for COVID," Sood said.

He said the CSAR meeting in Uttarakhand's Ramnagar from March 28-30 will also focus on harnessing the benefits of traditional knowledge in healthcare.

"Traditional medicine has a very important role to play but it should be put in scientific context. All that work has to be done. When you have traditional medicines, how can we put it on a platform where it meets the acceptance of science," he said.

Sood said India has a very rich tradition of Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani and all of them have a role to play. It could be to build up immunity or strength or to address the symptoms of a disease, adding " whatever you think, it is possible".

"We should not try to limit ourselves to only what we call modern medicine," he said, making a strong pitch for diversity in various systems of medicine.

Sood also talked about harnessing the knowledge repositories of indigenous communities in G20 countries for the benefit of humankind.

"These are very, very old traditions. The goal should be, what we call traditional knowledge, it is really tested over centuries. It is very important that we take this traditional knowledge along with the other streams," Sood said.

Sood said the Ayush ministry is working on scientific validation of traditional systems of medicine.

"The Ayush ministry is doing that. This word was coined a few years back ayurvedic biology to address the issue of scientific validity. I am sure that in other countries there are parallel efforts. Because these tribal, traditional things are also very important and we need to learn from them," Sood said.

The three-day meeting in Ramnagar will focus on four broad themes Opportunities in One Health for better disease control and pandemic preparedness; Synergising global efforts to expand the access to scholarly scientific knowledge; Diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in science and technology (S&T); and an Institutional mechanism for inclusive, continuous and action-oriented global S&T policy dialogue.

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Without scientific validation, traditional medical systems may not achieve international integration, as seen in the case of COVID-19.

Efforts continue to create platforms combining traditional medicine with scientific validation.

What is the World Health Organization doing to promote traditional medicine, including Ayurveda?

Gathering evidence and data to guide policies

India has a rich tradition of Ayurveda, Siddha, and Unani, all of which play vital roles in healthcare.

What does traditional Indian medicine generally treat?

What treatment did Former Kenyan President's daughter Rosemary Odinga get that helped her regain eyesight?

Traditional Indian medicine Ayurvedic treatment.

The Ministry of Ayush is actively working toward the scientific validation of these traditional systems.

Healthy Directions is partnering with Dr. Kulreet Chaudhary to unite Ayurvedic practice with modern scientific approaches.

Title:

Content: Healthy Directions Partners with Dr. Kulreet Chaudhary to Combine the Tradition Of Ayurvedic Practice with Modern-Day Science

Bethesda, Maryland, UNITED STATES

BETHESDA, M.d., March 14, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In Ayurvedic medicine, the body, mind and spirit are treated using a holistic approach. Part of the practice is the use of essential herbs that have been revered for millennia, and are now supported by a growing body of scientific evidence. This pairing of traditional use with clinical science creates uniquely modern Ayurvedic blends that can serve as a bridge to a new world of health and vitality. This is the motivation for neurologist and Ayurvedic practitioner, Dr. Kulreet Chaudhary’s development of Prajna Ayurveda herbals with Healthy Directions, which she says have a remarkable ability to reset and restore the body and mind.

Integrating traditional Ayurvedic practices and modern-day science has been Chaudhary’s method for decades and has helped her successfully restore thousands of patients back to health, as well as transform her own health. Partnering with Healthy Directions, an established 30-year-old manufacturer and marketer of doctor-formulated nutritional supplements, has empowered Chaudhary to develop herbal formulas made with powder from the whole plant, as it has been used for thousands of years, along with powerful extracts of the plant that have been clinically researched for specific health benefits.

“What impresses me about Healthy Directions is how well developed they are as a company in terms of the mind and the heart, and particularly the heart,” said Chaudhary. “The heart is the source of all healing in Ayurveda, so for me, it was so important to make a decision to partner with people who I know are heart-centered, and who really care about their customers.”

The literal meaning of Prajna (Praw-g-ńa) is “transcendental wisdom,” which in Ayurveda refers to the peace and balance that comes from being fully present in your body and mind. Chaudhary says it is the ultimate expression of wellness. There are four essential herbs that make up the foundation of all the Prajna Ayurveda formulas. These herbs are among Ayurveda's most trusted herbal medicines, that Chaudhary says can bring about transformational shifts in your physical health and overall well-being:

  • Prajna® Triphala is taken at night to cleanse and “sweep” the day away. This lesser-known herb has been traditionally used to support digestion and elimination, while also nourishing both mind and body for the day ahead.
  • Prajna® Ashwagandha is a popular “multi-tasker” herb that brings daily harmony, calm, and positivity by helping balance hormones and reducing levels of cortisol—the body’s primary stress hormone.
  • Prajna® Brahmi has been used by Ayurvedic practitioners for centuries as a tonic for overall mind and memory support as well as for its calming effects on the nervous system.
  • Prajna® Guggul is a purifying Ayurvedic herb traditionally used for its cleansing effects and to support a healthy inflammatory response and cholesterol health.

The Prajna Ayurveda herbs by Healthy Directions are responsibly sourced in India, blended traditionally, produced in vegan capsules, triple-tested to assure quality, purity and potency and contain no hidden allergens such as gluten, dairy, egg or soy. Each affordably priced product is balanced for use by all three Ayurvedic mind-body dosha types, and incorporates Ayurvedic healing practices of sound medicine and sacred geometry. As part of the Prajna Ayurveda product line, Chaudhary has also developed the Veda Wellness products that uses essential Ayurvedic herbs with clinically-studied ingredients for modern-day health concerns, including: Veda Rescue, Veda Lean, Veda Balance Brain and Veda Balance Gut to target specific health concerns. Learn more about Dr. Kulreet Chaudhary’s Prajna Ayurveda herb line and “Om Namo Narayani” (I honor the divine energy that resides in all of us) at: https://www.healthydirections.com/dr-kulreet-chaudhary.

About Healthy Directions: Healthy Directions LLC, a subsidiary of Wellful LLC, is a leading provider of premier doctor-formulated nutritional supplements and skincare products. Celebrating 30 years of providing expert natural health guidance from some of America’s most knowledgeable and highly respected integrative and alternative health doctors, including Dr. Julian Whitaker; Dr. David Williams; Dr. Stephen Sinatra; Dr. Drew Sinatra; Dr. Briana Sinatra; Dr. Kulreet Chaudhary, Dr. Rudrani Banik, Dr. Ken Redcross and Dr. Joseph Pergolizzi, Jr. Learn more at: https://www.healthydirections.com/about-us.

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/98eaae2d-7655-49e2-8ebd-2000394a053c

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Traditional Indian medicine is being considered for inclusion in the WHO ICD-11 list, which would standardize its terminology globally.

Title:

Content: Traditional Indian medicine set to make a global debut, seeking inclusion in WHO’s ICD-11 list

The inclusion of Ayurveda and related systems on the WHO list will provide it with a common language that allows health professionals to share standardised information across the world

October 14, 2023 06:17 pm | Updated 06:17 pm IST - NEW DELHI

A view of the World Health Organisation headquarters.

In a move meant to put the Indian system of medicine on the world map and provide it with a common standardised language, the Union government has sought for Ayurveda and related systems to be included in the 11th revision of the World Health Organisation’s International Classification of Diseases (ICD), as the second module of a supplementary chapter on traditional medicine conditions.

The ICD provides a common language that allows health professionals to share standardised information across the world. The traditional medicine module of the 11th revision provides a list of diagnostics categories to collect and report on traditional medicine conditions in a standardised and internationally comparable manner.

Speaking exclusively to The Hindu about the development, Ministry of Ayush Secretary Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha said: “We are hopeful that the addition of Module-2 for Ayurveda could happen as early as by next January.”

To aid regulation, research

“Ayurveda and related Indian traditional health care systems are formally recognised and widely practised health care systems in India, which is making a strong and valid point for its inclusion,” said Mr. Kotecha, adding that efforts to effectively regulate traditional medicine as an integral part of the health system require standardised and evidence-based information.

Mr. Kotecha further explained that the traditional medicine chapter under ICD-11 is a formative step for the integration of such forms of medicine into a classification standard used in conventional medicine. “It also provides the means for doing research and evaluation to establish its efficacy,” he said.

The Ministry added that this chapter would also help to respond to growing demands for more and better regulation of traditional medicine, and its integration in mainstream health care and health information systems.

ICD-11 covers Chinese medicine

After a decade of repeated consultations, ICD-11 had facilitated the inclusion of Module-1, which covers traditional medicine conditions originating in ancient China, which are now commonly used in China, Japan, Korea, and elsewhere around the world.

The eleventh revision contains around 17,000 unique codes and more than 1,20,000 codable terms, which are now entirely digital. ICD-11 came into effect from January 2022.

The joint use of ICD-11’s chapter on traditional medicine along with other chapters on neoplasm, patient safety, and injuries, can enhance the reporting of adverse events. It will enable the integration of traditional medicine into insurance coverage and reimbursement systems, in line with larger WHO objectives relating to universal health coverage. It will also link traditional medicine practices with global conventional medicine’s norms and standard development.

The development of Module-2 for Ayurveda-related diagnostic systems is being actively supported by the Ministry of Ayush. It extensively banks on the implementation experience gained on the ground by the National Ayush Morbidity and Standardised Terminologies Electronic portal, and the Ayush Health Information Management System, the Ministry said.

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Ayurveda advocates using herbs and spices for both health promotion and disease prevention, with several common plants recognized for their medicinal value.

Title:

Content: Current research on gut microbial modulation with culinary herbs and spices

An article published in Food Chemistry elaborated on the health benefits of culinary herbs and spices. It stated that these plant extracts harbor the potential for prebiotic effect, owing to their polyphenol content. The bioactive constituents likely harbor anti-inflammatory properties and modulate the gut microbe. Using herbs and spices could prevent certain diseases associated with impaired gut barrier function and obesity.

Background

Many branches of alternative medicine, like Ayurveda, Siddha, and Unani,  originated in India. The use of spices and herbs for medicinal purposes is an age-old practice, used even today – owing to the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of these plant extracts and their high polyphenol content.

The fresh aerial parts (leaf and flowers) of certain plants are used as culinary herbs, whereas the dried remainder parts are used as a culinary spice. In Ayurveda, herbs and spices are not only used for promoting health but also for disease prevention.

Many herbs are used for treating mild gastrointestinal disorders, for instance, ginger for indigestion, turmeric during jaundice, licorice to attenuate gastrointestinal discomfort, and mint supplements during irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Herbs and spices are also used to ward off complications related to obesity, cardiovascular diseases, stroke, and certain cancers.

The Mediterranean diet includes many herbs and spices, which renders its anti-inflammatory and oxidative stress reduction potential. Although there are indications for using herbs and spices for medicinal purposes, thorough scientific investigation is warranted before their prescription for health benefits.

The gut microbiome comprises bacteria, viruses, and eukaryotes. The colon and the large intestine harbor approximately 3.8 x 1013 microbes; the majority are bacteria. The gut microbiota can be categorized in many ways and differs according to the host’s age, dietary pattern, health status, environment, and medication use.

Identifying and characterizing the gut microbiota can be culture-independent (for example, fluorescent in situ hybridization or FIAH) or culture-dependent (traditional method of bacterial plating). The advanced culture-dependent method also exists, like meta-genomics sequencing, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), DNA sequencing, and immunoglobulin A sequencing.

Functions of the gut microbiome have been studied using human fecal specimens and multiple-stage complex gut models to determine the effects of dietary components on the gut microbial community and the effects of the gut microbiome on the overall well-being of the host. However, the entire functionality remains incompletely understood.

The review

This literature review explored current research findings on the effects of herbs and spices on gut microbes and the resulting health benefits.

Dietary modulation of the gut microbiota can improve overall health. Probiotics are dietary non-digestible carbohydrates that are not destroyed by the enzymes and digestive acids secreted by the upper digestive tract and enter the colon as fructans and galactans.

These metabolic byproducts are selectively utilized by beneficial bacteria which confer health benefits and improve the dysbiosis caused by illness, poor nutrition, aging, antibiotic use, and lifestyle alterations. Habitual consumption of probiotics can alter gut microbes by promoting specific bacterial populations.

Anaerobic gut bacteria ferment indigestible carbohydrates, which produce SCFAs (short-chain fatty acids). SCFAs impart numerous health benefits, such as – fat reduction, impeding type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) progression, along with anticarcinogenic effects.

Another substance beneficial for health is prebiotics. Prebiotics are substrates selectively used by the host microbiome to confer health benefits. Prebiotics use several pathways leading to positive impacts on health. They promote polyphenol production; these modulate the gut microbiome.

Polyphenols are also found in herbs and spices; hence, these plant extracts may impose prebiotic effects. Polyphenols are phytochemicals; dietary polyphenols aid in maintaining gut homeostasis by selectively acting as prebiotics. They also show antipathogenic and antioxidant effects and play crucial roles in cell signaling, insulin sensitivity, and synthesizing inflammatory mediators.

About 90-95% of the dietary polyphenols reach the colon, are metabolized by gut microbes, and are transformed into metabolites that affect the bioavailability of polyphenols (and hence the health benefits).

Polyphenols can be structurally classified into flavonoids and non-flavonoids. Coumarin and tannins can also be included under dietary polyphenols. Flavonoids modulate the gut microbiome by transforming into absorbable metabolites from an unabsorbable parent. The metabolites, quantity of the consumed polyphenol, and action of gut microbes determine the health benefits. Tannins found in nuts and berries also confer health benefits by converting ellagitannins into urolithin metabolites. These two pathways cause homeostasis of the gut microbiome, prevent oxidative damage and inflammation, and confer an antimicrobial effect against invading pathogens.

However, there remain inconsistencies in herb and spice inventions. Such results can be attributed to the low bioavailability and the variable content of polyphenols in different plant derivatives. The polyphenol content also varies according to the harvesting techniques, shelf life, processing, and cooking methods.

Many studies have found that spices and herbs positively alter gut microbiota. Certain herbs also reduce the risk of cancer by acting as anti-inflammatory compounds. The anti-inflammatory effects are also pronounced in cardiovascular diseases and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Spices promote SCFA production, which has an anti-obesity effect. Researchers have the anti-obesity properties of ginger root. Moreover, ginger and turmeric benefit by increasing the number of beneficial gut microbes.

Conclusion

More studies are warranted to study the impacts of spices and herbs on the gut microbiome and their health benefits on the host before their inclusion into dietary guidelines.

Declaration of Competing Interest

The authors declared a conflict of interest, as one author works Pukka Herbs Ltd and another is in receipt of a PhD studentship funded by PUKKA Herbs Ltd.

Journal reference:

Written by

Nidhi Saha

I am a medical content writer and editor. My interests lie in public health awareness and medical communication. I have worked as a clinical dentist and as a consultant research writer in an Indian medical publishing house. It is my constant endeavor is to update knowledge on newer treatment modalities relating to various medical fields. I have also aided in proofreading and publication of manuscripts in accredited medical journals. I like to sketch, read and listen to music in my leisure time.

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Since its installation in 1913, the Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen has been the target of repeated acts of vandalism.

In 1964, the statue’s head was sawn off and stolen by politically motivated artists, and despite a police investigation, the original head was never recovered and a new one had to be cast.

In 1984, her right arm was cut off and stolen, but was returned anonymously two days later.

The statue was decapitated again in 1998; this time the head was returned anonymously to a local television station.

In 2003, the statue was blown off its rock with explosives, suffering significant damage; the perpetrators were never found.

Acts of paint vandalism have been frequent: in 1961 and 1963, the statue was doused in paint for the first time.

In 2006, she was covered in green paint by anti-whaling activists, and later that year, pink paint was poured over her by unknown individuals.

On International Women’s Day 2017, the statue’s base was painted red in protest against whaling.

In May 2020, “racist fish” was written on the base, referencing debates over race and popular culture.

In March 2022, the statue was painted blue, apparently in solidarity with the Ukrainian cause.

On March 2, 2023, a Russian flag was painted on the stone supporting the statue, interpreted as a pro-Russian protest amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

These incidents underscore the statue’s ongoing role as both a beloved cultural symbol and a canvas for political statement and protest.

Since its installation in 1913, the Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen has been the target of repeated acts of vandalism.

Title:

Content: Russian Flag Painted on Copenhagen's Most Famous Landmark

It's the latest in a long line of attacks on Little Mermaid statue
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Mar 2, 2023 10:15 AM CST

The Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen, one of Denmark's most famous landmarks, has been vandalized yet again, this time with the Russian flag. Authorities said Thursday that the white, blue, and red stripes of the Russian flag were painted on the stone the statue sits on, Reuters reports. Police said the vandalism was discovered early Thursday. "We are of course launching an investigation to find out who did it and when and how it happened," a police spokesman said, per Jyllands-Posten.

Denmark, like other European nations, has strongly criticized Russia's war against Ukraine. The small statue, a tribute to the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, sits off a waterfront promenade in the Danish capital. It has been vandalized many times since it was installed 110 years ago, AFP reports. It has been decapitated twice and was knocked off its base with explosives in 2003. In 2017, it was doused in red paint in a protest against whale hunting. In 2020, during worldwide protests after the death of George Floyd, the words "racist fish" were painted on the base, though Andersen scholars said they weren't aware of any racist elements in the fairy tale. (Read more The Little Mermaid stories.)

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In 1964, the statue’s head was sawn off and stolen by politically motivated artists, and despite a police investigation, the original head was never recovered and a new one had to be cast.

In 1984, her right arm was cut off and stolen, but was returned anonymously two days later.

Title:

Content: Lyndon Barrois Jr.: Rosette uses a fake heist film to address real issues in the art world | Pittsburgh City Paper

Lyndon Barrois Jr.: Rosette uses a fake heist film to address real issues in the art world

click to enlarge
Photo: Sean Eaton
Lyndon Barrois Jr.
There’s an elephant in the room at the Carnegie Museum of Art’s Forum Gallery – one you see, and one you feel.

An Art Nouveau-inspired painting titled “Kaleidoscope” comes with gold-lined ears and bold primary colors in an abstraction of shapes that resembles an elephant. There’s a leopard, borrowed from the adjoining Carnegie Museum of Natural History, perched on stacked crates. There’s a bookcase filled with real and fake crystals, artifacts, and other objects. In the center of the room is the empty working station of a questionable presence – a possible art forger.

With Rosette, on view at CMOA through Aug. 27, Pittsburgh-based artist Lyndon Barrois Jr. places museum-goers into the center of a space that nearly resembles a movie set, complete with a never-to-be-realized short script for a heist movie about museum conservators-turned-forgers. Barrois uses his solo show, featuring a whole new body of work, to consider an art movement influenced by stolen artifacts and defined by exploited labor. Even when silent, there’s another elephant presence with you in the room: the legacy of colonialism.

Pittsburgh City Paper spoke with Barrois about the origins of Rosette, the ways art is influenced by colonialism, and the complex idea of ownership in museums.

When did you start conceptualizing the show?

The story of the conservative-forger narrative is something that has been on my mind for almost 20 years. And originally, it was going to be just a full screenplay. It was after my own experience of taking a class on painting conservation. I was also really interested in crime fiction novels. At first, it was like, maybe it’s a novel or novella, and then I was like, no, I kind of see it, so maybe it should be a film. I've been thinking about it in the context of a film for a while, but the structure of that story and the character makeup has changed over time.

Originally, the motivation to forge something was to protect it from a greedy inheritor, or someone who was going to inherit it and do something that the original owner didn't want to be done with it. So it was a sort of, like, protective strategy, to keep the real thing safe. And to allow a fake thing to travel in the world or through a market.

Later, I was reading more about the history between Belgium and the Congo, and things just kind of snapped into place, where I was like, this history feels like a good motivator. I'm interested in this history, I want to do something to speak to it.

The use of cinema in your art is recurring. Where does it originate, and why use cinema as a conduit for your message?

It lends itself to the production of physical things because there's already this way that stories allow objects to carry meaning. And also, I think, as a culture, the way that we consume film and television, you know, cinematic media, we're already accustomed to the language of marketing, and how these things are advertised to us and how we have a sense or a perception of a story before we actually we see the actual film. ... I've always kind of been interested in advertising and marketing strategies.

And so, it was just sort of convenient that film production or the history of Hollywood marketing strategy has existing forms that I can play with or alter or rescale, and kind of translate into paintings or sculptures that also fit within or mimic the aesthetics of posters, lobby cards, film stills, physical props, you know, set environments. Playing with that, like the museum is a prop house. The museum has a collection. It’s a way of thinking of a museum collection as a sort of prop house. What can I borrow to assist the narrative I'm trying to tell? To that point, many of these objects are borrowed. It’s a very meta and also somewhat sustainable choice.
click to enlarge
Photo: Sean Eaton
"Masters of Fine Arts," part of Lyndon Barrois Jr.: Rosette at CMOA

Can you talk about the process of choosing pieces to borrow and your goal in using borrowed pieces?

I feel like every visit we made a different, slight alteration or clarifying decision about what we wanted to do, which is really fun. And then once I got a sense of what objects I was using from the museum, then I could decide, okay, what do I need to make, to play off those things? Some things I already knew. I think I knew I wanted to make lobby card portraits. I knew I wanted to recreate at least two objects that I found buried in a Belgian institutional collection, which are the King Leopold II [work] and sculpture of two children playing. Both of these are definitely meant to reference rubber extraction and labor exploitation. This fragmented sculpture of children playing with their missing limbs was obviously a reference to punishment that people who were put to work in the Belgian Congo and who were amputated as a form of punishment, so I wanted to allude to those things without literally showing them.

There’s a lot of allusion here, and I really want to talk about the literal and figurative elephants in the room. Can you talk about the elephant, and unpack the symbolism?

This [elephant piece] was inspired by a series of essays by Debora Silverman called Art Nouveau: Art of Darkness. She is kind of making a case about these kinds of colonial roots within Belgian Art Nouveau, because a few of the more notable designers of this movement in that part of the world were affiliated with King Leopold, or commissioned by people within Leopold’s circle. So it's a combination of design works or elements from [Belgian painter Henry van de Velde] and [Belgian architect Victor Horta]. And there are other visual examples from different designs of theirs, either referencing something that she described as elephantine, or whip-like or vine-like to reference the rubber vines.

It's also a different visual identity that they take on as distinct from different parts of the world. So yeah, just kind of trying to locate that visual lineage, and these designers, and how their relationship to these resources that were extracted by exploitational means were kind of embedded in their design sensibility.

There’s a tension here, between the desire to appreciate art through conservation and the potential harm done, that comes with keeping art in a way different than what the artist intended. Can you unpack that?

I was told by a conservator that there's an interesting shift between generations of artists, where, I would say, historically, in terms of hundreds of years ago, there was a sense of archival practice. And then we move into modern, post-modern [eras] to where people are making all these material experiments, and however the work is, whatever happens to it, they're okay with it degrading to a certain degree.

But now, with contemporary art, I think we're interested in this weird thing of allowing something to decay or change up to a point, and then we want to freeze it there. And that's much harder to do. I think there's one part of a conversation in which value by colonial entities has been achieved by taking things, like resources, raw, natural resources, to fuel a particular economy.
click to enlarge
Photo: Sean Eaton
"Guardians Gate (Farfanicchio)," part of Lyndon Barrois Jr.: Rosette at CMOA
There's also the case in which objects, like cultural artifacts, fetish objects, are taken from a place for their sort of exotic properties, and then, based on the new ownership, get assigned a particular value. Or even the way that something just simply being in a museum collection changes its value or changes its perceived value, which I guess I could say was also something that I've always been interested in, of using cheap materials presented well, or presented carefully, to hopefully change the perception of how it’s valued. I used a lot of cardboard in my work when I was an artist no one cared about. That was a highly critical aspect of my work. While at the same time, I could go to a museum and see a cardboard sculpture that is being so cared for.

So there are these kind of discrepancies as well. I'm also asking the question about aesthetic value. There's a bit of that in the script text as well. Like, if an object fulfills the same aesthetic experience as an original, does it matter whether or not it's fake? That’s just a question that I've always had ... at what point do I need the actual object? If I have a really satisfying image of it, at what point does an image satisfy the use of an object? At what point does an object simply reduce itself to being an image? These kinds of things, I think, are still at play.

What should museum-goers be considering about the art they’re viewing and the conservation that keeps it viewable, that they may not already be considering when in a museum?

Acknowledging the relationship between things that are seemingly separate. Like, what does an elephant molar have to do with [Patrice Lumumba, former Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo]? Actually, one of the people involved in his assassination took one of his teeth. This is where the name “precious gums” comes from. Little things like that. There are just some things, like, when objects are illuminated by historical anecdotes or historical realities or a particular narrative, that there’s a connection that’s formed between them. … How the past impacts the present and the future always. These kinds of relationships are not just cyclical but seemingly unending.

This interview was edited for length and clarity.
Lyndon Barrois Jr.: Rosette. Continues through Aug. 27. Carnegie Museum of Art. 4400 Forbes Ave., Oakland. Included with regular admission. carnegieart.org

The statue was decapitated again in 1998; this time the head was returned anonymously to a local television station.

In 2003, the statue was blown off its rock with explosives, suffering significant damage; the perpetrators were never found.

Acts of paint vandalism have been frequent: in 1961 and 1963, the statue was doused in paint for the first time.

In 2006, she was covered in green paint by anti-whaling activists, and later that year, pink paint was poured over her by unknown individuals.

On International Women’s Day 2017, the statue’s base was painted red in protest against whaling.

In May 2020, “racist fish” was written on the base, referencing debates over race and popular culture.

In March 2022, the statue was painted blue, apparently in solidarity with the Ukrainian cause.

On March 2, 2023, a Russian flag was painted on the stone supporting the statue, interpreted as a pro-Russian protest amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

These incidents underscore the statue’s ongoing role as both a beloved cultural symbol and a canvas for political statement and protest.


Copenhagen’s iconic Little Mermaid statue has been deliberately damaged several times since it was created by Edvard Eriksen in 1913.

In April 1964, the statue’s head was sawn off and stolen by a group of politically motivated artists known as Situationist artists, and it was never recovered, forcing a new head to be made.

On July 22, 1984, the right arm of the statue was cut off by unknown vandals but was later returned and reattached.

On January 6, 1998, the statue was decapitated again and the head was later returned anonymously to a TV station and reattached by authorities.

On September 11, 2003, the statue was blown off its base with explosives in an incident believed to be politically motivated, and it was subsequently restored.

In March 1961, it was covered in paint for the first time by unknown vandals.

Over the years, the statue has repeatedly been doused in paint, including being turned red, pink, and blue, often by activists or protesters highlighting various causes like whaling or political issues.

On May 30, 2017, the statue was covered in red paint by animal rights activists protesting Denmark’s whaling practices.

On January 14, 2020, vandals wrote “Free Hong Kong” on the base of the statue in support of protests in Hong Kong.

On May 21, 2020, the words “Racist Fish” were written on the stone beneath the statue, although no group claimed responsibility.

Despite these repeated attacks, the Little Mermaid has always been restored, and remains a symbol of Copenhagen’s cultural heritage, while serving as a canvas for acts of protest and expressions of counter-culture.

Copenhagen’s iconic Little Mermaid statue has been deliberately damaged several times since it was created by Edvard Eriksen in 1913.

Title:

Content: Russian Flag Painted on Copenhagen's Most Famous Landmark

It's the latest in a long line of attacks on Little Mermaid statue
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Mar 2, 2023 10:15 AM CST

The Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen, one of Denmark's most famous landmarks, has been vandalized yet again, this time with the Russian flag. Authorities said Thursday that the white, blue, and red stripes of the Russian flag were painted on the stone the statue sits on, Reuters reports. Police said the vandalism was discovered early Thursday. "We are of course launching an investigation to find out who did it and when and how it happened," a police spokesman said, per Jyllands-Posten.

Denmark, like other European nations, has strongly criticized Russia's war against Ukraine. The small statue, a tribute to the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, sits off a waterfront promenade in the Danish capital. It has been vandalized many times since it was installed 110 years ago, AFP reports. It has been decapitated twice and was knocked off its base with explosives in 2003. In 2017, it was doused in red paint in a protest against whale hunting. In 2020, during worldwide protests after the death of George Floyd, the words "racist fish" were painted on the base, though Andersen scholars said they weren't aware of any racist elements in the fairy tale. (Read more The Little Mermaid stories.)

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In April 1964, the statue’s head was sawn off and stolen by a group of politically motivated artists known as Situationist artists, and it was never recovered, forcing a new head to be made.

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Content: Upcoming Webinar : Watch Traders Mela for Hindi Speaking Trading Community at just 1499 INR for PRO!

8 must-see Paris spots featured in Emily in Paris Season 3

Featured in Netflix's Emily in Paris, these 8 landmarks in Paris are worth checking out on your next trip to the City of Love!

February 26, 2023 / 11:36 AM IST

Emily Cooper (Lily Collins) dining at Le Jules Verne restaurant on the second floor of the Eiffel Tower. (Image via Twitter/Emily In Paris Brasil)

Netflix has announced the fourth season of Emily in Paris, which has garnered legions of fans since it started streaming in October 2020.

The show provides a glimpse into the lives of Paris’ entrepreneurs, artists and chefs. They are seen dining, socialising, and celebrating their lives in some of the most picturesque spots in Paris.

From historic landmarks to stylish restaurants, these spots offer a unique perspective of Paris. Bookmark this Emily in Paris-inspired Paris guide for your next trip to the City of Love.

A still from the show. (Image via Twitter/EmilyInParisBrasil)

Le Jules Verne

In Emily in Paris, Emily, Sylvie, and Madeline have a heated argument at Le Jules Verne, which is located on the second floor of the Eiffel Tower, the most-visited paid monument in the world.

Reopened in 2019, restaurant Le Jules Verne, conceptualised by designer Aline Asmar d’Amman has a chic vibe and offers awe-inspiring, panoramic views of the city's skyline.

Le Jules Verne's interiors are inspired by the Eiffel Tower, French tradition, and Paris. The design aesthetic of the eatery is restrained, and the colour palette includes silver-grey, white, and blue-grey with touches of gold and black.

At Le Jules Verne, chef Frederic Anton whips up beautifully plated, modern French dishes.

Le Jules Verne. (Photo by Stephan Julliard)

Parc des Buttes-Chaumont

Emily and Alfie have a lovely picnic at the scenic Parc des Buttes-Chaumont, which is one of the largest and greenest parks in Paris. Also known as Bald Hill, this popular park features rolling green hills, caves, waterfalls, an artificial lake, a suspended bridge built by Gustave Eiffel, and a viewpoint offering spectacular views of the city. Visitors can unwind amidst the park’s exotic, indigenous trees and spot seagulls, moorhens, and mallard ducks. The park also hosts activities for children and has food stalls as well.

Place de Valois

Emily’s workplace is located in this square. It is also the backdrop of Madeline and Emily’s confrontations. Originally known as Cour des Fontaines, Place de Valois is a quaint square in Paris. This pedestrian only square boasts buildings exhibiting traditional French architecture and trendy French cafes. We suggest grabbing an outdoor table at any restaurant at Place de Valois for people-watching!

Jardin du Palais-Royal

In the show, Emily and Mindy meet for the first time at this charming garden, and they continue to meet here throughout the show. This expansive garden is fronted by the neoclassical Palais Royal and is surrounded by luxurious shopping arcades that frame it. Jardin du Palais-Royal is the perfect place to relax or have a picnic lunch with friends.

As Emily and Mindy take a walk, they see some balloons at Sacre-Coeur Basilica and stop to admire the building. Consecrated in 1919, the Sacre-Coeur Basilica is one of the most visited churches in France. Situated at the top of the Montmartre hill, it showcases Roman-Byzantine architecture and features four majestic domes. You’ll find artists sitting around the church who paint spectacular portraits of people and the basilica. At night, the lit-up Sacre-Coeur Basilica is a sight to behold. The streets leading up to the church have people singing and dancing to lively music.

Sacre-Coeur Basilica (Photo by Mario Scheibl / Unsplash)

Palais Garnier

Sylvie and her husband enjoy a night at the Palais Garnier to celebrate their anniversary. The palace was the residence of the Paris Opera until 1989. Presently, Palais Garnier is primarily the venue for ballet performances. Designed by architect Charles Garnier in 1875, the breathtaking building houses an auditorium, public areas, a museum library, and numerous rehearsal studios and workshop spaces. Visit the Palais Garnier for its spectacular performances and its mesmerising interiors. Along with attending shows, visitors can also take guided tours of Palais Garnier.

(Photo by Caleb Maxwell/ Unsplash)

Hotel Molitor Paris

In Episode five, Emily and Mindy relax and have cocktails on Hotel Molitor's poolside chairs. Located in the chic 16th district of Paris, Hotel Molitor is an upscale boutique hotel. The hotel’s highlights include its heated outdoor pool, a historic 1930s indoor pool, a cafe, and a stylish rooftop bar. Decorated by Jean-Philippe Nuel, the hotel's guest rooms offer a view of the summer pool. This property is in a great location, and has well-appointed interiors and amenities.

La Nouvelle Eve

In this season of Emily in Paris, Mindy performs at La Nouvelle Eve, a traditional cabaret restaurant, and her friends Emily, Alfie, Camille, and Benoit support her in the audience. Situated at the foothills of Montmartre in the 9th arrondissement, La Nouvelle Eve is one of the oldest and most elegant cabaret theatres in Paris. It boasts opulent interiors featuring a Corinthian-styled multicoloured stage and sumptuous tables and booths. At La Nouvelle Eve, guests are treated to an eclectic range of cabarets and musical performances while they indulge in delectable French food.

Pallavi Mehra is a freelance lifestyle writer. She is on Instagram at pallywally_
first published: Feb 26, 2023 11:26 am

On July 22, 1984, the right arm of the statue was cut off by unknown vandals but was later returned and reattached.

On January 6, 1998, the statue was decapitated again and the head was later returned anonymously to a TV station and reattached by authorities.

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Content: NewsNational NewsScripps News

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Brazil's iconic Christ the Redeemer statue welcomes Taylor Swift

In return for the display, the Swifties were tasked with gathering funds for the Catholic Church’s World Day of the Poor.
Posted at 8:37 PM, Nov 17, 2023
and last updated 2023-11-17 20:37:18-05

Karma is a shirt on an iconic statue welcoming Taylor Swift!

Right before Swift kicks off her three-night Eras Tour in Rio's Estádio Nilton Santos, her "Junior Jewels" tee, straight out of the “You Belong With Me” video, made a cheeky cameo on the Christ the Redeemer statue. Talk about a solid rock-star fashion statement!

In the music video, the shirt displays "Junior Jewels," but in the projection on the 125-foot statue, it shows "Welcome to Brasil."

The screen appeared following a request from Rio's mayor, Eduardo Paes, and the Brazilian Swifties to Father Omar Raposo, who is responsible for maintaining the monument.

But the gesture came at a price — for a good cause, of course.

In return for the display, Father Omar requested that the Swifties help gather funds for 20,000 panettones and water for the Catholic Church’s World Day of the Poor Sunday.

By Thursday night, unsurprisingly to no one, the Swifties had met their goal.

In a single remarkable day of crowdfunding, the Swifties raked in 180,000 reais (approximately $37,000), footing the bill for panettones and water, that will help over 120 social institutions backed by the Catholic sanctuary that manages the statue and thousands of homeless, the sanctuary stated.

“Young people like challenges. So we directed the energy of fans to do good,” said Father Omar. “This can and will be replicated! It's a mobilization for solidarity, Christ the Redeemer descending the Corcovado mountain to impact society.”

The globally recognized Christ statue has been a symbol of Christianity for almost a century, not just in Brazil but across Latin America. Today, millions of tourists flock to capture selfies with the iconic statue, which earned the title of one of the new Seven Wonders of the World in 2017.

Trending stories at Scrippsnews.com

On September 11, 2003, the statue was blown off its base with explosives in an incident believed to be politically motivated, and it was subsequently restored.

In March 1961, it was covered in paint for the first time by unknown vandals.

Over the years, the statue has repeatedly been doused in paint, including being turned red, pink, and blue, often by activists or protesters highlighting various causes like whaling or political issues.

On May 30, 2017, the statue was covered in red paint by animal rights activists protesting Denmark’s whaling practices.

On January 14, 2020, vandals wrote “Free Hong Kong” on the base of the statue in support of protests in Hong Kong.

On May 21, 2020, the words “Racist Fish” were written on the stone beneath the statue, although no group claimed responsibility.

Despite these repeated attacks, the Little Mermaid has always been restored, and remains a symbol of Copenhagen’s cultural heritage, while serving as a canvas for acts of protest and expressions of counter-culture.

Title:

Content: Fairytale-like European city is 'spellbinding' and has 'something for everyone'

A beautiful European town is a destination full to the brim of exciting and interesting things to do.

By Paul Tregunna, Travel and Lifestyle Reporter

Nyhavn has become synonymous with Copenhagen (Image: Getty)

The Nordic countries are perhaps the closest opportunity travellers have to transport themselves into their very own fairy tales.

With beautiful cities and charming locals, they are some of the finest countries in the world to visit.

None more so than Denmark, an incredibly friendly country that connects mainland Europe to Scandinavia.

Its capital city, Copenhagen, is one of the continent's most well-known places, yet it isn’t as popular a city break destination as it perhaps should be.

With its colourful houses and lively atmosphere, the iconic area of Nyhavn has become synonymous with Copenhagen.

The colourful houses of Nyhavn are the perfect backdrop to relax and grab a drink (Image: Getty)

A perfect place to kick back and grab a drink by the water, Nyhavn was originally a commercial port welcoming ships from all over the world.

Once home to the legendary writer Hans Christian Andersen, the neighbourhood wouldn't look out of place in a picture book itself.

There are a number of boat trips operating from Nyhavn, offering visitors a chance to explore the sights of Copenhagen by water. It is a great opportunity to get your bearings and spot any attractions you’d like to see up close, whilst providing interesting commentary on the history of this fantastic city.

You can buy tickets for one of the boat trips on the day from Nyhavn, but they can also be purchased online in advance. The prices vary depending on which provider you choose to travel, and tickets should range from around £16-£20 for an hour-long journey.

The Little Mermaid sculpture is a must-see (Image: Getty)
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Hans Christian Andersen’s presence is still felt throughout the city. You have the opportunity to get up close and personal with the Danish Author at the Hans Christian Andersen Experience - a charming and interactive museum detailing his life and the fairy tales he penned.

The Hans Christian Andersen Experience is a part of Ripley’s Believe it or Not, an entertaining exhibition on the world’s weirdest and wackiest true stories. You can purchase a combo ticket for both from 206 KR (£23.74) for an adult, and 139 KR (£16.02) for a child aged 4-11.

One of Hans Christian Andersen’s most famous stories is The Little Mermaid, which was written in 1837 and has subsequently been adapted into a number of films. In the Langelinie area of Copenhagen there is a bronze statue depicting the titular mermaid, unveiled in 1913, which is well worth taking the time to see.

Another of Copenhagen’s most iconic attractions is the spectacular Tivoli Gardens, one of the oldest amusement parks in the world.

Tivoli Gardens are one of the world's oldest amusement parks (Image: Getty)

With something for everyone, Tivoli has roller coasters, rides, shows and a feel-good atmosphere. If Disney is the ‘happiest place on Earth’, Tivoli mustn't be far behind.

The sheer scale of Tivoli is mind-blowing, and you can easily spend a full day there and not cover everything. There are a number of ticketing options which can be viewed on the Tivoli website, but bear in mind Tivoli Gardens reopens on March 22.

Connected to Tivoli is a superstore specialising in one of Denmark’s most famous exports - LEGO.

The LEGO Store Tivoli Gardens is a must visit for fans of the iconic building blocks, as the highlight of the shop is a station where you can design and make yourself out of LEGO, providing a truly unique memento.

The Church of our Saviour's spectacular spiralling spire offers fantastic views over Copenhagen (Image: Getty)

Standing tall over the city is the spellbinding spire of Our Saviour’s Church, which visitors have the opportunity to climb.

After ascending 400 steps, with the last 150 externally spiralling around the tower, you will be blessed with one of the best views of Copenhagen - some 262 feet in the air.

Entrance to the tower is free, but it is advisable to book online in advance to secure a timeslot. If you aren’t a fan of heights, it’s best you give the climb a miss.

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