Diane is a leading authority on modern celebrity and royalty who has written for Newsweek, People, and many other national publications. She is a New York Times best-selling author of five books, including Diana: The Secrets of Her Style and Imagining Diana. She is a frequent television commentator on the royal family and has appeared on CNN, CBS News, and NBC News. You can follow her on Twitter @DianeClehane and on Instagram @Diane.Clehane
While Prince William has lived his entire life in front of the world, there are still plenty of things about the future king of England you probably didn't know. For example, while he's the model of decorum now, Wills—as he was known as a toddler—was a bit of a bully during his preschool years, earning him a less than favorable nickname. And though the Duke of Cambridge has been very open about his close relationship with his late mother, Princess Diana, few people know about the extraordinary promise he made to her after her divorce from his father, Prince Charles. But that's hardly all. In honor of his birthday on Jun. 21, here are 27 surprising facts you haven't heard about Prince William. And if you're more of a Prince Harry fan, check out these 30 Little Known Facts About Prince Harry That Will Make You Love Him Even More.
1 | His parents couldn't agree on his name.
Pictorial Press Ltd / Alamy Stock PhotoPictorial Press Ltd / Alamy Stock PhotoPrince Charles and Princess Dianaclashed over what to name their firstborn son. Charles favored Albert (after Queen Victoria's husband) while Diana wanted Sebastian or Oliver. In the end, they compromised with William Arthur Philip Louis Windsor.
William was known as "Baby Wales" for a week before his given name was announced to the world—just like his nephew Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor was known as "Baby Sussex" for days after his birth before his name was revealed. And for more about the Prince of Wales, check out 15 Facts You Never Knew About Prince Charles.
2 | He was a royal terror to his young classmates.
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When he was a preschool student at Mrs. Mynors' Nursery School in London in the mid 1980s, little Wills quickly became known as "The Basher" for his bullying ways of pushing to the front of the line and getting into playground fights. Diana and Charles were horrified, but the other parents dared not say anything for fear of insulting the future king. And for some of Prince William's father's less-than-favorable moments, here are Prince Charles’ Most Controversial Moments That You’ve Forgotten About.
In 1985, when Charles and Diana were set to travel to New Zealand and Australia for their first tour after becoming parents, the princess was insistent that nine-month-old William travel on the same plane as they did. This was a huge break in royal protocol, which, up until that point, dictated that the two successive heirs to the throne travel separately in the event of a fatal accident. But Diana got what she wanted.
History poignantly repeated itself when William and Kate Middleton brought baby Prince George along for the very same royal tour in 2014. And for more on William's offspring, check out Princess Charlotte's Life in Photos.
4 | He has a personal connection to Harry Potter.
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William has something in common with the beloved Hogwarts student—and it's not his Quidditch skills. In 1991, the prince was hit in the forehead with a golf club by a classmate. The accident left him with a lighting bolt-shaped scar, just like Harry Potter's!
5 | He's left-handed, but learned to play polo with his right hand.
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William is part of the 10 percent of the world's population with a dominant left hand. This posed a problem for the polo-loving prince when he took up the sport. The rules of the game only permit the use of the right hand. According to Nicholas Colquhoun-Denvers, the president of the World Polo Governing Body, William's dogged determination helped him master playing with his right hand, which he continues to do to this day. And for more on how William and his family stay in shape, check out The Secret Ways All of the British Royals Stay Fit.
6 | As a teenager, he had a thing for Cindy Crawford
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When he was a teenager, Prince William had a huge crush on supermodel Cindy Crawford. In the documentary Diana Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy, William recounted the day in the early 1990s when his mother surprised him by arranging for Crawford, Christy Turlington, and Naomi Campbell to be waiting for him at the top of the stairs when he returned home from school. The prince recalled, "I went bright red and didn't know quite what to say. And sort of fumbled and I think pretty much fell down the stairs on the way up."
7 | Diana worried most about William when her marriage fell apart.
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Diana had always confided in William, even though he was just a child, particularly while her marriage to Prince Charles was unraveling. But she began to worry it had taken too much of a toll on her son. In 1992, she confided to a friend she "was worried about William" because "he's too sensitive; he feels everything too much," according to royal biographer Christopher Andersen.
8 | He was furious with his mother over revealing her affair.
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Princess Diana had kept her explosive tell-all interview with Martin Bashir for the BBC1 program Panorama in 1995 a secret from everyone, including her sons. An hour after the broadcast aired, she called William, who was away at school, to talk to him and he refused to speak to her. Several accounts have reported he was angry at her for discussing her affair with his former riding instructor, James Hewitt, and he allegedly felt her remarks about Charles cast doubt on his ability to carry out his duty as king.
When the princess was stripped of her "Her Royal Highness" title when her divorce became final in 1996, William consoled his mother by telling her he would restore her royal title when he became king. And for more on the current royal matriarch, here are 13 Secrets About Queen Elizabeth Only Royal Insiders Know.
During that fateful summer in 1997, Diana decided to take William and Harry with her aboard Mohamed Al-Fayed's yacht, the Jonikal. The boys had plenty of expensive toys on the trip, like high powered Jet Skis, and Dodi Fayed tried everything he could do to win them over—even renting out a disco for them. But friends told me William did not like his mother's growing friendship with the Fayeds.
"He couldn't wait to get away from them," a royal insider confided. "The prince was uncomfortable with the whole thing. He wanted to go to Balmoral like he did every summer. He didn't like being fussed over and he didn't like that his mother was growing closer to Dodi." And for more on William's late mother, check out The 6 Biggest Unanswered Questions Surrounding Princess Diana's Death.
11 | He did not want to walk behind his mother's casket.
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When plans were made for Diana's funeral, her brother Charles Spencer was insistent on walking behind his sister's casket. Prince Charles disapproved of the idea of Spencer walking alone and insisted he be part of the procession as well. The Palace thought it would be best if 15-year-old William and 12-year-old Harry accompany their father. At first, William was adamantly opposed to the idea and relented only when Prince Philip asked if he would do so if he walked along side him. In the BBC documentary Diana, 7 Days, William described the experience as a "long and lonely walk" that he did out of "duty."
12 | He earned a goofy nickname while serving in the Royal Air Force.
13 | He had a trick to prevent Harry from stealing his shoes.
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Both William and Harry favor handmade oxfords from John Lobb. And during the princes' bachelor days when they shared an apartment in Kensington Palace, William would reportedly mark the soles of his shoes with a "W" to avoid any mix-ups.
14 | He once broke up with Kate over the phone.
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In 2007, when William was feeling pressure from all sides about getting engaged, he decided he wasn't ready to get married. The 25-year-old future king rang Kate up at her office at Jigsaw, a fashion company where she was working as an assistant buyer in accessories, and broke up with her—proving that sometimes even handsome princes can be frogs. The couple reunited a few months later and the rest, as they say, is history. And for the Cambridges cutest moments, check out William and Kate's Most Adorable Couples Moments Through the Years.
15 | He had to trade with Harry to get Diana's engagement ring.
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When William did decide to propose to Kate, he wanted to give her Diana's iconic diamond engagement ring, but it belonged to Prince Harry at the time.
When Diana died in 1997, her butler, Paul Burrell, took both boys to her Kensington Palace apartment where they chose special items that belonged to their mother as remembrances of her, as Burrell recalled in his book, A Royal Duty. Harry chose Diana's engagement ring while William selected her gold Cartier watch.
Since marriage was the furthest thing on Harry's mind in 2010, the brothers traded the priceless keepsakes. That's why Meghan Markle missed out on the stunning 18-carat sapphire and diamond ring that Kate proudly wears today.
16 | Kate's bridal bouquet was a testament to her love for William.
ShutterstockKate Middleton's wedding bouquet was a lovely mixture of white flowers, which included lily of the valley, hyacinth, myrtle, and sweet William.
17 | He had a secret feature sewn into his wedding day ensemble.
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William looked dashing in his uniform of the Irish Guards on his wedding day, but he was concerned about becoming too warm and sweating under the glaringly hot lights of the television cameras, so he requested custom sweat pads be sewn into his jacket so he wouldn't be seen perspiring.
William took his wife on a trip across the pond to the Big Apple in 2014 while Kate was pregnant with Princess Charlotte. The couple was there on official royal business, but still managed to take in a Brooklyn Nets basketball game during their stay (where they met Beyoncé and Jay-Z). They declined to pucker up for the kiss cam, opting instead for friendly and decidedly more royal wave (as ABC News captured here).
Besides giving Kate his mother's breathtaking engagement ring, William also gifted his wife the matching diamond and sapphire earrings after their wedding. While Diana wore them as posts, Kate has had them remodeled into delicate drop earrings, which she wears often.
22 | His favorite wedding gift was very unique.
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One of William's favorite wedding gifts was a wooden swing that has "William and Catherine" engraved on it. As Hello! reported, Prince George has been photographed playing on it at the family's country home, Anmer Hall in Norfolk. Perhaps it served as inspiration for the family-friendly swing that was such a hit as part of Kate's family garden at the 2019 Chelsea Flower Show.
23 | Fatherhood has made William more emotional.
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William said in an ITV documentary that since becoming a father, he is "a lot more emotional than [he] used to be." He added: "Now the smallest little things, you well up a little more, you get affected by the sort of things that happen around the world a lot more. Just because you realize how precious life is and it puts it all in perspective."
24 | He's got a sweet tooth.
ShutterstockWilliam's favorite cake is chocolate biscuit cake, which is made using tea biscuits and dark chocolate. It sets in the fridge rather than being baked in an oven. According to royal chef Darren McGrady, the prince requested one be served as his groom's cake at his wedding in 2011.
25 | He's a big television fan.
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William and Kate are said to be huge fans of several television series, including Australian soap Neighbours as well as Downton Abbey and Game of Thrones, which Harry and Meghan also loved.
26 | But he's not a fan of spicy foods.
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In 2016, William told a group of students visiting Buckingham Palace that he "struggles" with spices and prefers more bland foods. But Kate has said that they eat a lot of curry when spending evenings in, so Will's must be of the milder variety. Fun fact: It's not usually delivered—they like to go and pick it up themselves.
27 | He's got a secret stylist.
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According to British GQ,William has become more stylish and relaxed on official tours, thanks to some stealth style tips from Kate's stylist, Natasha Archer. The trusted fashion advisor is credited with encouraging the prince to sport Ray-Ban aviator shades at events like Wimbledon and suggested he wear more slim lined suits and blazers.
It Ends With Us opened to $50 million at the domestic box office, but rumors about a behind-the-scenes rift between director Justin Baldoni, 40, and Blake Lively, 36, continue to rumble on. Lively plays Lily Bloom, a florist who ends up in a toxic relationship with Ryle Kincaid (Baldoni), in the first major adaptation of a Colleen Hoover novel. The movie hadn’t even been released before the first rumors started about possible friction on set between Baldoni and the rest of the cast. No one has gone on the record to make a statement either way, but plenty of sources have been leaking gossip from the set. Here’s what’s been reported so far.
Creative Differences?
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The issues between Baldoni and the rest of the cast/crew appear to go beyond mere creative differences. "All is not what it seems," a set source tells PEOPLE. "There is much more to this story. The principal cast and [author] Colleen Hoover will have nothing to do with him."
Social Media Evidence
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Fans note that Hoover, Lively, and Slate do not follow Baldoni back on Instagram. This could be nothing, but it certainly doesn’t look good.
Friction On Set?
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There was alleged friction on set with Lively, who is also a producer on the movie, clashing with Baldoni. “There are all these things that happen every day on set, there’s always friction that happens when you make a movie like this," Baldoni told ELLE. "Then at the end of the day, it’s that friction, I believe, that creates the beautiful art. Everything in life needs friction to grow. We created something so beautiful and so magical, and it was hard, and it was worth it at the same time. And I grew so much as both a filmmaker, an actor and as a person throughout this experience."
Complex Personalities?
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Baldoni also made some comments to TODAY that hint at friction. “Every movie is a miracle… You’re navigating complex personalities and trying to get everybody on the same page with the same vision. And mistakes are always made, and then you figure out how to move past them."
Who’s Directing Next?
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When asked about directing the sequel, Baldoni seemed reluctant. "I think that there are better people for that one,” he told Entertainment Weekly. “I think Blake Lively's ready to direct. That's what I think." Hoover adds, "I think that whoever decides to take charge of the next one would do it justice. But, you know, it’s a lot of people to get the same schedules again."
Chauvinistic Behavior?
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A source told the Daily Mail Baldoni created an uncomfortable atmosphere on set. “During scenes depicting abuse, Justin failed to consider Blake’s character’s perspective, instead focusing solely on what he believed was the abusive male viewpoint,” the source says. “His approach was very chauvinistic, creating a tense atmosphere on set.”
Method Acting?
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The Daily Mail source suggests Baldoni might have taken method acting too far. “Justin almost became the character in the sense that some women on set felt he was borderline abusive to them and that he was unprofessional and unapologetic,” the source says. “Directing a film so serious and so important about domestic abuse without allowing the women to be included in this process is disturbing.”
Script Rewrites?
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The Daily Mail source alleges Baldoni would take any script rewrite requests from Lively and Hoover personally. “Without Colleen's book, none of this would have been possible,” the source says. “Parts of the film were rewritten under the instruction of Colleen - they had to be. He took their script decisions very personally, even though they weren’t intended that way. His behavior extended beyond the main players. Once he felt ganged up on, he became even less empathetic.”
Clashes Behind the Scenes?
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Some of the friction behind the scenes may be down to Ryan Reynolds being involved. “The iconic rooftop scene, my husband actually wrote it,” Lively told E! News. “Nobody knows that but you now. We help each other. He works on everything I do. I work on everything he does. So his wins, his celebrations are mine and mine are his. I mean, he's all over this film."
Spotlight on the Issue
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A source tells PEOPLE that Baldoni is respectful and aware of the issues highlighted in the movie. “In every bit of press he has done, he has placed an emphasis on the importance of spotlighting this issue and breaking the cycle of violence,” the source says. “Though this is Justin’s biggest directing and acting role to date, this film has never been in the interest of self-promotion. It has, and will continue to be about the message with the goal of touching real lives and inspiring people to speak out against DV. Ultimately, it is about the survivors and hope.”
COVID cases are currently surging in spots across the US, making it the busiest summer for the virus so far. “Currently, the COVID-19 wastewater viral activity level is very high nationally, with the highest levels in the Western US region,” Dr. Jonathan Yoder, deputy director of the CDC’s Wastewater Surveillance Program, tells CNN. “This year’s COVID-19 wave is coming earlier than last year, which occurred in late August/early September.”
“This is a very significant surge. The levels are very high. They’re the highest we’ve ever seen during a summer wave,” says Dr. Marlene Wolfe, an assistant professor of environmental health and public health at Emory University and a program director for WastewaterScan. “We’re detecting SARS-CoV-2 in 100 percent of our samples across the country right now.” Here are places you’re most likely to catch COVID, based on wastewater samples logged in the Wastewater Scan dashboard.
COVID is surging in Houston, Texas. “Here in Houston, Texas, wastewater numbers are still high and not declining,” Dr. Peter Hotez, an infectious disease expert who is director of the Center for Vaccine Development at Texas Children’s Hospital, tells CNN. “They have reached a plateau at a high level for several weeks.”
Honolulu, Hawaii
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COVID is surging in Honolulu, Hawaii. "Right now, we have a significant bump in the COVID-positive hospital patients," Dr. Scott Miscovich of Premier Medical Group Hawaii tells KITV. "At the same time, we have a jump in the percent positivity, which is a very important epidemiologic number. We've gone from 12.8% of all the tests taken positive up to 17%- or a 32% jump."
Anchorage, Alaska
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Wastewater samples show COVID is high in Anchorage, Alaska. “Anytime you get these variants that are driving the wave, typically, what’s happening is they’ve had some sort of a mutation, at least one or a couple, that typically will give them the capability to evade prior immunity better than other strains that are circulating,” Joe McLaughlin, an epidemiologist with the state’s division of public health, tells Alaska Public News.
New Jersey
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COVID is surging in New Jersey. “The lack of testing and the use of home tests has greatly decreased the ability to get a full sense of the disease,” Linda Brown, executive director of the New Jersey Association of County and City Health Officials, tells NJ Spotlight News. “People who test for COVID at home — as many now do — are not required to report their results, something Brown said “can make true [disease] surveillance that much harder.”
San Francisco, CA
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Cases are surging in the Bay Area. “I think a lot of families have moved on from COVID but COVID is still with us and has been making that known this summer with the latest surge,” says Dean Blumberg, chief of pediatric infectious diseases at UC Davis Children’s Hospital.
Las Vegas, Nevada
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COVID is surging in Nevada. "Our surveillance is very clear," Dr. Anil Mangla, director of disease surveillance and control for the Southern Nevada Health District, tellsKTNV. "We're seeing it in wastewater and we have other surveillance systems that we monitor and we're seeing a similar kind of trend there, too."
Lincoln, Nebraska
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Wastewater data shows COVID is surging in Nebraska. “There’s definitely a bit of a bump in our numbers,” Lindsay Huse, director of the Douglas County Health Department, tells Omaha World-Herald.
Montpelier, Vermont
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COVID is high in Vermont. "As of July 20th, wastewater and emergency department admissions suggest a current level of COVID-19 activity that is similar to what we saw in March of 2024,” John Davy, PhD, Epidemiologist/COVID-19 Coordinator for the VDH, told VermontBiz. “This level is lower than we saw in December 2023 through February 2024, but we have seen a slow upward trend in the last several weeks.”
Atlanta, Georgia
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COVID is high in Atlanta, Georgia. “We’ve seen all ages, from a one-year-old up to 75 years old with COVID-19,” Dr. Luke Lathrop, the chief medical officer at SmartMED Drive-Thru Medical Care clinic in Roswell, tells WSB-TV Atlanta. “Anything from a low-grade fever to a cough, congestion, a sore throat, headache. I’d say the main thing we’ve seen is just fatigue.”
New Orleans, Louisiana
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Cases of COVID are surging in New Orleans. "More patients presenting to the emergency department, and more patients getting tested for COVID, and then those patients being positive on those tests," says Dr. David Janz, Director of Medical Critical Care Services at University Medical Center. “What we're seeing right now in Louisiana of all the people getting a COVID test for whatever reason, about 25% of them are coming back positive. Which is a dramatic increase just compared to two or three months ago."
Provo, Utah
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COVID levels are high in Utah, officials report. Epidemiologist Josh Benton says COVID-19 can be present in the body for a week without symptoms, “but the virus can be detected in wastewater levels earlier.”
Boston, Massachusetts
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COVID is spiking in Boston, Massachusetts. “We are not in 2020,” Boston Medical Center’s Dr. Sabrina Assoumou tells Boston.com. “We are not back at the beginning of the pandemic when we were all overwhelmed at the hospital because of the number of severe cases … we are not seeing that.”
Have we reached peak hydration culture? It’s become totally normalized for people to walk around carrying giant tumblers of liquids (remember the Stanley cup craze?) but is it necessary, or even dangerous to be drinking this much water? “People have this fear that they’re always dehydrated or underhydrated and they need to fix that regularly,” Colleen Muñoz, director and co-founder of the Hydration Health Center at the University of Hartford, tells the Wall Street Journal. “That’s probably not usually the case.” So how do you know if you’re overdoing it with the water? Here’s what the experts have to say.
Severe water intoxication is dangerous and comes with alarming symptoms. “Water intoxication comes from drinking too much water," nurse practitioner Elizabeth Clay tells OSF HealthCare. "And it can lead to some severe symptoms. You can get a headache, disorientation, confusion, nausea, vomiting – it can even be fatal.”
2. Blood Pressure
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Muscle weakness, double vision, and a rise in blood pressure are also symptoms of water intoxication. “The amount of water that a person should consume is going to be individualized," Clay says. "But overall, your kidneys can only handle so much. And that's between 0.8 and one liter. So, you really don't want to be taking in more than that per hour in water.”
3. Low Sodium
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Drinking too much water can cause hyponatremia. "This is where sodium in the body is too low from excessive sodium loss in sweat or urine," pediatrician and sports medicine specialist Jeffery Cline, MD, tells University of Utah Health. "Or it is diluted by taking in too much free water without any electrolytes."
5. Nausea and Vomiting
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6. Dehydration and Intoxication
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Be careful not to let dehydration lead to drinking too much water in a short amount of time. “Dehydration can play a major role in water intoxication because when a person feels that they're getting dehydrated, they may try to overcompensate and may drink too much water at one time, and your body can't handle that," Clay says. "So, you'll start to get these symptoms whether it's nausea, vomiting, confusion – just disruption of your brain activity – and that comes from that depletion of sodium. And so, your cells inside your brain are holding on to that water and it causes swelling inside your brain and that can lead to some serious complications.”
7. Mental Confusion
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Mental confusion could be a sign of overhydration. “In severe cases symptoms could include mental confusion, seizures, unconsciousness and even coma,” says Gundersen Health. “The first treatment is to stop drinking fluids which will help someone recover in a few hours. However, with more severe symptoms, immediate medical attention may be necessary.”
8. Fatigue
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Loss of energy, drowsiness, and fatigue are all possible symptoms of too much water, says the Mayo Clinic. “You may feel nauseous or sleepy, and you may develop vision problems, muscle cramps or elevated blood pressure levels,” Candacy George, D.O., tells ChristianaCare News. “In rare cases, overhydration may cause breathing difficulties, seizures and even death.”
9. How Much Water?
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So how much should you drink? “Everyone has individualized hydration needs, but generally, women should drink 9 cups of water daily, and men should drink 13 cups, according to the National Academy of Medicine. Look at your urine to gauge how well you’re hydrating; it should be pale yellow. Darker urine may be a sign of dehydration. Clear urine, combined with excessive water intake, may suggest overhydration,” George says.
COVID cases are surging in parts of the U.S., and people are reporting some specific symptoms that differ from past virus mutations. "This year’s summer COVID-19 wave is coming earlier than last year, which occurred in late August and early September," a CDC spokesperson told TODAY. “Viruses mutate all the time, so I’m not surprised to see a new coronavirus variant taking over,” says Yale Medicine infectious diseases specialist Scott Roberts, MD. “And I’m guessing it will continue to mutate.” Here are 10 symptoms of the new COVID FLiRT strains — including KP.3, KP.2, and KP.1.1, being reported during the summer surge.
The most commonly reported virus symptoms right now are GI-type issues. “Some people with COVID-19 report feeling sick to the stomach, vomiting or having loose stools, called diarrhea,” Daniel C. DeSimone, MD, tells the Mayo Clinic. “Another symptom reported is pain in the belly. With the omicron variant of the virus that causes COVID-19, these digestive symptoms are more common than with earlier waves of the virus.”
Family medicine physician Dr. Chantel Tinfang tells NBC Chicago people are reporting less body aches and fever and more coughing, fatigue, and sore throat symptoms. "We still see some patients experiencing decreased appetite, a loss of taste or smell. So it kind of depends," she says. "One patient was just very, very tired. Like she couldn't really do much. And that's when you know ... it's different. It's not just coughing and shortness of breath. We still see that though."
Some people report skin changes linked to COVID-19. “These may be rashes or discolored and swollen areas,” Dr. DeSimone says. “Often rashes most often appear on arms, legs or on the center part of the body, called the trunk. They may show up during COVID-19 symptoms or up to a month later. These may be large, flat blotches, or itchy, raised spots or welts called hives. Some people may have small round fluid-filled bubbles across the skin. The rash also may be a lacy darkening of skin.”
Some people are reporting nausea and vomiting as possible symptoms of COVID. "It can be tricky to tell the difference because gastrointestinal symptoms like diarrhea, nausea and vomiting are common in many illnesses, including food poisoning and stomach bugs," Dr. Adam Booth, MD, FCAP, FASCP, assistant professor of pathology and immunology at Washington University School of Medicine and member of the College of American Pathologists, tells Parade. "However, if these symptoms are accompanied by other COVID-19 signs such as a cough, fever, fatigue, muscle aches, or a loss of taste and smell, it could indicate a COVID-19 infection. Additionally, if you have been in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 or if there's an outbreak in your community, it's more likely that your symptoms could be related to COVID-19."
COVID Toes
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Some younger people are experiencing strange skin issues on their feet, but doctors aren’t sure if it’s just a virus-related issue. “Others, usually teens or young adults, could have swelling and darkening of skin on the fingers or toes,” says Dr. DeSimone. “This may be called ‘COVID toes.’ But some people who have this symptom in their fingers or toes don't test positive for the virus that causes COVID-19. Researchers are still examining the cause for this skin disorder.”
Headaches are another symptom being reported during the summer surge. “Common symptoms include fatigue, fever, body aches, chills, congestion, cough, runny nose, sore throat, headache, loss of taste and/or smell,” says Todd B. Ellerin, MD, via SouthShoreHealth. “Some people may also experience gastrointestinal symptoms.”
Cold Symptoms
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COVID symptoms are still fairly similar to cold symptoms. “So the symptoms that we're seeing in patients that are infected with one of the FLiRT variants are the same symptoms that we've been seeing with COVID-19 all along,” says Michael Ben-Aderet, MD, associate medical director of Hospital Epidemiology at Cedars-Sinai. “There's no sense that there's any increased severity with the FLiRT variants. We're still seeing the relatively mild disease that we've been seeing with COVID-19 over the past year. It's primarily an upper respiratory illness.”
Another strange symptom of the FLiRT variants is sleep issues and dry, sore eyes. “Less often, people with COVID-19 reported a loss of taste or a bad taste in the mouth,” says Dr. DeSimone. “People also may have problems sleeping, a change in their voice, dizziness or sore eyes.”
Sudden vomiting could be COVID, but a lot of symptoms overlap with other illness. "Abrupt onset of vomiting is a hallmark symptom of norovirus, one of the most common viruses causing food poisoning," Dr. Roberts tells Parade. "Usually this is quick and self-limited; most people recover in one to two days. Fever, fatigue and weakness can be seen in both norovirus and COVID-19 and does not help distinguish them easily."
Some people are reporting GI issues long after first getting infected. "In some cases, there can be damage to the lining of the gut that allows bacteria normally found in the lumen of the intestine to invade deeper in the gut tissues, this could lead to bacteria in the blood (bacteremia) or sepsis," Dr. Peter Hotez, MD, PhD, co-director of the Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development and dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, tells Parade. "There could also be disruptions to the normal gut flora or microbiome. Some of these symptoms can last for significant periods after the infection resolves and could be considered a form of long COVID."
Experts recommend staying up to date with vaccines and boosters as the first line of defense against the new mutation. “I would especially recommend anyone who qualifies for the vaccine because of advanced age get it if they haven’t already,” says Dr. Roberts. “The reason is that the biggest risk factor for a bad outcome from COVID is advanced age.”
It's no secret that a well-laid-out workspace can do wonders for your productivity. But even outside getting all the tools you need and eliminating distractions, your design decisions can also have an impact on your work—including what shade you have on your walls. If you want to ramp up your output, you might want to consider grabbing a roller and going with one of these options. Read on for the best colors to paint your office, according to productivity experts.
There's nothing wrong with wanting your workspace to feel a little lively. That's why a pale yellow might be one of the better options for keeping your spirits lifted throughout the day.
"Scientifically, this warm, sunny color has been shown to increase office creativity and output," Mary Poffenroth, PhD, a biopsychology faculty member at San Jose State University, tells Best Life.
Research also shows yellow is connected to better recall and memory. "Studies find that participants exposed to yellow backgrounds did better on memory tests than those exposed to other colors. Yellow's capacity to activate the left side of the brain—associated with logical thinking and memory—is thought to be the source of this effect," she says.
Other experts agree that it's also an overlooked color for offices. "Yellow is naturally an inspiring color, as it reminds our body of the energy of the sun, and it is also calming to our nervous system, as it is close enough to a neutral color to not overstimulate our senses," says Olivia Howell, a clinical hypnotherapist and certified life and success coach.
2. Light Blue
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Stress can be the biggest enemy of productivity. If you're feeling too much pressure in the office, you might want to choose a soothing paint color.
"Light blue is known to be very calming, as it reminds our body of both the sky and the ocean, and our primal brain responds well to anything nature-related," says Howell. "It's both stimulating enough to keep us motivated during the work day and always keeps our nervous systems from feeling overwhelmed and overstimulated."
3. White
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Some people look at white walls as an easy way out from making a decision on a paint color or picking up a brush. But Poffenroth says the neutral choice can actually be fairly effective at helping you get things done.
"This simple and adaptable color scheme can greatly improve workplace output," she explains. "Effective reflection of light by soft white walls maximizes both natural and synthetic lighting in the office."
Research has also linked greater alertness and cognitive ability to this enhanced brightness. "White light exposure during working hours enhanced alertness and performance on cognitive tasks, according to studies," says Poffenroth.
4. Light Green
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Looking for something that can help keep you going throughout the day besides that afternoon cup of coffee? Consider picking a paler shade of green for your workplace for a consistent boost.
"Light green is another nature-inspired paint color that will help our senses feel calm and also help our body stay active and motivated throughout the day," says Howell. "Green is known to be a color of abundance and happiness, as well as a nature-inspired color, of course, and it's very motivating to surround ourselves with the color of abundance every day!"
It can be all too easy to focus on specific color schemes for your office in an attempt to keep things looking professional. But if you are willing to be a little playful with the possibilities, Poffenroth says pink is a standout option.
"The uplifting but not overpowering character of soft pink makes continuous productivity possible throughout the day," she says. "Because of their connection with ideas like peace, relaxation, and compassion, lighter pink tones—like blush or rose—cause emotions of calmness. Soft pinks help the mind to enter a condition of calm focus by releasing tension and anxiety."
6. Gray
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Neutral tones might seem like a default choice for wall color. However, they can still affect one's mood and output.
"Gray is an excellent color that determines a sophisticated and professional atmosphere," says Lucas Botzen, a human resources expert and CEO of Rivermate. "It is the most flexible color to blend with other colors to strike a perfect balance and harmony in your working space."
He adds that gray can help reduce visual distraction by providing a clean slate "through which one may focus and be productive."