Doctors believe that this woman has the "World's biggest hands" since each of her arms weighs 21 pounds. Duangjay Samaksamam is a shop owner from Surin province in Thailand. For over 50 years, she has suffered from a very painful and rare condition that has her limbs permanently swollen. She says that moving is painful for her even when handling simple tasks. "My hands are so heavy I can barely lift them to comb or shampoo my hair, it's very difficult. Getting dressed is also very difficult and painful," she says.
The 59-year-old was embarrassed by her condition and spent her first 20 years as a recluse. She was ashamed of her look and never even went to school. Circumstances forced her to stop hiding so that she could earn a living and take care of her parents. She took over the running of her family's grocery shop. Medics around the world have a keen interest in her and many of them have attempted to reduce the swelling through surgery. None to date however has succeeded. "Some doctors said the only solution was to cut off my hands if I wished to walk around freely. But I don't want to do that," she says.
For the past few years, we've been seeing more and more food halls dominate the retail industry. The craze has swept Los Angeles and New York by storm and is now making its way to Miami. In Magic City alone, ten of these food parks have opened just recently. The mania is even set to triple in size by the year 2020.
Now more than ever, more people have been adopting a vegan lifestyle. A survey in the United Kingdom reveals that 3.5 million residents have turned vegan, while 20 percent have at least tried the concept. People are now wanting to cut down on meat, and the food industry is giving in to the demand. Even wineries have started stocking up on vegan wines.
Due to increased awareness and desire to help the environment, companies have become more committed to eco-friendly food packaging. Previously, companies didnt care much about producing a ton of waste; but now, efforts to reuse, reduce, and recycle are much more apparent. For instance, PepsiCo has committed to creating completely recyclable packaging by the year 2025.
Who would have thought that young millennials would be into rum? These barrel-aged, small-batch rums are the latest trend in booze, and now even British companies such as Essexs English Spirit are joining in. The spirit is one of the most popular and versatile forms of alcohol, whether it be sweet or strong, dark or white, neat with ice or served with coke.
Nowadays, people have become more accepting of imperfection; when it comes to fresh produce that is. Imperfect Produce is just one of the grocery delivery companies that serve physically flawed fruits and vegetables. This effort is geared toward reducing waste, and the disfigured foods are often turned into hummus, crisps, and juices.
Various Asian restaurants have been popping up recently, and Sri Lankan cuisine is slowly making its way to the western palate. Sri Lankan dishes such as kottu roti, pol sambol, coconut relish, and hoppers, are being introduced to the market, and people are loving it. Unlike before, the Sri Lankan flavor is finally being recognized as an individual cuisine, separate from Indian food.