Innholdsfortegnelse for Autumn 2017 i Woman&Home Feel Good You

I love autumn, I never see it as a “down” after the sunshine of summer… to me, it holds so much promise of new beginnings – I think that harks back to school days and start of the new term (yes, a long time ago!). So in this latest collection of feel-good ideas, it’s all about energising your life – through wellbeing moves, healthy diet, easy workouts and focusing your mind on the positive. As it’s the start of a new season, we’ve some fabulous make-up updates and a guide to your best hair ever – working with what nature gave you, not fighting against it! Health wise, we tell how to boost your immune system, we’ve expert answers to your most-asked questions – and how to reduce your risk…

HEAD OUTSIDE While fat-soluble vitamin D can be found in foods such as fortified cereals, it’s also manufactured by the body after exposure to UVB light. Vitamin D helps to maintain bone density as well as energy levels, and can also help prevent episodes of Seasonal Affective Disorder and boost immunity. Have a square of chocolate Researchers at Kingston University discovered that a small snack of dark chocolate enabled cyclists to ride further and faster than when they rode without it. A type of flavanol – epicatechin – found in the cocoa bean, is thought to be responsible for dark chocolate’s endurance and performance benefits. Treat yourself to a few squares before a workout. And breathe Avoid the catch-22 situation of shallow breathing when you’re stressed and anxious – both will…

TRY MASSAGE FOR SLEEP There can’t be many of us who couldn’t do with more sleep, and research shows that a simple back rub can be just what the insomnia doc ordered. Women who received a slow stroke back massage for just three minutes logged 36 more minutes of sleep time than people who didn’t get massaged, according to a small US study. Why can three minutes matter so much? Some research suggests it’s the amount of time our body needs before it can start producing feelings of calm. And since it takes so little time, what have you got to lose? LAY IN BED ON YOUR SIDE OR STOMACH. Have your partner use his fingertips to make slow, circular movements starting at the base of your spine and working…

THE ULTIMATE CUT “If it’s very coarse, go for a fun, chic, shorter haircut as this requires much lower maintenance,” advises James. THE ONE PRODUCT Hair oil for sure! Saturate dry hair from mid-length to ends, allowing it to sink in overnight for an intense burst of moisture. Try Aveda Dry Remedy Daily Moisturising Oil, £21.50, or Bumble & bumble Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil Dry Oil Finishing Spray, £25. TRY THIS Grey hair is beautiful but it can become very dull if you don’t look after it. Make sure it stays glossy by applying Shu Uemura Art of Hair Cool Blonde Color Lustre Shades Reviving Balm, £33.60. BEST TIP “Apply a tiny bit of hair oil onto the back of your hand, rub a bristle brush on it and use to…

MEET THE BEAUTY EXPERT Jo GB is w&h’s beauty director and author of over 12 books on beauty and wellbeing. Visit jogb.co.uk for more advice, tips and tricks to keep you looking and feeling truly ageless. FGY TIP The easiest nude nail that will take you through autumn in style, whatever you wear, is this gorgeous Orly Nail Polish in November Fog, £10.50, a lilac grey from the new Velvet Dreams collection Q CAN I KEEP FIT IN MAKE-UP? Is it necessary to remove it before workouts at the gym? Well, it is nice to look your best while surrounded by all those mirrors, but I would advise going lighter in formula and deep cleansing at the end of the workout. Use a light base, such as bareMinerals Complexion Rescue,…

14 Is the number of beauty decisions the average woman makes in a day, according to a Gillette Venus survey of 1,510 British women (a figure that doubles on bad hair days, I assume). THE NEW NEUTRALS The Arctic Inuits may have 50 words for snow, but make-up brands must use hundreds for brown. Partly, I suspect, because the word “brown” is deeply unsexy, but mostly because it’s supremely flattering and can be rolled out in every possible shade variation with unwavering success. Worn out the taupes and topaz’s in your kit? This season’s pleasingly neutral trend collections are just the way to top up. EYES If you only do one thing, hotfoot it for guaranteed sell-out Urban Decay Naked Heat, £39, packed with rusty tones that make blue, green…

Ocean Spray Wholeberry fruit juice blend is made with crushed cranberries for max benefit. In three flavours, £2.99 for 850ml, widely available FUEL10K Low Sugar Granola contains protein, fibre and vitamins. In Chocolate or Apple & Cinnamon, £2.99 for 400g, Tesco Good Hemp Seed Hearts are packed with protein, fibre and Omega 3. A healthy snack or sprinkle on cereal or yogurt. £4.49 for 225g, Sainsbury’s Cold Pressed Good Hemp Oil is packed with Omega 3, with 40% less saturated fat than olive oil. £4.49 for 250ml, widely available; goodhempfood.com MOR sausages contain less meat, more veg, and less fat than regular pork sausages – and are gluten free. Available in five flavours, £3, Tesco Birds & Herds free range eggs are produced by hens helping to fertilise land that’s…

FGY TIP Black rice (also known as wild or purple rice), an antioxidant-rich grain, has more anthocyanins per gram than blueberries, and has been found to reverse the effects of alcohol on the liver The darker the food, the higher the antioxidant level. Thus, dark foods with a purple pigment (grapes, blackberries, blueberries, plums, beetroot, purple-sprouting broccoli) are known for healing powers: THEY PROTECT AGAINST CANCER Flavonoids, the compounds responsible for blue and purple pigments, are antioxidant powerhouses known for their cancer-prevention prowess. THEY HELP KEEP YOU YOUNG Purple foods are rich in anthocyanins, free radical-fighting antioxidants that can help improve memory, remove toxins and assist with healthy ageing. Foods such as figs and purple carrots are also revered for their ability to protect against macular degeneration, and promote weight…

WHAT’S NEXT? My goal now is to master playing tennis. I’m having lessons once or twice a week and each week, my serve improves and I think, “I’m really enjoying this!” I HATED PE AT SCHOOL. I was a late developer, so I found wearing a gym skirt, gym knickers and a little T-shirt excruciating – and I couldn’t throw myself into sports in the way I would have liked to. One thing I did enjoy was tennis, but when you’ve got 30 school kids and one teacher trying to teach you, it just doesn’t happen, does it! I MODELLED FOR TEN YEARS AND THERE WAS A LOT OF PRESSURE TO BE SKINNY BACK THEN. My natural body shape simply isn’t skinny – and I love my food. So in…

MEET THE FITNESS EXPERT Ex-army Lucy Wyndham-Read is a YouTube fitness expert with more than 20 years’ experience. She is the author of several best-selling fitness books and apps, and appears on TV and radio. For more see lwrfitness.com FGY TIP Using weights will help to define your back muscles; just google “Get rid of back fat” to find lots of moves to try Q WHAT WILL HELP MY BACK FAT? Are there any good exercises to help get rid of the back fat that sits around the bra area? This is a common area where we can store excess body fat. We always hear of the term “muffin top”, which sits around the hips and waist, but equally problematic is the bulge that appears over our bra on our…

FGY TIP Sizes are the same as your standard bra, but the fit needs to be a lot more close. You should just about be able to get a finger under the supportive lower cuff of the bra, and it should be tight without cutting into your skin Sports bras are essential for all sports. From low-impact yoga to high-impact running, breasts can move as much as 4in up and down as you run, depending on your size – so you need all the support you can get to stay comfortable, and prevent wear and tear. Even if your muscles near your chest are well defined, your breasts have no muscles, so once the skin is damaged, there is no return! Even if you have small breasts, too much stretching…

Sure, it can be a pain to drag yourself out of bed for a morning workout. But according to a study from a US university, opting for a 45-minute morning session could cause a metabolic spike, helping you burn an additional 190 calories throughout the day! When running uphill, keep your head up and your eyes focused on the top of the hill. This opens your airways, making it easier to breathe than if your upper body were hunched forward. When choosing a workout “buddy”, opt for someone who will be able to not only keep up with you but maybe push your limits – but be wary of pushing yourself too fast too soon! To build speed in swimming, develop your ankle flexibility. Sit on the floor with your…

CHECK YOUR HEARING In the UK, around one in six of us is deaf or hard of hearing; the most common cause of hearing loss is ageing, but being exposed to too much loud noise is behind increasing numbers of young people losing their hearing. It’s easy not to notice at first when it goes – background noises start to sound a little blurry, you can’t make out quiet voices, then you have difficulties hearing what people are saying if there’s background chatter and then start to have to concentrate really hard on what the person you’re talking to is saying, and pay more attention to people’s lip movements and expressions. Can you hear properly? Try answering these questions from the NHS: Do other people seem to mumble rather than…

No matter how careful we are to keep everything on track, and to count our blessings, life is always going to throw us a few curveballs. Things go wrong, plans go awry or we reach the end of an era and suddenly can’t see our way forward. Empty nest. Illness. Relationships foundering. Redundancy. When changes leave us feeling flattened and directionless, how can we build ourselves back up to a future that looks fabulous? Acknowledge the emotional shockwaves Any change sparks an emotional response. Yes, you knew your last child was heading off to uni. After all, you’ve stuffed your car with duvet, kettle, bedside light and much more, and ferried them there. Of course, it’s all good but what you didn’t expect is the effect their departure is having…

MEET THE EXPERTS LORRAINE THOMAS runs The Parent Coaching Academy theparentcoachingacademy.com and is author of The Mummy Coach. PHILLIP HODSON is a Fellow of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, counselling.co.uk TAMRYN KIRBY is an awardwinning wedding planner and author of Confessions of a Wedding Planner Q Confessions of a Wedding Planner OUR NEW FAMILY ISN’T WORKING OUT I’ve remarried but my husband always backs his kids over me. We both have children from previous relationships but when his 12- and 14-year-old girls visit at weekends, they don’t help. My son is only eight and my partner doesn’t have a problem telling him how to behave. How can I make him see he’s undermining my role as a parent? LORRAINE Bringing two families together is tough for all of…

The short gulps of air most of us take when we’re tense make us even edgier. When you’re feeling frantic, refocus your breathing. Inhale slowly through your nose to the count of 8 and fill your belly with air. Exhale through your mouth to the count of 10 to 16, then repeat. Set a goal you know you can achieve, and then achieve it. You’ll feel good about that. Now set another small goal and achieve that. Soon you’ll be setting bigger (but still achievable) goals and achieving those too. Money can’t buy you happiness but, according to a survey by Aviva, being in control of your finances can. The study revealed that happiness, wellbeing and self-esteem are influenced by our sense of financial control. You can use any aroma…

PRETTY IN PLUM Bra, £20; knickers, £8, marksandspencer.com (20% to Breast Cancer Now) PINK AND PERKY Bobbi Brown Pink Peony Illuminating Bronzing Powder Set, £35, bobbibrown.co.uk (20% to Breast Cancer Research Foundation) COOL CROCKERY Limited edition Mug, $18, kusmitea.com (10% to Breast Cancer Haven) COMING UP ROSES Jo Malone London Red Roses Cologne, £88, jomalone.co.uk (£20 of every sale to Breast Cancer Awareness Foundation) SUPER STATIONERY Notelets, from 90p, dottyaboutpaper. co.uk (100% to Breast Cancer Haven) WRIST CANDY Friendship bracelet, £60, lolarose.co.uk (25% to Future Dreams) FEEL THE BENEFIT Knit, £24, dorothyperkins.com (10% to Breast Cancer Care) NIGHT NURSE Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask, £25, origins.co.uk (£4 to Breast Cancer Research) HEAD COLD Pom-pom hat, £7, george.com (£1 to Tickled Pink) DAZZLING DAISY Daisy necklace, £65, orlakiely.com (minimum 60%…

We commute to work, spend eight hours at our office desks, and at the end of the day drive home or hunch over our tablets on the train. Then it’s time to slob out on the settee to binge on the latest box set or browse the internet for some shopping. And it’s all done on our derrières. In fact, statistics show that some of us sit, on average, for a staggering 10 hours a day. And the harsh reality of resting on our rears for so long? It could be killing us. Research links sitting for lengthy periods with a whole host of health problems. As well as leaving you at risk of poor posture and flexibility, lower back and joint pain, it’s associated with everything from high blood…

1 Create the perfect canvas Featherweight, goes on a like a cream, dries like a powder, yet doesn’t feel or look the least bit heavy on your skin… The updated Max Factor Miracle Touch Foundation, £12.99, is “perfect for older skins”, says make-up artist Caroline Barnes, as you want something light that doesn’t spread. For a more semi-matte texture, YSL Fusion Ink Foundation, £40, covers well without looking too visible on the skin. 2 Reach for the colour corrector Red cheeks, dark circles, pigmentation? Colour correctors will knock the dodgy shades out of your skin. Green’s great on redness – try Marc Jacobs Stick Colour Corrector in Co(vert) Affairs, £28. Hourglass Ambient Light Correcting Primer in Mood Light, £36, brightens sallow skin. Peach is the tonic for dark undereyes. Stila…

1 THE ULTIMATE CUT “Blunt, bob shapes work best to maximise the weight and add a little more bounce,” says Kerry Warn. Smooth hair suits sleek grown-up ponytails and sophisticated chignons too. 2 THE ONE PRODUCT? “Use a texture spray at the roots to give a quick boost of volume on dry hair. Try Charles Worthington Volume & Bounce Texturising Spray, £6.99 – it’s like backcombing in a bottle,” says Ken, or the new L’Oréal Elvive Fibrology Air Root- Lifting Dry Shampoo, £3.99. 3 THE BEST TIP “Use your hands to rough-dry hair to create natural volume. Then with a round brush, take top sections of hair, blow-drying upwards to create smoothness and height,” says James Galvin. “Or if you don’t have time, switch up your parting to create instant…

Have you ever considered having a bit of “work” done? We’re not talking surgical intervention, but lighter adjustments, like Robin Wright and her biannual “sprinkle of Botox”. “A new term that’s been coined is pre-juvenation,” says Dr Nick Lowe, consultant dermatologist at the Cranley Clinic. “You start relatively mild, so sun protection, retinoid creams, fillers, botulins and gentle lasers. You want to stimulate the skin with small amounts of treatment and maintain it over time.” Raffi Eghiayan, founder of the Facial Aesthetic Conference and Exhibition, predicts “tweakments” are the future. “We’ve seen a distinct growth in the demand for treatments with little or no downtime, like gentle peels. Treatments that can be speedily performed post-work without sacrificing on results are key.” Fast, discreet, fit-around-your-needs tweaks? It’s a tempting proposition, so…

Invest in a silk pillow or wrap your hair in a silk scarf before going to bed. Silk is very gentle on the hair cuticle and won’t roughen hair fibres. You’ll wake up with great-looking hair every time. Hate taking off eye make-up? Douse a cotton pad with your regular make-up remover, then add a bit of coconut oil and apply to your closed eye. It helps break up the make-up, so it slides off with more ease. Blowdrying curly hair with a diffuser can help define texture better than air drying. Prep hair with product and use a low heat setting to protect fragile curls. Finish with a few drops of oil. You know you shouldn’t, but if you really must pop a spot, follow with a swipe of…

MEET THE DIET EXPERT Nigel Denby is a registered dietitian, author of ten successful nutrition books, and a television and radio broadcaster. He holds weekly clinics providing nutrition advice and specialist weight management support. See womankindhealthcare.co.uk Q SHOULD I EAT GLUTEN FREE? I want to try a wheat-free diet to see if it helps my IBS. Can I use the gluten-free breads and pastas in the supermarket? You need to be clear about whether you want to try a gluten-free or a wheat-free diet; they’re not the same. Gluten is one of a number of proteins found in wheat and must be avoided by coeliacs. A glutenfree product may not be free of other wheat components. If you are trying to follow a wheat-free diet look for wheatfree, not gluten-free…

Despite being high in fat, nuts are incredibly healthy, loaded with magnesium, vitamin E, fibre and various other nutrients. Studies show that nuts can help you lose weight, and about 10-15% of the calories in nuts aren’t even absorbed into the body! Don’t be afraid of being fussy when you’re eating out. Start out by telling the waiter: “I’m trying to lose weight, what are my best options?” and then you’ll feel too ashamed to order the chocolate dessert! Try a carb curfew – for dinner, eat a highprotein meal with plenty of fibrous veg. Axing carbs at night increases the amount of fat-burning hormones released when asleep. Never manage to stick to a diet? Try it every other day at first – just think, at the end of the…

1 Side lunge Start by standing straight and then step one leg out to the side into a bend, and aiming to get your opposite hand down to the floor and keeping the opposite hand on your hip –hold, then push back up to your start position. Then repeat, this time to the opposite side. Aim to do between 12 and 16 of these. 2 Star squat Start in a squat position, with your arms down by your sides, now step one foot back and at the same time open both your arms out to your sides – hold, then step your foot back in and draw your arms back down to your sides and simply repeat using the opposite foot. Aim to do between 12 and 16 of these.…

Varley’s Hayworth collection is created with their signature performance fabric that’s sweat wicking, quick drying and has handy hidden details to help you up your game. Sports bra, £55; Leggings, £75, both xxs-l, Varley JayBird X3 headphones are a secure fit and give you up to 8 hours of music, £109.99, Jaybirdsport.com Berry leggings are seam-free to avoid irritation and are perfect for yoga or running, £74, xs-xl. Berry sports bra is designed in a breathable four-way stretch fabric with moisture management and great support, £45, xs-xl, both Acai Shell shorts come with a built-in stretch jersey underlay for full coverage, £240, Fendi at Net-a-Porter Cardio jacket features speedwick technology to help you stay cool and dry, £62.95, xs-xl, Reebok FGY LOVES Air Vapormax Flyknit’s technology and sock-like fit provide…

If you have a “sensitive” question to ask your GP, don’t wait till the end of your session; raise it first! Q WHY IS MY SKIN GETTING DRIER AND MORE SENSITIVE WITH AGE, YET I’M GETTING SPOTS? Dermatologist and founder of the Eudelo skin clinic (eudelo.com), Dr Stefanie Williams, says: This is really common in women from their late forties, and it’s easy to misdiagnose and mistreat. Skin may feel dry, tight and sensitive, but using rich creams can contribute to breakouts. What’s often going on here is rosacea, an inflammatory skin condition. If you also have redness, broken veins and sometimes flushing, it’s even more likely. People tend to have a genetic predisposition to rosacea and it often first presents in middle age. The tightness isn’t caused by dehydration but…

During and after menopause, hair can become thinner and fall out prematurely. In fact, more than a third of women in the UK over 40 experience early signs of thinning hair, a receding hairline or already have a hair loss problem*. Thinning hair can have a huge impact on self-esteem, making women feel they look older and less attractive. The younger you are, the more thinning hair will dent your self-confidence. In a 2016 study* of women using Plantur 39, it was revealed: 75.7% said their hair is a very important matter in their life 48% of women said they felt self-conscious about their appearance due to hair loss 76.1% of women said hair thinning makes them look older WHY IS HAIR AFFECTED? Until menopause, a woman’s hair roots are…

MEET THE HEALTH EXPERT Dr Rosemary Leonard works as a part-time GP in south London, where she has a special interest in women’s health issues and is the resident doctor on BBC Breakfast. Q WHAT’S BEST FOR PULLED MUSCLES? I pulled a muscle in my leg and put a heat pad on it, but should I have used ice? Heat can be soothing for relaxing muscles that are sore from overexertion, eg, if you have cramp in your legs. But you should never use heat on a new injury, or where there is inflammation, which includes a pulled muscle. Heat increases blood flow, and can make inflammation worse, but ice reduces blood flow, and can help to stop swelling. Neither should you use heat on any area that could be…

If you get a bad burn, hold under cool or lukewarm running water for 20 minutes – don’t use ice, iced water, or any creams or greasy substances such as butter. Place a layer of clingfilm over it – a clean plastic bag could be used for hand burns. Seek medical advice. It’s not your imagination, kids do get lots of ear infections. In fact, most will have at least one by their third birthday. Why? Their immune systems are immature, and their little ears don’t drain as well as adults’ ears do. Got a cold? Most of us will be infectious for around two weeks. Symptoms are usually worse during the first two to three days, and this is when you’re most likely to spread the virus. Got an…

TRY A DIGITAL DETOX FGY TIP Make a habit of the time you start digital detox – Friday night is good as you’ll find yourself winding down into the weekend far easier Yeah, we know you’ve heard it all before, but the benefits of downing phone and tablet for even just an hour a day can have amazing health benefits: increased focus and productivity, better mood, better sleep, better relationships. When was the last time you “downed tools” and took time out? If your phone or tablet isn’t buzzing, beeping or vibrating in your hand or pocket every few seconds, you begin breathing deeper and being less on edge. You relax. You slow down. When you walk without a phone, you look at what surrounds you, you find solutions to…

NORTHERN LIGHTS PROMISE! Our travel partner Hurtigruten are so confident you’ll see the Northern Lights† during your 12-day voyage that, if you don’t, they will give you another 6- or 7-day Northern Lights cruise free of charge*** Following the huge popularity of our first ever woman&home holiday to see the Northern Lights with Michaela Strachan, we’re delighted to launch a new Northern Lights adventure – in the company of special guests (pictured): Dallas Campbell, the passionate star of popular BBC science shows Stargazing Live, Horizon and The Treasure Hunters, plus w&h’s resident astrologer Penny Thornton. During this exclusive w&h holiday, you’ll join Dallas for a private talk and Q&A about his globetrotting TV adventures, the science of stargazing and his new book about space travel. You’ll also take a guided…

MY HEALTH… I was diagnosed with breast cancer two years ago and one thing I’ve gained from the experience is perspective. We get stressed about the tiniest things in modern life, like having no WiFi. It doesn’t matter; stop sweating the small stuff. My new book, Dear Cancer, Love Victoria, is an honest account of what I experienced from the moment I was diagnosed; I hope it shows that you don’t have to be afraid of cancer. MY EXERCISE ROUTINE… I’m exercising for the first time since school! When I finished treatment, I wondered if I needed to see a counsellor, then I started to go to the gym because I was suffering with joint pain. And the more I went, the less I felt like I needed to see…

FGY THE MODESTY COMPANY CLASSIC TOWEL WRAP – less cumbersome than your robe, more stay-put than a towel; makes doing your hair and make-up easy. £49.50, themodestycompany.com This I know… HELEN MIRREN I can only do the whole living well, eating healthily and exercising for two weeks at a time. And then there’s the other living well: having cake, watching the sunset, a swim in the warm ocean KEEP ’EM CLEAN Brushing teeth regularly not only keeps your smile white but also boosts your memory. Researchers at the University of California found that people who brush their teeth less than once a day were up to 65% more likely to develop dementia than those who brush daily. Bacteria that cause gum disease may trigger an immune response in the brain,…

1 Be a warrior! “Warrior pose opens the back, the sacral area gets a stretch and a wonderful hip workout,” says yoga trainer Emma Harding: Stand straight, legs apart. Turn your right foot out by 90° and left foot in by about 15°. Lift arms sideways with palms facing up. Breathing out, bend your right knee, turn your head and look to the right. Push pelvis down and hold like a warrior! Come up, and repeat on the left side, then the whole thing a couple of times. Emma teaches in Essex, emmayoga@aol.com 2 Try a compress! The Victorians were great compress lovers and we’re rediscovering the joys of a modern version. Soothing and just so easy. For achy joints, the experts at Neal’s Yard Remedies suggest a lavender compress:…

MEET THE WELLBEING EXPERT Lynn Cardy is wellbeing editor of Feel Good You. Her mission: to explore new ways for us to lead more balanced and healthier lives with simple self-help moves. Q CAN I STOP COLD SORES? I always seem to sport a stonker just as summer finishes and we hit autumn. Can I prevent them? Yes, they’re such an unsightly pain caused by a virus that snoozes until wakened; it could be the last of the summer sun, stress, lack of amino acids… Try prevention It’s key when aiming to hold them off. Try… Popping a supplement L-Lysene is said to help prevent cold sores and hasten their departure! Try Lamberts L-Lysine, £9.50 for 120 tablets, victoriahealth.com Saying no to Chocolate, nuts and cereal grains, as recommended by…

Older people who have regular sex do better in brain tests. Participants in recent research who had sex at least once a week scored higher on tests that measured their verbal fluency and spatial awareness compared with those who had no sex at all. Eat eggs to help your eyes: they contain lutein that’s more readily absorbed by the body, thanks to the abundant fats in yolks. Lutein thwarts free-radical damage to the retina, protecting it from the damaging effects of light. Stay healthy – get a pet! Pet owners over the age of 65 make 30% fewer visits to their GP than those without pets. Even watching fish swim can help reduce muscle tension and pulse rate. Keep tea tree oil in your first aid kit… its antiseptic action…

You always moisturise, never sleep in your make-up and have read enough of these pages to know you ought to wear SPF (even if you don’t quite manage it every day) – but what about exfoliation? Dermatologists agree it’s essential for skin health, and every beauty editor I know exfoliates regularly, yet for most it sits with mud masks on the “now and then, when I remember” shelf. This is understandable, as exfoliation takes a confusing variety of forms – acids, scrubs, enzymes – plus the (frankly, horrible) word “peel” and impending micro-bead ban are pretty compelling turn-offs. So, in the name of unearthing the perfect exfoliator, one you’ll love and consistently use, I’ve consulted the experts, tried, and tested, then broken it down to the nitty-gritty: What to use,…

THE GOLDEN RULES 1 Practise perfect portion control Our 30-day plan gives exact portion sizes to remove any guesswork – and the temptation to go back for seconds. Portion sizes are crucial to boost energy levels – too big a meal and you’ll feel sleepy; too little and hunger will leave you weary. 2 Vits are vital You need plenty of energy-boosting vitamins and minerals in your diet. Vitamin B12, essential for creating energy from the food you eat, is found in meat, dairy and fish, and fortified breakfast cereals. Look out for it in our recipes containing meat, fish, yogurt and milk. Magnesium is a mineral that’s key to energy production and blood sugar control. You’ll find it in wholegrain bread and our recipes such as tuna and chickpea…

It’s not just fast food that’s supersized these days. Everywhere you look our portions have grown. Pints of sugar-laden cappuccino, grab bags of fatty, salty crisps and bucket-sized glasses of wine are almost the norm. Each can be adding 300-400 calories a time to your daily diet. Add to this trendy giant-sized plates and pasta bowls at home, and there’s just no escaping gargantuan portions. Even if you’re diet’s beautifully balanced, too much of a good thing means weight gain. Downsizing your portions is one of the easiest ways of getting in control of your weight – you don’t need to change what you eat, nothing is banned – all you need to do is get back into the swing of eating the right portions of the foods and drinks you…

EVERY DAY, YOU NEED TO DO: ? 15 minutes of incidental exercise < An upper body and a lower body stretch overleaf from the Simple Stretch list < In addition, each week you need to include: 2 x 30-minute workouts and 2 x 5-minute tone-ups to maintain flexibility 30+ MINUTE WORKOUTS Perfect for boosting your energy and metabolism, burning calories and toning muscles, a few longer workouts should make your weekly to-do list. The rise in endorphins and increased activity within the mitochondria will help to make you feel on top of your game. If you’re heading to the gym… Good classes for maximum fitness benefits and energy boosting include those that get the heart pumping, such as: < Spinning < Circuits < Aerobics/Zumba A 30-40-minute stint on cardiovascular machines, such…

PLUS! ANE PLAN DIET SUPPORTS YOU ALL THE WAY You’ll receive a step-by-step guide to following the plan, recipe ideas and a food diary. There’s also weekly email and telephone support to help you keep on track. Exclusive: save £25 on your first month Lose weight from £5.32 a day Jane Plan Diet is the diet delivery service that gives you perfectly proportioned meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner – plus snacks – all ready-prepared to make losing weight super easy. We know that having a larger tummy is one of your biggest body bugbears, so we asked Jane Michell, the founder of Jane Plan, to devise a special Flatter Tummy Box especially for you, at a great money-off price. HOW TO SIGN UP Go to janeplan.com, click on Flatter…

The key is to learn the One Move Body Toner (below) – it’s going to be the best workout for your body as this sideways movement accesses all the troublesome zones: arms, thighs, waist, abs and bottom. The more toned your muscles are, the more your body burns more calories around the clock, so squeeze in this workout before your head off to dinner and you can eat guilt free knowing your body is a calorie-burning machine. There’s no need to change into workout gear to do the move and in fact, the best idea is to get into the habit of doing it just before a shower – whether that’s first thing in the morning or before you go out in the evening… or both! THE ONE-MOVE BODY TONER 1…

More than 3.5 million UK women are affected by heart and circulatory conditions, and around 28,000 women die from a heart attack each year. Yet, according to research from the British Heart Foundation: 88% of women would avoid calling 999 or going to A&E if they experienced chest pain. Almost a third (32%) would go for a lie down, while over a fifth (21%) would take indigestion medication. Two-fifths of women (42%) were unconcerned about their personal risk of heart disease. Christopher Allen, Senior Cardiac Nurse at the British Heart Foundation, gives the lowdown about women and heart disease. WHY DO SOME WOMEN MISS A HEART ATTACK? Women may not experience the vice-like chest pain that many men report during a heart attack, and instead tell us they feel pressure…

MEET OUR EXPERTS DR ANTON EMMANUEL is a consultant gastroenterologist at University College Hospital, and medical director of Core, the charity for digestive diseases. KIRSTEN CROTHERS is a dietitian and gastro specialist, and British Dietetic Association spokesperson HEAD HEARTBURN OFF AT THE PASS THE MAIN OFFENDERS If you’re prone to heartburn, which one in five of us are, you’ll be all too familiar with the burning pain that’s caused by stomach acid rising from behind the breastbone up to the throat. Large meals put more pressure on the stomach, which makes heartburn worse. TACTICS TO WARD IT OFF Think fluid Drinking plenty of fluid keeps your bowels moving, so there is less food and, therefore, pressure in your system. Allow time to digest Don’t lie down straight after a meal.…

Age, family history and country of origin (white women are more likely to develop breast cancer than African, Asian or Indian women) are factors we can’t control, but there are some lifestyle changes that help keep your risk of breast cancer as low as possible. 1KEEP YOUR WEIGHT DOWN Women with a BMI (body mass index) over 25 have a higher risk of breast cancer, especially post-menopause, because fat cells make oestrogen and higher levels can stimulate breast cancer cells. Being apple-shaped appears to raise the risk more than being pear-shaped. 2WATCH THE BOOZE Alcohol can also increase levels of the hormones, especially oestrogen, that can stimulate breast cancer, and can also damage the DNA in cells. Women who have 3 units a week have a 15% higher risk of…

Standing as a… LOCAL AUTHORITY COUNCILLOR What’s involved? Representing your local area in a parish, district or county council. As a councillor you might specialise in particular services, but you’ll be able to vote on all policies. You’re responsible for developing and reviewing council policy, scrutinising decisions taken by other councillors and holding drop-in surgeries. Training Once elected, you take part in an induction programme. Training continues throughout your term. What’s the commitment? Between 12 and 20 hours a week (for a term of four years), depending on the size of the council and how many committees you serve on. Is it for you? You can represent a political party or stand as an independent. You’re not eligible if you are employed by the local authority, eg, emergency services, health…

Although just a short ferry ride off the coast of Cornwall, the beautiful, unspoilt Isles of Scilly feel like another world – with only 2,000 people living on the five inhabited islands. Thanks to the islands’ unique geography, there’s a wonderful array of flora and fauna. More than 400 varieties of seabirds, waders and migrants can be spotted throughout the year. Spring is when birds in song display brightly coloured breeding plumage, while April also sees the arrival of breeding puffins. The coastlines will be awash with alliums, wild primroses and sea thrift, and there’ll also be the chance to spot rare plants such as orange bird’s foot and dwarf pansy. For this exclusive w&h escorted tour, you’ll be staying at the St Mary’s Hall Hotel on St Mary’s, visit…