Innholdsfortegnelse for 14-Mar-2022 i Woman's Own

Everything feels pretty scary at the moment, doesn’t it? The war in Ukraine, our Prime Minister letting us down (again), the looming rise in the cost of living… It can leave you with a horrible sense in the pit of your stomach that can be hard to shake. We hope that we can help you switch off from that, even just for a few minutes, and while that doesn’t mean we’re going to shy away from the tough topics, it does mean we also hope you can find some light relief within these pages. Something that is sure to raise a smile this week is on p8 – X-rated celebrity sex confessions. From wearing shoes in the sack to getting frisky in the back of a limo, they’ve certainly given…

Gettin’ jiggy with it Even those at the top of the A-list struggle to keep the spark alive and Will Smith, 53, and Jada Pinkett Smith, 50, reveal having an open marriage has been the key to their ongoing chemistry. But back in 2010 even the glamour of the Oscars wasn’t enough to distract them from one another. Jada said, ‘In a limo, on the way to the Academy Awards this year, Will started looking at me in this way that drives me wild. We started kissing passionately and the next thing I knew, well, let’s just say we missed the red carpet and I ended up with almost no make-up on.’ That’s an award-winning romp! Shoe-in for love! She’s toned down her sultry side now she’s a mother of…

Ever watched that Gwyneth Paltrow movie Sliding Doors? It’s about ‘what ifs’ in life. You know, what would have happened if you had missed that train and got another? How a supposedly simple thing can alter the whole course of your world. ‘PEOPLE LIKE US ARE THE REAL FACE OF THIS MESS’ Had one last year. Regular hairdresser charged with sorting out the bleached mess on my head was sick so a lovely girl called Julia stepped up to the challenge. We talked about holidays, COVID-19, the rubbish on telly, shoes, wine and men. As you do in the comforting dullness of everyday life. Julia was about to go and see her mum and dad as the pandemic had kept them apart. And she was so happy. Again so far,…

It’s a fact that when good times are on the way, skirts get shorter. Which means that the latest trend should have you bursting with optimism. Because the hottest skirt this spring is Miu Miu’s £650 offering. Which works out at about £100 per square inch of cloth – it really is that short. Naturally the celebs love it, with Nicole Kidman, The Crown’s Emma Corrin and Hailey Bieber all flashing the flesh. It also comes in plus sizes for those not blessed with their figures or bank balances. Obviously fashion websites are already offering a £27 version for us mortals. Now just got to find one doing cut-price skinny thighs to match.…

Have you heard about? FITNESS TRACKERS ACTUALLY MAKE YOU FITTER If you’re striving for a more active lifestyle, wearing a fitness tracker might be the answer. More than just another health trend or fashion accessory, research* has found that strapping a tracker to your wrist could see you taking an extra 1,200 steps each day and completing nearly 50 minutes more of exercise each week. Plus, you don’t need to splash out – a basic model works just as well. It worked for me Caroline Everitt, 62, Liverpool ‘Five weeks after starting chemo for breast cancer, I lost all of my hair. I tried to be strong and was only tearful when I was alone. When my hair started to come back it was thin and a very slow process.…

While virtual appointments are ideal for some, others worry that something important might be missed. This is particularly true for individuals with long-term health conditions or language barriers to contend with. Meanwhile, some don’t own, or feel anxious about the technology they need to use. If you suspect something is wrong and a real-life appointment is required, you are within your rights to request one. Last year, NHS England issued new guidelines stating that practices should respect preferences for face-to-face care, unless there is a good reason not to (for example the patient has COVID-19 symptoms). Indeed the nation has an ‘innate sense’ of when they genuinely need face-to-face medical treatment, agreed 40% of GPs in a recent survey by self-care app Healthily. So go with your gut. And in…

TOO LATE FOR IVF? Q Our daughter and her husband have started a new business. It’s going really well, but I’m worried they’re leaving it too late to start a family and won’t be eligible for IVF if they need it. They’re both in their mid-30s. A Plenty of first-time mums in their late 30s and even early 40s conceive naturally. However, fertility does drop off as we get older. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends women under 40 should be offered three cycles of IVF on the NHS if they meet certain criteria and women between 40 and 42 are offered one cycle.…

Curl power Anyone who’s ever had to grapple with a pair of eyelash curlers will vouch that it can be a faff. Step in Maybelline Colossal Curl Bounce Mascara, £10.99, Boots. The curved brush helps push up the lashes, noticeably curling them in just a few sweeps. It’s the perfect shape for the bottom lashes too. Nourished lashes I love a multitasking product – it cuts down on time and saves space in my make-up bag. Barry M Insta Lash Mascara, £5.99, barrym.com, is a serum and a mascara combined, using argan oil to nourish your lashes while adding a boost of extra volume and length. Kind to eyes If you have sensitive eyes, some mascaras can leave them feeling itchy and irritated. Swapping to Rimmel Kind & Free Clean…

Cheat’s minestrone SERVES 2 Transform soup into a proper hearty meal. This is also an easy take-to-work lunch. YOU WILL NEED 140g cubed pancetta 1 carrot, coarsely grated 1 courgette, grated (or finely chopped) 2 bay leaves 680g jar tomato and basil passata 300ml hot vegetable stock 100g quick-cook macaroni, or other small pasta shapes Few sprigs fresh basil, leaves only, torn Parmesan shavings, to serve HOW TO DO IT 1 In a large saucepan, cook the pancetta over a medium heat for 2 mins until it releases some oil. Add the carrot, courgette and bay leaves and cook for a further min. 2 Pour in the passata and stock, bring to the boil and simmer for 5 mins. 3 Meanwhile, cook pasta in a separate pan according to the…

William’s FEARS FOR KATE After spending more time apart, thanks to solo engagements, it appears Prince William, 39, and his wife are not on the same page about their future. Already parents to Prince George, eight, Princess Charlotte, six, and Prince Louis, three, it seems the pair are at odds about whether or not to add to their family. The Duchess of Cambridge, 40, jetted off to Copenhagen on her first solo duty abroad since the pandemic. But as she met with mothers and children at the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood she dropped quite the revelation, candidly admitting, ‘It makes me very broody… William always worries about me meeting under-one-year-olds.’ Before explaining, ‘I come home saying, “Let’s have another one”.’ This isn’t the first time that Kate’s…

DENIM REFRESH Swap the traditional style for this biker version. Jacket, £55, sizes 10-24, kaleidoscope.co.uk SCALLOPED EDGE Sits stylishly on your dressing table. Tray, £20, Accessorize CLUTCH CONTROL Get the designer look for less. Bag, £10, Matalan FINE LINES Create realistic hair strokes. Brow pencil and sharpener bundle, £25, hdbrows.com RETRO REVIVAL A stylish side table lamp for any room. Lamp, £39.99, Zara Home SUITS YOU It’s time to give your workwear wardrobe a serious overhaul, and this brightly coloured suit will do just the trick. Earrings, £10, blazer, £46, top, £20, trousers, £30, all sizes 6-22, bag, £28, shoes, £42, all Next COOL MULE Treat your feet to a colour-clashing pedi. Shoes, £55, Charles & Keith VELVET TOUCH Proudly display your items. Jewellery box, £15.99, stradivarius.com WORK OF ART Too good…

You may have noticed a sickly explosion of pink in your high street recently with everything from clothes to card shops drenched in a pastel hell. Because it’s Mothers Day soon (27 March) and as we all know every mum everywhere just adores pink (sigh). No, mine neither, but the gods of commercialism dictate they have to. Interestingly, the day hasn’t always been a gimmick used to flog stuff. Celebrations of motherly figures date back to ancient times, with the Greeks holding festivals every spring to celebrate Rhea, the mother of the gods, and the Romans honouring their mother goddess Cybele every March as early as 250 BC. The Christian date known as Mothering Sunday began as a religious occasion in the 16th century to give thanks to the Virgin…

The cardigan This versatile knit is the perfect piece for in-between seasons, as it’s great for layering and can be worn buttoned up or undone. Wear with everything from dresses, skirts and jeans, or mix it up and team with this season’s loose tailored trousers for a cool, on-trend look. TOP TIP Layer a plain white T-shirt underneath if you prefer more coverage. Total outfit cost £48.99 The dress A bright floral frock is a style staple. Dress it down with sandals and trainers or go glam with heels and dainty jewellery for a special occasion. With stand-out prints like this, it’s best to keep your accessories simple and stick to coordinating or neutral colours. TOP TIP Try a flattering square neckline that shows off your collarbone without revealing too much. Total…

✣ UNFORTUNATELY, SOME SURGERIES HAVE CLOSED THEIR FRONT DESKS during the pandemic to protect staff and patients, so you can’t book appointments in person. If you are unable to get through by phone or there are no appointments online, but you need to be seen quickly for a minor illness or injury, you can visit an NHS walk-in clinic, which are manned by nurses and open seven days a week. ✣ FOR HELP AND ADVICE WITH URGENT MEDICAL PROBLEMS, call 111. If suitable, you will be given an arrival time for A&E to minimise your wait there. ✣ YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO COMPLAIN if you are unhappy with the care you are given. We suggest you approach the provider of the service first as it may be able to…

My mum is so needy Q Recently my mum, who’s 73, has started calling me five times a day or more. When I speak to her, I’m always afraid something has happened as my dad is unwell and frail. But it’s always something silly, and it’s getting me down. We used to speak once a day, which I am happy with, but this is too much alongside a busy job and kids. A If this level of communication is new, you need to have a conversation with your mum about why it’s happening before it becomes the norm. It could be that she’s feeling lonely or needs someone to offload to, or perhaps it’s a cry for more help with your dad. Try to unravel it with her and find…

Dr Arroll recommends: ✣ Opt for fermented foods. ‘Kefir, yogurt, miso and sauerkraut improve gut health – in fact, drinking fermented milk helps prevent stress in students, found research.’ ✣ Eat the rainbow. ‘A Mediterranean diet increases beneficial gut bacteria and reduces your risk of depression.’ ✣ Don’t take unnecessary antibiotics. ‘Antibiotics kill vast arrays of bacteria – they’re not sophisticated enough to just pick off the nasty types. If you must take them, follow your GP’s advice.’ ✣ Sleep well. ‘Better sleep is linked to greater diversity of species in the gut microbiota.’…

1 CLEAN SWEEP Be sure to use a dedicated eye make-up remover, separate from the cleanser you use for other cosmetics. The right one will melt away waterproof mascara and eyeliner without dragging or stinging eyes. Apply to a cotton pad before sweeping off. 2 IN THE SALON For holidays away or big events, book in for a lash lift – it’s a perm for your lashes, keeping them curled without the need for mascara for up to three weeks. Check Treatwell for salons in your area. 3 SHADE SWAP Fair-skin types may find black mascara a bit severe. If that’s you, go for brown. Many bestsellers, like L’Oréal Paris Volume Million Lashes Balm Mascara, £10.99, Superdrug, are available in brown shades. 4…

When it comes to making friends, I’ve always been a more-the-merrier sort of person. I have friends from every part of my life – school, university, work, the children’s clubs, our village, social media. But by the time I turned 40 a few (ahem) years ago, I found trying to maintain all these different threads of friends a little overwhelming at times. Things seemed to have become busier than ever with work deadlines in my job as a journalist, while my husband Dom and I juggled the challenges of having three young children at different schools (who now expected us to be their taxi service!) and the general demands of day-to-day life. Keeping up with the pings from the parents’ and friends’ WhatsApp groups I belonged to sometimes felt like…

WARM AND FUNNY STEPPING UP  by Sarah Turner (£14.99, Transworld, HB) Beth has never quite got the hang of commitment, having given up on countless relationships and jobs that didn’t feel right. Still stuck living in her childhood home, she wonders if she’ll ever become a real adult. Her answer comes one morning when an earth-shattering tragedy changes everything. Beth is flung head first into the role of a guardian to her teenage niece and toddler nephew. Adrift in an alien world of school meetings and bedtime stories, can she step up to her new life of parental responsibilities? Sarah Turner’s hilarious novel is infused with warmth and quiet wisdom. A COMING-OF-AGE TALE AT CERTAIN POINTS WE TOUCH  by Lauren John Joseph (£14.99, Bloomsbury, HB) Stumbling home from a nightclub…

Joanna Lumley ‘EVERY CITY HAS ITS OWN BEAUTY’ The Ab Fab star is back on her travels to explore three European capitals… In her latest TV travelogue, Joanna Lumley goes off the beaten track to discover the secret delights of Paris, Rome and Berlin. ‘CITIES ARE THRILLING PLACES!’ She kicks off the three-part series, Joanna Lumley’s Great Cities of the World, in the French capital, where she gets a bird’s eye view from a hot-air balloon. ‘This is incredible,’ says Joanna. ‘I thought I’d be afraid because I’m not very good with heights, but it’s thrilling to see Paris quietly and slowly from the air. I love it here!’ Back on the ground, Joanna heads to Notre-Dame where she goes behind the scenes to find out how the cathedral is…

I am so much happier now that I’ve put on a bit of weight.’ These were the words of Linda Robson when she realised that being a few stone heavier is better for her soul. The TV star is now back to her normal and comfortable size, four years on from a drastic diet that saw her shed a massive 3st. Linda, who turns 64 on 13 March, slimmed down from a size 16 to a size 10 after cutting out alcohol and sugar. But the Loose Women panellist admitted that she was unhappy when she was at her thinnest and disliked her gaunt reflection in the mirror. ENJOYING LIFE She said, ‘I think I looked really old when I was really skinny at a size 10 and I am…

Lacing up my trainers, I took a deep breath and forced myself out of the front door. Running didn’t come naturally to me and I was already considering giving up before I’d taken a single step. Although I’d recently lost a couple of stone with Slimming World, I was still a size 18. But as I begrudgingly put one foot in front of the other, I knew I couldn’t stop. You see, it wasn’t just for me, it was for my beautiful son Jacob, too. We hadn’t been able to save his life, but I could still save mine. Jacob had been born in December 2010. My husband Bob, then 39, and I had been so excited to be parents and we had everything prepared for our boy’s arrival. At…

Ladies, if you’re married to a builder, count yourself lucky. A recent poll has shown they are among the best lovers, the theory being that they’re good with their hands. Plasterers, electricians and mechanics also make the top 10. One builder confessed that he was often asked for pictures of himself in his hard helmet and tool kit on dating sites. Hmm. Might have a point though, because in my world builders often equate to an estimate that never quite matches up to the end result.…

Diving into the swimming pool, I felt the water envelop me as reality sunk in and I wondered how much more I could take. It was July 2020 and an hour earlier, I’d taken yet another pregnancy test. For the umpteenth time, it was negative. ‘I CLUNG TO HOPE FOR TWO LONG WEEKS’ My husband Ian, then 45, and I had been trying for a sibling for our son Luca, two. With low egg reserves, it had taken three years and endless hormone tablets and injections to have Luca, and now, we’d spent more than £30,000 and taken out a second mortgage in a bid for a second child. But seven rounds of IVF later and still no joy. FEAR LOOMED We’d attempted the latest round at a clinic in…

CAN I GET HRT? Q I was quite late going through the change and didn’t finish my periods until I was 57. I have been resisting HRT as I don’t want to go back to having bleeds, but a friend of mine has a private gynaecologist. She tells me she takes HRT continuously and doesn’t have any bleeding at all. I can’t afford private fees. Is this available on the NHS? A Yes. There are several forms of HRT patches and pills that we give to ladies over the age of 54 or who have had their last period more than a year ago. These are routinely available on the NHS, so have a conversation with your GP who will advise you. Breast screening confusion Q My sister lives in…

1 DON’T WAIT FOR MOTIVATION TO STRIKE Routine is what creates and cements a new habit. Make yourself do it on a regular basis and you’ll become motivated to continue. 2 BE ACCOUNTABLE Whether that’s to your family, a group, a trainer or even an app (see below). Making yourself have to check in to report back on how you’re doing will keep you going. 3 DOWNLOAD THE STREAKS APP This app helps you form good habits. The app you up to 12 tasks you want to complete each day and the goal is to build up a streak of consecutive days. It’s available to purchase on iOS and Android.…

Jenny Summers, from Hertfordshire, says: ‘I suffered from gut health issues due to anxiety. I’ve always managed it through meditation and exercise, but when the pandemic hit they were no longer effective. I was worried about my family, I constantly had an upset tummy and sleep became impossible. I also had appetite loss and nausea. A friend suggested Digest Gold (from £10.99, enzymedica.co.uk). After taking it for just a week, my gut health improved and my anxiety was manageable again. I was able to fall asleep and COVID-19 no longer consumed my every thought. I’d definitely recommend it.’…

Every child should feel safest when at home with their family, but the recent rise in high-profile child abuse and neglect cases serves as a chilling reminder that, for far too many children, this is not a reality. Cases of serious harm involving children rose by a staggering 20% in England in 2020/21, and reports of child deaths increased by 19% during this time. Such distressing increases have in part been blamed on lockdown - with the classroom confined to a computer screen and restricted visits from relatives, it made it much easier for any incidents of abuse and neglect to be hidden at home, away from watchful eyes. In fact, referrals to social services were down by a fifth in the same period. Only, in far too many cases,…

1 FIND YOUR TRIGGERS If you’re prone to overspending and then regretting it, take action. ‘Track your spending to see when you’re tempted to impulse shop; this will help you identify what can trigger it,’ says Emma-Lou. Then think of ways to manage this next time. For example, if you browse retailers’ websites when you’re bored and often end up spending, next time you’re at a loose end do something else instead, like phoning a friend or going for a run. 2 TAKE CONTROL Do you stick your head in the sand when it comes to money and find yourself splurging without knowing if you can afford it? ‘It’s important to pause and reassess the state of your finances so you have a clear picture of your outgoings,’ she says.…

1 Build a bar Extend your worktop all the way along one wall to create a slimline breakfast bar that can double as a neat dining area for two. Choose chairs with a cushioned seat that’s comfortable when you’re eating, but will tuck neatly under the counter when not in use. 2 Double up Maximise your wall space in a small kitchen by using double-height units. Choose designs with glass fronts to prevent them from looking too overpowering and store items you use infrequently in the top cupboards. Gloss doors reflect the light and the colour you use on your walls too. The lighter the finish, the brighter the space will seem – so they are great for making small spaces appear larger. 3 Hung and dried If space is…

ARIES 21 Mar – 20 Apr Family stories are an inspiration and you can pick out the best bits from recent emails to form the basis of a play or short story. TAURUS 21 Apr – 20 May A day out with the family could inspire you all. Set up a bird feeder and you will be surprised at the wildlife you attract. GEMINI 21 May – 20 Jun A home appliance could break down, while phone calls drive you crazy until you find the right person for the job. CANCER 21 Jun – 22 Jul You’re filled with good energy – catch up with friends, invite some over or online for a virtual gathering and have a laugh. LEO 23 Jul – 22 Aug Book tickets to a show…

KE-POW! THE BAT’S BACK There were red-carpet capers as I caught up with star Robert Pattinson, who’s making his Caped Crusader debut in The Batman. So how was it for him donning the iconic costume? ‘You’re so isolated in the cowl and it’s so dark on set. There was a kind of anxiety that infiltrated the whole production,’ he tells me. ‘As an actor you want to play conflicted characters – it’s more fun. I like depressing and tortured stories.’ A shoo-in to play me in the film of my life, then! KEEPING UP WITH THE JONES Pal Aled Jones is back on the road again with his UK Cathedral tour and he tells me he’s throwing everything at it. ‘I haven’t done any live singing for over two years.…