Innholdsfortegnelse for 28-Mar-2022 i Woman's Own

This week we speak to the lovely Lorraine Kelly, and it’s no-holds barred. The daytime favourite opens up about everything from comfort-eating to relationships, and one thing is clear – the star is as down-to-earth and humble as you see on TV. Turn to p8 to find out the high praise she has for husband Steve! On the subject of being honest – are you getting enough? I’m talking about sleep, of course! It’s one of those treasured things that unfortunately can be hard to come by and not quite as satisfying when you do eventually get some (still talking about sleep) – but missing out can cause all sorts of problems. On p22 we speak to the experts to find out if an extra hour really could save your…

CLEANING UP THE GENDER GAP What sort of impression is this giving for future generations? The clocks may be going forward this week, but the only clock women should be really worried about is the one spinning all the way back to the 1950s. Because even though it’s the 21st century and we can vote, work, burn our bras and run countries, we women are STILL doing more housework than men. It’s enough to make you want to scream, isn’t it? Obviously in a gentle feminine way so that you don’t disturb the man sprawled on the sofa watching footy. A new global study shows that we girlies spend an average of two hours and 49 minutes every day on cooking, cleaning, laundry and scrubbing things. While blokes only spend…

Recently discovered a mate of mine had such an issue with being ‘fat’ that they paid to have liposuction on their chest. Even more shocking is that this person was a healthy weight, fit and active. And a man. Sadly, more and more men are developing eating disorders and body dysmorphia triggered by unrealistic social and mainstream media images. Only this month, we lost cricketer Shane Warne, 52, to a heart attack, which some have questioned could have been triggered by the crash liquid diet he’d been on. Heartbreaking that in all the areas where the sexes do need equality, this is the one where the boys are finally matching us girls.…

Going to bed early doesn’t guarantee a good night’s sleep. If you’re regularly waking up exhausted, even after clocking up eight hours, you’re not alone – 27% of us experience poor-quality sleep on a regular basis**. ‘If you fragment your sleep, you decrease your total rest time,’ explains Dr Ebrahim. What’s more, constantly waking up means you’re never completing a 90-minute restorative sleep cycle. The problem may be environmental, such as air quality, room temperature or having too much light or sound. However, one of the most common causes of poor-quality slumber is sleep apnoea – where you can wake up gasping for air several times a night. This condition affects 1.5 million people in the UK and commonly increases when women are going through the menopause. In addition to…

I AM SO SORE DOWN BELOW QI have been single for some time and haven’t trimmed my pubic hair for several months. I’m now in a new relationship so I gave myself a shave and wonder whether I have got an infection. I have a tender red lump in my groin. Not quite the look I was going for! What can I do? A You may have an ingrown hair – where the hair grows back under the skin, acting as a focus for infection. Try washing with chlorhexidine 4% (available over the counter). In future, try shaving in the direction of hair growth and using a loofah to gently remove the very top layer of skin after shaving.…

‘We hadn’t even been out on a date when he proposed’ Wafaa Powell, 60, lives with her husband David, 62, in Wiltshire. When my brother’s best friend David dropped to one knee, I couldn’t help bursting out laughing in disbelief. Yet it was really happening – just two weeks after we had first met, David was proposing. It was July 1996, and I had been visiting my older brother and his wife in South Africa when I first met David. I was instantly drawn to his friendly nature and good looks, but I was just out of an eight-year relationship and wasn’t looking to jump into another. ‘I WASN’T IN LOVE WITH DAVID YET’ SNAP DECISION The day after we met was my birthday, and David surprised me with an…

ARIES 21 Mar – 20 Apr Your wisdom has been gained through life experience, developing powerful qualities through the help you give to others. TAURUS 21 Apr – 20 May It’s time to ask friends for an online get-together. You will feel you won the lottery when an amazing invitation arrives. GEMINI 21 May – 20 Jun You’re rethinking your career goals, but with the weekend right around the corner there’s work to tend to first. CANCER 21 Jun – 22 Jul You were expected to act in a certain way or do something you forgot. Approach the person honestly and apologise. LEO 23 Jul – 22 Aug The sun comes under the influence of Saturn, bringing an invitation. Get someone a gift they’ll really appreciate. VIRGO 23 Aug –…

HAVING A BALL Michael Ball is crooning on the road again this summer with pal Alfie Boe. ‘Alfie and I are going to these stately homes and open-air venues. I haven’t seen him since a gig in December,’ reveals Michael ‘He’s been in America seeing family.’ But Michael can’t wait for the reunion: ‘It’s such fun being together. Sharing a stage is much better than being on your own.’ THE ABI HABIT! Cobbled together with Corrie star Sally Carman who plays tortured Abi. It was the first time I’d been back on the Street for two years and what a welcome I got! Sally could tell I was gobsmacked when I saw her. ‘It’s because I look so terrible on the show,’ she says of her screen alias. She’s loving…

BEFORE Breakfast Nothing, or just toast with loads of butter, cup of tea. Lunch Anything and everything: junk food, like burgers and pizza, sweets, and loads of diet cola. Dinner Huge bowls of pasta, more junk food, like Chinese takeaways, sandwiches, crisps and diet cola. NOW Breakfast 40g porridge with a handful of blueberries, cup of tea. Lunch Two boiled eggs, banana, decaffeinated coffee and water. Dinner Skinless chicken breasts with vegetables and much, much smaller portions.…

SPRING JACKET Looks way more expensive than the price tag. Blazer, £30, sizes 6-20, Primark PERFECT POUT Leaves lips super-soft. Weleda Skin Food Lip Balm, £6.95, weleda.co.uk SKIN BRIGHTENER Skincare with a citrus scent. Olay Vitamin C + AHA24 Day Gel Face Cream, £34.99, Boots PUNCHY PRINT Up the ante on your nice top and jeans combo. Shirt, £16, jeans, £18, both sizes 8-26, mules, £15, all Tu Clothing LIGHTS OUT Give your bedside table a contemporary update. Lamp, £34.99, H&M ROUND THE TWIST Almost too pretty to burn. Candles, £6, Habitat WELL PLACED Impress dinner guests. Woven place mats, £6 for two, Matalan DREAM DRESS With a flattering shirred waist. Dress, £24, sizes 6-22, F&F Clothing BAG IT UP Lift your look with a colour-pop bag. Bag, £13.99, New…

FIND THE RIGHT TIME ‘The best time to check is often after a shower or a bath. Examine yourself at least once a month. It’s important to feel in different positions, including lying down.’ LOOK AS WELL AS TOUCH ‘Note any change in shape, size and differences to your nipples. Inspect the surface of your breasts up to your collarbones and across and under armpits. Check for rashes and dimpled skin.’ LEARN WHAT NORMAL FEELS LIKE ‘Regular checks ensure you’re more aware of how your breasts look and feel normally, and how they change during your cycle. If in doubt, see your GP.’…

‘Getting enough good-quality sleep helps us to function better, fall ill less frequently, and increases our chances of living longer,’ says Dr Ibrahim. If you’re feeling out of sync, try these tips to get your sleep rhythm back on a more healthy track. 1 EXERCISE DURING THE DAY If your body isn’t tired, you will find it much harder to fall asleep when bedtime comes along. 2 STICK TO A ROUTINE Try to go to bed and get up at the same time every day to help your circadian rhythm stay on track. 3 REDUCE ANY LIGHT EXPOSURE AT BEDTIME Especially the sleep-stealing blue light from screens and mobile phones. Avoid looking at these at least an hour before you go to bed. 4 CHECK THE…

Our relationship is based on sex Q I’m 45 and for the last eight years, I have been in love with a married man with two kids. Our relationship is sexual and though I try to break it off, I love him and always come back. He has never said he loves me, and I know he will never leave his family. Things are further complicated by the fact we have the same set of friends. I’m unhappy and angry – yet I can’t move on. Help. A I sympathise with what a lonely place you have landed in. It’s hard to say what keeps you in this relationship, but perhaps you don’t believe you deserve more. You need to talk to a trained counsellor and break this open to…

The NHS is one of the UK’s greatest institutions, but it has experienced a decade of underfunding since 2010, despite cash boosts in 2018 and 2019. Between 2009-2019, the NHS budgets rose on average just 1.4% per year, compared to 3.7% average rises since the NHS was established. The whole NHS budget has not been protected, leading to cuts to front-line services, especially in public health. Nearly half of staff say underfunding stops them doing their job properly – many say it’s the worst situation they have seen. There is a crisis in the recruitment of staff across the NHS – including too few doctors, midwives, paramedics and nurses. Per head, the government spends less on the NHS than many other comparable countries. We also have fewer beds and doctors…

1 WHAT IS ROMANCE FRAUD EXACTLY? According to Action Fraud, this is when people are duped into sending money to criminals who gain their trust and convince them that they are in a genuine relationship. They use language to manipulate and exploit, so that requests for money do not raise alarm bells. Action Fraud is calling on those of us who think relatives may be dating online to warn them they could be falling victim to fraud, particularly if the person dating is not tech savvy. 2 STEPS TO TAKE Action Fraud says ensure that your loved ones have adequate privacy settings on their social media accounts so that strangers don’t have access to any personal information. Also, stay in contact with friends and family who are online dating to…

1 Bring the indoors out If you don’t have space for storing garden furniture indoors, then consider using the indoor furniture you already have outside. Simply invest in an indoor/outdoor rug to protect your chairs or pouffes from getting dirty, then bring them indoors at the end of the day. Use a space-saving wooden ladder to give you a place to display your favourite hanging planters and lanterns and to store throws or magazines when you’re not using them. 2 Choose clever planters Take the hassle out of plant care by choosing self-watering planters. These colourful mix-and-match planters are part of the Pila modular system, which can be stacked with in-built storage options. It has a built-in rain drain too, which protects the contents against moisture. 3 And relax…. There’s…

Film AMBULANCE Out 25 March Jake Gyllenhaal stars in this glossy pulse-quickener as a bankrobber whose latest heist goes wrong, leaving him and his accomplice (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) in a tight spot. The duo then hijack an ambulance with a paramedic (Eiza González) onboard – but what happens when her patient is a dying cop? Music MATT GOSS The Beautiful Unknown (Lewisham) Out 25 March Despite saying recently he had no interest in singing again, Bros frontman Matt Goss returns with a fifth solo LP. The album tracks Matt’s journey with grief (he lost his mum to cancer in 2014 and sister in 1988 – at the height of Bros’ fame) and details how he fell back in love with music during the pandemic. Event JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR…

GOING DOWN KATIE PRICE Katie Price’s career has seen more highs and lows than most. The former glamour model, then known as Jordan, was worth a whopping £45 million at the height of her career, after cashing in on modelling jobs and lucrative TV deals. She also appeared on I’m A Celeb… and Celebrity Big Brother. But in 2019, the mum-of-five declared bankruptcy and is thought to be in debt to the tune of £3.2 million. Yikes! GOING UP AMANDA HOLDEN The Britain’s Got Talent judge struggled to shake her tarnished image for years following her affair with Neil Morrissey while she was married to Les Dennis. It wasn’t until Amanda, 51, landed a spot on Britain’s Got Talent in 2007 that she felt ‘liberated’ from her past.…

While some in the UK hum and haw about homing refugees, I bet there wouldn’t be that dilemma about animals. One of the most moving Ukraine stories is that over 50 staff stayed in a Kyiv zoo for the animals. This includes a gorilla called Tony, so traumatised he is shaking, and Horace, the Asian elephant, too distressed to go out. Some animals are being moved to Poland but Tony, 47, is too old to make the journey. He is pining for the people who used to visit him. Staff let him watch telly for interaction with human faces. Comedy and chat shows are his faves but he turns his back on the news. Who can blame him?…

When the clocks jump from 1am to 2am on Sunday 27 March, you’ll ‘lose’ an hour’s sleep. Not only can this knock a daily routine out of sync, less sleep has been linked to a greater risk of health problems – scientists found that the number of people having heart attacks spike by 10% on the Monday and Tuesday following the clocks going forward*. If just one hour can have such an impact, then what about those of us who regularly reduce our night-time rest? Every hour counts How many hours did you sleep last night? A restorative seven or eight? Or are you limping along on much less? During sleep, there are a number of important processes that occur to support the healthy function of our physical and mental…

HOW DO I STOP HIM BOOZING? Q My husband was made redundant during the second lockdown and started drinking quite heavily. He insists he doesn’t have a problem, but I can’t remember the last time he went a day without alcohol and it’s causing arguments between us. How do I get him to see that his drinking is damaging our relationship? A It may be useful to contact Al-Anon (al-anonuk.org.uk). They’re an organisation set up to support friends and family of problem drinkers and offer a helpline and meetings. You can type your postcode into the website to find a meeting close to you. Some are now offering face-to-face meetings again, but others are still remote. High cholesterol is a shock! Q For a couple of years, I have been…

FEEL HAPPIER AND LESS STRESSED 1 ASSERT YOURSELF. If your life is filled with too many demands and too little time, you’ll feel stressed and unhappy. Assert yourself so you say no to demands from others and are able to carve out time and space for yourself. 2 BE SELFISH. Do what you need to do for a change. Prioritising your needs and desires now and again is key to feeling happier and more content. 3 DOWNLOAD THE MINDSHINE APP. This app will help you change the way you think, feel and act. It takes techniques from psychology and neuroscience and breaks them down into small, actionable and achievable steps that help improve your mindset. Free to download on iOS and Android; in-app purchases available.…

Colour is in Have some fun with a wash-out colourant. Umberto Giannini Flowerology Temporary Colour Mask, £9.25, Boots, comes in five pretty pastels, fades after two to 10 washes, and takes best on light to mid-blonde hair. You can even customise the intensity – leave it on for 15 minutes for a subtle tint or up to an hour for a more vibrant effect. Inner strength If you subject your hair to colour chemicals and heat styling, you need Boots Ingredients Repair Mask, £4.50, powered by skincare-inspired ingredients such as niacinamide. Teaming up with plant-based protein the treatment rehabilitates worn-out hair, leaving it healthier and more resilient. Acid trip You’re probably used to slathering your skin in hyaluronic acid, but now the magic moisturising ingredient is cropping up in hair…

Creamy spinach-stuffed chicken with courgette SERVES 4 These impressive-looking stuffed chicken fillets are a great dish if you’re entertaining guests. Everything is cooked on one tray, so you’ll save time on the washing up later on! YOU WILL NEED 75g young leaf spinach 75g medium-fat soft cheese 20g Parmesan, finely grated 1tsp Dijon mustard 1 large garlic clove, crushed 4 x 200g skinless chicken breast fillets 4 courgettes Calorie-controlled cooking spray 400g cherry tomatoes on the vine 100g rocket leaves 1tbsp balsamic vinegar HOW TO DO IT 1 Preheat the oven to 200C/Gas 6. Fill the kettle with water and boil. Line a large shallow roasting tin with baking paper. Put the spinach in a colander set in the sink and slowly pour over the boiled water. Stir until wilted.…

ROLL UP Wall’s 4 Hearty Sausage Rolls, 220g (Asda) With succulent meat wrapped in deliciously crispy puff pastry, these can be enjoyed hot or cold. So tuck in! SPEEDY SUPPER Heat & Enjoy Deal, £10 Clubcard Price – 2 Mains (340g-385g) and 3 Extras (320g-450g), save £9 (Tesco) Choose two mains: Heat & Enjoy King Prawn Bhuna (385g) or Heat & Enjoy Battered Cod (340g); and three extras Heat & Enjoy Garlic Naan (320g), Heat & Enjoy Salt & Pepper Crispy Wings (350g) or Heat & Enjoy Chunky Chips (450g). Individually, mains cost £5 and extras £3 each, so you’ll save £9. CHILLI KICK Cooks & Co Green Frenk Chillies, 300g (Morrisons) Slice up to add extra heat to pizzas and pasta, use in Thai or Tex-Mex dishes, or simply…

TENSE THRILLER TAKE YOUR BREATH AWAY by Linwood Barclay (£20, HarperCollins, HB) It’s always the husband, isn’t it? Or so everyone thinks when Andrew Mason’s wife Brie vanishes into thin air. Although there’s not enough evidence to prove his guilt, all but one of Andy’s friends turn against him. It takes six years to rebuild his life, but he finally feels settled with a new partner. He’s sold the house he once shared with his wife, which was torn down to make way for a new-build. So when a distressed woman – who looks uncannily like Brie – appears at the old address, a hellish nightmare and impossible questions return to the surface. A breathless, gripping read. MOVING READ THE SECRETS OF SAINTE MADELEINE by Tilly Bagshawe (£12.99, HarperCollins, HB)…

Standing in front of the mirror, staring at my reflection, I couldn’t help feeling sad. Taking in my 5ft 9in and 21st 7lb bulk, I made a vow. ‘I won’t look like this at 40,’ I promised. At 37, I’d spent most of my life using food as a crutch. By the time I was 11, I already looked much older than my classmates thanks to my bigger build, and was bullied for my height as well as my size. ‘Fatty!’ they’d taunt as I walked down the corridor. Although I stood up to the bullies and pretended I wasn’t bothered, I scurried home after school and headed straight to the biscuit tin – and then popped into my nan’s house over the road and did the same. Food became…