Innholdsfortegnelse for 26-Sep-2022 i Woman's Own

It’s a sombre message this week, I’m afraid, because although the 10 days of national mourning have come to an end, the country is still in a state of shock. It’s hard to believe that just a few months ago we were celebrating the Platinum Jubilee, and now we’re coming to terms with the end of an era. Despite being 96 years old, the Queen’s death is surreal for many of us – because we all thought that, somehow, she would just always be here. The Royal Family are grieving their own personal loss, but around the world people stand united with them. The Queen was respected globally and it didn’t matter whether or not you agreed with the monarchy, because Elizabeth II seemed to transcend all of that. My…

Watching my little girl run around the garden in her princess dress, a tear escaped from my eye. It was February 2021, and we were celebrating my daughter Acacia’s sixth birthday. She was having the time of her life dressed as Elsa, her favourite character from the film Frozen. And when Queen Elsa herself walked in, dressed in a near-identical outfit, Acacia looked like she might burst with excitement. But although she seemed happy and carefree, like any other child her age, five months earlier, my sweet girl had been diagnosed with terminal cancer. She had less than a year to live. ‘MY HEART LURCHED. I KNEW IT WAS BAD NEWS’ SOMETHING WRONG In August 2020, I had taken Acacia, then five, and her stepbrother Landon, eight, out for dinner…

CAN I GO ABROAD FOR A BREAST OP? Q All my adult life I’ve hated my breasts – I’m a 38J cup. My GP applied on my behalf for me to have a breast reduction on the NHS but, sadly, I was turned down. How would I go about finding a surgeon privately, and what are your thoughts on having surgery abroad? A I would recommend that you look on the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (baaps.org.uk) website and choose a surgeon who is registered with them. There are some excellent plastic surgeons in other countries but unless you are fluent in the language, then this can be a problem. You also need to be sure exactly what is included in the price, in case there are complications. We…

Rescue balm If tired, achy muscles are causing you strife try taking a dollop of Aroma Active Muscle Recovery Balm, £12, lookfantastic.com, and massaging it into troublesome areas. With soothing arnica extracts and anti-inflammatory turmeric, this clever body balm works to provide instant relief. We love using it on our neck and shoulders at the end of a long day. Buff away One of the most beneficial things you can do for your skin is to regularly exfoliate, keeping it from looking dull and drab. We love using Wellness by Ferne McCann Body Scrub, £2, Poundland. It gently whisks away the top layers of dead skin and speeds up the skin’s natural shedding process. Banish bumps If rough, bumpy skin is your bugbear and doesn’t seem to be solved with…

Retro Country Global…

CLUES & ARROWS Fill in the clues in the direction of the arrows WORDWISE Cede, ceder, cent, centre, centred, cere, cered, cert, cider, cinder, cine, cite, cited, citer, cred, credent, credit, creed, cried, deceit, decent, decree, dice, dicer, direct, edict, enteric, entice, enticed, enticer, erect, erected, eric, iced, INTERCEDE, nice, nicer, niece, recede, recent, recite, recited, rice, riced, tenrec, terce, tierce, trice, triced Sudoku To solve the puzzle, each 3x3 box, each column and each row must contain the numbers 1 to 9. Wordsearch Strabismus is a condition affecting which body part? The answer is the one missing from the grid. BROWCHEEKCHINEAREYEFOREHEADHAIRJAW LIPMOUTHNOSESKINTEETHTHROATTONGUE CROSSWORD Put your feet up and have a go at this old classic ACROSS 7 Putrefy (2,3)8 Demolition vehicle (9)10 TV commercial (6)11 Postpone work on (8)12…

Film DON’T WORRY DARLING Out 23 September Olivia Wilde directs real-life boyfriend Harry Styles in a sexy psychological thriller starring Florence Pugh as a 50s housewife who appears to have everything. Her husband (Styles) is attentive and her social life full, but what really goes on behind closed doors where all the men in town work? Music MARK OWEN Land of Dreams (BMG), out 23 September He rose to fame as part of Take That but Mark Owen has had a successful solo career, and now – nearly 10 years on from his last solo record – he’s back with a new album. With his distinctive tone and uplifting sound this is a pop album we’ll be listening to for a long time to come. Event THE LONDON CABARET CLUB…

A (future) queen is born Elizabeth Alexandra Mary, the first child of the then Duke and Duchess of York, was born at her maternal grandfather’s house in Mayfair, London, on 21 April 1926. ‘Her Royal Highness the Duchess of York was safely delivered of a princess at 17, Bruton Street, Mayfair. His Royal Highness the Duke of York and the Countess of Strathmore were present. Secretary Sir William Joynson-Hicks was also present. Her Royal Highness and the infant Princess are doing perfectly well.’ Royal birth announcement Taking on the crown Aged 27, just months after losing her father to lung cancer, Her Majesty was officially crowned Queen Elizabeth II on 2 June 1953. The first female British monarch since her great-great grandmother, Queen Victoria. ‘My Coronation is not the symbol…

Richard’s fears ‘I DON’T DESERVE TO BE HERE’ Having recently celebrated the major milestone of 50 years in media, Richard Madeley is a broadcast veteran. But the Good Morning Britain presenter reveals he still doesn’t feel good enough for the job. The 66-year-old admitted, ‘Why, after half a century surviving in a rough old game do I still have so-called “imposter syndrome” – the occasional surge of overwhelming doubt that I deserve even to be in the profession?’ His daughter Chloe gave him a pep talk, ‘If everything you knew, everything you’d learnt, and everything you had achieved in your professional life over 50 years was about to be taken from you; obliterated – what would you give to keep it? Nothing? Or everything?’ And luckily it did the job…

As I opened the kitchen cupboard, I stared at a pack of milk chocolate digestives and felt my stomach grumble. ‘I can’t,’ I told myself over and over. Tears began to stream down my cheeks as I tried desperately to fight my cravings. I’d been here before, attempting to stop bingeing on junk food. But this time, in 2000, was different – I’d just been told that if I didn’t lose weight, I’d lose my sight. If I didn’t get rid of the bulge, I’d risk not seeing my son, Josh, then six, grow up. Yet, here I was, about to tuck into those digestive biscuits. I hadn’t always been big. When I was a teenager, I joined the Sea Cadets, and I threw myself enthusiastically into sailing, camping and…

Have you heard about? A DAILY DOSE OF VITAMIN D CAN BOOST HEART HEALTH The sunshine vitamin may prevent you from developing heart disease and diabetes.* How? It helps to reduce inflammation in the body – which at high levels can increase your risk of chronic diseases. With autumn on the way, get your fix with Healthspan Vitamin D3 (£8.95 for 240 tablets, healthspan.co.uk). It worked for me Jan Mackaness, 63, Harrogate ‘Five years ago, I developed tinnitus, where I hear noises that have no external source. It has caused both depression and anxiety, which left me feeling unable to leave my home, and has affected my job and relationships. For the past year, I have been using Oto (£10 per month, iOS and Android), which provides tinnitus-specific cognitive behavioural…

Health ask us She ruined our holiday Q We’ve just been on holiday with my best friend. She ruined our time by complaining constantly, getting drunk and making a fuss – to the point we were thrown out of two places. Her husband said she was always like this on holiday. I told her I would never go away with her again, which caused an argument. I am furious she won’t take responsibility, and tells everyone I have ruined our friendship. A You never really know anyone until you either live or go on holiday with them. While you have every right to be angry, waiting for her to admit to being difficult will never happen. It sounds like her self-awareness is either very low, or she genuinely feels entitled…

When e-cigarettes emerged onto the British market back in 2007, there was hope they could curb the country’s crippling addiction to cigarettes. Smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death and disease in the UK, and e-cigs – or vapes – contain significantly fewer harmful chemicals than cigarettes. In 2017, over 50,000 people quit smoking using vapes. But despite their use being intended for quitters, there has been an astonishing rise in the uptake of vaping by people who have never smoked before – including children. In fact, one in five 15-year-olds are now using a vape. With fruity flavours and colourful packaging, disposable vape pens are the most popular, but some don’t comply with UK regulations, and their exact chemical make-up and nicotine content are unknown. And while advertising…

READER QUESTION Q I’ve heard that using radiator reflector panels could help save me money – how do they work? A If you’re trying to reduce your heating bills, radiator reflector panels are an attractive low-cost option, according to Energy Saving Trust. When they’re fixed behind your radiators, on external walls, they reflect heat from the radiator back into the room, instead of letting the heat out through the wall. They can produce the most benefit when installed on uninsulated solid walls, the organisation says. For more information, visit energysavingtrust.org.uk. Go green for less Allavare (allavare. co.uk) make laundry products for sensitive skin, and they’ve now put together a free eBook – Natural Cleaning Remedies – which uses ingredients you can rustle up from your kitchen cupboard. Download your copy…

20-26 September 2022 ASK ALEX A ‘WHAT IS MY HOROSCOPE TODAY?’ ARIES 21 Mar – 20 Apr You are keen to champion social issues within your community. Take decisive action – but do so sensitively. TAURUS 21 Apr – 20 May Things are clearer this week and you’ll be more confident in financial and emotional matters. Act stoically if necessary. GEMINI 21 May – 20 Jun Family look forward to spending time with you – show them compassion. It’s time to realise goals and dreams. CANCER 21 Jun – 22 Jul Don’t be afraid to stand out from the crowd – the universe is smiling on you. Good fortune awaits. Be selective and steadfast. LEO 23 Jul – 22 Aug Take stock and slow down. Your enthusiasm is infectious, but…

THE ENIGMA OF ROOM 622 by Joël Dicker (£20, Quercus, HB) In the luxurious Swiss Hotel Verbier, one room is missing. Room 622 simply doesn’t exist. Joël Dicker is intrigued by the mysterious absence. Though he’s nursing a broken heart, grieving his publisher and beginning his next novel, the author can’t help but wonder at this anomaly. Particularly when aspiring novelist and fellow hotel guest Scarlett uncovers the real reason – an unsolved murder. Elsewhere in Switzerland, Macaire Ebezner is next in line to replace his late father as the president of a powerful bank. But the board has other plans… Satisfyingly complex plots intertwine in Joël Dicker’s razor-sharp tale of intrigue. THE SERIAL KILLER’S DAUGHTER by Alice Hunter (£8.99, HarperCollins, PB) Does the apple ever fall far from the…

Standing in the register office and exchanging vows, we wondered how long we’d have together before the military separated us. It was January 1996 and my bridegroom, Paul, then 43, and I were both Army officers. I was a captain with Queen Alexandra’s Royal Army Nursing Corps, and Paul was a captain in the Royal Army Medical Corps. MET ON DUTY The Army was our shared love. We’d met on duty in Germany in 1993 and had only been together a few months when I was posted to Cyprus. For the next 18 months, we lived apart, keeping in touch via letters and phone calls. We looked forward to being together on holidays and had romantic rendezvous in Thailand and Egypt. Then in March 1995, we went to Hong Kong…

HONOURING OUR QUEEN As the nation mourns, let us remember an extraordinary woman who was devoted to us all until the very end. She was only a woman. Just like us, she loved, laughed, rowed with and worried about her family. But she was also unique. A woman born to a destiny that would crush most – yet she triumphed. The loss of our longest-serving monarch is still sinking in. Nearly all of us have never known life without her – a constant, a steadying influence in an increasingly confusing world. Just the sight of her in her sturdy raincoat and headscarf, with a corgi scampering at her ankles, was a comfort. Of course, she had privilege, food was always on the table, bills were never fretted over – but…

SEE YOUR GP Persistent morning tiredness with loud snoring at night could be a sign of sleep apnoea, warns Dr Norton. Dreading the darker mornings? You’re not alone – more than three-quarters of Brits say they don’t wake up feeling refreshed*, with 40%** saying it’s worse when the cooler months arrive. But other factors can be the cause of sluggishness, too, such as pain, low mood and even your boiler. ‘Very few of us leap out of bed,’ says NHS consultant Dr Sally Norton from Vavista Wellness. ‘Feeling groggy is common.’ But you don’t have to put up with it – here’s what could be sabotaging your mornings and how to sort it as the seasons change. The menopause is being disruptive Hormonal changes can affect the quality of sleep.…

From sugary cocktails to indulgent barbecues, summer comes with a whole host of temptations that can derail our diet goals. Feeling it around your middle? A bigger waistline in midlife can be an early indicator of heart disease among women – even when overall weight and BMI stays the same.* But, don’t worry, our plan will help you to regain your waist so you can get back in your jeans and feel healthier both inside and out. ‘These exercises include cardio, which burns the fat on top of the muscles so you can see your good work,’ explains personal trainer Amy Tarr.** ‘They target your deep core, waist and upper and lower abs, and improve your core stability – key for developing a flat stomach.’ The best part? These moves…

Ginger pork PREP TIME: 15 MINS COOK TIME: 20 MINS SKILL LEVEL: EASY CALS: 332 FAT: 14G SAT FAT: 7G CARBS: 6G SERVES 4 A great alternative to chicken – and it’s full of flavour and lean, too. YOU WILL NEED 300g broccoli florets, trimmed intosmaller pieces500g pork tenderloin, thinly sliced1tbsp ground ginger2tbsp coconut oil3 garlic cloves, finely chopped30g fresh root ginger, peeled andfinely chopped1 red chilli, finely sliced1tbsp rice wine vinegar6 spring onions, white parts thicklysliced, green ends thinly sliced andkept separate1tbsp tamari (gluten-free soy sauce)1tsp sugar-free syrup1tbsp toasted sesame oil1tsp sesame seeds HOW TO DO IT 1 Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook the broccoli for 3-4 mins until tender. Drain well in a colander and leave to steam dry. 2 Pat…

‘It was nothing like Fifty Shades’ TEACHER AND SEX NOVELIST Sue Bordley, 50, is an author and teacher from the Wirral. As I arrived at school on a Monday morning in 2018, no one could mistake me for anyone other than Sue Bordley, the English supply teacher. That is, unless they spotted my car’s number plate in the car park – JE55 XYZ – the only hint of my alter ego, steamy novelist Jess Molyneux… Two years earlier, I’d been sitting in front of my classroom when I overheard some girls excitedly chatting about a book they were reading. ‘I’D HAVE TO WRITE IT MYSELF’ As an English teacher, I’d usually be elated to see my students enthusiastic about reading, but the book was Fifty Shades of Grey, EL James’…

We’re used to seeing Katie Piper, 38, on Loose Women, where she chats about her life with husband Richard and their daughters, Belle, eight, and Penelope, four, but how well do we really know the star? Here, Katie, who lives with her family in London, tells us all about what makes her happiest. 1 Item in my wardrobe It’s something a bit classic. I’ve got a really nice white suit and I can always rely on it for things like meetings and events, but I can also separate it and use it as a blazer with jeans and a top. 2 Movie I can’t really watch movies as I’m too addicted to my phone! But I did watch Coming to America recently and I thought it was really funny. I…