Innholdsfortegnelse for Monday, March 13, 2023 i Woman's Own

I usually like to keep my letter light and maybe throw in the odd sausage joke, but this week there’s something too important not to mention, and that’s the fact that 7,400 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer each year in the UK. Eleven women die from it every single day. That’s 11 families every day left grieving a loved one, and countless lives changed forever. On p18 we speak to Claire, who survived the cruel disease, and Natalie, whose sister Leanne died aged just 39. Their stories serve as a reminder that if you have any symptoms you’re worried about, get them checked out. There’s a list on the page, and they include bloating, tenderness and reduced appetite, but there are plenty of others, too. Early diagnosis really can…

Loose Women’s Nadia Sawalha has revealed there’s new tension in her marriage due to her recent ‘life-changing’ diagnosis of ADHD. The star has been married to TV producer Mark Adderley, 52, for 20 years and despite Nadia often sharing titbits about their personal life on telly and online, they’ve continued to be one of showbiz’s strongest couples – perhaps, until now. ‘YOU HAVEN’T ENGAGED WITH ME AT ALL ABOUT IT’ The couple have navigated choppy waters before and been open about their marriage struggles – Mark has suffered depression and alcohol addiction, and also has ADHD, and the pair were living a party ‘off the rails’ lifestyle before they had children. Nadia even admitted last year how they’d ‘grabbed the relationship from the jowls of death so many times’, adding…

REMAKING CLASSICS When will we stop fiddling with the past? The latest victim of the politically correct pandemic is the classic 1970s cop show Starsky & Hutch. The TV series starred David Soul, Paul Michael Glaser and Antonio Fargas as Huggy Bear. I absolutely loved it as a kid, especially the memorable ‘seat drop’ moment on to the roof of the duo’s iconic red and white Ford Gran Torino. The film version never quite captured the originality and excitement of the original show. But now it’s getting even worse. The series is being remade. As Huggy Bear would probably say: ‘Look man, it ain’t even funny no more.’ VICTIM SHAMING NEEDS TO STOP Nothing justifies the unspeakable behaviour of attackers The names of Sarah Everard, Sabina Nessa, Zara Aleena, Emma…

Have you heard about? THE BENEFITS OF POSITIVITY Negative thinking could increase your risk of age-related diseases*. Why? Gloomy attitudes cause imbalances in the posterior cingulate cortex and the amygdala regions of the brain. These are connected to emotion management and tied to the onset of dementia, meaning negative emotions could lead to declining brain health. Each day, record three things you’re grateful for to help you focus on the happier things in life. It worked for me Michelle Appleyard, 47, London ‘I have multiple sclerosis (MS), which makes me anxious about catching viruses that could affect me more than they would others. I self-isolate before hospital appointments to ensure I’m able to attend. I now use BioSure Pro Protective Nasal Spray (£14.95, bebiosure.com). It blocks cold and flu viruses…

Health ask us Am I too old to use a dating app? Q My daughters recently signed me up for a dating app. I am 57 years old and feel ashamed using it, and a bit desperate, but I would love to meet someone. Am I too old? A Using a dating app is nothing to be ashamed about. Not only can you find one that is catered to your age, but according to research, roughly 60% of participants have had a positive experience using one. What’s more, many people have success finding someone. Give it a try; what have you got to lose? Don’t be embarrassed. HE SENDS ME ABUSIVE TEXTS Q I was with my ex for 15 years, and we have a son aged 13. I separated…

READER QUESTION Q We’re finally in a position to buy our own house – how long do mortgage offers last for? A This varies by lender, but mortgage offers usually last between three and six months. However, some financial companies start the clock when the offer is issued. Other lenders may count the time from the application date. And others will have completion deadlines instead. So ensure you check this carefully. Go green for less Got a stash of used printer cartridges at home? Then you could get money for recycling them. There are lots of companies such as inkviro.co.uk that will pay you to take them off your hands. Before choosing which company to use, check how much you should get for your cartridges, and be sure to read…

It’s been a tough eight months for Christine McGuinness, with the star revealing last July that she was separating from her husband of 11 years, Paddy McGuinness. As Woman’s Own catches up with the 34-year-old, she is celebrating the launch of her first children’s book - Amazing Me, Amazing You. She tells us that she’s doing well and determined to concentrate on her three children - twins Penelope and Leo, nine, and Felicity, six - who she shares with the Top Gear presenter. ‘I’m doing OK. I’m keeping busy,’ Christine explains, adding, ‘I just want to focus on the children. We both do. We both just want the children to grow up in a really happy family. That’s what we are, no matter what. Although we’re separated as a couple,…

RECOLLECTIONS REALLY DO VARY… Just last week, Woman’s Own revealed inconsistencies in the Duchess of Sussex’s claims that she didn’t know much about the Royal Family before meeting Prince Harry, back in July 2016. And now it seems Meghan’s truth has unravelled even further. Quotes from the 41-year-old mum-of-two’s 2021 bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey have resurfaced, showing the duchess claimed to have been good pals with Harry’s cousin Princess Eugenie, 32, before she met her future beau. They had a mutual friend – fashion designer Misha Nonoo. Meghan boasted to Oprah, ‘Eugenie and I had known each other before I had known Harry, so that was comfortable. We’re friends with them [Eugenie and husband Jack Brooksbank] as a couple.’ This seems to counter her claims made in the same…

FLORAL FANCY Swish your way into spring. Dress, £38, sizes s-xxl, JDY at Matalan GAME CHANGER See all your make-up at once. Open-flat cosmetic bag, £19.99, theflatlayco.com PAPER PLEATS Add an individual look to your home. Lamp, £24.99, H&M Home LENGTHEN AND CURL A formula you can layer up. Full Loading Mascara, £9.99, sephora.co.uk STRIPE IT LUCKY Lounge around in style. Pyjama set, £18, sizes 8-18, George at Asda COLOUR POP Because life’s too short for boring vases. Face vases, £15 each, large vases, £45 each, bud vases, £12 for set of three, triple bubble vase, £23, bobble vase, £28, all sassandbelle.co.uk POWER POUT Hydrates with no smudging. Studio London 12h Velvet Lipstick, £5, Superdrug CHECKMATE Pop on over a white tee. Cardigan, £25, sizes 8-24, Tu Clothing SMOOTH OPERATOR…

Elegant occasionwear Very is my one-stop shop for stunning occasionwear at easy prices. From colour-popping suits to bold printed dresses, there are endless pieces to choose from. If you fancy copying the likes of Michelle Keegan and Judi Love, it’s also a go-to for celeb collabs, with an inclusive size range too. Dress, £30, sizes 8-18, Very Becky Easy denim Finding the perfect pair of jeans is a never-ending quest, but if you’ve yet to give H&M’s denim collection a try, now’s your chance. Not only are its jeans affordable but it has heaps of on-trend and super-flattering cuts too. I’m a big fan of its vintage straight jeans. More forgiving than skinny, with a cooler, relaxed edge, they’re an everyday fave. Jeans, £24.99, sizes 4-22, H&M Charlie Clever basics…

Eating to lose weight or improve your health can be confusing. In fact, fewer than 1% of Brits achieve the balanced diet that’s recommended by the NHS* – and, often, what we put on our plate is based on guesswork. ‘A diet containing fresh, whole food is preferable to one that’s mostly processed foods, which are typically high in sugar, salt and fat,’ says GP Dr Nisa Aslam. But while we all know munching French fries is less healthy than a salad, lots of our daily decisions aren’t so obvious. Ready to test your knowledge? Tick what you think are the healthiest picks below, then check out the expert advice so you can tweak your diet. Quick quiz! DID YOU KNOW? Grazing throughout the day can be better…

My daughter Adriana, nine, is fashion mad. She knows all the designer brands and can recognise a Louis Vuitton handbag at 100 paces. As such, she’s always giving me fashion advice, saying I need to jazz up my wardrobe. ‘You’re so un-iconic, Mum!’ is her refrain. She begged and begged to dress me in a few days’ worth of outfits. Was I really that brave? I’m a beige polo neck and smart jeans kind of woman. I’m 45 for goodness’ sake. My daughter’s idols wear threads of material as tops, I like an M&S cashmere jumper. Still, I fancied a giggle. Here’s how we got on… Look one Black hoodie, beige miniskirt, black fingerless faux-leather gloves and trainers Adriana and I go shopping. ‘This is fantastic!’ she squeals as I…

CLUES & ARROWS Fill in the clues in the direction of the arrows. Sudoku To solve the puzzle, each 3 x 3 box, each column and each row must contain the numbers 1 to 9. Wordsearch Ole Martin Ystgaard is credited as the originator of which style of cheese? The answer is the one missing from the grid. BLUEBRIECAMEMBERTCHEDDARCREAMEDAMFETAGOUDA HALLOUMIJARLSBERGPANEERPARMESANRICOTTASTILTONURDA CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Inner lining of a shoe (6)4 Helpless or stupid (8)10 In days of yore (4,3)11 Presume to be true (7)12 _ Driver, Marriage Story actor (4)13 In direct competition (4-2-4)15 Originating in a distant place (6)16 European country (7)20 Fit and strong (7)21 Negative terminals of batteries (6)24 Timepiece (10)26 Destiny (4)28 Issue (7)29 Brewing vessels (7)30 Scatter in tiny drops over (8)31 State of inactivity (6)…

JAMIE OLIVER TV chef Jamie loves a slap-up meal, but knows you shouldn’t have to pay an arm and a leg for it. The dad-of-five advised fans, ‘Stock up on frozen veg like peas – they’re great value for money, which means you can use them in big quantities, and they’re just as nutritious as fresh.’ Jamie, 47, added, ‘Your freezer is the best friend you didn’t know you had! Not only can you use it to save leftovers, it will rescue wilting herbs and keep fruit that’s on the turn.’ LORRAINE KELLY She always looks amazing, but that doesn’t mean that TV veteran Lorraine spends a fortune on her outfits. The 63-year-old revealed to fans that she picks up some of her favourite fashion pieces from charity shops. She…

Catching up with friends at the local pub, I was surprised by an interruption. ‘This is for you, from the gentleman over there,’ said one of the bar staff, handing me a glass of wine as she gestured to a man perched by the bar. I had a giggle with the girls, before taking a peek at my secret admirer. ‘A lot older than I imagined,’ I said, taking in the 50-something man wearing jeans and a smart jumper. Still, at 23, I’d dated older men in the past and had always found them to be more mature and interesting. Heading to the bar when it was my round, I noticed he was still there. ‘I’m Don,’ he smiled. ‘I’m Chelsea. Thanks for the drink,’ I replied. Don insisted on…

Health ask us INHALER CONFUSION Q My mum has come to live with us after being diagnosed with dementia. I have registered her with our GP and told them the list of medications she is on. She uses two inhalers – a blue one and a brown one. Both prescriptions say ‘use as directed’ but she can’t tell me how often she should be using them. Please can you help? A The blue inhaler is used to open up the airways and she should use a couple of puffs up to four times a day to relieve a wheeze or cough. If she is needing to use it more than this, your GP will want to know. The brown inhaler is a ‘preventer’ so should be taken every day, morning…

Shape up The neck is one of those often neglected areas that, unfortunately, can immediately give the age game away. Skin here is thinner with less support structure, and therefore more prone to the ageing effects of gravity – hello jowls! Vichy Neovadiol Phytosculpt Neck & Face Contours, £32, Boots, will help improve elasticity. Once the balm is massaged in it cools, creating an invisible corset effect that tightens, lifts and firms. Plump it up Your regular moisturiser isn’t going to make any long-term impact on crepey areas, but loading them with hydration will plump out wrinkles and smooth the look of them temporarily. Enriched with deeply hydrating Mediterranean olive oil, Avon Planet Spa Heavenly Hydration Uplifting Neck & Chest Serum, £4, avon.uk.com, makes everything look less crinkly. Gadget show…

Fancy a cuppa? Swapped from branded to supermarket-own tea to save some pennies? Try these tips to get the perfect brew. MUGS MAKE A DIFFERENCE Choose the right type of mug to conduct heat and keep your drink hot, without affecting the flavour. Glass, china and porcelain are all smooth, non-porous and won’t alter the taste of the tea. STEEP FOR SUCCESS For black tea, leave to brew for around four minutes, depending on how strong you like your cuppa. More delicate green tea only needs around two minutes at a lower temperature. Don’t leave any tea for too long though, as this can result in unpleasant bitterness. For best results, add milk after brewing. SEAL IN THE STORE CUPBOARD Store tea in an airtight container so that tea bags…

7-13 March 2023 ASK ALEX A ‘WHAT IS MY HOROSCOPE TODAY?’ ARIES 21 Mar – 20 Apr Make quality sleep a priority and give your conscious mind a break. Be sure to turn off your mobile and emails before bed. TAURUS 21 Apr – 20 May You might be debating other-worldly aspects during this week’s alignments. Dowsing with a pendulum may appeal. GEMINI 21 May – 20 Jun You may be looking for a new cycle route. Try hiring a bike to test out before investing in a brand new one. CANCER 21 Jun – 22 Jul You’re deep in thought about a more peaceful world as the Moon moves towards Aries. You can make positive changes! LEO 23 Jul – 22 Aug It’s time to work on yourself. If…

IN MEMORIAM by Alice Winn (£14.99, HB, Penguin Books) It’s 1914, England. Henry Gaunt and Sidney Ellwood are in love, but neither of them dares to admit it. The war feels worlds away from their boarding school in the tranquil countryside, where the boys spend days reading poetry and discussing the ancient Greeks. But as the shadow of war looms, Gaunt’s German heritage means he must enlist in the British Army to prove his family’s loyalty. Secretly relieved to escape his all-consuming infatuation with Ellwood, Gaunt heads for the battlefield. Ellwood joins him and the pair are caught up in the maelstrom of the trenches, finding solace only in one another. A YEAR FULL OF VEG by Sarah Raven (£27, HB, Bloomsbury) Enjoy fresh, seasonal vegetables throughout the year with…