Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2022 i Woman's Weekly Living Series

I found Sue’s story on p34 so inspiring. She’d always wanted to be a midwife but life had somehow got in the way of her achieving her dream. But her tale shows it’s never too late. Inspired by her daughter going into the profession, Sue started training and has now qualified in her 50s. Taking up a new challenge later in life is great for cognitive health, as well as your confidence. Don’t let anyone tell you you can’t do it… ✣ Group Specials Director Michelle Hather ✣ Health Editor Tanya Pearey ✣ Group Art Director Ian Cave ✣ Art Editors Christine Beadle, Lorna Wood ✣ Food Writer Rose Fooks ✣ Head of Marketing Mary Bird…

It’s been a dramatic few months for telly legend Gloria Hunniford. In June, the 82-year-old Northern Irish broadcaster suffered a fall at her home in Sevenoaks after tripping over a rug and landing on a hard wooden floor. She later discovered she’d broken a bone underneath her eye socket with injuries that left her face with ‘horrific red, black and yellow’ bruises. Having worked in showbiz since she was 17, the downtime following her fall wasn’t something Gloria was used to. ‘I’m the last person to sit at home and watch television or rest in bed. That’s not me,’ she explained, saying she was keen to get back to work. In fact, one of the first things she did was appear on Loose Women – where she’s a regular panellist…

CHICKEN AND CHORIZO CHEAT’S PAELLA This speedy version of a Spanish classic uses clever, flavour-packed shortcuts to have dinner on the table in less than 30! SERVES 6 ✣ 4 skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks ✣ 1tbsp chicken seasoning ✣ 3tbsp olive oil ✣ 2 red onions, chopped ✣ 2 garlic cloves, crushed ✣ 225g chorizo, sliced ✣ Juice of 1 lemon ✣2 red peppers, deseeded, cut in chunks ✣ 2x175g packets saffron risotto rice (we used Gallo, available from most large supermarkets) ✣1tsp sun-dried tomato paste ✣ 3tbsp chives, chopped 1 Sprinkle the chicken with ground black pepper and seasoning, then leave to marinate for at least 30 mins if you have time. Heat the oil in a large lidded frying pan, then fry the chicken for 5…

COLOUR POP By allowing air and water molecules to pass through the polish, Nailberry Oxygenated Nail Lacquer in Decadence, £15, spacenk.com, helps to keep your nails strong. Pale ladies should opt for pastel shades this summer, while those with darker skin tones can pull off bold brights. SCRUB-A-DUB The perfect addition to your pedicure, Bare Feet by Margaret Dabbs Exfoliating Foot Scrub, £8, barehandsandfeet.co.uk, will leave your feet feeling refreshed. Massage the tingly lime scrub onto damp feet, paying extra attention to any particularly dry areas, and let the tiny coconut shell particles gently buff away hard skin. For extra pampering, soak your feet in warm water for 10 minutes beforehand. BUFF ’N’ FILE The ultimate multi-tasker, Elegant Touch 6 Way Shape & Shine Buffer, £4, Sainsbury’s, is all you…

WHAT IS RETINOL? Simply put, it’s the umbrella term for anything derived from vitamin A, with retinol being the most famous over-the-counter retinoid. Fans say it has the ability to boost collagen and speed up the skin’s natural exfoliation process. Results take from six to 12 months. Where do I start? With such potency comes a risk of irritation and dryness, particularly in sensitive skin, so if you’re starting out on your retinol journey, begin with a low dosage twice a week to build up your tolerance. Paula’s Choice Skin Recovery Serum, £34, paulaschoice.co.uk, is a fantastic starting point for sensitive skin, delivering 0.01% retinol without irritation. Once your skin acclimates, you can step up the potency and apply more regularly. How should I apply retinol? Retinol makes your skin…

Gout is more common in older men, and postmenopausal women. High cholesterol levels and taking medicines such as water tablets (diuretics) are risk factors. It may cause sudden severe joint pain, frequently in the big toe, knees, fingers, wrists or elbows. The skin over the joint will be red, hot and swollen. If treated promptly, there shouldn’t be long-lasting damage, so see your GP about symptoms, although sometimes gout is difficult to diagnose. Gout is caused when levels of uric acid in your blood are too high – it’s a chemical made by the breakdown of certain foods containing purines (a type of protein found in many foods and your tissue cells). High uric acid levels for prolonged periods cause needle-like crystals in your tissues, resulting in swollen, painful joints.…

Stroll, meditate, take a leisurely lunch and stop to smell the flowers – doctor’s orders. That’s because not going full pelt really can make us happier and healthier, according to the experts. The number of heart attacks fell during lockdown, as our lives slowed and we had time to prioritise our health, says Woman’s Weekly GP Dr Gill Jenkins. ‘Studying people using Fitbit trackers has shown lower resting heart rates, increased average active minutes and increased sleep duration.’ We know that living life at 100mph damages our health. ‘Stress can trigger high blood pressure,’ says women’s health expert Dr Marilyn Glenville. ‘High cortisol levels prepare you for your fight-or-flight response, and your body assumes that it needs a higher blood pressure to cope with this. It holds back sodium (stopping…

EXFOLIATE IT With good scalp health comes great hair. Scrubs for scalps are a new idea and their primary role is to get rid of dead skin cells and to increase circulation, both of which play a major role in increasing hair growth. Apply as the first step to your hair-washing routine in the shower, massage it in and follow with shampoo and conditioner as normal. You’ll feel revitalised and your scalp and hair will thank you for it! ✣ Kristin Ess Intense Exfoliating Scalp Scrub, £12, Boots CLEANSE IT Whether you’re a dry-shampoo fan, regularly spritz on hairspray or live in a town or city, it’s likely that residue is building up on your hair and scalp, so use a clarifying shampoo at least once a week. Look for…

Bandages They have multiple uses, from covering wounds and helping dressings stay in place, to holding pressure and supporting strains. Include safety pins and sticky tape to keep in place. ‘Bandages come in three forms,’ says LloydsPharmacy pharmacist Matt Courtney-Smith. ‘Tubular, triangular and roller, with each having a different purpose. ✣ Roller bandages support joints, limit swelling and help maintain pressure on wounds to reduce bleeding. ✣ Triangular bandages are used to wrap and dress larger wounds or act as a sling support. ✣ Finally, tubular bandages support injured joints as well as securing and protecting dressings on the fingers or toes.’ Vaseline ‘There are age-old essentials that can help with a multitude of ailments,’ says Matt. ‘One of these is petroleum jelly, which we all recognise by the brand…

Eggs ‘Eggs are a great source of zinc as well as disease-fighting nutrients lutein and zeaxanthin,’ says nutritionist Kim Pearson. ‘They’re also a great protein source for vegetarians.’ Salmon ‘Vitamin D is a vital immune nutrient, but also one of the most common nutrient deficiencies,’ says Kim. Sunlight is our primary source, so getting out in daylight is key, but you can also top up your levels by eating fatty fish such as tuna, mackerel and salmon. Chilli ‘Just one pepper contains your daily intake of beta-carotene and twice the daily allowance of vitamin C,’ says Frida. ‘Both are essential antioxidants that help to fight bacteria. Chillies are also great if you have a cold, as they help unblock your sinuses.’ Sauerkraut ‘I’m a fan of fermented foods that are…

Q I HAVE TERRIBLE ECZEMA BUT LOVE DAIRY FOODS, PARTICULARLY CHEESE. ANY ADVICE? An eczema-type response to dairy is usually to the milk protein casein, but possibly to other elements such as whey. Lactose (milk sugar) intolerance can occur, although usually causes gastric upset only. Ask your GP for food-allergy blood tests, or go privately. If you test positive, or the eczema improves after a dairy-free period of two to four weeks, you can still enjoy some dairy and cheese by trying different dairy products, as there’s variation in the casein content. Goat’s cheese is often low in casein. A2 casein milk may help – one milk casein called beta-casein, which makes up 30% of cow’s milk protein, has two variants: A1 and A2. Most milks contain mainly A1 proteins,…

THAI STYLE SALMON PARCELS WITH GREENS AND RICE Along with many essential minerals and vitamins, salmon is especially rich in Omega 3 fatty acids for a healthy heart and brain. SERVES 2 ✣ 100g choy sum, halved and sliced ✣ 3 baby pak choi, halved lengthways ✣ 70g brown shimeji or shiitake mushrooms ✣ 2 skin-on salmon fillets ✣ 2 spring onions, thinly sliced, plus extra to garnish ✣1 red chilli, sliced into rounds ✣ Thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled, cut into matchsticks For the dressing ✣ 2 tbsp soy sauce ✣ 1 tsp runny honey ✣ 1 tsp sesame oil ✣ 2 garlic cloves, crushed ✣ Juice of 1 lime To serve ✣ Cooked jasmine rice ✣ 1 lime, cut into wedges ✣ Coriander leaves You will need: ✣…

Crochet helps me feel closer to Mum Rachel Campbell, 43, from Manchester, took up crochet to help her cope after her mum died unexpectedly. My mum, Anne, was so talented and I grew up sewing, baking and gardening by her side, mesmerised by her as she worked on her creations. As I got older, and got a job as a probation officer, my love of sewing never waned. Only seven years ago, I was 30 weeks pregnant with my fourth child when Mum was due to visit, but rang to say she had a headache. It was the last time I ever spoke to her. She went for a nap and never woke up, dying later in hospital due to a brain aneurysm. She was just 61 and I was…

CASHEW SATAY CHICKEN SALAD Chicken or turkey breast is a great source of lean protein, while the peanuts and cashews provide healthy fats and added nutrients. SERVES 4 ✣ 1tbsp tamari or soy sauce ✣ 1tsp medium curry powder ✣ 1tsp ground cumin ✣ 1 garlic clove, finely grated ✣ 1tsp clear honey ✣ 2 skinless chicken (or turkey) breast fillets ✣1tbsp crunchy peanut butter ✣ 1tbsp sweet chilli sauce ✣ 1tbsp lime juice ✣ 1 splash sunflower oil ✣ 2 little gem lettuce hearts, cut into wedges ✣ ¼ cucumber, halved and sliced ✣ 1 shallot, halved and thinly sliced ✣ 1 handful coriander, chopped ✣ 200g mixed salad leaves ✣ 200g cherry tomatoes ✣ 75g cashew nuts 1 Pour the tamari/soy sauce into a large dish and stir…

Grow wild Leave a section of your garden or lawn to grow wild. From the bottom of the food chain up, wild plants provide food, nectar and shelter for small animals, pollinators and other insects, while birds benefit from eating the seeds and insects the plants support. You can also plant a pretty wildflower patch in your garden or in containers on your balcony or windowsill. And if you grow herbs and leave them to flower, it’s not just the pollinators who get fed – you do too! Make a log pile Rotting logs are an important habitat for insects and other invertebrates, as well as shelter and a larder for reptiles, amphibians and small mammals, such as hedgehogs. Simply choose a place in your garden that won’t be disturbed,…

MINI CHOCOLATE POTS The vanilla and cinnamon enhances the sense of sweetness in these without the need for added sugar. SERVES 4 ✣ 100g good quality dark chocolate, chopped ✣ 150ml double cream ✣ 1tsp vanilla extract ✣ Pinch ground cinnamon ✣ Edible gold leaf (optional You will need: ✣ 4 small glasses or ramekins 1 Put the chocolate, cream, vanilla and cinnamon in a glass bowl and set over a pan of barely simmering water (don’t let the bowl touch the water). Warm, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth. 2 Divide the mixture between 4 small glasses and chill for at least 2 hours, or overnight. Decorate with edible gold leaf to serve. TIP As a general rule, the higher the cocoa percentage of…