Innholdsfortegnelse for 31-Jan-2017 i Woman's Weekly

I have written before about my stubbornly curly hair. Mostly it’s been in the context of the many efforts I have made to make and keep it straight. I’ve always assumed that if I left it in its natural state, people would run away screaming at the sight of it because I feel it makes me look as though I’ve been plugged into a socket. Apparently that’s not true. With some trepidation, towards the end of last year, I started leaving it to do its own curly thing. And to my amazement, people didn’t avert their eyes in horror. Instead they told me how terrific it looked. On the basis that they weren’t all lying just to make me feel good, I’ve started to wear it curly more regularly and,…

‘I played Danny in Grease at school. I was petrified!’ • After winning The X Factor in 2009, Joe went on to sell 2 million records worldwide. In 2016, he starred in Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat – a role he will reprise this year How do you take your tea? I’m much more of a coffee drinker. With the kind of schedule I work, you need as much caffeine as possible. Who would you most like to have a cup of tea with? Michael Jackson, I looked up to him when I was growing up. I’d have loved him to teach me how to moonwalk. Why did you decide to play Joseph again? It’s the 50th anniversary of the show, and I genuinely had…

• Every year, over 540,000 people in the UK are estimated to acquire a disfiguring condition to their face, hands or body – from birth, accident, cancer surgery, skin and eye conditions, from facial paralysis and from medical accidents, such as mistakes in cosmetic procedures. • Nine out of 10 facially disfigured people believe that they lead unhappier lives than others. • A University of East London study showed that people with facial disfigurement but strong qualifications are often turned down after job interviews. • More than 60% of people with skin conditions who were surveyed said they had never been offered the psycho-social support and advice they needed. • Most people with facial disfigurement do not report hate crime to the police, believing they won’t be taken seriously.…

I liked to make him happy. If Darren said, ‘Meet me at seven,’ I did I’d have done anything for Darren Grimes way back in the 80s. I’d lose weight, for sure. Only on Monday night, I’d given in to temptation. That’s why I sheltered from the rain in the chip shop with my best mate, Kelly. We chomped down fish and chips, while she kept a lookout for our Slimmer’s Inc leader. Sue often took a detour past the chippy on her way home from the church hall. She’d be easy to spot in her red Michael Jackson jacket with its shoulder pads. (We always imagined she spent her evenings doing that dance from Thriller .) Anyway, she liked to catch members out if they went straight from the…

Knitting Editor Teresa This bright, adorable toy is worked in rounds of double crochet. The flouncy dress and coat are individual pieces so that she can be dressed up. Easy-peasy A Bit More Tricky Hard–ish Quite A Challenge MEASUREMENTS Approximately 18cm/7in tall. MATERIALS 1 x 100g (295m) ball of Stylecraft Special DK (100% acrylic) in each of Jaffa (1256), Cream (1005), Raspberry (1023), Grass Green (1821) and Emperor (1425); small amount in Black (1002)*. Size 3.50mm crochet hook; washable toy stuffing; pair of 10mm safety eyes. ABBREVIATIONS Ch, chain; dc, double crochet; st, stitch; htr, half treble; tr, treble; slst, slip st; yrh, yarn round hook; dc2tog, work 2dc together as follows: [insert hook in next st, yrh and pull through] twice, yrh and pull through all 3 loops on…

The macula is the most sensitive, central part of the retina (essentially the ‘seeing’ cells at the back of the eye). Incoming light focuses on this 5.5mm spot to produce clear images (central vision). If it’s damaged, we won’t lose our sight completely, but we’ll struggle to read, or detect fine objects or colours. The macula can be damaged by genetic defects (macular dystrophy), diabetic macular oedema (fluid leaks from damaged blood vessels), retinal vein occlusion (blockage), and macular holes. But the main cause is age-related macular degeneration (AMD) – the commonest cause of sight loss in the UK. AMD causes AMD affects over 600,000 people in the UK – it’s rare before the age of 55 years but affects one in eight of us by the time we’re 80.…

‘My pelvic floor wasn’t the same as before’ I trained as a chartered physiotherapist and, with a keen interest in everything from triathlons to kitesurfing, remained fit and healthy throughout my pregnancy with Beau, now three. I was fortunate to have a natural birth, with no major complications, but returning to exercise wasn’t so easy: I found my pelvic floor wasn’t quite the same as before. I went to see my GP but, unfortunately, my concerns were brushed aside with the comment, ‘What do you expect? You’ve had a baby.’ Unable to find any practical advice and horrified by the lack of support and general acceptance of pelvic-floor and core dysfunction in women, I decided to do something about it myself – and came up with the idea for Fit…

The Shetland Islands The popular BBC crime drama Shetland , starring Douglas Henshall as DI Jimmy Perez, is set against the spectacular backdrop of this Scottish archipelago. Shetland comprises over 100 islands stretching nearly 90 miles and is closer to the Arctic Circle than London. Nowhere is further than three miles from the sea and visitors are seduced by the islands’ wild beauty, tranquillity and sense of openness. Lovers of wildlife are well catered for, with countless sea birds, otters and seals among the many creatures at large, so have binoculars ready. Over 6,000 common seals populate the sheltered stretches of coastline. It’s also rich in history. One of Britain’s most important archaeological sites, Jarlshof, is among 6,000 to be found here. Shetland’s well-maintained roads and reliable ferry network mean…

If Mum hadn’t given them a crazy bucket list, she wouldn’t even be here It wasn’t easy. Waiting. Her eyes were closed, although she didn’t really know it. Her body was motionless. Her spirit, the essence of who she was, had all but gone. But still she was there. A tiny fragment of herself. They would be sad, of course they would. That was an understatement; their lives would be ripped inside out. But eventually they would go on. That was how it worked. Those who were left behind always went on. They had no choice. And she’d given them something to get their teeth into; a purpose; a goal. Amy could vacate her life with a semblance of peace in her heart. It was clichéd but true. It was…

It’s the sort of hat you could throw open to the public Every year, the rugby, football and cricket clubs get together for a charity dinner (presumably leaving the bowls club and the tennis club sitting at home wondering if they have a body odour problem). We all get dressed up and work our way through soup, chicken and what might or might not be profiteroles while somebody comes round to remove cash from our purses and wallets with an industrial vacuum. And every year, Mr Dear gets rather overexcited during the auctions. First, though, we must talk about Mrs Anderson’s hat. I should explain that she is not actually called Mrs Anderson. I have chosen that name to protect her privacy and, more importantly, to make sure I am…

We love letters Woman’s Weekly, 161 Marsh Wall, London E14 9AP. PS. It really helps when you put your details in capitals We do not return photos (apart from ‘You Wore It Well’) so please do not send originals Email us Womansweeklypostbag @timeinc.com  Tell us your full name, address and daytime phone number, please Fancy a chat? Log on to facebook.com/  womansweekly We can’t wait to hear from you! If you’d like updates on wonderful project ideas, video tutorials and all the news about our upcoming craft workshops, it’s simple to subscribe to the Woman’s Weekly news letter. • The sign-up box is easy to find on the home page of our website. Just pop in your email address. womansweekly.com Important! All contributions to Woman’s Weekly must…

Penny Dyson, 54 Tell us about your look.. I love a luxe fashion look. Anthropologie is my favourite store, as it has such an eclectic mix of styles. My velvet skirt, faux-fur gilet and snood are all from there. M&S is great for basics – my sweater is M&S. The boots are by Geox and my bag came from TK Maxx. And the best bit of your body? My slim legs. Janice Hatt, 59¾ Tell us about your look... As I’ve recently lost over 14st I’m still rethinking my look. Everything I’m wearing today, from my cable-knit sweater dress to my boots and my pom-pom scarf, was bought in the charity shop where I work as a volunteer. And the best bit of your body? My teeth – they’re all…

This week’s columnist: Author Gabrielle Mullarkey Space – or how we apportion and share it in our homes and workplaces – really is the final frontier. Personally, I never thought of myself as a particularly territorial or ‘Bagsy this seat!’ kind of person – until my brother came to stay. At home, my centre of writing ops is my dining-room table. Imagine my horror, then, to return from a week away only to find that my brother, house-sitting in my absence, had dined on said table, shoving my laptop aside, collecting my carefully scattered paperwork and piling it tidily on a chair. He might as well have swept a half-completed 1,000-piece jigsaw into the bin. Days later, I’m still reassembling my own jigsaw of eccentrically prioritised paperwork and plucking congealed…

By the 1800s, the invention of magnets and electricity allowed magicians to pull off spectacular tricks From Merlin to Harry Potter, there’s something about magic that’s endlessly fascinating. For over 4,000 years, we’ve been entranced by stories of its otherworldly power, from the parlour-trick entertainments of the Egyptian conjurors to the sinister spell casting of the medieval witches. But, as an exhibition at the British Library shows, it wasn’t until our Victorian predecessors took this strange obsession with the occult, and transformed it into spectacular stage shows for the theatre halls, that magic became a respectable family entertainment. Today, some of our most beloved plays, songs and films wouldn’t hold the same allure without magic. But how did we become so bewitched? Ancient origins Unsurprisingly, it was the ancient Egyptians…

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Chocolate Digestives 1 Put the flour, oatmeal and bicarbonate of soda in a bowl. Rub in the butter, to form crumbs. Add the sugar and just enough milk to bring the mixture so that it sticks together. Wrap in cling film. Chill for 20 mins. 2 Roll out the dough on lightly floured baking parchment. Stamp out 10 rounds with the cutter. Spread out on parchment-lined baking sheets and chill for 15 mins. 3 Heat the oven to 160°C or Gas Mark 3. 4 Bake for 12 mins, until firm and beginning to brown. Cool on a wire rack. 5 Melt the chocolate with the oil in a heatproof bowl, resting over a pan of simmering water. Spoon the chocolate on…

The Power Of Thought A woman with a form of motor neurone disease (ALS) has typed a computer message simply by thinking about it, thanks to an electrode in her skull. When she imagines lifting her hand to click a mouse, the computer program turns this into on-screen letters. With eye-tracking letter selection not always effective, this is an exciting first for people with locked-in syndrome. True Or False? When people say ‘I'm fine', they're usually not. True, according to a British survey, which found that although we say ‘I’m fine’ on average 14 times a week, only one in five of us really means it. The Mental Health Foundation has advice on coping at mentalhealth.org.uk. Strong Man, Stronger Bones Obese men who have lost muscle bulk/ strength (sarcopenia) are…

A compromise is needed Q My husband has recently left his job and started to work on his own. His work used to pay for him to be a member of a number of professional bodies. Now he’s on his own, he has to pay for these himself. I understand it’s useful for him to belong but, while he’s developing his business, he’s earning very little and I’m worried about our family finances. I said this to him and suggested he didn’t join for the moment. His response was that I was being unsupportive and not helping him grow his new company. Julianne, Nottingham A I understand that you’re worried about the family income, as your husband is earning less, but his need to belong to the very bodies that…

Where I went The city of Chichester in West Sussex near to the South Downs and a short drive from the South Coast. What I did There are so many places to visit, both in the city and nearby (Fishbourne Roman Palace, Arundel Castle, Bosham Quay, Petworth House), but we opted for a walk around town taking in the magnificent cathedral, which is 900 years old, with a massive steeple that can be seen from miles away. Then we browsed the Pallant House Gallery, which has one of the best collections of modern British art in the country. To top off the weekend, we drove over to West Wittering for a bracing walk along the beach. Where I stayed We visited family in the city centre, but there is plenty…

Jane Plan is a diet service that delivers perfectly proportioned, ready-prepared breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks to your door. You can pick your favourites and tailor your delivery – all for as little as £1.77 per meal. And, now the festive season is over, it’s the perfect time to start that healthy new regime – with the Jane Plan you’ll start seeing results from week one, so what are you waiting for? Better still, you’ll save £25 on the current best price. Here’s how it works… 1 SELECT YOUR PLAN AND SIGN UP Go to janeplan.com and select your plan. Enter your WW code WW17 at the checkout to enjoy £25 off! Or call us on 020 3489 4770, quoting WW17. 2 CHOOSE YOUR MEALS Go to the menu selector…

The Beautiful Fjords Of Western Norway Departing up to October 2017. Price includes: • Return flights to Bergen • Comfortable, air-conditioned coach travel and transfers • Seven nights’ half board at the Kviknes Hotel in Balestrand, on the Sognefjord • Fully escorted by a friendly, experienced tour manager Lake Garda Departing up to October 2017. Price includes: • Return flights and airport transfers • Seven nights’ three-star accommodation (upgrades available) with breakfast • Optional excursions including a Grand Circular lake tour, Venice, Verona and the Dolomites (at a supplement) • The services of a tour manager in resort New England In The Fall Departing September to October 2017. Price includes: • Return flights and coach transfers • Seven nights’ room-only accommodation • New England trail, plus visit Manhattan, Boston, Yankee…

I felt so guilty reading your article ‘I’m So Grateful To Have Adored Her’ by Bel Mooney about the grief of losing her pet dog, Bonnie (13 December). When I was a teenager, I admit to saying those very words, ‘It’s only a dog,’ when an elderly neighbour’s beloved pet died. Just after my 60th birthday, my 18-year-old tomcat passed away. I was inconsolable. I still miss him five years later, and I have cat ornaments in my home and garden in remembrance of Ginger. I wish I had been more sympathetic to the old lady now that I appreciate what she went through. Christine Curtis, Quedgeley, Gloucester • Thank you for sharing your thoughts, Christine. We love to hear from you, so do get in touch if you have…

Aries 21 Mar - 20 Apr You’ve lots of energy and it’s a good time to start a new project – anything that feels fresh and exciting. Taurus 21 Apr - 21 May It’s important to have time to yourself this week. Anything involving deep research is under favourable aspects. Gemini 22 May - 21 Jun Your social life is buzzing so ensure you get out and about. You could meet some wonderful new friends. Cancer 22 Jun - 23 Jul This is a good time for a heart-to-heart discussion with someone dear to you, if there’s a let-up from work! Leo 24 Jul - 23 Aug You might be off on a surprise trip, but keep up any good habits you have in place to take care of your…

‘My passion is helping people to gain confidence’ ‘Everyone needs to think about why we have prejudice against people who look different’ One of Beverley Sky Fulker’s earliest childhood memories is wishing she could be invisible. Beverley, who was born with a large port-wine birthmark down one cheek, says children at school taunted her with cruel names ‘all day long’, and repeatedly asked her what was wrong with her face. At just seven years old, Beverley, who is now 38, started plastering her face with thick, greasy camouflage make-up, desperately hoping to disguise her mark. ‘My face looked as if it was covered in mud and I looked very weird,’ she says with a wry laugh, ‘but it was still better than showing my birthmark’. These days she wears no…

Note To Self Pretty-up dull notebooks with wallpaper. Open the notebook out on top of the paper, draw round with a border. Cut out, then apply glue and fold in the paper to the inside of the cover. You can tuck some of the excess paper into the spine, too. • In rack, from back: Prestigious Textiles Remix in Porcelain, £48 per roll Prestigious Textiles Calia in Zest, £49 per roll, both John Lewis (0345 604 9049; johnlewis.com); Star-ling in Midnight & Silver, £60 per roll, Mini Moderns (minimoderns.com). Tiny Cabin Multi, £29 per sq m, including wallpaper paste, Photowall (020 3318 3660; photowall.co.uk); Xander in Nordic Blue, £23 per roll, John Lewis (see details above). For wallpaper on pots, see right. Pretty In Pink Cover a plain magazine holder…

1 Don't smok e – it may quadruple y our AMD risk and is linked to cataracts, too. 2 Eat plenty of vegetables, for vitamins/ nutrients that improve eye health. 3 Heart-friendly foods, such as wholegr ains and polyunsatur ated fats, are also good for your eyes. Obesity may increase AMD risk s, too. 4 Ultraviolet light in sunshine is linked to AMD and cataracts, so w ear a hat and wrap-around sunglas ses (with a CE mark or BS EN IS O 12312-1). 5 Protect eyes from trauma and chemicals with saf ety goggles when nec essary. 6 Have regular eye tests and report any vision chang es or eye pain promptly.…

This Week SARAH BEE is a social media professional who’ll be able to answer your questions on the world wide web. Our Experts • Appliances • Internet • Digital • Animals • Finance/ consumer • Legal Online Mystery Shopping QI like the idea of being a mystery shopper. Where do I start? If you’ve ever fancied being a secret agent, but with less danger to life and limb and the potential for better outfits, mystery shopping could be for you. Getting paid to assess the customer experience in shops and services online can be a great way to earn some extra money. Mystery shoppers are sent on assignments and are then asked to fill in a detailed questionnaire about how their shopping went, and usually get reimbursed for their haul,…