Innholdsfortegnelse for 19-Feb-2019 i Woman's Weekly

I have to say I was inspired by reader Hilary’s letter on the next page, in which she talks about the opportunities retirement affords for giving back something to the community. We are all, on  average, living much longer these days, so what for our grandparents was probably the very last few years of their life has become potentially a huge opportunity to forge new experiences and maybe also help our fellow citizens as a volunteer. Hilary is now working for the ambulance service and her local wildlife trust (plus helping with her grandchildren!). I hope 70-year-old future me will be doing as much to help others. Fast food I love to cook but as they say these days, I’m ‘time poor’. I’ll definitely be trying the 20 minute recipes…

If your stainless-steel appliances are grubby, pop a small amount of baby oil on to a clean, microfibre cloth and give them a wipe. Don’t throw away an old toothbrush. Rinse in boiling water to get rid of any germs, and use it to get into nooks and crannies that your vacuum cleaner can’t reach. Hairbrushes get grubby with grease and product build-up, just as our hair does. Get rid of dirt and residue by mixing washing up liquid and warm water and giving it a good clean.…

‘I’ve tended to use humour as both a shield and a weapon’ Bonnie Langford barely had a moment to breathe after she finished playing diva Dorothy Brock in the musical 42nd Street in early January, before she jumped into rehearsals for her role in the Dolly Parton musical 9 to 5 , which has just opened at London’s Savoy Theatre. ‘Well, I am something of a workaholic,’ she jokes. Bonnie is the epitome of that showbiz cliché: a real trouper. She was first carried on stage by her dancer- teacher mother Babette at just 4 months of age. ‘I’m told I twinkled at the lights,’ she says. It’s something she’s been doing pretty much non-stop for the ensuing 54 years. But it would…

It’s February, and New Year’s resolutions are a dim and scorned memory. No, of course I haven’t managed to exercise three times a week; no, I didn’t make it to more than the first beginners’ French class; and no, I still haven’t bothered to pick out an outfit on the eve of a big meeting in order to avoid a panicked dash around the house, hunting out unladdered tights and stuffing down cornflakes. Truth is, I’ve failed to improve myself at all so far this year. This isn’t a total surprise. Despite my constant desire to uncover a more sophisticated version of myself, I find January and February too relentlessly dull and dark to inspire genuine change. However, I’m not a quitter, I’m an optimist, and spring is approaching. This…

✿ Look at the Eatwell Guide advice at nhs.uk or see an NHS dietitian. ✿ Identify and treat any underlying physical, mental or social factors, such as help needed for shopping, cooking or eating. ✿ Consume more energy-and protein-dense foods, drinks and extra snacks. (Fortified foods and drinks are available from supermarkets, pharmacies and on prescription.) ✿ Hospital admission may be needed for supplementary feeding through a nasal tube, intravenous drip or PEG tube (through the tummy wall). ✿ See nutritional care guidelines from NICE and the GMC for people with chronic illness or who are nearing the end of life.…

Geneticist and obesity expert Dr Giles Yeo, author of Gene Eating (£10.49, PB, Seven Dials), appears on BBC TV’s Trust Me, I’m a Doctor . MY GO-TO REMEDY A cold beer and country music fixes most things, I find. FAVOURITE MEAL  I have two answers! At home, it would be Hainanese Chicken Rice – a family special (my maternal grandpa is Hainanese). It’s a peasant dish of poached chicken, where the poaching broth is then used to cook an accompanying rice, soup and sauce. It’s served with a fiery ginger, garlic and chilli dip. At a hotel, when I’m jet-lagged from travel, I’ll have buffalo wings, fries and beer! HOW I KEEP FIT AND HEALTHY  My saving grace is my daily commute…

YOU WILL NEED ✿ Sashiko embroidery starter kit (see Stockists) OR: ✿ White sashiko embroidery thread ✿ 60cm square blue cotton fabric ✿ Sashiko embroidery needle ✿ Water-soluble fabric pencil ALSO: ✿ 30cm square low-loft batting ✿ Quilter’s ruler ✿ Compass ✿ Scissors ✿ Sewing machine ✿ Matching sewing thread Time to make: 6 hours Finished size: 10cm sq Stockists: Sew Easy Sashiko Starter Kit (includes 50 x 142cm navy cotton fabric; four templates; white embroidery thread; fabric pencil and embroidery needles), £39.99; Robert Kaufman Essex linen fabric, £14.99 per m; all from minervacrafts.com. Making the pattern 1 Start by marking vertical lines at 2.5cm apart on four of the blue cotton squares using the quilting ruler and water-soluble pencil. Then, in the same way, mark horizontal lines at 2.5cm…

1 If you regularly shop online with the same supermarket, it’s often worth signing up for their delivery scheme – you pay a set amount per year and no delivery fees thereafter. 2 Once your mobile phone contract expires, cut costs with a SIM-only deal. That way, you keep the handset you have and just pay for your call package. 3 If you travel regularly on off-peak trains, get a railcard. They offer hefty discounts if you’re over 60, have a disability, travel regularly with one specific person, or travel with children.…

Aries 21 Mar – 20 Apr This may be a quieter week than usual. Take time to enjoy some relaxing and peaceful moments. Taurus 21 Apr – 21 May Friends and your social circle are highlighted this week. It’s a great time to meet new people. Gemini 22 May – 21 Jun Trust your intuition. This week, it will be especially strong, guiding you in the best possible direction. Cancer 22 Jun – 23 Jul Now’s the time to plan a trip or go on a spontaneous outing. It’s time to broaden your horizons. Leo 24 Jul – 23 Aug After intensive research, you may get to the root of a problem or situation and come up with some creative solutions. Virgo24 Aug – 23 Sep Relationships are under very…

Pleasure in store I was looking for a pattern of a plain raglan cardigan to knit and remembered I had old magazines of my mother’s stashed away. My mam passed away 20 years ago and I had kept them all this time. I thought you might like to see them. Susan Shiels, Warwick Another option! I have just read your article in the 15 January magazine about the ladies who are not yet intending to retire. I just wanted to express a different perspective as there are many advantages to retirement, too. I retired last year at the age of 60 from a job I loved and having had a truly fulfilling professional career. This enabled the next generation to step up the career ladder and gave me the opportunity…

Karen Ivey, 59 Tell us about your look… These are fairly new trousers from the high street. I liked the trendy check fabric – ideal for a wardrobe update. My jumper is Zara. My leather jacket is from Karen Millen and was a gift. I often wear it over a floaty dress for a more ‘boho’ look. My boots are Moda In Pelle and my luxe Coach bag was a Christmas present. And the best bit of your body? My décolletage. You wore it well Lois Holyoak, née Massey, 1951 Sent in by her daughter, Jane Meel This photo of my mum was taken when she was maid of honour at her sister’s wedding. Her dress was pink taffeta rimmed with lace, her hat was pink straw. We’d love to…

...Explore Snowdrop Valley With defined walks, from the short/direct route to a three-hour trek, the beautiful Snowdrop Valley (Exmoor) will be in flower. Until 3 March. ✿ For more details, visit-exmoor.co.uk ...Watch Dirty Dancing After a West End run, the iconic story of Baby and Johnny is hitting the road with a nationwide tour. Visiting cities nationwide, including Edinburgh, Woking and Manchester until 17 August 2019. ✿ For more details, visit dirtydancingontour.com ...Visit Shugborough, Staffordshire A set of eight ‘capriccio’ paintings at Shugborough in Staffordshire are to undergo conservation to stabilise flaking paint and to discover more of their complex history. You can witness the conservators in action through the year. ✿ For more details, nationaltrust.org.uk/shugborough-estate Important! All contributions to Woman’s Weekly must be original and NOT duplicated to other…

Chicken carbonara risotto This cheat recipe is every bit as good as a risotto made from scratch – and you can keep the ingredients ready in the freezer PER SERVING: 360 cals; 20g fat; 6g sat fat; 23g carbs SERVES: 4 ✿ 1tbsp olive oil ✿ 1 chicken breast, flattened ✿ 120g (4oz) pancetta ✿ 1 x 500g (1lb 2oz) bag frozen vegetable risotto ✿ Zest and juice of 1 lemon ✿ 25g (1oz) Parmesan, grated ✿ 1tbsp chopped chives 1 Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the chicken breast and cook gently until golden and cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside to cool slightly. 2 Add the pancetta to the pan and fry until crisp. Pour in the frozen risotto mix and cook for…

The annual Product of the Year awards are upon us once again, voted for by UK consumers, just like you. They give the inside track on the most innovative and value-for-money buys around, covering everything from food and drink to health and beauty and household products. We’ve teamed up with Product of the Year to give 12 lucky readers the chance to win a bumper bag of products – the biggest yet! Here are just a few of the award-winners. Health and beauty lights by TENA range From £2 Unlike regular sanitary pads, lights by TENA are specially designed liners for urine leakage. They’re as thin as ordinary liners, but with far more absorbency. With new 5 in 1 Freshness, lights by TENA feature a 3D Touch top sheet and…

MEASUREMENTS Approximately 29 x 33cm/11½ x 13in. MATERIALS 1 x 100g (212m) ball of Sirdar Cotton DK (100% cotton) in each of Cream (Vanilla 502); Light Grey (Grey Dawn 520); Dark Grey (Breaking Waves 538); Light Green (Cool Aqua 519) and Dark Green (Tranquil 516). Size 3.5mm crochet hook. *Yarn is available from theknittingnetwork.co.uk. TENSION Each motif measures approximately 10 x 11cm, over pattern, using 3.5mm hook. ABBREVIATIONS Ch, chain; st(s), stitches; dc, double crochet; tr, treble crochet; slst, slip stitch; yrh, yarn round hook; chsp(s), chain space(s). NOTE Yarn amounts are based on average requirements and are therefore approximate. Instructions in square brackets are worked as stated after 2nd bracket. Tested by us So they work for you MITRED SQUARE MOTIF (make 12) With 3.5mm hook and Cream, make…

Finding Hope at Hillside Farm by Rachael Lucas (£7.99, PB, Pan Macmillan) Ella lives with her aunt on a remote Welsh farm where she looks after her horses and helps others. Trying to forget her past, she finds peace in the rolling hills – until Harry and his daughter Hope arrive. As they come to terms with loss, Ella thinks about her own happiness, but is it too late for her to find it? You’ll be carried along by these heartwarming characters and their stories. A Version of the Truth by BP Walter (£7.99, PB, Avon) In her youth, Holly Rowe found the courage to confess a dark secret, but was disbelieved, and her life left in tatters. Meanwhile, university classmate Julianne has grown used to the high life with…

The trouble with customers is that they are skittish and unpredictable. For hours on end, nobody comes into the shop, then a dozen arrive at once. Then they all disappear and we are left again to our own devices. My charity-shop colleague Wendy and I are twiddling our thumbs during one of these quiet moments. Well, I am twiddling my thumbs and Wendy is looking out of the window. ‘Quickly!’ she says. ‘Come and look at this.’ I stop twiddling. ‘Look at what?’ ‘That!’ she says, pointing across the street. ‘What do you think it is?’ ‘It’s a policeman,’ I say, resisting the temptation to add, ‘Durr!’ ‘Yes, I thought it was, but you see them so rarely these days that I thought I’d better check.’ ‘Don’t be horrid! That’s…

Tea with the Queen Wanting to break free from the boredom of washing up? Sing your heart out while wiping the dishes with this Freddie Mercury tea towel. Available from shop. nationaltheatre.org.uk , £12.50 Polish up your act Freshen up your manicure with these Mavala mini nail colours. They’re the perfect little pots of colour that won’t dry out before you reach the bottom. johnlewis.com , £5.20 Square root This unusual and elegant pot with its square stand will add a touch of class to your plants at home. nookoo.co.uk , £20…

Surgery isn’t often the answer Most backache gets better on its own within weeks, but even with longer-lasting or recurrent pain, an operation won’t often help. Exercise and non-surgical spinal treatments are usually more successful. ‘Surgery isn’t off the table completely,’ says back-specialist physiotherapist Neil Velleman (atkinsphysio.com). ‘If the pain isn’t responding to more conservative treatments or if nerves are being pinched, leading to neurological problems, numbness or bladder and bowel problems, then it would be a definite option. But surgery is certainly the last resort, not the first.’ Moving usually helps Doctors used to advise bed rest for a bad back, but now they recommend the opposite. ‘Exercise is crucial for relieving pain and accelerating recovery,’ says Woman’s Weekly doctor Melanie Wynne-Jones. ‘It also builds the supporting muscles around…

In the UK, 16,000 people are diagnosed with a brain tumour each year. In fact, they kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer. And yet just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to brain tumours, which is why Brain Tumour Research want funding parity with breast cancer and leukaemia. They are calling for a £30-35 million investment every year for research into brain tumours. ✿ To find out more and how you can support the campaign, visit braintumourresearch.org…

1 Exfoliate Dry skin looks dull and older, so the first step to brightening it up is to slough it away. Invest in a good hand scrub and keep it by the side of your sink. Using it two to three times a week should do the trick. Crabtree & Evelyn Gardeners Hand Scrub with Pumice, £14. 2 Protect Add in an extra hand cream that acts as an occlusive, a barrier layer that prevents moisture from leaving your skin. These often take the form of a balm, and have the added bonus of smoothing your skin. Atrixo Intensive Protection Cream, £4.99. 3 Moisturise We’re spoilt for choice when it comes to hand creams, so it’s worth being picky. Look for ingredients like hyaluronic…

Malnutrition affects one in 20 of us in the UK, according to the British Specialist Nutrition Association (BSNA), and costs over £19 billion a year in England alone. However, we often don’t realise when we or others are lacking the nutrients or hydration we need. We may be concerned when someone looks unwell or is losing weight rapidly (say, an unintentional loss of 5% or more of body weight over three to six months), but may accept reassurances without realising the dangers. Obesity is another form of malnutrition with its own risks (including cancers, heart disease and arthritis). People who eat calorie-heavy ready meals or who follow exclusion diets can miss out on vital nutrients, too. Who’s at risk? Although we may understand good nutrition, our shopping and cooking options…

1 Act quickly Bruises are caused by bleeding from tiny blood vessels under the skin, so immediate, firm pressure for 15 minutes can stop them getting bigger. 2 Try arnica Arnica and comfrey creams are good traditional remedies. Ask your pharmacist whether they might interact with any existing medicines or medical conditions. 3 Give it time A bruise may go blue, purple, green, yellow and last a couple of weeks. Haematomas (lumpy bruises) take longer and may get infected, in which case, see your doctor. 4 Seek advice If you get bruises with unexplained bleeding, fatigue or infections, or if they appear rapidly during a fever or illness, treat this is an emergency.…

I’m worried we won’t be good parents Q I’m 44 and my husband is 50. Now, after years of trying to have a baby, I’m 14 weeks pregnant. We had IVF twice that didn’t work, and then decided this was how life would be. We moved and bought a really lovely apartment, thinking we’d travel a bit and it would be easy to just take off. I’m a bit conflicted about the pregnancy as we’d moved on, but also guilty that I’m feeling this way. Lots of my friends are telling me how hard it will be at our age. I’m worried we won’t be good parents. Ali, London A Congratulations! That sounds lovely to me. Of course you’re feeling a bit worried and unsure. All expectant parents feel like…

Simply answer this question: Agatha Christie wrote… A) Detective novels B) Romance novels C) Fantasy novels If you know the answer, go to womansweekly.com, click Win and look for the competition. This competition is open from 9am on 13 February and closes at 11.59pm on 13 March 2019. T&Cs: Standard Woman’s Weekly terms and conditions apply. For details, go to ti-media.com/standard-competition-terms/ Entry implies acceptance to these rules. For website rules of play, go to competitions.womansweekly.com/rules. The promoter is TI Media Limited. There are 12 prizes to be won. The prize is a Product of the Year goody bag worth over £220, containing a selection of products. The prize will be delivered by courier.…

Tell us about your latest novel. I Owe You One is the story of two complete strangers, Fixie and Seb, who meet in a coffee shop and do a series of favours for each other: big, small, life-saving and life-changing. Fixie can’t stop ‘fixing’ things – sometimes with disastrous results. But, as the book goes on, she starts to see how she might fix things, not just for others, but for herself. Which heroine in your books do you most identify with? All have a bit of me in them, but I’ll go for Becky Bloomwood (obsessional shopaholic) crossed with Samantha Sweeting (obsessional workaholic lawyer). Who are you most inspired by? I’ve always looked at women who are older than me, and aspired to become them. As a journalist, I…