Innholdsfortegnelse for 01-Dec-2020 i Woman's Weekly

Editing an icon Officially, Woman’s Weekly has never before had a male editor. Biddy Johnson famously edited the magazine for over 40 years up to the 1960s, but prior to her the person in charge simply signed off as ‘Your Editress’. So imagine our astonishment when, years ago, a reader got in touch to say a male relative of hers had been the first-ever editor of Woman’s Weekly. In an age when women sometimes disguised their gender with a male nom de plume, it seems surprising that a man thought it best to do the reverse. But today, whoever’s editing, I hope you’ll still agree that Woman’s Weekly remains the best read!…

I came across this some years ago and enclosed a copy of it in with my cards. Everyone who received it was really touched. I thought others might also like to send it to their friends. Brenda Mathews, West Sussex I have a list of folk I know, all writtenin a bookAnd every year at Christmastime I goand take a lookAnd that is when I realise their names areall a partNot of the book they’re written in but of myvery heartFor each name stands for someone whosepath touched mine and thenLeft such a print of friendship that I want totouch againAnd while it sounds fantastic for me to makethis claimI really feel that I’m composed of each andevery nameSo never think my Christmas cards are justa mere routineOf names upon…

‘I don’t accept that because of your age there are things you can’t do’ After spending the past six decades on Coronation Street , having appeared in the very first episode, it would be understandable if Bill Roache was thinking about taking a well-earned break. After all, he already landed himself a place in the Guinness World Records when the show celebrated its golden anniversary – 10 years ago! Yet a decade later – as both the soap and Bill celebrate their 60th anniversary – the 88-year-old actor shows no signs of slowing down. ‘I’d still like to be in the show when I’m 90, when I’m 100, even when I’m 120 if I can make it,’ he says. ‘I love Coronation Street , I really do. I remember a…

“ When Shirlie was pregnant with our son Roman, now 27, I was working in America a lot and travelling back and forth. Just before he was due, I was offered work filming in Los Angeles. The producers asked if I could fly over, but Shirlie was eight-and-a-half months pregnant by then. I knew that if I went on my own, I’d end up missing the birth – and back then we didn’t have technology like FaceTime, to stay in touch, so being apart just wasn’t an option. But you’re not supposed to go to America if you’re heavily pregnant – 36 weeks is the limit to fly. Firstly, in case you end up having the baby on the flight, and secondly, they don’t want you to visit just to…

OUR BEST-EVER MINCE PIES We’ve perfected every element of these mince pies, and hope you love them as much as we do! MAKES 20-24 For the pastry: ✣ 75g (2½oz) unsalted butter, cut into cubes ✣ 30g (1oz) lard or Trex vegetable fat, cut into cubes ✣ 200g (7oz) plain flour ✣ Zest of 1 orange For the filling: ✣ 250g (9oz) mincemeat ✣ 1 pear, grated For the top: ✣ 3 egg whites ✣ 300g (10oz) icing sugar ✣ 300g (10oz) ground almonds ✣ 4tsp vanilla bean paste You will need: ✣ 2 x 12-hole shallow cupcake trays ✣ Round or fluted cutter slightly larger than the hole ✣ Piping bag fitted with a star nozzle 1 For the pastry, rub the fat into the flour with ¼tsp sea…

1 TAKE DEEP BREATHS… before wearing your mask. Experiment with fabrics to find one you’re most comfortable with. Add lavender oil to help calm you. 2 GO FOR A NECK GAITER Choose a face covering that hangs down your neck rather than fits around your jaw. It will feel less restrictive and help you breathe easier. 3 CUT THE TIME YOU WEAR IT Reduce browsing time. Mind, the mental health charity, offers advice about dealing with mask anxieties. Call them on 030 0123 3393.…

✢ If overweight, symptoms and the risk of long-term health problems are improved by losing excess weight – just 5% gives significant improvements. ✢ Hirsutism and hair loss may improve on some types of combined contraceptive pill and other medication, including spironolactone, flutamide or finasteride – ask your GP. ✢ Eflornithine cream can help slow down the growth of unwanted facial hair – it doesn’t remove hair, but thins it. It’s only available on private prescription. ✢ Psychological support can help with self-esteem and fertility worries. Ask your GP about CBT and visit pcos.com for support groups and information.…

My father is being stubborn Q My father is still living on his own at 87. He has travelled down to us each year for Christmas from Scotland on the train. I don’t think he should do that this year and I’ve offered to drive up and collect him. He’s furious and says I’m treating him like a child. He’s now saying if he can’t get the train, he won’t come. Denise, London A Your father will be well aware he’s getting older and every activity that’s taken away from him will make him feel older and probably anxious. His independence is something he prides himself on and he doesn’t want to be stopped. Perhaps you could put it in the context of COVID-19 and say that you don’t want…

POINSETTIA For many, it’s the go-to festive flowerer, largely because of this originally tropical plant’s outstanding red display. CHRISTMAS CACTUS Another tropical stunner. Green for most of the year, around December its blooms burst out into a splash of colour. HYACINTH Prepared hyacinth bulbs bloom over Christmas and the intoxicating fragrance makes them my absolute favourite.…

BETTY O’MAHONY, 84 Tell us about your look My sweater is from M&S, trousers from Debenhams and my trainers by Cotton Traders. My bag and scarf are both from John Lewis. I shop with my daughter and granddaughter – it’s wonderful to have approval from the next generation. And the best bit of your body? Others say I have a great set of pins! ALISON BURGESS, 55 Tell us about your look I’m very much a jeans and top woman. I love a pair of jeans worn with a bright jumper or a fine knit V-neck layered over a stretchy top. I also love anything with texture for a soft, luxurious look. This orange chenille knit and jeans are both Primark, and my jacket is borrowed from my daughter. My…

LUSH LIPS Charlotte Tilbury Lipstick in ‘Super Nude’, £25, charlottetilbury.com Every woman needs a chic lipstick in her handbag and this suits-all-shade in a beautiful bejewelled case is a fail-safe gift – unless you decide to treat yourself! BATHING BEAUTY Soapsmith Bath Soak, £25, soapsmith.com Cheaper than a spa treatment, this luxurious Dead Sea salt, coconut milk powder and essential oils combo makes bath time special. SPICE IT UP Space NK Shimmering Spice Candle, £26, spacenk.com The blend of cinnamon, cedar and spice will make any room smell suitably festive, and the glamorous gold votive can be used long after the candle has been used up. SLEEP WELL Bloom & Blossom All Night Long Calming Sleep Spray, £15, bloomandblossom.com Give the gift of a great night’s sleep with this gorgeous,…

The NHS is launching a new smartphone DIY diagnostic test for people at high risk of chronic kidney disease. Patients with diabetes and high blood pressure will be sent a home-test kit and an app with a colour chart to match urine test samples. Currently around half of those asked to attend a clinic for a urine test don’t go, meaning their kidney disease may not be spotted until later, running the risk of kidney failure and the need for treatment such as dialysis.…

A Draft NICE guidance on chronic pain states there is little or no evidence that paracetamol, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, opioids or benzodiazepines make any difference to quality of life, pain or psychological distress in conditions including chronic pain, chronic musculoskeletal pain and chronic pelvic pain. However, acute pain will benefit from painkillers. Recommended treatments for chronic pain include supervised group exercise, acupuncture and some psychological therapies, but there’s not enough evidence to support manual therapy, social interventions, biofeedback, relaxation therapy, hypnosis, TENS, ultrasound and interferential therapy. However, the Royal College of GPs says ‘patchy’ access to specialist psychological therapies or chronic pain management clinics needed to be addressed for the guidance to work. NICE estimates 31% of the population are affected by chronic pain, with almost half having a diagnosis…

Q My mother died recently from cancer and we needed to clear her house. I found a few letters from a lover who she’d had while married to my father. I was shocked and of course she’s no longer here to answer for them. I’m very angry and upset she did this, and find myself disliking her. How do I get that image out of my head? She was a wonderful mother and grandmother, and I don’t want to lose that memory. Name and address withheld A Even when we’re adults ourselves, we often have an idealised view of our parents, who we believe can do no wrong. Of course, that isn’t true, as they’re human. This information will have reminded you that she was fallible at a time when…

Difficulty level YOU WILL NEED ✣ Buckets ✣ Oasis wreath ring (31cm) ✣ Craft knife ✣ Green florist’s wire ✣ Wire cutters ✣ Spruce and pine ✣ Eucalyptus parvifolia ✣ Myrtle or pistache foliage ✣ Ivy or holly or ruscus ✣ Florist’s scissors ✣ Five large red roses ✣ Spray roses ✣ Red berries, large and small ✣ Mini gold baubles ✣ Cut-flower food (optional) MAKING THE WREATH 1 Fill a large bucket with water and place the Oasis ring on top, allowing it to soak up the water for two minutes. Remove from the water and, using a craft knife, cut away the edge of the inner and outer ring. This will help soften the arrangement. If hanging the wreath, knot florist’s wire in a loop at the top.…

BE TREEMENDOUS! National Tree Week, from 28 November to 6 December, marks the start of the winter tree-planting season. You can plant any time from now until March, unless the soil is very wet or frozen. Make sure you take time choosing the right tree, though, taking note of eventual height and spread, so you don’t end up regretting your selection in 10 years’ time! For a list of trees for smaller spaces, visit rhs.org.uk MAGICAL MOSS Bring a touch of nature into the home by making a Japanese moss ball (kokedama). Take a house plant (ferns and ivies work well) and wrap its roots in a ball of wet, sticky soil – ideally two parts peat-free compost mixed with one part bonsai compost. Cover with carpet or sphagnum moss…

ARIES 21 Mar – 20 Apr You’re in the process of going through a huge transformation. You’re a caterpillar emerging out of your chrysalis. TAURUS 21 Apr – 21 May Financially, you may receive some positive news now. A wonderful opportunity could come your way. GEMINI 22 May – 21 Jun This is a time to explore new possibilities. Give yourself a challenge to stretch beyond your limitations every day. CANCER 22 Jun – 23 Jul It’s a time of endings and new beginnings. Letting go of the past will free you to create a new, much more rewarding life. LEO 24 Jul – 23 Aug Make space for the new. Your stars favour decluttering, recycling and discarding anything you no longer use – it’s time for a tidy-up! VIRGO…

“You might remember that a couple of weeks ago, I was sitting in a rather dingy tea shop in town with my old flame Graham, wondering whether it was possible to cause actual bodily harm with a Victoria sponge. Before we discuss assault by slightly stale baked produce, let me first take a diversion into the life of the French novelist Marcel Proust. His most famous work is called In Remembrance of Things Past, which we once had to study at the suggestion of a rather highbrow member of our book club. Between ourselves, it was not a success. For a start, Marcel was not a writer who dashed off short books. My copy is 1,040 pages, and I see that this is just Part One. By the time we…

Catherine Lazenby (nee Davey), 1947, sent in by daughter, Anne Clarke My mum was wearing what was known as a ‘box’ coat – she had just been out for a stroll. Women dressed so smartly in that era, whatever the occasion. ✣ We’d love to see how great you looked in any era up to and including the 1980s. Please send a good-quality photo with your name, address and daytime phone number clearly written on the back, to: Fashion Dept, Woman’s Weekly, 161 Marsh Wall, London E14 9AP. Photos will be returned.…

No matter how old you are, you have the power to change factors that influence how long you live – and make yourself healthier and happier. We can’t do much about our luck or genetics, but we can control how we live our lives. Years of research prove what impact this can have on our life expectancy and general health. Here are 10 steps recommended by health experts – each of which could give you an extra year of healthy life… 1 Prioritise sleep Aim for six to eight hours a night. Sleep for less and you raise your sk of heart disease and death, according to a worldwide study published in the European Heart Journal. Studies have also found that sleeping for longer than eight hours increases your risk…

Sexual health problems are not as uncommon as you may think. Vaginal dryness is an extremely common issue. The vagina is lubricated by secretions from glands in the cervix, which are under the control of oestrogen. When oestrogen levels drop, such as during menopause, the vagina may feel more dry. This can lead to discomfort during intercourse, burning, dryness, itching, increased urination, increased urinary tract infections and sometimes incontinence of urine. There is a range of treatments available, so it’s important to discuss any worries with your doctor. The first step would be to avoid using perfumed soaps, while over-the-counter solutions can help with mild discomfort. Your doctor may also advise oestrogen replacement, either vaginally or by other routes as part of HRT. It’s important to personalise all treatment discussions,…

PCOS has three main features, two of which are needed for a diagnosis. The first is irregular or absent periods – your ovaries don’t regularly release eggs (ovulation) and you are less fertile. The second is excess androgen – high levels of male hormones, causing hirsutism – excessive hairiness on the face, back or buttocks; weight gain, thinning hair; oily skin or acne. And the third is polycystic ovaries – your ovaries become enlarged with many fluid-filled sacs (follicles), which may be unable to release eggs. The cause of PCOS isn’t clear. It’s very common, affecting one in every 10 UK women, although more than half don’t have symptoms. PCOS isn’t directly inherited, but sometimes runs in families. PCOS is also associated with an increased risk of health problems in…

1 INDIRECT METHODS Don’t interrupt or criticise any child, keep the home calm, speak slowly, and encourage taking turns and listening within the family. 2 BE ENCOURAGING Encourage what seems to help your child’s fluency – chat about what you’re doing together, playing, walking to school, their favourite books. 3 FOR YOUNG CHILDREN Try the Lidcombe Program, which is a behavioural course parents can do every day with their children – look at the website speechdisorder.co.uk 4 FOR SCHOOL AGE AND ADULTS Ask your GP for a speech referral. Look at feedback devices and other support online such as stamma.org…

1 Remove all packaging and ties from the foliage and flowers. 2 Snip away the bottom of the stems by about 5cm and remove any outer petals from the roses that are looking lacklustre. 3 Fill a couple of buckets with some water and a little cut-flower food if needed. 4 Strip any leaves from the bottom half of the stems, so no foliage or flowers sit in the water. 5 Place the foliage and the flowers in the water and leave them to acclimatise. 6 As long as the spruce and pine are kept cool and dry, you don’t need to put them into the buckets. Tip The foliage on this wreath should last a couple of weeks if you keep the Oasis foam in the arrangement well-watered.…

MEASUREMENTS Approximately 35 x 35cm/ 14 x 14in. MATERIALS 2 x 100g (310m) balls of King Cole Comfort DK (60% Acrylic 40% Nylon) in White (580) and 1 ball in Silver (772)*. Size 3.5mm crochet hook; a 35 x 35cm cushion pad; grey sewing thread and sewing needle; tissue paper. Yarn is available from theknittingnetwork.co.uk. ABBREVIATIONS Ch, chain; st, stitch; dc, double crochet; tr, treble; htr, half treble; chsp, chain space; slst, slip stitch. NOTE Yarn amounts are based on average requirements and are therefore approximate. Instructions in square brackets are worked as stated after 2nd bracket. BACK With 3.5mm hook and White, make 72ch. Foundation row (right side): 1dc in 2nd ch from hook (counts as 1 st), [1dc in next ch] to end, turn – 71 sts. 1st…

Dark Tides by Philippa Gregory (£20, HB, Simon & Schuster) In this second book in the Fairmile series, Gregory follows Alinor and her daughter Alys to Restoration London, far from the village accusations of witchcraft that almost killed her 21 years ago. But more troubles lie ahead with news that her son is drowned – and the arrival of his Italian widow, determined to make a fortune, one way or another. It’s a gripping read spanning London, Venice and New England, all carefully observed by Gregory. Fortune Favours the Dead by Stephen Spotswood (£18.99, HB, Wildfire) The golden age of detective fiction is truly alive in the first of a new murder-mystery series set in 1940s New York. Lillian Pentecost is a successful private detective, but her health is failing.…