Innholdsfortegnelse for 27-Dec-2022 i Woman's Weekly

Bath-time joys Fifty years ago, if you were at home during the day, then you were probably a homemaker. But if you had a paid job, you would head off in the morning to your factory or your office. So much has changed since then, hasn’t it? In the modern world, people often work at home for some or all of the time, and maybe even have more than one workplace elsewhere. I’m in that situation – we have offices in London, but also in Bath, where I occasionally need to go and, until my first visit, I hadn’t realised quite how stunning the city is. Suddenly a lunch-break wander has become a real treat. Find out more about Bath on page 38.…

Overhaul dull skin Healthy skin looks brighter and happier, so ensuring your skincare routine is consistent will help to give your complexion a healthy glow. Two extra ingredients that are worth adding in are exfoliating acids and antioxidants, which help to clear away dead skin cells, leaving your skin looking clearer and brighter. Apply Pixi Glow Tonic, £10, Boots, to a cotton pad and sweep over skin after cleansing. Vitamin C is a fantastic antioxidant, reversing dullness impressively quickly. A serum is the best way to use this ingredient – L’Oréal Revitalift Clinical 12% Pure Vitamin C Serum, £29.99, Boots, is incredibly concentrated and you’ll see a big difference within days. Transformative treatments You don’t necessarily need to always use masks, but they can help to keep your skin nourished.…

I always dread New Year’s Eve Q I’ve read your column for a while and you always find something positive to say. I don’t want you to do that here. I hate New Year! I can’t see what we celebrate. There’s no reason it will be better than last year. I don’t want to do anything and that upsets my partner, which I also don’t like. The worst bit is when everybody counts the new year in and hugs and kisses each other. Christine, Dundee A Thank you for reading my column – even if you think I’m too positive! I’ll try not to be too upbeat in answering your letter. The past few years haven’t been easy, with the pandemic and now a war in Europe, and no one…

NOT JUST FOR CHRISTMAS Scarlet poinsettias make pretty houseplants all year round – and may even flower again. Keep them happy in a warm, bright spot out of direct sun and draughts. Mist regularly and wipe the leaves with a damp cloth to remove dust. Only water when the compost has dried out and, after New Year, feed every month. THE MAGIC OF MULCH If it’s not too cold, spreading a blanket of mulch (leaf mould, rotted farmyard manure or bark chippings) on bare soil is an easy and satisfying job. Not only does it protect soil and plant roots from winter weather, it helps stop weeds coming up. Result! Garden to visit now Hafod, 15 miles from Aberystwyth, has a picturesque, 18th-century-style landscape, with circular walks created to take…

Knitting Difficulty level MAIN BODY With 5mm circular needle, cast on 195 (207) (213) (225) (237) (243) (255) (261) sts. Work backwards and forwards in rows. 1st row (right side): K3, [p3, k3] to end. 2nd row: P1, [k1, p1] to end. These 2 rows form pattern. Continue in pattern until work measures 60 (61.5) (63) (64.5) (66) (67.5) (69) (70.5) cm from beginning, ending with a wrong side row. Cast off. CUFFS (BOTH ALIKE) On each row-end side, place markers approximately 17 (17) (18) (19) (19) (20) (20) (21) cm up from each cast-on and cast-off edge. With right side facing, and using 5mm needles, pick up and k50 (50) (50) (54) (54) (58) (58) (58) sts between markers. 1st row: P2, [k2, p2] to end. 2nd row: K2,…

Wordwise You have 15 minutes to find as many words as possible using the letters in the grid. Each word must contain four or more letters, one of which must be the central square. No proper nouns, plurals or foreign words are allowed. There is one nine-letter word in the grid, for which the clue is: Ascribable. 15 = average. More than 35 = well done SUDOKU To solve this puzzle, fill in the grid so that each 3 x 3 box, each row and each column contains the numbers 1-9. LINKWORDS Fit 10 words into the grid so that each links with the end of the word on its left and the beginning of the one on the right. Then unscramble the letters in the shaded squares to make…

SUITS-ALL SHADE L’Oréal Paris Color Riche Satin Lipstick in Not a Yes, £9.99, Superdrug. A creamy formulation in a universally flattering tone. Plus 100% of profits go to charity. MISTLETOE-PROOF Maybelline Superstay Matte Ink Lipstick in Individualist, £9.99, Boots. A vibrant matte colour that seriously won’t budge – this affordable option won’t let you down. FLATTERING FORMULA NYX Smooth Whip Matte Lip Cream in Velvet Robe, £7.50, Asos. The buttery formula will pad out fine lines, and the soft velvet finish won’t dry out lips.…

CLAUDIA MOBERLEY, 30 Tell us about your look I love a faux fur gilet as it adds a touch of luxe. This is by Doré London and my top was bought online at House of CB. My cream trousers are H&M and my trainers are by Off-White. My bag is Louis Vuitton. Although I love to invest in designer pieces, I’m happy to mix high-end with high street. And the best bit of your body? My eyes. GEORGIE MAYES, 44 Tell us about your look I bought this bright check ‘shacket’ from Tu at Sainsbury’s. I just love the colour. Underneath, I’m wearing a roll-neck sweater from Reiss and skinny jeans from Tesco. My trainers are Air & Grace and I bought my bag online from GiftPop. It’s a great…

1 Severe pain that comes on very suddenly The majority of headaches aren’t serious, but one that comes on very suddenly – a so-called ‘thunderclap headache’ – must never be ignored and needs very urgent medical attention, says GP Dr Nisa Aslam. ‘It could be a sign of a vascular event, such as a brain haemorrhage, especially if your pain is severe and you have other worrying symptoms at the same time.’ ✣ Accompanying symptoms could range from nausea and vomiting to visual disturbances, weakness, slurred speech, swallowing problems, altered consciousness, or seizures. ✣ Thunderclap pain goes from 0-10 in a minute and lasts at least five minutes. It may feel as if your head has been whacked. ✣ It’s different to a sudden stabbing ‘ice-pick headache’, which lasts only…

‘A brand-new start’ Rachel Gristock, 48, is author of Mrs Wee and Mr Poo, and lives in Kent with her children, aged 11 and nine. I contracted COVID-19 in March 2020. At the time, I weighed 105kg and was morbidly obese, but despite being bedridden, I avoided going to hospital. I felt lucky to have recovered, then three months on I was hit with long COVID symptoms including debilitating fatigue, swelling and whole-body itching. I collapsed in public several times and was scared to leave the house. My life turned upside down. I was barely able to work in my role as a digital marketing consultant and began to get into debt. Just existing was a struggle. A rheumatologist formally diagnosed me with long COVID in August 2021, but the…

The hormone oestrogen stimulates the brain, keeps the neurons firing, supports the growth of new cells, and helps existing cells to form new connections. So when oestrogen levels fall in midlife, your entire body goes into a sudden deprivation state. At a cellular level, oestrogen pushes your brain cells to burn more glucose, which is its main fuel. Studies have shown that there is an overall reduction of brain energy levels during menopause, which can trigger hot flushes, night sweats, anxiety, depression, brain fog and other cognitive symptoms. Testosterone – which is also produced by the ovaries – strengthens nerves in the brain and contributes to mental sharpness and clarity, as well as overall energy levels. It also strengthens arteries that supply blood flow to the brain, which is crucial…

LOVES For the Love of the Land II by Jenny Jefferies (£22, HB, Meze Publishing) Celebrate British farmers and discover a wealth of glorious recipes with the latest cookbook in Jenny Jefferies’ popular series. Forty farmers share their stories about what farming means to them, including tales from inspiring women like Marion Regan, who supplies the strawberries to Wimbledon. From Welsh Lamb and Cheddar Risotto to Hedgerow Sponge Pudding, the recipes are irresistible. A truly delicious read! The Little Library Parties by Kate Young (£15, PB, Head of Zeus) An award-winning food writer, cook and bookworm, Kate Young has blended her passions together in this beautiful cookery book inspired by fiction. Whether it’s the Midsummer Cake from I Capture the Castle or a sardine butter on toast, based on musings…

Given the choice of keeping what we have now or revisiting our carefree youth, many of us would firmly opt for the good old days, but Sally Lindsay is not among them. The popular TV actress reaches her landmark 50th birthday next year, but rather than talking about it with a shudder of dread, she says her middle years are where she’s actually most content. ‘I’m happier now,’ she explains. ‘I wish I could go back to my old self and say, “Love, it’s going to be fine, don’t sweat over silly things.” I wouldn’t do my 20s again, just because of the angst.’ Sally’s 20s saw her make her name as Coronation Street’s big-hearted barmaid Shelley Unwin, a role she played for five years. ‘I became very famous in…

Christmas is coming and I’m in a happy mood. I’m spending it with my wife of nearly 50 years, and my three children, seven grandchildren and the neighbour’s cat, Nala – she came to visit a few years ago and wouldn’t go home. I’ve spent Christmas in Bethlehem, Mexico and Iceland, but I’ve decided you can’t beat a British Christmas. This is the place to be. And I’ve been celebrating its wonderful eccentricity in my new book. As a boy, I loved 1066 and All That, a funny book about the history of Britain. I wanted to do a book like that. My publishers said, ‘You’re associated with Just a Minute, the radio programme. Why don’t you tell the history of Britain in just a minute?’ I talk about hundreds…

BROCCOLI PESTO PASTA This pasta dish should be in your must-make list. Thrifty on ingredients, the broccoli creates a creamy pesto that’s so simple to make. PER SERVING 581 cals, 27g fat, 6g sat fat, 58g carbs SERVES 2 PREP 10 MINS COOK 15 MINS ✣ 150g trofie pasta or other small pasta shape ✣ 30g walnuts, toasted ✣ 200g broccoli, florets and stalk ✣ Small pack basil leaves, plus extra to serve ✣ 30g Parmesan, finely grated (or use a vegetarian alternative), plus extra to serve ✣ Zest and juice 1 lemon ✣ 1 garlic clove, crushed ✣ 2tbsp olive oil ✣ Pinch chilli flakes 1 Cook the pasta according to the pack instructions. 2 Whizz the walnuts in a food processor with the remaining ingredients until fairly smooth.…

Advice from our Woman’s Weekly doctor SAD is sometimes known as ‘winter depression’ because the symptoms are usually more apparent and severe at this time of year. However, a few people with it may have symptoms during the summer and feel better during the winter. The exact cause of SAD isn’t fully understood, but it may be linked to reduced exposure to sunlight during the shorter autumn and winter days, which might stop a part of the brain called the hypothalamus working properly, increasing production of melatonin, a hormone that makes you feel sleepy, and reducing production of serotonin, a hormone that affects your mood, appetite and sleep. There may be a genetic element, so it can run in families. Symptoms of SAD include: persistent low mood; difficulty concentrating; loss…

ARIES 21 Mar – 20 Apr It could be a question of timing. If something is not moving forward, focus elsewhere for a while. TAURUS 21 Apr – 21 May You may make wonderful new connections this week. Reach out to others and you may be pleasantly surprised. GEMINI 22 May – 21 Jun Financially, it’s time to take a different direction. You can make new streams of income if you put your mind to it. CANCER 22 Jun – 23 Jul You are making progress, only sometimes you’re the last to see it. Look at what you’ve accomplished this year and you’ll see how well you did. LEO 24 Jul – 23 Aug You may meet a significant person, or rekindle an old or existing relationship. You’ve changed and…

Just about the only bad thing about this job are the deadlines. They loom over you, and they’re often armed with blunt instruments. One of the nice things about the job is that, just when a deadline is poised to strike and you think you have nothing to write about, something always happens. Inspiration comes, and the deadline has to slink away. Honestly, the language sometimes. Very often, this inspiration is accidentally provided by Mr Dear, just as it was earlier this week when I went into the kitchen and found him wrapping his feet in a copy of a newspaper. Hold on to that image. We will return to it in a moment, but, to be honest, I didn’t notice at first because I was too busy sniffing the…