Innholdsfortegnelse for 26-Aug-2025 i Woman's Weekly

Nodding off "When I was a child, I slept like, well the proverbial baby. My father could be drilling, sanding and decorating outside my bedroom door and I wouldn’t wake. It was only when I became a parent that everything changed. Due to some resolved health issues, our first son had to have a period of being bottle-fed, and so it only seemed fair that I did some of the night feeds. The human body is an extraordinary thing, because from that moment, any tiny sound would wake me and, to an extent, that has continued to this day. But many people have much worse sleep issues, so if that sounds like you, don’t miss page 12."…

Touring can be exhausting, so I do a lot of homework and preparation before going out on the road. My fitness level, at the moment, for someone of my age is reasonably good – in fact, it’s probably very good. I’ve been doing aikido [a Japanese form of self-defence and martial art] for 37 years, and took my black belt when I was 50. I still do exercises and work out every day, and I think trying to keep fit is very important as you get older. Even if you only do a little bit. I also care about what I eat and drink. I like a drop of wine and I enjoy a drop of whisky, but I don’t go crazy. ‘I probably sing for three hours of the…

3 WAYS TO... Avoid microplastics 1 AVOID SINGLE-USE Especially in food and drink items. Ditch processed foods and eat wholefoods where possible. And avoid single-use plastic water bottles or drinks containers. 2 COOK WITHOUT PLASTIC Switch to wooden spoons and glass chopping boards, and steer clear of plastic utensils. Do not reheat food in plastic containers. 3 WEAR NATURAL FIBRES Microplastics have been found in everything from drinking water to seafood and clothing. ‘While research into the effects is in the early stages, it’s clear there are many worrying signs of how this pollution might affect us,’ says expert Mark Hall*. TIME TO TRY… A nasal spray to stop snoring Reduce nasal congestion, which can cause snoring, with Sterimar Breathe Easy. It uses 100% natural isotonic seawater to gently clear…

1 PICK A FLORAL Consider what type of design best suits your style and space, whether colourful exotic blooms, modern botanicals or country flowers. Sticking to one style is simpler and often works best when using a busy pattern. Partner them with textured plains, soft neutrals and patterned weaves to add contrast and create areas of calm. ✱ Elston Garden bedding set, from £50, Montpellier bed frame, from £1,000, cushions, from £35 each, Ardley throw, £38, Isaac wall light, £75, mirror, £220, and jute rug, from £80, all Laura Ashley 2 MIX AND MATCH Bold patterns can energise a room, but having too many can overwhelm the space. Start with a stand-out print that you plan to use over a larger area (such as a sofa or curtains) then team…

The UK’s birds of prey, otherwise known as raptors, come in many guises, from the pocket-sized little owl to the majestic white-tailed eagle. They have sharp talons, hooked beaks, and an acute sense of hearing and eyesight in common, which ensures they are fearsome predators as they dive from the sky to catch their food with their feet. Here are just a few to look out for. Kestrel Having mastered the art of hovering in the sky in one spot, kestrels will wait patiently for their meal to move before whizzing down to catch it. They predominantly hunt for voles but are opportunistic hunters and will devour whatever is on offer. Their razor-sharp vision can locate movements on the ground up to 50 metres away and they can even detect…

1 PLUMP IT UP If smoother skin is on your beauty wish list, then invest in L’Oréal Paris True Match Nude Tinted Serum, £14.99, Superdrug. It’s powered by hyaluronic acid, which re-plumps and hydrates skin in one hour. The blendable formula offers all the benefits of a serum with the coverage of a foundation. 2 SPF SAVIOUR We all know we should wear SPF every day, so invest in a good-quality tinted SPF such as Ultra Violette Daydream Screen Tinted Veil SPF 50, £38, Sephora. The highly protective tint comes in 15 shades and can be used under make-up or worn alone – either way, it’s going to give excellent protection to your face. 3 HYDRATION HERO bareMinerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Hydrating Gel Cream with SPF, £33, Boots, does exactly…

Harissa chicken wrap Spicy chicken with crisp red cabbage is a great wrap filling. SERVES 4 PREP 10 mins COOK 5 mins ✱ 1tsp harissa paste✱ 1tbsp tomato puree✱Juice 1 lemon, plus extra wedges to serve✱400g chicken breast fillets, cut into chunky strips✱¼ small red cabbage, finely shredded✱ 1 small red onion, thinly sliced✱ 1tbsp olive oil✱ 100g reduced-fat houmous✱ 2tbsp low-fat natural yogurt✱ 4 small wholemeal wraps✱ 2 Little Gem lettuces 1 Put the harissa, tomato puree and half the lemon juice in a mixing bowl with a pinch of salt. Stir and toss in the chicken. 2 In a separate bowl, mix the cabbage and onion with the remaining lemon juice and a pinch of salt. 3 Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Once hot, add…

Gonorrhoea vaccination A world-first gonorrhoea vaccine programme will attempt to reverse rising infection numbers and tackle antibiotic resistant strains. Gonorrhoea diagnoses reached a record high in 2023, three times higher than in 2012. The vaccine is currently used in routine childhood meningococcal B vaccination but has also been found to provide protection against gonorrhoea, as both bacteria are closely genetically related. The main benefit should be at a community level, considerably reducing the overall case numbers. Coping with… SVT Supraventricular tachycardia is a condition where the heart suddenly beats much faster than normal SVT is not usually serious, but some people may need treatment. It occurs when the electrical signalling system inside the heart, controlling its rhythm, is malfunctioning. This often occurs when the heartbeat starts too early in…

Lemon drizzle layer cake No one can resist a slice of this family favourite, which is worthy of a cake stand! SERVES 10 PREP 30 mins, plus cooling COOK 20-25 mins ✱ 225g salted butter, softened✱ 225g caster sugar✱ 4 eggs✱ 225g self-raising flour✱ 1tsp baking powder✱ Zest 2 lemons✱ 1tbsp whole milk FOR THE DRIZZLE ✱ 100g granulated sugar✱ Zest and juice 1 lemon FOR THE FILLING ✱ 125g mascarpone✱ 25g icing sugar✱ 100ml double cream✱ Juice ½ lemon YOU WILL NEED ✱ 2 x 20cm sandwich tins, greased and lined 1 Heat the oven to 160C Fan/Gas 4. Cream together the butter and sugar, using a stand mixer or electric whisk. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time. Add the flour and baking powder, a few tbsp…

TESTED BY US so they work for you Difficulty level Finished size: 18x18cm YOU WILL NEED ✱ Access to a photocopier✱ Tracing paper and a sharp HB pencil✱25x15cm rectangle of white plain cotton fabric✱50x25cm rectangle of lilac plain cotton fabric✱Black stranded cotton embroidery thread✱ Masking tape✱Matching sewing threads✱ Toy filling 1 On a photocopier, enlarge the pattern by 360%. Trace the pattern on to tracing paper with the pencil. Cut out the pattern; mark the arrow, face, dots and crosses. 2 From the white fabric, cut one pair of teeth. From lilac fabric, cut two 20cm squares for the pillow. 3 Turn the tracing over and redraw the face with a pencil. With right sides facing up, tape the tracing on the centre of one fabric tooth. Redraw the design…

Difficulty level TESTED BY US so they work for you MEASUREMENTS Width Approximately 7-9cm/2¾-3½in. MATERIALS 1 x 20g (43m) ball of Sirdar Happy Cotton DK (100% cotton) in each of Yellow (Quack 788), White (Dolly 761), Pink (Jammy 755), Green (Wicket 781), and Black (Liquorice 775)*. Size 3mm crochet hook; 3 keyrings; small amount of toy stuffing. Yarn is available from theknittingnetwork.co.uk TENSION 24 stitches and 24 rows to 10x10cm, over double crochet, using 3mm hook. ABBREVIATIONS BLO, back loops only; ch, chain; dc, double crochet; dc2tog, double crochet 2 sts together (to decrease 1 st) thus: [insert hook into next st, yrh and pull loop through] twice, yrh and pull through all 3 loops; htr, half treble crochet; spike dc, double crochet, but worked with hook inserted into the…

What Happens in the Dark by Kia Abdullah (£16.99, HB, HarperCollins) Can you handle the truth? Although they were once best friends, Lily and Safa have drifted since childhood. Their lives have gone down entirely different paths. Lily has an incredibly successful career as the host of the nation’s favourite breakfast TV show, while Safa is picking up the pieces of her life after a fall from grace that ruined her name in journalism. But when rumours abound about the bruises on Lily’s face, a concerned Safa reaches out. Lily assures her there is nothing to worry about – but the dead body found in her home tells another story. As Safa investigates, is she prepared for what she will uncover? A chilling, thought-provoking thriller. The Break-In by Katherine Faulkner…

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: Stain. Average = 10 More than 20 = well done 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 a word. CLUE: The process of something ceasing to exist. Crossword Try the easy or cryptic clues, then rearrange the letters in the shaded squares…

ARIES 21 MAR – 20 APR Everything may be speeding up around you. Stay calm to take advantage of the opportunities coming your way. TAURUS 21 APR – 21 MAY You may have some important decisions to make. Take your time and do not allow anyone to rush or push you. GEMINI 22 MAY – 21 JUN You’ve come a long way and you’ve made a great deal of progress. Focus on your strengths, this will give you more self-confidence. CANCER 22 JUN – 23 JUL This is a time of discerning what to keep and what to release. If you haven’t used it for over two years, you probably never will. LEO 24 JUL – 23 AUG If you’re not sure about a situation, pause. This is not a…

Letter of the week Gift ideas I read the problem page regarding a budget for wedding presents [1 July]. I have been in a similar position and have a few things I like to give: ✱ A bottle of champagne or wine with lots of ribbons tied around it. ✱ A gift card covering multiple restaurants, with a note saying ‘For when you don’t want to cook’. ✱ There is a beautiful fuchsia called Happy Wedding Day. I like to buy them as plug plants and then grow them on in a nice pot. ✱ Flowers or a cream tea delivered after the honeymoon. Alison Billings, Milton Keynes PAWS FOR THOUGHT I recently rehomed Ronnie, a seven-month old neutered tomcat. Daisy, my 10-year-old shiatsu, is delighted with her new companion.…

ALL DRESSED UP Stand out from the crowd in vibrant pink, designed to make a statement at any occasion. It’s perfect for a fancy summer soirée or as a wedding guest outfit. DAYTIME CHIC Made from 100% linen, this breathable style will keep you cool in warmer weather. Wear with neutral or metallic accessories to keep the focus on the colourful playful print. FLORAL FANCY Add a hint of vintage-inspired charm to your wardrobe. Thoughtfully designed with subtle puff sleeves, hidden popper fastenings and a matching tie belt to give you a flattering cinched-in fit. WEEKEND WEAR This lightweight denim design is an easy-to-wear, throw-on-and-go outfit. On cooler days, layer it with a striped Breton top or a lightweight roll-neck underneath for a nod to classic French style.…

My mum is a bad influence Q My mother looks after my children twice a week after school. She’s talks about ‘good food’ and ‘bad food’, and being ‘naughty’ when you have something sweet. She often lets them have ‘naughty’ things. I really don’t want them growing up thinking about food like this but I don’t know what to say to her. Jan, Farnham A I assume that you’re worried about offending her? If you tell her that her language is wrong, she could take offence. But I’d tackle it a different way, and tell her you’re wanting your children to eat healthily and your focus is on healthy foods. Tell her you’d appreciate it if she could help by focusing on this when she’s with the children. You wouldn’t be saying…

Can we have chips?’ I ask. Mum flashes me a ‘stop showing us up’ look. ‘I’m doing some lovely new potatoes with our stew today, Harriet,’ says Grandma. It’s August. The sun is blazing, but Monday is stew day. Nothing can change that. Everything runs to a timetable. We left London three months ago. We’re now living here in the sticks with Grandad and Grandma. No one has told me why, although I’ve seen the letters my parents receive from solicitors. I’ve heard the word ‘bankruptcy’ muttered. My grandparents’ home is like a museum filled with ornaments to be admired, not touched. And I hate my new school. At break times, I hide from a girl called Jade. She has a tattoo on her hand. How did that happen? She’s…

When last week’s exciting episode came to an end, you might remember that I was tying up my gym shoes in the park. And, yes, I know. The words ‘exciting episode’ are probably a breach of something or other. I imagine that the advertising standards people are probably sliding down poles at this very moment, already in their hard hats and high-visibility clothing, and clambering aboard their high-speed electric emergency bicycles. You might also remember that I was in the park at the invitation of my little sister Deb, who suggested that we join the town’s weekly run, which is not actually parkrun but would probably like to be. The reason for this soon became clear as a finely chiselled fitness instructor called Andrew emerged from the crowd, looking like…