Platinum September 2023

FEELGOOD INSPIRATION

Vanessa Feltz ‘I’m working harder than ever.

Slowing down?

Definitely not!’

live, look & feel fabulous

Why it’s never too late to make a new start

LOVE & SEX

The expert’s guide to love after loss

EASY BEDROOM IDEAS TO BOOST YOUR SLEEP TRAVEL

Discover an island paradise – without leaving the UK!

It’s time to do what you love!

Wellbeing 5 WAYS TO TACKLE THE EFFECTS OF STRESS

DISCOVER HOW FLEXIBILITY IS KEY TO FEELING HEALTHY EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT CHOLESTEROL SEPTEMBER 2023 / £5.50

● Find your NEW purpose ● Learn how to prioritise what matters to you Cover v4.indd 1

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Editor’s welcome What’s the most important thing in your life right now?

It’s a difficult question, isn’t it? I bet you could make a list as long as your arm of all the things competing for your attention. Because, for so many of us women, we are faced with a huge array of conflicting needs, requirements and demands.

But which is most important to you? What is it that that small, quiet voice in your head (or heart) calls you to do? That’s one of the things we’re examining in this month’s issue. Because, as time goes by, we find our priorities, wants, needs and desires change.

What was most important to us 30, 10 or even five years ago, might no longer be what matters most (or indeed, at all!). So rather than live in the past, with an outdated belief of what you should do and who you should be, this issue, we’re focusing on how you want to live now. If you’re thinking about what you might want to do in the future, you’ll enjoy our feature on finding new purpose (page 72). Perhaps your

life has changed and you’re now seeking love again after years in a relationship? We speak to the experts about finding love after loss (page 66), so discover more there. And if your home no longer matches your lifestyle (perhaps all the kids have flown the nest, or it was geared up for when you worked but now you’re retired), then think about how to make it the home of your new dreams (page 88). Plus, our writers share how they are seeking new adventure after age 50, both on the road (page 106) and on the page (page 80), and our coverstar, Vanessa Feltz, opens up about how her life has changed but why she’s still not slowing down, in our interview (page 10).

Of course, we’re not all seeking new challenges – if you’re looking to live a calmer, gentler life going forward, find out why ‘soft living’ could be the new lifestyle trend you need to embrace (page 30).

You’ll find all your favourites, too, as well as loads of ideas to help you live even more fabulously, whatever you’re up to. Have fun this month, and happy reading!

Sally x

This month

Jane Moore indulges in a little self-care p58

Dr Dawn Harper raises awareness of blood cancer p28

Dottie Monaghan gives a mani masterclass p50

SALLY SAUNDERS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

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September 2023

COVER INTERVIEW

10 VANESSA FELTZ on hope,

happiness, and starting over

Contents

Style

8 PLATINUM PICKS Think pink!

16 FASHION INSIDER Dress to

impress for less – our expert, Gail Rolfe, shows you how

21 ANIMAL ATTRACTION Fashion

to bring out your wild side!

64 10 OF THE BEST BAGS Pack up

your troubles with some new arm candy

Health & Wellbeing

30 GET IN TOUCH WITH YOUR SOFTER SIDE

28 DR DAWN HARPER’S HEALTH SECRETS Get to know the

symptoms of blood cancer

30 LIVE THE SOFT LIFE Set boundaries,

36

Life & Times

practice self-care, and free yourself from stress

58 MOORE’S MONTH Jane lifts

FLEXIBLE WORKING Stay supple

the lid on her recent surgery

and boost your wellbeing

60 TRUST YOUR INTUITION

42 THE CHOLESTEROL CONUNDRUM

Learn to listen to your gut

Take back control and find out how to reduce your levels

66 LOVE AFTER LOSS Navigate

a new relationship

48 8 WAYS TO CURE JET LAG Expert

tips to adapt to any time zone

50 FACE IN FIVE Dottie Monaghan

nails the at-home manicure

52 5 SIGNS YOUR SKIN IS AGEING THROUGH STRESS Stop wearing

your worries, and safeguard your skin

80

CELEBRATE STARTING OVER

70 HOW TO SPOT A CYBER SCAM

Beware the digital fraudsters

72 FIND YOUR NEW PURPOSE

Regain your sense of meaning

80 NEVER TOO LATE Writer Angela

Zaher’s midlife pivot

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Home

100 ‘FOOD INFLATION IS NO FUN!’

88 THE HOME OF YOUR NEW DREAMS Reimagine your

space for how you live today 92 SERVE UP SUMMER Delicious

dishes to celebrate the season 96 WHAT’S ALL THE BUZZ ABOUT BEES Fancy a new

hobby? Give beekeeping a go!

98 CAN FENG SHUI HELP YOU SLEEP BETTER? Set up your

space for optimum slumber

21 FASHION TO GO WILD FOR

Pinch of Nom show you how to eat well for less

110 EXPLORE OUR BRITISH ISLES

Away

106 ALL ROADS LEAD TO SANTIAGO Rediscovering a

sense of calm on the Camino

110 ISLANDS OF PARADISE

Visit the hidden treasures of our great British isles

118 EXPLORE UNDISCOVERED ITALY Step off the beaten trap

Regulars

84 SUBSCRIBE TODAY

Never miss an issue!

122 BOOK CLUB Adele’s round-

up of the month’s best books

124 STAYING IN, GOING OUT

Your guide to what’s on

126 PLATINUM PUZZLES

Give your brain a boost!

130 IT’S MY LIFE Tennis coach

Judy Murray shares all

88 MAKE YOUR HOUSE A HOME

8

FEEL PRETTY IN PINK

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experts E AC H M O N T H, O U R T E A M OF EXPERTS SHARE THEIR W E A LT H O F K N O W L E D G E , F R O M FA S H I O N A N D B E A U T Y, TO H E A LT H AND WELLBEING

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Our GAIL ROLFE STYLE

Fashion expert Gail shows you how to get a million-dollar look for less!

D R DAW N HARPER H E A LT H & WELLBEING

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GP Dr Dawn shows you how to spot the signs of blood cancer, for a positive prognosis

DOTTIE MONAGHAN BEAUTY

Pamper your hands and nails, and fake a professional finish – beauty expert Dottie shows you how!

P5 0 – P5

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59

51

JA N E M O O R E LIFE & TIMES

Jane opens up about her recent surgery, and reveals the eye-opening results!

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Kelsey Publishing Ltd, The Granary, Downs Court, Yalding Hill, Yalding, Kent ME18 6AL (01959 541444, email platinum.letters@kelsey.co.uk)

2–

79

SELINA BARKER LIFE & TIMES

P7

Life design coach Selina helps you reconnect with your values, and find more meaning

OUR TEAM Editor-in-Chief Sally Saunders Art Editor Jennifer Ratcliff Chief Sub-Editor and Production Editor Karen Warren Social Media and Digital Content Producer Amy Marsden With thanks to Holly Treacy, Beth Neil, Katy Sunnassee, Lily Smith, Carol Burns, Larissa Chapman, Alex Lloyd, Tracey Davies, Marie Penman, Kellie Gillespie-Wright ADVERTISING AND AD PRODUCTION Head of Investment Bonnie Howard 01732 447 008; bonnie@talk-media.uk Investment Manager Kim Butler 01732 445 678; kim@talk-media.uk Production Manager Neil Hepden 01732 446 755; neil@talk-media.uk MANAGEMENT Managing Director (Lifestyle) Oswin Grady Retail Director Steve Brown Head of Direct Consumer Revenue Nick McIntosh Direct Consumer Revenue Executive Molly Walton Print Production Manager Georgina Harris Print Production Controller Hayley Brown

K AY A N D K AT E ALLINSON HOME

P1 0 0 -1 0 4

The Pinch of Nom creators show you how to eat healthily on a budget

-1

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A D E L E PA R K S M B E BOOKS

P1

22

Adele rounds up the latest and greatest reads, to find your perfect holiday companion

SUBSCRIPTIONS 12 issues of Platinum are published per annum ● UK annual subscription price: £66 ● Europe annual subscription price: £78 ● USA annual subscription price: £78 ● Rest of World annual subscription price: £84 ● UK subscription and back issue orderline: 01959 543747 ● Overseas subscription orderline: 0044 (0)1959 543747 ● Toll-free USA subscription orderline: 1 888 777 0275 ● UK customer service team: 01959 543747; cs@kelsey.co.uk Customer Services website: help.kelsey.co.uk/support/home Find subscription offers on our website: shop.kelsey.co.uk/pla Manage your subscription online shop.kelsey.co.uk/site/loginForm DISTRIBUTION Distribution in Great Britain: Seymour Distribution Limited, 2 East Poultry Avenue, London, EC1A 9PT; 020 7429 4000; seymour.co.uk Distribution in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland: Newspread; 353 23 886 3850

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● The information in Platinum is provided for entertainment and should not supersede the advice of medical experts. You must not rely on this magazine as an alternative to advice from your doctor or other professional healthcare provider. If you think you may be suffering from any medical condition, seek expert attention.

J U D Y M U R R AY REGULARS

P1

The tennis coach and new novelist shares her life lessons

30

Platinum Magazine is a registered trademark and is published monthly by Kelsey Media 2023© all rights reserved. Kelsey Media is a trading name of Kelsey Publishing Ltd. Reproduction in whole or in part is forbidden except with permission in writing from the publishers.

Note to contributors: Articles submitted for consideration by the editor must be the original work of the author and not previously published. Where photographs are included, which are not the property of the contributor, permission to reproduce them must have been obtained from the owner of the copyright.

The Editor cannot guarantee a personal response to all letters and emails received. The views expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of the Editor or the Publisher. Kelsey Publishing Ltd accepts no liability for products and services offered by third parties.

PRIVACY NOTICE: Kelsey Publishing Ltd uses a multilayered privacy notice, giving you brief details about how we would like to use your personal information. For full details, visit kelsey.co.uk, or call 01959 543524. If you have any questions, please ask, as submitting your details indicates your consent, until you choose otherwise, that we and our partners may contact you about products and services that will be of relevance to you via direct mail, phone, email or SMS. You can opt out at ANY time via email: data.controller@kelsey.co.uk or 01959 543524.

PLATINUM 7

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Crossbody Bag, £69, monsoon.co.uk

Spot-Print Midi Dress, £20, matalan.co.uk

Glass Candlestick, £10, homesense.co.uk

Pretty in

PINK ENJOY A FLUSH OF SUMMER COLOUR WITH THESE BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL BUYS

Tie-Shoulder Textured Mini Dress, £22, very.co.uk

Silk Button-Up Shirt, £60, monsoon.co.uk

Victoriana Embroidered Bag, £50, fableengland.com

Crossover Leather Sandals, £65, oliverbonas.com

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Platinum picks

Adele Shirred Midi Dress, £69, fatface.com Split Front Midaxi Dress, £29.99, newlook.com

e-Shoulder Textured ini Dress, £22, ery.co.uk

Button-Through Lapel Jumpsuit, £89.50, oliverbonas.com

Crossover Leather Sandals, £65, oliverbonas.com

Linen-Blend Suit Blazer, £32, matalan.co.uk

Frida Enamel Drop Earrings, £99, amelia-scott.com

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“I’m working harder than I’ve ever worked in my life.

Slowing down?

Definitely not! ” I

t’s been a tough year for Vanessa Feltz. But although ‘shattered’ after the end of her 16-year engagement, she’s coping by keeping incredibly busy.

When she’s not presenting TalkTV or This Morning, spending plenty of time with her four grandchildren helps take the 61-year-old’s mind off her painful split from singer Ben Ofoedu earlier this year. And she’s also managing to squeeze in filming a series of Celebs Go Dating – which she’s taking part in, rather than presenting.

‘I’ve had a broken relationship, and it was only in the middle of January,’ she says. ‘So it’s been a bit of a leap, really, but I’m doing my best – I’m trying to be happy. Every month that goes by I feel a bit more used to it, a bit less shocked, and a bit better.’

Part of the reason she’s cramming so much into her new single life is because her mum, Valerie, died of cancer at the age of 57, and Feltz is acutely aware of how precious – and short – life is. So she wants to make sure she spends as much time as

WORDS: LISA SALMON. IMAGES: IAN WEST, JAMES MANNING, PA

THERE’S NO STOPPING THE JOURNALIST AND BROADCASTER VANESSA FELTZ, AS SHE EMBRACES A NEW CHAPTER AFTER HER LIFE TOOK AN UNEXPECTED TURN

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possible with her grandchildren – Zeke, aged nine, Neroli, seven, AJ, four, and Cecily, 10 months.

‘It’s absolutely the best thing on earth being a grandmother – there’s nothing like it. It’s an absolute pleasure and privilege,’ she declares.

‘My mum died at the age of 57 and I’m now 61, so every single day that I’m around to be with my grandchildren and experience them is absolute bliss for me, and a complete honour, because I’m so aware of life being short and time going fast. It’s a joy for me, and I love them with all my heart.’

Feltz is adamant that, despite being a granny, she’s definitely not slowing down. Quite the opposite, in fact.

‘You could say I’m working harder than I’ve ever worked in my life.

Slowing down? Definitely not!’ she says with a laugh. ‘No, I’m speeding up.’

And she’s not just on the work fast track either – Feltz is also doing plenty of socialising. To illustrate the point, she explains how she ‘goes everywhere’ on the back of a motorbike – not driving it herself, but as a passenger on a limo bike.

‘You hop on the bike and the driver delivers you wherever you want to go,’ she says. ‘I’m always bombing off on this motorbike, and last week I went to Rupert Murdoch’s enormous party – Rishi Sunak was there and Suella Braverman, and Keir Starmer – and I arrived and all the security guards said it was the best arrival of the night because I pulled up, leapt off, and took off my helmet and jacket. I do that all the time – sometimes three or four nights a week, to different premieres or parties.’

But despite living life in the fast lane, Feltz is keen to stress that it’s important both she and others make time for regular breaks. She recently teamed up with the plant-based food brand Gosh! to encourage workers to take a break and love lunchtimes again, after research from Gosh! revealed that a third of workers never venture outside their home or workplace during the working day, and 58 per cent completely skip their lunchtime meal at least once a week.

“One of my greatest solaces on earth is gardening.

I try to spend some time outside every day”

‘It’s all about having a healthy lunch break, because academic studies show it’s really good for you mentally and physically to have about 15 minutes a day minimum,’ explains Feltz, who recently dressed up as a ‘Lunchtime Crier’ to get the healthy eating message across.

She insists that despite her ‘gruelling’ filming schedule, she always finds time for a breather outside herself, explaining: ‘I really do try to take a break – I find one of my greatest solaces on earth is gardening, which I really love. So I do try and spend some time in the garden every day and get outside if I possibly can.

‘Take a break, go outside, and eat some food – if you do, it will enormously enhance your energy levels and creativity, and wake you up and put you in a better mood.

I need all those things when I do TV five days a week.’

Feltz’s work schedule is so demanding it’s hard to see how she squeezes in any breaks at all – especially as she now has Celebs Go Dating to add to her TV commitments.

But the Channel 4 show, on which matchmakers pair single celebrities with non-celebrity partners in a bid to

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find true love, is fun, not work, Feltz cheerily insists.

‘I love it; it’s a right laugh,’ she explains. ‘It’s very, very fun – it’s full of adventure, and you really don’t know who you’re going to meet or who they’re going to put you with. You don’t know why they choose whoever they choose. Some of the choices I’m like, “Oh my God, you really think I’m going to get on with that person?”’.

She says the show is definitely ‘a learning curve, and quite an interesting one’, and adds: ‘I’m very, very pleased indeed that I signed up for it. It was an unlikely thing for me to do and I think even the people at the programme were amazed I agreed to do it. They didn’t think for a minute that I’d go there. But I did.’

The show airs in mid-August – and perhaps its only downside, Feltz observes, is that she’ll be filming it so much over the summer that she won’t be able to get away as much as she’d like to her second home, in East Cork, Ireland, to meet up with her family, and in particular, her grandchildren.

She says: ‘We all spend a great deal of time there – we love it more than anywhere else on earth. We spend Christmas there, and we spend the summers there if any of us can get away. One thing I particularly love about it is that we actually live together while we’re there – I’m no longer just visiting them. I’m there for all the bathtimes and breakfasts and whatever arguments go on during the day, and it’s just the proper way of really sharing life with them, which I absolutely love.

‘But this year I’m doing Celebs Go Dating until mid-August, so I won’t be able to get away quite as much. I’m just going for a few weekends to see my beloved East Cork and my beloved grandchildren – a great combination.

‘That house is one of the few really good things I’ve ever done in life.

I’ve made lots and lots of mistakes, but that beautiful house in Ireland isn’t one of them.’

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“I think even the people at the programme were amazed I agreed to do it. They didn’t think for a minute that I’d go there. But I did!”

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Fashion

INSIDER with Gail R fe

Necklace, £89, vbylauravann.com

MASTER THE CLEVER ART OF DRESSING WELL FOR LESS Bag, £29.99, zara.com

Shirt, £49.99, zara.com Belt, £95, thisisstelar.com

Finishing touches

Skirt, £89, whistles.com

As a rule of thumb, the more expensive-looking the outfit, the less you have to worry about accessories. I love the high-low mix of a cute straw basket bought from a street market paired with a beautifully tailored blazer. However, if your outfit needs a style upgrade from ordinary to extraordinary, then the choice of accessories is far more important. This skirt and blouse are undoubtedly the epitome of boho chic in a grown-up way, but the addition of the Stelar leather belt, handcrafted in Bali, with an eminently chic fabric bag, provide the magic you need. Just add glamorous strappy sandals.

IMAGES: BRANDS, NICK GREGAN

M

y idea of fashion heaven has always been stumbling across a stylish gem, which rather than having a price tag that makes me want to faint in horror, is affordable and possesses all the hallmarks of a far more expensive version. This to me is the holy grail of shopping. It’s not easy, but it is achievable.

Having banked over 40 years of being a dedicated follower of fashion, working on several daily newspapers and magazines, I became adept at mastering the famous Vogue adage: ‘More dash than cash’. Style on a budget was the goal.

A stringent sartorial checklist when shopping is at the very heart of these tactics. First – and most important – is the fabric. Nothing destroys the allure of any item faster than a cheap-looking fabric that lacks a tactile attraction. Second comes the craftsmanship – or lack thereof. I check how a garment is stitched, made, and finished.

While nothing can ever truly replicate the masterly craftsmanship of a designer label original, or possess its unique style DNA, there is something rather comforting about the chutzpah of pulling off dressing for less. The outfits featured here are designed to inspire you to take a second look in your own wardrobe, and perhaps make some minor changes to what you have owned for many years.

Or to invest in one piece that will add a pop of colour, or bring new life to a classic. Recently, I purchased a large cotton bandana scarf in the softest cotton. It transforms a navy dress that I’ve owned for years, invigorates a white shirt, and even doubles as a sarong. It is sometimes the smallest, unexpected things that are the most delightful. I hope you enjoy this selection. I’ve kept the colour palette classic, and chosen items that offer timeless style – always a wise investment.

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Style

The imitation game

There seems to be another new term cropping up in the world of fashion, which has made me laugh. The word is ‘dupes.’ It is just another renamed way of describing inexpensive items that bear more than a passing similarity to well-known designer labels. Which, of course, have always been prevalent. However, these rather clever imitations, some much better than others, are a frugality blessing, as they have the ability to convey the inimitable look of stylish ‘stealth wealth’ minus the prohibitive funds required to purchase the originals. In this outfit, the shoes, bag and belt are exceptionally good at looking far more expensive.

Belt, £39.95, massimodutti.com

Jacket, £59, Finery at marksandspencer.com

Trousers, £89.95, massimodutti.com

Bag, £75, charlesandkeith.co.uk

Jumper, £22.50, marksandspencer.com

Scarf, £65, ospreyeurope.com

T-shirt, £35.95; jeans, £59.95.

Both massimodutti.com

Shoes, £69, charleskeith.co.uk

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Style

Earn your stripes

The ongoing love-affair with monochrome dressing provides the inspiration here. With just these two colours, building an outfit is almost effortless. It can be as elegant and sophisticated as you like, working just as well almost every occasion. With virtually no colour-matching to make things difficult, there is good reason why we return to this fashion staple time and again. This outfit is inspired by a high-end Swedish designer label that is a favourite of the fashion crowd. Its designs have spawned so many less expensive iterations over the years. The stripe sweater and scarf inimitably bear its iconic style code.

Style tips

Jumper, £79, arket.com

The golden rule for buying well and sustainably is to spend the most you can (that suits your budget) on items that are the backbone of your wardrobe.

Ensure that you look carefully at the fabric, how well the seams are sewn, and always ask, ‘Will I still hope to wear this in five years or more?’

Spend the majority of your budget on tailored items.

Blazer, £49.99, hm.com

Blazer, £59.99, shop.mango.com

Scarf, £12.99, hm.com

Invest in one good handbag that is a classic style.

Bag, £75, charleskeith.co.uk

Bag, £18.99, hm.com

Keep an eye on more expensive items that you truly adore, and wait for the sales. Never worry about buying in the wrong season.

Shoes, £14.99, hm.com Shirt, £66.95, massimodutti.com

Cardigan, £59.95, massimodutti.com

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A DVER TISEMENT

J ANE TT E’ S B EAUTY SEC R ET

TV personality and dancing star Janette Manrara, reveals why she has teamed up with AWARD-WINNING health and beauty brand New Nordic®, whose Collagen Shot has become part of her daily routine. We caught up with Janette to explore the secrets of her skincare routine.

T E R C E S S ’ E T T E N JA in h it w m o r f y t u a e to b WHAT WAS IT THAT FIRST ATTRACTED YOU TO NEW NORDIC?

“It’s all about beauty starting from within. The whole ethos sits well with me because I am all about working on yourself from the inside out and, it’s all natural. I want to put into my body things that are good and make me feel good. So, the combination of the two really felt like a perfect fit for me to join the family.”

WHAT WERE YOUR INITIAL THOUGHTS WHEN TRYING THE PRODUCTS?

“When I first tried Collagen Shot, I was really impressed because it has a nice taste to it, and I just think it went down quite smoothly- nothing acidic or crazy about it. Now I kind of crave it in the morning when I don’t have it, I feel like ‘oh I missed it!’ So, I really do enjoy the taste.”

WHY DO YOU LOVE NEW NORDIC’S COLLAGEN SHOT? “I love Collagen Shot because it’s so easy to take. It’s so quick. I get up in the morning (I already take other vitamins anyway) so when I take those, I just take the quick shot and I feel like I’m also looking after my skin as well as my body all in one dose- first thing in the morning.”

WHEN DO YOU TAKE YOUR COLLAGEN SHOT?

“I like to take my Collagen Shot first thing in the morning. I have quite the morning ritual with my skin and vitamins, and a big glass of water!”

YOUR DAILY BEAUTY SHOT

It couldn’t be easier to make collagen part of your daily beauty routine. New Nordic Collagen Shot provides a high dose of hydrolysed maritime collagen from sustainable fishing, along with extracts of acerola, vitamin C and biotin.

Vitamin C contributes “I love Collagen Shot. I’m all about to normal formation of working on yourself from the inside out, collagen, which helps to improve the skin’s we call it BEAUTY FROM WITHIN.”

- Janette Manrara

elasticity and counteracts the visibility of wrinkles, while biotin contributes to the maintenance of normal skin. Designed to fit effortlessly into your daily routine, Collagen Shot is packed in a practical sachet, ready to drink. Take it at home or on the go.

For exceptional results combine with New Nordic collagen range in a complete Beauty in & OutTM routine.

A quality that works in harmony with your body. Results may vary. Always read and follow instructions prior to use.

HOME DELIVERY Order Collagen Shot™ today and get it delivered straight to your door.

Go to newnordic.co.uk OR CALL 0800 389 1255

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Style

COMPILED BY: SALLY SAUNDERS

Animal

ANSWER THE CALL OF THE WILD IN A FLATTERING, FLOATY, ANIMAL-PRINT DRESS…

FW Bridge Maisie Zebra Print Linen Black Dress, £32.50, F&F at next.co.uk

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Laura Whitmore Printed Twist-Front V-Neck Flutter-Sleeve Midi Dress, £52, Love & Roses at next.co.uk

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Style

Animal Print Dress, £26, George at direct.asda.com

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Style

Leopard Print Shirt-Style Midi Tea Dress, £38, threadbare.com

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Grey Animal Leopard-Print Stretch Dress, £32, roman.co.uk

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Style

Zebra-Print Flutter-Sleeve Midi Dress, £36, threadbare.com

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P42–45

Take control of cholesterol

Health& wellbeing

P36–39

Stay supple

BRING BACK THE BALANCE, TAKE A MINDFUL MOMENT, AND UNLOCK WELLNESS FOR MIND, BODY AND SOUL WITH FEELGOOD FASHION AND BEAUTY, AND INSIGHTFUL ADVICE FROM THE EXPERTS

P48–49

Tips and tricks to avoid jet lag

P30-35

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DR DAWN HARPER ’S

HEALTH SECRETS WE ALL WANT TO FIND WAYS TO LIVE NOT JUST LONGER, BUT BETTER. THIS BLOOD CANCER AWARENESS MONTH, GP DR DAWN HARPER SHOWS YOU HOW TO SPOT THE SIGNS, SO YOU AND YOUR LOVED ONES CAN SEEK EARLY HELP, SURVIVE, AND THRIVE

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ome years ago, a dear friend of mine celebrated her 60th birthday and soon afterwards started to feel tired all the time. She put it down to feeling her age. She was still working full time, and when winter came a couple of months later and she seemed to catch every cough and cold going, she decided she must be totally run-down. She didn’t tell me, or more importantly her GP, about her symptoms. No one knew how she felt until she noticed she started bruising easily. She decided to see her GP, and tests confirmed a diagnosis of leukaemia. My friend had several rounds of chemotherapy, and I am pleased to say has now been given the all-clear by her specialist.

Her story, sadly, is not uncommon. Campaigns highlighting the symptoms of cancers like breast, bowel, prostate and lung cancer have meant that, in general practice, these symptoms are often presented early, meaning diagnosis is made sooner. And, as with all cancers, the earlier the diagnosis, the better the outlook.

However, when it comes to blood cancers, over a third of cases are diagnosed after an emergency visit to hospital, rather than following tests carried out in the GP surgery.

September is Blood Cancer Awareness Month, so I thought it might be a good opportunity to discuss a condition that affects over 41,000 people every year in the UK, making it the fifth most common cancer in Britain.

In fact, blood cancer claims more British lives every year than prostate or breast cancer.

My friend presented with the three most common symptoms of leukaemia – fatigue, repeated infections and

unusual bruising or bleeding. She sought help, but only several months after she first developed the symptoms. She is one of the lucky ones. She has survived blood cancer, but her treatment could quite possibly have been a lot simpler if she had presented earlier.

There is nothing that gets a woman through my surgery door faster than a newfound breast lump, but the symptoms of blood cancer are vaguer, and it is easy to explain them away as part of ‘getting older’ or just ‘overdoing it’.

I know that pressure on GP services seems to be at an

“The symptoms of blood cancer are vague, and it is easy to explain them away as part of getting older or just overdoing it”

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Health & Wellbeing

all-time high and, more than ever before, I am hearing from friends and family who don’t want to bother their GP. But there are some things your doctor really does want to hear about.

Other symptoms of blood cancers include swollen lymph glands, sleep disturbances and night sweats, unexplained weight loss, nausea and abdominal discomfort, itchy skin, and muscle aches.

According to a recent survey conducted by the charity Blood Cancer UK, only eight respondents out of the total number of over 2,000 people asked could name all of the three most common symptoms of blood cancer (fatigue, recurrent infections and unusual bleeding or bruising).

So, this September, let’s make sure we spread the word and encourage anyone we care about to report such symptoms to their GP. In most cases there will be a simple explanation, but if these do turn out to be the early signs

of blood cancer, early diagnosis means a better prognosis.

Blood cancer is currently the third biggest cancer killer in the UK. If we can raise awareness of the symptoms and encourage early presentation, we really could save lives and change that statistic.

For more information, please visit bloodcancer.org.uk

Live Well To 101 (Headline, £10.99) was my 12th book and, without a doubt, my favourite.

It has changed my life for the better. There is nothing in the book that requires you to train for a marathon, climb Everest, or give up alcohol forever, but I learned an awful lot from my centenarians. I hope you will too!

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Health & Wellbeing

Live the so life UNLEASHING YOUR SOFTER SIDE CAN HELP TO FILL UP YOUR HAPPINESS CUP, DISCOVERS LOUISE PYNE

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s we move through life, our priorities change as a result of both our experiences and circumstances, and this in turn organically creates our core values and outlook.

We tend to worry less about people pleasing, and as we no longer have the demands of childrearing on our shoulders, and may well also have transitioned into retirement, we have more time to dedicate to ourselves.

‘Naturally, our bodies get more tired as we get older and our brains can start to slow down,’ explains positive psychology coach Elle Mace (instagram.com/iamellemace). ‘This, combined with the 50-plus years of experiences that we’ve had to process (some wonderful, others more challenging), means that we need a calmer life to manage the internal stress.’

The trend of nurturing ourselves as we age has been coined ‘soft living’ by wellness experts. The idea is that we adopt decisions that leave us stress-free by setting boundaries and prioritising ourselves. New research

by Samsung shows that over 80 per cent of Brits want to foster a softer life that’s less pressurised, and reveals that mental health is one of the main drivers motivating people to slow down and appreciate life more. ‘Being able to honour your body’s needs is a crucial part of life. Many people have spent years working, parenting, hustling and just surviving, which isn’t sustainable. If you slow down your life, life slows down for you,’ continues Mace.

So here are the steps you need to adopt to start living a softer life that’s free from stress, and just how it can benefit your wellbeing…

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Promote self-care

Being aware of your own needs is a sacred step towards better wellbeing, and as we get older we need to ensure that we approach our health with care in order to keep our stress levels down and live the softer life we crave. Carving out time to look after our wellbeing will help us to feel recharged, no matter what life throws at us.

‘Self-care goes hand in hand with soft living and what it represents: increased health,’ explains Mace. ‘It can reduce stress, improve energy, and increase happiness. This is extra important for older people, as that will help reduce the risk of chronic conditions such as heart disease, strokes and cancer.’

Taking a spiritual approach to life when getting older can be very beneficial to help you appreciate what really matters: ‘Write a list of everything that gives you pleasure and makes you feel good,’ suggests Mace. ‘It could be listening to your favourite song, reading a book, seeing a special someone, or treating yourself to a favourite food. It doesn’t have to cost money or be time-consuming – go through your list and see where you can add these things into your daily life without feeling stressed about doing it.’

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Health & Wellbeing

Eat your greens

Engage in regular movement

Soft living isn’t about doing nothing – whilst it’s often about taking a quiet moment to relax, recharge and be more aware, it’s also an opportunity to look after your body, reconnecting with it in a way that gives you joy. Find happiness in movement through routines that make you feel empowered; this might be Pilates, yoga, swimming, or something else that you get fulfilment from. ‘Doing exercise that you enjoy and doesn’t add any additional stress to you is implementing the soft-living approach, and can improve your mood, fight off depression, and enhance cognitive function. Write a list of everything you enjoy doing and then schedule it into your diary and stick to it.

Make sure there is variety so you don’t get bored, and that some of your exercise is outside in the fresh air,’ suggests Mace.

Diet is a crucial part of the softer living puzzle, and whilst overeating processed, fatty foods, alcohol and caffeine will leave you feeling sluggish and cause havoc with hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline, filling up on healthy food will automatically help you to feel like a happier version of yourself.

‘Making sure you are eating lots of nutritious food will help increase your energy levels so you can be active and balance your hormones. You need nutrients for growth and repair, allimportant in older adults to prevent diet-related illnesses,’ says Mace. Try to nurture a relationship with food that celebrates good food that’s come from the earth – this means eating a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, (aim for seven to nine portions daily). ‘Shop for the healthy ingredients that you enjoy, and plan meals around these during the week,’ advises Mace.

Work on setting boundaries

Setting boundaries takes practice, but these invisible barriers help us navigate challenging situations whilst allowing us to be true to ourselves. These life-affirming guidelines help to create meaningful relationships and take away the mental toll of what we can control and what we can’t, increasing both our self-worth and self-esteem whilst also reducing stress.

‘Setting boundaries is an essential life skill and a form of self-care, and whilst it can sometimes be mistaken for being selfish, it is far from it. Boundaries help not only you but others, too, to know your limits, and give clear guidelines that benefit everyone close to you,’ believes Mace.

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Health & Wellbeing

Connect your mind and breath

We all encounter stress in our lives, but it’s how we deal with stressful situations that will affect our overall state of health.

Mindfulness is a beneficial way to manage stress levels and tap into the soft living trend. By increasing our awareness and self-reflection, we foster a more accepting attitude when things don’t go our way.

‘When you practice mindfulness, you will improve your self-care habits, which leads to higher self-worth and better relationships with yourself and others; reduced stress and anxiety levels; lower blood pressure; and improved coping skills for chronic illnesses,’ says Mace.

You can incorporate mindfulness with simple exercises such as mindful breathing, sitting or lying comfortably with your eyes closed and bringing awareness to your breath as you inhale and exhale. ‘Notice how your body feels as you breathe in and then out. Redirect your mind back to the breath if you find it wandering, and ask yourself these questions: how am I today? What does my body need? What do I need today? Where do I feel any anxiety? Asking these questions gives you an opportunity to process them rather than living with them inside the body,’ shares Mace.

3 WAYS TO RECONNECT WITH YOURSELF

Being in touch with your true self can help to boost inner contentment

1

Express yourself Increase emotional awareness by writing down pressing thoughts. Start each day scribbling down three things you are looking forward to, and be mindful of these goals throughout the day.

2

Listen to music Music can be a transformative tool that lets you feel more like yourself. Compile a playlist of your favourite songs and pop them on whenever you need a pick-me-up.

3

Take yourself on a solo date Whisk yourself out to an artisan coffee shop or to a spa – treating yourself will give you the headspace you need to better deal with more challenging moments.

Increase your intake of trace minerals

As we get older, our requirements of vital vitamins and minerals changes. Various factors, including taking medication and slower digestion, can make it more difficult to absorb nutrients as well as we once did, so taking an easily absorbed multivitamin can be good way to top up levels. ‘You need a variety of nutrients for growth and repair, to reduce stress and prevent diet-related illnesses,’ says Mace.

Magnesium and zinc in particular are highly important minerals that help to keep stress levels to a minimum. Magnesium helps to calm the nervous system, and Epsom salt is a natural way to increase levels. Add a handful of the mineral-rich salt to your bathwater to help naturally increase your levels of magnesium, and take a zinc supplement (zinc gluconate or citrate are good absorbable forms) each day.

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IMAGES: SHUTTERSTOCK

an you touch your toes?

Balance on one leg? Lick your elbow? (Okay, we’re kidding with that one.) But in all seriousness, keeping supple and flexible is an important part of ageing well. Incorporating a range of physical activity into your day is a brilliant way to help ward off serious health conditions such as heart disease or diabetes. We’re not saying you have to head down to the gym every day, or become a world-class yogi: simple, regular activity such as walking, gardening and doing an exercise class are some of the best ways to maintain flexibility and help keep the body supple and strong.

‘Flexibility plays a valuable role in promoting overall wellbeing,’ says Sammy Margo, a consultant chartered physiotherapist (smartphysio.co.uk).

‘Regular engagement in physical activity, including flexibility exercises, can help reduce stress, maintain a healthy weight, and improve insulin sensitivity, a direct precursor for type 2 diabetes.

‘Maintaining flexibility is also crucial to help ensure a good range of motion, reduce the risk of injury, and

maintain balance – all important for overall health,’ Margo adds.

STAYING SUPPLE

Flexibility is defined as the ability to move muscles and joints through their full range of motion. Joints are surrounded by soft tissues, which include muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia and skin. A group of soft tissues around a joint that are rarely mobilised or stretched can become short and tight, making the joint feel stiff or even painful to move.

As women enter midlife and beyond, maintaining flexibility is key.

‘Good flexibility as well as strength helps counteract the natural reduction in muscle mass and bone density suffered by women leading up to the menopause and post menopause,’ says Margo. ‘It’s vital to maintain good joint ranges to help balance and posture which, in turn, reduces the risk of injury and falls, and the possibility of developing osteoarthritis.’

As we grow older it is common to see a gradual reduction in the skin’s elasticity, muscle tone and bone density. The lubrication at a joint reduces and cartilage can become

Flexible working ENJOYING A FULL RANGE OF MOVEMENT WILL NOT ONLY HELP YOU MOVE AND BREATHE MORE EASILY, BUT ALSO BOOST YOUR WELLBEING. HILARY BODDIE EXAMINES WHY IT’S SO IMPORTANT TO STAY SUPPLE…

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thinner. Also, the tendons get stiffer due to a reduction in water content, resulting in less flexibility. The most common areas where this can be most noticeably felt is in the shoulders, hips, lower back, neck, knees and ankles. The stiffness results in restricted movement and can lead to chronic aches and pains, which can impact on life, making every day physical activities such as doing the laundry, or even just bending down to put on your shoes, harder.

Stress can also have a hugely negative impact on wellbeing, making us feel both physically and mentally tense. Spending a few minutes each day doing simple stretches can be a great way to release tension and reduce the amount of stress you are carrying in your body.

BUILD FLEXIBILITY

While some people are naturally more flexible than others, flexibility is something that can be developed and improved by regular stretching.

It is essential to warm up the muscles before any type of stretching. Warmer muscles allow you to get a deeper stretch, while minimising the risk of injury.

Gaining flexibility takes time – it’s important to build up gradually and pay attention to your body. As you improve your flexibility, you’ll be able to reach further with the same stretch or add different stretches to the same muscle.

STRETCH IT OUT

The two most common types of stretching that help improve flexibility are static stretching and dynamic stretching. ‘Simple stretches are an effective method to maintain flexibility and incorporating dynamic and static types of stretches can give great

results, depending on what you want to achieve,’ says Margo.

Static stretches are fixed passive stretches where the position is held for 15–60 seconds or more. They are usually done sitting, standing or lying.

Dynamic stretches involve moving the joints through the full range of motion repeatedly, but the stretch position isn’t held. Examples include arm circles or spinal rotations.

‘Dynamic stretches are an ideal way to prepare the body for physical activity and to improve athletic performance and neuromuscular co-ordination, whereas static stretches are better for overall flexibility and relaxation,’ says Margo.

Yoga can also be another way to incorporate stretching into your daily or weekly routine, as it often combines a number of static and dynamic stretches sequenced in a specific, safe way.

3

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TOP TIPS TO HELP YOU STRETCH

• Aim to stretch for 10–15 minutes a day, at least three days a week.

• Warm up the body first by walking on the spot for five minutes, while swinging your arms in a wide circle to increase blood flow before you stretch. This will prepare the muscles and joints for activity.

• Never force a stretch, and do not bounce or jerk to get deeper into a stretch. It should never be painful. You should always be able to comfortably breathe through a stretch.

• Any hypermobile joints (joints that have an unusually large range of movement) should always incorporate a slight bend when they stretch. For example, someone with a hypermobile knee joint.

“Spending a few minutes each day doing simple stretches can be a great way to release tension”

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Health & Wellbeing

Three simple stretches to try

Seated hamstring static stretch •Sit on a comfortable chair on a stable surface.

•Extend one leg straight out in front of you.

•Sit up tall and engage your core muscles to maintain good posture throughout the stretch.

•Gently and slowly lean forward from the hips; keep your back straight and lead with your chest.

•Repeat with the other leg.

Standing hip flexor static stretch •Stand next to a wall or stable surface for balance.

•Bend one knee behind you and hold your foot. If you are unable to do this, place your foot on a raised surface behind you.

•Keep the bent knee in line with your standing leg’s knee.

•Repeat with the other knee.

Hip abductor stretch •Sit on the floor on a cushion.

•Straighten both legs out in front of you (you can have soft bent knees) and separate them as wide as can be tolerated.

•Sit up tall, engage the core and slowly lean forward from your hips. Take care to keep your knees soft and not to lock them out.

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Eat to beat inflammation

Your diet can also play a role in helping flexibility. ‘Inflammation and ageing go hand in hand, so it’s no surprise that as a result our joints stiffen and get a little creaky from our 50s onwards,’ says Dr Carrie Ruxton from the Health and Food Supplements Information Service (hsis.org). ‘But making a few simple changes to your diet can help.

‘Support your joints by eating oily fish, such as salmon and mackerel, a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, which help neutralise the pro-inflammatory chemicals released in our bodies when we eat unhealthy foods, such as ultra-processed foods, sugar and unhealthy fats.’

If you’re vegetarian or vegan, consider adding walnuts to your diet, instead – they’re one of the best plant-based sources of omega-3 fatty acids.

‘Other inflammation-busting nutrients include vitamin C – found in fruit and vegetables – and vitamin D found in fish and eggs. Foods high in polyphenols – natural plant compounds – also help fight inflammation. Choosing colourful vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds, olive oil and soya instead of highly processed foods, snacks and desserts will boost your polyphenol levels and help keep inflammation at bay.’

Stay hydrated

In order to maintain good flexibility, it’s important to stay hydrated. Muscle mass is 76 per cent water, and if you are dehydrated, your muscles will not extend and contract as well as they do when adequately hydrated. Dehydration may also lead to muscle cramps, pain, or tightness and stiffness in the movement of your joints.

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“I'm wholly embracing my midpoint in life.

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21/06/2023 12:24

The cholesterol conundrum HILARY BODDIE EXAMINES WHY SO MANY OF US ARE SUFFERING FROM ELEVATED CHOLESTEROL - AND HOW WE CAN TAKE BACK CONTROL

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here are some words you don’t want to hear from a doctor, and, while it’s not top of the list, being told you’ve got high cholesterol is certainly something we’d all rather avoid. You’re probably aware that elevated cholesterol levels can be a worry for your health and put you at increased risk of heart disease. But for women in midlife and older, the good news now is that finding out your cholesterol is raised doesn’t necessarily mean decades of problems. Instead, making small dietary and lifestyle changes can have a big impact, helping you to continue to live a long, healthy, happy life.

Women often see their cholesterol level rise – and with it their likelihood of heart disease – during and after menopause. As with so many other menopausal issues, falling oestrogen levels are to blame: the hormone plays a protective role in many parts of your body, including your heart and your arteries. As it falls during menopause, your risk of heart and circulation diseases increase, and cholesterol levels may also rise.

In this situation, statins are generally perceived to be the go-to solution. This widely used form of medication works by reducing the amount of cholesterol made by the liver, and helping the liver remove cholesterol that is already in the blood.

It’s an incredibly common treatment – there are currently around 7–8 million people in the UK on statins, and new proposals mean this

number could well be set to increase; draft guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommend that statins can now also be considered for people at a lower risk from a cardiovascular problem such as a heart attack or stroke.

There are clear advantages to the treatment, but Dr Aseem Malhotra, author of A Statin Free Life (Hodder & Stoughton, £10.99), argues that it is not the only solution we should consider.

‘Statins improve outcomes in those with heart disease,’ he says. ‘However, many people in this country taking statins are probably in the lower risk category – they haven’t had a heart attack or stroke already – and, for them, the incremental benefit can be small.’

Dr Malhotra believes more focus should be given to help patients who are not considered high risk to develop a healthier lifestyle. ‘Heart disease, which is linked to insulin resistance and chronic inflammation, can be stabilised and potentially reversed with a combination of diet and lifestyle changes,’ he says.

WHAT IS CHOLESTEROL?

Cholesterol is a fatty substance found in the blood. Everyone needs a certain amount, as it plays an essential role in the body, preserving cell membranes, insulating nerve fibres, and producing hormones. ‘Our body makes around 80 per cent of our cholesterol, with up to 20 per cent influenced by diet,’ says Dr Malhotra.

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THE DIFFERENT TYPES

HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol, often referred to as ‘good’ cholesterol, helps remove other forms of cholesterol from the arteries and prevent fatty build-up by absorbing it from the blood and carrying it back to the liver to be flushed from the body.

Non-HDL (non-high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol, often referred to as ‘bad’ cholesterol, takes cholesterol from the liver to the cells around the body. A build-up of non-HDL cholesterol can lead to the accumulation of fatty deposits inside the blood vessel walls (atherosclerosis), restricting blood flow in the arteries, and increasing the risk of heart attack or stroke. LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol is often referred to as ‘bad’ cholesterol, too.

Triglycerides – a type of fat (lipid) found in the blood – store unused calories and provide your body with energy. However, they can also contribute to narrowed arteries. High levels of non-HDL cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood can lead to the formation of plaques that stick to the artery walls and may contribute to the hardening of the arteries or thickening of the artery walls. This increases the risk of stroke, heart attack and heart disease, as well as metabolic issues, weight gain and obesity.

CHECK YOUR LEVELS

Cholesterol levels can be checked with a simple blood test obtained via your GP. ‘It is important to know your total HDL and non-HDL cholesterol (your lipid profile) because it’s possible to have a healthy total cholesterol number but an unhealthy balance of the different types of cholesterol,’ says Joanne Whitmore, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation (bhf.org.uk).

Once you have the results of your lipid profile, it’s important to talk to your doctor and discuss what this means for you.

TAKE CONTROL

When it comes to your health, maintaining the ratio of non-HDL and HDL cholesterol and triglycerides within a recommended range is the main objective of the use of medications such as statins. However, for those who are not considered high risk, making tweaks to your diet and lifestyle can also help to reduce your chances of developing heart issues, alongside medication.

‘A variety of factors can cause high cholesterol.

Some, like our age and our genes, we can’t change, whereas other factors, such as diet and lifestyle, we can,’ says Bridget Benelam, nutrition

“Staying active can reduce your risk of developing some types of heart disease” scientist at the British Nutrition Foundation (nutrition.org.uk).

EAT MINDFULLY

The major factor in the diet that may increase blood cholesterol levels are high intakes of saturated fats and excessive calories (glucose).

‘Reducing saturated fat by cutting down on foods such as butter, fatty meats, cakes, biscuits and pastries is important to help keep cholesterol levels within normal range,’ says Benelam.

‘Swapping to unsaturated fats, wholegrains and plant proteins, such as beans, lentils and nuts, is beneficial. It’s also important to up your intake of fruits and vegetables.’

‘Cutting down on refined carbohydrates, such as white bread, pasta, and rice, has huge relevance in heart disease,’ adds Dr Malhotra.

‘It’s the only lifestyle intervention that, on its own, can rapidly improve metabolic risk factors such as being overweight.’

STAY ACTIVE

‘Staying physically active can reduce your risk of developing some types of heart disease by as much as 35 per cent,’ says Benelam.

‘Walking, especially brisk walking, is a great way to start. Try building a few 10-minute walks into your day and increasing this when you can. Apps such as step counters or the NHS Active 10 app (nhs.uk/better-health/getactive/) can help you track your progress and keep you motivated.’

MAKE TIME FOR RELAXATION

According to Dr Malhotra, research has also revealed that stress has an effect over diet and exercise in increasing the blood markers that are associated with the progression of heart disease and triggering a heart attack.

There are many ways to manage stress, but it’s important to make time for relaxation, whether it is practising deep breathing or meditation, doing yoga, or just getting out for walk in nature. It’s important to unwind both for your mind and your body to better protect your heart health.

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ALWAYS DISCUSS MEDICATION WITH YOUR DOCTOR * SHEPHERD J ET AL (1995), ‘PREVENTION OF CORONARY HEART DISEASE WITH PRAVASTATIN IN MEN WITH HYPERCHOLESTEROLEMIA’ ** THE LANCET 2002, VOLUME 360, ISSUE 9326, HEART PROTECTION STUDY COLLABORATIVE GROUP (2002), ‘MRC/BHF HEART PROTECTION STUDY OF CHOLESTEROL LOWERING WITH SIMVASTATIN IN 20,536 HIGH-RISK INDIVIDUALS: A RANDOMISED PLACEBO CONTROLLED TRIAL’

The place for statins

Statins first became available in the 1980s. They were originally prescribed to people who had already had a heart attack to help reduce the risk of having another one. The patient base was broadened when subsequent studies found that statins could also help reduce the risk of a first-time heart attack in people with raised blood cholesterol* and in people with other risk factors for heart disease, such as hypertension and type 2 diabetes**. New NICE guidelines mean this could be increased further.

Remember, it is important to always talk through your lipid profile results with your doctor, taking into account your own individual risk factors and family history.

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The

magic of your metabolism

Optimise it, lose weight and increase energy levels with Germany’s No.1 meal replacement.

David McCarthy Professor Emeritus Nutrition and Health, London Metropolitan University

Y

ou’ve probably heard at one time or another someone say, “I have a slow metabolism and that’s why I seem to gain weight”. You may have even thought that it applied to you. Establishing whether this is true and if so, finding ways to boost it and thereby burn more calories, certainly appears to be a worthwhile exercise.

Metabolism is the process by which our body coverts food into essential energy we need to do anything from breathing, moving, to the renewal and maintenance of all our cells. As much as metabolism is linked to weight, nutritional intake also plays a fundamental role in this process. Given these influencing factors on body weight, the question posed is whether we can consume the very best nutrition which optimises our metabolism for the benefit our overall health, wellbeing, and physical form?

The answer can be found in Almased®.

The secret is in the science With more than 30 years of clinical research, renowned global scientists and medical journals have showcased the benefits of Almased® for weight loss and lasting weight maintenance.

Ground-breaking clinical testing has found that even when compared to a low-fat, reduced-calorie diet, people who used Almased® achieved greater reduction in body weight, body fat and unhealthy abdominal fat, all while positively retaining essential muscle2, without feeling hungry.

So unique is the product, the very latest clinical testing from North America has shown that when compared to a normal 2,000 calorie diet, healthy women who consumed Almased® burned a greater number of calories and most significantly, a greater amount of fat3 – all the result of superior improvements to the functioning of the body’s metabolism4.

Experience the Almased® effect Over a 32-hour period, nineteen healthy women had their calorie intake and calorie output measured in a state-of-the-art energy expenditure chamber (An Almased®-only diet was compared to a normal 2,000 calorie diet). The results were truly remarkable.

2000 1950 1900 1850 1800

Almased

Normal Diet

Total Calories Burned (kcal/day)

Consuming Almased® resulted in...

More calories burned Increased fat burning Negative fat balance: more fat was lost than consumed.

100 80 60 40 20 0

Almased

Normal Diet

Total Fat Burned (g/day)

These first of their kind findings, confirm how consuming Almased® as a meal replacement results in greater daily calorie expenditure and greater fat burning when compared to a normal diet, thus playing a hugely significant role in successful weight loss for anyone taking Almased® in their daily diet. Professor David McCarthy explains that results such as these further underscore Almased®’s global reputation and position as Germany’s No.1 meal replacement for weight loss and long-term weight maintenance without the dreaded yo-yo effect.

How Almased® benefits you Reduces body fat without loss of essential muscle mass1.

Clinically proven weight loss v a fat-restricted low calorie diet2.

Contributes to weight loss when replacing two daily meals.

Free from artificial flavours, fillers, preservatives and stimulants.

Provides a superior, allessential amino acid profile for the body to thrive.

Supports energy levels and the reduction of tiredness and fatigue5.

Suitable for Non-GMO, glutenfree, vegetarian & those with Diabetes.

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Almased® can be used to replace any of your daily meals. Mix 50g of Almased® with 200-350ml of water or 200ml of low-fat milk and 2tsp of oil rich in essential fatty acids (e.g. olive, flaxseed, rapeseed or walnut). Both our 14-Day and LongTerm Plan can be tailored to help you achieve your own weight loss goal.

Visit www.almased.co.uk to find out more or use the QR code. *Euromonitor International (2020). 1. Deibert, P et al (2004). Intl. Journal of Obesity; 28(10):1349-52 2. König, D et al (2008). Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism; 52(1):74-78. 3.Oliveira, C et al (2020). Poster presented at: Canadian Nutrition Society 2020 Annual Conference; 2020 May 7-13. 4.Vitamin B12 and Biotin contributes to normal energyyielding metabolism. 5.Folate contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. †Reader‘s Digest. Trusted Brands 2020.

Germany. Substituting two daily meals of an energy restricted diet with meal replacements contributes to weight loss.

8

1

GET IN SYNC Your body clock might be telling you it’s bedtime in the morning, but the sooner you can get into your usual routine the better.

‘Try to adjust your sleeping and eating schedule to the local time as soon as you can,’ says Lee Dobson, travel expert and co-founder of travel company Travel City. ‘This means resisting the urge to nap in the middle of the day, or eating at odd hours.’

2 ways to cure jet lag

I

GET THOSE FEELGOOD HOLIDAY VIBES STARTED SOONER, WITH KATIE WRIGHT’S ROUND-UP OF THE EXPERTS’ TIPS

t’s one of the side-effects of travelling to wonderful places: our bodies can take a while to adjust to the different time zones. And, unfortunately, research shows that the phenomenon of jet lag can affect us even more as we grow older. Scientists aren’t quite sure why, but some aspects of jet lag – especially the sleep disruption – have been shown to hang around for longer once we have more of our own miles on the clock. So while you might have planned to head out exploring as soon as you land, your brain and body are telling you to crawl into bed. Next thing you know, you’re wide awake at 3am and wishing you could get back to sleep before dawn.

‘Travelling across multiple time zones puts both a physical and mental stress on our bodies, as our

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internal body clock can’t keep up with the sudden shift,’ says Dr Hana Patel, sleep expert at Time4Sleep.

‘Our body clock stays in the time zone we have travelled from, so essentially we need time to recalibrate to the new time zone,’ she says. ‘You may notice physical, mental, and behavioural changes as our bodies move through and recognise different times in the day. Our bodies react to these changes by sending signals to feel drowsiness at night and alertness during the day.’ That’s why you can end up feeling wired at night and sleepy in the daytime.

Eventually your body clock will adjust, but you can speed up the process by doing what seasoned travellers do whenever they’re jet-setting across the globe. So, here are eight expert-approved ways to cure that groggy feeling…

EAT HEALTHILY It’s common to crave carbs when you’re tired, but you’d do better to munch on healthy snacks. ‘Making sure you have a variety of nutrient-rich fruits that also provide hydration is really helpful,’ says Dr Federica Amati, nutritional scientist and scientific advisor for supplement brand De-liver-ance.

‘Nuts contain magnesium, fibre and complex carbohydrates that can maintain energy levels without causing an increase in blood glucose levels or insulin response.’

3

STAY HYDRATED ‘Dehydration can exacerbate the symptoms of jet lag,’ Dobson says. ‘Drinking plenty of water can help your body cope with the changes.’ And while a glass of wine might help you nod off more quickly, alcohol can interfere with your sleep cycle, so it’s best to avoid it.

4

BE MINDFUL OF LIGHT ‘Bright light is very powerful in helping our body clock adjust,’ says Nicky Kelvin, editor at travel website The Points Guy. Getting outside in daylight will signal to your body clock to get in sync with normal waking hours. ‘However, you should avoid light in the lead-up to wanting to sleep,’ says Kelvin. And the blue light from digital devices can fool your body into thinking it’s still daytime, so avoid looking at them at bedtime or if you wake in the night.

5

STAY ACTIVE ‘Moderate physical activity can help reset the body clock and promote sleep,’ says Dobson. ‘Try a brisk walk or light jog.’

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Health & Wellbeing

6

POWER NAP A short snooze can give you the boost you need to fight jet lag – but be sure to set an alarm, and don’t nap too late in the day.

‘Up to 20 minutes can help if you are experiencing sleep disruption as a result of jet lag,’ says Kelvin.

‘However, avoid longer naps during the daytime as much as possible.’

7

TIME YOUR CAFFEINE ‘Consuming caffeine won’t cure jet lag, but it may be a tool to help you stay alert and focused during the daytime,’ says Kelvin.

The stimulant can stay in your bloodstream for up to 10 hours, so time your cuppa for the morning, when it won’t interfere with your sleep at night.

8

IMAGES: SHUTTERSTOCK

DON’T FIGHT IT ‘Of course, jet lag isn’t fun – but if you work yourself into a state worrying about not sleeping, or the risk of missing out on your new destination, you’re likely to feel a whole lot worse,’ says Lee Thompson, co-founder and CMO of adventure-travel company Flash Pack.

He suggests taking it easy for a couple of days and having calming distractions, such as an audiobook, to listen to when you can’t sleep: ‘Jet lag is just your body’s way of being a bit offkilter, so listen in, treat yourself gently, and don’t rush it,’ says Thompson.

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GEL POLISH STARTER KIT, £79 (includes four shades of your choice, which achieve up to 120 applications; extra shades, £9 each), 14daymanicure.co.uk Easy to use, and makes gel manicures accessible to everyone. From blockbuster neons to pared back pastels, there are colours for every taste – and every occasion.

in

FACE FIVE BEAUTY EXPERT AND PLATINUM REGULAR DOTTIE MONAGHAN SHOWS YOU HOW TO ACHIEVE BEAUTIFULLY ELEGANT HANDS FROM THE COMFORT OF HOME

T

here’s nothing I love more than showing off a fresh mani. It may be hard to beat the professional finish achieved in a salon, but it’s possible to get results at home that are very close to it – and at a fraction of the cost.

Pink and shell-like pearlescent finishes have been everywhere, thanks to the release this year of movies Barbie and The Little Mermaid.

Personally, I love the beautiful, more natural glazed-doughnut trend, which is simply achieved by applying the chicest, sheerest milky nude, topped with a chrome glaze or glossy finish.

A great way to wear bold colours without blocking the whole nail is to

play on the traditional French mani by covering the nail in a clear polish adding a bold colour to just the tip. My favourite for this is green – think lime, apple, and pistachio shades.

Or go maximalist by adding gems, embellishments, or adornments to create texture or 3-D effects, perhaps on a signature nail to avoid over kill.

You can opt for a traditional polish, which is the easiest to remove, or go for a gel polish that will last longer.

You’ll need an LED/UV lamp – bumping up the initial cost. The latter also needs more care when removing, to avoid damage to the nail.

If you feel artistic enough to play with some nail art, keep it simple, as

it’s not always easy to do both hands equally well. Why not try some nail-art stickers, which can be used on both painted and natural nails. I would always apply a clear top coat to avoid the stickers peeling.

If you find it impossible to grow a nail, a great cheat for instant results are stick-on nails.

Always prep well before applying polish, push cuticles back (never cut them), file the nail into shape, and apply base coat or nail strengthener.

Nail or cuticle oil is best applied after polish, as it may stop the product adhering to nails. Finish the pampering with a skin-softening hand cream or, better still, an overnight hand balm.

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KISS GEL FANTASY NAILS, £9, boots.com A quick fix for short nails. Designed thinner at the cuticle for a more natural look, and finished with a timeless, chic, classic top coat.

´ COLLECTION, MAVALA LES GLACES £6.40 EACH, scentstore.com Think sunshine, beach huts, sorbets and candy floss. Ensures the wellness of your nail while enjoying the trending colours.

LEIGHTON DENNY ANTIBACTERIAL CRYSTAL NAIL FILE, £15, leightondenny.com A glass nail file will help prevent splitting and peeling at the tips of nails.

PRAI BEAUTY AGELESS HAND CREAM, £22, marksandspencer.com Softens and hydrates skin, while the hyaluronic acid smoothes and plumps.

MAXFACTOR MIRACLE PURE PRIYANKA COLLECTION, £7.99 each, superdrug.com Without wanting to wish summer away, this rich, velvety, 100 per cent vegan polish with nail-loving ingredients invites you to dip your toes – or fingers!

– into the upcoming autumn shades.

MAXFACTOR NAIL FINITY GEL COLOUR, £7.99, superdrug.com A gel colour and top coat, leaving a high-shine, gel-like finish without the need for a LED/UV lamp.

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Five signs your skin is ageing through stress

1

DISCOVER THE TELLTALE SYMPTOMS, AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT THEM, WITH HELP FROM MEDICAL NUTRITIONIST DR NAOMI NEWMAN-BEINART

WORDS: SALLY SAUNDERS. IMAGES: SHUTTERSTOCK

A

s we enter our fifties and beyond, it’s the most normal thing in the world for our faces (and the rest of us!) to start to show our years. But there are times in life when, suddenly, those signs of ageing can seem to accelerate, and we go from still feeling pretty happy when we look in the mirror, to feeling a little concerned. It might be particularly dry or red patches appearing, wrinkles gathering apace, or our once-firm jawline starting to sag. So what is causing this acceleration of symptoms, and what can we do about it? Stress could be a key culprit, explains Dr Naomi Newman-Beinart, a medical nutritionist.

‘When we are under pressure, our body releases stress hormones, such as cortisol,’ she says. ‘This is a normal reaction, and an important part of a healthy stress response to danger. But, if you produce too much cortisol over a period of time, you might find that you start to see physical signs of this, such as thin or fragile skin, wrinkles, and even the exacerbation of any skin conditions you already struggle with.’

So, how does this happen? Well, cortisol has been shown to break down collagen and elastin in your skin, leading to thin skin and the appearance of wrinkles. Of course, wrinkles are a natural sign of ageing and will slowly develop as we get older. ‘However, chronic stress can accelerate the formation of wrinkles, meaning that you might feel that you are ageing more quickly than expected,’ explains Dr Newman-Beinart. ‘This can especially be the case in women post-menopause, as they are producing less oestrogen, which is necessary for the production of collagen. So, as oestrogen levels drop, so do your collagen levels. This can be a double whammy that no woman wants to deal with.’ Here are five signs to look out for in stressed-out skin, and the ways you can remedy them…

Saggy skin

When we are stressed, our body goes into fight-or-flight mode. That means, instead of functioning normally, more blood is directed to where it is ‘needed’, such as to the brain and lungs (to help us ‘escape’ whatever threat we’re facing), instead of to the skin.

And this lack of blood flow impacts your skin’s collagen production, a situation made even worse if you’re in your fifties or older, when collagen naturally declines due to hormonal changes. This can mean skin is more ‘saggy’ than usual. ‘There has been masses of research investigating the benefits of taking collagen for women over 55,’ says Dr Newman-Beinart. ‘One study found that after 12 weeks of taking daily collagen, women found improvements in wrinkling and elasticity (i.e. tightening of the skin) compared to women who took a placebo supplement. Women taking part in similar research have reported that taking oral collagen daily improved skin elasticity, skin hydration, and reduced visible signs of ageing.

I recommend adding Correxiko Marine Collagen Powder (from £36.95, correxiko.com) to tea, juice and smoothies, as a natural food to aid skin health.’

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Dry skin

This is another common culprit of prolonged stress, again due to the reduction in blood flow – the less blood going to the skin, the less it is hydrated. ‘CBD is one plant-based product that has taken the skincare industry by storm, with its antiinflammatory properties helping to soothe and nourish the skin,’ says Dr Newman-Beinart. ‘Together with the anti-inflammatory properties of CBD, niacinamide to nourish, and vitamins C and E to rebuild your skin barrier to lock in moisture, Vive CBD Tri-Active Formula (shop the range at vivemybeauty.com) is a life-saver for skin problems in menopausal women.’

3

4

Flaky skin

Chronic stress can lead to magnesium deficiency, a mineral that helps your skin to regulate its production of sebum, which hydrates your skin.

This can lead to flaky skin. ‘Fortunately, you can get magnesium from foods, including leafy greens, seeds, beans, fish, avocados and bananas, but it’s not always easy to have the perfect diet,’ says Dr Newman-Beinart. ‘Better You has a fantastic range of transdermal magnesium products, which are backed by science. The BetterYou Magnesium Body Butter (£12.95, betteryou.com) is not only deeply rich and intensively moisturising, but just 5ml delivers 75mg (21.5 per cent NRV) magnesium, perfect to keep your skin supple and deliver a dose of much-needed goodness.’

“It’s essential to think about what you can do to help your body manage stress better”

Whole-body impact

Feeling more tired and run-down than usual in your body is a sure sign that your skin will be under pressure, too. ‘I’ve mentioned two great ways to reduce the impact of stress on your skin, but it’s also essential to think about what you can do to help your body manage stress better, so that you don’t have to worry so much about the consequences,’ says Dr Newman-Beinart. ‘Adaptogens are natural plant-based remedies, such as herbs and roots, that help the body to modulate – or balance – its response to stress. They help to protect against the negative effects that stress brings on, such as fatigue and disrupted sleep. HIfas da Terra has developed its Equilibrium formula using the synergistic trio of reishi, lion’s mane and cordyceps mushrooms, which together can help to reduce anxiety, improve your response to stress, and enhance energy levels.’ Discover more at hifasdaterra.com.

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5 Acne and rashes

As with magnesium, high levels of stress can also impact the amount of B vitamins available to your skin, as they are needed by the rest of your body, which is in constant fight-or-flight mode.

Lower than optimum levels of B vitamins can lead to acne or even rashes appearing, as they do an important job supporting cell renewal. ‘Your skin is always regenerating, and requires a constant supply of nutrients in order to do this to the best of its ability,’ says Dr Newman-Beinart.

‘B vitamins are water-soluble, meaning that they are not stored in the body, so it’s important to make sure you are including B vitamins in your diet every day.

Foods high in B vitamins include meat, poultry and fish, but with plant-based diets on the rise, not everyone will necessarily manage to get adequate amounts of them from their diet alone, and this is especially the case for vitamin B12. BetterYou’s B-complete Oral Spray (£11.95) delivers all eight B vitamins in a great tasting and easy to use spray. The company uses science-backed intra-oral spray technology that delivers the active ingredient directly into the bloodstream, rather than relying on primary processing by the digestive system,’ she adds.

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Tune into your intuition

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Life& times IDEAS TO ASPIRE TO, GREAT READS TO INSPIRE YOU, AND EXPERT ADVICE TO HELP YOU LIVE A LIFE YOU LOVE, AND LOVE THE LIFE YOU LIVE

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PLATINUM 57

Life & times opener.indd 57

25/07/2023 17:07

MOORE’S MONTH TIRED OF LOOKING, WELL, TIRED, OUR COLUMNIST, LOOSE WOMEN STAR JANE MOORE, LIFTS THE LID ON HER RECENT EYE SURGERY

‘O

oh, you look tired.

Long day?’ enquired a shop assistant recently when, actually, I was feeling fairly energetic.

Clearly, she needs to be trained better in customer relations, but her comment played in to a narrative that had being going around my head for a long time. That my ‘resting face’ made me look a lot more clapped out and disinterested in life than I actually felt.

It wasn’t ‘resting bitch,’ as the famed description goes. At best, I look bored, at worst, utterly exhausted.

And I know that the main culprit was my increasingly saggy – or hooded, as it’s usually described – eyelids.

As a regular on ITV’s Loose Women, I’m lucky enough to get my make-up applied by a professional before each appearance and, every time, they would apply beautifully artistic eyeshadow, only for most of it to disappear out of sight the second they let my lids drop back in to place.

On top of that, I had two deep furrows between my eyes that made me look permanently cross.

‘Ooh, I could tell that Jane wasn’t pleased by what so and so was saying today,’ was a common, post-show remark on social media when, in fact,

I had simply been listening intently to someone’s viewpoint.

But, of course, rectifying these facial characteristics was going to involve far more than a non-invasive ‘tweakment.’ It would mean going under the knife and, therefore, required a lot of thought.

Blepharoplasty – as the surgical procedure is known – can be performed on the NHS if the problem is so pronounced that it seriously impacts your vision. But mine didn’t. It was purely cosmetic and, therefore, would have to be done privately.

As a journalist, I know the importance of good research. And never more so than when it comes to our highly delicate eyes, where one mistake could prove life-altering.

And my concern was not just for the procedure itself, but the result.

I wanted to look like a refreshed version of myself, rather than someone who looked like they’d had work done.

So, after much deliberation and the recommendation of a friend who’d been to him and was thrilled with the outcome, I ended up at the door of Daniel Ezra, a specialist ophthalmic and oculoplastic consultant.

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Regulars

Jane’s diary After measuring my face and discussing my expectations, we agreed that I would have just upper lid blepharoplasty. Some have a brow lift at the same time, but I decided to just stick with the eyelids and a smidgen of Botox in each frown line to smooth them out.

On the day, I arrived at 8am, was heavily sedated by 8.30am and, after a little kip and a sandwich in a side room, was home by 11.30am. I had no pain (though some might experience a little discomfort), and made sure to follow the instructions of regular icing and eyedrops.

I had appeared on Loose Women on the Monday and Tuesday, had the blepharoplasty on the Wednesday, my stitches out the following Tuesday and was back on air two days later. In between times, I went out and about wearing a pair of mildly tinted glasses, and you couldn’t see the stitches because they were mostly hidden in the crease of the eyelid. At worst, I just looked like I was wearing red eyeshadow for a few days.

And now? I actually have eyelids like I did in my thirties, and the make-up artists at work are thrilled that their artistry no longer disappears under an overhang of skin. I am very pleased with the result, particularly when a friend who didn’t know I’d had anything done kept saying, ‘You look so well.’

Daniel told me that many of his patients simply wish to look less weary and, as they see it, more approachable. If you check out the ‘before and afters’ on his website, you can see some of the results.

It’s not for everyone, and it’s entirely up to you if it’s something you’re interested in or not. But, if you are, then I hope this article helps.

I paid full price, so there’s no commercial obligation for me to write this. I’m doing so purely because, a) I like to be honest about such things and b) I like to recommend excellence where I find it.

The total cost of Jane’s surgery, including appointments, anaesthesia, and use of clinic facilities was around £7000; danielezra.co.uk

Buy of the month

I am terrible at drinking water, even though you’re supposed to drink around two litres a day, if you can. A water bottle seems to be the new musthave accessory, so I bought one.

Mine has messages encouraging you not to give up before you reach your goal. I love the colours and, so far, I’m hitting my target (£8.49, amazon.co.uk).

I have always wanted to visit Croatia, so when a girls’ trip was suggested to the island of Lopud recently, I leapt at the chance of some sun and culture. But the rain was biblical for three solid days. Here I am, in a hastily purchased pac-a-mac, about to board the ferry to stunning Dubrovnik. We’re British you know; the rain can’t keep us away! The sun eventually emerged for my last day.

Look of the month

I love this linen/ cotton blend midi dress in tangerine orange from The Fold. The ruching twists into the waist, which I find very flattering, and I love the capped sleeves and hem length. It’s also incredibly comfortable.

It’s not cheap (£395, thefoldlondon.com), but you’ll wear it forever, as its so versatile.

There’s a gorgeous shirt version, too.

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Trust your Intuition TO UNLOCK THE POWER AND POTENTIAL OF YOUR INNATE INTELLIGENCE, ENGAGE YOUR SENSES AND GO WITH YOUR GUT, SAYS ANNIE RIDOUT

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Life & Times

IMAGES: SHUTTERSTOCK

O

ver the past few years, ‘intuition’ has become a buzzword in business.

A recent Time magazine article revealed that top executives ‘leverage feelings and experience when handling crises. Even the US Navy has invested millions of dollars into helping sailors and marines refine their sixth sense, precisely because intuition can supersede intellect in high-stakes situations like the battlefield.’ But, for some, questions such as: ‘What’s your intuition telling you?’ or ‘What would happen if you went with your gut?’ or ‘Just listen to your heart,’ can cause an element of panic. I don’t know what my intuition is telling me, you might think.

In brief: intuition is your inner knowing; that gut reaction you have when something feels really wrong or really right. It is the ability to

understand something instinctively, without the need for conscious reasoning. And if you follow it, powerful things can happen.

I recommend fully engaging with your intuition to design both your home and working life (easier if you’re self-employed, but in these times of flexible working, there are sometimes options for alternative ways of working when you’re employed, too).

When Steve Jobs was 19, he spent time in India, searching for some kind of enlightenment. Years later, he reflected on what made his trip so profound. ‘The people in the Indian countryside don’t use their intellect like we do,’ he said. ‘They use their intuition instead, and their intuition is far more developed than in the rest of the world.

Intuition is a very powerful thing, more powerful than intellect, in my opinion.

That’s had a big impact on my work.’

He said that, after seven months, he saw the ‘craziness’ of the western world, as well as its capacity for rational thought. ‘If you just sit and observe, you will see how restful your mind is. If you try to calm it, it only makes it worse, but over time it does calm, and when it does, there’s room to hear more subtle things – that’s when your intuition starts to blossom and you start to see things more clearly and be in the present more.’

While we may tend to veer towards the rational, we do also use our intuition every single day. You get up and you decide what you are going to do. Do you go to the bathroom, chat to your partner, or scroll on your phone?

You decide what you want to do in that moment, led by your intuition. You then decide, at some stage, what to eat for breakfast. Again, you are listening to your body and mind and needs, and PLATINUM 61

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Life & Times

following them towards a breakfast that feels intuitively right. Sometimes you’ll get it wrong: perhaps you’ll eat a bowl of muesli because that’s what someone else in your family is having and it’s on the table. It might not be what you want, but it feels convenient.

But if it’s not what you want, you won’t enjoy it so much. And that’s why, when you have that instantaneous moment of ‘knowing’ – that gut feeling – it’s best to go with it.

In the workplace, it might be that you receive an email from a potential new client asking to work with you.

But perhaps there’s something about the email that makes you feel uneasy.

You might not be able to put your finger on what exactly: maybe they’re asking for too many details and it feels a bit dishonest, or perhaps you feel the writer doesn’t understand you and your work properly. Whatever it is, you have that instant intuitive reaction to the email that makes you question whether you want to work with the client.

Often, the instant reaction you have is absolutely linked to how you will be treated if you go ahead and work with that client. Intuition is strong, based on the myriad experiences we have throughout life, and our understanding of the people we work with. For instance, if it is a client situation that feels intuitively wrong, that’s probably based on your experience of other clients you’ve worked with. And so the further into your career – and life – you go, the more in tune you will become with your intuition.

That awkward feeling you have when someone strikes up a conversation and you can tell they will just take from you without giving (perhaps you start to feel tired or drained)?

That’s your intuition telling you this is not a match.

Or let’s say you’re invited out for a drink with a group of people.

This might feel like a really exciting invitation, or it might feel far from what you fancy doing. If it’s the latter, perhaps it’s your body telling you that you need rest – and no alcohol – or that you’re seeking calm and peace rather than the potential chaos of a loud, busy bar. But if it feels like a great idea, that’s probably because you need to be surrounded by people and buzz and chat, in which case, you’ll probably really enjoy yourself.

However, there will be times when you just don’t know what to do, both at work and for social engagements.

You might be going through an indecisive period, or feeling anxious, in which case it can feel as if there’s a mist lying over your intuition.

If you’re not sure how to activate your intuition – or just don’t know what you want or need, or who to trust – try these three simple exercises to remind yourself…

Raise Your SQ: Transform Your Life With Spiritual Intelligence by Annie Ridout (Octopus Books, £18.99) is out now

“Intuition is strong, based on the myriad experiences we have throughout life.

The further into your life you go, the more in tune you will become with your intuition”

Savour the flavour

If you have herbal teas at home, open the cupboard and pull out a selection. Open each box and take a good sniff of the teabags. Don’t read the box for now; follow your nose. Only once you’ve decided on the tea you’d like to drink, check the box for what this tea is meant to help with. See if it aligns with what it is that you need right now.

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Follow your feet Go on an unplanned solo walk, with no fixed destination. Step out of the door and choose whether to go left, right, or straight ahead.

Walk. Look up at the sky. Look at the road or path ahead. Look around you. Where are you being drawn to? Why? Follow your feet, your heart, your intuition. Walk for as long as feels good. Breathe in the air. See what ideas land in your mind. Turn back whenever you fancy it. There are no rules; be guided by your inner knowing.

Breathe it in

Go into a shop that sells scented candles. Pick up various candles and have a good old sniff. Which are you most drawn to? There will probably be one that just feels like the right fit. Perhaps you’ll be more drawn to lavender, known to be calming, if you’re feeling on edge. Or a zingy citrus scent might catch your attention, if you need a little lift. Maybe it will be an earthy aroma that draws you in, if you feel you need to be more grounded or connected to the earth. Whatever candle feels right to you, in that moment, is indeed the correct choice.

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10 of the best

BAGS GRAB YOURSELF SOME ARM CANDY – THERE’S A STYLE FOR EVERY OCCASION!

Quilted Puffy Tote Bag, £40, belissh.com

Pia Woven Multifunctional Bag, £48, fatface.com

Barbour Katrine Tartan Leather Bag, £79.95, barbour.com

Vegan Leather Liberty Saddle Bag, £75, fableengland.com

Embroidered Tote Bag, £65, monsoon.co.uk

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Platinum picks

Cord Saddle Crossbody Bag, £45, monsoon.co.uk

‘Made You Look’ Suede Bag, £70, joebrowns.co.uk

Floral Handbag, £49.99, belissh.com

Stone Straw-Effect Crossbody Bag, £19.99, newlook.com

Brynie Diamanté-Loop-Handle Grab Bag, £90, dunelondon.com

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Love

a er loss FALLING IN LOVE AT ANY AGE CAN BE WONDERFULLY LIFE-AFFIRMING. BUT WHEN ROMANCE STRIKES AFTER THE LOSS OF A PARTNER, THINGS CAN FEEL MORE DIFFICULT, WRITES KATHLEEN NORTH

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he media is full of stories about those lucky enough to find new love when their long-term partner dies. Are they moving on too soon? Is their new partner richer/younger/better looking than the first? And what do their (probably grown-up) children think about it all? And if it’s a woman who has lost her husband, as with most things, the scrutiny is extra harsh. It’s an emotional minefield, and the press are always more than happy to throw a few additional hand grenades in the happy (new) couple’s way. But even for those of us not living our lives in the spotlight, moving on and finding new love after the loss of a partner can still feel like a huge hurdle – albeit one you might want to overcome.

But fools rush in, as the saying goes, and this is important to remember, advises Karen Mooney, founder of matchmaking agency Sara Eden Introductions (sara-eden.co.uk). ‘Make space to look after yourself. If you’re widowed, you need to take time to recover and process your grief. If it’s too soon, you just won’t feel ready to find love. But if you’re kind to yourself, eventually you will know when you are ready to begin looking for somebody new.

“Look after yourself; you need to take time to recover and process your grief”

‘We see time and again at the agency that men tend to want to find somebody else after they’ve lost a partner much more quickly than women.

I think that’s because, as women, we tend to think more emotionally, and it’s important to us to try to find a time that feels right for us to move forward.’

So is there a good or right way to start a new relationship? ‘Forming a relationship with a friend after a partner dies is a common and natural response, as it allows for the comfort and support of an existing relationship’, says Elle Mace, a positive psychology coach (instagram.com/ iamellemace). ‘Friends can provide emotional and practical support, as well as a space for mourning and sharing memories.

‘Starting a relationship with a stranger is less common, but can also be beneficial for those who are grieving, as talking to someone who is not involved in the relationship can provide a fresh perspective.’

One recurrent theme of the media celebrity coverage we see is guilt – constant questions about partners feeling bad about having moved on. How can we handle these feelings of shame?

‘Give yourself a break,’ says Moody. ‘You don’t need to feel guilty; you’ll always love the person

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you have lost, but you have the rest of your life ahead of you. You’re not trying to replace them; you simply want to look for somebody who you can be with in the future – you can’t stay rooted in the past.

‘One thing we often see is that a lot of widows want to meet widowers, and vice versa. When you’ve both lost someone that you’ve built a life with, you have that shared understanding.

‘Finding love after loss is in many ways easier if you’re in your 50s, 60s, or 70s, because you have fewer things you need to focus on. But if somebody loses a partner in their 30s, for example, they might still want to have a family, in which case it’s important to meet somebody else who shares the same life goals. As we get older, however, we have a bit more freedom, and far fewer constraints.

‘In later life, it just comes down to finding somebody you can enjoy your time with. You’ll look for someone you have shared interests with – perhaps you both love travel, the theatre, or going for walks. And it’s important that you share similar values, too,’ adds Moody.

‘One thing you might want to think extra carefully about is where you both are financially,’ she warns. ‘When we are younger, you think you can work your way through things together, but if you are a little older, you might want to think about your financial status, and look for somebody who is on a par with you.

‘Whatever your situation, I’d advise going into any new relationship slowly,’ says Moody. ‘Don’t rush in at 100 miles an hour. You can’t replace that person you’ve lost. But you have plenty of road left ahead of you. The past few years have made us all think more carefully about our happiness, and how important it is to live our lives to the full.’

“Look for someone who shares your interests and values”

Sharing the news One of the things some women worry about when they do find new love after loss is how to tell other people. While most people will be delighted for you, if you feel worried, here are some ways to handle difficult conversations…

Take time to prepare yourself emotionally and mentally before having any conversations. This will help you manage your emotions and focus on providing comfort and support to your family, especially if you have children, however old they are.

Find a safe space. Have the conversation in a comfortable

place. This could be a quiet room, or somewhere outdoors. Make sure everyone involved is at ease, and has the privacy and emotional support that they need.

Listen to what your family has to say. Allow them to express their feelings, and don’t be afraid to share your own. Remember, you still have a right to live the life you choose.

Stay positive. Focus on the positive memories of your partner. Share stories and anecdotes that can bring comfort and joy to your family, even in the midst of sadness and grief.

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CASE STUDY

Clare Deacon lives in Buckinghamshire.

She owns her own business, Happya, and is a qualified positive psychology coach and therapist.

‘I met Dave when I was 18, at university.

We became close, and eventually started dating. We were together for so long, and got married, but then, a few years ago in 2016, he unexpectedly had a heart attack.

‘I first became aware of my new “relationship status” when someone dealing with the legalities in the aftermath of his death said, “Yes, but legally you’re not married anymore”. That hit hard.

‘A year after Dave passed, friends tactfully broached the subject of dating.

It wasn’t something I had considered – I felt I’d had my love. But I did miss being in a relationship, and I knew Dave would want me to be happy.

‘Dating as a widow with kids was complex. I felt guilt, and shame for trying to move forward. Grief in realising how much I’d lost. Judgement from others – some protective of Dave, others made comparisons. But some were happy that I was trying to move beyond survival.

‘Some prospective dates told me it was just too sad for them. Others said my children were too much to take on; one even said “Your children are too broken”, having never even met them! And some felt uncomfortable taking the place of someone who had passed.

‘But less than a year from that first date, I fell in love. Sadly, the relationship ended after a few years, bringing back all those feelings of loss and grief.

‘But life isn’t a rehearsal; you need to follow your passions. For now, I’m single and happy, building my business, happyacoach.com, and raising my beautiful children. Perhaps one day I will find someone who fits.’

“I felt I’d had my love.

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How to spot a

CYBER SCAM WITH ONLINE SCAMS BECOMING EVER MORE SOPHISTICATED, WHAT DO WE NEED TO KNOW TO TRY TO AVOID FALLING VICTIM, ASKS IMY BRIGHTY-POTTS

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e’ve all heard of poor souls being conned out of thousands online, falling for one trick or another from scammers – and most of us have probably thought, ‘It’ll never happen to me’. But in the past few years, the amount of transactions most of us have had online has rocketed, especially in the shopping and banking sectors, meaning that we are more vulnerable than ever.

At the same time, the criminals are becoming increasingly savvy.

‘There are a wide array of scams targeting consumers in the world today, which take various forms and sizes,’ says David Emm, a senior security researcher at security firm Kaspersky.

‘Firstly, there are scams related to high-profile events, ranging from sporting occasions to grand celebrations such as the King’s coronation. Fraudsters target

unsuspecting individuals with counterfeit tickets, merchandise, and similar schemes.

‘Additionally, there are ongoing scams associated with everyday activities, involving such things as fraudsters posing as banks or institutions such as HMRC, aiming to deceive people and extort money.

In essence, scammers demonstrate opportunistic behaviour, capitalising on any situation, with the aim of exploiting unsuspecting individuals for financial gain.

‘Identifying scams has become increasingly challenging due to their growing sophistication and level of detail in recent years. While you can sometimes spot them by paying attention to spelling errors in text or the URLs they use, the most effective approach to dealing with potential scams is to refrain from responding to any unsolicited communications,’ Emm says.

‘If an email or text message prompts you to provide information or click on a link, it should raise a major red flag. Legitimate banks or reputable businesses will never ask for sensitive information through such means. By adopting this practice consistently, regardless of the scam’s level of sophistication, you can protect yourself from becoming a victim,’ adds Emm. But it can be really hard to tell the difference between real communications and scams.

‘Scammers will go to great lengths to imitate legitimate companies, carefully replicating logos and even using stock imagery. They can even try to mimic the URL, making it appear as close as possible to the legitimate address. Just like spotting a counterfeit Gucci handbag while on holiday, paying attention to detail is crucial. Verify everything, and avoid assuming that something

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is genuine, solely based on its appearance,’ Emm advises.

‘Scammers often request personal and confidential information, such as passwords, account numbers, and PIN codes. They typically create a sense of urgency, encouraging you to take some form of action, which could be as simple as replying to their message.

You should exercise caution and be wary of such requests, as sharing sensitive information can put you at risk of identity theft or financial fraud.’

And think about what they are promising. A promise that sounds too good to be true – such as a guaranteed return on your investment – probably is. ‘You should also be wary of celebrities being used in adverts to front these types of schemes,’ explains Simon Newman, a member of International Cyber Expo’s Advisory Council.

‘Criminals are extremely good at using people we trust to encourage

others to part with their money. Many well-known TV personalities have been used without their permission to advertise a wide range of scams, from miracle diet pills to cryptocurrency schemes. It’s always best to seek independent financial advice before investing in anything.’

Celebrities are also now being used to advertise products using ‘deepfakes’, with money expert Martin Lewis being the most recent to have his image wrongly used.

‘The rise of deepfakes, where artificial intelligence is used to create fake videos, audio and photographs, is becoming harder to spot as the technology improves. Poor quality deepfakes are easier to spot – perhaps the colours differ, or the sound isn’t as clear as you would expect, but as these types of scams improve, the use of artificial intelligence may be the only way to detect whether you are looking or listening to a deepfake

or the real thing,’ Newman says.

Shopping online is also an area we need to be more wary to protect ourselves. ‘Consumers should always start by researching a business before buying from them – from consulting consumer resources to seeking out their company information, such as a formal contact and business registration details,’ says Natalie Kelly, head of risk at Visa Europe.

‘When paying online, always check the URL to ensure it begins with ‘https://’. The ‘s’ at the end indicates a secure connection. Additionally, check the name of the web page does not contain spelling errors or strange characters, as this can be a telltale sign that the seller is not legitimate,” she advises.

‘Do not ever feel pressured into making a purchase or booking – it should wait until you have done your research and are confident that you’re in safe hands,’ adds Kelly.

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new

Find your purpose

AS WE GO THROUGH LIFE MANY OF US FIND THAT WE DEVELOP NEW PERSPECTIVES AND PRIORITIES, SO IS IT TIME FOR A NEW SENSE OF PURPOSE TOO, ASKS ANITA CHAUDHURI

D

uring my father’s funeral, a few years ago, a woman approached me and said: ‘Do you know, your dad saved my life? I would not be here without him.’ My doctor dad had worked as an infectious diseases consultant for more than 40 years, so her words shouldn’t have come as a surprise. But, in the heightened emotions of the moment, the encounter brought tears to my eyes. It’s one thing to know intellectually that a family member saves lives, quite another to come face to face with the living, breathing evidence.

In the ruminative, empty days of the first lockdown, the incident came back to haunt me. Everyone else in my family had always been employed in the caring professions or public service jobs. My work

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as a journalist had been exciting and introduced me to a wealth of fascinating people and stories, but I couldn’t see that it was having any long-term benefit in the world.

It’s not like I was even exposing corruption and wrongdoing, let alone saving lives. What was the point of it all? It turns out that there is a name for what I was experiencing – purpose anxiety.

Robert Holden, author of Higher Purpose, says that when he hosted the radio show Shift Happens!, the question he got asked the most from callers who felt their lives had gone awry was, ‘How do I find my life purpose?’ So why is it that so many of us grapple with this dilemma?

‘I think it’s because we’ve all had those moments when we thought, maybe I’m the only person who doesn’t have a meaningful motivation in my life; maybe I’m the only one who’s never going to find that,’ explains Holden. He knows a thing or two about the topic, having established The Happiness Project, sponsored by the NHS, 30 years ago, as well as being head coach for the team that launched the Real Beauty campaign for Dove.

‘Purpose anxiety is essentially a term describing the collection of feelings about how you’re not up to fulfilling that purpose, even if you do find it. Or you might feel “I’m not

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ready for my purpose and I’ll never be good enough for it.” It’s really a cluster of fears and worries.’

Part of the problem for me is that, whenever I hear the phrase ‘life purpose’, I immediately visualise a heroic figure, such as Mother Teresa or Greta Thunberg, going out there and saving the world.

Focusing on such powerful agents of change does little to alleviate my crisis of meaning.

‘Sometimes, we sell ourselves short by thinking that purpose has to be this incredibly big thing, when it might actually be something far less grandiose,’ Holden explains.

To some extent, social media has given us unrealistic expectations about making an impact on the world. Entrepreneur Simon Sinek’s pioneering TED Talks (70 million views at the last count), and bestselling book, Find Your Why (Penguin, £16.99), have raised our awareness of the importance of finding clear direction in life. But the notion that if only we can come up with the right mission statement, fulfilment will surely follow, isn’t always helpful.

Life design coach Selina Barker has seen clients getting tied up in knots over it: ‘I think, sometimes, when

we give ourselves that kind of goal it can be debilitating, because it’s like saying, “I’m just trying to find the answer to life.” Personally, I do feel I have a fairly strong sense of purpose that involves helping people, but if someone came up to me at a party and asked me what it was, I couldn’t tell them. Never would I say to a coaching client, “What we need to do is get you finding your purpose or identifying your why.”’

Simply deciding to make a small difference in your local community could be enough to restore a sense of meaning to your everyday. One friend of mine, who always joked that she was a plant killer, began learning the art of plant care, and from this she began to rescue withered plants she spotted in her neighbourhood, as well as embarking on a tiny guerilla gardening project, sowing seeds around a couple of street trees. When we start by focusing on the collective good, and examine where we can make an impact, that’s when we can begin to find greater meaning.

But what if you don’t have a clue where to begin? ‘Far better to ask yourself, “For this next life chapter that’s coming up, what can I do that makes me come alive?”’ suggests Barker. ‘What are you longing for?

Which area of growth is calling you?

It could be about expanding your creativity, it could be making a difference to your community, it could be doing something that gives you more freedom. Or, it can be mastery, it can be going deeper into a subject, perhaps through further study. Ask yourself, what are the topics that you find endlessly fascinating, and what contribution do you want to make to the world? The answers to these questions might be your purpose.’

It is reassuring to hear topics such as creativity, education and mastery mentioned in the context of purpose, because these were the themes that, at the onset of the pandemic, were to give my life an unexpected change of focus. During the first lockdown, something strange started happening to me. Until that point, I had never been interested in spending time in PLATINUM 75

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nature or investigating the outer reaches of the London neighbourhood I’d inhabited for decades. But, somehow, with not much else to occupy my time, I developed an obsession. Every day, I would go out and walk for miles, exploring far-flung parks, green spaces, and hidden squares. Everywhere I went, I documented my discoveries with either my camera or my phone.

I am a keen photographer, but on these daily excursions, I began to experiment with technique, and marvelled at how this daily practice sparked a renewed sense of wonder at my surroundings. Most importantly for me – an extrovert who was feeling lonely during lockdown – I derived a great deal of energy from sharing my discoveries with others online.

Soon, perfect strangers were messaging me if I hadn’t posted pictures from my walk for a day or two. And others began telling me how my images had moved them, sometimes sending me images captured on their own solitary wanderings. That creating and sharing photographs could change the way another person felt was a revelation. As my interest grew, and restrictions eased, I also began shooting portraits of friends, something I had always shied away from, and I was surprised by what a positive reaction I received when I showed them the results.

‘You really see me,’ said one friend. ‘You’ve captured my spirit,’ said another.

However, I would never have believed that this interest was going to provide me with a whole new life direction. Until one day, walking home from my favourite spot, Primrose Hill, an idea popped into my head. ‘You need to apply to art school to study photography.’ I burst out laughing.

Who was I kidding? And, yet, as the days went by, I started researching entry requirements and degree courses. In the end, partly because I was scared about taking such a big leap, I only applied to the most prestigious course, a Masters degree at the University of the Arts London.

‘I’ll never get in,’ I reassured myself.

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‘And then I won’t have to do this big, scary thing.’ When I received an offer of a place later that summer, I sat in stunned silence for a few minutes, before jumping up and down with excitement. I was really going to take this leap.

‘During the pandemic, many of us had the time and space to think about our behaviour in a way we hadn’t before,’ says Jessica Huie, author of Purpose (Hay House, £12.99). ‘We were all sent to our rooms to reflect on things. Stuff that we might have noticed a flicker of before we got distracted by our busy lives, suddenly there was space for – and it wouldn’t go away.’ Like me, for Huie the shifts were radical.

She was guided to move her young son and her virtual coaching school for entrepreneurs, the Purpose Academy, to Jamaica, reconnecting to her family heritage. The decision was made against the backdrop of Brexit and the killing of George Floyd.

Huie decided that she wanted to create

“Rather than looking for purpose as this goal that lives outside of ourselves, purpose is the journey to becoming more of who we already”

a different environment for her son to grow up in.

‘Rather than looking for purpose as this mysterious goal that lives outside of ourselves, I think finding purpose is the journey to becoming more of who we already are,’ she says. ‘From that space of connection to ourselves. We can’t help but be inspired to do new things. Ask yourself, “Who am I being?” and “Am I in alignment with my values?”’

Huie says that she has noticed that there is a greater curiosity about finding more meaning and purpose among people who are successful, than there was pre-pandemic. ‘Once upon a time, the topic of finding purpose was mostly for individuals who felt lost in their lives. Now, I think it’s not just those people, but also those people who are very established in their work or personal lives, and are acknowledging for the first time that there is a disconnect between who they’re showing up as, and who they really are. And I think that’s different and exciting, because it’s like we’re all becoming a little bit more honest with ourselves about the narratives that we’ve been continuing to propagate. We are developing the courage to interrogate what it means to have a successful life.’

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Write your

purpose HOW TO TURN YOUR SENSE OF MEANING INTO A BESTSELLER

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hortly after I completed my degree, I received an invitation to attend a writing retreat in Portugal, entitled Write Your Future Bestseller, hosted by literary agent Jacq Burns and writing coach Laura Gale. It seemed like a counter-intuitive thing to sign up for, given that I had spent the better part of two years on pictures. Yet the workshop description piqued my interest. ‘Can’t figure out what to focus on? Have a lot to say but don’t know how to say it? Need time away from work and home?’ Yes, to all of that!

I was at a pivotal point in my journey. Armed with my new knowledge, skills and creative ideas, I was ready to take on the world. But what exactly was I going to do with it? Maybe a writer’s retreat could help me find my purpose?

On the first evening of the retreat, I met my fellow attendees. Most of the 11 other people were running businesses or doing jobs with a strong sense of mission (from a menopause warrior to a teen mental health advocate), which they wished to translate onto the page.

Even the sci-fi novelist had a burning message to share about the future of artificial intelligence.

Like most journalists, I had long been entranced by the idea of writing fiction, a largely ego-driven daydream that would surely lead to fame, riches and an HBO series. So, it was humbling to come face to face with a group whose writing motivations were genuinely focused on making a positive difference to the world.

The core of the workshop was spent learning how to develop a premise – the book equivalent of a mission statement – and developing a book proposal outline based on that. But what was my message? This took a good deal of brainstorming. It couldn’t be as simple as ‘Photography makes me happy, so it might work for you too…’ Or could it? It was reassuring to

observe that everyone else initially struggled to craft these messages, even with encouraging input from our teachers.

The most impactful exercise of the week for me was a ‘visioning’ session, where we drew a map of how our book and message were going to fit in with the rest of our work and life. Questions included: How will your book be a catalyst for your new life? How will it expand both your life and your work?

The prompts, boosted by morning meditation sessions, sparked an astonishing stream of ideas for how I might build purpose into a new career that straddles both words and pictures.

Suddenly, I was thinking about possibilities and joining the dots of vague ideas that had never made sense to me before. Working for a charity, teaching mindful photography workshops, selling inspirational prints and cards, shooting women’s portraits to build confidence. All of these things could happily co-exist alongside my career as a writer, infusing everything with the stardust of purpose. jacqburns.com; lauraiswriting.com

“Suddenly, I was joining the dots of vague ideas that had never made sense to me before”

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Get your first dra underway…

1

TEN BIG IDEAS Just as the words suggest, write down ten topics, nuggets of wisdom, or big ideas that are central to the message you want to share with the world. Don’t edit or judge, keep your pen moving.

I was astonished when I ended up with a dozen!

2

FIND YOUR PREMISE When it comes to selling a book, or any big idea, premise is key. In order to hone your message, you need to distill all of the ideas you have into a clear argument. ‘Don’t include things that are counter to your argument – you can’t ride two bicycles at once,’ says Burns.

‘And, remember, your premise only needs to be true for your book, not the entire world.’

If you’ve gathered a lot of information and research, you can speedily hone in on the most important bits by asking does this help my case, hurt my case, or is it neutral. ‘Always throw out neutral,’ says Burns.

3

FREE-WRITE YOUR MEMORIES After doing the first two exercises, journal about any memories that came up during the process, either from past work experiences or from earlier phases of life. ‘The books that stay with you are the ones where you recognise yourself on the page.

So using memories, or evocations, are great to bring your words to life,’ says Burns.

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Never too late AS SHE REDISCOVERS HER APPETITE FOR ADVENTURE AND OPPORTUNITY, WRITER ANGELA ZAHER FINDS THAT YOUTH IS JUST THE STARTER…

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s I raised my glass to celebrate my 49th birthday on 11 March 2021, at home with my husband and two children, I was buzzing with excitement on the inside. I felt like I was on the cusp of a new era in my life. I was finally finding my ‘element’ – that magical place where the things you love to do, and the things you’re good at doing, come together.

Earlier that strange day (we were still in the middle of yet another lockdown) I had received an email from the editor of a digital magazine called Marmalade & Kindness.

She liked the article I had submitted to her about how cooking had helped me and my family through lockdown, she wrote, and wanted to publish it on her website.

I couldn’t believe that anyone would ever be interested in reading what I had written, let alone publish it.

The confidence boost of that first publication propelled me to email another magazine editor – and then another.

In the two years since, I’ve been published in multiple other publications, including Platinum, Delicious, gal-dem and The Brussels Times. My short story, Love, Loss & Recipes, was selected to appear in the literary magazine The Other Side Of Hope and nominated for a Best of the Net award. I am a member of the Guild Of Food Writers. And, at 51 years old, I feel more charged and vibrant than ever.

The springboard to this new career was a conversation I had with my husband on New Year’s Day 2021. He told me that he had read an article in the papers about someone who had been trying to get published for years with little success and then took a creative writing course. I had been thinking of doing such a course for a while, but always found good excuses why not to.

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boys, then 13 and 11 years old, bags to pack for the next day, dinner to make and sit down to eat with them – this last one, one of my sacred rituals. I love cooking and I love sitting down to eat with the people I cook for even more.

I don’t give up that time easily. Like I said, good excuses.

But things were different in the pandemic. Zoom had come into our lives. I didn’t need to go anywhere other than a quiet room, after dinner. So thanks to that discreet nudge from the person who knew me better than anyone, I went online and signed up for a virtual creative writing course. I loved every minute of it, even the scary bits when we had to read what we had written out loud to others. In writing, I found my happy place.

When the course ended, I knew I wanted to take it further. I talked to my friends and people around me, told them I wanted to write. Suddenly, it was as if someone else had inhabited my body; a driven, ambitious person who followed up every contact and tip anyone was kind enough to share. And there were so many kind people who wanted to encourage me. Some had been total strangers, like the lady who ran a cookery course my son attended. I was in awe of this self-made woman who had worked her socks off in the competitive food industry and achieved so much, but still took the time out to help other women get on the ladder.

I asked her for advice, and she gave it freely.

Whether fact or fiction, food became central to my writing. The story of my life can be tracked through food and I felt there was so much to say about its power to bring people together, to heal and soothe. I joined a daily writing group, over Zoom as well, set up by a lady who runs a food writing course. At the first session, I felt like an imposter – the other women were all established people in the business, with years of experience, had published cookbooks, ran their own companies. I was a stay-at-home mum PLATINUM 81

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who had written one article that had been published on a website. But they made me feel at home, became my support group, celebrated my successes, and lifted me up when I received rejections. I could not believe how, at 50, when supposedly your world starts to shrink, mine was suddenly, unexpectedly, expanding and fanning out.

Years ago, before having children, I was a solicitor in the City of London for ten years. But when my boys came along, I was fortunate enough to have a choice, and gave up my legal career to raise them. My life before writing was a fulfilling one. My boys are 15 and 13 now, and the job of raising them, whilst being the toughest one out there – unpaid – is still the one I am most proud of.

I didn’t go out looking for a new career, but when it started happening for me in writing, I didn’t want it to stop.

And I didn’t feel guilty. I had done a good job in nurturing my boys’ independence. The time was right for them to start using it, and the time was also right for me to reclaim myself, find my own purpose, and pull back a little. I also needed a distraction from the negative, tangible effects of ageing that were creeping up on me…

No one had warned me about the menopause. Or maybe they did and I just chose not to listen. I have for several years now suffered, on and off, most of its horrible symptoms – night sweats, hot flushes, irregular and intense periods. I have always been so in tune with my body but these sudden, volatile changes have made it feel like a

foreign entity. Problems with my knee mean that my once prized collection of sassy high heels are museum relics now.

And worse still than the physical effects of getting older, are the societal attitudes towards women my age and beyond, which I come across daily. We are often made to feel invisible. Where are we in advertising campaigns or Hollywood films, for example? It’s unfair that after all we have achieved in our lives – raising children, building careers – beyond 50 we are expected to be put out to pasture, quietly. Yes, there are some terrific examples of women in the limelight who are challenging this – many of them feature on the pages of this magazine – but we need more. And we need to have a good long talk to ourselves, too, to believe that we are too talented, too vital to be overlooked. As soon as that confidence and assertiveness comes from the inside, it will be hard to continue to ignore us.

Even though nowadays I can’t help but fall asleep in front of the TV before the 10 o’clock news, finding my element – my love for writing – has given me renewed energy and motivation. It’s not something that I could have done any sooner. I write about my lived experiences; I needed the perspective that age brings in order to do that. This distracts me from what ageing has taken away and shifts the focus onto celebrating the many gifts that it brings.

I have held onto that buzz of excitement I had at my 49th, and I am not letting go of it any time soon. I am getting older, but I am getting better. Better at living my best life.

“At 50, when supposedly your world starts to shrink, mine was fanning out”

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Life & Times

Angela Zaher is a freelance food and fiction writer. She is currently working on her memoir with recipes. Follow her on Instagram @angela_zaher for more of her work

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The home of your NEW DREAMS WHETHER YOU’RE FILLING SPACE AFTER CHICKS HAVE FLOWN THE NEST, OR PUTTING DOWN ROOTS IN A NEW PLACE, INTERIOR DESIGNER JOANNE JEYES SHOWS YOU HOW TO MAKE YOUR HOME YOUR OWN

IMAGES: SHUTTERSTOCK

A

t this stage of our lives, your home can begin to feel somewhat disjointed; perhaps your family dynamic has changed, you’ve downsized, or you simply feel as if your home no longer reflects who – and where – you are in your life right now. So how can you reclaim your living space and make your house feel like a home again?

Now is the time you should be really enjoying adding your own style to your home – especially as you probably have a much better understanding of what your style is, or at least, what you know your style isn’t. This knowledge brings with it a sense of freedom to express yourself more than ever before. So where to begin? Interior designer Joanne Jeyes, founder of Crocus Interior Design & Media, shows you how…

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COLOUR CONFIDENCE

Colour is the start of all interior conversations.

Is there a room in your home that is severely lacking something? It’s usually colour. Either there’s not enough, or the balance is off.

Begin by thinking about what colours make you feel good. The psychology of colour is much talked about, and it’s worth really digging deep into what you are attracted to. Consider why you like a particular colour, and make a mood board.

This can be done digitally or just with good old scraps of paper. Collect images of colours that you like and build a palette that appeals.

If you stick with one colour, ensure you opt for tonal variations to use throughout the room, and balance things out with a neutral. Then use texture and pattern to add interest.

If you want a more contrasting scheme, go for complementary colours; those opposite each other on the colour wheel – for example, blue and orange. Keep the tones of the two colours the same and it will work beautifully.

Adding colour can be done in a variety of ways. Painting is the most obvious one. Colour drenching – painting the whole room including woodwork and ceiling in the same colour – is oh-so stylish and works brilliantly in small rooms.

If you want to do something less time (and wallet) heavy, introduce a feature wall, instead.

Think beyond just paint though – stone-effect finishes, wood cladding, murals, fabric, the list is endless. Make the wall a piece of art.

The easiest and quickest way to add colour, however, is through soft furnishings. Choose good-quality cushions infills and find cushions that speak your colour language. If your curtains are looking a little worn or dull, consider adding trim or tiebacks – a quick and easy way to update.

ACCESSORISE WITH STYLE

If you are anything like me, you can walk around your home and find memories at every turn.

That wall hanging you picked up on your travels, the first pot your youngest made at school, the collection of elephants the family have bought you over the years. These are the things that tell your story. However, it may also be that they are cluttering up your new way of living. Collect up all the objets, knick-knacks, and ornaments you have and consider them as a whole. At the risk of sounding like a certain organising guru, which of them do you really love?

According to the dictionary, the definition of the word accessory is ‘a thing which can be added to something else in order to make it more useful, versatile, or attractive’. Are all of your knick-knacks doing that? Perhaps it’s time to say goodbye to some. That doesn’t mean throwing them away; for those that have sentimental value,

“Start off by thinking about what colours really make you feel good”

keep them in a beautiful storage box under the bed, and know you can get them out whenever you want to. For those that have served their purpose, take them along to your local charity shop. For those that have value, consider taking them to an antique dealer or sell them yourself on one of the many online auction sites.

Once you know which accessories you want to keep, display them with effect. Group things together to create a talking point – get all those elephants and display them on one shelf. Create a gallery wall with all the kids’ artwork you wanted to keep, or hang all of your holiday mementos together in the hallway, as a conversation starter for guests as they enter.

Think about framing or displaying really special pieces – such as a cork from your 21st birthday party. Buy a box frame, add a coloured mount, a print-out of the date, and a small photo, and suddenly it becomes something worth showing off properly, rather than hiding it in a

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box. You can do the same with anything, from children’s shoes to pressed flowers.

FURNITURE FINDS

Big items of furniture such as sofas and dining tables often cost a large amount of money, so we tend to hang on to them. But, let’s face it, that old saggy sofa with threadbare cushions is doing nothing for your room, not to mention your back. That doesn’t mean you have to throw it out – have the cushions refilled and the piece reupholstered. The difference can be remarkable.

Although this isn’t necessarily a cheaper option than buying new, it’s much more sustainable. You also end up with a piece of furniture you know you are comfortable with, which fits in the room and yet looks like new.

Do the same with other furniture – why not have an old sideboard painted, re-wax your dining table, or spray paint your kitchen chairs?

Having said all that, with your home truly now your own, it might well be time to invest in some new furniture. Just one stunning piece can really make a room sing. Think about a bespoke armchair that fits snugly in front of a window overlooking the garden, a desk perfect for writing at, or a sideboard ideal for displaying photographs. Try to avoid the high street and, instead, look nearer home. Often new talent can be discovered locally. There’s likely to

“With your home truly now your own, it might well be time to invest in some new pieces”

be an amazing craftsperson not too far away that could make you something that fits you and your home beautifully.

GIVE YOURSELF THE SPACE

Why do we insist on having a ‘spare’ room? Why not a multifunctional or multi-use room instead?

As hard as it may be to pack up all those memories, it really is time to ask your grown-up children to come and collect the boxes of shoes, old clothes and football trophies they’ve left behind in their childhood bedrooms. Have a really good clear out and store, salvage or donate anything that isn’t needed (and by needed, I mean used!). Then consider how you can use that space more effectively for the way you live now.

Is there a hobby you currently enjoy that ends up taking over the dining table? Or a volunteer role or part-time job that you would usually do at the kitchen counter? Maybe you’d just like somewhere to relax or work out away from the rest of the house? Whatever it is you like to do with your time, give yourself the space to do it.

You can still make it work for guests to stay over. Consider storage carefully so that you can pack things like hobby materials or yoga mats out of the way quickly. And choose furniture that is multifunctional; sofa beds come into their own in multi-use rooms. Use the height of the room to better effect, too – a shelf running around the room, just below ceiling level, is a great place to store things out of the way, for example. Choose attractive storage boxes and it will look good as well. Blanket chests and ottomans can hide all manner of larger items, and double as a bedside table for when guests arrive.

Remember, this is your home to use for your way of living now. It’s time to reclaim your space.

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Serve up

summer WHETHER YOU’RE EATING AT HOME AL FRESCO OR PACKING UP A PICNIC, MAKE PLANTS THE STAR OF YOUR PLATE THIS SEASON WITH THESE NOURISHING AND ENERGISING DISHES FROM DANIELLE BROWN’S HEALTHYGIRL KITCHEN COOKBOOK

Beauty beet & bean burgers ‘These are hands-down going to be the most delicious homemade veggie burgers you’ve ever had. Made with a base of quinoa, beans, and beets, these superfood, vitamin-rich ingredients are amazing for your skin, your hair, and your overall health. They are smokey, hearty, savoury, filling, and take less than 30 minutes to make’ Makes 7 ● 1 cup chopped white onion ● 1 tbsp olive oil ● 1 cup pecans ● 1 tbsp smoked paprika ● 1 tbsp chilli powder ● 1 tbsp garlic powder ● 1 tsp salt ● ½ tsp pepper ● 1 cup cooked quinoa ● 1/3 cup breadcrumbs ● 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained ● 2 small pre-cooked beets (jarred, shop-bought)

● 1/3 cup BBQ sauce

1. Sauté the onions in a pan on medium heat with olive oil until translucent.

Remove from the heat.

2. In a food processor, add the pecans, paprika, chilli powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper, and blend to combine.

3. Pour the onions, cooked quinoa, breadcrumbs, and pecan mixture into a large bowl.

4. Add the black beans and beets into the food processor, and blend to combine. Don’t over-blend, as there should still be a little bit of texture present.

5. Pour the bean mixture into the bowl as well, along with the BBQ sauce. Mix until well combined.

6. Form into patties, it should yield about 7.

7. Pan-fry on medium heat for about 4 to 5 minutes on each side, or grill them, if you prefer.

8. Serve on a bun with your favourite burger toppings.

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HEMPSEED RANCH DRESSING ‘This is the healthiest version of plant-based ranch dressing you’ll find.

If you’re like me and could smother everything in ranch dressing, you need to make this hempseed ranch. It’s creamy; packed with healthy fats, fibre, and protein from the hempseed; and whips up in the blender in less than a few minutes.

Use this as a dressing for pasta salad or a fresh, green salad, or as a dip for veggies like cucumbers and peppers. ● ¾ cup hempseed ● ¾ cup water ● 2 tbsp olive oil ● Juice from 1 lemon ● 1 tsp garlic powder ● 1 tsp dried parsley ● 2 tsp dried dill ● 1 tsp apple cider vinegar ● 1 tsp salt Blend all the ingredients together in a blender until completely smooth.

Store in the fridge in an airtight jar, bottle or container for up to 5 days.

BBQ chickpea chopped salad ‘My mum has always called me a drama queen, but I swear I’m not being dramatic when I say this is one of the top three best salads I’ve ever had. You know how restaurant salads tend to taste better than the ones you make at home? This salad changed that for me. When I first made it, my husband immediately said, “This tastes like a restaurant salad.” It’s smokey, sweet, crunchy, creamy, and crispy’

Serves 4–5

● 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained ● ½ cup BBQ sauce ● 1½ heads romaine lettuce, chopped ● 1½ cups halved cherry tomatoes ● 1 cup freshly steamed corn ● 1 avocado, cubed ● ½ cup chopped coriander ● 2 handfuls crushed tortilla chips ● ¼ cup diced red onion ● Hempseed ranch dressing (above)

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, sauté the chickpeas in the BBQ sauce for about 5 minutes, until the sauce has thickened and the chickpeas are heated through.

2. In a large bowl, combine the romaine lettuce, tomatoes, corn, avocado, coriander, crushed tortilla chips, and red onion.

3. Toss with the dressing to taste, top with the chickpeas, and enjoy!

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No-fish tuna sandwich

‘Raise your hand if you love tuna! This was one of the first plant-based recipes I learned how to make because I was tuna-obsessed and I needed to find a way to make a vegan version. You will see that I use chickpeas in a lot of my recipes, but it’s because they’re so versatile. They make the perfect high-protein, high-fibre tuna swap. Don’t want to make this into a sandwich? It’s also great on a salad or with crackers’ Serves 2 ● 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained ● ½ cup chopped dill pickles ● ¼ cup chopped red onion ● 2 tbsp tahini, plain vegan yogurt, or vegan mayo ● 1/3 cup shelled sunflower seeds ● 1 cup roughly chopped celery ● 1 tbsp dried dill ● 1 tsp Dijon mustard ● 2 slices of your favourite bread ● Dill pickles, to serve ● Lettuce, to serve 1. Add the chickpeas, pickles, onion, tahini, sunflower seeds, celery, dill, and mustard into a food processor and pulse until well combined. It should still have some texture to it and not be completely smooth.

2. Add onto your favourite bread with dill pickles and your favoured lettuce, and enjoy!

HealthyGirl Kitchen

by Danielle Brown ( DK, £20) is out now. Cover photography

by Amanda Julca, recipe photography by Ari Brown

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What’s all the buzz ? about BEES?

IF YOU’RE SEEKING A NEW HOBBY THAT’S ENRICHING, REWARDING, AND WILL HELP TO PROTECT THESE VITAL POLLINATORS, WHY NOT GIVE BEEKEEPING A GO, ASK IMY BRIGHTY-POTTS

C

aroline Ingham used to be frightened of bees.

But, now, the 61-year-old is at her happiest surrounded by thousands of the insects.

And with urbanites setting up hives on their balconies; honey being made up and down the country; and a whopping 1.9 billion views for the social media tag #beekeeping, this summer might just be the busiest time for starting this buzzy new hobby.

‘Urban beekeeping offers people a rewarding chance to connect with nature and contribute to conserving our pollinator pals in urban settings,’ says Amanda John, a professional beekeeper. ‘This form of beekeeping has become increasingly popular, as the importance of protecting our bees becomes more prevalent.’

Ingham, 61, from Holmfirth, Yorkshire, has now been beekeeping for five years. ‘I used to be a volunteer at our local high school on gardening projects. I took a short course so that we could introduce bees into the school, but it didn’t work out, so I acquired a beehive. I keep them in my garden, and three other ladies come to help me,’ she explains.

But, if you don’t have a garden, Ingham says you can put them on roofs and balconies – as long as you seek the right permissions and tell your neighbours.

Many may be put off by the cost and fear of getting stung: ‘People generally have a fear of bees; I did when I started,’ says Ingham. ‘Looking at frames of thousands of bees was a bit frightening, but it’s something you get used to, and it becomes so inspirational and enjoyable.

‘You need a proper bee suit – full length with gloves and protective footwear,’ she continues. ‘It can be expensive, depending on what lengths you go to and the equipment you acquire. If you join an association, however, you can find stuff relatively cheaply – it doesn’t have to be new.

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IMAGES: CAROLINE INGHAM, ALAMY, PA

‘If you were to shop online from new, it would cost about £500. More carefully, it could cost half that amount.’

But, what about the actual hives?

‘Basic equipment would be a hive, and here in the UK, we tend to go for a national type, with frames and a foundation, with a small number of tools for lifting the frames,’ Ingham explains.

Associations may be able to help you source items.

‘There are British beekeeping associations for each district – I am part of the Huddersfield & District Beekeeping Association. As a member, you get insurance if there is a problem with the hive. Joining the association is around £35 annually.’

So, once you have all the gear, where do you actually get the bees from? Well, associations may be able to help you find someone selling a hive, or someone looking to redirect a swarm.

Sounds straightforward enough. But is there anything else to be worried about?

‘Winter is a bad time to get the bees – it depends so much on the weather. They don’t come out of the hive until it is about 13 degrees, and in the winter, you need to insulate them,’ says Ingham.

‘You also have to give treatments for insects they can be prone to, and make sure you take time to do regular inspections of your hives, too.’

‘When getting started in urban beekeeping, it is essential to understand the safety and basic knowledge of beekeeping,’ says John. ‘If possible, this means attending a beekeeping workshop – you’ll find plenty to choose from online, all across the country – and connecting with local beekeepers to learn more about bee behaviour, hive management, and safety protocols. Understanding these basics is the key to success,’ she adds.

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Can feng shui help you sleep better?

DISCOVER THE EXPERTS’ TOP TIPS FOR A GOOD NIGHT’S SLUMBER

T

here are always reasons why we can’t sleep, and during these warmer months, it can seem like there are more than ever. Too hot, too stuffy, too stressed are just a few common ones for women in midlife and beyond. And, sometimes, those can feel challenging issues to tackle.

So, here, we’ve come up with some new ideas to make your bedroom an oasis of calm and help you get the rest you need – and deserve. We’ve drawn some simple tips from the ancient art of feng shui*, which is said to encourage harmony between our life and environment, maintaining positive and balanced energy around the home that will influence healthy routines, and aid us day and night.

‘The art of feng shui helps align and harmonise all the energies in the house and, as a result, affects all those who live there, creating a balanced environment,’ explains Inbaal Honigman, an expert in the Japanese art. ‘When we feel aligned, we are calmer, work more efficiently, have better moods, and can rest more effectively,’ she adds.

1

Match the sizes of your furniture ‘People who struggle to sleep well may have created “imbalance” in their bedroom through furniture choices,’ says interiors therapist Suzanne Roynon. ‘Try to keep furniture, such as bedside tables and lamps, of a similar size, to foster balance and harmony.’ Mismatched items can produce a sense of inequality and instability, which may seep out into daily life and family relationships.

2

Make space for oxygen to flow Heat and snoring are regularly blamed for sleep deprivation.

‘These can be mitigated by increasing the flow of fresh air and vital oxygen through a room. However, during summer nights, having one window open may not be enough, and using a fan will only move hot air around!

Instead, open doors and windows elsewhere in the house to encourage air to move freely,’ says Roynon.

3

Position your bed opposite to the door at an angle For the best quality of sleep, Roynon recommends placing your bed opposite to the door but moved off to one side or the other, creating a diagonal between door and bed. By including a strong headboard against the wall, the arrangement will give you a sense of safety and prevent vulnerability. Never place the bed directly opposite the door, as this can leave you feeling exhausted.

4

Keep your space clean Feng shui involves creating the smooth circulation of positive ‘chi’ (life-enhancing energy).

According to feng shui principles,

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IMAGES: SHUTTERSTOCK. *MATTRESS ONLINE PARTNERED UP WITH FENG SHUI EXPERTS TO REVEAL THEIR TOP DOS AND DON’TS

Home

dust is one sign of energy stagnation, so it’s good to notice where dust settles, as it’s an indicator of ‘stuck energy’ that may affect the occupants.

Roynon says clutter actively works against wellbeing, and is a magnet for dust. So, clear out your ‘floor-drobe’, wipe down surfaces, and get rid of unwanted items to improve sleep.

5

Consider your head placement If you have trouble sleeping, feng shui consultant Janine Lowe suggests facing the top of your head towards north. This is called the ‘sleep of the dead’, and while the name may sound alarming, it can help with getting to sleep quicker and for longer.

‘If you are in a partnership, angling the top of your head towards east is said to enhance romance,’ adds Lowe.

6

Opt for soothing colours Choose relaxing shades for your bedroom walls, such as earth tones or pastels. ‘These can create a calming effect around the space and encourage relaxation,’ says feng shui expert Denise O’Dwyer.

Avoid using bright colours, as they can be overstimulating and disrupt sleep.

7

Hang harmonious artworks Art, décor and mementoes can also subconsciously impact a room, and may trigger negative thoughts and even nightmares. ‘As the bedroom should be about rest, romance and relaxation, choose art and decorations that are calming and supportive,’ explains Roynon. O’Dwyer

suggests avoiding using images of water, along with bold decorations, as this can create imbalance.

8

Don’t sleep under heavy fixtures ‘Avoid sleeping under heavy beams or ceiling fixtures, as large objects overhead can give the sense of increased pressure, making it more difficult to relax,’ says O’Dwyer.

9

Avoid mirrors in your bedroom Our feng shui experts suggest removing any mirrors in your bedroom. If this isn’t possible, opt for wardrobes with built-in mirrors inside. ‘If you can see yourself or the bed in the reflection, it can cause restlessness,’ says Lowe.

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“Food inflation is no fun for anyone – it’s crazy out there!”

THEY’VE LONG BEEN ON A MISSION TO MAKE HEALTH EATING AS TASTY AS CAN BE. AND, NOW, KATE AND KAY ALLINSON – AKA PINCH OF NOM – ARE OUT TO SHOW YOU CAN DO IT ON A BUDGET, TOO. PRUDENCE WADE EXPLORES…

J

amie, Nigella, Delia. Most of our best-known and best-loved chefs – and cookery book writers – are household names, many even afforded ‘national treasure’ status. But the fastest-selling cookbook of all?

That record goes to Kate and Kay Allinson, two middle-aged women who rarely appear on TV, and don’t do many interviews. Lucky us, then.

If you don’t know them, you probably do recognise their brand name: Pinch of Nom has been lighting up the internet since they launched their Facebook group in 2016. Their first cookbook came out in 2019 and sold 210,506 copies in its first week – the only non-fiction title to outstrip that is Spare by the Duke of Sussex.

Their fanbase is loyal, and they have 1.2 million followers on Instagram – but please don’t call them diet books (Kay doesn’t use the ‘D’ word: ‘I hate it!’ she declares).

Now, the pair are releasing their first book specifically geared towards wallet-friendly recipes – which felt like a natural progression.

‘With most of the recipes we’ve ever come up with, one of the main goals – apart from it being food you actually want to eat, because that really helps when you’re making a recipe book – is that they’re easy to make, but also don’t break the bank,’ Kay says.

‘From day one, our audience has been very family orientated,’ adds Kate.

‘And running a family is expensive enough, especially at the minute – thank you, Brexit,’ Kay sighs. ‘Food inflation is not fun for anyone – it’s ridiculous out there. It’s crazy the amount of people that rely on food banks – food poverty is a really big issue.’

While there are no price guarantees with their recipes, most dishes come in at under £2 to make, and many cost even less – busting the misconception

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The two have been together for 18 years and married for two. They estimate there are around 3,000 Pinch of Nom recipes, created by themselves and their team. With such a vast number, do they ever get writer’s block?

‘We do get stuck for inspiration, quite often,’ Kate admits – and in those scenarios, their first port of call is going to the Facebook group, ‘and looking to see what people want’.

Kay jumps in: ‘We’ll ask them what they want. I used to post every week in the Facebook group without fail the question: “Okay, what do you want a Nom version of? Tell us what dishes you want to see.”

‘Don’t get me wrong, there were some ridiculous requests – there is no way the chocolate cake from Matilda was ever going to be Nommable; that’s just not going to happen. As much as I would love to be a magician and for that to be real!’

Other suggestions are a bit more feasible – and they’ve seen a big rise in demand for veggie recipes.

‘We feel the same – it’s not that we don’t like meat, but we’ve made a conscious choice to eat less of it, mainly because of cost. Meat costs a fortune, and if you can get your protein from plants, then yay – it’s a good thing,’ Kay says.

‘So we’ve had an awful lot of veggies recently, or people just wanting to cut down on meat – and I’m assuming it’s because it’s friggin’ expensive.’

Another trend that will never go away? ‘We still get loads of fakeaway requests,’ Kay says.

Kay adds: ‘We like to give people a decent amount of stuff that isn’t quite as calorific as it would ordinarily be, but enough so you have something to look forward to in the week. Everyone needs a bit of a treat, because it’s no fun otherwise. When people think of diets, they think of lettuce. I do, and I’m like, sod that!’

“We want to make it easy – people are time-poor”

IMAGES: JAYE-PEG PHOTOGRAPHY/PA, MIKE ENGLISH/PA, ELLIS PARRINDER/PA

that healthy eating is expensive.

‘Whatever it is, you can make it expensive – there are ways and means,’ Kay says.

‘If you want to do healthy food from a fancy supplier, it’s not going to come cheap. But most real people that live on a day-to-day basis will shop at one of the big four supermarkets or the big two discounters. And we want people to be able to buy all the recipes and the ingredients in one place, and not have to traipse around everywhere.

‘We want to make it as easy as possible – people are time-poor.

Maintaining a family and making sure everyone is fed and looked after is hard enough – the last thing you need is to plod around the big posh supermarkets trying to find weird ingredients.’

This could be the couple’s secret to success – they’re refreshingly normal, and even talk about their own ‘bumpy journey’ with healthy eating.

‘We said last week, we’re going to meal plan all week – so what didn’t we do? We didn’t get round to cooking the meals, because we’re busy doing other stuff – because that’s what happens,’ Kay says. But all wasn’t lost, because they used their number-one tip for keeping healthy and saving money: the freezer.

‘It’s always handy to have something in the freezer or the fridge for that day when you come home from work and just cannot be bothered – you know the one we’re talking about; everyone has one! And, to be fair, it’s usually a couple of days,’ says Kay. ‘It’s so great to be able to get something out of the freezer that you know is going to taste good, but you only have to heat up – you don’t have to make it. You know, just having that reassurance that you can fall back on it.’

Kate, 52, is the softer-spoken of the two – she’s a trained chef – while Kay, 37, is more outgoing and talkative.

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Raspberry cookie brownies

Can’t decide between a cookie or a brownie for dessert? Now you don’t have to. If you need a chocolate fix, look no further than this cookiebrownie hybrid. ‘As if squidgy chocolate brownie isn’t enough, we’ve sprinkled milk chocolate chunks, and crumbled biscuits and raspberry pieces on top, before baking them to perfection,’ say Kate and Kay. ‘You want to take these out of the oven while they’re ever-so slightly undercooked and let them cool briefly in the tin.’

Serves 12 ● Low-calorie cooking spray ● 100g self-raising flour ● 50g reduced-fat spread ● 4tbsp white granulated sweetener ● 4 medium eggs ● 3tbsp cocoa powder ● 1tsp baking powder ● 6 raspberries, sliced in half ● 20g bag of mini chocolate sandwich biscuits, quartered ● 20g milk chocolate, finely chopped 1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan/gas mark 5. Spray the 12 holes of the silicone muffin tin with a little low-calorie cooking spray.

2. Place the self-raising flour, reduced-fat spread, granulated sweetener, eggs, cocoa powder and baking powder into a large mixing bowl and mix thoroughly. It’s best to use a wooden spoon to prevent over-mixing.

3. Pour the mixture into the silicone muffin tin, dividing it evenly between the 12 holes. Add half a raspberry to the top of each brownie. Sprinkle over the biscuit and chocolate pieces.

Place in the oven and bake for eight to 10 minutes until slightly risen and set.

4. Leave to cool in the tin for a few minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack. Serve.

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Chilli mac ’ n’ cheese A one-pot version of everyone’s favourite comfort food. ‘Borrowing the best bits from two of our favourite comfort foods, this epic chilli mac ’n’ cheese is a batch-cook sensation,’ say Kate and Kay. They call this one-pot dish ‘deliciously indulgent’, adding: ‘We’ve kept things on the milder side with a couple of teaspoons of chilli powder, but there’s nothing to stop you turning up the heat if you’re feeling brave. Don’t forget to save freezer-friendly portions for a rainy day!’

Serves 6 ● Low-calorie cooking spray ● 2 onions, peeled and finely diced ● 2 carrots, peeled and diced ● 500g 5%-fat minced beef ● 4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed ● 2tsp mild chilli powder ● 1tsp ground cumin ● 1tsp dried oregano ● 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes ● 2 peppers, any colour, deseeded and diced ● 2tbsp tomato purée ● 2tbsp Henderson’s Relish ● 600ml beef stock (2 beef stock cubes dissolved in 600ml boiling water) ● 300g dried macaroni ● 1 x 400g tin kidney beans, drained and rinsed ● 180g reduced-fat mature Cheddar, grated ● Small handful of fresh coriander, chopped (optional) 1. Spray a large saucepan with low-calorie cooking spray and place over a medium heat. Add the onions and carrots and sauté for five minutes until softened.

2. Add the mince and cook for a further five minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up any lumps, until the mince is no longer pink.

3. Add the garlic, chilli powder, cumin and oregano and stir in for one minute

until the spices become fragrant. Add the chopped tomatoes, peppers, tomato puree, Henderson’s Relish and stock, and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat to medium-low, cover with a tight-fitting lid and simmer for 20 minutes, until the carrots are soft.

4. Add the macaroni to the pan, stir well and replace the lid. Allow to cook for a further 10–12 minutes, until the pasta is just cooked.

5. Stir in the beans and cheese, reserving a little cheese to garnish, if you wish, allowing two minutes for the beans to heat through and the cheese to melt.

6. Stir in the coriander, if using, and serve!

Pinch Of Nom: Budget

by Kate and Kay Allinson (Bluebird, £17.99) is out now.

Photography by Ellis Parrinder

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Conquer the Camino de Santiago

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Authentic Italy

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BE AN ARMCHAIR EXPLORER AND ESCAPE FROM REALITY WHATEVER THE WEATHER, WITH DREAM DESTINATIONS, PRACTICAL GUIDANCE, AND THE BEST HOLIDAY BUYS

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Britain’s beautiful islands

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CALL OF THE WILD:

When you’re 50, divorced and menopausal, all roads lead to Santiago WITH 100 KILOMETRES OF GROUND TO COVER, TRACEY DAVIES MAKES A TRAVELLING COMPANION OF SOME LONG-BURIED THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS, AND DISCOVERS A NEW SENSE OF CALM ON THE CAMINO

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taring down over the steep slopes lined with rows and rows of gnarled, ancient vines, the silver thread of the Sil river wiggling through the gorge, my furious knees start to tremble.

Hunched over, I check the map on my phone to see that we still have a good 10 kilometres to go before we arrive into Chantada, our stop for the night. And that’s when the tears of exhaustion threaten to take over.

‘Call yourself a pilgrim, Davies!’ laughs Rhonda, my friend and partner-in-crime on the Camino.

‘Get a move on! There’s beer at the end,’ she hollers over her shoulder and tramps down the muddy path.

What is it about middle-aged women and challenges? If it’s not a marathon or a moon walk, it’s a charity

trek or a bungee jump. Or, in this case, a 100 kilometre walk through rural Spain. I reluctantly follow in her all-too eager footsteps, my mind now consumed by the thought of an ice-cold beer and a long hot bath – but I leave my thumb hovering tentatively over the Uber app.

Translated into English as the Way of St James, the Camino de Santiago is a network of pilgrimages that lead to the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, northwestern Spain, where the shrine of the apostle St James the Great is laid. Ask anyone over 50, and walking the Camino de Santiago will be pretty high on their bucket list. Originally the domain of Catholic pilgrims who would walk the 600-mile route across Europe to reduce the punishment

of their sins, now, you’re more likely to find adventurous women from all walks of life on the road, looking for a physical challenge, to find inner peace, or, like Rhonda and I, to recalibrate after the many trials and tribulations of recent years.

And it’s no surprise, really. Recent studies have shown that walking is hugely beneficial for older women. It strengthens bones, reduces menopausal symptoms, and can ease the feelings of depression and low mood. In fact, Macs Adventures, the company who arranged our trip, has seen a massive spike in enquiries for Camino tours from, ahem, women of a certain age.

While Rhonda and I are not natural long-distance walkers, since turning 50, hitting the menopause, and navigating our way through grief and

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IMAGES: SHUTTERSTOCK

divorce, we’ve both found ourselves a little lost in life, and embarking on a challenge like the Camino seemed like a Really Good Idea over a bottle of wine. Less so now, with a mudspattered face, aching limbs, and still miles to go before we sleep.

Travelling to find yourself is a cliché as old as time – there’s good reason why books such as Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat, Pray, Love and Cheryl Strayed’s Wild have become bibles for middle-aged women like me. And, believe me, I know. Aged 25, I went soul-searching on the beaches of Goa in southern India. At 40 and with three kids under my belt, I headed on a solo trip into the mountains of Vietnam in search of inner peace. And, now, aged 51, I’m hoping to truly find myself on the Camino de Santiago.

GETTING THERE Tracey and Rhonda were guests of Macs Adventure (macsadventure.com), which offers a seven-night, self-guided walk on the Camino de Invierno from £625pp, including B&B accommodation, baggage transfers and detailed information. Flights extra.

A busy extrovert, I tend to live at lightning speed, and I wanted the magic balm of a long-distance walk to properly slow down and work out what I want from the next chapter of my life. And I’m not the only one.

Last year, more than 400,000 people walked the final stretch of the Camino into Santiago, and the numbers just keep on rising. Luckily, the Camino de Invierno is quieter than the Camino Frances, the most popular route, which can feel more like a fun run than a pilgrimage in high season.

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originally chose this path to avoid the snowy mountains of O Cebreiro.

However, we largely chose it because it went through the Ribeira Sacra, Galicia’s ancient wine region, which is renowned for its steep terraces overlooking the gorge. Because what soothes middle-aged, menopausal women more than walking? Wine.

Before our trek began in Monforte de Lemos, we decided to treat ourselves to a fancy lunch at local vineyard Adega Algueira (adegaalgueira. com), which is run by father and son team Fernando and Fabio Gonzales.

Sampling the small estate’s excellent Mencia and Brancellao wines over lunch, Rhonda and I discussed our impending adventure and what we hoped to get out of it.

Two years ago I instigated the end of my marriage. At the time, I was elated at the thought of being in control of my future and what it might bring. However, in hindsight, I hadn’t really allowed myself proper time to process it. My three children are now older teenagers, each with their own lives. And while they sometimes need their mum – usually for money, a lift, or emotional support – I often feel lost, even a little unnecessary at times.

But, as the great Hippocrates once said, walking is (wo)man’s best medicine. And it’s true. Studies have proven that long walks are not only beneficial physically, but they can help soothe and quiet a busy mind.

Over the week, we walked on average 20 to 25 kilometres a day. It took me a

couple of days to slow down mentally.

I would listen to endless podcasts by inspirational women, audio comedy, or Nineties club hits, but when my AirPods ran out of charge, I had no choice but to walk alongside my thoughts. At first I would do everything to avoid them – listening to birdsong, counting my steps, daydreaming – but eventually I had no choice but to let them in.

It was early spring and the temperature was comfortable. We obediently followed the Camino’s omnipresent scallop shells and yellow arrows as the route took us along rugged country lanes, through forest paths and past farmyards, where curious (and often noisy) dogs would act as a much-needed welcoming

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committee. Sometimes the kilometres would tick by quickly, others it felt like time had actually stopped still.

This is when we would stop and rest, maybe take a peek into one of the hundreds of Romanesque chapels that dot the route.

Rhonda was the perfect walking companion. As we’re both going through midlife mayhem, it was important to have space for ourselves during the trek. Luckily, we’re close enough friends to be comfortable in silence. If fact, we only saw a handful of other pilgrims on this route, which was ideal, as I knew that if I walked with others I’d want to chat, make friends, show off, do anything but be alone with my thoughts.

In the end, I think it was the

monotony of walking that I enjoyed the most. Putting one foot in front of the other is a meditative balm that, at times, brought some uncomfortable thoughts and emotions to the surface.

But I now had time to sit with them, acknowledge them, and encourage them to settle down.

As we approached the outskirts of Santiago de Compostela, we both unconsciously slowed down, as if reluctant for our journey to end.

After walking for more than 100 kilometres in five days, I expected to see a full marching band and ticker-tape parade as we entered Praza de Obradoiro, also known as ‘kilometre zero’. Of course, there’s no such celebration. We’re just two of the hundreds of thousands of pilgrims

who conquer the Camino each year, and the jubilation at our achievement largely came from within.

Finally, we arrived in front of the grand and ornate Santiago cathedral, just as St James the Great did all those years ago. Exhaustedly grinning from ear to ear, we gave each other a huge hug and took the obligatory photo in front of the cathedral. I looked around at maybe a couple of dozen fellow pilgrims, each with their own reasons for being here, and I finally allowed the tears to come.

After walking 100 kilometres through rural Spain, I returned home feeling like a different woman – calmer, happier, and generally more at peace with my life – not to mention with thighs like Serrano hams.

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THERE ARE AMAZING PLACES WAITING TO BE DISCOVERED JUST OFF OUR UK COASTLINES, OFFERING MEMORABLE AND FASCINATING EXPERIENCES. ALEX GREEN, CHRISSY HARRIS AND ANDREW MILLHAM EXPLORE…

Islands of

paradise Fair Isle

Fair Isle is a grass-covered dot on the map, alone in the vast North Sea, halfway between Orkney and the Shetland mainland. This three-milelong by one-and-a-half-mile wide island was first populated around 6000 years ago, and is a full-time home to just sixty people. Wildlife (especially seabirds) and cultural heritage thrive there, and the inhabitants produce something that’s just as tight knit as their community spirit – it is famous worldwide for the knitwear that carries its name (although the vast majority is no longer made there, and does not follow the traditional patterns of the island’s craftspeople).

However, the patterns continue to be passed down the generations, and it is still possible to buy authentic garments from local knitters.

Traditionally, crofting and fishing were the main occupations of the inhabitants of Fair Isle, but today the economy is far more diverse. Nevertheless, agriculture remains an extremely important part of island life, and some of the most significant moments in the Fair Isle calendar revolve around croft work, such as lambing, clipping and baling silage. If you’re keen, visitors sometimes get the chance to join in with this work, helping to round up and clip sheep in the summer.

Weather permitting, the island is accessible via a two-and-a-half-hour boat passage on the Good Shepherd IV from Lerwick, so, if it’s a cultural, wildlife-filled experience you’re after, Fair Isle might just be for you. AM fairisle.org.uk

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IMAGES: LOCATE ISLE OF MAN/CIARA HARDISTY AT WILDISLANDMEDIA.COM, VISITSCOTLAND/COLIN KELDIE/PAUL TOMKINS, AGNES CHAPMAN-WILLS, PAUL WHITE AERIAL, THE LANDMARK TRUST, SOUTH WEST COAST PATH ASSOCIATION/JAMES LOVERIDGE/DARYL BAKER, ALEX GREEN, ST AUBYN ESTATES, SHUTTERSTOCK

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Isles of Scilly

Resident Agnes Chapman-Wills was drawn to the Isles of Scilly because of its role in her history.

Her parents, Jane and Jim, met in a pub on the island of St Mary’s after her dad had been rescued by the RNLI when his sailing boat was caught in a storm: ‘I always thought I should come back to Scilly and have my own adventure,’ says Agnes, who moved to Tresco in 2020. ‘I can’t imagine living anywhere else now. It’s so different and wild and creative. I absolutely love it.

‘There’s a real pull to Scilly – people adore this place,’ she says. ‘There’s that feeling that you have to make the most of being here, because it’s so special. Everything you need is here.

Friends who are coming to visit ask me what they should bring, and whether I’m missing anything, but, honestly, I’m not!

‘You’ll go for a sea swim and end up bumping into someone you know and then have a barbecue on the beach,’ says Agnes, who grew up in London but has slotted right into this close-knit community. ‘It’s a bit of a dream life, really.’

The archipelago, off the south western tip of Cornwall, is made up of five inhabited islands and an impressive collection of uninhabited rocky islets.

The Scilly Isles are close enough to visit for the day. You can travel to the islands by Skybus from Land’s End, or sail on board Scillonian III from Penzance. CH islesofscilly-travel.co.uk; tresco.co.uk TOP TIP: Take to the water and go islandhopping or on a wildlife sea safari with one of the many boat trips available. Tresco Boat Services also do evening supper boats and Gig Race spectator trips.

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Orkney

‘I’m looking out across the bay, which is particularly beautiful today, and over to the hills on the other side,’ says Aine King, describing the view from her window in Highland Park House, the hotel she and husband Anthony run in Kirkwall, Orkney. ‘The swallows are doing their stunt-flying – it’s one of my absolute favourite things to watch here. It’s magical.’

Aine and Anthony, and their youngest son Gerry, moved to the Orkney Islands from Brighton in 2013.

The former teachers were looking for a complete lifestyle transformation, and they certainly found it: ‘It was a huge change,’ says Aine. ‘We’d never been to Orkney before we came to have a look around to do some house hunting. We just fell in love with this great big old rambling house. And with no money, no real experience,

and no real skills, we decided to take it on!’ The Victorian Gothic mansion in Kirkwall had been a care home for years and was in a pretty rundown state by the time the couple came to view it. Converting it into luxury bed and breakfast accommodation was, says Aine, ‘a steep learning curve’.

‘All the clichés apply to this,’ she adds. ‘It was blood, toil, tears and sweat, plenty of all of those. It was an absolutely massive task.’

Projects of a lifetime never come easy, however. And throughout all of the many ups and downs, Aine and Anthony knew they had come to the right place.

Orkney is an archipelago, a group of 70 islands (17 are inhabited). The islands encompass neolithic sites, tall sandstone cliffs, seal colonies and more.

‘Orkney is such a lovely community,’

says Aine, who is also a playwright.

‘Everybody goes on about how pretty it is here – and it is – but one of the best things about living in Orkney is the people. That’s what keeps you here.

‘It’s a different pace of life, but it’s been great. We love it. We feel very privileged to be here,’ she adds. CH highlandparkhouseorkney.com TOP TIP: Take a stroll along the beautiful Dingieshowe (pronounced ‘ding-gis-how-ee’) beach, which forms the narrow isthmus connecting Deerness to the Mainland of Orkney. The broch mound (or fairy hill) among the dunes on the beach is the stuff of legend. Apparently, it’s inhabited

by Orkney’s trows – mischievous nocturnal fairies that have been known to kidnap musicians and take them to the underworld…

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Burgh island

St Kilda

Sail to the end of the earth and keep going – that is where you will find St Kilda, a Scottish archipelago composed of emerald isles in a pewter grey sea. Utterly isolated, the nearest civilisation is in North Uist, 50 miles east-southeast.

The ‘big’ island of Hirta is a wilderness, complete with sheer cliffs and the highest sea stacks in Britain, as if all the sharp angles leftover from creation were picked up and scattered out of sight in the middle of the Atlantic.

Thought to have been permanently inhabited for two millennia, with a population never exceeding 180, St Kilda was eventually evacuated in 1930. This stemmed from the First World War, when the Royal Navy erected a signal station on Hirta and daily communications with the mainland were established for the first time: the world got smaller. Suddenly, they had a money-based economy with regular food and mail deliveries and, when this was withdrawn at the end of the war, feelings of isolation intensified.

Able-bodied young islanders left for Australia or Canada in search of opportunity. Also, steamers began to visit Hirta, enabling islanders to earn money selling tweeds and bird’s eggs rather than their traditional exports of mattress feathers and lamp oil. Visiting tourists regarded the inhabitants as curiosities to be gawked at and treated like wild animals. Simply, regular life could not go on.

Today, the entire archipelago (now a World Heritage Site) is owned by the National Trust for Scotland, and has been reclaimed by nearly one million seabirds – gannets line the cliffs like a blanket, and it is the UK’s largest colony of Atlantic puffins.

Day trips for tourists are available by boat from Skye (overnight stays are even possible for adventurous campers). The shells of buildings along Main Street remain as monuments to the St Kildan mastery of resourcefulness, teamwork and unbreakable resilience in the face of unbelievable odds. AM nts.org.uk/visit/places/st-kilda

Cut off from the mainland at high tide, Burgh Island in south Devon is a small and perfectly formed outcrop of land that’s just 0.04 sq miles. Shaped like a cupcake, the remains of a chapel – or huer’s hut – sits in the middle of the island like a cherry on top. There’s also a 14th-century pub named The Pilchard Inn and an Art Deco hotel.

Agatha Christie is a former guest who was inspired to set two of her novels here, including And Then There Were None. Thankfully, there’s nothing quite so sinister going on now!

In summer, the clifftops are peppered with pink sea thrift, attracting birds, butterflies, and other wildlife. At low tide, a natural sea pool forms at Mermaid’s Cove, creating the ideal conditions for a wild swim or snorkel.

Here, you can get an even better view of what island life has to offer underwater.

Maya Plass is a marine biologist who grew up nearby and enjoys swimming and snorkelling around the island. She says: ‘Burgh Island represents everything that is home to me. I live for time spent in the water. Swimming around the island represents all the wonderful aspects of our Devonshire coastline: the beautiful marine life that emerges from the crevices of rocks, jellyfish pulsating by oblivious to my presence, and crystal-clear water.’

You don’t have to get your feet wet if you don’t want to. Twice a day, it’s possible to walk across the sand from Bigbury-on-Sea, and when the tide comes back in again, a sea tractor is enlisted to transport passengers back across the causeway. AG visitdevon.co.uk/listing/burghisland/277127301/

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Sark

Most have heard of Jersey, Guernsey and Alderney, but there is another Channel Island nestled in between, which oft gets overlooked – Sark. This eastern island off the coast of France is dense with sandy bays, coastal paths, and clifftop views. The island’s museum describes how it was once a refuge for pirates until, in 1565, Queen Elizabeth I ordered that the island be freed and occupied by at least 40 English subjects.

Today, it is one of the few remaining places in the world where cars are banned from roads. Only tractors, bicycles

and horse-drawn vehicles are allowed, and rather than engines, the sound of wind and waves dominate. What’s more, Sark became the world’s first Dark Sky Island in 2011 and has no streetlights to pollute the skies. The island’s observatory is open nightly to teach visitors about the majestic stars and constellations above – clouds permitting!

Geographically, Sark can be split into two main parts: Greater Sark and Little Sark, with natural swimming pools to the south. They are connected by La Coupée, a narrow 300ft isthmus that is covered in vibrant greenery, except from where the rocky surface becomes too sheer for the grass to cling on. At the highest point on the island is a sail-less windmill romantically named Le Moulin, which is the perfect place to watch the setting sun, gilding the edges of drifting clouds.

Each year, the island hosts SarkFest, featuring over thirty Guernsey, Jersey and UK artists. Stocks Hotel, the finest luxury hotel on Sark, is most certainly the place to stay, with its tended gardens and location at the heart of the island. Truly, Sark is a glittering gem in the channel. AM sark.co.uk; sarkfest.com; stockshotel.com

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St Michael’s Mount

St Michael’s Mount on the west coast of Cornwall must be one of the most visited little islands in the British Isles, in the beautiful setting of Mount’s Bay, and with its fairytale castle atop.

The wide sweep of the bay and its huge tidal range create a range of conditions that makes it different every time you visit. On a clear day when the tide’s out, an ancient path appears, allowing you to cross the causeway.

Pilgrims have been coming here for centuries via St Michael’s Way, a network of paths that link the north coast of Cornwall with the mount, and forms part of the British and Irish pilgrim route to Santiago de Compostela in Northern Spain. AG stmichaelsmount.co.uk

Shall we link here to the Santiago feature, Sally?

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Lundy island

Rosie Ellis is one of just 28 inhabitants on Lundy, where the puffins outnumber the people 15 to one. Rosie is the island’s warden and has lived on the three-miles by half-a-mile mass of land off the coast of north Devon since August 2019.

‘For me, it’s the wildlife,’ says Rosie, describing what brought her to these minuscule shores. ‘I’ve worked on islands in the past, but there’s nowhere like this.’

‘I’d been here on a day trip before, but the first night I spent here was when I had signed a six-month contract to live and work here. The island just feels so different when you’re here all the time.

There can be 200 people on a day trip, but when the boat leaves, calm descends.

‘The best thing I’ve ever seen? A minke

Isle of Portland When Bill Bryson wrote his travelogue Notes From A Small Island, he had high praise for the Dorset coast, writing; ‘… the sea, bright and vast and silvery blue… was beautiful beyond words, one of those rare moments when life seems perfect.’

He was standing on the cliffs above Swanage and, in the distance, he would have seen the Isle of Portland, a promontory that’s four miles long and oneand-three-quarter miles wide.

It’s connected to the mainland

by Chesil Beach, and on the first headland you come to a statue named The Spirit of Portland welcomes your arrival and represents the two main industries of the isle – fishing and quarrying.

The statue is of course made from Portland stone, the local

limestone that’s famously been used for St Paul’s Cathedral and many more landmark buildings around the world. This quarry landscape may seem desolate in parts, yet life here is in abundance.

In the spring and summer months, nature reclaims the disused quarries at Tout Quarry Nature Reserve and Sculpture Park. Rising like a phoenix among the stone carvings, a mass of grasses and wildflowers emerge, attracting butterflies, birds and reptiles.

At the opposite end of the island jutting out to sea is Portland Bill Lighthouse, an iconic landmark.

It marks the southernmost tip of Dorset and boasts far-reaching views of the coastline, towards Start Point in Devon. AG visit-dorset.com/explore/areasto-visit/portland/

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whale,’ says Rosie. ‘I was less than ten metres away from it. Also, I wasn’t a birder before I arrived, but I am now.

‘You never get bored. It’s a small island but there are still bits of it to discover. I’m always finding little nooks and crannies.’

Lundy is owned by the National Trust and managed by the Landmark Trust. The unique habitats here support a variety of rare and spectacular wildlife, including important seabird colonies, home to puffins and manx shearwaters. CH landmarktrust.org.uk TOP TIP: Look for letterboxes. There are 27 hidden all over the island. A set of clues has to be followed to track them down. Each box contains a rubber stamp, and the objective is to collect them all, including the elusive ‘Lundy Bunny’, a movable stamp.

Isle of Man

Helen Crosbie is officially a ‘stopover’. She and her family have lived on the Isle of Man for seven years – long enough to progress from being a mere ‘comeover’.

‘We’ve past the five-year mark, so we’re classed as stopovers now,’ says Helen, who moved here with her husband Mike and their daughter when the chance for a new start came up.

‘We wanted to relocate somewhere, and then my husband had the opportunity to set up a business on the Isle of Man,’ she says. ‘We took the leap and decided to go for it.’

The family have well and truly embraced their new home.

Children Hettie and George love playing on the beaches and walking in the glens, forests and plantations.

There are plenty of bike rides, coastal walks, and the occasional round of golf, if there’s time.

And Helen has also recently

started her own business – Isle of Man Salt Co. – producing hand-harvested sea salt from the marine nature reserve waters surrounding the Isle of Man. Finding a way to make a living in such an idyllic setting has been a happy development in the family’s island adventure.

The island can be reached by ferry or plane in as little as 30 minutes from the UK and Ireland.

It’s the only entire nation to be recognised as a UNESCO Biosphere, and is home to a diverse range of nature and marine life. CH TOP TIP: Go to the glens.

There are 18 mountain and coastal glens across the island.

For a hike that’s suitable for all the family, visit Groudle Glen. Dhoon Glen is more out of the way but one of the most impressive. The rugged landscape, waterfalls and streams make it worth negotiating the tricky terrain. isleofmansaltco.com; visitisleofman.com

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Exploring undiscovered

ITALY AFFORDABLE, UNDISCOVERED AND WONDERFULLY RUSTIC – CLAIRE SPREADBURY’S ITALIAN ESCAPE IS EVERYTHING YOU NEED

I

’m stood in the middle of a rustic, old, Italian kitchen, feeling like a total failure. Mara – a nonna who is teaching me how to cook Italian food – is shaking her head and wafting my disc of freshly made pasta at me, tutting and muttering in her native language. She doesn’t speak a word of English, but Beatrice, who is translating for me, reveals I’ve used too much flour. My pasta is too hard and no longer any use for ravioli – it is only good enough for tagliatelle. The shame is real.

Thankfully, slurping some delicious red wine, and licking the spoon from the best tiramisu I have ever tasted in my life, soon takes the edge off.

Mara and her co-chefs, Edoardo and Emma, arrive in our three-bedroom cottage in Borgo Bastia Creti, a small, 14th-century resort in Umbria – right in the middle of Italy and close to the Tuscan border.

Italian chatter gathers speed and volume in the kitchen.

Together, we make ricotta and spinach ravioli in a sage, butter and olive oil sauce, tagliatelle in a buttery tomato sauce (‘the butter makes it better,’ Emma tells me), and proper Italian tiramisu, which is made with six simple ingredients, no cream, and is all about the eggs and lots of whisking – an ingredient often missed out of recipes entirely at home.

After a couple of hours of hard work (making pasta is much more difficult than I thought it would be), we sit down to our feast, supplemented with wine and an additional starter of antipasto, because two courses of pasta and a large, rich dessert apparently isn’t enough. Well, we are in Italy.

Organising activities and things to do on site is something

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IMAGES: BORGO BASTIA CRETI, CLAIRE SPREADBURY, PA

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they specialise in at this family-run hamlet. Now owned by 30-something twins, Roberto and Veruschka Wirth, who also own Rome’s five-star luxury hotel, Hassler Roma, this used to be the home of their grandma. If pasta making isn’t your thing, they can organise dinners, yoga, massage, learning Italian, wine tasting, truffle hunting – pretty much anything you fancy. There are tennis courts, a pool, and boule available, too.

The resort has a total of 13 bedrooms, so it never feels too busy. Shortly after our visit, the whole hotel is being hired by couples from Oslo, who have booked dinner and wine tasting in the 12th-century chapel, complete with a traditional accordion player.

A hour’s drive from the airport, past lush vineyards, pretty shuttered stone buildings and undulating green hills, fields come to life filled with thousands of wild red poppies. This part of Italy feels so authentic – rustic, real and undiscovered, although it’s certainly starting to garner interest.

According to Roberto, Antognolla has one of the most beautiful golf courses in Italy and is just over half an hour away. Costello is a 15-minute drive, known for its historic landmarks and beautiful churches, and swanky hotel brand Six Senses is opening up a new estate nearby, too.

Puffs of white cloud hang low in the Umbrian hills as we head into another nearby village, Montone. A 30-minute drive away, it’s a bit of a hidden gem. Only 1,500 people live here, yet it’s a celebrity favourite. Stanley Tucci was given the keys of the city at last year’s film festival, which takes place here every year. And after eating lunch at L’Antica Osteria di Montone, the Australian owner regales

tales about Cameron Diaz’s visit last year, as well as Dan Levy and Jesse Tyler Ferguson. Rumour has it, Gwyneth Paltrow stays on the Reschio estate, about 30 minutes away, too.

‘Italy is full of places that are still undiscovered,’ says Roberto, ‘and people are looking for quieter, more authentic places now.’

Hilly, winding lanes lead us down past sand and limestone buildings, ivy-clad walls and curved, weathered terracotta roofs. Pink and red geraniums hang from window boxes, and wisteria weaves its way around pretty pergolas.

The churches in Montone are insanely beautiful – as is the food. We tuck into a local speciality of brasato di chianina (braised beef) and a salted caramel semifredo, and PLATINUM 119

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there are lots of other picture-postcard eateries here, too.

La Locanda del Capitano doesn’t have a Michelin star, but it is included in the guide with a Bib Gourmand recognition.

And there are lots of varieties of truffle here – over 40, in fact. The best is apparently white truffle, served in local dishes, and in season from September to December, so autumn is a great time for foodies to visit.

Back at the Borgi, white candles wobble in the silver candelabra as we sit chatting with the expressive Italian staff. The food here is ‘mama style’ – scrambled eggs at breakfast, chickpea and pasta stew at dinner, and grilled vegetable salads at lunch. Fine dining it is not, but comforting, fresh and Italian it most certainly is.

‘We are simple, but authentic,’ says site manager, Sonia.

My room is spacious, filled with a huge bed, old wooden furniture and handmade floor tiles, containing swirls from the trowels that made them, plus the odd finger smudge and paw print, laid with a couple of mismatching rugs.

Ancient double wooden doors with giant iron hinges lead into my en-suite, where my enormous wardrobe sits looking over double basins and a ceramic bath sunk into a tiled surround, with hand-painted hexagonal tiles depicting fish, trees, birds and people. It’s not remotely fancy, but it’s wonderful.

The lounge area of our cottage continues the theme, with chunky furniture placed around a couple of understated red sofas. Ornate detailing sings from every corner – in the beautiful wooden arms of the chairs that flank the fireplace, in the painted shapes of the lamp bases, each one chipped and worn, and the gold painted plaque above the stone mantelpiece. All the ceilings are beamed wooden slats, and in the kitchen sits an enormous wooden table seating up to 12 people. Arched windows look out on to the Umbrian hills like paintings, and worktops and walls are adorned with battered monochrome tiles.

The views here are phenomenal, and the gardens are filled with cypress trees, pomegranates and aromatic bushes. From the panoramic pool, I can see tiny droplets of morning dew on the grass. The light is reflecting in the rippling water and the only sounds I can hear are a chattering magpie, a determined cuckoo, chirping birdsong and the nearby cattle lowing. It feels remarkably peaceful, as I watch the mist rise from the surface, my body shocked and shivering from the early morning temperature.

It’s unseasonably cold and rainy during my visit, but no matter. Instead of lounging on a sun bed and soaking up some rays, I’m getting my vitamin D alongside some cold-water therapy at the pool today, and I can’t think of anywhere more beautiful to do it. Olive trees stoop over to watch my madness, all old, gnarly and knowing, their leaves shimmying in the morning breeze.

Afterwards, the local church bells chime and it’s time to head home. I attempt to focus my mind on the elegantly tall pines and mountainous hills around me, but the leftover tiramisu is calling my name from the fridge. Maybe there’s time for one last feast before I go.

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HOW TO PLAN YOUR TRIP Borgo Bastia Creti offers rooms from €290/£248 per night or €1,400/£1,255 per week, based on two adults sharing, excluding breakfast. bastiacreti.it

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BOOK OF THE MONTH

JUST BETWEEN US

by Adele Parks (HQ, £14.99) Once a year, my top book club pick is my very own new novel! I’m always torn about this – a mix of British reserve fights against a belief that you really will enjoy my latest, and I want to tell you all about it! And the need to flog books always wins out.

Just Between Us is a novel about missing woman Kylie Gillingham. Is she lost, has she run away, was she murdered? Her disappearance has gripped the nation, because this woman had a shocking secret: she was a bigamist, and now she has vanished, both her husbands are suspects. Meanwhile, her young sons won’t accept that she is dead, and her old best friend is just trying to keep the left-behind family functioning. Until a body is found, this scandalous and sad case remains wide open.

Stacie Jones lives a quiet life in a small village. Recovering from illness, her father shields her from any disquieting news of the outside world. But their reclusive life is about to be shattered.

How are these families linked, and can any of them ever rebuild their lives in the wake of tragedy? This explosive thriller from number-one bestseller (me!) examines what it is to be a family, and the dangerous lengths that people will go to for those they love.

T

A

GREA

★★★★★ READ

BOOK CLUB THE BESTSELLING AUTHOR SHARES HER UNPUTDOWNABLE PICKS OF THE MONTH, FROM A JOYFUL ROMP IN THE COUNTRYSIDE TO SCANDALS AND STRUGGLES OF THE PAST, AND HER OWN NEW SPECTACULAR PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER

A LADY’S GUIDE TO SCANDAL

by Sophie Irwin (HarperCollins, £16.99) Set in the eternally attractive Regency period, this sparkling novel has all the elegance and charm you could hope for in a 19th-century romance – but also a very modern sensibility; it’s witty and fun, which makes it relatable. Recently widowed from her marriage of convenience, Eliza is now the Countess of Somerset. She’s been bequeathed a fortune and it’s hers to enjoy, as long as she can steer clear of scandal. She, like all women of her era, has spent her entire life following rules, so continuing on that path ought not to be problematic. However, Eliza is now wealthy and untethered, so the opportunities to misbehave are abundant. And so much more tempting…

★★★★★ 122 PLATINUM

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Regulars

THE GOOD LIARS

LEARNED BY HEART

by Emma Donoghue (Pan Macmillan, £16.99) I look forward to Donoghue releasing a new book, because she always offers completely different stories, in different genres. Yet, the unifying thing about her work is that beautiful, thoughtful prose with compelling, complex characters are all but guaranteed.

In 1805, at a boarding school in York, two fourteen-year-old girls meet. Eliza Raine, the orphan daughter of an Indian mother, feels isolated from the other girls because she is seen as different. Anne Lister, a skilled rabble-rouser, has no intention of accepting society’s sexist limits. She has ambitions to blast through the restrictions the world presents. The girls fall in love, forging a connection that will remain with them for their entire lives. As expected from acclaimed Donoghue, this incredible novel brims with both passion and heartbreak.

It’s evocative and wholly unique.

★★★★★

P L AT I N U M E X P E R T Adele Parks MBE

Our very own Adele Parks MBE is the author of 22 bestselling novels, including the Sunday Times and ebook number-one hit One Last Secret (HarperCollins, £8.99). This month sees the release of her latest novel – psychological thriller Just Between Us (HarperCollins, £14.99) – available to buy now. Follow her on Twitter @adeleparks, and on Instagram @adele_parks

by Anita Frank (HarperCollins, £16.99)

In the summer of 1914, a boy vanishes from an English village.

The country is facing on-going tragedy, and the mystery is neglected. Now, in 1920, the once esteemed Stilwell family of Darkacre Hall are struggling with the consequences of the First World War. Leonard has physical scars, while his brother Maurice has endured more than his mind can take. Maurice’s wife, Ida, yearns for the lost days of privilege and pleasure.

Even family friend, Victor, seems calcified in the past. Their sad and pinched lives are further threatened when the missing boy’s case is reopened The Stilwells fall under police scrutiny.

This tense, expertly researched and confidently written mystery maps old resentments resurfacing and loyalties being tested, as secrets that could destroy them all are unearthed.

★★★★★

A TIME TO LIVE

COUNTRY SECRETS

In A Time To Live Vanessa de Haan looks at the perennial question of the fascinating post-WWI period – love versus duty. After the devastation of the Great War and the endless sacrifices made, the young who remain are looking to the future.

In 1918, Freddie planned to make his fortune in the plantations of Ceylon, but as his older brother and heir to Coombe Hall doesn’t return from the war, Freddie is required to sacrifice his own dreams for the sake of the family estate. Furthermore, he must now marry for an heir, not for love. Sweeping from the burnt battlefields of France to the green countryside of England, touching on the political questions of the day, this is a story of dignity and desperation, hope and expectations.

Fiona Walker always delivers a joyful, rip-roaring romp of a novel, full of positivity and humour.

She’s often compared to Jilly Cooper; I think that her books are indeed a fabulous homage to that queen of sexy, sunny romances. In Country Secrets, Walker gives us a huge, buoyant cast, one that requires the provision of a helpful checklist (which I did keep referring back to).

There is even a map, which is a wonderful aid as we joyfully tumble into the fabulous world Walker creates. This novel has everything to entertain – on-off lovers, charismatic neighbours, estranged husbands, old friendships, new loves, jealousies, gossip, scandal and beautiful horses. These classic ingredients are spun into a gripping, spicy novel, set in the Cotswold village. You will be transported to this lovely place.

★★★★★

★★★★★

by Vanessa De Haan (HarperCollins, £18.99)

by Fiona Walker (Bloomsbury, £20)

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STAYING IN GOING OUT Y O U R W H AT ’ S - O N G U I D E

MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR DOWNTIME WITH OUR GUIDE TO T H E B E S T E N T E R TA I N M E N T F O R T H E M O N T H S A H E A D

Culture catch-up OPEN HOUSE LONDON

6–17 SEPTEMBER We all enjoy seeing behind closed doors, that’s why we love Open House London. It’s a citywide celebration of the capital’s buildings, places, and neighbourhoods, celebrating the value of good design in creating and sustaining a vibrant city. It is a unique opportunity to get inside what makes London great and be inspired by the power of architecture to transform the quality of our lives, with hundreds of buildings of all kinds opening their doors, plus neighbourhood walks, cycle tours, talks and debates taking place.

DIVA UNTIL 7 APRIL 2024

DIVA at V&A London explores the history of iconic performers from Vivien Leigh and Maria Callas to Whitney Houston and Elton John, looking at how the label has been subverted or embraced over the ages.

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Beach reads

IMAGES: 20TH CENTURY STUDIOS, FOCUS FEATURES, LD MEDIA/SHUTTERSTOCK, GOLD CIRCLE FILMS

Ones to watch

THE PRINCESS

A HAUNTING IN VENICE

OUT 15 SEPTEMBER Kenneth Branagh’s back as the moustachioed sleuth, now living in a self-imposed exile in post-World War II Venice. He is persuaded to attend a seance, but when one of the guests is murdered, it is up to the former detective to once again uncover the killer. Inspired

by Agatha Christie’s 1969 novel Hallowe’en Party, this is the first time the jet-black novel story has been depicted on the big screen.

MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING 3

OUT 8 SEPTEMBER If you enjoyed the original back in the early Noughties, take a trip down memory lane with the Portokalos family (and the still-lovely John Corbett). Expect laughs and lots of the feelgood factor as the extended family head to Greece for a reunion.

On-the-go listening

WENDY HOLDEN (Welbeck, £14.99) This final novel in a trilogy about royal outsiders fictionalises Diana’s life in riveting and tender detail.

A MONTH IN PROVENCE

GILLIAN HARVEY (Boldwood, £12.99) This slice of summer escapism sees a widowed interior designer head to France to save a property TV show.

STIRRING IT UP

PODCAST Stirring It Up with Andi and Miquita Oliver sees the mum and daughter duo invite a celebrity to break bread around their table and discuss life and love. Early episodes include well-known celebrities Kathy Burke and Steve Jones, plus stars of the London cooking scene.

THE RABBIT HOLE DETECTIVES PODCAST

It’s a familiar format – presenters take turns to regale their colleagues with research, being as amusing as possible on the way. What is interesting about this one is its pedigree – with Earl Spencer (styled here as Charles Spencer) plus national treasure Reverend Richard Coles, it’s posh as can be.

SEPARATION FOR BEGINNERS

JOE PORTMAN (Welbeck, £8.99) Divorcee Pete welcomes his adult daughter back home – only for her to bring her druid gardener boyfriend, too.

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puzzles SOLUTIONS ON PAGE 128

19 19

23

25 10

24

9 1

19

5 20

19

14

14

5

25

12 1

10

16

5

16 25

13

26

10

25

5

10

16

2 2

24

15 25

16

25

15

14 17

19

19

22

14

10

19

10

5

7

20

9

19

12

25

D

19

20

15

5

25

24 25

2

9

12

25

17

19

11

2

15

15

21

10

10

7

19

5 16

5 7

12

16

26

20

15

15

20

19

26

8

15 26

4

26

2

15 15

I

7

11

24

26 9

3

18 15

25 7

1

15

14

20

19 5

16

19

20

12

J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

1

2

3

4

5

14

15

16

17

18

S

Each letter of the alphabet has been replaced by the same number throughout this grid. Use the decoded letters given to work out the identity of other letters and fill in the grid. The alphabet list and reference grid will help you to keep track of the letters you’ve decoded.

19

11

16 15

20

8

8

19 1

S

17

19

15

A B C D E F G H I

CELL BLOCK

12 18

5

I

7

1

9

3

10 6

15

19

15 18

CODEWORD

1 19

FROM 10-MINUTE TEASERS TO MORE COMPLEX WORD WORKOUTS, PLATINUM PUZZLES ARE THE ULTIMATE RELAXATION

WORDWHEEL You have ten minutes to find as many words as possible using the letters in the wheel.

Each word must be three letters or more and contain the central letter. Use each letter once, and no plurals, foreign words or proper nouns are allowed.

There is at least one nine-letter word.

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

L

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

H

D

W T

E F Y

G I

AVERAGE: 34 words GOOD: 46 words EXCELLENT: 51 words

Fill the grid by drawing blocks along the gridlines. Each block must contain the number of squares indicated by the digit inside it. Each block must contain only one digit.

126

PLATINUM

P u zzles

CROSSWORD 1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11 12

13

14

15

16

17

18 19

20

21

22

23 24

25

26

27

28 29

30

31

32

33

34

35 36

37

38

39

40

41 42

43

44 45

46

47

48

49

50 51

54

52

53

55

56

SUDOKU Fill in the blank squares with the numbers 1 to 9, so that each row, each column and each 3x3 block contains all the numbers from 1 to 9.

1 8 6 2 9 3 7 2

9 3 6 8

3 7

SOLUTIONS ON PAGE 128

9 1 5 2 7

2 7 3 8 5 1 3 5 6

ACROSS 1 Beat rhythmically (7) 5 Endorse (6) 9 Edges of the mouth (4) 12 Prima donna (4) 13 Dissent, object (7) 14 National song (6) 15 Idleness (9) 16 Related (4) 17 Overwhelming defeat (4) 19 Person answering questions on television (11) 21 Capture again (7) 24 Communicate with the voice (5) 25 Urge (3,2) 26 Objects (6) 29 Church song (4) 31 Girl’s name or part of the eye (4) 32 Conceal (4) 33 Daringly trendsetting (4) 36 Small coins (6) 38 Computer message (5) 39 Car‑carrying ship (5) 42 At the mid point (7) 44 Most highly regarded product of its type (5,6) 46 ___ of Wight, land near Portsmouth (4) 47 Sixty minutes (4) 48 Powerless (9) 51 Enraptured (6) 52 Set sail (2,2,3) 53 Inactive, out of use (4) 54 Part of a battery (4) 55 Wily (6) 56 Perform (an event) again (2‑5) DOWN 2 Workers’ guild (5) 3 Hollyoaks or Emmerdale, eg (4,5) 4 Disproportionately large above (3‑5) 6 Matures (4) 7 Consumption (6) 8 Desire strongly, feel longing (5) 9 Sideways (7) 10 Taking the liberty of (9) 11 Device that combines cement with sand, gravel and water (8,5) 18 Shelf‑like projection (5) 20 Towel worn round a baby’s bottom (5) 22 Whichever of two (6) 23 Reluctance (13) 27 Drinks cooler (3) 28 Place where films are shown (6) 30 Convent sister (3) 34 Prickly heathland shrub (5) 35 Get wed (5) 37 Inscribed tablet by a grave (9) 40 Outflow (9) 41 Division, split (8) 43 Anxious, irritable (7) 45 Empty feeling in your stomach (6) 47 Passageways in a house (5) 49 Purple shade (5) 50 Pack away (cargo) (4)

P u zzles

FITWORD 3 letters

5 letters

7 letters

EAU

ENNUI

BLUEFIN

IMP

NOOSE

BUOYANT

OWN

ONION

CONQUER

TIN

QUIFF

CRUNCHY

4 letters

6 letters

AIRY

ATTACH

CUSS

CASUAL

KNIT

ENZYME

MILE

EQUINE

SCUM

GATEAU

STYE

IGUANA

NUNNERY RECEIPT SENSUAL SET BACK UNNERVE URGENCY

How long will it take you to correctly fit these words into the grid?

SOLUTIONS CODEWORD

CROSSWORD

FITWORD

E A P I P S EXUBERANT J ERKY C S E C F S Y PEDEST AL UNT I DY L I E U S E I F L AN D I S P ROV E T C E E I P URS UE D AB I D I NG R H I A G AQ UAR I UM COMB U M T A K O F Z OMB I E GODCH I L D I L M I R A E A S K EW U N I O N I S E D E S E P R T

P U L S A T E R A T I F Y L I P S N O O C G N E A R D I V A P RO T E S T A N T H EM O P H N S A R E S I N DO L E NC E A K I N ROU T P A R L E A M I N T E R V I EWE E R E C L A I M A R Y T D U I N S P E AK EGGON T H I NGS P C M E W H C H YMN I R I S H I D E E DGY U N X M L R O CHANGE EMA I L F E RR Y E M R R I C M S H A L FWA Y BRAND L E A D E R D R H Y G E N I S L E HOU R I NCA P AB L E T T A N S E V T I J OY F U L GO T OS E A I D L E N U L E O S G O A C E L L S H R EWD R E E NAC T

CONQU E R CU S S S W U Q I N T E NNU I URGE N C Y T F I U E E B L U E F I N A I R Y A A E N V B CA S UA L GA T E AU K E T E I O KN I T NUN N E R Y S S A Z O A CRUNCH Y ON I ON U A H M S M T M I L E R E C E I P T

SUDOKU 9 3 2 5 4 7 8 6 1 2 5 6 1 9 4 7 8 3 6 2 5 4 1 8 3 7 9

7 6 8 1 2 9 4 5 3 9 8 1 3 7 5 6 4 2 8 9 7 5 3 6 2 1 4

CELL BLOCK 5 1 4 3 6 8 9 2 7 7 4 3 6 8 2 1 9 5 4 3 1 2 7 9 8 5 6

WORDWHEEL The nine-letter word is FLYWEIGHT.

All puzzles © Puzzler Media Ltd www.puzzler.com

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AMP_180X123mm_JUN23.indd 1

05/06/2023 09:14

It’s my life!

Judy Murray

‘I have five grandchildren and a great set of friends, so I’ll be able to fill my time very nicely. I’m not one for sitting still.

‘The age thing had never worried me, but when I hit 60, I thought: when I was young, 60 was always the age that women retired – and suddenly I was 60. I was thinking, oh my goodness!

‘However, I’m very fortunate because I’ve always been active and kept myself in good shape.

And, because I work a lot with young people, that keeps me youthful. Plus, I have my grandchildren, so I’ve increased my stretching routines to ensure I remain supple enough to chase after them.

‘I think pretty much all grandparents say, “It’s great to be able to go down and wind them up, and then hand them back”!’

The Wild Card by Judy Murray (Orion, £14.99) is out now

WORDS: HANNAH STEPHENSON. IMAGE: JOHN LINTON/PA PHOTO

‘I

’ve realised it’s never too late to change course, to try new things – life is so much about second chances, and it’s about being brave enough to take those steps, having people who open doors for you and create the opportunities for you.

‘And with all the experiences that I’ve had and things I’ve seen, places I’ve been and people I’ve met, there was an opportunity to create a work of fiction to share some of that.

‘Covid gave a lot of us a glimpse of what it’s like to slow down or retire, and I thought I’d hate it – but for the first three months, I absolutely loved it. I didn’t have to pack a case or go to the airport.

‘I discovered my bike through Covid, which only used to get a rare outing previously. But during the pandemic, I went out on it a lot.

‘And I found golf, too. One of the things I love about golf is that you can go out and practice and play on your own – you don’t need somebody to play with. I go to a little nine-hole golf course that has a driving range and practice facilities.

‘I love that peace and quiet, and the beautiful countryside. I can go out with my clubs and potter around on my own, and work it out for myself.

I’m not very good, but I’m determined to get good enough to be able to go around the golf course with my sons, without them abusing me the whole way around!

‘They play golf, and when they retire, it’s something we can all do together. So I have to get good enough to be able to play with them!

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The original ‘must-have’.

Justifiably extravagant.

ONLINE BOOKSHOP As Platinum is now part of Kelsey Media, one of our new sister magazines is Psychologies, which is the UK’s largest emotional wellbeing magazine.

Psychologies has an online bookshop containing over 100 books to support emotional and mental wellbeing.

THERE MAY BE A NUMBER OF BOOKS THAT WILL PIQUE YOUR INTEREST, SO PLEASE TAKE A LOOK!

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Books subject to availability Prices may vary

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