Table of contents for 19-Aug-2021 in Pick Me Up!

Around eight years ago, I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. I was in my 40s, so it was a bit of a shock I have always known that fresh food is good for our health and wellbeing. Only, as I searched online, there was a lot of information about type 2 diabetes, but very little on type1. We all know the impact food has on our health and the issues bad eating can cause. So, in 2014, I set up The Olive Trust, which was all about inclusivity and bringing the community together. We already did a lot of work with food banks and community cafés, but during the lockdown, I knew I wanted to do something to help diabetes on the poverty line. Food banks are sadly a…

DARK SECRETS Colouring in my book, it seemed like a normal childhood. From the outside, those memories are not unfamiliar to most. However, dig beneath the surface and much of my childhood was far from sweet. I was beaten and spent hours locked in a dark room, memorising Bible passages. My childhood was anything but ordinary. Why? I was raised in a cult. Born in Osaka, Japan, I was part of an organisation called the Children of God – later known as the Family International Commune. Founded in 1968 by preacher David Brandt Berg, we lived in groups of communes, also known as ‘colonies’, all over the word. And the group wasn’t prejudice to class or status. Actors Rose McGowan and Joaquin Phoenix were also born and raised with the…

Spreading my bills out in front of me, I sighed. They were mounting up, and despite working long hours as a delivery driver, I was struggling to pay them. So I started thinking of ways to make some quick cash, and suddenly it was like a lightbulb went off in my head. What about OnlyFans? I’d heard of the risqué website but never given it much thought, until now – and when I looked into it though, I quickly realised it was the perfect solution. I asked my boyfriend, Owain, what he thought about it. ‘Go for it,’ he said, encouraging me as always. ‘I would if I were a woman!’ I grinned. I’d always been very openminded, and Owain telling me I’m beautiful every day made me feel so…

Altitude sickness 1It’s affected by age. ⃞ True ⃞ False 2It affects breathing. ⃞ True ⃞ False 3 It resembles a hangover. ⃞ True ⃞ False 4You can’t prevent it. ⃞ True ⃞ False 5It can become lifethreatening. ⃞ True ⃞ False 1 FALSE Altitude sickness, which is caused by travelling to a high altitude too quickly, can affect anybody, regardless of age, sex and physical fitness. Even if you’ve been at high altitude and not suffered from it before, that doesn’t mean that you never will. 2 TRUE When it develops, breathing becomes difficult because you’re not able to take in as much oxygen. It usually develops between six and 24 hours after climbing above 3 TRUE Altitude sickness displays itself with similar symptoms to that of a bad hangover.…

Cradling my baby girl in my arms, relief washed over me. It was 16 February 2016 when I had my firstborn, Lihanna-Marie, in University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire, weighing 7lb 4oz. I felt extremely conflicted about the past nine months. It was horrifically tough being so ill, but it was beautiful carrying a child for me and my fiancé Haydn, 27. Every day, from five-weeks pregnant to 17-weeks I had severe sickness. I couldn’t hold down even a small mouthful of food. I never expected morning sickness to be this tough, I’d think to myself. But I grit and bear with it which all felt worthwhile when I stared into the big, sparkling eyes of my gorgeous girl. Gazing down at Lihanna-Marie, a midwife flicked through my hospital notes. ‘Bet…

OUR CAR PARK BABY Browsing Home Bargains with my husband Jordan, 27, we strolled down the health aisle and I paused for a minute. ‘Do you think we should get a test?’ I said. We already had two amazing little girls – Mercedes-Elise, five, and Autumn, two – but we’d been trying for a third baby for months. So far nothing had happened, and with every negative test I lost a bit more hope. But something that day in September 2020 was telling me to buy another test. On a whim, I grabbed a cheap one off the shelf and headed over to the checkout to pay. Back at home, I left Jordan in the living room while I nipped to the toilet. After what felt like the longest three…

DON’T MISS Deceit, Channel 4 This four-part drama examines the controversial honeytrap at the heart of the high-pressure investigation into the devastating murder of Rachel Nickell, a young mother brutally attacked in front of her two-year-old son, on Wimbledon Common in London in 1992. There is a climate of fear and a national obsession with catching the killer. Criminal profiler Paul Britton (Eddie Marsan) and Detective Inspector Keith Pedder (Harry Treadaway) devise a highly unique and dangerous undercover operation, fronted by an ambitious female officer, ‘Sadie Byrne’ (Niamh Algar). Based on only circumstantial evidence, she is tasked with forming a relationship with the prime suspect, self-confessed lonely man Colin Stagg (Sion Daniel Young), in the hope he may reveal his involvement in the murder. Guided by the criminal profiler, Sadie…

Standing in the gift shop after a full day of family fun at the Lappa Valley Steam Railway, in Newquay, my jaw hit the floor when I heard my son, Freddie, then three-years-old. Away for the weekend, back in 2019, I was with my husband Kyle, then 33, his mum and dad, Derris and H, along with our two other kids, Liam, 12, and Jessica, two. ‘What’s that?’ Freddie’s grandad asked him, pointing at one of the Thomas toys. ‘Percy!’ Freddie squealed. ‘Percy!’ Freddie squealed. ‘Clever boy,’ Granddad said. ‘And what about that?’ ‘Arthur!’ Freddie beamed. Grandad pointed again. ‘Beau!’ Freddie announced. My ears pricked up and I watched what was going on. ‘He’s remembering them from that big book he’s got,’ I whispered to Kyle with a nudge. ‘What!?’…

What a great idea! Who doesn’t love a picnic? Not only are they cottagecore perfection, but they’re great for getting outside. To give you the perfect picnic you deserve, Chunk of Devon have released a brand-new selection basket full of convenient snacks that you can pack up and go. Their Traditional Selection includes a mouth-watering range of meat pasties and sausage rolls. They also sell a veggie and vegan selection, too. And the best part? They are available now for delivery right to your door! • Prices start from £35. Find out more on: www.chunkofdevon.co.uk BOOK OF THE WEEK All of us are different, and we’re all special in our own way. That’s why London-based parents, Eve Horne and Lucy Telfer, have created a children’s book with the aim to embrace…

Q I’m getting a huge beer belly, but I can’t give up beer. Is there anything else I can do? Sam, Brighton A You are right to be concerned. A beer belly is caused by having too much visceral (belly) fat. Men are at risk because beer is high in calories, but also because of the high-calorie input from pizzas and other takeaway foods that tend to go with drinking it! Visceral fat is dangerous fat, and it’s highly advisable to lose it. Cut down on your beer. Go for light, low calorie, beers and lagers. Try to gradually reduce your consumption. You should have two or three alcoholfree days every week and have no more than 14 units of alcohol per week. Restrict yourself to 2000 calories per day.…

AN INSPIRATION Steam rose from my cup as I filled it with water from the kettle. I pulled my dressing gown around me and settled down on the sofa. I heard the familiar creak of feet on the stairs, and Nicole, my oldest daughter, appeared around the corner. It was March 2020, and she had just turned 13. Morning, love. How did you sleep?’ I asked her, smiling. She nodded in response As she sat down on the sofa next to me, I noticed she kept weirdly twitching her head and neck. I had never seen her do that before. My neck really hurts today,’ she said, rubbing it. I frowned. It sounded strange, but it wasn’t really worrying, so I assumed it would pass. She got on with the…

For a lot of women, underwear is one of the main things that make them feel feminine and confident. Buying and wearing lacey knickers or silk nighties isn’t just about pleasing your partner, it can be a source of empowerment. It is a way to embrace yourself and take back that pleasure for you, whether you flaunt your new set around the house or underneath your work clothes! Top tip Don’t tumble dry your bras! REAL Find out more about our commitment to REAL woman womanandhome.com/real Top tip Hand wash your lingerie to make it last Skarlette After her double mastectomy, following breast cancer, Heather Glover was left with nothing but a scar. Like a lot of women in her position, she didn’t want to have a reconstruction or wear…

Who doesn’t dream of that sweet Lady and the Tramp moment, where a little pooch jumps out of a gift-wrapped box and into your arms? It’s the sort of scene we often imagine when we think about adding a pet to our family – a picture-perfect ball of fluff, who you can’t help but love. But what about all the unloved animals out there? Lockdown saw huge numbers of people rush out to buy puppies from breeders, thinking being at home more made it the perfect time. But now we’re easing back into real life, those lockdown puppies are ending up in shelters. Puppies are so easily available to buy, often from unlicensed breeders or unethical puppy farms, and many people don’t do their homework before buying on a whim.…

Jens Knoop, founder of expertly crafted chocolate drinks café, Knoops, is launching a new cookbook based on his favourite ingredient: chocolate! The book, Knoops - Chocolate Recipes through the Day, will feature 40 drinks and 20 dishes – both sweet and savoury – created using a range of Knoops’ famous chocolate flakes. Alongside dishes for all times of day, Jens has created an exciting array of expertly crafted drinks, much like those that put Knoops on the map since opening in Rye in 2013. Knoops - Chocolate Recipes through the Day will be released on 1 September (RRP £20) and will be stocked online and in all Knoops stores (www.knoops.co.uk). Financiers Serves: 9 Legend has it that these sophisticated little French cakes are named so because they are wonderfully rich,…

Guinness Slice, £1.30, Tesco A collab between the UK’s favourite savoury pastry brand and the iconic Irish brewer, Guinness, is here! Inside is British beef with potato, carrot, onion, swede, leek, chestnut, mushrooms, black treacle, garlic and Guinness. BEPPS snacks, £1, Asda They’re the perfect healthy grab on the go snack. Made from pea, pulse and grain, they’re better for you than a bag of crisps and they taste incredible! Scapegrace Black, £35.95, masterofmalt.com Wow your guests with this colour changing ultra-premium ‘black’ gin. The drink transforms from black to purple in front of your eyes as soon as you mix it with tonic. It’s a taste sensation combining aronia berry, pineapple and subtle saffron. OUR MUST TRY Cocktail set, £14.99, taverymuch.co.uk The perfect addition to keep cool for outdoor…

Complete the grid then read down the shaded squares to reveal the hidden answer. Clue: Sport. ACROSS 7 Panatella, say (5) 8 & 13Ac. 2021 zombie heist film starring 26 Across, 2 Down & 9 Down, and directed by 20 Across (4,2,3,4) 10 Pale delicate shade of a colour (6) 11 Logical and unemotional (8) 12 Convince (8) 13 See 8 Across 15 Towed vehicle (7) 17 Give a false alarm (3,4) 20 _ Snyder, director of films such as 300 and Watchmen (4) 22 Misuse (3-5) 25 Area in a town closed to cars (8) 26 _ Dillahunt, actor whose TV credits include Deadwood, The Mindy Project and Fear the Walking Dead (6) 27 Revolving platform (9) 28 Excessively fat or fleshy (5) DOWN 1 Having or involving two…

WHAT A WAY TO MAKE A LIVING Raiding my boyfriend Tom’s wardrobe, I threw on one of his checked shirts. It was March last year, a couple of weeks into the first lockdown, and I was finding ways to keep myself entertained. Creeping down to the garden where Tom was chilling, I was ready to give him the fright of his life. Stepping outside, I announced my arrival while trying to keep a straight face and getting into character. ‘My name’s Joe Exotic, otherwise known as The Tiger King!’ I spoke. Tom nearly jumped out of his chair as his jaw hit the floor. I was ready to give him the fright of his life He was speechless for a couple of seconds, and I couldn’t help but burst into…

Making of aof a MONSTERMONSTER She thought her killer’s car was her taxi home Just weeks away from graduation, Samantha Josephson was ready to make her mark on the world. Originally from New Jersey, Samantha, 21, was at the University of South Carolina where she was studying political science During her time at USC, Samantha had studied abroad in Barcelona, and now she was a senior, she had won a full scholarship to Drexal University. which is in Philadelphia. There, Samantha would follow her dreams to practice international law. It was March 2019, and her future looked bright. On 28 March, Samantha was feeling a bit down after receiving some news about a family member’s bad health. But she had planned to go out with her friends and her boyfriend,…

Looking for something a little different to do with the kids this summer? Why not go dinosaur hunting on the Isle of Wight? Home to more remains than anywhere else in Northern Europe, it’s the UK’s dino capital! You can be on The Isle of Wight in just 22 minutes from Wightlink. And, kids travel free during the holidays! Prices from £14. www.wightlink.co.uk BLACKGANG CHINE Featuring the UK’s largest animatronic T-Rex, families are invited to brave the Restricted Area 5 at Blackgang Chine and get up close and personal with the park’s cheeky resident dinosaurs at the new Dino Enclosure. The UK’s oldest amusement park will be putting on a roarsome show this summer with Triassic Tuesdays taking place throughout August, where little ones can take part in feeding time or lend…

www.clairepetulengro.tv Catch Claire live on Facebook ARIES 21 March–20 April Believe in what you want, and you’re halfway there. It’s time to admit you’ve surrounded yourself with some really negative people. It’s also time to cut ties with them. What are you waiting for? New faces you meet in business hold the key to a career crossover you’ll be making later this year. Showing love to yourself means you’ll find it from others this week. Call: 09058 170 710* LEO 24 July–23 Aug Don’t regret what hasn’t worked out. Instead learn the valuable lessons it taught you about how not to do things for next time. Animals link to arguments which are a cover for a different conversation that needs to be had. Using your time, not on other’s petty…