Chat -julkaisun 20 April 2023 -irtonumeron sisällysluettelo

Most of us love holidays and pets. So, does Kelly have the perfect life (p30)? She travels the world, staying in beautiful homes and looking after the owners’ furry friends while they go on their hols. No bills, no packed lunches to make, no tower of ironing judging you… Even if the life of a globetrotter isn't for you, you have to admit it's a nice daydream when you do finally tackle that laundry pile! Have a fab week, p22 p40 p30 p12 PS If you're entering the puzzles online, this is the link to use: comps.lifedeathprizes.com/puzzles…

JAY WILKIN, 43, FROM HARWICH, ESSEX, SAYS: My amazing daughter Hermione Wilkin is my hero. When she was just a baby, Hermione, now 13, was diagnosed with cyclical vomiting syndrome, or CVS. It means that she has prolonged episodes of feeling nauseous and vomiting, without a definite cause. Throughout her life she's been in and out of hospital, bravely dealing with her difficult symptoms. Hermione is determined to raise awareness of this condition, which studies show could affect as many as 2% of school-aged children. She regularly fundraises for the Cyclical Vomiting Syndrome Association UK, as well as for the children's unit at Colchester Hospital. In September 2022, Hermione was given a Community Champion award by Colchester United football club. Last month, for International CVS Awareness Day on 5 March,…

Leaping off the slide, Claudia raced across the playground toward her twin brother Robin with her palms held high. ‘Paw paw…’ she called. ‘Paw paw…’ Robin grinned, hands held in a mirror image before throwing his arms around his sister. Their special greeting. It was summer 2020, and smiling, I watched them skip over to play on the swings. My twins had spent two weeks in special care, after being born two months premature in November 2013. A worrying time, especially for a single mum. But now look at them! Watching their bond warmed my heart. ‘It's lovely they have each other,’ I told my sister Jayne, then 42. They both had mild autism, but understood each other like no one else could. Claudia was in charge, she'd dress first…

A popular lad with a big heart – that was 14-year-old Lareanz Simmons. Never afraid to say ‘I love you’, he often greeted his friends with a hug. And within moments of meeting someone new, he'd treat them like one of his best friends. Lareanz became known for his ‘hug-and-love’ treatment, and was well liked among schoolmates. His loving nature was in stark contrast to the area he'd grown up in. Riverside, California, had been plagued with violence for decades. Street gangs orchestrated targeted hits on their enemies, gun crime was rife. But Lareanz wasn't involved with gangs. The junior cadet enjoyed being silly with his cousin, dancing and singing. He'd send funny videos to friends. Was close to his grandmother, Bernice Hobdy. On 23 February 2012, Lareanz was walking…

1 Oats ‘Oats are high in soluble fibre, which dissolves in the gut to form a paste and binds with cholesterol, preventing it from being absorbed,’ explains Healthspan nutritionist Rob Hobson. ‘Studies suggest eating 3g of oat betaglucan (a type of dietary fibre in oats) per day can help to reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol by up to 10%.’ Oats can be used to make porridge, added to smoothies or sprinkled on yogurt. 2 Soy Soy foods include edamame beans, soya milk and tofu. ‘Soy protein is a key component of the Portfolio diet, developed to lower cholesterol,’ explains Rob. Eating just 15g of soy per day may help to lower LDL cholesterol levels by up to 6%. ‘You can add soy to your diet by switching to soya milk, snacking on edamame…

Charging through the supermarket, I piled my trolley until food spilt over the edge. Bacon, garlic bread, crisps, biscuits… Back home, I settled on the sofa and stuffed myself before slumping into a food coma surrounded by crumbs and empty packets. Waking up an hour later, the guilt hit. ‘Why can't I stop?’ I said, stuffing all my rubbish out of sight in the bin. It was November 2004 and at 23, I weighed 16st. My binges were a regular occurrence, and I'd switch between sweet and savoury, often until I was hunched over the loo making myself sick. My toxic relationship with food started when I was 8. My parents had just divorced, and secret binges helped me cope. At 15, I was over 12st, and Mum took me…

NO-FUSS FOOD Top tip Swap mild curry powder for a hot ne or add a pinch chilli powder or a spicy kick. TOTAL COST £5 Sweet potato and baked bean curry This mild, family-friendly and veg-packed curry is a warming, nutritious alternative to a takeaway SERVES 4 PREP 5 MINS COOK 30 MINS 1 Put the oil into a large saucepan on a medium heat. When hot, add the onions and cook for 2-3 mins until beginning to soften. Add the garlic and stir for 1 min more. Add the carrot rounds, sweet potato and spices, then season and mix together. 2 Add the tinned tomatoes and simmer on a medium heat for 10 mins. In…

TRUE-LIFE Touching down at Heathrow Airport, excitement zipped through me. It was December 2016 and I'd just emigrated to the UK from my native Hungary. ‘What's it like?’ my boyfriend Sandor, then 30, asked when I called to say I'd arrived safely. ‘Wonderful,’ I gasped, staring out of the taxi window on my way to my new shared house. ‘But I wish you were here.’ ‘Me too,’ Sandor sighed. Sandor was 10 years older than me, and our families back home were close, our relationship solid. But in 2014 he'd moved to Germany for a job operating an excavator. I missed him. And it was another three years before he could join me in the UK, in 2019. By then I'd settled in Rugby, close to where my aunt lived.…

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All sizes 8-24 TU at SAINSBURY'S STYLE TIP Co-ords look great worn together and easily slip into your existing wardrobe as separates. All sizes 6-22 F&F at TESCO STYLE TIP Choose items that come with a belt that can be worn with other outfits. All sizes 8-22 NUTMEG at MORRISONS STYLE TIP Motif and slogan tees look great teamed with a smart blazer and slim-fit jeans. All sizes 8-24 GEORGE at ASDA STYLE TIP Ballet pumps are the perfect shoe to see you through from spring to the summer months.…

s licking on my eyeliner, I checked my wild, dark hair in the mirror. ‘Perfect,’ I smiled, picking up the keys to the hearse parked in my driveway. As I drove to the supermarket, I nodded along to the thrash metal blasting out of my speakers. It was June 2020, and the summer heat meant I was baking in my black outfit. But my boyfriend Jay and I loved heavy metal. From our black clothes to driving a genuine hearse we'd bought second-hand, we embraced the gothic lifestyle. A real-life Morticia and Gomez Addams! We'd met in school. Jay had been so cool, flicking his long hair and always wearing a band T-shirt. We spent hours in my room, listening to Nine Inch Nails and Metallica. At age 22 we'd…

Top of your music playlist? Fave retro film or show? Ideal date? Do you have a frenemy? Got a catchphrase? Top holiday destination? Your go-to party outfit ANSWERS MOSTLY AS: You'd love to dance I round the table with Alesha Dixon and her old Mis-Teeq pals. Maybe she can bring her 2007 Strictly glitterball trophy and rap her way through the main course? MOSTLY BS: Newjudge Bruno Toniolo will bring some Latin fire to your fabulous dinner, darling. You're hoping that he'll waltz in and show you a dance step or two while you wait for the oven timer to ding. MOSTLY CS: You're brave! Just as Simon Cowell tucks into his calamari he throws down his fork and scowls, ‘Terrible. You are the worst chef in the world.’ But…

Crushing on a married man Q I work with a man who's happily married and expecting his first child. I'm happily married myself, but I can't stop thinking about him. I don't think I want to get divorced for him, but I think I'm in love with him. Do I need to distance myself from this friendship? Louise, 51 A Earth calling Louise, come back to us sweetheart… We've all had silly daydreams and fantasies, but why the flip are you talking about divorce when this man is happily married and starting a family? He probably thinks of you as his mate from work and nothing more. Concentrate on your own marriage –I don't think it's as happy as you say it is. My son's a deadbeat dad Q My son has abandoned his child. We…

Looking at Teddy, blissfully unaware of my torment, I knew it was time to act. My GP had already referred me for a gastric sleeve. ‘But you have to lose 10% of your body weight first,’ he'd warned. It'd seemed impossible, but now, with renewed determination, I followed the advice of the NHS dieticians and nutritionists. Slowly the pounds dropped off, and in July 2017, I was approved for the op! That October, with Teddy, then 3, at his grandparents’, I had my stomach reduced to the size of an egg. Three days later I was home, sore but excited. I ate small portions of pureed vegetables, scrambled egg, yogurt – and within four weeks I was working out with a personal trainer. In six months I lost 6st 7lb.…

WIN £500 Puzzle 18 The answers to all but one of these quiz questions can be found hidden in this wordsearch grid, reading forwards, backwards, up, down or diagonally. To help you, we'll tell you that the answers are in alphabetical order in each section. However, one answer can't be found in the grid. This is your prize puzzle answer. MR 1A 1939 film, based on a book of the same name by James Hilton, about a boarding school classics master and former headteacher was entitled Goodbye, Mr_? (5) 2 Which Howard composed the themes to the comedy series Mr Bean, Red Dwarf, Blackadder and The Vicar of Dibley? (7) 3 ‘Give him two lips like roses and clover (bung, bung, bung, bung), Then tell him that his lonesome nights…

BEHIND THE BIG CRIME TRUE-LIFE Tristyn Bailey, 13 years old, embodied everything a cheerleader was meant to be. Loved ones described her as spirited and carefree. A teenager who loved life. She adored her family – the Baileys were close. Together with mum Stacy, dad Forrest and older siblings – sisters Brittney, Alexis and Sophia, and brother Teegan – they nicknamed themselves The Bailey 7. On 9 May 2021, Tristyn had promised to help make a special breakfast for Stacy. It was Mother's Day in the US, where the Baileys lived in St Johns County, Florida. Only, as Sophia bustled around the kitchen that morning, she noticed Tristyn hadn't yet surfaced from her room. At 10am, her family realised she hadn't slept in her bed. Where on earth was she? Frantic,…

What do actors Will Ferrell and Ben Affleck have in common? To find out, solve the crossword then read down the shaded squares to find the three-word prize answer. ACROSS Oncemore5 Religioussong4 Wentbefore8 Putsclotheson7) Haircleaner7 Shortletters5 Water-filledditch4 Onallsidesof(6) Morelofty6 Impolite4 Departs5 Surpasses6 Suddenlywithoutwarning(8) Revolutionaries6 Musicalspeed5 Marinecreatureusuallywith five limbs (8) Planetwithrings6) Youngfoxes4 Gasusedinballoons(6) Diadem5 Workplace6 Catchsightof4) expertRiley (6) Overturnedaboat8) Withoutcompany5 Privateteachers6 Valuablehoard8 Makesfunof6) Excitingsituation5 villain4 Hughactor who starred in 6 Soaring6 Upperlimbs4 Essential5 Non-professional7 Thegroundorlandscape(7) Angerwhendriving4,4) Tenderandpainful4) Melodies5 DOWN Britishtennisplayer4,6) Pointlesshost Armstrong (9) Birdshome4) Noisemadebyasnake (4) Communications8…

Magic magnets Q I've seen magnetic bracelets that say they're proven to work for arthritis. Could they help my knees? Teri, Nottingham A Magnetic bracelets designed to fit around joints and ease arthritis are widely available. Some say they work by enhancing the body's own magnetic field, others that they improve circulation by attracting the iron in red blood cells. Scientifically this is nonsense – the iron in red cells isn't attracted to magnets – although a few small studies comparing people wearing magnetic or dummy bracelets do suggest the magnets might help, which is probably the ‘proof’ you've seen. Unfortunately, bigger and more careful studies haven't generally shown that magnets have any effect. But if you do want to give them a try, they're not likely to do any…

Which children character was first created for a story in a letter to fiveyear-old Noel Moore? To find out, solve the puzzle&38230; Add a letter anywhere in each of the boxed-off words to fit the clue, eg, Film = MOVE + I = MOVIE. Write the added letter in the space provided. Read down the added letters to spell out the prize answer. WIN 2x £25 Puzzle 9 SIRE ■ FIRS ■ BASE ■ DIMS ■ FOGS ■ BOTH ■ COST ■ RAGS ■ LOBS ■ BATS ■ SEER ■ Church tower Flames Cover in liquid American coins Amphibians Soup Shoreline Boasts Dollops Fishing lures Guide Your answer: TO ENTER Turn to page 56 for details or visit comps.lifedeathprizes.com/puzzles…

SUNNY SHADE BUDGET BUY COLOUR POP…

truly Chat! Squeezing two gel-filled pouches, Dolly Mix, 29, flicks her long, bleached blonde hair and grins. ‘They're quite fun stress balls,’ she jokes. Only, they're actually silicone breast implants that Dolly had removed last year. During the same surgery, she had them replaced – with silicone boobs twice the size and weighing 2lb each. ‘I got to keep these, it's like a little trophy,’ she laughs, squishing the plastic gel between her ultra-long, pale pink false nails. Dolly has spent £15,000 over the past eight years indulging her obsession. ‘I would describe my looks as bimbo doll,’ she says. ‘My aim is to look more plastic than human. ‘I've had two breast augmentations. I have also had Botox, and about 6-7ml of lip filler.’ Dolly has also had threads…

3 ways to… Protect against identity theft Don't let criminals take out loans and open bank accounts in your name… 1 Keep your details safe Store any documents carrying personal details, such as your passport and bank statements, in a safe place and shred or destroy old documents before throwing them out, so that nothing showing these details can be taken. Also, monitor your credit reports to check for any suspicious activity – you'll find information on how to check credit reports at themoneyedit.com. Regularly check credit card and bank statements. When you move house, tell everyone, from your bank to your doctor, your new address so letters with personal information don't go to your old address. It's a good idea to redirect your mail, too. 2 Beware of scams And…

14-20 April 2023 Aries 21 March-20 April Be wary of escapism, as something new may seem like a tempting prospect. Relax with a good book or take a leisurely walk with your dog or a family friend. Call 0905 817 0690* for more Taurus 21 April-21 May A project you've been working on will bring you the recognition that you deserve. Trust that the universe will send you something unexpected. Call 0905 817 0691* for more Gemini 22 May-21 June You are a few steps ahead of others with a vision. Progress could rely on you explaining yourself more than you intended to garne a collaborative effort. Call 0905 817 0692* for more Cancer 22 June-23 July If you've been waiting to ask for a promotion or raise speak up…

Q I want to change my hairstyle, but I don't want to spend a lot of money at the salon – what would you suggest? Amelia Bentley, Chipping Campden A Getting your hair done at the salon can feel like a small investment, and with the cost of living rising, DIY alternatives are becoming more and more popular. If you normally get a professional colour, then there are plenty of at-home options that can look just as good. Want to lighten up? Josh Wood Colour 7.0 Deep Mid-Blonde Colour Kit, £14, lookfantastic. com, is a great-quality at-home dye kit which is so easy to use and offers 100% grey coverage. Another clever way to update your hair is with a temporary colour. Copper shades are all the rage, so try Bleach…

Chat winners issue 3 (19 Jan 2023) £1.001 CASH I Hutchinson, Leeds £500 CASH R Hill, Middlesbrough B Moorhouse, Bradford M Brooks, Durham £250 CASH W Cunningham, Whitstable M Richards, Burton-on-Trent £200 CASH T Riley, Wigan £100 CASH V Cole, Benfleet L Summers, Eastbourne E Mesquitta, Birmingham £75 CASH M Jackson, Accrington £50 CASH M Rees, Brighton S Mitchell, Aberdeen M Briggs, Worcester A Knowles, Brighouse J Draper, St Helens L Pearce, Tiverton £40 CASH M Bennett, Cheltenham £30 CASH D Lynch, Liverpool C McKenzie, Falkirk £25 CASH J Cook, Wallsend I Bell, Enniskillen Anyone from your town in the list this week..? £20 CASH S Williams, Cinderford H Deane, Waterlooville D Sharef, Wakefield A Poulding, Halesowen R Panton, Colchester J McCluskey, Glasgow T Ling, Taunton F Milum-Palmer, Weston-super-Mare A…