Table of contents for 09-Aug-2018 in Chat

Welcome to this week’s Chat... We’re loving Erin, who is refusing to hide her true self, after years of living a lie. You can check out her transformation on p29. You go, girl! Plus, check out adorable Rosie on p46 – a pooch who has her very own guide dog... Aww! And Chloe’s man and her best mate were at loggerheads and she wished they’d get on. Find out why she’s changed her tune on p10. Not forgetting 24 chances to win with our prize puzzles, your genius tips (p26) and the perfect Friday night fakeaway recipe (p48). Yum!…

Thrush woes Q I catch thrush in my vagina once or twice a month. Can I prevent it? Chloe, Birmingham A The yeast that causes thrush thrives in warm, moist conditions, so choose loose-fitting, cotton undies, and avoid wearing tights and tight jeans or leggings. Wash regularly, but avoid using soap in the area, as it can inflame sensitive skin. Your GP might suggest preventive treatment with a monthly pessary. Super-sweaty! Q I sweat so much, I feel too embarrassed to go out or meet people. Maeve, Clapham A Excessive sweating - hyperhidrosis - affects one per cent of us and is often inherited, though your GP can rule out rare causes, such as thyroid problems or diabetes. Treatments include powerful antiperspirants, drugs, Botox injections or surgery to block nerves…

Dizzy with excitement, Chris and I started planning Leanne Nash, 35, Burscough, Lancashire Some women dream about the perfect white wedding; others dream of winning the lottery. Me? I was dreaming about both! Me and my fiance Chris were so skint, I couldn’t see my wedding dream happening any other way. It was 2012, and Chris, then 37, and I had been together for 11 years. We’d often talked about marrying, especially after having our kids, Alex, in 2006, then Ellissia four years later. But, with Chris a stay-at-home dad and just my wage from my advertising job, we never had enough dosh. That’s why I’d started entering competitions – online, in magazines, newspapers. ‘We wouldn’t need millions for a wedding,’ I’d say to Chris. ‘Just a couple of grand…

At last, I’ve found my place in the world! Time to be my real self, I decided… no matter what! So I asked all my friends at college to start calling me Erin. ‘It sounds a bit like Aaron anyway,’ I said. They supported me – but I was still terrified of telling Mum and Dad. In December 2014, I worked up the courage to tell them, starting with Mum. After hearing me out, she burst into tears. She wasn’t disappointed or upset like I was worried she would be. She just felt guilty. ‘I can’t imagine the pain you’ve been through. I’m so sorry,’ she wept. Hugging her, I told her that she’d done nothing wrong. Next, I told my dad. I could tell by the look in his…

Short on time? You can still make the most of your cash with these easy tips! 1 Caffeine fix Do you find yourself regularly grabbing a takeaway coffee on your morning journey to work? Rather than forking out a couple of pounds per cup, buy a small cafetiere instead and make your own delicious coffee when you arrive - you'll save a small fortune. 2 Keep cool During hot weather, don't be tempted to turn on your car's air-con. It actually uses up more of your vehicle's fuel - so just open all the windows and let the breeze blow through to help cool you down. 3 Make an appeal  Receiving a parking ticket is always a nasty experience. However, if you have a valid reason why you believe that…

For all over: Soltan Beautiful Bronze Wash Off Instant Bronzing Lotion, £3.99, transforms pasty bits to a deep, rich tan in seconds. Plus it’s transfer-resistant – so won’t ruin your outfit with streaks. For legs: Bondi Sands Glo Gloss Finishing Glow, £9.99 is a subtle tinted bronzing lotion to give your skin an instantly luminous glow. Swap your usual body lotion for this gorgeous glossy formula to help to give the illusion of longer, slimmer pins. For face: HIGlow High Intensity by Rochelle Humes Glow Drops, £7.99, Superdrug. Add a few drops to your foundation to give an all-over radiant glow, or just add to your cheekbones for a bronzed sheen where the sun naturally hits.…

1 Menorca  This Spanish island, with its endless beaches, has a reputation as a great bucket-and-spade destination for families, but there’s a more grown-up side that is definitely worth exploring… 2 Tenerife  Super seafood, paragliding over the coast and top-notch hotels – there’s so much to pack into a break here, on the largest of the Canary Islands. 3 Gran Canaria  Sun sea and spa without the jet lag? Gran Canaria is just over four hours away with a microclimate averaging 240C all year round. Not only will it fill your Instagram feed with wow-factor sunsets and never-ending beaches, but it also offers great hotels.…

Hellmann’s Real Mayonnaise, 600g, £2.50  This classic brand came out top in our blind-taste test! Rich, tangy and well-seasoned, it’s perfect for making a great potato salad. Waitrose Mayonnaise with Olive Oil, 500ml, £1.79 Extra-virgin olive oil gives this a really well-rounded flavour. It has a slightly more luxurious feel and flavour than standard mayo. Sainsbury’s Mayonnaise, 250ml, £0.60 A really good classic mayo. It has a delicious, creamy taste with well-balanced seasoning. This is the perfect base for customising yourself and for making your own burger sauces.…

Touche! My brother Paul went for an interview and told me the interviewer clearly didn’t like him. He asked him a really difficult question then criticised him, saying he wasn’t very observant. As Paul left the room, he told his interviewer his fly was undone. Naturally he didn’t get the job! Jeena Sumner, North London Baking blunder My friend Jo is a real stickler for following recipes to the letter. When I popped round to hers, I found her baking cakes, but after a few minutes I could smell burning. Sniffing and pointing to the oven, I said, ‘Shouldn’t you take those out?’ She glanced at her watch, shook her head and said, ‘The recipe says they’ve still got three minutes to go!’ It did make me laugh. Irene Emerson,…

Max was all smiles, and Lemmy’s tail wagged madly! Maria Landowski, 53, Didcot Standing with a cuppa, I looked into my conservatory – but my house didn’t feel like home now as something was missing. Our dog Suzi. A bull mastiff, she passed away last September, and I missed her dearly. And my two sons – Max, 26, and Joe, 18 – had loved Suzi so much, they didn’t seem like themselves now. But there was more to their moods than grief, and I noticed it in Max the most. He’d always been outgoing and fun to be around. But not any more… I watched as he sank lower each day. He walked with hunched shoulders, his face expressionless. Then he relied on drink, which made him worse. I begged…

The middle of the birthmark had turned black Emily Whittaker, 26, Salford Drenched in sweat and exhausted, I only wanted one thing – to feel my newborn baby in my arms. And then, suddenly – on 24 January this year – there she was! My little girl Isla. With a fluffy halo of beautiful, red hair, she looked so much like her big sister, 4-year-old Amelia. ‘Hello,’ I smiled, looking down at her. The last six weeks of my pregnancy had been really hard on me. I’d been admitted to hospital at 34-weeks with pre-term contractions, and had needed steroids to strengthen my baby’s lungs. Administered through a cannula in my right arm, I ended up developing cellulitis, a skin infection that needed antibiotics. Yet none of that mattered now,…

Cool idea!  Instead of adding ice to summer drinks, I add frozen fruit. It tastes lovely and counts as one of your five-a-day! Tracey Boulton, Stoke-on-Trent Sweet spot  Keep brown sugar soft by popping a couple of marshmallows in the bag. Shulah Clarkson, Ormesby Perfect spread  I found the ideal solution to spreading butter from the fridge - use a potato peeler! It softens the butter and means you don't have to leave it out in the summer months. M Macleod, Ayr Give it a spray  If your tree dies, instead of throwing it away and replacing it, spray paint it. It's much cheaper and looks great. Julie Todd, Swansea Ring rescue  Screw a small hook in the wall near the kitchen sink to hang your rings on while you're…

HOLIDAY HELL A holidaymaker in Florida raised eyebrows when she pulled out her razor and busied herself with her personal grooming routine - in the swimming pool! The woman was secretly filmed shaving her legs by a fellow tourist, who was understandably disgusted by her behaviour. But, surprisingly, swimmers nearby didn't even seem to notice! As she sat on the steps leading into the pool, surrounded by paddling children, the woman de-fuzzed her legs, even stopping to rinse the razor in the water. The footage was uploaded online on Reddit and went viral, with more than 50,000 views and 1,600 comments. WHAT A STINK! A train containing tonnes of sewage from New York was grounded in the tiny town of Parrish, Alabama, for over two months, causing an awful stench…

1 The shampoo: I have quite a sensitive scalp and dry hair, so I’m always on the lookout for a gentle shampoo that’s really nourishing. Aussie Miracle Moist Shampoo, £3, Sainsbury’s, always leaves my hair feeling so soft. 2 The lip balm: Forget lipstick, I always have a little pot of Vaseline Lip Therapy, £1.95, in my handbag and I use it every day to soothe dry lips. 3 The hand cream: I suffer from dry skin and find that Aveeno Skin Relief Restore & Protect Hand Cream, £4, is by far the best.…

Coronation Street A Blackpool snog… It’s an eventful couple of days in Blackpool for Abi. There are wind-ups with Steve - which end up with him and Abi locking lips! However, Steve has other things on his mind, when he reveals to Johnny he knows about his night of passion with his mum Liz. Johnny says it was a mistake and he loves Jenny. Liz tells Johnny their secret is safe and she’ll speak to Steve… Emmerdale Will Rebecca escape? Having been taken hostage by Lachlan, a desperate Rebecca hammers at her chains with a rock, but knocks over her water bottle instead. She’s now panicking and fearing for her life because she’s run out of water. Losing all hope, she knows time is running out fast, unless she’s rescued…

Dear Abraham, People say the best job in the world is being a mum. They’re not wrong. Hearing you squeal with delight as your big brother Jose chased you around the garden was the best sound in the world. Carefree and cheeky, you brought sunshine into my life. But being a mum has had its share of heartache. In February 2017, you developed a nagging cold that wouldn’t budge. Your neck glands were swollen – so, after a month, me and your stepdad Martin, then 52, took you to the doctor. After 24 hours of tests in hospital, we were taken aside. ‘It’s leukaemia,’ the doctor said to us. Our world came crashing down around us. Cancer. You needed to have treatment immediately. First, I had to break the news…

We still had no idea how Dad knew this woman… Jade Downey, 34, Crawley Spooning chocolate cake mix into a tin, I felt my heart swell as I watched my three children writing in their grandad Trevor’s card. It was May 2016, and we couldn’t wait to surprise him the following day for his 54th birthday. Malachi, then 12, Alyssa, 10, and Logan, 5, loved their pops. And they certainly weren’t the only ones. My sister Chloe, then 29, and our half-sisters Rachel, then 22, and Sophie, 20, adored him too. We were all Daddy’s girls. Despite splitting with my mum Teresa when I was 8, Dad had vowed to remain a big part of my life. He’d kept to his promise, seeing us every weekend. It was the same…

William Hanaman was found guilty of the murder of Marion Shea. At the sentencing, he offered an emotional apology to Marion’s family. While the judge recognised Hanaman’s remorse, the brutality of the crime and his failure to take responsibility left him with no choice but to hand down the maximum sentence of 40 years in prison. Given Hanaman’s age and poor health, his lawyers appealed, arguing that it was essentially a life sentence, but the appeal was rejected.…

Damaged voice Q I'm really passionate about singing, but I've recently developed some nodules on my vocal cords which are ruining my voice. Will the nodules go away by themselves or will I need surgery to remove them? Tianne, Brentwood A Your vocal cords are two folds of skin which vibrate to create your voice. Overuse can damage them and leave nodules, which are actually small lumps of scar tissue. They should go if you rest your voice, though large ones might need surgery. A voice coach can help prevent them. Lumpy arms Q The tops of my arms are permanently covered in horrible, little, hard lumps. How can I get rid of them? Sara, Gillingham A This sounds like keratosis pilaris (or ‘chicken skin'), a common, inherited condition. The…

How did yoga turn into romps?! Q I recently became widowed and took up private yoga classes. But what actually happens is the instructor and I have sex. I don’t know how it happened, it just kind of did. Now I pay him £20 every other Monday for sex in his front room, and when the hour’s up, I leave. I don’t know anything about this man, but after leaving his house, I can’t wait to go back there again. What’s going on? Irene, 57 A Well, it’s not the typical downward dog, is it! I actually think the only thing you’re doing wrong here is paying for the sex. You must miss your partner, who recently passed, very much. It’s a situation you’re enjoying because, for that hour away…

I hated the person I saw staring back at me in the mirror Erin Anderson, 22, Kentucky As I was scribbling on a piece of paper, my mum Deanna, then 22, came walking into my bedroom. ‘What are you drawing, Aaron?’ she asked. ‘Me!’ I grinned, holding up the picture I’d just done. Mum laughed. Although I was a 3-year-old little boy, I’d drawn myself with long, blonde hair wearing high heels and a flowery dress. Even back then, I longed to be a pretty, little girl. I’d wear T-shirts on my head, pretending I had long hair, and wander around the house in Mum’s make-up and heels. Though I didn’t understand it at the time, I always felt much more comfortable when I was dressed up as a female.…

Aries 21 March - 20 April A cash problem you thought you’d sorted pops up again. The good news is that there’s now room for negotiation, or a price reduction, in the hope of getting a quick result. Why not make an offer and see… Call 0905 817 0690* for more Taurus 21 April - 21 May A new job has personal and professional potential. You’d normally wait, but the other person is keen to get closer. You have the advantage, so keep it that way until you work out what’s going on. Call 0905 817 0691* for more Gemini 22 May - 21 June Two problems to solve. One is simple and merely needs a bit of force, like shoving a door that sticks - but the other needs…

Celeb secrets Want skin as smooth as Tess Daly? We’ve found out her secret! Tess hails Bio-Oil as one of her beauty staples thanks to its multipurpose benefits. Had too much sun? You can use it as a skin soother. Or mix a drop of it into your foundation. It’ll hydrate your skin and boost radiance. Or, if you’ve spent too much time at the kitchen sink, you can even use it as a hand and nail treatment. Bio-Oil, 60ml, £8.95 Want lustrous hair like Alesha Dixon? She swears by homemade coconut-oil masks to keep her hair soft, sleek and shiny. ‘Once a week, I love to make a hair mask out of The Groovy Food Company Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil (£4.99, Waitrose). I get 2-4tbsp of the oil…

Lesley Corfield, 46, Wakefield For years, I’d go to bingo halls with my father-in-law. I really enjoyed it. Then, back in October 2013, I thought why not give online bingo games a try? I’d heard they were just as much fun. Well! I loved it! It became my bit of ‘me time’ of an evening, and I really enjoyed the Double Bubble slot game . Sometimes, I’d chat to the other players in the chatroom – about everything from the weather to what’s happening in the TV soaps. There’s such a community feel! Then, one day in October last year, I’d just got in from work and was ready to unwind. After a quick shower, I got into my pyjamas, then snuggled down on the sofa in front of the…

Katy Hughes, 31, Liverpool Muscles bulging, the rugged removals man heaved my sofa into the living room. ‘So,’ he grinned. ‘You moving in on your own?’ I knew he was flirting with me, and do you know what? It felt nice. It was December 2015, and I’d hired Craig and some other guys to help me move into my new place. Craig was definitely cute, so when he texted later, asking if I’d join him and some mates for a drink, I thought, why not? New pad – new man maybe? I wasn’t going to write it off. And, after a night laughing our socks off, I was more than keen. So when Craig, 44, suggested another drink – Just the two of us – I jumped at the chance.…

Peri peri chicken burgers Serves: 4 Prep: 5 min Cook: 10 min Cost per serving £1.15 1tsp peri peri seasoning rub 1 garlic clove, crushed 1tbsp olive oil 1tbsp lemon juice 2 chicken breast fillets, cut in half horizontally 100g chorizo sausage, sliced 4 sourdough rolls, halved and toasted Mayonnaise, lettuce, feta cheese and basil leaves, to serve 1 Mix together peri peri seasoning, garlic, olive oil and lemon juice and rub over both sides of chicken. 2 Heat a griddle pan until hot. Put on chicken and cook for 3-5 min on each side (depending on the thickness) until chicken is browned and cooked through 3 Remove chicken from the pan and set aside. Add chorizo slices to the pan and cook for 2 min on each side. 4…