Platinumの November 2023 の目次

This issue hits the shops in time for both Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Menopause Awareness Month, so we’re taking a look at both topics as we know they’re so important to you. Jane Moore’s column this month (page 12) gives a nod to breast cancer awareness with a shout out to her friend’s “boobie” motif make-up bag, some of the proceeds of which go to the charity CoppaFeel!. In our health section we’ve got an expert guide to breast screening (page 106), while Julia Bradbury takes us on an emotional journey through her breast cancer experience from grief to gratitude (page 130). Our Menopause Guineapig Elizabeth Joseph has some interesting ideas for tackling menopausal skin (page 122), while Suzanne Baum highlights the best in cooling menopause clothing with some…

With a career spanning almost six decades, Dame Penelope Wilton is one of the most successful actresses of our time. And at the age of 77, the multi-award winner across stage and screen is showing no signs of slowing down, with her latest role seeing her tread the boards of London’s Duke of York theatre in a comedy play about the Queen Mother. Born in Scarborough, the actress – best known for starring in the BBC sitcom Ever Decreasing Circles; playing Homily in The Borrowers; and for her role as the widowed Isobel Crawley in the ITV drama Downton Abbey – is without doubt a national treasure. And fans of Netflix’s After Life, where Wilton played a widow sharing a graveyard bench with Ricky Gervais’s grief-stricken Tony, will not be…

Denim. What do you know about it? Few fabrics can claim to have such a storied history as denim. It’s a true fashion rags to riches tale that began in 17th century France, and moved to San Francisco in the 1850’s where Levi Strauss created the now ubiquitous jeans as the working uniform for cowboys, miners, railroad and farm workers. Then thanks to a couple of Hollywood actors, James Dean and Marlon Brando, it shrugged off its humble beginnings and became a symbol of youthful rebellion, which then kickstarted the unconditional love affair with this rugged, utilitarian fabric. While that may ebb and flow, it has hallowed status to this day. With its cool meets classic aesthetic, denim transcends age, gender and class. And the fact that it is affordable…

Urban Veda Reviving Body Oil, £34.99, urbanveda.com This gorgeous ayurvedic oil supports mature skin by boosting suppleness. Apricot, sesame and the herb shatavari form a nourishing base, layered with rose geranium, rose Damask and jasmine – bliss! L’Occitane Shea Fabulous Oil, £32, uk.loccitane.com Soften and moisturise your limbs with this shea oil-rich, non-greasy, delicately scented formula that protects and nourishes parched skin. Tea & Tonic High Spirits Body Oil, £39, teaandtonic.co.uk This fast-absorbing dry oil is rich in vitamins C and E, omega fatty acids, phytosterols and antioxidants to hydrate, nourish and smooth skin while energising and uplifting body and mind. ishga Muscle Recovery Oil, £41, ishga.com A blend of Hebridean seaweed extract, eucalyptus, may chang, peppermint, rosemary, lavender and rose geranium essential oils in an almond and jojoba base…

In typical Mancunian style, a light drizzle of summer rain trickles down as I approach The Lowry Hotel across the magnificently stark white Trinity Bridge, linking the cities of Manchester and Salford over the River Irwell. Hugging the boundary on the Salford side, The Lowry is one of just a handful of five-star hotels in the city centre. The unseasonable weather doesn’t faze a hardy Mancunian such as myself – in fact it’s quite beautiful with the water droplets glistening in rainbow colours on the huge curved glass front of the building. The Lowry’s architecture stays true to the industrial roots of the area with a dash of cool warehouse aesthetic in the boxy shape and concrete sides. Named after famous local artist L. S. Lowry, who painted distinctive matchstick-style…

I dropped to my knees, holding back the tears as the rain poured down. With my paddleboard – affectionately known as Grace, after the RNLI heroine Grace Darling – I had just completed a coast-to-coast challenge, becoming the first woman to stand up paddle (SUP) the 162 miles from Liverpool to Goole along the Leeds and Liverpool Canal and Aire and Calder Navigation. I was 54 and had been paddleboarding for only three years. Friends from British Canoeing and the Canal and River Trust were cheering for me along the riverbank. Like an Olympic athlete, I was presented with a bunch of beautiful pink roses, which I proudly lifted aloft. We were all soaked to the skin as the thunderstorm continued and yet the warmth of their kindness and encouragement…

Batting against the UK’s top seeded padel tennis player is how I find myself on a boiling hot day, in the heart of Canary Wharf. A place best associated with skyscraper buildings and a major business district, people move quickly here – it is a fast-paced atmosphere. Whilst I may not be a city banker or trader, my brain is fully engaged, I’m running at full power and my eye is also on the ball. Even prior to its opening, scores of local workers, companies and the Tower Hamlets community were signing up to new padel club Padium – founded by Houman Ashrafzadeh. And I’m not surprised because padel is having such a moment – it seems as though people can’t get enough of this fun, energetic and super-social sport.…

Losing a breast through mastectomy triggered grief. I needed to learn how to process that grief, respond to it and surrender to it. Gratitude has been an important part of my healing process. I now focus on what I do have rather than what I don’t. I feel enormously blessed. My parents are still with me and I have a beautiful family, a lovely home, a loving sister, a gorgeous circle of friends, a job that’s rewarding, a tree I love in my garden, and nature. I’m grateful for that. It’s not about big, shiny things. I had a lymph node removed with my mastectomy. I don’t want to have lymphoedema, which is swelling due to build-up of lymph fluid. I do a little massage sequence of six areas: the…

GAIL ROLFE Fashion expert Gail shows us how to make the most of dependable denim. ADELE PARKS MBE Prolific author Adele rounds up her favourite new reads this month. DOTTIE MONAGHAN Platinum’s resident make-up artist Dottie shares her fave new finds. DR DAWN HARPER This month Dr Harper shares tips on how to manage your diabetes risk. JANE MOORE The Loose Women presenter says it’s time to ditch the tanning trend. SUZY GLASKIE Health coach Suzy this month invites you to go a little easier on yourself. HEATHER JACKSON Menopause champ Heather extols the virtues of big midlife changes. JOANNA HALL WalkActive coach Joanna has some tips on walking to focus your mind. ELIZABETH JOSEPH Our ‘Menopause Guineapig’ trials interesting ways to tackle midlife skin.…

As the November nights draw in and the summer tan fades, my legs are once again turning white and goosebumpy. Think of that solitary, sad chicken drumstick in the supermarket chiller and you get the picture. So for me, it’s trousers and socks for the foreseeable. There are alternatives, of course, but regular fake tanning takes effort – not only in getting it done (or doing it yourself) but also in the reams of washing required when your lovely white sheets turn sepia. In my youth, I would blithely frequent the numerous tanning salons near my home in the Midlands, blissfully unaware of the potential harms. In fact, we thought we were getting a “healthy” glow. At first, it was a sunbed – aka a fluorescent tomb in which we…

For many, entering the menopause is a time to shake things up, to try something new, to make a big change. We don’t call it “the change” for nothing! Often these are small things like the food we eat or the products we might use. But it can also be huge life changes like work or relationships. This can often be negative and some of the stats make for grim reading. One in 10 women have quit a job due to menopause symptoms, while a shocking seven in 10 women who’ve experienced marital issues blame the menopause for the relationship breakdown. But on the more positive side, for some, the menopause transforms their outlook on life and nudges them to make changes that have long been needed. For many, this…

The Sensation Cooling Scarf Independent brand owner Jude Moryoussef (far right), who created the Sensation Scarf, has developed a product to help keep you cool if you suffer from hot flushes. This is the perfect piece to help you when a hot flush happens as the nature of the fabric technology means that it keeps dry and cold at all times. Once taken out of its packaging, the scarf can be shaken and then placed anywhere on the skin, providing instant relief. ‘This is the perfect piece for hot flushes as it keeps dry and c d at all times.’ Become From this female-driven start-up comes a range of loungewear that uses four key ways to alleviate the symptoms of hot flushes and night sweats. The cooling yarn the clothing…

We started Womaness because of our own personal experiences. Both Sally and I could not find clean, modern products that met the needs of changing skin due to hormonal changes during perimenopause and menopause. We were also looking for brands that spoke to us in a more inspiring way. Due to our backgrounds in retail and media, we felt we had the experience and the network of contacts to build Womaness on our own. We launched Womaness in March 2021 with innovative products, plus the education and inspiration that we felt was missing. Our mission is to help women feel unstoppable throughout all their years. We don’t believe that women should have to pause for anything. At Womaness we offer a range of products including natural, hormone-free supplements to help…

Tuesday November 14 is World Diabetes Day. The purpose of this day is to raise awareness of the condition and, I think more importantly, awareness of the seriousness of the condition. When I first joined general practice more than 25 years ago, if I had to tell someone they had diabetes, that diagnosis was met by fear. Today, everyone knows someone with diabetes and because those people often appear so well on the outside, it is easy to become a bit complacent about the diagnosis. Between 90 and 95 per cent of diabetes in the UK is type 2, which is usually (but not always) associated with being overweight or obese. I have often heard type 2 diabetes referred to as “the milder type”, but sadly that just isn’t true.…

Not good enough. Fat. Stupid. Slow. Ugly. Failure. You probably wouldn’t dream of hurling those insults at someone else… but how often do you fire missiles like these at yourself? And have you stopped to think how much cumulative damage they’re wreaking on your self-esteem, on your health, on your ability to shine as you’re meant to? We’re taught that kindness begins in the home. Well, what’s your home? Not your address and postcode. Your home is your body. It’s the only place that you’ll ever have to live. So let’s show it some well-overdue kindness! Most women ping pong between abject self-flagellation and then wildly over-ambitious resolutions to “get on top of my health”. You’ve probably hurled yourself headfirst into wonderful new self-improvement programmes, only to abandon the whole…

Have you noticed an increase in wrinkles? Itchy skin? Sagging jawline? Dry, burnt mouth? Not ideal. But here we are. With our fluctuating levels of oestrogen to thank. I used to have beautiful skin. People were surprised when I told them my age. Not anymore. These days they try to hide their surprise when I tell them. We need oestrogen to increase the collagen content of our skin. Collagen, amongst other things, supports the structure of your skin. Oestrogen is also necessary to promote the production of natural oils to help moisturise your skin. A lack of collagen and natural oils causes the skin to become thinner and drier, which in turn can make it a lot itchier and lacking in elasticity and firmness. So, how can we help ourselves?…

Adele Parks MBE is the author of 22 bestselling novels including her latest release Just Between Us. She writes compelling, twisty, psychological thrillers that are popular all over the world. Adele has sold 4.75 million books in the UK and is translated into more than 30 languages. She is dedicated to the love of reading and is a proud ambassador of The National Literacy Trust. Keep in touch with her at Instagram.com/adele_parks. Spread The Joy by Gaby Roslin (HarperCollins, £18.99) I love everything about this charming book from celebrated TV presenter, storied radio broadcaster and podcast creator, Gaby Roslin. Over the years, we have come to know and love Gaby’s unbridled enthusiasm and infectious energy, now she is on a mission to share her joie de vivre. From its bright…

Head to peacocks.co.uk to shop the looks shown here or find many of them in store.…

Regular breast screening saves lives. Survival rates have doubled in the last 40 years for the 55,000 women who are diagnosed with breast cancer in the UK each year. That’s due to better treatments and earlier detection through mammography screening, according to research charity Breast Cancer Now (breastcancernow.org). Currently, you’ll be invited for breast screening through your GP every three years from age 50-71, as more than 80 per cent of breast cancers occur in women aged over 50. You can also request screening if you’re older than 71. ‘Breast screening uses an x-ray, called a mammogram, to look for cancer too small to see or feel. The sooner cancer is diagnosed, the more effective treatment is likely to be. During screening, your breasts are placed, one at a time,…

Romantic relationships can bring happiness and be a buffer against challenging events in life. But significant relationship issues can create a negative impact on your mental health and wellbeing. Myths about relationships, created through generations of fairy tales and romantic movies, include finding or being the perfect partner, or that love means an easy path through life. It is also a myth that you can be everything to your partner as this is not humanly possible! Rather than aiming for a fairy-tale relationship, the aim is to create a more secure and healthy one. The start of a relationship is often a magical time, during which each person sees the best in their partner and is generous and giving. As time goes on, the relationship becomes more real and individual…