Table of contents for 09-Jan-2020 in Pick Me Up!

Heading into my daughter’s room, I tried to ease her back to sleep. Maddison was just seven, and she was struggling with her dad being away. Unfortunately, as a military family, it was just something she had to get used to. I’d joined the army in my late teens and that’s where I met my husband, Tony, 38. We were constantly moving, but when we had Maddison, that’s when I really noticed the affect it was having. We were told she wasn’t a crisis I slowed down my role as an army clerk, but as a soldier, Tony was constantly out on mission. Maddison could go weeks without seeing or talking to him, but there was no support. I just kept getting told that as her dad was alive and…

Dear Dan, I remember that day you were born in August 1990 like it was yesterday. In fact, I remember when you and your seven siblings Elly, 46, Jamie, 35, Thomas, 34, Michael, 33, Kerry, 30, Rory, 27, and Holly, 26, were all born. They are some of the proudest days of my life. You in particular were such a kind and loving young boy. It’s probably those wonderful qualities that attracted your long-term girlfriend Gemma to you at just nine-years-old. You were inseparable and you had one of the strongest forms of love I’ve ever seen. So it was no surprise that we all knew you were going to get married one day. You had the perfect life together, but working on constructions, it would be a while before…

Going vegan Q I’ve just switched to a vegan diet and it has upset my stomach. Will this stop over time or should I incorporate meat and dairy back into my diet again? Georgina, Essex. A Switching to a plant-based diet will cause changes in your digestive system while your body adapts to this new way of eating. If you’re suffering from an upset stomach, bloating, or gas there’s no need to go back to a meat and dairy diet as these symptoms should subside once your digestive system has adjusted to it. The key to reducing stomach upset is to gradually switch to a vegan diet over time. If you cut out meat and dairy products altogether and begin eating plant-based foods too suddenly you will feel the effects.…

Mental health patients left in limbo Thousands of people with mental health problems are being left waiting for months for NHS help, a new investigation has revealed. Last year alone, 300,000 patients who qualified for talking therapy spent at least a month on the ‘hidden’ waiting list. The patients had all been to their first appointment which meant they’d been counted as having started treatment, although the treatment doesn’t start until the second appointment. The wait for a second session could last for months, with the NHS blaming the rising number of patients for why it’s taking so long. 21 days…  That’s how long it’s thought to take for most people to give up on their healthy New Year’s resolutions. Have you tried... Flexitol Heel Balm, £5.69, Boots. With party…

When Harry Weir developed kidney failure at just five, he was put on the waiting list for a transplant. But after nearly two years on dialysis, a match still hadn’t been found. For his worried father Mike Weir, the wait was difficult. He said: ‘Harry wasn’t well at all. ‘He rarely ate, had lost his appetite and was on lots of medication which would often leave him vomiting and suffering from terrible headaches. ‘We couldn’t find a donor from within the family and hadn’t found a match whilst waiting on the list. ‘Our next option was to try pooled donation.’ Pooled or paired donation is when you are not a suitable match for someone you wish to donate to, but you may be able to join a sharing scheme and…

DON’T MISS THIS! We already can’t get enough of LEGOLAND but now there’s even more to look forward to this February half term – but be quick, tickets are selling out! From 15 to 23 February, the LEGOLAND Windsor resort will be celebrating Brick Week, where a selection of rides and attractions will be available, including a chance for kids to meet their favourite characters. There’s also a whole host of LEGO building workshops, including a LEGO make and take, a giant mosaic and a brick build challenge. What’s more, there will also be family favourites including the Dragon Coaster, Driving School, Fire Academy, LEGOLAND Express Train, Jolly Rocker, Mia’s Riding Adventure and more for everyone to enjoy. Tickets from £20 at www. legoland.co.uk. Clever idea! Whether you want to…

This week, our tip of the week receives two great products from Addis. This versatile kitchen caddy is perfect for food waste or for storage (£7.99), plus their new slim rattan effect linen hamper, with carry handles, holds a large 40L capacity of washing and is ideal for fitting in tighter spaces (£17.99). For more ways to make your life easier, visit addis.co.uk Handy handbag I use a clipboard to securely attach my umbrella to my handbag. Saves your time and money without losing your umbrella. Marion Aldred, London Peg it I always run out of pegs so the easiest thing to do is move everything closer together and double up on your pegs. Sounds simple but definitely helps! Amanda Hadley, Cradley Heath Long life Instead of buying bread and…

If you suffer from dry skin during the winter months, then you’re not alone. For many of us the cold weather can leave our skin feeling red, rough and often itchy. The experts at Lotil have put together their top tips on how to help you banish your dry skin. 1 Limit yourself to one five to 10-minute shower or bath a day. Any more than that may strip away much of the skin’s oily layer and cause it to lose moisture. 2 Only use lukewarm water on your skin and not hot, which can wash away natural oils. 3 Never scratch. Most of the time a moisturiser can control and help the itch. You can also use a cold compress to relieve itchy spots. 4 Use a thick moisturiser.…

1 All women aged 25 to 64 are invited to a screening. 2 A cervical screening is a test for cancer. 3 During the screening a small sample of cells is taken from your cervix. 4 Cervical screening is one of the best ways to protect yourself from cervical cancer. 5 The test should only take five minutes. 1 TRUE You’ll get a letter in the post inviting you to make an appointment. 2 FALSE It’s not a test for cancer but instead it’s a test to help prevent cancer. 3 TRUE The sample is then tested for changes to the cells of your cervix. 4 TRUE It’s one of the best ways to protect yourself so try not put off your appointment. 5 TRUE The whole appointment should take…

Deliciously creamy and malty, Horlicks is traditionally crafted using malted wheat and barley enriched with vitamins and minerals. Horlicks has a free recipe book that you can download from their website (horlicks.co.uk) and it’s full of ways to use their range of HorlicksOriginal, HorlicksChocolate and Horlicks Instant (£3.50 from supermarkets). Show-stopper banoffee pie Serves: 12 □ 50g Horlicks Chocolate □ 1/2 pack digestive biscuits □ 1 large pack chocolate malt balls □ 25g melted butter □ 400ml double cream □ 1 vanilla pod or 1 tsp vanilla essence □ 2 ripe bananas sliced □ 1 x 397g tin ready-made condensed caramel □ 20g chocolate shavings 1 Add the digestive biscuits to a food processor and blitz until crumbly. 2 Add the Horlicks Chocolate, malt balls, and butter and pulse again…

Award winning make up artist, Stacey Whittaker is here to answer your beauty questions: Q No matter what I do or try, my mascara always smudges on my under eye. How can I stop this? Lynne, Pembrokeshire A Mascara smudging can be very annoying. A top tip is to use a waterproof mascara on your bottom lashes. This will help retain transfer of product. You can also use a small makeup brush with some eyeshadow and buff underneath the eye area to create a soft smokey feel. This will help cover any later smudging and give you a glam look. QI have very oily skin, I can never find a foundation that works for me. Where do I even start? Jessica, Harrow A Using a primer will help keep the…

McGuigan Zero, £4.50 per bottle, Morrisons, Budgens and Londis. McGuigan Wines have just launched a brand-new range of alcohol-free wines, made up of a shiraz, sparking, rosé, chardonnay and sauvignon blanc. Hortus Violet & Blackberry Gin, £15.99, Lidl. Reminiscent of Parma Violets, this new Violet and Blackberry flavoured gin is the latest addition to Lidl’s award winning Hortus range. Crosse & Blackwell soups, £1, ASDA and Morrisons. Launching three brand new flavours, Crosse & Blackwell now have Butternut Squash & Sage, Cauliflower & Wensleydale and Spicy Carrot & Coriander to choose from. Halloumi Fries, £2.29 and Halloumi Burgers, £2.29, Aldi. Back by popular demand, halloumi fries are returning to Aldi, but this time with the addition of the halloumi burger. Choose from a pack of ten halloumi fries or a…

ARIES 21 March–20 April You start just as you mean to go on this week, by getting what you know needs to be done, sorted out. This may see close ones complaining and moaning more than usual, but keep your eye on the ball. You know you promised yourself you’d enter this year in control. Neptune helps you deal with a difficult family member and an important corner is turned. Call: 09058 170 710* TAURUS 21 April–21 May You seem to be worried about time this week, but there’s really no need to be. Not all of the signs are feeling as energetic as you are at this time of year. It may well be a case of you doing what you can as an individual, until others gather their…

Sitting on a picnic blanket in the park, I soaked up the sun. ‘What should we do for our anniversary?’ I asked my boyfriend Liam, 21. ‘We’ll think of something,’ he said, tucking into the food. It was August 2013, and the afternoon before our big five-year anniversary. We were on our favourite kind of date - a picnic and walk in our local country park. Just before I started to pack up, Liam asked me a very important question... ‘Imogen, will you marry me?’ he smiled, holding out a glistening ring. ‘Yes!’ I screamed, in complete shock. Over the moon, I couldn’t wait to tell my family when we got home. I wanted to wear it again But no-one was there. ‘Get changed, we’re going out!’ Liam said. Travelling…

City of London Police’s Assistant Commissioner, Alistair Sutherland, said: ‘The City of London Police is proud to launch this initiative, in partnership with the Daniel Baird Foundation, as part of Lynne’s campaign. These kits will help us achieve our aim of making the City as safe as possible for the people who live, work and visit the Square Mile.’ West Midlands Police will be rolling out 400 more Bleed Control Kits, including 100 in Birmingham West and 100 in Birmingham East.…

They have a favourite Q After meeting my new boyfriend’s parents, I’ve discovered there is an ex that they adored and I’m sure they don’t like me! She was mentioned so many times that I felt awkward. I want to say something but don’t want to sound petty. Maria, London A I’m sure this must’ve been upsetting for you, and I can see how awkward you must have felt. As your relationship is new, there will be a period of time for his parents to adjust to a new girlfriend. Give them a chance to get to know you and I’m sure they’ll adore you. All his parents want is to see their son happy. I would explain to your boyfriend how you felt, as it is important you feel…

Whole Foods has predicted popular health food trends for 2020, and some of them we really didn’t see coming... Alcohol-free drinks Not just for dry January - drinkers are seeking unique, tasty alternatives to alcohol. Alcohol-free beers, cocktails and cans are set to trend. Unique spreads We’ve seen almond butter and cacao butter, but now there’s watermelon seed butter and pumpkin seed butter on the market. More obscure, interesting flavours are predicted to appear. Meat-plant blends With the rise of flexitarians and plant-based diets, it’s no surprise that veg is trending. Meat brands are incorporating vegetables into their products to appeal to health-conscious consumers. Refrigerated snacking Another trend on the rise is getting snacks that need to be refrigerated, like bone broth and granola bars. Free from processed ingredients, these…

Take a night to yourself for the ultimate pamper Every woman likes and deserves to be pampered. But with rent to pay and a fridge to fill, a trip to the salon often falls to the bottom of our list of priorities. But that doesn’t mean you can’t glam yourself up at home! Take a Sunday afternoon to do the full works. From reviving your hair to giving yourself an at-home facial, a little ‘me’ time can do you the world of good. Of course, that doesn’t mean you can’t schedule in the odd visit to the salon for something you really want. A ‘do it yourself’ attitude works in most areas, but you don’t want to end up with a dodgy haircut or shaved eyebrow! 1. Sugar Coated hair…

True Crime Museum This museum is perfect for anyone fascinated by the dark world of crime. Set in 3,000 square feet of seafront caves in Hastings, it’s the largest collection of crime memorabilia in the UK. Suitable for all ages, it presents a chilling but fascinating insight into the world of serial killers, forensics, gangsters, prisoners, poisoners and more. • Tickets from £6.50 • www.truecrimemuseum.co.uk The Clink Prison Dating back to 1144, the Clink is one of England’s oldest and most notorious prisons. Situated on the prison’s original site in Southwark, London, you get a hands-on experience of torture devices and explore fate of a medieval prisoner. Displays of written and art history describe the prison and the incredible historical events that took place here, including plots against the crown…