Table of contents for 27-Jun-2019 in Pick Me Up!

Listening to Mum as she told me about her hectic week, I couldn’t help but smile. If she wasn’t offering support to her students, she was busy advising me. ‘Do you ever take a day off?’ I’d tease her. ‘That’ll be the day!’ she’d say. Such a superwoman. And without her I don’t think I’d be where I am today. See back in 2015 we suffered a series of stressful events that left me battling severe anxiety. There were whole days when I couldn’t drag myself out of bed. That was where my mum came in. She was there with me every step of the way. Ducking in after school to see how I was doing or encouraging me to keep seeing my clients as a nail technician. Day by…

What’s normal, what’s not? Heel pain This can be caused by various day-to-day factors, such as over-exercising or wearing uncomfortable, tight shoes – so there’s usually no need to worry. See your GP if the pain is severe, if it keeps getting worse or coming back, if you have any tingling or numbness, or you have diabetes, since foot problems can be more serious in this case. 50% …is the percentage by which your risk of serious illness and premature death increases if you’re obese in middle age, says research from the European Congress on Obesity. Have you tried... listening to Fearne Cotton’s Happy Place podcast? Perfect for accompanying your yoga or Pilates session, or just helping you wind down with a cuppa! Listen to Fearne and a whole range…

Hearing the popcorn crackling, I emptied the hot bags into bowls for the kids. In our house, Saturday nights were movie nights. Every weekend, my husband Jake, 39, and our kids - Ashlee, then 9, Reagan, 7, Nash, 2 - and I would all snuggle in front of the TV with popcorn. It was our little tradition. On 16 February, our film of choice was Mrs Doubtfire. A Robin Williams classic. Nash was sitting next to his dad on the sofa, while the girls sat laughing along with me. A third of the way through the film, Nash put a handful of popcorn in his mouth. But, as he chomped away, he suddenly started gagging. My boy was choking! Luckily, as Jake and I are flight attendants, we were both…

Slipping on my trainers, I zipped up my running jacket and grabbed two dog leads. ‘Come on, let’s go, boys!’ I called. Excited, my border collies Merlyn, 18 months, and Buddy, 10 months, bounded over to me. Running was my passion. I’d competed in 50-mile races! The dogs came out with me on training runs, play fighting and trotting along happily beside me. We went out most evenings before my husband Ray, 54, came home from his heating engineer job. It was 12 March this year, and tonight we were heading to Great Hill, Chorley. Over the years, I’d explored most of the countryside around here, but I particularly loved this three-mile route across remote moorland. Isolated and wild, it was a great place to clear my head - something…

Calypso Clear Protection Spray SPF30, £4, Wilko Great for using on the go, this clear lotion comes with a spray nozzle to help you get to even those hard-to-reach areas. Water-resistant and non-greasy, it dries quickly so you can get dressed straight after applying. Solait Bronzing Sun Lotion SPF50, £7.99, Superdrug Perfect for prepping pasty pins pre-holiday, this will give you a golden glow, plus the SPF50 will protect against UVA (which speeds up the ageing process) and UVB rays (which can cause you to burn). The instant bronze washes off in the shower, but it builds a gradual tan that’ll develop throughout the day too. Soltan Once Face Advanced 8hr Protect Suncare Cream SPF50+, £10, Boots Boasting the highest UVA rating, this is a must-try. Wear under make-up, or…

Going back to my friend’s house, I told her mum I’d missed a period and asked for help. ‘I’ll be back in a minute,’ she said, leaving the house. She returned with a bag from the pharmacy. ‘You need to take this,’ she said, handing me a pregnancy test. Locking the bathroom door behind me, I prayed the result would be negative. I could see now that Robert had exploited me But as the minutes passed, I looked down and saw a positive sign. That afternoon, I broke the news to my shocked foster parents. ‘Who’s the father?’ they asked. But I refused to say. Ringing Robert that evening, in secret, my voice shook. I waited for him to say that everything was going to be OK. Instead, he sounded…

1 Find calm Try to keep your stress levels low by finding moments to wind down. 2 Avoid coffee Caffeine is a migraine trigger, so switch to caffeine-free drinks. 3 Watch what you eat Keep blood-sugar levels steady with regular, healthy meals and snacks. 4 Exercise regularly Make sure you exercise consistently, but not too strenuously. 5 Journal it Create a migraine diary, including headaches, triggers and medications. • Ask your pharmacist about over-the-counter painkillers, and visit your GP if your migraines are severe – you may need stronger medicine that is only available on your doctor’s prescription.…

Q I have a colleague at work who has shingles. Is it contagious? Oscar, Birmingham A Although you can’t catch shingles directly, you could catch chickenpox, if you haven’t had this before. Shingles comes from the same virus, which stays in your system and can resurface decades later. It’s usually harmless, but young babies, pregnant women and those having treatment for a health issue should stay away, as their immune systems may be weaker. You can seek further advice from the NHS 111 service.…

Barretts Ridge Beer Bread, £4.99, Oxfam Yep, you read that right – bread, made out of beer! Containing everything you need to make a boozy loaf, you can even use the kit to batter fish, chicken or onion rings. Pick from Masala or Garlic & Herb flavours. Verdict: BONKERS! But a great gift for a good cause. Mini Plant Pot Gnomes, £12.99 set of four, firebox.com Live in a flat? These little figures mean you can still have a garden gnome, even if you don’t have a garden. Pop them into your plant pots to keep your flowers company. Verdict: BONKERS! Funny though. Rimmel Jelly Blush in Peach Punch, £7.99, Superdrug Blusher like you’ve never felt it before! Instead of a powder or cream formula, this…

Racing into the kitchen, I excitedly announced some good news to my partner Kristian, 29. ‘I’ve just won £75!’ I grinned. ‘What?’ he gasped. ‘I won it on the bingo,’ I said. ‘What about I buy us a couple of tins of paint to give this place a freshen up?’ ‘Good idea,’ he said. We’d not long moved in, and were still making our house feel like a home. Later that afternoon, Kristian and I had a couple of errands to run, but before we did, I decided to spend £2 of my winnings, and bought 20 tickets, at 10p each, for one of the 75-ball games in Bingo Lounge later that day. Popping my phone in my bag, we set off. I stopped in my tracks… I’ve just won…

‘To cause someone pain for hurting you and being angry about it is almost hypocritical. ‘Don’t stoop as low as them. Not reacting, holding your head high and moving on with your life is the best thing for you – and the worst thing for them.’ Hannah Bishop, Burntwood ‘Instinctively, revenge puts the power back into our own hands – or so we think. But it actually brings us  down to their level. ‘Once the initial reactive anger passes, sit back – they’ll get their comeuppance eventually. ‘If you’re able to hurry it along, without compromising your integrity, then all the better! When it happens, it’s quite satisfying.’ Gillian McKinnon, Warrington ‘I think it depends on what kind of revenge it is. A prank’s OK. It can be fun, as…

It started with a simple Facebook message. It was 2014, and as Judy Malinowski clicked it open, she was surprised to see it was from Michael Slager. She’d first met Slager in 2007. Back then, Judy had been married, and he’d been dating a friend of hers. As Judy’s marriage fell apart, Slager had confessed he was in love with her. Nothing came of it and the pair lost touch. Only, now he was reaching out on social media. Judy felt sorry for Slager, thought she could help him. You see, Judy had gone through hell the last few years. The former beauty queen, carrying the title of Miss New Albany, had become a single mum after splitting from her husband. Raising her two young daughters alone. In 2011, at…

BRISTOL Duong Quy Vu, 37 When officers searched two Bristol properties owned by Vu in March last year, 10 large canvas-type bags were found in a loft. Inside each were 35 individual vacuum bags containing cannabis. The wholesale value of the class B drugs was £119,000. Officers also seized three Rolex watches, together worth £20,000, plus £17,000 cash, on their search. Last September, Vu was convicted of possession with intent to supply cannabis and jailed for four years. And at a confiscation hearing, he was ordered to pay back the £219,668.87 he gained from his criminality. The order included the sale of the Rolex watches. Until the full amount is paid, Vu’s bank accounts and homes are to be held under restraint. STAFFORDSHIRE Peter, 52, and Simeon Gamage, 34 Following…

ARIES 21 March–20 April Work on giving a close one the space they are asking for, as many of the signs have been feeling more sensitive than usual. Showing respect and support will ensure you stay within their inner circle. Phone calls offer you financial opportunities now. Call: 09058 170 710* TAURUS 21 April–21 May You start to look at life from a fresh point of view, and you are no longer feeling held back by past issues. Try to be careful with your money this week, because aspects in your chart tell me you’ll be wanting and needing your funds for fun travel at a most unexpected time. Call: 09058 170 711* GEMINI 22 May–21 June You’ve changed lately, Gemini. No longer are you worried about how things might…

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Washing my hands in the bathroom, I yawned. It was 2 August 2018 and I’d had a lovely day, relaxing in the sunshine in our garden. But now it was getting late. Time for bed, I thought. As I turned to leave the bathroom, I heard a whooshing sound. The room filled with the fresh scent of lilies. I’d placed an automatic room freshener spray on the bathroom cabinet. Every few minutes, it dispensed fragrance. And now it’d just happened to spray all over my grey shirt! ‘Never mind,’ I sighed, using my hand to smooth it over the loose fabric. I’d be getting into my pyjamas soon anyway. Just time for one last cheeky ciggie before bed. I never smoked in the house - didn’t like the smell. So,…

My mouth fell open in shock as my boyfriend Wayne, 21, dropped down onto one knee. ‘What are you doing?’ I gasped. It was 10.30pm one night in April 2002, and Wayne had just got back from his job as a machine operative. I’d been nodding off on the sofa when he’d sneaked sheepishly through the door. ‘I’ve got something to ask you Lisa,’ he gulped, blushing. Hands shaking, he clicked open a little, red box. ‘Oh, Wayne!’ I gasped, looking down at a gold band with a dazzling purple amethyst in the middle. ‘Will you marry me?’ he whispered. ‘Yes!’ I cried, jumping up to wrap my arms around him. Over the next weeks, Wayne and I were in our own little bubble of joy. I’d flash my beautiful…

1 Trichotillomania (trich) is also known as hair-pulling disorder, where the sufferer can’t resist the urge to pull out their own hair. 2 The cause is not entirely clear, but it could due to a chemical imbalance in the brain, such as obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) or a way of dealing with stress and anxiety. 3 Trich is more common in males over the age of 40. 4 Trichotillomania is treated using steroids. 1 TRUE Sufferers may pull out the hair on their head, or in other places, such as eyebrows and eyelashes. 2 TRUE Trich could also be down to changes in hormone levels during puberty or a type of self-harm to reduce emotional distress. 3 FALSE It’s most common in young adults, and often affects girls more than…

Warm Greek salad with grilled halloumi Serves 2 Prep: 10 min Cook: 10 min For the marinade: ◻ 2tbsp olive oil ◻ Juice of ½ lemon ◻ 1tbsp dried oregano ◻ Salt & pepper to season ◻ 1 pack halloumi (about 250g), cut into slices For the salad: ◻ 1tbsp olive oil or flavoured oil such as basil ◻ 1 red onion, finely sliced ◻ 100g cherry tomatoes ◻ 50g mixed olives ◻ 1 x 220g pack Tilda microwavable super grains rice with garlic and ginger For the herby drizzle: ◻ Large handful of basil ◻ Large handful of mint ◻ Juice of ½ lemon ◻ 2tbsp olive oil ◻ 1tbsp white wine vinegar ◻ Salt & pepper to season 1 To make the marinade, mix the olive oil, lemon…

Sitting in front of my bedroom mirror, I carefully applied my lippy. It was February this year, and I was doing my make-up for a night out clubbing in London with my friend Rochelle, 20. Getting ready was always a lengthy affair. I’d put my face on, and Mum had straightened my hair for me. After two hours, I checked the mirror with satisfaction. My black satin top looked fab with my white skort. And last but not least, I put on my new black leather ankle boots. I’d got the gorgeous five-inch skinny heels for my birthday two months earlier, and this was only the second time that I’d worn them. Zipping them up at the back, I stood up and nodded to Rochelle. ‘Let’s go!’ I cheered. ‘Have…