Table of contents for 2-Jun-2022 in Pick Me Up!

Ripping open the lid to the tub of fat balls, I placed them into the metal casing. It was lockdown number one, in March 2020, and my garden had quickly become a place of retreat. With my daughter Rebecca, 23, studying from home, the grass and wildlife would be a nice break from her screen, too. ‘Look at the squirrels, Dad,’ Rebeccas hushed, pointing to the fluffy grey family that had joined forces to steal bird seed. Grabbing a basic camcorder, I started to film the bunch, seeing what they would get up to day by day. In just a week, we had over three hours of footage! And with my job as an actor put on hold due to Covid, it was nice to be behind the camera. Waking…

INSTANT appointment With Professor Luciano Nardo – founder of now-fertility.com and board-certified in obstetrics, gynaecology and reproductive medicine and surgery. Still trying Q I fell pregnant with my first child very quickly and easily, but now I’ve been trying for a second for nearly two years and I’m really struggling. What’s wrong with me? Sarah, Nantwich A This is called ’secondary sub fertility’, and it should be investigated both from a female and male perspective as various causes in isolation or combined can exist. For instance, the following can be causes of the difficulty in achieving a second pregnancy: changes in ovarian reserve, onset of thyroid disease, presence of an endometrial polyp or fibroid inside the womb, a defect caused by a previous Caesarean section, as well as changes in…

DOGGY DIY Are you fed up of putting dog treats into the cupboard, with your furry friend’s nose waiting at the door? With this budget friendly crafting hack from @_grayson_maisie on Instagram, you can turn a single piece of wood into a stylish doggy bar – gone are the days of hiding the pet essentials away! Decorate with personalised items, treats and greenery for a perfect home addition… What you’ll need: ◻ Tape measure ◻ Pencil ◻ Drill ◻ Water ◻ Screws ◻ Sander/sandpaper ◻ Paint ◻ Two individual Rothley Hairpin Legs ◻ Paw print stickers ◻ Plank of wood Instructions: 1. Choose your hairpin legs. For this project, we used two Rothley Hairpin Legs in Matt Black. 2. Treat your chosen plank of wood ensuring the wood is completely dried out before…

Usually, rocks aren’t the first thing that springs to mind when thinking of aesthetically pleasing ways to decorate your home – until it comes to crystals. Typically made when magma cools, the sparkling stones are surprisingly beautiful, and all wonderfully different in their own way. With a bucket full of uses, from being crafted into tools and watches, what if crystals could be used to boost your mood, too? Every crystal gives off its own vibration and energetic frequency, that can connect with, and alter, yours. Crystals house their own unique benefits and characteristics, exactly like humans do. So, everybody naturally connects with different stones at different times in their lives. They can help to support our mental, physical, and spiritual health, and look beautiful whilst doing it. It’s all…

THE REAL ZING! Our favourite bodycare range is back with a zesty launch. The new Soap & Glory The Real Zing range is designed to invigorate the senses and leave you with a radiant glow. Available from Boots. MEET THE COLLECTION: 1. HAND SANITISING BALM, £6.95 Say goodbye to dry hands! A true miracle worker, simply use a pea-sized amount and rub in. 2. BODY WASH, £6.95 A luxuriously lathering body wash that will brighten the skin and energise your senses. 3. BODY SERUM, £9.95 Say hi to hydration and lock in moisture with this nourishing serum. 4. BODY SCRUB, £8.95 Remove dead skin cells with this super zingy exfoliator. With fruit complex, sea salt and smashed sugar, dry elbows don’t stand a chance. 5. BODY SORBET, £9.95 Soap &…

Cross it! Solve the puzzle to find a word. Fit the words back in the grid and the letters in the highlighted squares spell out the answer. We’ve put in one word to help. Answer on page 47. 3 letters Bee Bus Ebb Ego Oak 4 letters Carp Halo Harp Perm Pier 5 letters Abler Airer Edges Elegy 6 letters Lyrics Orange Reason Reread Uproar Uproot Willow 7 letters Caddies Cohabit Eyebrow 8 letters Scenario Sections Snowdrop Sombrero Sudoku! To solve the puzzle, each 3 x 3 box, each column and each row must contain the numbers 1 to 9. Solve the puzzle, then read down the numbers in the highlighted squares for the answer. Answer on page 47. Cross it! pg 45 Creator Sudoku pg 45 922…

Walking into the kitchen, I felt giddy at the glorious sight in front of me. A five pack of Morrisons custard doughnuts, waiting to be torn open. Following closely with a second and third pack–15 delicious treats had been secured in the food shop. Only, it wasn’t just a yummy treat. Licking my lips, I couldn’t wait to demolish them all. Sucking the sugar from my fingers, I put the brown packaging in the bin – joining the other empty wrappers from the day before and the day before that. I didn’t know what they were putting in their recipe, but to me, the doughnuts were irresistible. From a young age, I’d always taken a great interest in food. And at just 11, after seeing a documentary all about the…

Dr Ruth Miller-Anderson (theswandoctor.com) is a multi-award-winning success in life and business coach. After experiencing severe adversity in her own life, Ruth understands how to deal with life’s challenges head on. Doing it wrong? Q My husband and I sleep in separate bedrooms because he snores, and I have restless legs. I told my friends, and they think it’s really unhealthy and now I'm worried about our marriage. Jo, Bedfordshire A Prior to mentioning this to your friends did you have any concerns about your marriage? I suspect not. As a couple you have decided to sleep separately to ensure you both have a restful night. I’m assuming it was a loving decision made in the context of not adversely affecting your physical relationship. Both things you mention may benefit…

WHAT DOES YOUR POSTURE SAY ABOUT YOU? HSL’s independent occupational therapist, Julie Jennings, explains the utter importance of standing tall. POWER POSTURE Standing up straight is the healthiest of all possible posture positions. Your head should naturally sit above your shoulders, and make sure that your shoulders align with your hips. This will reduce aches, pain, and fatigue. HUNCHED POSTURE Rounding your shoulders and hunching forward puts a huge strain on your spine. This means back aches and chest pains. Everyday tasks will feel harder – the pressure on your lungs will make breathing difficult. STOOPING POSTURE If you look as if you’re leaning when standing, you probably experience frequent neck, back and shoulder pains. This will hurt your spine, which will lead to further health problems. DEFENSIVE POSTURE This…

There’s nothing like the simple pleasure of a colourful bunch of flowers to brighten your day. Whether you want to let someone know you’re thinking of them or give yourself a boost, flowers don’t just look good – they can do good, too. Dani Turner, customer experience director at family-run florist Bunches, shares her handy guide on the best blooms to deliver happiness and boost your mental health. Eucalyptus If you don’t have time for a spa day, create your own aromatherapy session – hang a bunch of eucalyptus in your shower, and the steam will release the dreamy essential oils, filling your bathroom with their beautiful scent. They can also be added to colourful bouquets, to help alleviate feelings of stress and anxiety. • Sweet Lemonade Bouquet, £39 Chrysanthemum These…

Social media influencer Christina Kynigos decided to change the game with her ‘healthy food porn’ by merging health and comfort in one must-have cookbook: Very Hungry Greek. It’s packed full of 100 recipes that are health conscious without skimping on flavour. Every dish clocks in at under 500 calories and almost everything in the book can be whipped up in 30 minutes at most. Very Hungry Greek is available now at Waterstones, Amazon and Mezepublishing.co.uk Sweet potato, chickpea & spinach curry  Serves: 2 A super creamy, meat-free coconut curry with an impressive six of your five a day! This recipe is full of delicious hearty veg and will keep you full for hours. ◻ Low-calorie cooking spray◻ ½ onion, finely diced◻ 2.5cm fresh ginger, minced◻ 2 tbsp curry powder◻ ½…

Moving into a new home is exciting, but it can also be stressful and expensive. TV property expert Phil Spencer has teamed up with Airtasker, to share his top tips to guarantee a smooth move! 1 Nail your checklist Write yourself a moving checklist and do it early, so you can map out your to-do list and timeline. I’d recommend writing your checklist as soon as you’ve decided you’d like to move, or three months before you move. Think methodically when you write your checklist and don’t forget to include any small tasks, as these often go a long way to help things run smoothly! Notifying your suppliers and redirecting mail is another one to add to the checklist to do a month before the move. Notify your bank, utility…

STAR LETTER If your letter makes Star Letter of the week, you will receive some beautiful blooms from Flying Flowers. With over 30 years’ experience of helping celebrate life’s special moments and FREE delivery by post, a gorgeous bouquet by Flying Flowers is a lovely way to celebrate sharing smiles and happiness. See flyingflowers.co.uk for more details.…

This week, our tip of the week will receive some great products from Addis! Anti-moth, antimould, antimoisture with a lifetime guarantee on the seal, this set of two Addis Seal & Store duvet vacuum bags feature a unique patented seal technology which is 100% airtight and compressed stored items by 80%. The bags are reusable and come with a lifetime guarantee. Be a winner! Beach brain Baby powder removes stubborn sand from between your toes. Get dry, then apply it where the sand is still sticking. Sian Salsbury, Cradley Heath Tip of the week Remember, these are YOUR tips – we haven’t tried them ourselves. Tea-lightful If you’re low on tealight holders, make use of the aluminum tins from apple pies! Sara Sweeney-Lewis, Nottingham A swimming idea I take a sock…

• If you’d like advice from our Pick Me Up! expert, email us at hello@pickmeupmag.co.uk or write to us at the address on our contacts page (pg4). • If your problem affects your mental wellbeing, you can call the helpline run by the charity Mind on 0300 123 3398, open 9am to 6pm weekdays. Make a ‘done’ list Instead of writing down a list of things you haven’t done yet – spend five minutes making a list of all the things you’ve achieved! A to-do list can be empowering, but it can make us feel bad when we haven’t ticked everything off. So, towards the end of the day, note down everything you’ve done and reflect on it. It could be as simple as making the bed or reading a…

Shoving my hands in my pockets, I put the pain to the back of my mind. In 2003, I was diagnosed with Raynaud’s, a circulation condition making my fingers change colour, but I knew the truth was something more sinister. I had terrible stomach cramps, and all my organs were aching. ‘You’re going through menopause,’ my GP told me. But I wasn’t convinced – I was 39 years old! After 18 months, enough was enough, and I went to a private specialist. With a few blood tests and scans, we finally got to the bottom of it. ‘Asal, you have systemic scleroderma,’ the rheumatologist explained. I have what? I thought, staring at him blankly. ‘It’s an autoimmune disease, your organs are shutting down,’ he said, gently. ‘You have five years…

WORTH £9.99! There’s something strangely fascinating about the world’s most shocking and sadistic crimes – from the monsters behind them and their twisted methods to the unfortunate victims and the often complex investigations. In Real Crime: Case Files you’ll explore some of the most horrifying crimes committed in recent times, giving you access to tons of expert analysis, crime scene photos, diagrams, maps and all the disturbing details. Uncover the truth behind high-profile cases such as Richard Speck’s crime of the century and the Amityville murders, and then explore Ariel Castro’s dark house of horrors. Take a deep breath and get into the minds of Anders Breivik, Dylann Roof, Josef Fritzl, and others, and discover what drove these monsters to commit some of history’s most sadistic crimes. To get your…

Using the Royal Family as inspiration, you too can achieve an impeccable outfit on a budget. From safari looks to event style, add these regal items to your wardrobe and dress like the queen you really are… Top tip Royals wear heavier materials to prevent any mishaps in the wind! BAGS OF STYLE It’s no secret that the Queen attends every single event in the most amazing outfits. However, the next time you see her, make sure to keep an eye on her handbag. For her bag hides a secret code for navigating official functions: • If the Queen shifts her bag from one hand to the next, she is ready for her current conversation to end. • If the Queen places her bag on the table, she will leave…

www.clairepetulengro.tv ARIES 21 March–20 April You don’t seem to know what you want from your career at the moment, as someone seems to keep changing what they’re promising you. Wait to see what this week will reveal in detail first, before making any decisions. There’s one person who is not going back on their word. It’s more important than ever to remember that patience is a virtue at this time, Aries. Call: 09058 170 710* LEO 24 July–23 Aug Friends and family want you to do the right thing for you, and yet you know that the right thing would be for you to gain more independence. It is time to stand up for what you want, even if it means offending a certain someone. Dig deep for confidence, Leo.…