Table of contents for 6-Jan-2022 in Pick Me Up!

In 2006 my mental health was at an all-time low and I was seriously unwell. For the next few years, I spent so much time focusing on my mental health that I forgot about being physically active. I bent over at work, splitting my 40 inch waist trousers. In 2012, I finally built up the courage to go to my local gym. Weighing in at 20st, something needed to change. As soon as I walked into the gym and saw everyone, I instantly turned back around. I didn’t want to be there. However, the birth of the 24 hour gym was perfect for me! It meant I could wake up super early at 4am, before anyone else had the chance to see me. I also began motivational blogging with Mind,…

Toddling around the house, my nan scooped me up into her arms ‘And where are you going?’ she smiled As a baby, I lived at Nan’s house with my mum Karly, now 37, and her younger brother Philip. To all the world, I had a happy childhood. With lots of toys, and a warm, loving home, my life seemed perfectly normal. My nan Wendy had been there for me since I was born, and we had such a close bond. However, behind closed doors, something very sinister was lurking behind every corner. My Uncle Philip had always been a bit of an outcast. At 19, he spent most of his time up in his room. To my mum and nan, he was harmless. But to me, things weren’t all that…

Nature’s aid Herbal remedies are easy to dismiss. But new research from clinical trials suggests that pharmaceutical quality lavender oil can significantly reduce physical and psychological symptoms of anxiety. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has discovered through results of PET scans, that regions of brain activity when experiencing anxiety were significantly reduced after taking lavender oil for just two weeks. Professor of psychiatry Dr Siegfried Kasper, who was involved in several clinical trials says; ‘The research demonstrates that lavender oil capsules not only reduce both physical and psychological symptoms of anxiety but also have a beneficial effect on health-related quality of life, without problems such as sedation, addiction or interaction with other medicines.’…

Hearing a knock on my bedroom door, I put my makeup brushes down. ‘I’ve got you a cuppa,’ my dad Carl, 52, shouted, coming into my room. As soon as he caught a look at me, he laughed. I had spent the last couple of hours contouring my features to look like Angelina Jolie. ‘I love it Nicky, but I think you just need to contour here a little more,’ Dad said whilst pointing to my jaw. Both my mum Rita, 52 and Dad are very creative. So, I have always been surrounded by artistry and gravitated towards it. In my teens, my friends soon caught wind of my skills. ‘Nicky, can you blend my eyeshadow for me?’ ‘Oh and if you have time can you apply my foundation please?’…

Remembering a time when I used to go out, I recalled the potentially dangerous situations I had been in. Just like so many others my age. Owning a bar had always been something I wanted to do. My husband, Daniel, 41, had been working in the hospitality industry for nearly 20 years. So I needed his help. I wanted an inclusive place where people felt safe, no matter what. But, I didn’t want to cut on the luxury. Sitting down with Daniel, I told him the ‘Instagrammable’ look I wanted to achieve. ‘An open layout is essential,’ he confirmed. With a scribble of a floorplan on the piece of paper in front of us, we had designed a bar that had no black spots. CCTV would cover the bar at all…

Having just welcomed a new baby into the family, it should have been a happy time for parents Christina Ann-Thompson and her husband Jason Harris. It was September 2014, and Christina had given birth to her second child with Jason, four months earlier. But while new mum Christina, 36, adored her children, she’d confided in a friend that her marriage of 11 years was in trouble. Jason worked in a plastics factory – and he spent as much time away from his family as he could. Christina loved family life and she was creative. She enjoyed scrapbooking, crafting and family game nights, too. But behind closed doors at the couple’s home in Davison, Michigan, tensions between them were rising. On 29 September, Jason called a neighbour at around 10am and…

London’s calling! Looking to explore the city this winter? For the ultimate staycation, why not visit Hyatt Place London City East with their Kids Glamping Package? Little treasures will love their in-room tepee tent retreat, decorated with sweet fairy lights and a surprise gift. Plus, with a simple flash of a wristband, kids can enjoy lashings of daily, complimentary, indulgent Hackney Gelato ice cream from the hotel’s on-site deli! After opening in June 2021, this brand new hotel provides the perfect family-friendly break. Located just steps from Aldgate East Station, this winter-glamping experience has lots to offer. From views of The Gherkin and the wonders of the city on your doorstep, you’re sure to have a fantastic time! A Kids Glamping Package at Hyatt Place London City East starts at…

Have you heard? Wands at the ready – this is your chance to become an honorary witch or wizard! Grab some pumpkin pasties and Chocolate Frogs, and get ready to curl up on the sofa for a Harry Potter film marathon. Magical Matalan is on the hunt for a superfan to watch all eight films in the franchise – and work out how many spells have been cast throughout. Do you know ‘sectumsempra’ from ‘stupefy’? Do you know the difference between horcruxes and hallows? Well, now’s the time to find out. Discover which spells have been cast the most, and by which famous witch or wizard. You’ll also win Harry Potter Experience gift tickets for up to four people, official Harry Potter merchandise, a one-night stay at Mercure London North Watford…

Solve the puzzle to spell out a term related to the picture. The arrows show you where to put your answers. The answer is spelled in the yellow squares. Follow it! pg 8 Fermented Hot trend! The Pantone Colour of the Year 2022 is… VERY PERI! Not only has it been heralded as the ‘It’ colour for 2022, but Very Peri is in fact a brand-new colour created by Pantone for the first time since 1999! Pantone describe Very Peri as a ‘dynamic periwinkle blue hue with a vivifying violet red undertone’. Basically, it’s a happy, positive colour that will add inject some playfulness into your home. Are you a fan?…

Complete the grid then read down the shaded squares to reveal the hidden answer. Clue: South American capital. ACROSS 1 Injures (6) 4 Milk-producing mammal (5,3) 10 Freed (9) 11 Middle Eastern republic (5) 12 Takes notice of (5) 13 Ghostbusters: _, 2021 comedy film starring 19 Across, 25 Across, 1 Down, 7 Down, 8 Down & 22 Down (9) 14 Tells or narrates (7) 16 Tumult (4) 19 Paul _, actor whose film credits include Clueless and Romeo + Juliet (4) 21 Indian rice dish (7) 24 Disliked by many (9) 25 _ Hudson, played prison warden Leo Glynn in the TV series Oz (5) 26 Spanish wine (5) 27 Holiday for newlyweds (9) 28 Submissive (8) 29 Artist’s workroom (6) DOWN 1 Finn _, star of TV’s Stranger…

Q I get terrible heartburn every day. What can I do to stop it? Tim, Chester A Heartburn or acid reflux presents with pain or burning in your upper stomach or chest after eating and can be extremely distressing. Many medical practitioners believe that heartburn is, in many cases, caused by low stomach acid and this is more common as you get older. Stomach acid is extremely important for digesting your food, activating enzymes and helping the balance of bacteria in your gut. The underlying cause of heartburn in many of us is our diet. By removing aggravating foods like sugar, white flour and processed food, eating more vegetables, making food from scratch and reducing alcohol intake I usually see a dramatic improvement in most of my patient’s symptoms. 33.5%…

How to register It’s FREE to enter and it’s so easy to do, just visit, comps.lifedeathprizes.com and register by hitting the join button and then you can enter as many competitions as you like. Go on, have fun! Look what you could have won! REGISTER NOW AND NEVER MISS THE OPPORTUNITY OF A WIN! For website rules of play, visit comps.lifedeathprizes.com/rules. T’s&C’s apply, UK only. * These have now closed.…

Doctor Who, BBC One It’s New Year’s Eve. Sarah (Aisling Bea) is working – again. Nick (Adjani Salmon) is her only customer – again. Same old, same old. Except this year, their countdown to midnight will be the strangest and deadliest they’ve ever known… Why is an Executioner Dalek targeting these two people, in this place, on this night? Why are they having to live through the same moments again? And can the Doctor, Yaz and Dan save them – and survive into the New Year? George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces, Channel 4 The show that celebrates and showcases some of the most imaginative small-space pioneers returns, as George Clarke explores inspirational and ingenious amazing spaces. In this first episode, George travels to Devon to meet former events manager Val, who…

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.…

Tucking into my homemade chilli con carne, the rich flavours of spice filled my mouth. ‘Like it?’ I asked my husband, John, 46. Nodding his head with his mouth full, he flashed a smile. Like every night, I’d spent hours cooking a hearty dinner for the pair of us. I love doing it so much. Food is my biggest pleasure in life. Mexican, chili con carne and curry are my favourites. It was March 2019, and I was working as a HR director at the time. I’d had a career as a head chef in the past, but now food was just a passion I enjoyed at home – and eating out. Spooning in my second mouthful, I winced. ‘My ulcer is worse than I realised,’ I confessed to John.…

Taking over Q My mother-in-law is paying for our wedding, now she’s acting like every decision is hers. I’m grateful, but she’s taking over everything and it’s nothing like I want. Louisa, Cardiff A You haven’t mentioned your fiancé’s view on this. Having them on board to support you in sorting this out is key and they should want to do that if they love you and want you to be happy. It’s possible that your mother-in-law is completely unaware of how her behaviour is impacting you. Her intention may simply be to help you, so telling her directly how you are feeling and why might change everything. You can move forward together to create the wedding day of your dreams. Your fiancé should be involved in that discussion too,…

Sitting in the doctor’s office, I could tell from his face how serious it was. ‘Mike, we need to try you on insulin,’ he said. I sighed. I’d been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 2007, and it had been getting worse. I had always taken it seriously. My younger sister Angie had passed away a couple of years before my diagnosis – she’d had gestational diabetes when she was pregnant with her first child, and after he was born, it cleared up. But she got it again with her second child, and this time it didn’t go away. She became insulin-dependent. Angie got a cut on her foot while she was out walking in the Lake District, and she developed an infection which turned septic I needed to take…

1 It is a rare condition. ◻ True ◻ False 2 The cause is unknown. ◻ True ◻ False 3 There is no cure. ◻ True ◻ False 4 There are no symptoms. ◻ True ◻ False 5 It can lead to pneumonia. ◻ True ◻ False 1 TRUE Around five per 100,000 people in the UK have the condition. It causes problems with speech, movement, memory and swallowing which worsen over time. It’s most common in those aged 50 to 70. 2 FALSE Corticobasal degeneration occurs when brain cells are damaged due to a build-up of a particular protein in the brain. It can sometimes be caused by genetics. 3 TRUE There’s no cure, but there are lots of treatment options to reduce many symptoms. These include medication, physiotherapy,…

Grab the pup-corn! A TV channel has been created just for dogs. Dr Rory Cowlam, best known as Rory the Vet, has specially designed DogTV to prevent canines from feeling lonely, stressed and experiencing separation anxiety. Extensive scientific research carried out discovered specific audio frequencies, camera alignments and colours to cater for a dog’s senses, for the channel. Shows available on DogTV will include The Dog Chef, Paws For Love, Things We Woof About and more! It’s a great way to keep dogs entertained and calm. • Sign up for a free seven-day trial or subscribe for £59.99 a year at land.dogtv.com/uk/ @izzythe.frenchie Izzy is a real lady. She loves to dress up in glitz and glam. Sometimes you’ll even catch her styling out the latest celeb looks. There’s no wonder…

Sitting on the sofa, I babbled to my son, rattling a teddy in front of his face. Giggling away, Tobias sat up before crashing down on his back. He might have been 13-months-old, but a smile spread across my face. ‘Tobias!’ I squealed. Most mums would have expected this moment a long time ago. But for me, I never thought it would come. After routine testing, when Tobias was just a few days old, I had the most shattering news. ‘I’m afraid the brain scan shows that your son is going to be physically disabled,’ the doctor confirmed to me. They were unable to tell us what the future would hold I had just given birth to my beautiful baby. But, knowing his diagnosis, I just felt so overwhelmed. Thoughts…

Looking at my normally active, bubbly daughter Esme slumped on the sofa, I was concerned. Back in March we’d just gone into lockdown, and I thought she missed her friends. But Esme, nine, had been pale and lethargic for days. My wife Alice and I put it down to a bug, but it seemed to be getting worse, not better. I felt Esme’s forehead, and she was burning up. Calling 111, we were advised to take her to A&E. I strapped Esme into the car while Alice, 35, stayed at home with our other kids – Abi, six, and Ben, two. We never expected it to be anything serious ‘I expect we’ll be home soon,’ I said, kissing Alice goodbye. At East Surrey Hospital, doctors took Esme for tests. ‘Esme…