Table of contents for 22-Mar-2018 in Pick Me Up!

My mum Ann is my rock. She’s there for me through thick and thin and she supports me no matter what. A bubbly, fun person, Mum always has a smile on her face and loves her family. I can talk to her about anything that is worrying me and she always knows how to make me feel better. She’s helped me though financial trouble and through my struggle with depression, too. As my dad John is disabled, Mum is also his full-time carer. She helps him with everything he needs and is always there to run him to and from the hospital. But Mum takes it all in her stride. The most important lesson I learnt from my wonderful mum is the meaning of family. Mum does everything she can…

Settling down on the sofa, I scratched my beloved pooch Kronos under the chin. ‘Who’s my gorgeous baby?’ I cooed. Me and my boyfriend Ashley Kitchen, 33, had three dogs - Oleg, an old Pomchi rescue dog, Zena, a Japanese akita, and Kronos. An American akita, I’d bought Kronos for Ashley’s 31st birthday. He was a strong, intelligent dog, but a total softy at heart. Me and Ashley adored our dogs. But I was desperate for a real baby, too... We started trying. The months passed, but nothing happened. I left my job as a police officer, thinking the stress of my job might be having an adverse effect on conception. But still my period came every month, and we began to worry. ‘What if I can’t have children?’ I…

I felt so weak, friends had to help me shower Giving the itchy bite on my leg a good scratch, I carried on walking. I was 15 and on holiday with my family in the heart of Italy. The hot, humid weather meant bug bites were common. I’d been bitten a few times all over my body but it was nothing some cream didn’t soothe. Then, a few days into the holiday, I suddenly started feeling unwell. I was exhausted, felt sick, had a fever... It got so bad, we had to come home early. Back in the UK, I made a recovery. But over the next few months, I developed awful night sweats. I’d wake up with my bed sheets drenched. Then came terrible headaches, blurry vision, joint pain...…

Katherine Masson, 49, Inverness I’d always loved bingo and used to go to bingo halls with friends. But life had got busy and we didn’t have time to go any more. That’s when I joined Pick Me Up! Bingo in 2013. I’d seen a story about someone who’d hit the jackpot. ‘If I can win, you could, too,’ she’d said. And she had a point. ‘I’ll give it a go,’ I decided, signing up. My husband Raymond, 66, enjoyed bingo, so he joined, too. We had such fun. I even made friends in the chatrooms. We both had a few small wins. Then, last August, Raymond won £1,000 playing Tiki Bingo. ‘Treat yourself!’ he said, handing me £500. Then, last September, after a bath, I got into my PJs and…

This perfectly describes what I used to do. I would buy a huge stash of food and plan a day that I had off work to gorge myself until I couldn’t eat any more. I never told anyone, and I’d put the wrappers in a street bin so my family wouldn’t see. Michelle Underwood, 41, from Woking I used to be anorexic, and then I had my children. Now I binge eat a lot. I’ll eat and eat loads of chocolate till it hurts. I feel so disgusted, and hate myself, and I’ll constantly complain how disgusting I am. I didn’t realise this was an actual thing. Shariah Mear, 23, from Stafford This is definitely me now, and I’m very ashamed of it. I tend to buy loads of junk…

FLAME-GRILLED While travelling in Bali, I just had to have a lesson in traditional Indonesian cooking! It was great fun but pretty hot! Josie Gallop, Salisbury FRUIT PRAM My friends made me this incredible pram out of fruit for my baby shower! Tessa Roberts, Llanferres LITTLE STAR Mummy’s messy princess Ava, 14 months, enjoyed finger painting! Oh well, it was fun while it lasted! Abbey Arnold, Bournemouth TWIN RAINBOW I was stunned when I walked outside to see a double rainbow in the sky! Stuart Jenkins, Llantrisant BFG BANTER I’m glad this fella turned out to be a friendly giant after I came across him while on holiday! Barbara Champion, Meadowfield TERRIFIC TRIO Putting up that unit behind us with…

Weight loss QI lost a lot of weight a few years ago, and I thought I’d 'solved’ my weight problem. But it’s creeping up again. How can I stop piling on the pounds? Lena, Belfast A Keeping weight off is hard. Those who manage it have a regular dietary and exercise routine, which they remain focused on, weigh themselves regularly and keep it a central part of their lives. Emotional changes Q My teenage son’s emotional changes are so hard to deal with. I never know what mood he’s going to be in. I spend my life on tenterhooks. He never used to be like this! Louise, Redcar A Huge brain changes occur in adolescence, allowing for critical creative learning, essential at this time of life. As a parent, focus…

All hell broke loose as they stormed the pizza restaurant, guns blazing When Jerad Miller, 28, met Amanda Woodruff, he’d already been in and out of jail for a string of offences, including criminal recklessness and battery. Hardly ideal boyfriend material. Especially for a sweet-natured girl like 19-year-old Amanda. A graduate of Jefferson High School in Lafayette, Indiana, Amanda loved playing the violin, and was known for her kind heart and love of animals. Once, she’d even made her dad Todd drive to a neighbouring town to get help for an injured bird. Is that what made her take Jerad under her wing? Did she see him as an injured bird she could help? Whatever the reason, she fell madly in love, and the pair got engaged in 2012. Todd…

We’ve all seen pictures of ourselves that we don’t like. For me, it was every photo. ‘I look awful!’ I wailed to my boyfriend Pete, 18, as I looked at a snap on Facebook. In the pic, I was grinning madly, arms wrapped around my mates on a boozy night out. But when I looked at the photo, I didn’t see ‘fun’. I saw my horrible jutting jaw. At the age of 9, I’d started to develop an underbite, where my bottom jaw jutted out further than my top jaw. By the time I was 13, my bottom jaw was protruding so much, I couldn’t eat properly - my teeth didn’t meet to chew. It even started affecting my speech, causing me to lisp. Fortunately, no-one was ever mean about…

Nivea MicellAIR Skin Breathe Micellar Water, £2, Sainsbury’s Everyone feels better with make-up on, but it can take its toll on your skin. Keep this travel-sized bottle in your bag to remove your foundation before your workout. Impulse Body Mist in White Lace + Muddy Grass, £6.99, Superdrug Don’t be put off by the name – we promise this won’t actually make you smell like muddy grass! A spritz is enough to leave you and your gym kit smelling sweet. Purple Tree Shea Butter Miracle Balm, £3.99, amazon.co.uk This ‘does-everything’ balm really earns its keep in your gym bag. Use to soothe chapped lips, stop chaffing during long-distance runs or even on your feet to stop your trainers from rubbing. It’s available in five different flavours, but sweet…

Spicy chicken and rice Serves: 6 Prep: 20 mins plus chilling Cook: 30 mins 1 Cut the chicken breasts in half and place in a shallow sealable container. Sprinkle on the chicken seasoning, coriander, cumin and paprika. Drizzle over the soy sauce and lemon juice. 2 Scatter over the garlic, thyme and onion and stir. Cover and chill for a few hours or overnight. 3 Heat a flameproof casserole with the oil and sugar. Once the sugar turns golden, add the contents of the chicken container. Cover and cook for 10 mins, turning the chicken once. 4 Add the pepper, squash, rice and stock. Cover, bring to the boil, then simmer gently for 20…

Compact and floriferous, Lavatera ‘Barnsley Baby’ is perfect for patio containers and small gardens. The well branched habit and racemes of saucer-shaped, soft pink blooms will certainly draw the attention of your neighbours, as well as the bees and butterflies in your garden! Once established this tough little mallow needs little maintenance and will even tolerate short periods of drought. Pot illustrated not supplied. Height: 75cm (30in). Spread: 60cm (24in). Supplied as a 7cm potted plant. Lavatera ‘Barnsley Baby’ Buy 1 for £11.99 Double up for 1p and buy 2 for £12 MAXICROP PLANT TREATMENT Give your plants the best possible start with this amazing offer! For ONLY £1.00 we will treat your whole order with maxicrop. • Reduces plant stress during transit • Helps to stimulate strong root development • Greater tolerance…

ARIES 21 March–20 April Don’t push away the support you are offered, but instead, just embrace it. This is a new you that is evolving, and I know (as you will soon, too) that you are better for the experiences you have recently had to go through. Call: 09058 170 710* TAURUS 21 April–21 May What you thought were solid promises from close ones might turn out to be just an idea as far as they were concerned. If you really want something to get done this week, there is only one option – do it yourself! Call: 09058 170 711* GEMINI 22 May–21 June The lies that those around you have told come back on them and you are left having to decide whether you help them pick up…

1 ME passes after a fewweeks.  It only affects women. 3 The main symptom is extreme tiredness. 4 Treatment aims to relieve symptoms. 1 FALSE ME is a long-term condition that can have a big impact on mental and emotional health. 2 FALSE While it’s more common in women, ME can affect anybody. The cause isunknown. 3 TRUE The main characteristic of ME is chronic fatigue. Other symptomsinclude sleep trouble, muscle pain and heartpalpitations. 4 TRUE Treatment depends on each case. It can include cognitive behaviouraltherapy and medication to ease pain and sleep problems.…

Spreadable Coffee, £9.99, firebox.com Running late? You can get your coffee fix and breakfast in one swoop with this spread. It’s not actually caffeinated, but the taste is more than enough to wake you up. Verdict: BONKERS! But great for coffee lovers. Crispy Critters Salt & Vinegar Crickets, £4.99, prezzybox.com Swap your mid-afternoon bag of crisps for something with a little more crunch by snacking on these flavoured crickets. They’re not for the fainthearted but are said to be surprisingly tasty. Verdict: BONKERS! Try if you’re feeling adventurous! Motorola Focus 88, £99.99, Maplin Keep an eye on your home and pets when you’re out and about thanks to this portable mini camera. As well as letting you see inside your house, you’ll also receive sound, motion…

My mum Isa was a really talented seamstress and I loved to see her work, creating beautiful dresses for me to wear. I wanted to be just like her. And one thing definitely rubbed off on me... Dead people! Mum was always open about her views on the after life. She believed in heaven. ‘Our souls live on after death,’ she’d tell me. I grew up sharing that belief. I was certain that death wasn’t the end. In my late 30s, Mum told me more. ‘I used to have a clairvoyant gift,’ she confessed, explaining she would see the dead walking around with the living. Mum always thought I could read her thoughts. While I liked the idea, I’d never had any proof that I had a gift too. Not…