Table of contents for 11-Jul-2019 in Pick Me Up!

A giant pint of pimms in the sun. It was bigger than my head! - Emma Cullen, Bournemouth I think it’s safe to say Freddie loved the beach! Alice Williams, Surrey My brother and his girlfriend dressed as Shaggy and Velma for our family dress-up party! Lauren Francis, Bristol I took my grandchildren to a climbing centre last week and they loved it - Sylvia Mahon, Bristol Me and my boyfriend Neil on holiday on Northumberland. I’m still getting used to the beard - Nicole Roper, London 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…

Gerard Lambe, spokesperson for the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons says: ‘Sheriah Harrison’s post-surgery wounds and scars are horrifying. They clearly show that she did not receive proper after-care and she was left open to wound infection. This is potentially fatal and she has been very lucky. These are the risks men and women take when they travel abroad for surgery. It is like playing Russian roulette with your life and health. Once an infection takes hold, you are at the mercy of getting emergency help immediately. That is not always possible at these clinics as many do not have resuscitation or intensive care facilities nearby. I urge any woman or man considering going to places like Turkey to think again. Is a discount really worth your life?’…

Slipping on an oversized vintage coat, I felt safe and protected. ‘You ready?’ my husband, Dale, 37, asked. ‘As ready as I’ll ever be,’ I smiled at him. It was my little sister’s wedding day and I couldn’t have been happier for her, but behind my smile, I was hiding a very dark secret - I had just been diagnosed with ovarian cancer. I was so numb. Dale was my childhood sweetheart and in June 2012, we tied the knot. It was the happiest day of my life and six months later, we decided that we would start trying for a baby. As I was busy at work as a fashion buyer and Dale as a cable engineer, we didn’t think too much of it when I failed to get…

Pottering around the house, I was killing time before heading over to Grinagog festival in Torquay, with my two children, Ché, 13, and India, 14. India had gone to the cinema with friends before, so it was just me and Ché. ‘I’m going to mow the lawn,’ I called over. I started up the engine, but the noise ran through my ears. I’d had a headache for the past week, but with two kids it wasn’t unusual. Then, as I pushed the mower, suddenly everything went black. When I opened my eyes, I was laying face down on the grass. I tried to call out for help, but I couldn’t speak. As I tried to regain control of my body, I finally managed. ‘Ché,’ I shouted, trying to get his…

Type 1 diabetes Consuming too much 1 sugar leads to type 1 diabetes. 2 Type 1 diabetes is caused by problems with insulin. 3 Only children can get type 1 diabetes. 4 Type 1 diabetes can affect your eyesight. 5 People with type 1 diabetes need daily insulin injections. 1 FALSE The condition has nothing to do with diet and exercise and is often confused with type 2 diabetes that is linked to being overweight. 2 TRUE Type 1 diabetes causes the level of glucose in your blood to become too high when your body can’t produce enough insulin. 3 FALSE Children are more likely to be diagnosed, but it can happen at any age. Once diagnosed, the symptoms will need to be managed for life. 4 TRUE Anyone with…

Tricky conversations come in all varieties – problems that need addressing at work, confrontations with friends, disagreements with family members you don’t want to hurt. Most of us will do anything to avoid these little talks, but sooner or later, you need to get it out. The first step would be to think about the outcome you want from the conversation, then stay focused so you don’t get distracted by emotions. Write down your key points and decide how want to them. How do want to end the conversation? Next, remember to speak with respect and kindness. Try to see it from their side. What is it they want? Difficult conversations don’t have to be ugly, and telling the truth can be done with compassion.…

The weather was cold, but watching my three kids tear round the amusement park back in January, I smiled. Because I realised, you don’t need sunshine, or tons of money to have fun. Just bundles of energy and your loved ones beside you. I could buy a car a little bit sooner than planned My partner and I grinned as our fun-loving brood ran riot, bombing down slides and climbing up metal frames. ‘That was a great day,’ my bloke smiled back home as we collapsed exhausted on the sofa, the kids in bed. I hoped we’d have more like it, particularly once I bought a car too. I’d passed my test in October 2018 and was busy saving for my first runaround. For now though, my fella was the…

Our value 90-ball rooms offer everything any bingo lover could ask for! You’ll still find huge jackpots, exciting linked games, mini-games and more. And not forgetting our lively chat in the chatrooms, say hi to a host who is always on hand to help out and entertain with quizzes and games to play where you could win cash prizes. You could be the next big winner like Kellyanne, so get ready to bring the Full House down in one of our buzzing bingo rooms from just 1p a ticket!…

You know that feeling when your favourite product breaks or runs? Here are some hacks to bring them back to life. • Burn the end of a broken lipstick and re-attach it to the stub by holding it in place until it’s firm. • Loosen dried up mascara by fastening the lid and placing into a bowl of hot water for two to three minutes. • Reshape shattered powders by mixing in three to four drops of rubbing alcohol and flattening it down into the pan. Let dry for 24 hours. • Make dried cream products dewy again by mixing them with a drop of baby oil on application. Or if you have a bit more time, grab a toothpick and stir dry cream products until they come back to…

Laughter Yoga facilitator Sam Rehan shows you how to have more giggles this week (facebook.com/wellbeingwithsam) 1 Understand the benefits Laughter is a universal social language. Hundreds of scientific studies show the wide-ranging health benefits of laughter. A chuckle relaxes the whole body and triggers the release of the stress releasing happy chemicals; endorphins. Laughter stops negative emotions as you can’t feel angry, or sad when you’re laughing. Bouts of belly laughter brings increased oxygen intake and lowers blood pressure. It also brings us closer to others which aids your mental health. So, you may as well join in! Think of your top 5 reasons to laugh for longer today. 2 Choose to laugh Moving forward to make a positive change and staying exactly as you are can be accomplished through…

ARIES 21 March–20 April This is the time you begin to find new solutions to old problems. You needed to turn your brain off to reboot it and that’s just what last week saw you do. With fresh eyes you see what and who is important and who you need to turn your back on. Good news in your career from Tuesday offers you hope and inspiration. Luckiest area for success this week: Romance. Call: 09058 170 710* TAURUS 21 April–21 May You realise you have gone off course with your dreams. This isn’t a bad thing though, for it allows you to explore options you hadn’t thought of before. Group projects in work promise success and results. This is the start of a really affirming time in your profession.…

INFLATABLES Summer is competitive. Not only are we competing for the most glamorous outfits and the most golden tan, but now there is also the battle of the inflatables! This year, inflatables have got cooler, crazier and even more extreme. Why limit yourself to a little doughnut rubber ring when you can have a giant peacock that seats your whole family? Sam’s Club has released these enormous Party Bird Islands in rainbow unicorn, pink flamingo and purple peacock. These giant inflatables hold up to six adults at a time and are 10 feet wide and 10 feet tall. There’s nothing bigger and better! At £118, this might take up your whole holiday budget. But, with cup holders and a cooler, this really is a party in the pool! Alternatively, if…

Stepping out of the shower, I stood in front of the mirror. ‘Look at the state of that,’ I frowned, holding up my wobbly belly. Pushing 40, I wasn’t exactly expecting to have a perfect body, but still, I wasn’t best pleased with my appearance. I’d always been pretty healthy, but when I had my sons Jay, now 22, and Brandon, 19, the skin around my belly had stretched, leaving behind loose skin and horrible stretch marks even all these years later. I loved taking my boys and my grandson Theo, now three, to the beach. But as I watched them splash around in the waves, I’d always been too self-conscious to reveal my mum-tum, hiding away under sarongs and baggy T-shirts. I’d had breast implants back in 2002 to…

As I began to dry my hair, I could hear laughter spilling into the house. My son Darion, then 5, was in the garden with his dad, play fighting. I smiled to myself as I listened to them having fun. Darion was always playing and running around the house, keeping everyone entertained. He was our miracle baby - we already had four grown up children, Symonne, 28, Trey, 25, Ebony, 24 and Angel, 22, and then Darion arrived a little while later. As I continued getting myself ready, I heard Darion let out an almighty scream. Heart thumping, I rushed down the stairs and into the living room to see Darion lying in a heap on the ground. ‘What’s happened?’ I shouted. ‘He fell down and landed on his neck,’…

Bleeding gums Q My gums keep bleeding when I brush my teeth. It’s been happening for the last 6 months. What can I do to stop this? Sophie, Leeds. A Bleeding is an alarm bell - it is a way of your body telling you that something isn’t quite right. Bleeding from the gums after brushing is usually the first sign of gum disease. I would recommend going to see a dental professional as soon as possible for a gum health screen. The good news is that gum disease is reversible in the early stages and largely involves a good home care regime. I’d highly recommend using an electric toothbrush, remembering to hold it along the gum-line when brushing, as well as daily use of interdental brushes or floss. Often…

A brain AVM is a tangle of abnormal and poorly developed blood vessels connecting arteries to veins. AVM’s are rare and occur in less than 1% of the population. The cause of AVM is not known. It is thought that in most cases they are formed during development before birth or shortly afterwards although it usually takes some time before they cause problems or symptoms. Most are discovered between the ages of 20-40. It can be detected by headaches and seizures.…

Responding to an SOS call, the U.S Coast Guard helicopter spotted a red and yellow lifeboat on the surface of the Bahama waters. Upon their rescue mission, they discovered a single male - later identified as Lewis Bennett - clutching onto Cuban trinkets, a tea set and a jar of peanut butter. Bennett had also managed to save two suitcases and a rucksack, stashed with £30,000 in rare gold coins. Although his belongings seemed strange, Bennett quickly made the coastguards aware that when his boat, Surf in Summer, started sinking, his wife was missing. Authorities immediately launched a search mission for Bennett’s wife, Isabella Hellmann, but after four days of no sightings, the search was called off and the young mother was assumed dead. Bennet was flown to a hospital…

Ashley Maddison Online hook-up site, designed for committing adultery, Ashley Maddison was set up in 2001. The site is ‘specifically for married men and women look to have extramarital affairs in the most discreet way possible.’ Despite a few hiccups along the way, the site reached a booming 60 million members in March this year. It is also estimated that it gained 20,000 new users daily. It’s slogan, ‘life is short, have an affair,’ seems to be reaching out to many people all over the world and encourages the scandalous and flirty behavior. Leave it to the pros When we suspect our partner is cheating, the temptation to go through their phone and track their every move is overwhelming. But realistically, if anything is going on, spying won’t help at…

At Pick Me Up! Bingo we want you to enjoy the experience without spending beyond your budget. We’ve got some handy tools, such as setting your deposit limit or adding a session reminder, which are all easily accessed from your account. We also have tips to help you get the most from your bingo fun! There are value bingo games, with tickets from 1p to 10p. Also, look out for promotional games with special offers, where you can buy two tickets and get one for free and check the site, as there are often free games on offer. Join in the fun by playing in the bingo rooms, where the Chat hosts regularly play games with members. Our customer support is always on hand to help you have fun, but…

Clambering into the car, my nine-year-old daughter Emma chattered away. ‘ We got to play in the pool all afternoon! ’ she gabbled happily. ‘That’s great, honey,’ I smiled, switching on the car. ‘And Nelly, how was your day today?’ Emma’ s older sister Nelly, 11, had climbed into the car without saying a word, and as her sister chatted on, I caught a glimpse of her face in the rear view mirror, staring down at her hands. It was June last year, and my girls were spending their summer holidays at a day camp, where they’ d swim, do crafts, play sports, and go on field trips. Usually when I picked them up each afternoon, they couldn’ t wait to tell me about their latest adventures. But on this…

Chicken, cheese & Marmite rolls Makes: 12 Prep time: 20 mins Cook time: 25 mins Calories: 103 per roll • 10 Heck Chicken Italia Chipolatas, skins removed • 2 tbsp Marmite • 100g reduced-fat Cheddar, grated • 3 sheets filo pastry • 2 tbsp low-fat spread, melted • 1 egg, lightly beaten • 1 tbsp lemon juice 1 Preheat the oven to 200°C, fan 180°C, gas mark 6, and line a large baking sheet with baking paper. 2 Place the sausage meat in a bowl with the Marmite, 75g of the cheese and a grinding of black pepper. Mix together with your hands, until well combined. 3 Lay 1 sheet of filo on a worktop and brush with the melted spread. Top with a second sheet, brush with more melted…

Mae’s Kitchen vegan burgers, £1.99, Aldi Keen to give vegan customers something new to try, these No Beef burgers and No Chicken burgers have all the texture and taste of real meat and will be sure to keep every guest happy at barbeques this summer. Celebration cakes, £9-£12, Morrisons Celebrate this summer with these brand new birthday cakes from Morrisons. Perfect for your little ones, the cakes include Larry the llama, Wally the narwhal, and Roary the lion. Whole fish range, £3.49, Aldi Taking all the work out of eating fish, Aldi are selling already prepared whole fish to make dinner time easier. Specially selected whole sea bream and whole sea bass are available in stores this summer. Funkin cocktails, £2.29, Sainsbury’s Shaking things up this summer, these cocktails are…

Send us your stories and photos, including all namesand ages, a daytime phone number and full address. E-mailhello @pickmeupmag.co.uk WRITE TO Pick Me Up! Media Centre, Emma-Chris Way, Abbey Wood Park, Filton, Bristol, BS34 7JU PHONE 01174400607 FACEBOOK facebook.com/pickmeupmag SEE OUR WEBSITE lifedeathprizes.com TI Media Limited reserves the right to reuse any submission sent to Pick Me Up! magazine, in any format or medium. Unfortunately, we can’t return photos without a stamped sae. Letters/photos must not be sent to any other publication.…

Eyes flickering open, I adjusted to the light as I heard a kind voice beside me. ‘Ms Harrison, do you feel alright?’ a nurse asked me. ‘Yes,’ I mumbled groggily. Getting my bearings, I realised I was lying in bed in a hospital ward. Then I suddenly remembered - my surgery! Looking down, I expected to see a flat tummy and perfectly shaped breasts. But instead I was greeted with a wad of bandages wrapped around my torso. ‘It will take a few days for the swelling to go down,’ the doctor told me. ‘But the surgery went well.’ Breathing a sigh of relief, I called the boys back home to tell them the good news. I couldn’t fly home right away, so the next day, released from hospital, I…

This week, our tip of the week receives some great products from Addis. The INVISIFIX caddy is ideal for fixing to any smooth surfaces (£10.99). Use it to store your non-scratch Supersponges! (99p) The 100% microfibre, colour-coded sponges are tough on stains yet gentle on dishes. For more life hacks, visit addis.co.uk Egg-cellent To tell if a hard-boiled egg is fully cooked you can spin it. If it’s cooked, it will spin easily and continue spinning. If it wobbles and stops after a few seconds, it is still raw. An egg-ceptional hack! Harriet Wood, Salisbury Minty fresh If you’ve got chewing gum stuck on your clothes, place the item in a plastic bag and leave in the freezer for a few hours until the gum is solid. Gently peel the…

Treat head lice 1 Check your child’s hair regularly. Spotting lice early will make them easier to treat. 2 Once you spot any live lice, begin treatment as soon as possible and make sure you check everyone else in the house. 3 Try the method of wet combing first. Buy a special fine-toothed comb and comb through the whole head of hair – ensuring you reach from the roots to the end. 4 Repeat the process on days 1, 5, 9 and 13 to catch any newly hatched lice. On day 17, check once more that everyone’s hair is lice free. 5 If that still hasn’t worked, ask you pharmacist for advice. They may recommend using medicated lotions and sprays. These should kill head lice within a day but may…

What’s normal, what’s not? Dental anxiety A ccording to the Oral Health Foundation, almost half of UK adults have a fear of going to the dentist and 12% of those are said to experience an extreme dental anxiety or phobia. Smilepod London have shared their top tips to conquer those fears. They advise just going for a routine check-up at first. That way you can find out what you need to have done and get into the habit of going. They recommend listening to music that relaxes you while you’re in the chair and ensuring you find the right dentist. Once you’ve found someone you trust the whole process will be much more pleasant. 16 million That’s the number of people in the UK who experience a mental illness, with…

Mean mate My friend constantly puts me down, criticises me and even tells me who I can hang out with. She brings up mistakes I made years ago, to guilt trip me into doing things for her. I’ve said I don’t like the way she treats me, but she says it’s better to have an honest friend. Kerry, London If someone makes you feel bad about yourself, guilt trips you and tells you what to do, then they are trying to control you rather than being your friend. You have already tried to speak to her, but she doesn’t listen. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter if the intention comes from a good place if it makes you feel negative then you need to consider whether you want her in your life.…

Laura Ashley Tea Room, The Cornwall Hotel Enjoy a charming afternoon tea with a backdrop of the Cornish Coastal setting at the brand-new Laura Ashley Tea Room. Indulge in an extensive range of mouthwatering sweet and savoury treats, accompanied by a variety of Tregothnan Teas and a selection of Frobisher’s Juices at The Cornwall Hotel. Prices from £15. www.thecornwall.com. B Bakery – Bath or Covent Garden Sit back and relax with a coffee and cupcake before hitting the shops in B Bakery’s Bath or Covent Garden restaurants. This elegant French patisserie has a wide range of freshly baked delicious treats for you to get your mouth on. Renowned for its delicious Afternoon Tea, this feminine stop also offers breakfast and a light lunch. Prices from £33. www.b-bakery.com Afternoon Tea at…

One evening in May 2013, my partner Steven, then 37, had gone to bed for an early night. But I couldn’t keep this to myself! I started shaking him, and stared down at him as he groggily opened his eyes. I was ready to burst! ‘You’ll never guess how much I’ve just won on Pick Me Up! Bingo,’ I blurted. ‘£100?’ joked Steven, pulling the duvet up around his ears. ‘Nope,’ I shot back, a huge grin spreading across my face. ‘A grand?’ he asked, looking more alert and sitting up in bed. ‘Nope,’ I giggled. ‘Blimey Kellyanne, don’t keep me in suspense, how much have you won?’ ‘Exactly £5,464!’ I screamed, jumping up and down on the bed and wrapping my arms around him. ‘Oh my gosh!’ Steven exclaimed,…

Summer hairstyles Summer is all about natural, effortless looks that are easy to achieve and ooze sophistication. Celebrity hair stylist, Phil Smith (www.philsmithhair. com) is here to help you make the most of summer 2019 trends. THE POLISHED PONY Glossy, expensive looking hair is easier to achieve than you would think. Pull hair back and secure at the top of the neck with a hair tie. Either keep smooth or leave loose around the front of the face to frame it. POOL SIDE SLICK A wearable wet look that takes inspiration from the runway, but translates into something you can style day to day. Leave hair down and roughly brush back from the forehead using a wide tooth comb. Don’t perfect this, you want it to look effortless and like…

If you’re planning a trip to London, then The Original Tour (theoriginaltour. com) has three fantastic 90-minute walking tours to help you explore. You can buy tickets separately for £10pp per walk, or buy The Original Tour Explore Walking pass for £20pp which includes all three walks. Step to it! Jack the Ripper tour Take a spine-tingling stroll as you follow the footsteps of the most infamous murderers of all time, Jack the Ripper. This tour will give you an insight into the man who terrorised Victorians as you visit the centre of his crimes, Whitechapel and Mitre Square, where one of his poor victims was found. A killer experience! Changing of the Guard tour Nothing feels more London than seeing the Changing of the Guard with the backdrop of…