Table of contents for 01-Nov-2018 in Pick Me Up!

Hands shaking as she opened the scary looking brown envelope, I knew my daughter Lauren was nervous. ‘You’ll be fine, Loz,’ I said. I just want her to know how immensely proud I am of her The envelope contained her GSCE results, but if Lauren was worried, I felt confident. I’d seen how hard she’d worked these past few months. The stress had been huge. ‘There’s so much to remember,’ she’d panicked. Hugging her, I remembered how much I’d hated exams when I was her age. And she had 10 of them in the space of three weeks. Terrifying! But then Lauren’s always been a fighter. A premature baby, she had astounded me with her strength. So I knew, come her exams, she’d tackle them no worries. Still, we barely…

I took a deep breath as I tried to explain myself. It was summer 2016, and I was seeing the doctor about a back problem. But I was struggling to remember my symptoms. The more confused I got, the more frustrated I got. The doctor told me that my short-term memory seemed to be a problem. ‘I’m going to refer you for a CT and MRI scan,’ she said. It wasn’t just my memory I was having issues with. Since April, I’d developed severe anxiety, too. Whenever my husband Mike, 54, and I were invited out with our friends, I’d be filled with a crippling dread. The thought of mixing - even with people we’d known for years - would send my head into a frantic spiral. I’d also noticed…

If you’re one of the 190,000 people who experience a migraine each day in the UK* you’ll know just how unpleasant they can be. An intense, throbbing headache is only part of the picture. There may also be sensitivity to light and sound, nausea and disturbed vision. It’s a perfect storm of symptoms guaranteed to send you off to a darkened room. While there’s no cure for migraine, it’s worth looking out for factors that may bring one on or make them worse. Migraine & periods Many women find migraine attacks are worse, or more frequent, around their period. We can blame the hormones released during the monthly cycle for this unfair double whammy.** While there’s not much we can do, it’s good to be aware of the link and…

Sally Hansen Vitamin E Nail & Cuticle Oil, £6.95 Oil can make the biggest difference to weak, brittle nails. Brush on to the nail bed and cuticles every night and massage in. The extra nourishment will help to fortify nails so they grow longer and onger. Sanctuary Spa Hand & Cuticle Scrub, £6.50 When it comes to exfoliating, why should your face get all the fun? Massage a blob of this sugar polish over your hands then rinse to reveal softer skin. Seriously, you won’t be able to stop stroking them! Cien Antibacterial Hand Gel, 45p, Lidl No water? No problem! Clean hands on the go with this non-sticky gel. Aloe vera makes sure that hands stay soft, as the tough formula gets to work on bacteria. Keep one in…

Parsnip and cumin soup  Serves: 4 Prep: 10 min Cook: 25 min ◻ 2tbsp olive oil ◻ 1 onion, chopped ◻ 700g parsnips, chopped ◻ 300g potatoes, chopped ◻ 2 cloves of garlic, chopped ◻ 2tsp cumin seeds, lightly crushed ◻ 1tsp ground coriander ◻ 1.3ltr vegetable stock ◻ 150ml double cream ◻ 1tbsp chopped fresh coriander ◻ Vegetable crisps, to serve 1 Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and cook the onion gently for 5 min. Add the parsnips, potatoes, garlic, cumin and ground coriander and cook for a further 5 min. Add the vegetable stock, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for about 15 min until the vegetables are tender. 2 Blend the soup in a food processor or with a stick…

My daughter Emma-Louise and I were in Florida recently, and we just had to visit the Kennedy Space Center. It was out of this world! Karen Smith, St Helens Check out this stunning view from my recent holiday to New Zealand. I couldn’t help jumping for joy on that trip. Corrina Williams, Rhuthun On a trip out to the park the other day, my 3-year-old son Brody kept stopping to pick flowers. When I asked why, he said they were for his girlfriend! What a little gentleman. Hayleigh Kennedy, Tyne and Wear Look who my grandson Ethan met – none other than Ant-Man himself, Mr Paul Rudd. He was so excited. Vail Gibbs, Dronfield Woodhouse Here’s my husband Glyn and his twin sister celebrating their 80th birthdays. Vivienne Colwill, Caerphilly…

A great cuppa Carte Noire instant coffee is back due to public demand. You can pick up a jar of Classique or Décaféiné for just £2.50 (usually £3.99) at Tesco until 6 November. Fragrant trio Prism Parfums has created three new signature scents for jewellery brand Seksy – the sweet and fruity Entice, the dynamic Embrace and the oriental Elegance. Each bottle is embellished with a Swarovski crystal. Quote SEKSYPMU10 at the checkout to receive 10% off 100ml (RRP £45) at seksybeauty.com until 11 November. Take the cake Treat your taste buds to the new Gü-Zillionaires’ Cheesecakes – layers of chocolate ganache, treacle cheesecake and salted caramel on a chocolate biscuit base. They’re only £1.60 (usually £3.20) for a pack of two at Co-op until 6 November. Fully loaded Oozing…

Worried my nipper will nip! Q I’m breastfeeding my daughter and I’m keen to continue, but she’s starting to get teeth and I’m worried about her biting me. Sarah, Lincoln A It can happen early on, when babies first get their teeth, and it is uncomfortable. But they soon learn not to bite, so won’t cause you any pain. Will foreskin get stretched? Q My baby’s got a long foreskin and he keeps on tugging it. I’m concerned it’s going to stretch. How can I stop him pulling it? Judith, Shrewsbury A A baby’s foreskin is proportionately longer and narrower than an adult’s and the skin’s elastic, but it won’t stretch. Most boys will tug their privates and it doesn’t cause any damage. Why is she lonely? Q My elderly…

They say you never know what happens behind closed doors. Seemingly happy families find their bonds stretched at the seams, pulled apart by the stresses of life. For some, it’s crippling debt, for others it can be something much darker. Take the Green family of Raleigh, North Carolina... In the beginning, things were very much the norm. David Green Jr met his partner Wendy in the early 1990s and soon afterwards they welcomed their first child - a daughter, Alexis. The couple didn’t marry, but Wendy took the Green surname, and their trio became four when baby boy David III arrived. From the outside looking in, this foursome were like any normal family. But, unfortunately, the truth was far less happy. Court records documented the struggles, including David Green Jr’s…

Sitting on the sofa with my best friend Emma, 27, I was at rock bottom. ‘What am I going to do?’ I wept. Emma and I had been besties since we were 13. We shared all our secrets. She was the first person I’d told I was gay. And she was there, every step of the way, when I finally came out at 19. So she also knew what a slushbag I was about kids. But that was hardly a secret. ‘Look at those chubby cheeks,’ I’d coo like a broody old hen whenever I saw a baby. Even when I went on a date, I’d be honest. ‘I really want kids,’ I’d say. If they were scared off, at least I’d know they weren’t the right person for me.…

• Visit your local LloydsPharmacy for advice on managing both migraine and period pain. You may want to try combining pharmacy-strength pain relief, drug-free solutions and lifestyle changes. • Identify your triggers and symptoms by using a pain diary. Pick up your FREE pain diary at your local LloydsPharmacy. It’s full of advice and support. • If you regularly work late or bring work home, rethink these habits. Overloading yourself may make migraine attacks more frequent as stress can be a major factor. • Learn techniques such as mindfulness to help you cope with stress. • A lack of sleep is also thought to be a trigger and again mindful techniques can help you wind down before you go to sleep. • Remove laptops and mobiles from your bedroom as…

The Little Drummer Girl, BBC1 Based on the spy novel by John le Carré, this all-action series is set in the late 1970s. It follows eccentric actress Charlie, played by Florence Pugh (above), who’s recruited by the Israeli secret service to infiltrate the Palestinian terror network responsible for blowing up and killing an Israeli attaché in West Germany. Alexander Skarsgård (above with Florence) is Becker, Charlie’s handler and the relationship between the unlikely pair is explored. Max Irons and Charles Dance also star. Dark Heart, ITV DI Will Wagstaffe (Tom Riley) is still haunted by the deaths of his parents when he was a teenager. In this first, two-part story, Will struggles to hold his life together while solving horrific crimes. If he can’t escape his past, he’ll risk losing…

Don’t blink My granddaughter Lil has a really captivating stare. Just look at those big, baby blues! Jean Milne, Worthing Ray of sunshine I can’t help but smile, every time I see my little girl Evelyn, 3 months. She’s certainly the light of my life. Danielle Mansell, Bracknell Picture perfect Francesca-Rose, just 15 weeks, is already such a pretty lady. And she’s certainly got the hang of posing for the camera! Tammy Simpson, Dewsbury…

Walking through the park, I sucked in a breath of fresh, clean air, and felt all my worries draining away. Then a figure appeared beside me, tugging on my sleeve. My son Jake, 10, was hovering nervously. Diagnosed with autism at 8, Jake struggled in crowded or public places and suffered from anxiety. While his big brother Ben, 13, bounced around happily, Jake was scared. It broke my heart to see him on edge, unhappy. And he was getting worse. So in December 2015, my husband Simon, 49, and I began researching online, looking for solutions. ‘Look,’ I said, passing the laptop to Simon. ‘What a great idea,’ he replied. I’d stumbled on Autism Assistance Dogs, a charity that trains canines to provide safety and companionship for children with autism.…

ARIES 21 March–20 April There is the need in your chart for you to spring-clean and to work out a better path for your life to take. Now that you no longer have the negative influence so close to you, freedom is yours for the taking. So what are you waiting for, Aries? Call: 09058 170 710* TAURUS 21 April–21 May Can you feel the crowds swarming around you, Taurus? It may take you a moment to see, but you have earned the respect and attention of many new people, which should make your life a much more exciting place to be. Don’t be nervous, enjoy the ride! Call: 09058 170 711* GEMINI 22 May–21 June The moon brings out your confessional side this weekend and you could find yourself…

Scrolling through Instagram, I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. ‘Sooo many trout pouts and fake smiles,’ I sighed. It was September 2017 and, as Content Executive for a lifestyle brand, I followed all the reality stars, such as the Kardashians and TOWIEcrew, on social media. At first, I’d enjoyed seeing their photos and watching their make-up tutorials. But I’d soon realised they all posed identically. Cleavage out while pouting at the camera... Cringe! With 118 million Instagram followers, Kim Kardashian got plenty of likes just for modelling lipgloss. Celeb influencers were making big bucks! But were their lives really so perfect? I bet they take 50 selfies before getting the right one, I thought. They probably used digital wizardry to erase their wrinkles and love handles, too! ‘Hardly a…

1 Tonsillitis is a very common illness that only children suffer. ■ True ■ False 2 Symptoms include a sore throat, difficulty swallowing, loss of voice and a high temperature. ■ True ■ False 3 Severe tonsillitis often makes the glands swell and can be very painful. ■ True ■ False 4 You must visit your doctor as soon as you have any symptoms. ■ True ■ False 1 FALSE The condition can also occur in teenagers and adults. Although it isn’t contagious, the infections that cause it are. 2 TRUE Along with these symptoms, it can also cause coughing, headache, nausea, earache and fatigue. 3 TRUE There may also be white pus-filled spots visible on the tonsils. 4 FALSE Tonsillitis usually just has to run its course and clears…

Polaroid Mint 2-in-1 Instant Digital Camera and Printer, £109.99, polaroid.com This pocket-sized camera makes it so simple to capture and print photos in seconds. Choose from colour, black and white or sepia then press the shutter button for an instant keepsake. Verdict: GENIUS! We love this. Hidden Pearl Mermaid Candle, £19.99, firebox.com Fancy yourself as a real-life mermaid? Not only does this candle look great, but as it melts, it reveals a little ceramic pearl hidden inside with a motivational message – and there are five to collect. Verdict: BONKERS! Random – but we secretly want one. Slendertone Abs 8, £140, Argos The quest for a super-flat stomach just got a bit easier – this belt sits on your tummy to tone your muscles and strengthen…

Settling on the sofa, my partner Ian, 30, smiled. ‘Fancy playing bingo?’ he said. ‘Why not?’ I replied. I joined Pick Me Up! Bingo. And though I didn’t win first game, it was great fun. For my second game, I got 30 tickets at 10p each for Sapphire Bingo. A traditional bingo game. ‘Imagine, someone’s going to win that jackpot,’ I chuckled. Moments later, my screen flashed. I’d won the progressive jackpot of £3, 349! ‘No!’ I gasped. I’d only joined the site a few hours ago! With my winnings, we bought a sofa, and presents for our girl. Thanks, Pick Me Up! Bingo!…

‘The burglar is the criminal. If someone endangers you or your family, you should have the right to fight back – even if it accidentally ends fatally. I think the law needs to be clearer on this issue. Innocent victims sometimes just don’t have a choice.’ Manisa Kuinkel, Harrow ‘Two wrongs don’t make a right, but if you feel your life is in danger, you’re going to do something to protect yourself. It’s unfair if the victim is punished for harming the burglar, because if there was no burglary in the first place, the victim wouldn’t have harmed anybody.’ Michelle Slinn, Chesterfield ‘You should be able to respond with as much force as you think is needed to protect yourself and your family, while scared and with limited time to…

As one of just three girls among 100 lads, I got attention! Mum was clearly ‘ shocked and repeated what I’d just told her, ‘You’re going to be a soldier?!’ I nodded, smiling. No wonder my mum Tina, 47, was surprised. Just 16, I was a girly girl - never went out without my mascara on. Truth was, a comment from someone at school that I’d ‘never amount to anything’ had really stuck in my craw. I’ll show you, I’d thought. I’d always been sporty and loved a challenge. Once my family knew I was serious, I had their support. ‘You’ll be like Goldie Hawn in Private Benjamin,’ Mum teased. ‘Tottering around in heels and make-up.’ But it wasn’t quite like that... During training, make-up was banned, my blonde hair…