Table of contents for Bella 9 January 2024 in Bella

The past year has been a challenging time for Fiona Phillips. Since revealing that she had been diagnosed with earlyonset Alzheimer's last July, the TV presenter, 63, is taking part in a year-long “revolutionary drug trial” in the attempt to find a cure for the neurodegenerative disease. She's been having daily injections in her stomach since April, and she's certain it is having a positive impact on her health. While she doesn't know for definite if she's on the new drug called miridesap, which is hoped to slow down or reverse the illness, or the placebo, she's taking the fact things have not got worse as a positive sign that the medication is working and is filled with new hope. ‘I refused to see the signs’ “I'm on a clinical…

Princess Catherine Jayne predicts that Princess Kate and Prince William's marriage will be strengthened this year. “For 2024, her marriage will get stronger and stronger. Although she's been in that relationship for a long time, their love is rekindled every day,” she tells us. She reveals that the Princess of Wales, who turns 42 this week, will play a more important role within the royal family. “I do feel there's going to be a health issue with a close member of the family, but Kate will swoop in and help,” she says. Jayne says that Kate will focus more on her passion projects. “May will be Kate's strongest month for 2024 and that's to do with foundations and charities. I see an organisation where she's going to do a centre…

Slamming the car door shut, my stomach was in knots. But then, as I locked eyes with the handsome man I was waiting for, all my worries disappeared. His name was Cavell, and I'd had a crush on him for seven years. With a smile stretched across his face, Cavell dropped his bag to the floor and hugged me. It was the first time we were meeting in person – and it was for our very first date. Cavell and I first got chatting in a Facebook group for singles in 2015. I was drawn to his quick wit and sense of humour, and he'd always put a smile on my face. We had lots in common and would spend hours discussing our favourite books and films. However, Cavell travelled…

Foreo Peach 2 Device £369 Salon laser hair removal can be costly, but this at-home device generates 120 flashes per minute – as good as its beauty parlour counterparts. It has a 9cm2 treatment window allowing you to target larger areas of your body, cutting your treatment time to under 30 minutes. It also has five intensity levels and a built-in air cooler, meaning you can use it on facial hair too. Ghd Duet Hot Air Styler £379 Using Air-fusion™ technology, combined with four smart heated styling plates, this game changer efficiently drys and styles your hair all at once. Sensors can predict your hair's needs to maintain an optimal low temperature, leaving your locks sleek, shiny and dry in no time, without damaging your strands under intense heat. Mylee…

Chicken and ham hock pot pies Serves 4 Ready in 35 mins 2 large parsnips, peeled and diced 2 large potatoes, peeled and diced 1 large carrot, peeled and coarsely grated 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh tarragon 100g fat-free natural fromage frais 1 large leek, thinly sliced 300ml boiling chicken stock 4 cooked skinless and boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size chunks 180g shredded cooked lean ham hock (5% fat or less, available from the chiller cabinet in most supermarkets) 1 level tbsp wholegrain mustard 2 level tbsp freshly grated Parmesan Veggies, to serve 1 Cook the parsnips and potatoes in a saucepan of lightly salted boiling water over a high heat for 10 minutes or until tender. Drain well and mash until smooth. Stir in the carrot, tarragon and 2 tbsp fromage frais and season…

Craft yourself calm If your life feels increasingly hectic and you spend more and more time online, trying the latest incarnation of a digital detox could be just the tonic. According to Dr Zoe Williams, This Morning’s resident GP, painting by numbers boasts an array of benefits. “It provides a sanctuary of mindfulness and anchors our thoughts in the present moment,” she explains. “In our world of constant distractions, completing a painting by numbers picture gives our minds a wellearned break and teaches us patience and persistence. It helps to reduce feelings of anxiety and boosts mental wellbeing. “Short-term benefits include stress reduction, improved concentration, and enhanced problemsolving skills. In the long term, it can improve resilience, patience, and sharpen your mind. By painting, you're nurturing your creative side. This…

TV interview Amanda Holden and Alan Carr are back in their glamorous scrubs as they prepare to renovate another “One Euro” house – this time, in the idyllic region of northern Tuscany. Alan, 47, and Amanda, 52, fall in love with a dilapidated 17th-century house with a medieval watchtower in the rural hamlet of Fornovolasco, and spend their summer transforming it into another Italian dream home. What was it like going to Tuscany? Alan: We were like, “Do we wanna go to Italy again?” But Sicily is so different to Tuscany; it feels new. Amanda: Tuscany is completely different. The Sicilian location last year felt a lot more glamorous than this. This one was more tranquil and secluded, it was literally in the middle of nowhere in a sort of…

Fashion Get more cost-per-wear with a co-ordinating tracksuit Introduce dopamine dressing with bold shades Layer up your look with a thin thermal top to beat the chill Stick with warm tones to up the comfort scale…

If you're heading into this New Year feeling like your health has taken a back seat, we've teamed up with Slimming World to bring you this delicious eating plan packed with filling breakfasts, speedy lunches, and satisfying dinners to reset and refresh this January. What's more you could lose up to 7lbs in your first two weeks*. HOW IT WORKS: 1 Choose one breakfast, one lunch and one dinner every day. Feel free to repeat any meals you enjoy! 2 Slimming World's eating plan, Food Optimising, is based on the science of energy density (the calories per gram in food), of satiety (how filling a food is) and how easy a food is to overeat. It's a simple way to cut calories without counting them and lose weight without going…

I started gaining weight from the age of 18 from eating too much convenience food. But the pounds really piled on after I got pregnant with my first child, Tommy, in 2018. Telling myself that I was “eating for two” I gained 3st and developed gestational diabetes. By the time my husband Stefan, 34, and I had had our second son, Johnny in 2021, I'd put on a further 2st. Now, looking after the boys and working part-time as a beauty therapist, I told myself that I was too busy to cook from scratch and take care of my health. As a size 18, I lived in baggy jumpers and stretchy leggings and avoided full-length mirrors. Then, eight months after Johnny was born, I was a bridesmaid at my friend…

Why does his family judge me? Q I met my husband when we were in our fifties, and both had previous marriages. I have four sons and my husband had two daughters. They'd mostly left home by the time we met and only my youngest was still at home. Our children got on with one another and when we got married, everyone seemed happy about it. I was so pleased to be part of his big happy family. My own parents and sister lived many miles away, so it meant a lot to have my in-laws close by. But then, after about ten years, his youngest sister told me after a few drinks that she didn't feel welcome at my house. Sadly, my husband died nearly three years ago. I…

CELEB NEWS & GOSSIP After spending 23 days in the Australian jungle for I'm A Celebrity, Josie Gibson has been showing off her new slimline figure. The This Morning presenter, who turns 39 later this month, looked visibly trimmer in a black jumpsuit at the show's wrap party after nearly four weeks on the largely rice and beans diet. “She's looking slimmer after doing the jungle diet,” one viewer commented, with another remarking, “Josie has lost some weight in her face.” Josie – who finished in fourth place and took over from Fred Sirieix as the camp's head chef – revealed that she was looking forward to tucking into a burger once she left and was reunited with her five-year-old son Reggie. “I've not eaten a hamburger yet, but I've…

Step 1: Deep clean Medik 8 Clarifying Foam Refreshing AHA/ BHA Blemish Cleanser, £22, contains Niacinamide; highly effective at removing make-up and impurities as well as giving a mild exfoliation, keeping breakouts under control. Follow with a gel-based cleanser to leave skin feeling fresh. Simple Smoothing Gel Cleanser, £8, doesn't disrupt the skin's moisture levels while still leaving it feeling refreshed. To take your cleanse to the next level, massage the gel into your skin using Magnitone London Barefaced 3 Vibra-Sonic Cleanse + Massage Brush, £89, which will push product into the skin to stimulate blood circulation and leave your complexion soft, smooth and clean. Step 3: Repair Once clean, apply a serum to help draw out any further impurities which can lead to breakouts. In the morning, apply Avene…

AFTER 12s 11lbs Size 14 BEFORE 22st 10lbs Size 24 In my early 20s I moved in with my boyfriend, Jon, and his family. His parents owned a convenience store next door and, after dinner, I'd nip in for some chocolate and spend the evening snacking in front of the TV. It didn't matter whether I was hungry or not and it quickly became a habit that I struggled to break. Eventually, Jon and I moved into our own place and got married and, because I didn't understand how to cook healthy meals, my weight gradually ballooned until I reached 17st. After our daughter Meg was born in 1999, I managed to lose 4st with Slimming World, but I eventually quit and, by the time I had our son Josh…

cookery Veggie Lancashire hot pot Serves 4 Ready in 5-6 hrs on low 5-6 white potatoes, peeled 3 carrots, finely chopped 1 onion, finely chopped 500ml vegetable stock 3 cloves of garlic, crushed 150g chestnut mushrooms, sliced 60g tomato purée 2tbsp Worcestershire sauce (or Henderson's Relish for vegetarian or vegan) 1½ x 400g cans lentils, plus ½ a can of the liquid 1tsp onion granules 1tsp garlic granules 1tsp dried oregano A few sprigs of thyme, leaves picked Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper TO SERVE Steamed spring greens and crusty bread 1 Thinly slice potatoes (you could use a food processor or a mandoline) and leave to soak in a large bowl of water. 2 Put the carrot and onion into your slow cooker, then pour in the stock. Add the garlic, mushrooms, tomato purée, Worcestershire sauce, lentils and…

GET IN TOUCH Write: Have Your Say, Bella, The Lantern, 75 Hampstead Road, London, NW1 2PL. Email: bella.letters@ bauermedia.co.uk facebook.com/bellamagazineUK twitter.com/bellamagazineUK instagram.com/bellamagazineUK £50 Star letter Troubled families All families have difficulties and the royals are not exempt. I love reading about them, and really enjoyed your article about how Kate can never trust some of her family members again (issue 49). I can see that there is a lot of resentment, especially between Kate and Meghan. I hope this new year they can resolve their differences. Kym Yetton, Papworth Long live Angela I really enjoyed watching all of the contestants on Strictly last year, but in particular, Angela Rippon was my favourite. So I loved reading your interview (issue 45), and all of the other coverage you provided on the…

AQUARIUS 21 January – 19 February You treasure your privacy at the moment and are reluctant to let too many people see the inner you. This is the perfect chance to take a back seat from life every now and then. Even so, on the 5th you can't resist pushing yourself forward. Theme of the week: Solitude 0906 650 7240 PISCES 20 February –20 March How about investing in your long-term hopes and wishes? It will be fun to dream about them even if you can't yet see how they could ever become reality. Your mood is dampened on the 8th, when minor problems loom larger than they should. Theme of the week: Independence 0906 650 7241 ARIES 21 March – 20 April You're beginning 2024 with renewed drive and…

PRIZE crossword WIN £200 Solve the crossword to find, reading from top to bottom in the shaded squares, the name of a British comedy actor. This is your competition entry answer. See the ‘How to enter’ panel, below right. Across 1 Flower used to flavour tea, or princess in Disney's Aladdin (7) 4 Chemistry or physics, eg (7) 8 Director of The Godfather trilogy, Francis Ford - - - (7) 12 - - - Rhapsody, biopic starring Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury (8) 14 Early Rihanna hit featuring Jay-Z (8) 17 Sitcom that starred Adil Ray in the title role, Citizen - - - (4) 43 Across 18 Charlie Chaplin's iconic hobo character, the - - - (5) 19 Donkey-horse offspring (4) 20 - - - control, TV channelchanging gadget (6) 21 Loss (6) 23 Spanish friend? (5) 25 Opening music…