Table of contents for 06-Feb-2020 in Pick Me Up!

This week, we’re recognising the amazing work of Abbie Coleman, 41 from Chesterfield. She wrote to say… Returning to work just six weeks after giving birth to my son Kimi, now six, I was doing what I felt was right. At the time, I was running my own recruitment company, so I knew I couldn’t take a long maternity. However, I soon realised that now I was a mum, everyone perceived me differently. ‘You’re going to be a part-timer now,’ clients would say, as if it was a disgrace I’d had a child. One day, when I was feeling particularly down about it all, a client gave me some wisdom. ‘Now you’re a mum, your world is going to change,’ she told me, bluntly. I soon realised she was right.…

My daughter Niomehy and our doggie Sasha are inseparable, even at bedtime! Kate Clayton, Kettering I went on a girl’s night out recently to a cute little cocktail bar. Check out these quirky drinks! Amanda Hadley, Cradley Heath My granddaughter Mia was in heaven meeting Rapunzel! Carol Adams, West Midlands I reckon my boy Amari, 4, has found his calling in life! He looks very at home. Sian Salsbury, Cradley Heath My daughter Kayla asked to be a unicorn at a party and this is the result of the face painter. She wasn’t impressed but I couldn’t stop laughing! Karen LTB 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…

Pain in the neck QI have a small lump in my neck. I’ve had it for a while, but it doesn’t hurt. Should I get it checked out? Jackie, Swindon. A It’s not unusual for lumps and bumps to appear from time to time. While many lumps are harmless, any new neck lumps should be examined by a doctor. There are a number of things to look out for if you note a new lump in your neck. Consider how long it’s been there and if it has changed size or colour. Does it move around or does it seems to be stuck down? Have you noticed a change in your voice where it has become more hoarse, or have you had difficulty swallowing? Have you noticed any breast lumps…

Pester power In a bid to tackle obesity, ASDA have decided to remove the cartoon characters from 12 of its own-brand cereal products. With many parents facing ‘pester power’ in the supermarket, the pull of the fun characters often means kids end up with sugar filled cereals. The retailer has been working hard to make their products healthier and has reduced the sugar content of its own brand cereals by 26%. The changes aim to inspire parents to make more informed choices when it comes to their children’s diets. 11 million … That’s the number of Brits who don’t take their medication correctly, with over half forgetting to take it altogether, according to new research by Pharmacy2U. HEALTH TIP Have you tried... PATCH plasters, £6.99, Superdrug, Planet Organic and Holland…

Pouring a drink and chatting away to my friends, I was feeling festive and jolly. It was Christmas Eve 2015, and my husband Jason, 31, and I were hosting a party at home. I was enjoying the evening until I lifted my right arm up and noticed a lump in my skin, the size of a Malteser. ‘What do you think this is?’ I asked my friends, pointing to the outskirts of my armpit. ‘Might be a cyst,’ they agreed. ‘It doesn’t hurt,’ I shrugged. I decided to book a doctor’s appointment to check it out, and two weeks later I was having a scan. ‘I’d like to take a biopsy to be sure,’ the doctor said. They wouldn’t do a biopsy for a cyst, I thought. My gut feeling…

Getyour hands on this Are your kids into wildlife? We’ve got the perfect gift for them. The Birds at the Bottom of the Garden, The Birds Down the Lane, What’s in the Wood Pile? and What’s that Coming Over the Hill? are the first four volumes in the British Wildlife Tales series – crafted by author Carl Mynott. Through a series of engrossing stories, wild adventures and dozens of playful characters, young readers can learn to identify over 40 species of birds, bugs, mammals and more. It’s part of a wider project to excite British children about the amazing wildlife that live in the outdoors, and empower them to embrace conservation of these wonderful creatures. • £5.99, britishwildlifetales.co.uk Have you heard of this? There’s nothing quite like the miracle of…

Kicking his legs in his highchair, my little boy was all smiles. As I tried to spoon food into his mouth, more of it was spilling onto his bib than anything else. ‘Mummy,’ he squealed, grinning proudly and reaching to me with his chubby arms. ‘Yes, that’s right!’ I smiled, kissing his head. ‘I’m your mummy!’ It was May 2014, and at 10 months old, Reece was just learning to speak, and it made me so proud to know that ‘Mummy’ was his first word. When Reece was born in July 2013 at Raigmore Hospital, weighing 6lb 3oz, he’d been perfectly healthy. Bringing him home, he was such a happy baby. I was a single mum, but my daughters Courtney, then 20 and Alexandra, 10, were on hand to help…

Why should I try? Q My husband is frustrated that I don’t like his sister. He wants us to be best friends, but we are just such opposites. I don’t see why I have to try and like her so much. Karen, London A I think many of us want this for our loved ones, but it doesn’t always work out this way. Maybe your husband sees something you don’t and feels that you would get on like a house on fire if you gave it more of a chance? Try having a conversation with him and ask him why it’s so important. At the end of the day, you don’t have to be close, but I think it will make life easier. Think of all the benefits; fun family…

1 Make sure you’re getting plenty of rest and take paracetamol or ibuprofen to help relieve pain. 2 Drink lots of fluids. Cool drinks should help soothe your throat. 3 Avoid irritants. Keep your home free from cigarette smoke and cleaning products that could irritate the throat. 4 Gargle with warm salty water. One teaspoon of salt to 8 ounces of warm water can help soothe a sore throat. (Don’t let children try this)…

Q Vertigo is making my life miserable at the moment. How can I get rid of it? Thomas, Newquay. A Try to work out whether you are experiencing vertigo or feeling unsteady, which may be caused by other medical conditions that will need to be reviewed by your doctor. Vertigo is where everything feels like it is spinning, and occurs for long enough to affect your balance. It can differ in severity and can last for seconds, hours, days or even months. If your symptoms continue for more than two weeks, visit your GP to see if there is an underlying issue. If you have noticed it occurs in certain positions, have also had hearing loss, pain in your ears or feel your ears are blocked, see your GP. If…

Q I’m really bad at applying my eyeshadow. How do I blend it out properly so it’s not patchy? Jennifer, Essex A Try to imagine painting on a canvas when you are applying your eyeshadow. Hold your brush really lightly and only pick up a small amount of product if you think your eyeshadow tends to go on patchy. Use a large fluffy brush and use ‘window wiper’ motions to sweep the product across your eyelid and into the crease of your eye. This will reduce any harsh lines. My golden rule – be patient. Start with a small amount of product and build up as this will make it easier to remove any imperfect patches. Q Do face primers actually work? I’ve spent money on them before, but I’ve…

It was the type of romance found in high schools throughout America. Aaron Trejo, 16, was a football player, and Breana Rouhselang, 17, was a keen cheerleader. They’d known each other since elementary school, and at Mishawaka High School in Indiana, attraction had blossomed during training and matches. One thing the young pair had in common was sport. Aaron was skilled on the pitch, and as well as being a cheerleader, Breana was in charge of the football team, and also excelled at softball and basketball. She had plans to study athletic training in college after graduation. Unlike typical teenagers, Aaron and Breana hadn’t gushed about each other on social media, and many friends and family didn’t even know they were having a relationship, despite the fact they were having…

itsu brilliant’broth, £2, M&S. Making home-cooking easier than ever, itsu have launched a brand-new range of broths to create delicious ramen in minutes. Tilda Tasty Wholegrains range, £1.59 (250g), major retailers nationwide. e. A great way to add some more fibre into your diet, Tilda have launched a range of microwaveable wholegrains to make getting your fibre fix easier than ever. Flahavan’s Oats, from £1.20 Waitrose. With no added nasties, Flahavan’s oats make for the perfect porridge. Low in salt and saturated fat, they’ll slowly release energy all day long. Plant Pioneers vegan range, from £1.20, Sainsbury’s. With Jackfruit said to be the next big thing in the food world this year, Sainsbury’s new vegan range includes plenty of the meat-free alternative. Aldi vegan range, from 99p. From vegan sausage…

ARIES 21 March–20 April You are worrying about things that haven’t even happened yet, and in the process, all you are doing is getting yourself worked up into quite a state. Try to think outside the box and make a plan that can suit you. The fact that you haven’t so far has proved that you’ve been on someone else’s path and not your own. It’s time for that to change, starting right now. Call: 09058 170 710* TAURUS 21 April–21 May You’ve come so far from where you started, and yet you still seem to be giving yourself a hard time. Changes you make in the home this week signify that you’re more than ready to move forward, and so you should. You may lose the support of a…

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.…

Flicking off the TV, I headed upstairs to bed and quietly climbed under the covers. ‘Night,’ I sighed, giving my partner Steven, 55, a kiss goodnight before drifting off to sleep. It was like any other evening in May 2019, when I was suddenly woken in the middle of the night by a sharp pain in my stomach. ‘Argh,’ I screeched, clutching my side. The sharp, stabbing sensation was like nothing I’d ever experienced - so much so, it woke me and my partner from a deep slumber. ‘Are you OK?’ Steven asked, still groggy. ‘I’m fine,’ I replied unconvincingly. I hoped the pain would go if I got up for some water, but it kept getting worse. It felt like a dagger to the gut. Steven grew concerned when…

You know you’re right (make sure you are before you start!) so how can you get your point across? The key is to be passionate without losing your cool and letting your emotions run away with you. If you let your temper take over, you’ve lost already! And never make it personal. Present the facts, as they really are hard to dispute, and when your opponent comes back with a counter argument, listen and ask questions. You need to see both sides of the point, and if you remain calm, you will be able to see any flaws in their evidence. Be prepared to concede if they bring up a good point and see if you can get them to agree you are partly right – because that’s just as…

High Cholesterol 1 High cholesterol can be causedbyeating fatty foods and not exercising enough. ☐ True ☐ False 2 You can’t lower high cholesterol. True ☐ False 3 High cholesterol has no symptoms. ☐ True ☐ False 4 High cholesterol can make you more likely to have heart problems or a stroke. ☐ True ☐ False 5 Statins are the most common medicine for high cholesterol. ☐ True ☐ False 1 TRUE Other causes include being overweight, smoking, drinking and it can sometimes run in families. 2 FALSE Cholesterol can be lowered and is done by eating healthily and getting more exercise. Some people may also need to take medicine. 3 TRUE You can only find out if you have it by taking a blood test. 4 TRUE Too much…

1 PERFECT THE BASICS Start with the basics and practice until you have perfected the foundation, then move on to different types of cakes. 2 LEARN BASIC ICING Try different materials to ice. I use a lot of modelling paste, and once I’d become advanced, I mixed modelling chocolate with icing. 3 TEACH YOURSELF Don’t be afraid to teach yourself the basics. You can learn a lot online and it’s all trial and error. You don’t need to go to professional classes. 4 WORK OUT WHAT’S BEST Experiment with different recipes and always keep a note of what works for you. 5 ENHANCE RECIPES Don’t be afraid to experiment and enhance recipes. I always use lemon zest and essence in lemon cakes instead of juice! 6 SECRET INGREDIENT I always…

Marzana Rahman, domestic violence survivor turned activist, is the face behind The Broken Bride campaign and shares her journey... It only took 24 hours of being married to him, for me to witness his violent streak and realise that my marriage was never just between me and my husband. I was in a marriage with his entire family. The first time he hit me, the force was hard enough for me to fall to the floor. I could feel a burning sensation on my cheek as he constantly apologised. But I had no words. He hit me. That night when we made love, he called it ‘making up’, but I felt sick inside because I forgave a man for something I frowned upon, in the name of ‘love’. However, this…

Base: 1. Ex1 Cosmetics Invisiwear Liquid Foundation, £12.50, Superdrug. Adored by Hollywood A-listers, this foundation will make you glow like a superstar. Using revolutionary pigments, this foundation will flawlessly blend into the skin, leaving you with a natural radiance. Nominated within the Vogue Beauty Awards 2018, this demi-matte foundation is clearly loved by everyone who uses it. So, for a natural finish that will leave you looking like a celeb, this is the foundation for you. 2. Hydrosil Dry Eye Concealer, £11.95, Skinshop. Conceal and brighten dull eyes with this illuminating concealer. Containing natural vine extract, this concealer will soothe dry and irritated skin, leaving a flawless natural finish. Delivering anti-inflammatory and anti-itching properties, this concealer is not only great for tired and dull eyes, but for eczema and dermatitis…

Fancy getting your hands on some free items? Experts at Lovemoney.com show us where to look… Freegle Freegle is a freebie site that allows you to join your local Freegle group and give away items you no longer need or find items you do need completely free of charge. This could be anything from a bicycle, a sofa, a washing machine or baby clothes. It’s really handy if you’re looking for a specific item, but you’re on a tight budget. You can either email your local list if you spot something on the site, or you can simply join the list and see what comes up. However, to keep the site running, if you do find some freebies, give something back when you can. www.ilovefreegle.org FreebieList If you sign up to…

Geocaching is an exciting outdoor adventure for the whole family and all you need is a handheld GPS and a sense of fun. Seek out hidden treasures using coordinates from the geocaching.com website, and share your own treasures for others to find, too! Sykescottages.co.uk share their top spots for geocaching this month… The Peak District, Derbyshire The Peak District has proved it’s the number one spot for a wealth of outdoor pursuits, and it seems the national park can add geocaching to that list, too. There are hundreds of caches here, and the rugged terrain poses a challenge for those trying to track them down. Whether atop lofty peaks or hidden in heathland, the cache quality here is excellent, with lots of genuine treasures to be found. Margam Country Park, South Wales…

Sitting on my break at work, I sighed. It was January 2018, and I’d had a long day working as a firefighter in Indiana. Scrolling through Instagram on my phone, I stopped at a photo of a black Labrador. Her brown eyes stared at me. I felt overcome with emotion seeing her burnt face poking out of a pet cone. I thought of my dog, Odie, sat at home. Hi! I’m Lexi, the caption read. I survived a house fire a few days ago, and was rescued by some really awesome people at Ruff Start Rescue. Her burns were so bad that her family wanted to put her down, but she’d been rescued by a vet. I’m working toward finding my furever family, it said. I’ve been a firefighter for…