Woman & Home

Sometimes it feels as if life keeps bashing us. I think midlife women understand this more than most because by our age, whoever we are and whatever our background, we’ve had our fair share of trials and tribulations. But because of this we know how

DAME STELLA RIMINGTON , the first female Director General of MI5, has written her autobiography and 10 Liz Carlyle novels, and her first Manon Tyler novel is out now. On p41, she reveals how she started out in the secret service. What’s your biggest

Editor Miranda McMinn Group creative director Phil Attaway Group chief sub editor Emma Badger Group fashion director Paula Moore Fashion editor Hannah Hughes Acting fashion editor Joely Chilcott Deputy fashion editor Eloisa Johnson Acting deputy fash

I wanted to thank you for such a lovely article about dogs, A Woman’s Best Friend [March]. I was diagnosed with terminal cancer three years ago and live in chronic pain. However, my miniature schnauzer, Piper, came to me when I needed her most. Piper

‘Good sleep hygiene is all about being relaxed at bedtime and having a good physical environment for sleep,’ says chartered psychologist Dr Lindsay Browning, author of Navigating Sleeplessness (£8.99, Welbeck). ✢ Have a regular sleep and wake time,

Their faces are as familiar as family, and even when the news is dreadful, we’d rather hear it from them. Back in 1975, Angela Rippon was the BBC’s first permanent female newscaster. When she danced on Morecambe and Wise’s Christmas show a year later

Sue Ashdown Day, 57, lives in Blythe Hill, London, with her husband Antony, 54, their sons Sylvan, 18, and Guy, 16, and the family dog, Skipper. Our Border collie Skipper soon taught me that when you have a dog, you meet people! We’d only had Skippe

When a friend recently gave me a book on the art of decluttering, I half-heartedly began the process by moving a stash of jam jars to the recycling and disposing of a cushion with a pug’s face on it that had gone musty-smelling after being left outsi

Journalist Michelle Hather, 58, lives in south-west London with her husband Simon. She is originally from Liverpool and has three sons, Oscar, 29, Rorie, 27, and Louis, 25. As mum to three young men, I look at the terrible suffering happening right

Please complete our questionnaire by 5 May 2022 and we’ll use your feedback to improve what we do. All completed surveys will be entered into a prize draw. The first survey drawn at random will win £250 and the next 10 pulled at random will each rece

If you haven’t checked your credit score lately, now is the time to help make sure you bag the best deals on everything from credit cards to your broadband. FREE TO CHECK Go to one of the main credit reference agencies – Experian, Equifax or TransU

Reviewing all my household bills. We’ve all felt the great financial squeeze of 2022, with high inflation and eye-watering energy price increases, so staying on top of outgoings is more important than ever. I’ve switched my broadband provider, saving

Mastering the art of the capsule holiday wardrobe has taken me years to perfect. On our Ibiza girls’ hols, I took everything and the kitchen sink, and only wore half of it. I packed items that never saw the light of day at home, and did I wear them o

Dr Gross advises, ‘When introducing new products, start one at a time. That way, if you experience breakouts or irritation, it will be easy to determine the culprit. If your skin is very sensitive, you can patch-test a product on a small area to see

Victoria Evans, education manager at Dermalogica, says, ‘Ingredients are listed in descending order, so highest concentration is first; look for key ingredients near the first half. Ingredients are, by law, listed with their INCI names [see right], w

INCI The International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients, the technical terms for the ingredients on products’ lists. AHA & BHA Alpha hydroxy acids and beta hydroxy acids. AHAs are water-soluble, making them suitable for dry skin, while BHAs are

All beauty products should contain a symbol to indicate their shelf life. Look for a picture of a jar with a number in it – 6M means it’s good for six months, and 24M means it’s OK for up to two years after opening. ■

There’s no set timeline for HRT. ‘But if you want long-term benefits, think about doing it for at least five years,’ says Dr Vohra. She also advises lowering the dose or trying different forms – swapping from tablet to skin applications may help prev

‘Menopause hit me at 50, just as I started a new job. I needed to function at my best, but I suffered brain fog, felt tearful and emotional, and was constantly waking up soaked through from night sweats. I was exhausted. ‘Luckily, my doctor took my

Many food additives are harmless, but for some people they can cause sensitivities, such as migraines, itchy skin or hives, says Nishtha. Research links other chemical additives to hyperactivity or an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes and can

If you’re concerned about your intake of additives, cook from scratch where possible, using fresh, unprocessed ingredients, or try making healthier switches in the supermarket: ✢ Use good-quality oils, such as avocado or coconut oil instead of veget

‘People-pleasers often want to be liked,’ says psychotherapist Juliet Grace. ‘These beliefs often stem from experiences of feeling insecure from an early age, or because of a desire to avoid conflict. But you end up feeling overcommitted and can beco

1 Which of these best describes how you feel when you say no to a request? A Guilty B Empowered C That you’ve made the right decision D You rarely say no 2 When someone asks you to do something, how do you usually respond? A Say you need to s

Add up your scores, then see the results. 1 A5, B15, C10, D1 2 A10, B1, C15, D5 3 A1, B15, C5, D10 4 A1, B15, C10, D5 5 A5, B15, C1, D10 ■

Saying no doesn’t have to be harsh. Tailor your response depending on who you’re talking to and the context, advises Abbie. ✢ GENTLE NO Reassure the other person they are important to you, empathise and suggest an alternative. Keep it positive. Say,

Fiction! Chronic back pain can be agonising, but bed rest is not the answer. Staying in bed for a prolonged period of time will simply increase your risk of having a blood clot in the leg, which can then travel to the lungs. Also, importantly, stayin

Tinnitus is a common condition where you can hear a noise or sound in your ear or head, but there’s no external source for the sound. It doesn’t mean that it isn’t real, but the noise is made within the auditory system itself. So even though no one e

✢ Trim all visible fat off meats and remove skin from poultry. ✢ If you feel hungry between meals, snack on Free Food and, for the very best weight loss, reach for fresh fruit or vegetables first. Fruit and veg that are lowest in energy density are c

Choose up to two a day. ✢ 25g bag lower-calorie potato crisps ✢ 2 x plain poppadoms ✢ 1 level tbsp peanut butter with apple slices ✢ 25g salted pretzels ✢ 2 x mini éclairs with cream and chocolate ✢ 30g slice plain/olive ciabatta ✢ 2 x large sweet ri

Saint excels with this tale of three women whose fates are intertwined: Agamemnon’s wife Clytemnestra, their daughter Elektra, and Cassandra, princess of Troy. The story opens with Clytemnestra’s sister Helen being taken to Troy. Her husband Menelaus

I’ve just finished Bella Mackie’s HOW TO KILL YOUR FAMILY . It’s a funny thriller that throws up many surprises along the way. Sarah Haddock, Ipswich I’m reading Edward Carey’s A YEAR IN PLAGUES & PENCILS – it’s an intimate look at one person’s p

We’d love to hear about the books you’re enjoying, so get in touch and let us know. You can email zoe.west@futurenet. com, drop her a tweet at @zoeannewest or message on our w&h Book Club Facebook page. ■

I only started reading du Maurier’s books a couple of years ago, and the minute I started reading Rebecca I was just there with the character. I felt safe. I just knew I’d be told a good story, and I was right. She is the most incredible storyteller.

Eddie Marsan plays former teacher John Darwin, the con man who faked his own death in 2002 for life insurance money. Monica Dolan plays his wife, Anne, who was in on the scam. ITV Suranne Jones is back as Anne Lister, alongside Anne’s now ‘wife’ Ann

Jane Seymour plays Harriet Wild, a retired professor with a knack for solving crimes. Harry takes on various mysteries while staying at the home of her police detective son Charlie (Kevin Ryan). Acorn TV Rupert Friend and Sienna Miller play a high-p

Author Marian Keyes and her good friend, actor Tara Flynn, radiate warmth and indignation as they help listeners with their problems. The Irish duo are a tonic as they discuss all manner of topics. Get behind the news headlines with Olly Mann and wri

On the upside, your ruler Mercury is onside, putting you on top form. However, his backflip on the 10th sends plans into chaos. Double-check everything. Call 0905 789 4152* and choose weekly, monthly and yearly updates What’s mine and what’s yours?

For many, especially birthdays mid-May to the 20th, there’s an end-of-an-era feel around the 16th. Watch out for mishaps with messages this month. Change is in the stars. Whatever is past its sell-by has to go. Exciting developments are likely. Jun