At the age of 16 I was given a shock diagnosis that changed my life irreversibly.
I had lupus, an autoimmune disease that was triggered by heat and sunlight and lowered my immune system to almost nothing.
This was terrible but looking back at my childhood it made complete sense.
I was a sickly child; I had stomach problems and would get ill at the drop of a hat.
From the age of seven my… Read the full story
People who sext apparently experience more body shame, a new study claims.
Despite that, however, they are also more comfortable with being naked (as you might expect if people are sharing nude pics, for example).
Researchers surveyed 361 college students in Hong Kong regarding their sexual behaviours, body surveillance, body shame and control and their comfort with nudity.
Those who sexted more often were found to be more comfortable with being naked in various situations, but were also more likely to agree with statements such as: ‘During the day, I think about how I look many times’ and ‘I feel ashamed of myself when I haven’t made the effort… Read the full story
A 100-year-old woman has credited her long life to drinking a daily glass of Guinness.
Doris Olive Netting, known to everyone as Olive, has made it a ritual to drink a whole glass of the dry Irish stout every day since the Second World War ended.
And to mark her 100th birthday on Friday she enjoyed her usual tipple during a Guinness-themed party at her care home in Plymouth, Devon.
Olive has been drinking Guinness every day since her early 30s, after a campaign stating that the drink contained high levels of iron was launched.
‘In just a generation, diabetes has gone from rarity to epidemic’.
That’s what Dr Jason Fung says in his book The Diabetes Code: Prevent and Reverse Type 2 Diabetes Naturally.
He goes on to say that health authorities around the world have found themselves defeated by the overwhelming mass diagnosis of countless people.
By this it means they have resolved to… Read the full story
In these kinds of balmy weather conditions, iced coffee is a must.
But if you think that your deliciously cold beverage is as low in calories as your regular cup of the black stuff, think again.
Lots of iced coffees are basically coffee-flavoured ice creams – high in sugar and low in actual coffee.
Health blogger Amanda Meixner has been explaining to her followers just how many hidden sugars is in some of our favourite cold drinks.
In a series of Instagram stories, Amanda says that a grand Mocha Frappuccino from Starbucks contains 400 calories and 61g of sugar – and very, very little coffee.
She shared a screenshot of a conversation with a former… Read the full story
Barbara Windsor has just been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.
But what’s actually is Alzheimer’s and what’s the difference between that condition and dementia? Are the two interchangeable?
It’s the most common type of dementia, affecting about 850,000 people in the UK.
Dementia is a group of symptoms that affect mental cognitive tasks – it’s a syndrome and not a disease. It’s the umbrella term which diseases like Alzheimer’s fall under.
People can have more than one type of dementia; it’s becoming increasingly common to have both Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia. That’s called ‘mixed dementia’.
That essentially means that abnormal protein deposits (Alzheimer’s) coexist with blood vessel problems (vascular dementia).
While Alzheimer’s… Read the full story
Men should work less in order to help close the gender pay gap, a think tank is suggesting.
A report from the IPPR has found that there’s a pay gap in 80% of clearly defined occupations, with seniority being the critical driver of wage disparity.
‘For most occupations, men are in more senior, high-pay versions of the role of women,’ says Catherine Colebrook, IPPR’s chief economist and co-author of the report, The State of Pay.
The report goes on to say that companies tend to report a gap… Read the full story
A group of chefs are planning a pop-up restaurant on Mount Everest in a bid to break a world record.
Before you start gasping for breath at the thought of it, the dining experience won’t be at Everest’s peak – it’ll be at base camp. Which makes a lot more sense. Although at 17,600ft that’s still a lot of altitude to deal with.
Indian chef Sanjay Thakur and his team will be leading a small trek of 10 diners who will trek over eight days from Lukla in Nepal to Everest Base Camp, where they’ll set up shop in a tent to keep you safe from… Read the full story
The humble pedestrian has to put up with a lot.
While they’re trying to get in their steps and avoid contributing to the ozone issue, they’ve got to watch out for cars speeding around corners and ignoring zebra crossings. Cyclists cycling on pavements and canal walkways. Dogs.
And as if that wasn’t enough, they now have to watch out for the wheelie army of adult scooter riders.
These pavement bandits emerge victorious from tube stations, before unfolding their weapon and proceeding to peddle their way down high streets – leaving nothing but dust in their wake.
Or at least…that’s what they must think because anyone who’s ever seen someone ride a scooter knows that they… Read the full story
Francesca Lockwood is not your average three-year-old.
That’s because the charming youngster, who has Down’s Syndrome, is now set to become a model after a video of her singing in the car went viral.
The modelling world lacks diversity generally but in kids’ clothing, representation is even more dire – so Francesca’s new career is welcome news to all.
Proud mum Melissa, from Wath-upon-Dearne in South Yorkshire, is now celebrating her daughter being signed by a top modelling agency, intent on promoting diversity.
Weddings are expensive as hell.
With the weather getting warmer and the royal wedding coming up, wedding season has officially kicked off.
But not all of us can afford to tie the knot like Meghan and Harry in a lavish castle. So, good news for those looking to do nuptials on a budget as Aldi has just launched its range of wedding essentials.
And they’re all pretty decent.
The supermarket’s new romantic accessories include a range of products for brides, grooms and guests.
Have you ever woken up to find yourself feeling not fully awake, as if you’re still trapped inside a dream? Have you looked down at your body and felt like it wasn’t yours, or saw the world as unreal, cartoon-like or 2D?
These are just a few of the debilitating symptoms of depersonalisation and derealisation – dissociative symptoms that can occur as part of several mental illnesses or on its own as Depersonalisation/Derealisation Disorder (or DPD).
It’s one of the lesser-known mental health conditions, which means that there are fewer resources dedicated to its diagnosis and treatment.
For example, currently… Read the full story
Like many professional models, Mia Kang has suffered from anorexia and bulimia.
But she’s managed to turn things around – learning to love her body after going from a size 6 to a 12, and becoming a professional Muay Thai fighter.
Mia uploaded a picture of her back in 2015, right before she was due to have her first photo shoot with Sports Illustrated Swimwear.
Her goal, back then, was to look like a Victoria’s Secret Angel.
‘I hadn’t eaten solid food in 10 days and smoke a pack of Marlboro Lights a day,’ she writes.
‘I was obsessed with my collarbones, ribs and hip bones showing. I was obsessed with having… Read the full story
Art can be anywhere. It can even spill into your living room floor if you have the right ingredients.
Carpet stain removing company Dr Beckmann has gotten artsy and done the opposite of what their brand is all about – by messing up a carpet.
They’ve commissioned artist Nathan Wyburn to literally throw coffee, wine, and mud on a carpet and ‘clean out’ a portrait of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
Don’t worry, they haven’t just gone and grabbed any… Read the full story
Experts from the University of Miami have discovered that depression may be linked to dementia in later life,
The study – published in the American Academy of Neurology journal – looked at 1,111 people with an average age of 71.
All were stroke-free and the majority were Caribbean Hispanic, a group of people who are historically underrepresented in medical trials for this topic, despite having a greater chance of getting dementia in later life.
All participants had their brains scanned at the start of the study, as well as a psychological exam and assessments for memory and thinking skills.
These tests… Read the full story
Non-alcoholic beer usually tries to mimic the look and taste of beer as much as possible, just without the giddiness and hangover.
Thanks to non-alcoholic beer companies selling their product in packaging that replicates normal beer i.e. cans and long neck glass bottles, people usually don’t realise you’re drinking a non-alcoholic product.
Which is great if you’re trying to cut down on drinking without people bothering you about it, but not so great if you want to crack open a cold one at work, purely because you like the taste?
Japanese drinks company Suntory has developed a colourless non-alcoholic beer… Read the full story
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