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Fitness model known as Miss Iron Bum is so sculpted she gets called a ‘demon’

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Fitness model Bakhar Nabieva is extremely toned, to put it lightly.

The model’s intensely muscled thighs have earned her the nickname Miss Iron Bum, a title she seems to be a fan of considering she uploads every workout video from behind.

Her physique has attracted accusations of cosmetic surgery, as well as comments calling her an ‘alien’ and ‘demon’ – a look giant black contacts definitely add to.

The 24-year-old, from Ukraine, says that she started working out after being made fun of for her naturally slim frame.

‘I decided to change the situation,’ says Bakhar. ‘I was tired of people looking at me.

Pics from Jam Press (Alien with iron bum) Thighs the limit - Meet ?Miss Iron Bum??a fitness model whose unique look has fans speculating she is an alien. A gym bunny is taking the world by storm with her eye-popping workouts which are filmed from the back and her otherworldly eyes which are big and black. Fitness model Bakhar Nabieva is instantly recognisable thanks to her killer thighs and her buns of steel and dark black pupils. This combination of extreme physique combined with dark black contact lenses has led fans to believe she is from another planet! ?Are you from this universe?? questions one fan, while others comment on the attractiveness of the Bakhar saying ?Certainly the most gorgeous alien I've ever seen? Some seem more shocked by the fitness models appearance with one posing the question, ?are you a demon??. Others even claim she may be from the underworld ?I?m sorry but you?re the f**kin devil? Most however are just blow away by her generally ?You are hands down the baddest woman on Instagram? Dedicated to her workout regime, the 22-year-old doesn?t get caught up in the hype saying, 'My goals don?t stop for anyone. Either you support me or I make it happen alone, either way it?s going to happen.' But as admirable as this sentiment may be, it's Bakhar's alternative take on fitness photos and workout videos that have brought her the most attention and an army of fans. The fitness fanatic, who is originally from Azerbaijan, has chosen to post pictures and films all shot from behind. While most Instagram gym workout pictures and videos show somebody training from the front, fans of Bakhar's posts see the rear view. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this new angle has won her a whole host of admirers - she currently has more than 2million followers on her Instagram account,?@bakharnabieva. She has been labelled 'Miss Iron Bum' by some, while others have labelled her a 'goddess' for her rock solid physique and strong thighs. Her latest video workout has clocked up a massive 662,000 views and hundreds of comments, such as 'gosh you're so hot,' 'so beautiful,' 'pretty legs on a perfect 10' and 'you can kill someone with those legs, girl'. COPY ON NEWS WIRE // WITH VIDEO - https://drive.google.com/open?id=1WP-Obk9RMpUVH8oIYISUcu26N-P34I66
She credits her physique to daily workouts (Picture: @bakharnabieva/Jam Press)

‘I started going to the gym, and had no idea how to build an exercise routine correctly so I just started working on the physical part, and one day I woke up and looked in the mirror and I saw some muscles.

‘Once I saw the result of developing muscles nothing could stop me.’

Bakhar now has more than two million followers on Instagram who are obsessed with her posts of workouts and her body, flooding each picture or video she posts with praise.

Pics from Jam Press (Alien with iron bum) Thighs the limit - Meet ?Miss Iron Bum??a fitness model whose unique look has fans speculating she is an alien. A gym bunny is taking the world by storm with her eye-popping workouts which are filmed from the back and her otherworldly eyes which are big and black. Fitness model Bakhar Nabieva is instantly recognisable thanks to her killer thighs and her buns of steel and dark black pupils. This combination of extreme physique combined with dark black contact lenses has led fans to believe she is from another planet! ?Are you from this universe?? questions one fan, while others comment on the attractiveness of the Bakhar saying ?Certainly the most gorgeous alien I've ever seen? Some seem more shocked by the fitness models appearance with one posing the question, ?are you a demon??. Others even claim she may be from the underworld ?I?m sorry but you?re the f**kin devil? Most however are just blow away by her generally ?You are hands down the baddest woman on Instagram? Dedicated to her workout regime, the 22-year-old doesn?t get caught up in the hype saying, 'My goals don?t stop for anyone. Either you support me or I make it happen alone, either way it?s going to happen.' But as admirable as this sentiment may be, it's Bakhar's alternative take on fitness photos and workout videos that have brought her the most attention and an army of fans. The fitness fanatic, who is originally from Azerbaijan, has chosen to post pictures and films all shot from behind. While most Instagram gym workout pictures and videos show somebody training from the front, fans of Bakhar's posts see the rear view. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this new angle has won her a whole host of admirers - she currently has more than 2million followers on her Instagram account,?@bakharnabieva. She has been labelled 'Miss Iron Bum' by some, while others have labelled her a 'goddess' for her rock solid physique and strong thighs. Her latest video workout has clocked up a massive 662,000 views and hundreds of comments, such as 'gosh you're so hot,' 'so beautiful,' 'pretty legs on a perfect 10' and 'you can kill someone with those legs, girl'. COPY ON NEWS WIRE // WITH VIDEO - https://drive.google.com/open?id=1WP-Obk9RMpUVH8oIYISUcu26N-P34I66
She says she doesn’t diet (Picture: @bakharnabieva/Jam Press)

‘Are you from this universe?’ wrote one fan. ‘Certainly the most gorgeous alien I’ve ever seen.’

There are some negative comments, of course.

‘Are you a demon?’ reads one comment. ‘I’m sorry but you’re the devil.’

Pics from Jam Press (Alien with iron bum) Thighs the limit - Meet ?Miss Iron Bum??a fitness model whose unique look has fans speculating she is an alien. A gym bunny is taking the world by storm with her eye-popping workouts which are filmed from the back and her otherworldly eyes which are big and black. Fitness model Bakhar Nabieva is instantly recognisable thanks to her killer thighs and her buns of steel and dark black pupils. This combination of extreme physique combined with dark black contact lenses has led fans to believe she is from another planet! ?Are you from this universe?? questions one fan, while others comment on the attractiveness of the Bakhar saying ?Certainly the most gorgeous alien I've ever seen? Some seem more shocked by the fitness models appearance with one posing the question, ?are you a demon??. Others even claim she may be from the underworld ?I?m sorry but you?re the f**kin devil? Most however are just blow away by her generally ?You are hands down the baddest woman on Instagram? Dedicated to her workout regime, the 22-year-old doesn?t get caught up in the hype saying, 'My goals don?t stop for anyone. Either you support me or I make it happen alone, either way it?s going to happen.' But as admirable as this sentiment may be, it's Bakhar's alternative take on fitness photos and workout videos that have brought her the most attention and an army of fans. The fitness fanatic, who is originally from Azerbaijan, has chosen to post pictures and films all shot from behind. While most Instagram gym workout pictures and videos show somebody training from the front, fans of Bakhar's posts see the rear view. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this new angle has won her a whole host of admirers - she currently has more than 2million followers on her Instagram account,?@bakharnabieva. She has been labelled 'Miss Iron Bum' by some, while others have labelled her a 'goddess' for her rock solid physique and strong thighs. Her latest video workout has clocked up a massive 662,000 views and hundreds of comments, such as 'gosh you're so hot,' 'so beautiful,' 'pretty legs on a perfect 10' and 'you can kill someone with those legs, girl'. COPY ON NEWS WIRE // WITH VIDEO - https://drive.google.com/open?id=1WP-Obk9RMpUVH8oIYISUcu26N-P34I66
Her body and her workout tutorials have earned her more than two million followers (Picture: @bakharnabieva/Jam Press)

The exact details of the model’s workout routines don’t seem too groundbreaking. Her Instagram shows her running, squatting, and using weighted machines to build up her leg muscles and lift her butt.

Her massive following has led to some brand deals, so you’ll spot plenty of sponsored posts of powders and shakes, too – but we doubt they’re the miracle fix responsible for her shape.

As for her diet, Bakhar says there is no big secret.

Pics from Jam Press (Alien with iron bum) Thighs the limit - Meet ?Miss Iron Bum??a fitness model whose unique look has fans speculating she is an alien. A gym bunny is taking the world by storm with her eye-popping workouts which are filmed from the back and her otherworldly eyes which are big and black. Fitness model Bakhar Nabieva is instantly recognisable thanks to her killer thighs and her buns of steel and dark black pupils. This combination of extreme physique combined with dark black contact lenses has led fans to believe she is from another planet! ?Are you from this universe?? questions one fan, while others comment on the attractiveness of the Bakhar saying ?Certainly the most gorgeous alien I've ever seen? Some seem more shocked by the fitness models appearance with one posing the question, ?are you a demon??. Others even claim she may be from the underworld ?I?m sorry but you?re the f**kin devil? Most however are just blow away by her generally ?You are hands down the baddest woman on Instagram? Dedicated to her workout regime, the 22-year-old doesn?t get caught up in the hype saying, 'My goals don?t stop for anyone. Either you support me or I make it happen alone, either way it?s going to happen.' But as admirable as this sentiment may be, it's Bakhar's alternative take on fitness photos and workout videos that have brought her the most attention and an army of fans. The fitness fanatic, who is originally from Azerbaijan, has chosen to post pictures and films all shot from behind. While most Instagram gym workout pictures and videos show somebody training from the front, fans of Bakhar's posts see the rear view. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this new angle has won her a whole host of admirers - she currently has more than 2million followers on her Instagram account,?@bakharnabieva. She has been labelled 'Miss Iron Bum' by some, while others have labelled her a 'goddess' for her rock solid physique and strong thighs. Her latest video workout has clocked up a massive 662,000 views and hundreds of comments, such as 'gosh you're so hot,' 'so beautiful,' 'pretty legs on a perfect 10' and 'you can kill someone with those legs, girl'. COPY ON NEWS WIRE // WITH VIDEO - https://drive.google.com/open?id=1WP-Obk9RMpUVH8oIYISUcu26N-P34I66
Every photo she posts is flooded with comments on her body (Picture: @bakharnabieva/Jam Press)

‘Many of you ask me about my diet,’ she says. ‘The answer is there is no diet.

‘When you have fast metabolism, you eat everything and get no fat but yes of course I eat a lot of meat and carbs but also candies.

‘My body just doesn’t want to gain fat but I think it’s going to slow down when I’m 25 or something.’

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What I Rent: Alex and Andy, £1,400 a month for a maisonette in Hither Green

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Alex and Andy, Hither Green
Alex and Andy share a flat in Hither Green (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)

Each week we take you inside a rented property in London as part of our series, What I Rent.

It’s not just because we’re nosy.

Finding a place to live in London can be tough – especially when you have no clue what’s normal when it comes to the price, space, and commute you should expect.

Throw in terrible studios with mould in the ceiling and endless unrealistic photos on listings and it’s easy to become so jaded you’ll take a flat an hour and a half away from work for £1,500 a month just so you can stop searching.

What I Rent is about providing some clarity, showing you what real people are getting for what they’re paying so you have a better sense of what’s standard.

This week we’re hanging with Alex, 26, and Andy, 29, a couple sharing a maisonette in Hither Green.

Alex and Andy, Hither Green
Andy’s the one wearing a deep red top, Alex is the one in blue (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)

So, first things first. Money. How much are you two paying?

£1,400 a month.

And bills?

We’re really lucky, the majority of our bills are included in our rent so we only really have to pay for Sky and good old Netflix.

What are you getting for that price?

Four rooms including one bathroom. Our bathtub is a bit different to most and is becoming popular with friends. We can’t tell you how many fully clothed people have climbed in for a photo.

How did you find the flat?

Rightmove.

You’ve been here for three years – how have you made the place feel like home?

When we first moved in most of the flat had white walls. We added grey walls in the living room and a fireplace to give it a more homely feel. We’ve put pictures up and thrown a few cushions around.

Alex and Andy, Hither Green
They’ve made the place their own with a load of grey paint (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)

Do you feel like you have enough space?

The rooms themselves are big enough but storage is key and is something we don’t really have.

A second bedroom also would be ideal. We’ve had to be creative when finding storage solutions and guest beds.

Is there anything you wish you could change about the flat? Any weird mould or difficult doors?

The only real thing we would change is to have a garden for those boozy BBQs and so we can have a dog.

Are you happy with the area? What’s Hither Green like?

We love where we live as it has a great village/family vibe with lots of open space which we like coming back to.

South East London may sometimes be overlooked due to lack of tube stations but the mainline is really close for transport and we can get to central in 20 mins.

We’re also close to places like Blackheath and Greenwich which we love.

Alex and Andy, Hither Green
All the throw pillows help, too (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)

What’s it like living together?

We’ve been together for just over seven years.

We met in Bournemouth at some predrinks while Andy was at uni and went to Ibiza having only been together a month. It was a risk that paid off!

Living together works really well, Andy is really clean and Alex is really tidy so we complement each other pretty well.

If we need space, Alex will just go sit in the bath.

We both like cooking so we take it in turns to cook for each other.

Have you thought about buying a place?

Yes, we definitely have, but being a 20-something in London can be expensive. With paying off debt as well, its not something that is feasible at the moment.

Fair play. Shall we have a look around Alex and Andy’s place?

Alex and Andy, Hither Green
Alex and Andy have jazzed up the living room with paint and prints (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
Alex and Andy, Hither Green
There’s definitely an animal theme (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
Alex and Andy, Hither Green
Sticking to tonal greys makes the flat look super sleek (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
Alex and Andy, Hither Green
But we’ve got to give props for the cleanliness and organisation, too (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
Alex and Andy, Hither Green
Ring the bell: This is the first ‘live, laugh, love’ item we’ve had on What I Rent (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
Alex and Andy, Hither Green
The kitchen is pretty snazzy (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
Alex and Andy, Hither Green
It’s the little touches that make the flat feel like home (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
Alex and Andy, Hither Green
Note the glossy storage containers (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
Alex and Andy, Hither Green
You’ve got to have champagne in the house, just in case (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
Alex and Andy, Hither Green
The flat is a maisonette, so it has its own entrance and sits on the top floor (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
Alex and Andy, Hither Green
(Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
Alex and Andy, Hither Green
The bedroom (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
Alex and Andy, Hither Green
A bear, tucked away but seeing all (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
Alex and Andy, Hither Green
We do enjoy the slogans on storage in this flat (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
Alex and Andy, Hither Green
And the whimsical bits and bobs (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
Alex and Andy, Hither Green
The bathroom, with a very fancy bath (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
Alex and Andy, Hither Green
Yes, that’s the loo, but we’re more impressed by the painted radiator (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk
Alex and Andy, Hither Green
That’s a posh tap (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
Alex and Andy, Hither Green
Anyone with a little tray for their toiletries wins interiors points Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
Alex and Andy, Hither Green
This print sits right above the toilet. It is adorable (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)

What I Rent is a weekly series that’s out every Tuesday at 10am. Check back next week to have a nose around another rented property in London. 

How to get involved in What I Rent

What I Rent is Metro.co.uk's weekly series that takes you inside the places in London people are renting, to give us all a better sense of what's normal and how much we should be paying.

If you fancy taking part, please email whatirent@metro.co.uk.

You'll need to have pictures taken of your kitchen, living room, bathroom, and bedroom, plus a few photos of you in your room. Make sure you get permission for your housemates!

You'll also need to be okay with sharing how much you're paying for rent, as that's pretty important.

MORE: What I Rent: Rebecca and Marcus, £1,600 a month for a one-bedroom flat in Kentish Town

MORE: What I Rent: Jack, £700 a month for a room in a two-bedroom flat in Wimbledon

MORE: What I Rent: Paul and Mike, £1,350 for a flat in Tooting

Fashion Nova and PrettyLittleThing have been accused of stealing artwork

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Big brands like Fashion Nova and Pretty Little Thing surely have design teams and creative directors working hard to produce great clothes… Surely?

Although both companies are at the forefront of online fashion, it hasn’t stopped them becoming embroiled in yet another design stealing scandal.

Earlier this month, Syd called out Fashion Nova on Twitter for using her father, Scott Rohlfs’, artwork uncredited on a t-shirt dress.

In the replies, it was added by another user that PrettyLittleThing also had the same image on one of their garments.

The image in question by Rohfls is an oil painting of a woman in bug-eye sunglasses, pulling a face and squishing her lips together.

Rohlfs’ work primarly features portraits of women using bright colours and with distinctive accessories.

On his own Instagram, Scott confirmed, ‘I did not give them permission to use my images and I have not been compensated for this. I have sent the cease and desist letter 2 weeks ago and the only response I received was that they will forward it on to their lawyers. They do not respond to my phone calls either.’

Metro.co.uk have contacted Fashion Nova for comment but received no response.

PrettyLittleThing stated, when asked about the debacle, ‘The product is being disabled from the site now.’

It’s not clear how the image ended up on the sites, but it’s not the first time Fashion Nova have been accused of stealing designs.

Instagram Photo

In July this year Jai Nice – the owner of brand Kloset Envy – alleged that employees at the company had purchased items from her to use as samples, returning for a refund after copying the Kloset Envy pieces.

It was never confirmed by Fashion Nova if copying had taken place, but it certainly doesn’t look great.

MORE: Fashion blogger makes a name for himself as a Ryan Gosling lookalike

MORE: We have to challenge the fashion and beauty industry to be more inclusive of people with visible differences like mine

Snake named Toothless gets braces to fix her overbite

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Snake gets braces METRO GRAB taken from: https://www.facebook.com/pg/herpvet.com.au/photos/?ref=page_internal Credit: HerpVet/Facebook
(Picture: HerpVet/Facebook)

Toothless, a green tree python, was happily eating away when she broke a part of her jawbone.

While the pet snake was eating her meal, her left lower jawbone folded and got stuck in her throat when she swallowed. She ended up with an overbite.

Her owners rushed her to the vet who, instead of operating a risky surgery to correct the problem, decided to get creative.

The folks at HerpVet, a reptile department in the Greencross Jindalee Veterinary Clinic in Australia, gave Toothless braces.

Snake gets braces METRO GRAB taken from: https://www.facebook.com/pg/herpvet.com.au/photos/?ref=page_internal Credit: HerpVet/Facebook
(Picture: HerpVet/Facebook)

Obviously, braces for snakes are different to the ones for humans, so the vet crafted special braces for the snake using a paperclip, affixing it to her scales with glue.

‘She had recently laid her eggs and this was her first feed post-deposition which may have weakened her jaw making it more susceptible to fracturing,’ HerpVet wrote on their Facebook page.

‘After delicately dislodging the stuck portion of the jaw, it was still abnormally positioned. An x-ray image was taken to assess the bone and a break was see in the mandible lower jaw).

‘This bone is too small and fragile to fix with traditional surgery, so the bone was aligned and an external brace (a moulded paper clip) was attached.

Snake gets braces METRO GRAB taken from: https://www.facebook.com/pg/herpvet.com.au/photos/?ref=page_internal Credit: HerpVet/Facebook
(Picture: HerpVet/Facebook)

‘After falling off the next day, the external brace was reapplied. This stayed on until she shed and this was long enough to allow her to heal.

 

‘She was given pain relief and placed on a calcium supplement to aid in the healing process. Food will be withheld for a couple of weeks at which point a final x-ray will be taken to confirm healing has completed.’

Many people praised the vet for helping Toothless with the dental problem and her owners for seeking emergency treatment.

Other snake owners shared their own experiences with their reptiles who broke their jaws.

Some people joked about the prices for paperclip braces, wondering if it would be in the thousands as it is for humans.

MORE: Snakes drop through ceiling of family home while fighting over female

MORE: Heartbreaking reason why you shouldn’t leave your pet when it is put down

MORE: Dog who lost her legs after being thrown in the trash could be America’s most heroic dog

What happens to your penis when you take Viagra

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Viagra makes penises hard - but how? (Picture: Getty)
Viagra makes penises hard – but how? (Picture: Getty)

Viagra has been helping people with penises get erections since 1998.

The little blue pill is well-known as a treatment for erectile dysfunction, but how does it actually work?

Viagra (sildenafil) works on a cellular level. In the vascular system, the cyclic neotide cGMP (cyclic guanosine monophosphate) allows walls of blood vessels to relax.

Blood vessels become dilated and blood is able to flow more easily.

Increased blood flow is what makes an erection possible.

The little blue pills have become synonymous with erectile dysfunction treatment. (Picture: Getty)
The little blue pills have become synonymous with erectile dysfunction treatment. (Picture: Getty)

Within the main body of the penis (known as the corpus cavernosum) there’s an enzyme called PDE5.

The penis doesn’t need to be erect all the time, so PDE5 works to break down cGMP and reduce blood flow, making the penis flaccid.

Viagra acts on the PDE5 enzyme, inhibiting it and stopping it from breaking down cGMP.

This means that the blood vessels can relax and expand without PDE5 getting involved.

Blood is able to rush freely to the penis, making it stand to attention.

How long does an erection last when you've taken Viagra?

1 hour after taking Viagra33minutes8 hours after taking Viagra23minutes12 hours after taking Viagra16minutesPlacebo7minutes

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Viagra’s manufacturers recommend that those taking it wait an hour for the drug to achieve maximum effect.

However, some users can feel the benefits much more quickly.

Here’s how the drug affects the body over the space of 24 hours, according to Superdrug’s Online Doctor service.

12 Minutes

Viagra is rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream.

Some people are able to get an erection just 12 minutes after popping the pill, but it’s not clear whether this is down to the Viagra itself or the placebo effect of taking a pill.

27 Minutes

Although doctors recommend waiting a full hour for the effects of the drug to become apparent, it might not take that long.

Most men will be able to achieve an erection in just under half an hour.

57 Minutes

Viagra will be at its peak concentration in the blood an hour after ingestion.

This is maximum erection time.

4 Hours

After four hours, Viagra will be half-gone from the body.

However, this doesn’t mean that you can’t have sex anymore. It’s definitely still possible.

10 Hours

Viagra is working within the body, even 10 hours after taking a dose.

Some men can still get hard enough for penetrative sex, but they will maintain an erection for shorter periods of time.

24 Hours

When 24 hours is up, all traces of the drug and its effects should be gone from the body.

It’s recommended that you don’t take more than one dose within a 24 hour period.

Everyone's dose of Viagra is different

The dose you need to get a satisfying erection depends on how old you are, whether you’re taking other medications and whether you have any other health issues.

How Viagra works is also affected by food.

If you took the blue pill with a meal, it could take an hour longer for the drug to reach maximum strength.

It can also reduce the peak concentration of Viagra in the blood by almost a third.

If you’re having trouble getting or maintaining an erection, remember that this is a common problem, especially for people over the age of 40.

However, it also affects young people and embarrassment about the issue shouldn’t stop anyone from getting treatment.

Speak to your GP or try an online consultation service, where you can be assessed remotely and have your medication home delivered.

MORE: Model breast pumps on the catwalk at London Fashion Week

MORE: Fruitarian couple say their diet of nothing but fruit means they don’t have to brush their teeth

Amazon releases new athleisure range Aurique

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Amazon's athleisure range is here. (Picture: Amazon)
Amazon’s athleisure range is here. (Picture: Amazon)

Easy on the eyes and on the wallet.

Amazon’s brand new activewear range is called Aurique and is supposed to take customers ‘from the barre to brunch’.

It covers all the bases for functional gymwear, featuring tops, sports bras, outerwear and bottoms.

The collection is simple but stylish, and we can definitely imagine mixing pieces with non-gym clothes or wearing the range for relaxed errand-running or relaxing at home.

Stand out pieces include the wrap hoodie that looks super cosy and perfect for snuggling up after the sweat has dried from your spin class.

AURIQUE Women's Running Jacket, £37. (Picture: Amazon)
AURIQUE Women’s Running Jacket, £37. (Picture: Amazon)

There’s a shiny silver running jacket that will brighten up any autumn jog in the rain, and a camouflage sports bra with matching shorts that will keep you coordinated, supported and on trend.

The collection also offers two swimming costumes and leggings with contemporary digital prints and sheer panels.

Prices start at just £14 and go up to £32, so Amazon’s collection is a great way to kit yourself out for the gym without breaking the bank.

AURIQUE Women's Mesh Panel Printed Sports Leggings, £22. (Picture: Amazon)
AURIQUE Women’s Mesh Panel Printed Sports Leggings, £22. (Picture: Amazon)

Initial reviews are mostly positive, although some sizing issues with the sports bras have been reported.

One reviewer praised the camo sports top as good quality and stylish, writing: ‘It fits true to size and is very well made – good neat stitching and well finished.

‘The material is stretchy and soft to the touch, but substantial enough to hold its shape well. It looks great, both for going to the gym and for heading out in your ripped jeans and best jacket.’

All the items in the collection are eligible for Prime delivery.

The Aurique activewear range is available now.

MORE: ‘Fat shaming’ sweatshirt disaster: Whole collection has now been pulled

MORE: Where you can buy that ‘why be racist, sexist, homophobic…’ T-shirt

The ultimate gourmet adventure: Where to find Italy’s most traditional foods

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Pizza, pasta, prosciutto, pesto, wine and limoncello – Italy has an unbeatable selection of local produce. 

And while beaches, history and culture are all important aspects of any holiday, for me, food is a priority.

With this in mind, I embarked on a journey to taste my way through Italy, sampling some of the country’s most famous products and dishes, while also learning about their history and origin.

We started in Emilia-Romagna, a region perhaps most known for its edible delicacies.

(Picture: Hayley Lewis @alovelyplanet)

Here, you’ll find prosciutto, ragù (not to be confused with Bolognese) and an array of fresh tortellini, torelli, cappelletti and other golden, hand-rolled pastas.

In the beautiful university city of Parma, the home of some of Italy’s best cured meats, we munched on a salumi known as Culatello di Zibello – it’s one of the most prized in the country.

Visit a local cellar like Bre del Gallo, where a Culatello master will demonstrate how the meat is cured, before giving a guided tasting of various products.

(Picture: Hayley Lewis @alovelyplanet)

But what is pasta and prosciutto without cheese?

We realised every cheese lover’s dream when we entered the Parmigiano Reggiano factory to see how the product is made (and to eat our weight in cheese, of course).

Cheese-making is serious business.

To produce just one kilo of the delicious goodness, 16 kilos of milk is required. It also has to be made using strict traditional methods, to get the special Parmigiano Reggiano DOP label.

Instagram Photo

After the overflow of formaggio, we decided something a bit crispier was in order.

So, we continued to Reggio Emilia to try Erbazzone –  a savoury pastry filled with spinach, chard, onions, cured pig’s fat, garlic, parsley, breadcrumbs and yes, Parmigiano Reggiano.

This is Italy – cheese is a key component in cooking.

Reggio Emilia is a lovely leafy town, so if you have an afternoon to spend, it’s definitely worth wandering the narrow lanes and streets after you’ve gorged on yummy foods.

(Picture: Hayley Lewis @alovelyplanet – Erbazzone)

A great way to see Italian food production in action is to stay at an agriturismo – known as a ‘farm holiday’, it’s essentially a smaller hotel and restaurant that also produce an agricultural product of some kind.

We stayed at Le Barbaterre, where you can take a pasta-making course and learn how to make the region’s typical dishes such as tortelli, tagliatelle and maltagliati.

It’s messy, but so fun and educational. Plus, you get to eat all the pasta afterwards as you take in the sweeping views of the hotel’s vineyard (and wash it down with local wine).

(Picture: Hayley Lewis @alovelyplanet – Le Barbaterre)

Next up on our foodie trip was Modena.

You may have heard of this beautiful city as it’s home to the world’s best restaurant – Osteria Francescana. They get booked up months in advance, and sadly we weren’t organized, but Modena is full of fantastic restaurants and has an excellent local market.

A must-try dish is tortellini in brodo (tortellini in broth), and outside of the city centre, stop by the vinegar farmhouse Acetaia Paltrinieri.

You can even have dinner in the farm’s own restaurant, where they use their traditional Modena balsamic vinegar DOP in tasty dishes like creamy risotto.

(Picture: Hayley Lewis @alovelyplanet – Balsamic Risotto at Acetaia Paltrinieri)

From Modena, it’s a two-hour drive to the sleepy town of San Miniato, one of the country’s most famous truffle spots.

We met with local truffle hunter Massimo and his dog Mela.

Truffles are one of the most expensive and coveted foods in the world, and are notoriously difficult to find and impossible to farm.

Massimo hunts both the white and black variety, but as it was June, there was little to no chance of finding white truffle. So it was the black ones we were after.

Mela found us two beautiful truffles, which we were able to sample afterwards.

Instagram Photo

Further south in Tuscany is the medieval town of San Gimignano, known for its many towers.

San Gimignano has a number of must-try foods.

Gelateria Dondoli in Piazza Della Cisterna is famous for its delicious gelato and gelataio Sergio has won a number of accolades for his yummy produce.

After gorging on gelato, we headed up to Rocca di Montestaffoli – a Florentine fortress with spectacular views of the town and surrounding countryside.

(Picture: Hayley Lewis @alovelyplanet – San Gimignano)

While there, visit the wine museum and enjoy a tasting of Vernaccia, the wine of San Gimignano. It’s the first Italian wine to be awarded DOC, and it has been a DOCG wine since 1993.

After the white, it was onto the red.

Montalcino is the place to come for one of Italy’s most celebrated wines – Brunello di Montalcino.

We checked into Castello banfi Il Borgo, a stunning castle and the biggest wine producer in Europe.

After a tour of the impressive estate, it was time for the all-important wine tasting.

Brunello di Montalcino was among the four wines awarded the first DOCG designation. Today, wines from this area are some of Italy’s best-known and most expensive.

While in Montalcino, take a course at Montalcino Cooking School, where you will learn how to cook an original Italian full meal.

(Picture: Hayley Lewis @alovelyplanet – Castello Banfi il Borgo)

For pasta fans, Lazio has some delicious dishes, including Cacio e Pepe and Carbonara.

The latter has become incredibly popular worldwide, although the Italian version is simple, using only egg, guanciale or pancetta, Pecorino Romano and black pepper – and no cream.

Cacio e Pepe is even simpler: Pecorino Romano and pepper.

You’ll find these dishes served all over the region, but we went to a small osteria in Tivoli, a hilltop town which was a summer retreat for the Ancient Romans.

While you’re here, make sure you visit the Unesco World Heritage Sites of Villa Adriana, built by Emperor Hadrian, and the Renaissance 16th-century Villa d’Este.

(Picture: Hayley Lewis @alovelyplanet – Cacio e Pepe)

Our final foodie destination: Napoli.

My first time in the city, we were here for three things: pizza, mozzarella and limoncello.

Napoli is the birthplace of pizza and a great place to hone your pizza-making skills.

We took a course at Toffini Academy, which happily involved a lot of eating (Come hungry). We made the margherita pizza that we all know and love, and also a few different dishes that I hadn’t tried before – pizza fritta (fried pizza) and pizza fritta alla montanara (another variety of fried pizza).

Cacio e Pepe (Picture: Hayley Lewis @alovelyplanet)

After eating a lot of pizza, we moved on to mozzarella di bufala – mozzarella made from the milk of buffalos. This creamy cheese is enjoyed alone, on pizza or in a caprese salad with tomato.

Finally, the trip ended with a little limoncello.

Napoli, the Sorrentine peninsula and the Amalfi coast region produce excellent limoncello.

It’s a simple liqueur made from lemon peel or zest, alcohol and a sugar syrup, and is usually drunk after dinner, as a ‘digestivo’.

You’ll find it in bars across the city, but to get an insight into the production process, head to Limone.

(Picture: Hayley Lewis @alovelyplanet – Limoncello in production at Limone)

Classifications of food in Italy

Italy has a large number of EU certified products, which you’re bound to notice as you start eating your way around the country. These classifications include DOP & IGP for food and DOC & DOGC for wine.

Essentially, if you’re buying and eating a DOP or DOCG product, you know it’s going to be pretty good!

IGP (Indication of Geographic Protection)

Products whose quality or reputation is linked to the place or region where it is produced, processed or prepared, although the ingredients used need not necessarily come from that geographical area.

DOP (Protected Designation of Origin)

Products that are produced, processed and prepared in a specific geographical area, using ingredients from the area and specific methods. Each step, from production to packaging, is regulated.

DOC (Denomination of Controlled Origin)

Wines that are produced using controlled production methods. The regulations for each DOC wine delimit the production area, wine colour, permitted grape varieties, styles of wine and alcohol levels.

DOCG (Denomination of Controlled and Guaranteed Origin).

The highest classification for Italian wines. There are strict rules governing the production of DOCG wines – including the grape varieties, yield limits, grape ripeness, winemaking procedures, and barrel/bottle maturation.

Where to stay in Italy and how to get there:

A night at Agriturismo Le Barbaterre costs £62 (€70) per room for 2 people, including breakfast. The cooking class is an additional £36 (€40) per person.

A double room at Castello Banfi il Borgo starts from £482 (€540) per night and includes: a welcome drink, buffet breakfast, Castello Banfi winery tour with the sommelier, one wine tasting of three Sangiovese wines, Access to ‘The Giovanni F. Mariani Museum of glass’ and 15% discount on all the wine purchases made at their Enoteca – Wine Shop.

Hotel La Cisterna offers rooms from £60 (€67) per night for a double room in the heart of San Gimignano.

British Airways flies London to Bologna from £34 one way and from Napoli to London from £24 one way.

(Top picture: Hayley Lewis)

Hayley Lewis is a travel writer, blogger and producer. For more on food in Emilia Romagna head to alovelyplanet.com or follow Hayley on Instagram, YouTubeTwitter or Facebook.

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Woman ditches her secret shaving routine to grow a beard like her husband

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Jessica after she stopped shaving (PA Real Life/Collect)
Jessica has stopped shaving and no longer worries about her facial hair (Picture: PA Real Life/Collect)

Some of the effects of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) include irregular periods, weight gain and excessive body hair.

When it comes to this hair, many women try to shave, pluck, wax, or laser away the evidence – a costly and time-consuming activity.

For 36-year-old Jessica Moore, shaving was her method of choice.

She would shave her face twice a week, sometimes having to grab emergency razors and de-fuzz in the car before a meeting.

Sometimes the massage therapist from Pennsylvania, USA would accidentally cut her face, leaving painful marks.

However, after watching the journey of Rose Geil – who also has PCOS and hirsutism, she decided to give up shaving for good.

Jessica says, ‘Seeing how confident and happy she was really empowered me – I wanted to feel that way too.

Jessica after she stopped shaving (PA Real Life/Collect)
Not shaving saves huge amounts of time and money – and no more cuts and nicks (Picture: PA Real Life/Collect)

‘That played on my mind for a few weeks and I wondered if I should stop shaving all together’

She has not shaved since December 2017 and her supportive husband Francis, 37, who works in sanitation, is showing solidarity by ditching his razor too.

Jessica says of her husband, ‘He’d been telling me for ages to stop shaving, but it took a while for me to listen to him.

‘He has started growing his beard out too, to support me. We even share products like beard oil and wash. It means a lot to have him there.’

Although Jessica has been tempted to go back to shaving, she says her confidence has grown over time.

What is PCOS?

Polycystic ovary syndrome is common in the UK, thought to affect around 1 in 5 women.

These women have tiny follicles in their ovaries that affects their ability to ovulate. It can cause irregular periods, weight gain, hirsutism and acne.

Those with the condition may also find that they have trouble conceiving.

There is currently no cure for PCOS, so symptoms are treated on their own.

Happy couple Jessica with supportive Francis when she had stopped shaving (PA Real Life/Collect)
Happy couple Jessica with supportive Francis when she had stopped shaving (Picture: PA Real Life/Collect)

Jessica has now even posted an Instagram photo including her facial hair, and says ‘the reaction was amazing’.

Social media has helped her and other women who are embracing their beards, creating a community that may otherwise not have existed.

Jessica says: ‘There is a lot of societal pressure around women and body hair, but it doesn’t need to be this way.

‘To any other women out there wondering whether to stop shaving, I’d say just try stepping out of your comfort zone. The idea of it is far scarier than actually doing it.

‘I’ve had the odd negative reaction since stopping shaving, with family members handing me razors or asking when I’m going to start again, but I really don’t plan to.

‘I feel much more confident now, and barely think about my beard. I am no longer hiding.’

 

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We shouldn’t be surprised that the middle class drink more than the poor

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(Picture: Ella Byworth/Metro.co.uk)

When research was released showing that middle class people consume more alcohol and drugs than the poor, it quickly became a headline.

Figures about booze and economic class always do. Britons are obsessed with our own drinking: who does it, how much, and is it more than me.

The research found that two thirds (66%) of those with better incomes have drunk to excess in the last year, compared with 58% of those worse off. It also found that 22% of the higher earners had taken illegal drugs, compared to 11% of less well-off people.

Stats of this nature emerge with reliable regularity.

In May it was revealed that high earners in professional jobs, such as doctors, lawyers and teachers, are much more likely to be drink steadily than those on lower incomes.

Binge-drinking in middle class over-50s has been referred to as an ‘epidemic’ and a ‘hidden phenomenon’ for years.

Why are we still surprised? Why does it go on shocking us that the doctor drinks more than the construction worker? Why can’t we believe that middle class Brits love to drink as much as their poorer peers?

Man toasting champagne to friends at dinner party on balcony
picture: Getty

In the most fundamental sense, it makes perfect sense that the wealthier you are the more you drink.

Middle class professionals have disposable income. The more money you have, the more opportunity to imbibe as you wish.

So why then does it continue to rankle with our perception of who the real drinkers are?

Part of this is to do with the fact that, despite their lower consumption, the poor feel the ill effects of alcohol abuse more acutely than their middle class peers.

A poor person abusing alcohol is more likely to experience injury, hospitalisation and death as a result of heavy drinking.

Dr Vittal Katikireddi, who authored a paper on the subject, said: ‘Our study finds that the poorest in society are at greater risk of alcohol’s harmful impacts on health, but this is not because they are drinking more or more often binge drinking.

‘Experiencing poverty may impact on health, not only through leading an unhealthy lifestyle but also as a direct consequence of poor material circumstances and psychosocial stresses.’

Despite not drinking more than those in affluent areas, a poor drinker is more likely to become ill as a result. Socio-economic factors interact with the effects of drinking and exacerbate them.

As with so many things in the lives of the poor, a negative experience which might barely scathe a wealthier peer can become a disaster very quickly. The poor have no access to the sort of safety net others have been given from birth.

There is another reason we wrongly perceive the poor and not the middle class to be the primary consumers of alcohol in the UK. The kind of binge drinking commonly associated with poor people is the kind most visibly loathed by our society.

teenage girl passed out at a house party
(Picture: Getty

A man in a cap drinking a can of Lidl lager on a park bench presents one kind of drinking, and the women in pretty frocks 60 feet away downing cava on a Cath Kidston picnic blanket present another, no matter the number of units they’re respectively putting away.

Middle class people quite like to spend more money on drinks and food which are just as bad for you as the cheap and nasty stuff. Trendy ‘dirty junk food’ which costs five times as much as KFC justifies itself purely by being more expensive.

People will happily Instagram an outrageously excessive triple patty burger and loaded fries in an atmospherically lit Dalston bar, just so long as they come with a cocktail and cost 30 pounds.

Meanwhile they’ll sniff and tut passing by a crowded chicken shop, wondering whatever happened to cooking at home.

They like to drink expensive and delicious things in public, fabulous cocktails, colourful spritzes, flutes of fizz, things which mitigate the fact that, just like the poor, they are often drinking to get drunk.

Middle class drinking is sanitised and condoned in a way that working class drinking never will be. We don’t like to see the poor drinking to excess.

At the core of many attitudes to drinking is the notion that the professional class ‘deserve’ it more than they do – the bad drunks, the ones getting sick outside clubs with no clothes on, the ones smoking weed outside the corner shop (we’ll stick to a few lines after the dinner party, thanks).

There are whole cottage industries set up around coddling people about their drinking habits: coasters which say Mummy’s Prosecco, T-shirts reading ‘the only thing better than a bottle of wine is two bottles of wine’, the endless, tiresome bar signs lightly lampooning alcoholism.

Here’s the time for me to say I’m nobody to judge: I’ve had periods of drinking very heavily, both while completely broke and while relatively comfortable.

Nowadays, still, I drink at least a few times a week, not infrequently to excess, and am no more immune to the shallow glamour of fizzy wine than anyone else.

It’s not the consumption I take issue with – I have no right to do that.

It’s the hypocrisy that jars.

The reasons for Britain’s proclivity toward binging are many and complex.

It’s clear that trying to ham-fistedly impose a cafe culture on ourselves has not worked — simply pushed antisocial behaviour further into the early hours, as a report ten years on details.

I suspect that the class of people referred to in these figures, sipping fishbowl sized glasses of Rioja, would like to perceive their drinking as European – and those louts we see pictures of after New Year’s Eve as the more quintessentially brutish British.

But we can’t assume the healthy Mediterranean attitudes we covet just by selecting a better red to match the manchego.

European alcohol differs from our own not only in terms of quality, but also the manner in which it is consumed; that is, without the drive to obliterate oneself entirely.

I don’t know what the solution to our habitual excessive drinking is, any more than the government or anyone else does.

But I do know that it doesn’t help a person with alcohol issues to position themselves in relation to the ‘real drinkers’.

I know it doesn’t help to insist on distinguishing yourself from those other people, the ones who don’t dress or act or speak like you, in an effort to pretend you’re fine.

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Sex work is integral to society. My colleagues don’t deserve to be criminals

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‘I always felt valued and respected by my clients, and those I worked alongside.’ (Photo: Feeld)

Whenever I hear about sex work, it’s often through the prism of negativity. The current narrative ignores those that choose to do sex work and enjoy it.

People like me.

I did my first lap dance in 1999.

What initially seemed like a quick and simple way to fund student life soon became a legitimate career – one that lasted for 16 years.

Previously, I had viewed my femininity as a weakness or something that should be repressed.

In the strip club, it was my power; my source of creativity and a way to define my sexual agency.

Sure there were bad days — what job doesn’t have its ups and downs — but essentially my experience as a stripper was a positive one.

Pretty soon after starting the job, I realised that the way striptease is packaged and promoted by those that profit from it doesn’t reflect the reality of the job.

The poster imagery of naked female bodies displayed in submissive and sexual poses portrays workers as physical objects.

The truth is that although taking your clothes off is a part of the job, you also have to be an intuitive, emotionally intelligent creature that is able to listen, absorb, soothe and advise clients on the things they disclose in private.

It disappoints me that workers and those who use their services are so demonised, especially when sex work is such a widespread and integral part of society.

Often sex workers are respected confidantes, making sex work one of the most acceptable forms of therapy for stressed out professionals.

When I worked in this capacity I always felt valued and respected by my clients, and those I worked alongside.

I keep company with many different types of sex workers including hookers, cam girls and pro-dommes, and most agree that clients all want the same thing: a private space to express themselves honestly where someone else can be in control of their existence for a while.

I believe that this type of ‘recreation’ is vital for all people.

Many clients are struggling emotionally because they have lost loved ones, are going through relationship or work issues, or are having some kind of identity crisis and need a third-party perspective on life from someone they trust.

They want a space where they can be themselves and focus on their own needs without creating consequences in their personal or professional lives.

In contrast to the ancient stories of sexual ‘goddesses’, sex work today is often stripped of any emotional connection and reduced to a phallocentric and physical act that has become toxic and demonised as a result.

A little light research into the origin of prostitution suggests that sex workers traditionally performed a similar role.

Approximately 5000 years ago female sex workers occupied temples in Mesopotamia as ‘goddesses’, exhalted as spiritual healers and sacred sex therapists who were capable of healing the emotional and physical wounds of those who had suffered trauma.

Sexual service was seen as a divine and spiritual gift, and money exchanged hands freely in return for these services. Sex workers were cherished and respected. There are also accounts of male sex workers operating in the same capacity.

In contrast to the ancient stories of sexual ‘goddesses’, sex work today is often stripped of any emotional connection and reduced to a phallocentric and physical act that has become toxic and demonised as a result.

Often clients disrespect workers for choosing to do such reductive work, and workers disrespect clients for reducing them to a physical commodity.

Money is the only thing that underpins this kind of exchange, which in my experience encourages unhealthy behaviour and relationships.

The criminalisation of sex work further adds to this stigma and leaves workers and clients powerless to report mistreatment within the industry.

I fully support decriminalisation of the sex industry. For those of us who choose to do sex work it would undoubtedly give us more rights, validate sex work as work, and afford us the respect we deserve.

Respect for a sex worker’s right to choose to do what they want with their body.

Respect for the clients and their sexual needs, plus the reasons behind those needs.

Respect for the bodies and minds of sex workers; for the emotional and physical labour required.

Respect for the rights of all sex workers and clients to have freedom of expression about their experiences without fear of reprisal or judgement.

Self respect for those that choose to offer or use sexual services.

I would love to see a more positive representation of sex work in the mainstream media. Unfortunately sex work experience is often used as a weapon against anyone in the public view.

Meghan Barton Hanson’s appearance on this year’s Love Island prompted a wave of ‘slut shaming’ because she previously worked as a stripper.

The default response to stories like this is to judge a woman on her sexual history and to paint her negatively because of it.

Lily Allen was also recently shamed for seeking out the services of female sex workers whilst on tour, citing loneliness as one of the reasons for her choice, when surely her honest response resonates with us all.

Thankfully communication via social media platforms is paving the way for new ideas about sex work to flourish. Social media has also enabled sex workers to unite and organise themselves in sex positive spaces where they can work alongside one another so that their voices can be heard.

Perhaps this will be the catalyst for a change in attitudes and most importantly a change in legislation.

It would be great to see sex work decriminalised and redefined as a worthy and respected profession, one that truly offers a valuable contribution to society.

Cathy Keen is the Community & Events Manager for Feeld. Their next event is on Wed 3rd October with Janet Hardy, co-author of ‘The Ethical Slut’.

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M&Ms is getting three international flavours, including Mexican jalapeño peanut

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(Picture: Getty)

Chocolate lovers, assemble, for there are three new delights to tease your taste buds.

M&Ms are about to come in three new international flavours; Thai coconut, English toffee, and Mexican jalapeño peanut.

The exciting news was delivered by Brent Timm, who runs a food vlog called SnackChat Live. He revealed the details of the new snacks on his Instagram account where he will be doing a review of the stuff in 2019.

Yes, that’s right, although you might want to run to the shops right now to grab yourself a packet, they won’t be ready for another year.

And to add to the blow, they’re only available in the U.S. But maybe if we’re patient the flavours will eventually hit stores in the UK too.

Spicy jalapeno M&Ms METRO GRAB taken from: https://www.instagram.com/p/Bnm5Mgnl7Up/?utm_source=ig_embed Credit: snackchatlive/Instagram
(Picture: snackchatlive/Instagram)

The internationally inspired flavours will come in their own unique colour packaging to differentiate them from the original M&M line-up.

Packaging for the coconut M&Ms will be in blue, while toffee will be orange, and jalapeño will be emerald green.

The shell colours will be different, too.

Instagram account Candy Hunting shared a sneak peak of the jalapeño flavour which will come in green and yellow.

Instagram Photo

The folks at M&Ms are always keeping busy and making sure consumers are kept interested as they trial lots of different tastes.

Earlier we reported that caramel M&Ms were available at Poundland and the chocs also exist in Neapolitan ice cream form.

The company also tested espresso, raspberry, and mint flavours, asking customers to vote for the best one.

Last month they revealed crunchy mint won the contest and will be supplied around U.S stores for 18 months while stocks last.

So, if you’re in the States any time soon, make sure to grab a packet.

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All the hours you spend staring at your phone are making your dog sad, warns expert

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All around me are familiar faces (Picture: Getty)

We’ve been well-warned of the evils of spending hours scrolling through social media on our phone.

We’re going to develop tech neck. We’re the sole cause of loneliness. We’re not looking up and appreciating the world around us.

These things have failed to convince us to put down our phones. Perhaps this reason will be heartbreaking enough to spur us into action.

Spending hours staring at your phone is making your dog sad, according to one expert.

When we pay more attention to our phones than to our dogs, we damage our emotional bond, making our dogs feel lonely and isolated. That can lead to doggy depression and behavioural issues.

‘We’re a nation obsessed by our mobile phones,’ veterinary surgeon and founder of VetUK, Iain Booth, tells Metro.co.uk. ‘But this gadget dependence is jeopardising the important relationships we have with out pets, particularly dogs and to a lesser extent house cats.’

Ian explains that our phone dependency affects dogs more so than cats because dogs are pack animals, and look to their humans for leadership and reassurance.

Worn out places, worn out faces (Picture: Getty)

‘To understand what’s going on we have to look at the basic principals of how a dog interacts physically and emotionally with a human,’ he says.

‘A dog is a social creature, a pack animal. And to the dog you are the bona fide leader of the pack.

‘You administer every facet of its life – you collect, you feed, you show it where its allowed to go and you – hopefully – nurture its development.

‘But if you’re perpetually attached to your phone, that vital bond breaks down and the dog is hit for six.

‘The dog requires constant feedback and interaction. It wants to please you – that’s simply how its evolutionary hard-wired.

Bright and early for their daily races (Picture: Getty)

‘If it’s sitting there looking up at you, but you’re too busy gawping at someone’s irrelevant snap on Facebook, you’ve got a problem.

‘You do that consistently for weeks, months and years on end and you’re going to get some real behavioural issues.’

It makes sense when you think about it. If your dog is asking for your attention but you’re too focused on your screen, your pet is going to get confused and likely distressed.

Whether this results in behavioural problems very much depends on the dog.

Some dogs will simply wait patiently until you’re finishing scrolling through Instagram. Others, however, will use your distracted state to cause havoc, or will start acting out to get your attention.

‘If you can’t be bothered to interact with it, it’ll start interacting with either other people or other dogs instead,’ explains Iain.

‘It could become naughty at one end of the spectrum, or a real nuisance at the other.

Going nowhere, going nowhere (Picture: Getty)

‘If there’s aggression involved too you could even be looking at a dog made dangerous because of your relationship with it.

‘It’s also then very difficult to turn things around. If you start yelling at the dog, it might just think, “Well, you couldn’t be bothered a minute ago so why should I listen to you now?”

‘Those sorts of dogs can end up becoming emotionally distant from their owners, which is terribly sad. If you’ve let a relationship get to that level, why on earth did you bother getting a dog in the first place?

‘And make no mistake, canine depression is a very real thing. Warning signs to look out for are a lack of interest in food, the dog sleeping more, they’ll hide from you or avoid you, and they might start excessively licking or chewing their paws to soothe themselves.

‘There are cases where dogs end up on antidepressants for life because their symptoms are so severe.’

So having your eyes locked on your phone could be causing some serious damage to the beings we care about most: sweet, sweet dogs.

Cats can be affected by this lack of attention too, but being more independent creatures, they may not be as bothered. A cat who’s nuzzling and pawing you for attention will be annoyed when you’re looking at your phone instead of fussing over them, and they’ll feel mistreated if you’re staring at a screen when you’re supposed to give them their dinner.

Iain’s advice is simple: Spend quality time with your pets while you can, as they won’t be around forever. And when you can, leave your phone in your pocket, even if you are just trying to update your puppy’s Instagram stories.

‘Savour and build relationships rather than knocking them down through a lack of attention,’ says Iain. ‘And put the phone away.

‘For me, taking your phone with you when you go for a walk with your dog is the equivalent of sitting in a restaurant with your partner and checking Facebook for an hour rather than talking to him or her.

‘It’s horrible and awkward to see, and if we all saw our behaviours in that light it might affect a change.’

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Hacking disability: The woman revolutionising the wheelchair

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Wheelchairs with a difference Picture: disruptdisability METROGRAB REF: https://www.disruptdisability.org/#manifesto-1
(Picture: disruptdisability)

Rachael Wallach was 18 when an injury left her with limited mobility and in need a wheelchair.

A recipient of a Snowden Trust grant, she was able to buy a £3,000 bespoke lightweight model which allowed her to get to university lectures and travel freely.

But several years later while backpacking in South East Asia, Rachael noticed that her experience with an adaptable, highly functional wheelchair was not common.

‘When I was travelling I realised I had hardly seen any other wheelchair users, and no one else was wheeling themselves,’ she says.

‘An estimated 65m people in the world need a wheelchair. So I started to connect with NGOs on my route to find out why.

Wheelchairs with a difference Picture: disruptdisability METROGRAB REF: https://www.disruptdisability.org/#manifesto-1
(Picture: disruptdisability)

‘They told me that a wheelchair is like a pair of shoes; to give independence it needs to be customised to the body, lifestyle and environment of its user.

‘My wheelchair has over 30 different elements that have been tailored to me.’

But for the people living in the countries Rachael was travelling in, the costs involved in creating such a wheelchair were unimaginable: £3,000 pounds amounts to six times the national wage in a place like Laos.

Inspired by a growing movement to use open source information and tech to democratise disability needs – in particular e-NABLE who reduced the cost of prosthetic hands from $10,000 (£7,500) to $50 (£38)- she began to investigate whether wheelchair production could be revolutionised.

She founded Disrupt Disability, an organisation with the aim of drastically reducing the cost of custom wheelchairs using tech solutions like 3D printing and making custom chairs widely available.

Wheelchairs with a difference Picture: disruptdisability METROGRAB REF: https://www.disruptdisability.org/#manifesto-1
(Picture: disruptdisability)

‘It quickly became clear that even wheelchair users can afford a customised wheelchair, they don’t have the level of choice and control they want over their chair.’ she says.

Rachael likes to draw a comparison between glasses and wheelchairs: unlike people who need wheelchairs, glasses-wearers have control over every aspect of their design and are offered a carefully tailored product which caters to their individual needs.

By comparison, most wheelchair users are still expected to make do with a standard model- a change of colour is the only customisation available to them.

Wheelchairs with a difference Picture: disruptdisability METROGRAB REF: https://www.disruptdisability.org/#manifesto-1
(Picture: disruptdisability)

Disrupt Disability are pioneering lightweight 3D printing which will provide different capabilities for different terrains, allowing more spontaneous travel.

Their design will be sleek, modern and fashionable, befitting a new kind of wheelchair which complements the wearer’s lifestyle rather than hindering it.

3D design would enable makers to share instructions and designs remotely, creating a more accessible price point.

Wheelchairs with a difference Picture: disruptdisability METROGRAB REF: https://www.disruptdisability.org/#manifesto-1
(Picture: disruptdisability)

Though their products are still being perfected (they are not yet as inexpensive as Rachael would like), the organisation is coming to national and international attention for its innovation.

They’ve been supported by the Nominet Trust Social Tech and last week were included in The Observer’s New Radicals Awards.

Amid worries and bad news stories about the influence of tech on our lives, it’s reassuring to be reminded of the huge potential for good it has too.

Projects like Disrupt Disability showcase what can be achieved with open source information and a desire to share  developments with those who need it most.

MORE: As a disabled comedian, I know how much things could change if there were people like me on TV

MORE: Current hate crime legislation is failing LGBT and disabled people – we need to make a change now

MORE: Model with Down’s Syndrome walks the runway for New York Fashion Week

This 1,000-year-old water mill is on the market for £2.3 million, and could literally make you dough

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(Picture: Strutt and Parker)

We regularly write about some amazing homes (and others that are not as great).

Very few come with their own museum, cafe, and working water mill, though.

Calbourne Water Mill on the Isle of Wight has now gone on sale, so for £2.3 million, you can live like somebody from olden times.

Of course it’s pricey, but you do get a lot for your money, as well as the potential to make more cash.

BNPS.co.uk (01202 558833) Pic: Strutt&Parker/BNPS A 1,000-year-old watermill and millhouse that is on the market for ?2.3m will not just make a beautiful home - it can also make its new owner a lot of dough. Calbourne Water Mill on the Isle of Wight is a working mill that produces up to 50 tonnes of flour and rolled oats per year, which provides for the whole island and brings in a steady income. The mill is currently run as a popular living history tourist attraction and the current owners added holiday cottages, several small museums, adventure golf and pedalos. But estate agents Strutt & Parker say the new owner could take it back to just its original use if they wanted or take on the successful ready-made leisure business.
(Picture: Strutt&Parker/BNPS)

The building first appeared on records in 1086, initially being used as a wheat and corn mill.

The Calbourne Water Mill contains one of the oldest working water mills in the country, and mills 30-50 tons of flour and rolled oats per year with traditional mill stones, using only the power of naturally flowing water.

You can sell the oats and flour to make a steady local income.

There are also five carefully curated museums on the 14 acres of land, and a cafe with shop.

BNPS.co.uk (01202 558833) Pic: Strutt&Parker/BNPS A 1,000-year-old watermill and millhouse that is on the market for ?2.3m will not just make a beautiful home - it can also make its new owner a lot of dough. Calbourne Water Mill on the Isle of Wight is a working mill that produces up to 50 tonnes of flour and rolled oats per year, which provides for the whole island and brings in a steady income. The mill is currently run as a popular living history tourist attraction and the current owners added holiday cottages, several small museums, adventure golf and pedalos. But estate agents Strutt & Parker say the new owner could take it back to just its original use if they wanted or take on the successful ready-made leisure business.
(Picture: Strutt&Parker/BNPS)

As if that wasn’t enough, there are holiday homes on the property which you can rent out 9 months of the year.

There are eight in total, with three being period buildings and five newly built eco houses.

So, although you’ve got to be a big spender to get the mill in the first place, but you can hopefully make a pretty penny in the long run.

BNPS.co.uk (01202 558833) Pic: Strutt&Parker/BNPS A 1,000-year-old watermill and millhouse that is on the market for ?2.3m will not just make a beautiful home - it can also make its new owner a lot of dough. Calbourne Water Mill on the Isle of Wight is a working mill that produces up to 50 tonnes of flour and rolled oats per year, which provides for the whole island and brings in a steady income. The mill is currently run as a popular living history tourist attraction and the current owners added holiday cottages, several small museums, adventure golf and pedalos. But estate agents Strutt & Parker say the new owner could take it back to just its original use if they wanted or take on the successful ready-made leisure business.
(Picture: Strutt&Parker/BNPS)

It’d certainly be an idyllic life: Helping old ladies to choose spelt flour and serving them milky lattes; showing kids around the mill and picking fresh flowers for the lodges.

You’d also be a flour tycoon, which is incredible.

Okay, we’re romanticising it slightly but it’s got to beat the London rat race.

If you’ve got spare cash to make it happen, you can buy your little slice of rural heaven with Strutt and Parker.

MORE: What I Rent: Alex and Andy, £1,400 a month for a maisonette in Hither Green

MORE: Stunning Victorian church converted into family home is on the market for £650,000

Nova Scotia’s most beautiful island is on sale and it could be yours for £3.5 million

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Aerial. NOVA Scotia???s most beautiful island could now be yours after being put on the market for around ??3.5m. Amazing aerial images show the lush green forest, perfectly manicured lawns and the 11-bedroom main residence. Other stunning pictures show the interior of the 11,040-square-foot house with wood-panelled walls, a sleek modern kitchen and a large decking area to enjoy the sun. Another photograph even shows a helicopter landing at the spectacular residence. Kaulbach Island in Mahone Bay in Nova Scotia, Canada, is listed on www.valid-private-islands.de for around ??3.5m. Vladi Private Islands / mediadrumimages.com
Fancy buying your own island? (Picture: Vladi Private Islands / mediadrumimages.com

If you’ve ever been to Kaulbach Island in the heart of Mahone Bay in Canada then you know just how picturesque it is.

What is considered to be Nova Scotia’s most beautiful island, Kaulbach, is now available to purchase.

While it was put on the market at £5m earlier in the year, they’re having a bit of a sale which will save you a cool two million pounds, as it’s now up for £3.5m.

So, if you wanted to become an island owner, now is the time to act.

Aerial. NOVA Scotia???s most beautiful island could now be yours after being put on the market for around ??3.5m. Amazing aerial images show the lush green forest, perfectly manicured lawns and the 11-bedroom main residence. Other stunning pictures show the interior of the 11,040-square-foot house with wood-panelled walls, a sleek modern kitchen and a large decking area to enjoy the sun. Another photograph even shows a helicopter landing at the spectacular residence. Kaulbach Island in Mahone Bay in Nova Scotia, Canada, is listed on www.valid-private-islands.de for around ??3.5m. Vladi Private Islands / mediadrumimages.com
The island has 57 acres of land (Picture: Vladi Private Islands / mediadrumimages.com)
Decking. NOVA Scotia???s most beautiful island could now be yours after being put on the market for around ??3.5m. Amazing aerial images show the lush green forest, perfectly manicured lawns and the 11-bedroom main residence. Other stunning pictures show the interior of the 11,040-square-foot house with wood-panelled walls, a sleek modern kitchen and a large decking area to enjoy the sun. Another photograph even shows a helicopter landing at the spectacular residence. Kaulbach Island in Mahone Bay in Nova Scotia, Canada, is listed on www.valid-private-islands.de for around ??3.5m. Vladi Private Islands / mediadrumimages.com
The property Osprey Nest has 11 bedrooms (Picture: Vladi Private Islands / mediadrumimages.com)

You could own the 57-acre island which is home to an 11,000 square foot manor known as Osprey Nest.

Amazing aerial images show the lush green forest, perfectly manicured lawns, and the 11-bedroom main residence.

There’s even a helicopter landing at the spectacular residence for you to, you know, park your helicopter.

If you fancied getting back to the mainland, Kaulbach has its own wharf to host boats that take a mere six minutes to make the journey.

The island is also 90 minutes away from Halifax International Airport, allowing for easy access.

Chairs on the lawn. NOVA Scotia???s most beautiful island could now be yours after being put on the market for around ??3.5m. Amazing aerial images show the lush green forest, perfectly manicured lawns and the 11-bedroom main residence. Other stunning pictures show the interior of the 11,040-square-foot house with wood-panelled walls, a sleek modern kitchen and a large decking area to enjoy the sun. Another photograph even shows a helicopter landing at the spectacular residence. Kaulbach Island in Mahone Bay in Nova Scotia, Canada, is listed on www.valid-private-islands.de for around ??3.5m. Vladi Private Islands / mediadrumimages.com
And some colourful chairs (Picture: Vladi Private Islands / mediadrumimages.com)
Kitchen. NOVA Scotia???s most beautiful island could now be yours after being put on the market for around ??3.5m. Amazing aerial images show the lush green forest, perfectly manicured lawns and the 11-bedroom main residence. Other stunning pictures show the interior of the 11,040-square-foot house with wood-panelled walls, a sleek modern kitchen and a large decking area to enjoy the sun. Another photograph even shows a helicopter landing at the spectacular residence. Kaulbach Island in Mahone Bay in Nova Scotia, Canada, is listed on www.valid-private-islands.de for around ??3.5m. Vladi Private Islands / mediadrumimages.com
(Picture: Vladi Private Islands / mediadrumimages.com)

The Vladi Private Islands site listing the island’s sale describes it as: ‘A picturesque private island located close to Chester, Nova Scotia’s famous seaside town’.

‘Kaulbach Island is protected from the elements by an array of tiny islets, surrounded by crystal clear water and close by to both a sailing club and a golf range.

‘It’s just a short boat ride from the mainland, on Nova Scotia’s Bluenose Coast.

‘Home to world-class sailing conditions, and close to a hub of activity, within a  matter of minutes, you could enjoy the scenic seascapes of Chester or the quaint atmosphere of Mahone Bay, taking in creative festivals, artisans and boutiques along the way.’

Living area. NOVA Scotia???s most beautiful island could now be yours after being put on the market for around ??3.5m. Amazing aerial images show the lush green forest, perfectly manicured lawns and the 11-bedroom main residence. Other stunning pictures show the interior of the 11,040-square-foot house with wood-panelled walls, a sleek modern kitchen and a large decking area to enjoy the sun. Another photograph even shows a helicopter landing at the spectacular residence. Kaulbach Island in Mahone Bay in Nova Scotia, Canada, is listed on www.valid-private-islands.de for around ??3.5m. Vladi Private Islands / mediadrumimages.com
(Picture: Vladi Private Islands / mediadrumimages.com)

As for the property you could be staying at, the building was built in 2002 and, as we mentioned, has 11 very impressive bedrooms.

Upkeep of the rooms might be a lot of work after a hard day exploring your own island, so naturally, there are purpose-built staff and nanny quarters to take care of your every need.

If you’re not about the outdoorsy life, you can chill in your own library at Osprey which is surrounded by rich-oak panelling.

Tempted?

MORE: Anguilla is the perfect Caribbean destination for a soft adventure holiday

MORE: You can buy your very own chip shop for £850,000

MORE: You can only reach this £750,000 house in Scotland by hopping on a boat or walking for 16 miles


Largest study into depression needs 40,000 volunteers

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(Picture: Getty)

Do genetic properties make people depressed?

Are you more likely to have an anxiety or depression gene? These are some of the questions being looked at in what is said to be the largest study of depression in British individuals.

Researchers are looking for 40,000 volunteers to provide DNA samples so they can look for common genes.

They’re asking over 16s who have or have had clinical anxiety and/or depression to sign up for the Genetic Links to Anxiety and Depression (Glad) study.

The study, by the National Institute for Health Research BioResource and King’s College London, will require respondents to send in a saliva sample to see if some people are predisposed to get the condition.

So far, research suggests that 30% to 40% of the risk for depression and anxiety is genetic while the rest is due to environmental factors such as traumatic life experiences, family or relationship problems or poor physical health.

But there is nothing to show exactly which genes cause depression and anxiety.

(Picture: Getty)

‘By recruiting 40,000 volunteers willing to be contacted for research, the Glad study will take us further than ever before,’ said study lead Dr. Gerome Breen, a geneticist at King’s College London.

‘It will allow researchers to solve the big unanswered questions, address how genes and environment act together and help develop new treatment options.’

Research psychologist and study lead Prof Thalia Eley, of King’s College London, added: ‘We’re asking those who have experienced clinical anxiety or depression to complete a short survey and provide a DNA sample.

‘We want to hear from all different backgrounds, cultures, ethnic groups and genders, and we are especially keen to hear from young adults. By including people from all parts of the population what we learn will be relevant for everyone.’

The results will be helpful in identifying if some people are more prone to the conditions and also better options for treatment.

Talking therapy or anti-depressant drugs – which are the current courses of treatment for depressed and anxious individuals – only work for about half of sufferers.

As a result of this study, researchers hope to better tailor existing treatments for anxiety and depression, and identify possible new targets for drugs.

MORE: Woman opens animal therapy popup for people with mental illness

MORE: What are the signs someone might be suicidal and how you can help save a life?

MORE: Couples are staying together because they can’t financially afford to break up

Metro Road Trip: Your photos of East Anglia

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This summer our Instagram page is on a road trip across the UK.

So far we have travelled around the south and through the Midlands, taking you everywhere from Dorset’s magnificent coastline to the medieval landmarks of Worcestershire.

Here are a few of our most loved images so you can keep up.

Use #MetroRoadTrip to share your pictures for the next stage of our journey, which will take us further up north and into Scotland.

Cambridgeshire

Instagram Photo

You can’t take a trip to Cambridge without a bit of Punting, captured here by @syednooh10.

Instagram Photo

The stunning medieval interior of Ely Cathedral, shown here in this shot by @jessicainyourear.

Suffolk

Instagram Photo

Did you know Suffolk is home to Britain’s smallest pub, shown in this shot by @loulabelle2015?

Norfolk

Instagram Photo

The sun shining down on Blakeney Point, a popular spot on Norfolk’s coast, seen in this photo by @williamridgwell.

The next stage of our road trip will see us heading up to Yorkshire and the northern counties.

Follow us @Metro.co.uk where alongside our #MetroRoadTrip we also regularly post the best pictures from London using #MetroLDN.

MORE: Metro Road Trip: Your summer pictures of the Midlands

MORE: Metro Road Trip: Your summer pictures of Wales and the Severn

The McDonald’s apple pie recipe in the US has changed and people aren’t happy

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Mcdonalds apple
(Picture: Getty/McDonald’s)

Despite the fact you have to wait a bit longer than a normal, the McDonald’s apple pie is a mainstay of the fast food chain.

The deep-fried – and often molten hot – treat, is the worth the wait for some.

In the US, however, everything has changed.

McD’s switched to a baked version rather than the standard bubbly, oily one.

Here are the responses:

The idea was to reduce sugar and get rid of some of the excess ingredients. As it turns out, that’s what we like.

A spokesperson for McDonalds US said, ‘Our new apple pie is made with fewer ingredients such as sugar, sliced 100-percent American grown apples and a bit of cinnamon to the filling for flavor to give each one that homemade taste our customers love.’

Jamie Oliver style health zealots would have you believe that this change coming to UK shores is a good thing.

If the feedback is anything to go by, though, it’s really not.

Never fear, though, as McDonald’s confirmed to Metro.co.uk ‘Our Apple Pie recipe in the UK remains the same.’

It’s a shame, since apple pie is considered such a classic American treat, but people can always just come over here for a taste of the good stuff.

MORE: M&Ms is getting three international flavours, including Mexican jalapeño peanut

MORE: We shouldn’t be surprised that the middle class drink more than the poor

I’m not an object or a toy for your white gaze – don’t fetishise me as a black man

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Archie Mustow
(Picture: Archie Mustow)

What I should say is that, dating as a black man often feels like you’re playing up to a version of yourself. However, that would only be partly true, as creating any new relationship in a mostly white or non-black space feels like this.

There exists this standard of black masculinity that is idolised and fetishised by non-black people, where our blackness (or their perception of our blackness) takes priority over the substantial parts of our character. We black men are left to navigate around this standard and fit in when where we can.

I was unfortunately reminded of this quite recently while listening to an American podcast clip of two white women discussing the men they have f***ed in the past.

One of them bravely and unapologetically described the nature of a ‘real black guy’, using terms such as ‘basketball player height’ and a ‘deep voice’, and then went on to complain about how he ‘didn’t act black enough’.

It was probably one of the most uncomfortable 1 minute and 7 seconds I have experienced in a while, yet I found myself watching it again and again.

When I hear it from white people, I think ‘what the hell do you know about blackness?!’

Something about the sheer audacity and blatant dehumanisation was enticing, and almost too horrific to be true.

I couldn’t help but imagine this clip, exactly in its current state, worked into a sequel of the mystery/thriller movie, Get Out.

If you’re unfamiliar with the movie (spoiler alert!), the plot follows a black man who innocently and unassumingly meets his white girlfriend’s family.

It becomes apparent that his girlfriend was actually targeting him (as she had done to at least 15 other black men), and that he was at the centre of a cult that collected, auctioned and took apart black bodies to be used by white people who wanted the ‘more advantageous’ black characteristics.

The movie’s success came from its creation of a dramatic and theatrical storyline based on the real life experience of many black men.

It plays off this theme that the white people involved are doing the black people a favour by indoctrinating them into something bigger and better than them.

You would think this is far too much of an exaggeration, but when you’ve had conversations with a white person, who rattles off a list of all the things they love about black people, you feel like they’re trying to validate your blackness and you get it.

It’s almost as if white people feel guilty that they get to be white and I have to be black, so they take on the noble role of reminding me that there are some benefits to my negroness by being my mate or wanting to have sex with me.

People often use the difference between racial tensions in the US and the UK as a way to belittle the experiences of black men in the UK or regard them as non-existent.

However, as a black man who grew up in an all-white area, I am all too familiar with being told that I don’t act ‘black enough’, which is why hearing two white women talk about how they ‘hate’ black men who ‘try to act like white people’ hits home a little too hard.

Often, the standard for black behaviours in the UK is one that imitates London black culture. When you don’t fit into that category, your blackness is questioned and sometimes dismissed, as if it’s something that you can pick and choose when you want to be associated with.

I’ve been called an ‘oreo’, which is supposed to describe how I’m black on the outside and white on the inside. I’ve been called ‘the whitest black man I’ve ever met’. The list goes on.

It’s annoying enough to get that from black people who exclude other black people in an attempt to create a standard of blackness for themselves (another argument for another time), but when I hear it from white people, I think ‘what the hell do you know about blackness?!’

Those phrases remind me of how white people see my blackness and it makes me sick. I’m not an object or a toy for your white gaze, so don’t play with me.

MORE: Sex podcast accused of fetishising black men after saying date ‘didn’t act black enough’

MORE: Why is ‘We get it, you like black guys’ becoming a slur in the Asian community?

MORE: A mere 1% of children’s books feature Black, Asian, and ethnic minority main characters

Mum who breastfeeds five-year-old son naked in the bath wants to show that there’s nothing wrong with extended breastfeeding

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Breastfeeding, even in the bath, has helped Amy bond with her son Max, 5. (Picture: Media Drum World Features)

People have lots of different views on breastfeeding, whether it’s how long to do it for or where to do it.

Stay-at-home mum, Amy Hardcastle, has been breastfeeding her five-year-old son since he was born.

The 27-year-old from Lancashire, UK, wants to show people that it’s normal for a child to breastfeed for as long as possible.

She nurses her son while naked in the bath and says nursing an older child is easier as she can explain how to feed directly.

Amy with Max. THIS MUM who breastfeeds her FIVE-YEAR-OLD son wants to show other people that it is normal for a child to breastfeed for as long as possible including naked in the bath because nursing an older child is easier as she can explain how to feed directly. Stay-at-home mum, Amy Hardcastle (27) from Lancashire, UK, is encouraging more and more mothers to feel comfortable nursing their children, regardless of the child???s age as she happily breastfeeds her son Max (5) on a regular basis. Amy hopes to break the stigma on extended breastfeeding and show critics that it???s completely natural and not something to be considered weird as it???s good for the child and encourages closeness. When Max was first born, back in July 2013, Amy didn???t initially feel comfortable breastfeeding her newborn, however she slowly gained the confidence enough to do it in public whenever Max needed it. At six months old Amy began weaning Max onto baby food, alongside her breastmilk as she felt like that was a good length of time to feed him breastmilk exclusively. However, Amy decided to join some local support groups and she got involved with a breastfeeding festival which educated her on the incredible benefits of breastfeeding which made Amy question why she should have to stop so soon. Amy Winter / MDWfeatures
She said it’s easier to nurse an older child as she can wait till they’re home to breastfeed (Picture: Media Drum World Features)

She is encouraging more mothers to feel comfortable nursing their children, regardless of the child’s age, as she happily breastfeeds her son Max on a regular basis.

Amy hopes to break the stigma on extended breastfeeding and show critics that it’s completely natural, good for the child and encourages closeness.

When Max was first born, Amy wasn’t as comfortable feeding him as she is now. She’d felt uncomfortable at first but slowly gained the confidence to be able to do it in public.

After six months of exclusively feeding him breast milk, she started weaning Max onto baby food.

After getting involved in support groups and a breastfeeding festival, she questioned why she should have to stop breastfeeding so soon.

Amy with Max when he was four years old, breastfeeding in the bath. THIS MUM who breastfeeds her FIVE-YEAR-OLD son wants to show other people that it is normal for a child to breastfeed for as long as possible including naked in the bath because nursing an older child is easier as she can explain how to feed directly. Stay-at-home mum, Amy Hardcastle (27) from Lancashire, UK, is encouraging more and more mothers to feel comfortable nursing their children, regardless of the child???s age as she happily breastfeeds her son Max (5) on a regular basis. Amy hopes to break the stigma on extended breastfeeding and show critics that it???s completely natural and not something to be considered weird as it???s good for the child and encourages closeness. When Max was first born, back in July 2013, Amy didn???t initially feel comfortable breastfeeding her newborn, however she slowly gained the confidence enough to do it in public whenever Max needed it. At six months old Amy began weaning Max onto baby food, alongside her breastmilk as she felt like that was a good length of time to feed him breastmilk exclusively. However, Amy decided to join some local support groups and she got involved with a breastfeeding festival which educated her on the incredible benefits of breastfeeding which made Amy question why she should have to stop so soon. Amy Winter / MDWfeatures
(Picture: Media Drum World Features)

‘I have breastfed Max for five years, and he breastfeeds now a few times a week, but neither of us have decided to stop nursing yet,’ she said.

‘I try to explain that just because something isn’t the cultural norm here, it doesn’t make it wrong. Breastfeeding makes complete sense since my body continues to produce milk to sustain and nourish my child.

‘Once you’ve cracked breastfeeding it’s just about going for as long as it works for both of you. Non-human primates stop breastfeeding around the time of the first permanent teeth, which is around five to six years old in human children.

‘When he was younger I used to breastfeed in public, but now it’s rare that he would want to nurse when we’re out as he is older. It’s always at home now.’

Amy and five year old Max. THIS MUM who breastfeeds her FIVE-YEAR-OLD son wants to show other people that it is normal for a child to breastfeed for as long as possible including naked in the bath because nursing an older child is easier as she can explain how to feed directly. Stay-at-home mum, Amy Hardcastle (27) from Lancashire, UK, is encouraging more and more mothers to feel comfortable nursing their children, regardless of the child???s age as she happily breastfeeds her son Max (5) on a regular basis. Amy hopes to break the stigma on extended breastfeeding and show critics that it???s completely natural and not something to be considered weird as it???s good for the child and encourages closeness. When Max was first born, back in July 2013, Amy didn???t initially feel comfortable breastfeeding her newborn, however she slowly gained the confidence enough to do it in public whenever Max needed it. At six months old Amy began weaning Max onto baby food, alongside her breastmilk as she felt like that was a good length of time to feed him breastmilk exclusively. However, Amy decided to join some local support groups and she got involved with a breastfeeding festival which educated her on the incredible benefits of breastfeeding which made Amy question why she should have to stop so soon. Amy Winter / MDWfeatures
(Picture: Media Drum World Features)

Max eats regular meals but is breastfed when he wants.

‘I have no problem nursing during the day, so I’ll keep going until he wants to stop,’ says Amy.

‘I don’t have a problem continuing until he’s fully done.

‘I have friends who were also happy to continue to carry on until the child weaned and they stopped much younger because all children are different.

‘Breast milk never stops being good for you and it’s mostly about comfort and closeness.

It actually gets easier to breastfeed as they grow older. You don’t have to breastfeed every two hours.

‘You can also talk about it with them, I can let him know if my breasts are feeling sore or if I’m feeling touched out and need to say no or ask him to wait until later.

‘Objectively it’s a natural human function, but subjectively people have their opinions on it – none of which are relevant to me.

‘I don’t hate formula and I don’t judge mums who don’t breastfeed, but I do wish all of them had access to the support and information that they need to make sure they’re making fully informed choices. After that it’s up to them and what’s best for their family.’

MORE: Breastfeeding blogger slams trolls for writing lewd sexual comments about her body online

MORE: Runner breastfeeds during mountain marathon to prove a point

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