Modern life can sometimes gives us a gut-full to deal with; rushed breakfasts, long office hours, processed lunches at our desks and hectic social lives.

And while we’re all guilty of grabbing a bite to eat on the go or indulging on an evening out, poor diet and stress can leave us feeling bloated and uncomfortable and ignoring the warning signs of an unhappy gut could actually have a huge impact on our health and wellbeing.

You see, good bacteria in the gut (known as microbiome) can help boost our mood, keep our weight down and even affect cognitive abilities, so it’s important to keep things balanced.

Alternative diets promising a miracle cure have never been more popular, but there are some far simpler solutions to restoring digestive health.

Here, we reveal five practical (and natural!) tips to help get your gut happy again…

Embrace a natural diet

Eating a balanced diet will do wonders for your gut as well as your waistline. Food such as yogurt, kefir and sauerkraut are all great sources of natural probiotics, which help boost the number of good bacteria in your gut. Make sure you also eat plenty of fresh fruit and veg (10 portions if you can), ditching processed foods in favour of natural, home-cooked meals.

A plant-based diet is also rich in polyphenols, which are said to help soothe the digestive system; broccoli, blueberries and cocoa are believed to be especially beneficial. You might also want to look at upping your fibre intake; 25 grams is the recommended daily amount for optimal gut health.

Take your time

We’ve all been known to slouch over our computer screens, wolfing down a packaged sandwich or slobbing on the sofa, not paying proper attention to what we’re eating. Small changes to the way you eat could make a big difference when it comes to your gut health. Try taking your time over your next meal, chewing your food thoroughly to help ease the digestive process.

And try eating little and often; eating more regular meals can stop the gastrointestinal tract from getting overwhelmed. You’re also more likely to feel full quicker and not overindulge – so it’s a win/win situation!

Watch what you drink

Drinking plenty of water will definitely help shake things up internally. Aside from keeping your gut regular, it can help flush out toxins and improve your skin. Eight glasses of water per day is the recommended amount to aim for and it’s a good idea to carry a water bottle around with you to hydrate on the move or to get into the habit of drinking herbal teas.

People often overlook the importance of the beverages they consume, but caffeine and alcohol are two of the biggest culprits when it comes to inflammation in the gut. They can also leave the digestive system out of sync, so it’s best to consume them in moderation and cut back on sugary, fizzy drinks altogether.

Get moving

It may sound obvious, but exercise is a great remedy if you’re feeling a bit sluggish. It doesn’t have to be anything dramatic, either – as long as you get moving a little every day your body will thank you for it. It’s the perfect excuse to try a new hobby like swimming or yoga, which are also major stress relievers – another culprit responsible for unhappy guts.

Stuck for time? A brisk 30-minute walk at lunch will help or why not mix up your commute by incorporating running or cycling into your routine? Physical activity helps get your colon moving and can restore your daily routine, plus you’ll be healthier and fitter than ever before.

Spice up your life

The natural benefits of spices shouldn’t be underestimated if you’re looking to banish the bloat. As well keeping your meals exciting and varied, the likes of chilli, cumin, cinnamon and paprika are all said to lower inflammation in the gut by curbing the growth of harmful bacteria.

And you probably have most of them in your kitchen cupboards already, so it couldn’t be easier to incorporate them into your daily diet!

A blind calf has become best friends with a pit bull who was rescued from a fighting ring.

Two-month-old calf Heaven dotes on Sweetpea. They’re always found together, and love to wander the grounds of the Saving Grace Animal Society in Alix, Alberta.

The pair absolutely love each other – and their favourite thing to do is to play the day away.

Erin Deems, the animal rescue’s executive director, told CBC News that the pair took to each other straight away and immediately bonded.

She said: ‘Love knows no species boundaries. When two animals can bond like that, it’s pretty heartwarming.

‘They really love to sunbathe.

‘Sweetpea really enjoys grooming Heaven so she’s always licking her face and cleaning her up as well as she can. They just really enjoy each other’s company.’

Heaven was rescued by the agency after being found at a northern Alberta dairy farm.

She was so anxious that she was kept away from the rest of the farm animals, and was moved into a small pen in the garden of the shelter facility.

She met Sweetpea and the pair became best pals.

Sweetpea apparently took her around the rescue and ‘showed her the ropes’.

Sweetpea is often helping other dogs who come into the rescue needing extra medical attention, and Erin feels Sweetpea thought Heaven needed it, too.

But Sweetpea has also struggled. Erin believes she was used as a bait dog in an underground fighting ring, and when she was rescued she was underweight, had multiple infections and was covered in lacerations.

Erin adds that Sweetpea is the most ‘forgiving’ and loving animal, and that shows in the way she treats Heaven.

Erin said: ‘They’re both going to live out the rest of their days at their sanctuary so they can continue their friendship for as long as they see fit.’

MORE: Boy with scars on head and abdomen overjoyed to receive doll that looks just like him

MORE: Grateful puppy wagged her tail after being rescued from cave after three weeks

If there’s an awful smell in your kitchen you just can’t track down, you need to see this.

A woman has shared photos of the mould-covered drip trays in the back of her fridge, explaining that those hidden compartments can be the cause of some seriously nasty smells.

Like most of us, Charlotte had no clue that there was a secret compartment in the fridge collecting dirt.

The drip pan is a container that collects condensation from the defrost drain, leading to a build up of water.

If the fridge isn’t given a deep clean regularly, that drip tray can collect some pretty nasty stuff… and you likely won’t realise until it emits a truly awful smell.

‘I didn’t even know there was a drip tray on fridges,’ wrote Charlotte in the Mrs Hinch Cleaning Tips Facebook group.

‘I always wondered what the bung was for in the back of a fridge. I always clean it. But never knew there was a tray above the motor where the liquid collects.

‘So if any of you have a bad smell in the kitchen, and you can’t find it. Try here first!! Absolutely disgusted with myself!!’

Charlotte’s not alone in being oblivious to the drip tray’s existence, as evidenced by the comments.

One person wrote: ‘This happened to me last year, had a horrible smell couldn’t find were it was coming from then we found the tray… omg it stank,my son had spilt milk. I’d cleaned the fridge but this had dripped in to tray, I was heaving.’

Another commented: ‘I only discovered this when i started to smell fish weeks after i had some in a bag… The smell was rotten fish and moulded over.’

Blegh.

So, how do you locate your drip tray, remove it, and give it a proper clean to prevent a stink?

Drip pans are located in different spots on different fridges, but they’re always at the bottom, and usually at the back – so you’ll need to pull your fridge out to get a proper look.

It’s worth checking your user manual if you still have it, but as few of us actually keep those things your best bet is to search for a kick panel and pull it off.

Inside you should see your drip pan – a little receptacle collecting water.

Most drip trays are easily removed. If you can dislodge yours, take it over to the sink, tip out any water that’s collected, and give it a good scrub with a kitchen cleaning spray, hot water, and washing up liquid.

Dry it off and then place the tray back in the fridge. It does need to be in there, so don’t think you can eliminate the risk of an odour by just not replacing it.

If your drip tray doesn’t easily slide out of your fridge, don’t panic.

You’ll just need to get rid of the water that’s collected inside – if you have a vacuum that can handle liquids, use the hose to slurp it up. If not, you’ll need to get creative. Try soaking up the water with a sponge and squeezing into the sink for a few rounds.

Once you’ve removed the water, spray down the tray with disinfectant, leave for a few minutes, then wipe away with a damp sponge. Dry off before closing up your fridge again.

Most of the time a drip tray won’t cause any issues, and you’ll only be alerted to its existence by an absolutely foul smell.

If you’re keen to keep everything super clean, it’s worth doing a wipe down of this little compartment once a month or so, or every time you do a deep clean of your fridge.

MORE: Mum says this 17p coke cleaning hack completely removes greasy stains from clothes

MORE: People are obsessed with this easy trick for cleaning dirty oven racks

MORE: Mrs Hinch fans are celebrating their birthdays with cleaning-inspired cakes

Is there any method of hair removal that’s actually bearable?

Shaving leaves us stubbly, hair removal cream rarely works, and epilating hurts.

Even if you can bear the pain of waxing, there are still risks lurking.

That’s the lesson shared by Kiera Stirton, from Glasgow, who managed to glue her armpit together thanks to an attempt to wax away her hair.

Kiera had tried to do some at-home waxing as a surprise for her boyfriend… but things didn’t go to plan.

She wrote on Twitter: ‘Ano yous are all bored about hearing about me and ma boyfriend but yes he’s on holiday so a thought I would suprise him and wax, forget the wax was wet now my f***ing armpit is glued the gither.’

Kiera shared photos and video showing her armpit firmly stuck with bright red wax (don’t worry, that’s not blood), joking that she’d have to go to A&E to get her underarms sorted.

‘It’s hardened I cannot lift my arm,’ she wrote.

Eventually Kiera had the courage to rip the wax away, which left her with a cut in her armpit and some bruising. Ouch.

Kiera said she’ll stick to using a razor for her bikini line, and we can’t blame her.

At least her pain serves as a cautionary tale to all those who want to rid themselves of body hair.

Plus, someone else’s beauty fail is always highly entertaining.

If you ever find yourself in a similar situation, don’t panic. There are ways to remove the wax without ripping your skin in the process.

If you regret sticking wax on a body part, simply get a washcloth and soak it in warm water before holding on the area. This will help to soften the wax and make it easier to slide off.

Grab some oil – baby oil, olive oil, cleansing oil, whatever you have. Douse the wax in oil to dissolve it, then gently wipe away. Easy, and a lot less painful then trying to pull off wax after you realise you’ve made a terrible mistake.

MORE: Huda Beauty’s new Neon Obsessions Eyeshadow Palettes are bang on trend

MORE: Makeup artist’s fake tan fail made friends think she’d been kidnapped

MORE: Fake tan mishap makes man think his girlfriend has been touched by a horny ghost

Having a truly awful haircut is a rite of passage. You have to go through it to learn how important it is to take proper care when getting a chop.

Lottie Taylor, two, has learned this lesson earlier than most.

Her mum, Becci, was left mortified when she accidentally gave her little girl a ‘Dumb and Dumber’ haircut with a too-short fringe.

There was nothing that could be done apart from waiting for Lottie’s hair to grow back, but the toddler had other ideas.

The next morning, clearly determined to fix her mum’s mistakes, Lottie nicked a pair of scissors and cut the middle part of her fringe right off. Oh dear.

Lottie’s creativity was spotted by dad Luke, who woke up for work and saw scissors and hair scattered across the floor.

When Becci tried to tell Lottie off for what she’d done, the little girl said she was just making herself ‘more beautiful’. Fair play.

Becci, of Haywards Heath, West Sussex, said: ‘Lottie’s fringe was getting really long and getting in her eyes so while she was in the bath I thought I would cut her hair.

‘I’ve cut her fringe before but obviously not that short.

‘She was swimming around in the bath as I was trying to cut it. I made one cut and I knew it was too short but I had to just go with it.

‘I couldn’t stop laughing. When she was out of the bath and her hair was dry I was like “oh my god”. She really did look like the character from Dumb and Dumber.

‘I sent a picture to my husband and he just replied “what have you done to her hair?”. We thought it was hilarious. I showed everyone.’

Lottie waited until her parents had gone to sleep before she made an attempt to fix her mum’s handiwork.

While the final look might not be to many people’s tastes, Lottie insists she loves it, having bragged about her new style to the other children at nursery.

‘She cut a big chunk right out of the middle of her fringe,’ says Becci. ‘There’s just this big really short patch.

‘She was very lucky she didn’t cut her fingers.

‘I think she was trying to make it better. It’s like she was thinking she could do a better job than I had.

‘When I saw her I just couldn’t believe it. Not only did she have a Dumb and Dumber haircut, now it was even worse.

‘I told her off and asked “why did you cut your hair? That’s really naughty” and she told me she wanted to look more beautiful.

‘She loves it. She’s really proud of herself. She went into nursery and proudly told everyone that she cut her own hair.

‘She is such a character. She’s very sassy.

‘Everyone thinks it’s hilarious. Her grandmother was absolutely wetting herself when we showed her.’

MORE: Woman’s wax goes wrong when she accidentally glues her armpit together

MORE: Makeup artist’s fake tan fail made friends think she’d been kidnapped

MORE: I won’t take the iPad off my toddler, it’s a great parenting tool

When we think about working class people, we might mistakenly think about people who worked in heavy industry and manufacturing.

Miners, steel workers, dockers – the common view of traditional working class people is usually both male and industrial.

There has been a historical fetishism attached to this image, with John Lennon noting that ‘a working class hero is something to be.’

But what about working class women? Are we heroines?

My research as a sociologist for 15 years has focused on class stigma, prejudice and stereotypes.

It is this and my own personal experience that tells me working class women have carried the brunt of that class stigma.

I am a working class woman. I’m the daughter, granddaughter and great granddaughter of working class women.

I was a working class girl born and bred in a working class community in the East Midlands, Sutton in Ashfield – a mining town in Nottinghamshire.

I left school at 16 and went straight to work in a factory with my mum, my aunties and friends from the estate.

Leaving school in 1984 was tough for working class girls. Our education was bound by society’s expectation of us, which was a factory worker and mother, raising the generation of working class people.

This was even though our whole community and most of the UK would be totally deindustrialised by the next generation, leaving us and our children without the necessary skills and education to join the ‘new reality.’

Working class people are often called ‘the left behind’, in reality, we were left out.

I had my son when I was 19 years old and I moved from full time day shift work making tights for Pretty Polly to part time evening shift work.

I would start my shift at five in the evening and finish at 10, swapping my son with a variety of family members.

He was born in 1988, at the height of the Thatcher and John Major Conservative governments, who spread the rhetoric of young working class girls getting pregnant only to get a council house.

This couldn’t have been further from the truth. The hoops I had to jump through, the humiliations I had to face, just to get on the council waiting list.

Sat in the council office, the housing officer asked me why I wanted to go on the council housing waiting list.

I had my baby son in the pushchair. She peered over the desk at him as I told her I has a baby and could no longer live with my parents.

She looked him up and down, noted his brown skin, curly hair and mixed race features. He was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen (and still is at 30 years old).

She looked back hard at me and said, ‘You might have thought about that before you opened your legs.’

Complaining would have meant being kicked out of the housing office and not being allowed on the list. So I held back my burning tears of anger and swallowed the lump and sucked it up.

Homelessness with a baby would have been worse than humiliation.

Three decades have passed and I am now an academic. I teach sociology at university level and have a PhD from the University of Nottingham.

I studied for almost 10 years, getting into education through a free access course (that now costs £3,000) and working the night shift at a homeless hostel to support my son.

Despite the fact that I have a title of ‘Dr’, none of this matters when people are assessing me.

Class sticks to you. It’s the way you walk, your accent, mannerisms, the way you dress and how you understand the world.

As a working class woman you suffer 1001 different subtle (and not so subtle) micro-aggressions every day. You are seen as ‘other’ and less than from the day you are born, and you carry it with you.

The common view is that to become socially mobile you must leave your working class life behind you. I am a working class academic. You can be working class, read and write books.

Nothing has changed for working class women in the last 30 years, and in some respects, the last 60 years.

My mother was looked down on for having me as a teenager in 1968, as I was stigmatised in 1988.

Today, working class women’s reproduction is still seen as a problem. They have children ‘that they can’t afford and society doesn’t need.’

Austerity measures have hit working class women the hardest. Social problems caused by cuts to welfare, youth clubs, housing are laid at working class women’s feet and seen as being caused by our mothering, rather than a system that systematically abuses us.

I am proud to be working class. I am proud of my mother and my grandmother.

They taught me how to survive, how to love my family and community. I am the woman I am because of them.

Who would want to be a working class woman? Me.

MORE: My Label and Me: I’m new to the nudist lifestyle but I’ve never felt more free

MORE: My Label and Me: I became an orphan when I was seven years old

MORE: My Label and Me: I’ve been called a Tory and a Communist but I’m really a champagne socialist

My first ‘best friend’ was a five-year-old girl with freckles who could never quite make it overnight at a sleepover without having to call her mama.

Since then, I’ve called a number of other people my ‘best friend’ and I must say, they haven’t always deserved the title. Now, I like to refer to my favourite people as my best friends because it makes me feel warm in the heart area to do so.

It’s a funny idea, though, the ‘best friend’. Why do we feel the need to rank our friendships? Is there something wrong with us if we don’t have a single best friend as an adult? Should we be trying to recruit as many friends as possible so we can learn to like ourselves?

Let me address some of the most common queries about best friends – just in time for National Best Friend Day.

Is it OK not to have a best friend?

OMFG, yes. Absolutely.

I think a lot of people who don’t have one feel like it’s some sort of personal failing, or an indictment of them as a person.

Whether or not you organise your friendships into a hierarchy of intimacy has no bearing on what kind of person you are, really. You are entirely worthy of love, even if you do not have one friend you hold in higher regard than the rest of them.

Grading personal relationships by importance is a slightly strange thing to do, anyway, if you think about it long enough.

I will simply say this, though: it’s important to have friends. Being vulnerable with people we’re not tied to by marriage or biology is a life-changing, heart-expanding thing. It’s also one of the smartest thing we can do for our mental and physical health.

Find some good people to have in your life, hold them tight, tell them what they mean to you and tend to them like precious houseplants.

There is no real reason to classify some of them as best friends and others as regular friends. It’s not necessary and you needn’t do it, unless – as Marie Kondo would say – it sparks joy to do so. If you like to use the term ‘best friend’ to make it very clear that you think they’re pretty special, do, but it is also entirely, thoroughly fine not to.

Is it better to have several best friends, or a big group of friends?  

Mindy Kaling said it best when she said that ‘best friend’ is not a person; it’s a tier.

I would happily count several people as my best friends. I use the term fairly liberally, mostly because I sometimes find the word ‘friend’ on its own to be insufficient. I often wish there was something stronger than that word, because those six little letters strung together can cover so many casual relationships and frankly, I like to be able to convey just how powerfully I adore my closest people.

I am also a huge believer in diversifying our emotional portfolios; investing in several different relationships so that you’re never utterly alone if one person disappears from your life for whatever reason.

It’s good to have multiple perspectives and influences in our lives, so choosing to have a group of friends rather than one single almighty buddy is probably very sensible. I would say, though, that it needn’t be a huge group.

We often make the mistake of measuring our lovability by the size of our friendship groups, rather than the quality of them. You do not need to surround yourself with a spectacular number of friends, unless of course you’re a serious extrovert and you can find the time to maintain lots of friendships.

It’s lovely to have enough people in your life to fill out a guest list for a party or a wedding, but try not to equate the size of your entourage with your worth as a human being. It’s probably best practice to have a little group of close friends and, if you like, a broader group of slightly more tenuous friendships.

I find the old adage to be true: if you can count your true friends on one hand, you’re extremely lucky. If you’d like to refer to those people as your best friends, then by all means, go ahead. It can be quite useful shorthand for ‘these people matter to me’.

What’s so good about having a best friend, anyway?

Well, it’s not compulsory to have one person you adore more fiercely than everyone else, but it is jolly nice to have at least someone you treasure. Maybe a couple, or a handful, if you’re lucky.

The benefits of having at least one very close friend include, but are not limited to, the following: thoughtful advice, personal jokes, television recommendations, company through both joy and misery, solidarity, loyalty, and cuddles, high-fives or light arm-touches (depending on your comfort with physical intimacy).

It also generally means having someone to support you and remind you of who you really are. It means you get to walk around in this world with the knowledge that someone has chosen, over and over, to have you in their life – not motivated by genetics, romantic intentions, sex, greed or ambition.

It’s one of the purest sorts of love there is, the love between best friends. If you choose wisely, they should have your back, protect you at all costs and agree to share your nemeses. They should be your confidants, your companions and your cheerleaders. They should make you feel like the best version of yourself when you’re in their presence.

We all deserve them – and we can call them whatever we like.

MORE: Here are the WhatsApp rules we all need to follow

MORE: Lean On Me: How do I go about becoming friends with my boss?

MORE: Lean On Me: My friend dropped me until she wanted a favour. Should I let her go?

Employers should introduce lunchtime fitness classes to help deal with the growing obesity crisis – according to new guidance.

Health officials have suggested that bosses should offer spinning and yoga in the middle of the working day to help keep their staff healthy.

The guidance, published by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice), also advises companies to introduce stand-up meetings and to encourage employees to use the stairs by making sure they are clearly signposted.

Other suggestions include offering subsidised gym memberships and distributing leaflets to encourage people to take the stairs and take regular breaks from sitting down.

As well as tackling obesity, another aim of the guidance is to reduce the number of people who have to take sick leave because of stress, depression or anxiety.

More than 131 million working days were lost to sickness in 2017, with 13 million of those days lost because of mental ill-health, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics.

Working out at lunchtime can be hugely beneficial, and it can do wonders for your mental as well as physical health – encouraging time away from computer and phone screens.

But the reality of that isn’t always simple – lots of us are working longer hours than ever before and it can be hard to find the time to tear yourself away from your desk. NICE officials say there needs to be a culture shift.

‘If the United Kingdom’s 5.7 million small and medium sized businesses encouraged their workforce to be more active, they are more likely to reap the benefits of having engaged employees who are more productive and are less likely to take time off sick,’ says Professor Gillian Leng, deputy chief executive and director of health and social care at NICE.

‘Simple things like providing secure bicycle storage, showers and changing facilities can go a long way to enabling people to cycle to work or to meetings.

‘As a society we are facing an obesity crisis caused in part by people not exercising enough.

‘We need people to change their lifestyle and to take more exercise. If they can do this during the working day, not only will they benefit, but so too will their employers and the NHS. It’s a win, win for everyone.’

One in four people were classed as obese in 2016 up from one in six in 1993. And almost two thirds of people fall within the overweight or obese category compared with just over half in 1993, according to NHS Digital.

MORE: It’s perfectly fine not to have a ‘best friend’

MORE: Is Cheryl’s ‘extremist’ workout actually safe? We ask the experts

MORE: Woman uncovers cause of horrible smell in the kitchen (that lots of us won’t know about)

Ikea is taking another step to be more environmentally conscious.

This week they announced plans to use only recycled polyester in textile products, rather than making new polyester each time, by 2020.

That’s a big deal, because it’s part of Ikea’s plan to become a circular business, meaning that materials are recycled rather than being chucked away and there’s no waste produced.

By switching from virgin polyester to recycled, Ikea will help lower greenhouse gas emissions, save energy, and decrease pollution of landfills and oceans. Sounds good.

At the moment, 50% of the brand’s textile products are made of recycled polyester, but in the next few months Ikea plans to make this 100%.

Already today Ikea uses the equivalent of 5 billion collected and recycled bottles in its textile product range.

Nils Månsson, material & innovation deployment leader at Ikea, said: ‘We realise that aiming to replace all virgin polyester with recycled by 2020 is a bold target, and we know that it´s not an easy road ahead of us.

‘But we are committed to ending our dependency on virgin fossil materials by 2030, and this is one important step on the way.

‘From our own history we know that when we overcome challenges it becomes opportunities.

‘By recycling PET products, we’re giving them a second life. We also hope to inspire others to follow for a greater positive impact on people and planet.’

If you ask us, this is just another reason to do an Ikea trip this weekend.

We might wait until the vegan meatballs are out for the most joy we’ve ever felt furniture shopping.

MORE: Ikea recreates iconic living rooms from TV shows (and you can buy all the products to do the same)

MORE: Woman thought Tinder match’s home was very stylish – but he was actually in Ikea

Eid Al-Fitr is still being celebrated by Muslims around the world to commemorate the end of Ramadan. The festival typically involves being decked out in the flyest outfits.

Muslims globally, as part of the Islamic faith, don fresh new garments during the three-day festivities.

Young black Muslims have been using a hashtag #BlackOutEid to show off their Eid outfits and the looks are fierce.

Muslims from the UK, US, Gambia and others are using the viral trend to offset the erasure of black Muslims which happens often as ‘Muslim’ has become synonymous with Arab and Asian communities.

The hashtag was started four years ago by Aamina Mohamed and gains more momentum each year.

The move came as a pushback to not seeing visibility for black Muslims at faith-led events, talks, mainstream outlets and even social media including Snapchat which was criticised for filters that excluded black Muslims.

Aamina, a screenwriter and producer from Minnesota, started it to see more people like herself and hoped at least ten people would join in on the hashtag.

Today, there are thousands of people taking part.

Eid Mubarak y’all! I hope everyone is having a blessed day 🥺✨ #EidMubarak #BlackoutEid pic.twitter.com/FAqhVfK18z

— Nafisa (@AyeNaff) June 5, 2019

‘I felt it was something that we were aching for,’ Aamina told Paper.

‘An international connection and celebration. But even if it was just 10 people from around the world sharing pictures, I’d be satisfied.

‘Knowing people anticipate it every year and sometimes make connections and fall in love is a plus.’

The Eid Met Gala’s finest. ✨ #EidMubarak #BlackoutEid pic.twitter.com/Xqa8dbNmjV

— ✨ ملكة (@nenamalikah) June 4, 2019

Aamina started the Eid version of the trend after being inspired by #BlackOutDay – a quarterly call to action to take a selfie and celebrate blackness.

Now Muslim men, women, and children respectively style their traditional attire of thoubs, abayas, kaftans and more on social media to show that black Muslims exist and they’re slaying.

The hashtag is used for both Eid festivals which happen twice a year, at the end of Ramadan and again at the end of the Hajj pilgrimage.

Here are some of the trendiest looks from this Eid:

couldn’t find a fit so decided to make my own this year. jumpsuit and sidebag designed and sewn by me #BlackoutEid #EidMubarak pic.twitter.com/pXvNctsf4O

— golliwog (@brownboklit) June 4, 2019

Coming in at the 4th quarter from the west coast #BlackOutEid #Eid2019 #EidAlFitr pic.twitter.com/7gj75ajTGm

— golly (@androididman) June 5, 2019

A west African revert and you didn’t think I would snap? #EidMubarak #BlackOutEid pic.twitter.com/SOzGndBsLy

— Abu Bakr 📸 (@LL_Coudjo) June 4, 2019

The sun didn't shine but I did 🐝
(Abaya by me) #BlackoutEid #EidMubarak pic.twitter.com/1yY3KDD8PJ

— أمل (@Ayusuf__) June 4, 2019

Eid in Sin city wasn’t so bad🌸 #Blackouteid #EidUlFitr pic.twitter.com/P8lAqwlynI

— آريا (@AryaVisuals) June 5, 2019

insta seen it first, #Blackouteid 🖤✨ pic.twitter.com/Pl02dUSHJ2

— jija (@_Jijaaa_) June 6, 2019

May Allah continue to bless and favor us. #EIDMubarak #SunjKoriteh220 #BlackOutEid #Gambia #EidAlFitr #BlackBoyJoy pic.twitter.com/mpfzh0k67L

— Iss (@IsmailJobe) June 4, 2019

Eid Mubarak from yours truly ✨ #BlackOutEid pic.twitter.com/Lqx1YIndxa

— n (@najmaysf) June 6, 2019

Eid inspo coming early this year ✨ #blackouteid #EidMubarak pic.twitter.com/SZYXumbOp0

— Ahlam B. (@ahglam_) June 3, 2019

Eid Mubarak to all muslims around the globe🙏🏾 #SunjKoriteh220 #BlackOutEid #eidulfitr2019 pic.twitter.com/8JBB7EI9bR

— Ayeesha (@Ayeesha_Zay) June 4, 2019

MORE: Muslims Who Fast: Yassmin shows us a ‘Sudanese-Australian combination iftar’

MORE: Muslims Who Fast: Sumaya, a plus size modest fashion model, eats iftar with her family on the floor

MORE: Men, we should all be helping at home during Ramadan

An Instagram influencer has proudly claimed that she and her husband engage in ‘choreplay’, whereby doing housework results in sex.

Blogger Bridie, who goes by Bri Dietz, on Instagram told her followers that there’s ‘nothing hotter’ than seeing her husband Bobby do some chores.

The mum-of-two, from San Diego, U.S, referenced the book The Five Languages of Love, saying helping around the house was Bobby’s love language.

But many of her Instagram followers felt that domestic duties should have equal contribution and men doing their load was not an ‘act of service’ as Bri claimed.

While the influencer’s posts are often enjoyed for their funny and whimsical nature, her recent post was criticised for perpetuating gender norms which see men being praised and rewarded for the bare minimum.

Users noted that men are often praised for ‘helping’ with housework while women are expected to just get on with it.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx1CUZXJy68/

‘Nothing hotter. Any other ‘acts of service’ love language-ers out there? Mine 100%,’ Bri captioned the image of the two of them sitting on steps in their home.

The letterboard read: ‘Helping out with housework so you can get lucky is called choreplay’.

While some found it hilarious and relatable, others felt it was an insidious message.

One person wrote: “Helping with the housework” infantilises men and implies that the home is the woman’s job. Nothing sexy about that.’

Another shared the sentiment, saying: ‘Helping with the housework?’ It’s his house too. It’s his responsibility too,

‘It shouldn’t be so rare he’s ‘helping’ that when he does it’s a turn on. And implying he’s just helping to “get lucky” is cringe as hell.’

Another asked ‘Why isn’t it called “helping” when a woman does it?’, while one person joked: ‘Things that are hotter- not expecting a reward for doing your share around the house.’

Some also consider doing the housework a love language which should be rewarded.

‘[This is] not abusive, crude or sexist,’ said one person. ‘Marriage is rarely ever a completely even 50/50 split.

‘Help with housework or my husband handling dinner from time to time is one of my favourite surprises! Hello, love language! He for sure hits a sweet spot with that. No shame.’

MORE: Woman uncovers cause of horrible smell in the kitchen (that lots of us won’t know about)

MORE: What is the eagle sex position?

MORE: If you notice a faint smell of vomit in your kitchen, you could have a drain fly infestation

The way we currently define constipation might not be entirely correct, according to new research.

A team at King’s College London team says a new definition for constipation is needed, because patients are having such different experiences with the condition.

Constipation is where you have difficultly opening or emptying your bowels, and passing stools. It’s really common, affecting one in seven people, but the way it is diagnosed varies widely.

Doctors and the public often don’t agree on the symptoms of constipation, which means some people aren’t getting the correct advice or treatment that they need.

Researchers are now pushing for a new definition that they hope will improve clarity around the condition and make it easier for patients and doctors to identify what is causing their symptoms.

These are the six symptoms could help form a new definition of constipation – and it’s a whole lot more complicat

• Abdominal discomfort, pain and bloating – clothes not fitting as well as usual.
• Rectal discomfort – bleeding from pushing too hard, pain or burning sensation in the anal area.
• Infrequent bowel movements and hard stools – normal can range from three times a day to three times a week.
• Sensory dysfunction – not having the urge to go or a sense of incomplete evacuation.
• Flatulence and bloating – noisy or smelly wind.
• Faecal incontinence – uncontrolled leakage or rectal bleeding.

After surveying 2,557 members of the public, 411 GPs and 365 gastroenterology specialists, the experts found that what most people think of as symptoms of constipation aren’t included in any official diagnostic criteria.

Things like – spending a long time on the toilet unable to pass a stool, straining and needing to use laxatives – none of these are officially classed as constipation symptoms.

They also found that one in three ‘healthy’ patients didn’t recognise their symptoms of constipation at all – suggesting that there isn’t enough public understanding of what constipation actually is.

Only half of people who said they had constipation actually experienced infrequent bowel movements – which is a symptom that medical professionals tend to emphasise when describing constipation.

‘Our research may indicate that people who seek help for symptoms of constipation don’t always have them recognised, diagnosed or managed,’ said Dr Eirini Dimidi, study author from King’s College London.

She added that constipation was usually caused by a lack of fibre or fluid in the diet, but that it could also be a sign of something more serious.

She said it was ‘always important to consult your doctor if you experience gut symptoms.’

MORE: Workplaces should offer lunchtime spinning and yoga classes to ‘tackle obesity’

MORE: Young black Muslims show off their Eid swag using #BlackOutEid hashtag

MORE: Husband’s ‘choreplay’ idea slammed for using housework to ‘get lucky’

What do you do when you witness a spot rising up to the surface?

Let’s face it, nothing ruins a morning like waking up to a giant spot. But instead of squeezing it, or slapping on toothpaste in the hope of hindering its growth, how about applying a ZitSticka KILLA Spot Clarifying Patch Kit (£27) immediately to the blemish to treat and heal it, fast?

These Korean beauty inspired acne patches are specifically designed to treat below-the-surface spots in a flash ‘before it gets real’.

And they’ve proven to be popular, as they sold out within a week of launching online at Cult Beauty.

The patches, that are appropriately named KILLA, look and work just like a regular hydrocolloid bandages (aka blister plasters) – they’re water-resistant, transparent and absorb fluid from the pimple.

But get this, each patch has 24 tiny microdarts to penetrate your skin’s surface and ‘self-dissolve to flood the epicentre of your early-stage zit’ to dispense effective ingredients to the source where the infection began – so they work to banish blemishes even before they come to a head.

These ingredients include; hyaluronic acid to hydrate, oligopeptide-76 to kill acne-causing bacteria, salicylic acid to exfoliate and niacinamide to reduce inflammation and congestion.

One Cult Beauty customer even went as far to say the ZitSticka KILLA Spot Clarifying Patch Kit changed their skin forever: ‘These spot patches have completely changed my attitude to acne. I had several important events coming up and I could feel that the spot brewing was going to be HUGE.

‘While that particular spot was too far gone for the dramatic effects of the patch to take place, the redness, size and longevity of it was severely reduced.

The reviewer continued to say: ‘I have since been able to test the patches on other hormonal cysts before they reach the surface and I am happy to say that they really do work.’

To use, it’s recommend to sterilise the area first using the wipe included and once skin is dry, peel the patch from its case and press on to the spot.

Over a few hours the patch will draw out gunk and grime (just as a blister plaster would) and once you peel it off, the spot will be flatter and significantly less inflamed.

They’re also incredibly discreet, so could easily be worn during your morning commute, or overnight so you can sleep while it works it magic.

But remember they’re not an acne cure and they won’t replace your skincare routine – rather they’re good for a quick fix, especially just before an important social event.

The ZitSticka KILLA Spot Clarifying Patch Kit (£27) contains eight KILLA Patches and CLEANA Swabs and can be purchased online at ZitSticka, Cult Beauty and Boots.

MORE: Huda Beauty’s new Neon Obsessions Eyeshadow Palettes are bang on trend

MORE: Amazon customers are loving this £5 eyebrow dye kit - here's why

Artist David Carter began studying for his degree at The University of Texas at Austin in 1971, and had just one more semester before he graduated.

Disastrously for the now 65-year-old, David had an accident while intoxicated which severely injured his hand, destroying his ability to draw.

The incident took David into a life of addiction which saw him drop out of university and eventually become homeless.

After a journalist spoke to David while he was begging outside the campus, David was finally able to go back.

Ryan Chandler, a journalism and government student, initially profiled David for a project before deciding to find his transcript and get him to complete his degree.

The university decided to cover the application fees.

David also showed me the list of classes he has inquired about taking. He's interested in writing about civil rights and African history. pic.twitter.com/Hbt6xP5jz4

— Ryan Chandler (@RyanChandler98) April 16, 2019

Alcalde, the alumni magazine of The University of Texas at Austin, reported that David has been working on restarting his life over the past year.

Nonprofit for the homeless Caritas of Austin was able to find him affordable housing where David is partly responsible for the rent. He also takes work where he can find it and has been working on his sobriety.

The College of Fine Arts agreed to help David pick up his college degree where he left off.

Ryan said David’s story particularly resonated with him. In his earlier project, he wrote: ‘David’s hope for a degree was replaced with destitution, disability and dependence, a fateful combination that left [him] on the street, just as it does to so many other homeless individuals.’

David will commence classes this week and hopes to graduate before his 67th birthday.

‘My dream is to write a great novel. I’ve been writing for 30 years now,’ David told the Alcalde. ‘I want to be sure I make a contribution to posterity.

‘Nobody owes me anything…but people on campus have blessed me time and time again. It’s just a miracle, so many good friends here on campus. That’s the only way I’ve made it.’

MORE: Homeless man asks top chef for some change but gets a job instead

MORE: A woman fell in love with a homeless man, picked him off the streets and changed his life

MORE: Heartwarming moment a homeless man is reunited with his lost pet rat Lucy

Bronzer is a sure way to get a summer glow without stepping a foot in the sun.

A good bronzer adds a healthy looking glow to any skin tone, contours and adds depth to your complexion in just a few sweeps.

Benefit’s Hoola Matte Bronzer (£26) is beloved by MUAs, bloggers, editors and beauty lovers alike and it has the awards and rave reviews to prove its greatness – this little cardboard box has a star rating of 4.75 on Lookfantastic.

So when Benefit unveiled its expansion of its shade range earlier this year, it’s safe to say the beauty industry rejoiced.

https://www.instagram.com/p/ByDB_WIgqz3/

The cult classic now includes a medium-deep bronze called Hoola Caramel and a deep bronze named Hoola Toasted. And you’ll be pleased to hear that the new shades are the same matte, blendable formula as their original award winning Hoola.

Now that everyone can now get their mitts on the sought-after boxes of brown powder we spoke to Lisa Potter Dixon, Benefit Cosmetics UK’s head makeup artist on how to apply bronzer like a pro and how to find your skin’s perfect bronze.

Apply bronzer in a 3 shape

According to Lisa, applying bronzer in the figure 3 after you apply your base is ‘the easiest way to apply’ it.

She tells Metro.co.uk: ‘Do a figure of three either side of the face, starting from the forehead, going down under the cheek bones and then under the jawline.

‘Finish by sweeping down the neck to ensure it matches the colour of your face. This technique will give you a soft, contoured finish which will help to define your facial features.’

It can also lift and define facial features

‘Bronzer can also be used to create an illusion,’ explains Lisa. ‘For example, If you dust it down each side of the nose, you create a shadow which makes the nose look slimmer.’

‘The same goes with applying it under the cheekbones. This helps to make them look lifted and defined.’

https://www.instagram.com/p/ByNkDJoDAZx/

Less is more

If you’ve been overzealous with your bronzer, just take a clean powder brush and blend, blend, blend.

Lisa says: ‘To stop your bronzer from looking muddy, pick the right tone for you. Also, always tap off the excess bronzer off your brush before you apply. Remember, less is more’

Find your perfect bronzer shade for your skin tone

Do not fear bronzer. Lisa explains that finding the right one is all about the undertones.

She tells us: ‘For fair skin a soft, subtle bronzer with a neutral undertone is perfect for adding a touch of warmth to a fair complexion – Hoola Lite is ideal for this.

‘For medium deep, or tanned skin tones, a warm toned, matte bronzer is beautiful on a medium skin tone as it helps enhance the natural warmth of the skin.

‘Hoola Original or Hoola Caramel are best for medium deep / tanned skin tone.

‘Whereas for deep skin tones, a bronzer with a rich, red based undertone is great for enhancing a dark skin and adding a natural looking contoured effect – Hoola Toasted works perfectly for this.’

Powder vs. cream bronzer

‘All bronzing powders can give you a matte, flawless finish,’ says Lisa. ‘Cream bronzer gives more of a satin, dewy finish.’

Don’t apply bronzer last

Lisa explained that ‘highlighters should be applied last, as putting bronzers over the top could dull the glow.’ Good to know.

Benefit is available to be purchased online at Lookfantastic, Boots and Cult Beauty.

MORE: Huda Beauty’s new Neon Obsessions Eyeshadow Palettes are bang on trend

MORE: Amazon customers are loving this £5 eyebrow dye kit - here's why

If you’re a child of the 80s, you might remember the boombox.

Before the bluetooth speaker, you were able to carry this around to play music in the park or at a friend’s house.

The way we listen to music has moved on but sometimes it is nice to be nostalgic.

Aldi has brought the boombox into this decade. It has the same retro style, but it includes the ability to plug in a USB or SD card or to connect it to bluetooth so you can play music digitally too.

It also includes a radio, microphone and a recording function.

And if you still have some old cassette tapes lying around, it can play those too.

The whole thing can either be plugged into the mains if you want to listen to music at home or if you want to take it out with you, it can run on batteries.

It features a classic carry handle so it’s easy to take it to the park.

The Aldi Reka Boombox Cassette player costs £29.99, available in store and online.

It’s available from this Sunday 9 June but you can preorder it today.

According to the description on the Aldi website, the boombox has ‘ all the features you expect from modern technology without compromising on style’.

While you are exploring the store, you could also pick up this three-tired pizza tray stand for £9.99, which also launches this weekend.

The stand means you can cook three pizzas all at once and then use it to serve them up.

That middle aisle really is magical.

MORE: Benefit’s head makeup artist Lisa Potter Dixon explains how to apply bronzer like a pro

MORE: The ZitSticka pimple patches will change the way you deal with blemishes

When you’re a breastfeeding mum, there are times when pumping is necessary.

It isn’t for everyone but if you have to be away from your baby, need an emergency supply for when you are ill or you want other family members to be able to feed your baby, pumping is important.

It can also help to boost your supply for your baby.

But using a pump really isn’t the same as having your baby latch on and for some mums, only tiny amounts of milk come out.

So this mum offered this tip to help mums who struggle with pumps.

Lactation consultant Johanna Sargeant explains that using your baby’s sock can help you pump more.

Posting on her Milk and Motherhood Facebook page, she said: ‘Are you someone who sits and watches the trickle of milk, if any, that comes when pumping? Do you get stressed or sad about your output?

‘When I was told to pump after feeding to boost supply, I’d sit there and watch. I’d double pump for twenty minutes after ever feed, and become more and more demoralised at the lack of milk in that bottle.

‘I realised that, for my own mental health, I needed to stop watching! Easier said than done. Enter the baby sock.

‘Now I advise mamas to put a sock over their pumping bottle, and it has been getting incredible results. Some women are reporting often 2-3 times more milk when they remove themselves mentally from the result of their pumping session!

‘We know that oxytocin release is inhibited by stress, and oxytocin release is required for letdowns, so if you find you are getting stressed while watching, try it!’

The hack has been shred more than 8,000 times on her page and other mums loved it, saying they couldn’t wait to try it out.

MORE: Benefit’s head makeup artist Lisa Potter Dixon explains how to apply bronzer like a pro

MORE: The ZitSticka pimple patches will change the way you deal with blemishes

MORE: Constipation is a much more complicated condition than many of us think

NYX has launched a cannabis seed oil makeup range, and it’s super affordable.

The new Bare with Me range combines makeup and hemp oil.

We love NYX for its high quality makeup yet affordable prices – their liquid lipsticks in particular.

And this collection sounds just as brilliant.

It includes some blotting paper, a lip conditioner, a brow setter and a primer.

The £5.50 Bare with Me Hemp Blotting Paper is infused with soothing hemp-derived cannabis seed oil, to help give you glowing skin, while the Cannabis Sativa Oil Lip Conditioner, £8, is perfect for dry lips as it has a nourishing quality.

The Cannabis Sativa Oil Brow Setter, £7, features a clear formula which primes and conditions your brows, while also helping to shape them before adding your brow product.

The most expensive of the lot is the Hemp Radiant Primer, £12, which will help prepare you for a full face.

The primer is infused with cannabis seed oil and skin plumping antioxident centella aslatica extract, which helps keep your skin hydrated and keeps your foundation in place.

It also adds a bit of a shimmer – so if you don’t fancy wearing any other makeup, you could simply add some primer for a glowy look.

This all sounds super exciting and of course we can’t wait to buy the lot – but unfortunately we will have to wait a little while, as the range doesn’t come out until August.

But hey, that’s only a couple of months away!

MORE: Love Island has launched its very own makeup collection

MORE: Morphe releases rainbow makeup collection to celebrate Pride

If you’re going to eat meat, chicken is better for you than steak right? A new study says this might not be the case.

The research found that eating red or white meat will have an identical effect on cholesterol levels – challenging the old assumption that white meat is always the healthier option.

However, researchers did add that there may be other effects from eating red meat that contribute to cardiovascular disease – which may mean it is still worse for your heart than white meat.

But when it comes to cholesterol, researchers are certain that the best thing would be to choose non-meat proteins such as vegetables, dairy, and beans.

Scientists set out to test the theory that the generally high saturated fat content of red meat contributes to cardiovascular disease risk.

More than 100 healthy men and women – aged 21 – 65 – were assigned to either a high-saturated fat, provided primarily by butter and full-fat foods, or low saturated fat group.

The participants completed three test diets: red meat diet, white meat diet and then a no-meat diet.

Each diet lasted four weeks and there was a “washout period” in between, where participants ate their usual foods.

Red meat was mostly provided by beef, while chicken was the main white meat protein.

Blood samples were collected from the participants at the start and end of each test diet.

The researchers found that plant proteins had the healthiest impact on participants’ blood cholesterol. The effects of white and red meat on cholesterol levels were identical.

The conclusions ‘do not provide evidence for choosing white over red meat,’ read the study findings.

‘The findings are in keeping with recommendations promoting diets with a high proportion of plant-based food,’ researchers added.

MORE: Constipation is a much more complicated condition than many of us think

MORE: Workplaces should offer lunchtime spinning and yoga classes to ‘tackle obesity’

MORE: Aldi is selling a nostalgic boombox for £29.99

Planning your next holiday? You may want to factor in how great a place is to get naked.

That’ll help you pack light, at least.

Thankfully there’s an expert on hand to guide you on your nude travels. Svetlana Reus, who goes by @lighty_light on Instagram, is a travel blogger whose specialty is taking pictures in the buff.

She’s got quite an interesting lifestyle in addition to stripping off all around the world.

Svetlana has been married for five years to a man who prefers to be called The Master of the Universe. He takes all of the photos of her without clothes.

The couple had their official wedding in Las Vegas in January 2015, but since then they have a new wedding ceremony every year in a different location.

In 2016 they symbolically tied the knot with a Buddhist ceremony in Thailand, in 2017 they had an Arabic wedding in the desert of the UAE, and in 2018 it was time for an Inca marriage in Peru. This year the couple got remarried in Hong Kong.

All that opportunity for travel definitely helps to build a strong Instagram presence, but posing nude doesn’t hurt. Svetlana now has nearly 20,000 followers.

‘Nature inspires me to pose naked,’ she says. I’d like to reveal the beauty of unity with nature to the world and how awesome it can be.

‘I carefully select pictures so they look artistic but not vulgar.

‘Travelling became my addiction in 2010 when I had my first trip.

‘I tried to travel as much as possible cutting back other expenses like cinema, restaurants, new clothes etc.

I met my husband in 2014 and we started travelling together, exploring the world and sharing emotions.

‘I can’t imagine my life without it now.’

She loves posing nude in different locations, but says that one country has provided the best naked experience: Iceland.

Svetlana said: ‘I was naked in boundless lupine fields with a breathtaking view of the mountains, then in front of the secret waterfall surrounded by incredible green colour. You can easily find a beautiful hidden spot there.’

Well, there we go.

Other destinations meet other needs. Svetlana loves heading to the Maldives to relax, to Barcelona for exploring, to Peru for the food, and to Japan for its culture.

‘My heart belongs to Tanzania and South Africa,’ says the freelance IT manager. ‘I’ll never get tired of its wild beauty. Their hospitality is the best I’ve ever seen.’

She currently lives in Greece, but says the ‘whole world’ is her home.

MORE: Commuter’s genius trick to beat rule that dogs can only travel if they fit in a bag

MORE: Widow travels the world with a cardboard cutout of her late husband

MORE: 11 naked wedding cakes to fall in love with