You read correctly.

On Thursday KFC announced they are launching their vegan ‘chicken’ burger, The Imposter, in the UK this summer and while it might be welcome news to the non-meat eating brigade, what exactly is in the new burger?

The Imposter Burger will be trialed for four weeks from 17 June in London, Bristol and the Midlands.

Since it was founded in 1952, Kentucky Fried Chicken has sold fried chicken under a heavily guarded secret herb recipe.

While we can’t give you the secret to their success, we can give you a more nutritional guide to the new burger.

So what exactly is in The Imposter burger? Could it be just beans, potato and other veggies crammed into a patty and deep fried with the added herbs that made the chicken a household name?

Well, what we can tell you is that the main protein was confirmed to be made from Quorn that, according to them, ‘does the Colonel’s recipe justice.’

Similar to when Greggs teamed up with the plant-based food manufacturer to create the vegan sausage roll, Quorn has developed the fillet with KFC.

Nutritionally, however, there doesn’t seem to be much of a difference with The Imposter Burger and the regular Chicken Fillet burger.

First of all, calories. The chicken fillet burger has 457 calories and the Imposter has fewer at 450 calories.

The regular chicken fillet burger has almost 30g of protein and 45g of carbs with the fat remaining quite close at 19.3g. The amount of sugars in a fillet burger is 5.5g with 2g of salt..

The vegan Imposter filet has much less protein at 18.8g, but has more in carbohydrates at 52.9g.

The amount of fat it has is not far from the original at 19.1g with less sugar at 4.8g and almost a gram more salt at 2.91g.

The burger will be served with a fresh iceberg lettuce and creamy vegan mayo complete the meat-free masterpiece, which is all housed in a soft glazed bun, and the fillet is seasoned to KFC perfection.

Now everyone can enjoy KFC, but there’s still one question – are the fries at KFC vegan too?

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Women are woefully under-served when it comes to clothing options with pockets.

It’s so simple; we just want more dresses, trousers, skirts, coats and jackets with handy little compartments. And when brands give us what we want, we can’t get enough.

A woman who spotted a pair of leggings that had pockets on Amazon was so chuffed that she decided to test how deep they were.

Turns out, the pockets were big enough to hold a bottle of rosé – handy for after workout treats.

Karen Sherman tested out the exercise gear last year and cheekily decided to see if it could take the weight of a whole bottle.

To her delight, it did and she left a rave review on Amazon. Since then, other women have also tried the trick and expressed their excitement at being able to carry a full bottle of booze in their leggings.

So any fashion brands reading, you might want to note: We want more things with pockets, please. The bigger, the better.

‘The pockets! The fact that they exist is awesome but I decided, for science, to see just how mum-friendly these suckers are,’ she wrote.

‘They hold everything and securely! As you can see, that’s a full-size bottle of rosé in my pocket.’

And in case you were still not convinced, she continued: ‘I could run from the police in these things and trust that my precious pink (I’m referring to the rosé ) is just as safe and secure as my kids once were in their baby carriers. Probably more so.’

Karen added that the pocket hadn’t stretched or bagged out after she removed the bottle either, snapping back in place.

‘If you do one good thing for yourself today it’ll be to buy a pair of these,’ she urged.

Following the glowing recommendation, another users bought and tested the trousers with a bottle of wine.

Another customer tested the liquor pockets ‘for science’ and found the same results.

‘Bought based off the previous review of being able to fit a wine bottle,’ they wrote.

‘Can confirm. I am throwing out all my other work out leggings and buying these. Super comfy, high waisted, don’t roll down.

‘And obviously, the pockets. I was worried that a bottle would cause the fabric to tear or the seam to split. I put this bottle in all the way to the neck and it didn’t even stretch them out of shape.’

They even called it perfect. Those who want to carry out their own very scientific tests with the pants can buy it on Amazon for $20.99 (£16.54).

Just to be clear, we’re not encouraging working out while under the influence of alcohol. But how fun, and you can fit other things in the pockets if wine isn’t your thing.

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With Love Island 2019 underway it’s no surprise to see that the merchandise for this year’s series is as popular as ever.

Yup, you can show off your devotion to all things villa-related this year with everything from personalised luggage to make-up – and of course those ever-popular water bottles.

But now Love Island has even made its mark on wine glasses – or at least on the ones that are being used on the show.

While an actual personalised Love Island wine glass has yet to exist, that hasn’t stopped viewers going crazy for the flamingo-printed ones that they’ve seen contestants glugging from on the show?

The good news is that you can buy them yourself – but where?

We’ve got all the information you need.

Where can you buy the wine glasses used in Love Island 2019?

Here’s the good news – Love Island’s flamingo print glasses are available in your local high street – or at least they are if yours has a branch of Marks and Spencer.

The glasses are part of their current tropical-themed picnicware range – and cost just £3.50 each.

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‘We’ve just ‘got a text’ confirming our fabulous, colourful picnicware is on this year’s @loveisland,’ Marks and Spencer confirmed on their Instagram page.

‘Don’t get ‘mugged off’ and miss out as these totally ‘your type on paper’ glasses, jugs and bowls won’t hang around. Question is which ones are you going to ‘couple up with’?

The bad news is that the glasses have proven so popular since they appeared on Love Island that they are currently out of stock.

However they’re due to be restocked within the next couple of weeks – and if those take your fancy that’s not the only thing that the cheery flamingo print features on, as the range also includes bowls, tumblers and jugs as well as palm tree and zebra designs.

You can buy the glasses – or check to see when they’re back in stock – at your local M&S or online here – and the full picnicware range is available here.

When is Love Island on?

The series continues on ITV2 on Thursday night at 9pm.

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Like many Instagrammers Olly loves to cook and posts beautiful pictures of everything from handcrafted sourdough to spicy fish tacos – but she never gets to smell or taste her creations.

She has anosmia, a condition that means she lost her sense of smell and most of her taste.

Now, seven years after developing the condition, Olly says that people don’t understand the emotional impact of suddenly losing two of your senses.

The 28-year-old, who lives in Inverness, explains: ‘You don’t understand how much you use taste and smell until you lose those senses. I think people really underestimate it.

‘You can’t enjoy food or smell those things that are so enjoyable. I’ll never smell freshly cut grass, clean sheets, bread cooking or the smell of my grandma’s perfume and that’s hard to deal with emotionally.’

Olly developed the condition after suffering a head injury on her way home from a night out at university. She believes her drink might have been spiked and she fell, later waking up in hospital.

Initially she was diagnosed with a severe concussion but as she recovered, she realised she couldn’t taste food properly.

It was 18 months after her injury before she received a diagnosis of anosmia, something she believes is down to a lack of understanding and research around the condition.

Support for anosmia sufferers is out there – a charity called Fifth Sense was set up in 2012 to help people affected by smell and taste disorders – but most people, and even medical professionals, don’t know about the condition.

Olly explains: ‘The concussion was gone but I still couldn’t taste or smell. I brought it up with my doctor and they were quite dismissive. They said that I hit the back of my head and it couldn’t have affected those senses because the part of the brain that deals with that is at the front.

‘I was given a nose spray but obviously it made no difference.’

After months of going back and forth to appointments, a specialist noticed scarring at the front of the brain during her second brain scan.

Olly says: ‘The doctor just said here’s a lot of scar tissue on that part of your brain and basically that was it – it’s not coming back.

‘It was a really hard thing to hear. It is such a big part of your life and it wasn’t the most sensitive way to say it.’

Olly struggled to eat anything beyond toast and cereal because she says it felt like a waste of time when she couldn’t taste or smell anything.

She says: ‘I’ve always loved food and I grew up cooking as well. I couldn’t be bothered to eat as I didn’t want to be able to spend time preparing food that I wouldn’t enjoy.

‘It wasn’t great because I wasn’t eating a nutritionally balanced diet.’

But the food blogs that she had enjoyed before her injury helped her to realise that food doesn’t just have to be about taste.

‘I have read food blogs for a long time,’ she says. ‘That’s how we got inspiration for cooking and there are a couple that I had read for a long time. After my injury,  I just kept reading them.

‘It got me back into food as I was looking at pictures and thinking it would be fun to try making those things.

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‘For me cooking is about feeding other people. I used to bake for my friends at uni and have brunches and things because I get enjoyment out of seeing other people eat my food.’

‘Now food has become more about the process and experience than how it actually tastes.

‘I enjoy going out to dinner. I didn’t used to but I enjoy it going to nice restaurant and it’s an experience more than the food itself.’

Olly now has about 10% of her taste and smell but it is unlikely to recover any further.

‘I can taste if things are salty, sweet, bitter or hot but nor much beyond that,’ she says.

‘At the start, I put hot sauce on everything and I put too much salt on everything because at least I could taste that.

‘Now I like cooking for my partner so I concentrate on other things for me. I can put parsley or coriander, any green herb on my food, and I don’t taste the difference but it’s important for it to be there because it makes it look nice to eat.’

It’s estimated that around 3% of Americans have anosmia, which is similar to the number of deaf people, but the condition is not very well understood or researched.

There are a number of different causes, according to Fifth Sense UK.

Around 15% of people develop anosmia because of a head trauma like Olly, but for 25% it’s due to nasal or sinus disease, 20% due to respiratory infections and for 25% of people the cause is not discovered. Around 1% of people with the condition are born with it.

Debs Davis, a hypnotherapist and life coach from Cheshire, was one of few people born without the sense of smell.

The 49-year-old explains: ‘It took me years to realise I had it – it’s not like not having one of the other senses like sight or hearing.

‘I was into my teens before I realised that other people could smell more than me.

‘Then, I was on the tram one day sat opposite a man with his young son who was fishing around on the floor with his hands. His dad told him to stop because it was dirty and, instinctively, the boy smelled his hands. I remember thinking that it would never have occured to me to smell my hands.

‘I think that was the moment that I fully realised the impact of not being able to smell.

‘Even then, I just accepted that that was the way it was. It was a conversation starter and a bit of a novelty.

‘It was in the days before the internet, so I didn’t think to research it and it wasn’t until many years later that I realised that is was a specific clinical issue and that there were tests to diagnose it.’

Having never been able to smell, Debs didn’t experience the same sense of loss as Olly but admits it does cause problems.

She says: ‘I try not to dwell on what could have been. From time to time, I think it would be nice to be able to smell my kids, the beach and those other things that evoke strong emotional feelings in me.

‘Most people’s smell is a key factor in them being able to recall personal memories, but without this I rely on photographs. My memory of day-to-day factual details like my ‘to-do’ list is still extremely sharp, but I find that my friends can generally recall more than I can from our shared past.

‘I guess that the biggest impacts are what I would call my ‘smell paranoia’ – off food, smelly clothes, smelly rooms in my office or home etc. My family and friends act as my ‘sniffers’!’

Safety is probably the most important way we use our sense of smell and like Debs, other anosmiacs say they have to rely on others to keep themselves safe.

Lucy Farrington Smith, 26, from Leamington Spa, developed anosmia in March 2018 after suffering from a virus.

She explains: ‘One morning I walked into the kitchen and said to my mum, “and now I can’t smell”.

‘I thought nothing of it initially – your taste and smell go with colds, but they always come back.

‘A few weeks in I realised something was wrong. I would blow my nose compulsively to try to clear the passages and smell the strongest things I could find in the kitchen, eventually leading to nosebleeds so bad my blood vessels needed cauterising.

‘I went to my GP and his first words were: “I don’t know what to say, I’ve not seen this before”.

‘He was Googling during the session. I left the consultation with tears in my eyes – I asked him if the senses would come back, and he said “I’m sorry, I don’t know”.’

Lucy admits that losing her sense of smell has taken away some of her own independence because of the loss of one of the body’s natural safety checks.

She says: ‘Early into my diagnosis, a friend left the gas on in the kitchen after cleaning. I was in there making coffee, the kettle whistling and muffling the noise of leaking gas.

‘My boyfriend came into the room and immediately smelt it, and turned off the hob. The smell had reached the living room and beyond – but I was none the wiser.

‘I’ve started taking gas alarms with me wherever I go and compulsively check smoke alarms. I check the hob and oven before I sleep.

‘I’m trying to trust others to be my ‘nose’, but it’s hard. I feel a complete disconnect from my friends and family at times when I dwell on the loss.

‘Most of all, I miss the independence I feel I’ve lost now I have to ask people if the milk has gone off; if my clothes smell; or if there’s gas in the kitchen.’

Data analyst Inês Silva, 24, from London, says that living without a sense of smell has affected her mental health.

She says she has no memory of ever having a sense of smell but wasn’t diagnosed until she was 15. Now, she constantly worries about how she smells when she’s out and about, causing a lot of anxiety.

‘It’s usually over the summer when it’s hot weather and I get self conscious of my own body odour, as I don’t know if I’m smelly or not.

‘It affects my mental health. If I’m on the tube and people look at me my first thought is “OMG, I stink and people know.”, “Am I smelling that much?”.

‘For “normal” people it can be hard to understand – most of my family and friends don’t – but for us that can’t smell it’s really hard and tiring sometimes.

‘But there’s good sides to it, I’ll never smell another person’s body odour and I’m glad for it. I just fear for my kids as I’ll never know if they pooped their diapers or not. Living with anosmia has its high and lows for sure.’

The condition doesn’t just impact enjoyment of food and drink. Anthea Bull, 46, lost her sense of smell in August 2012 as a side effect of surgery to remove a malignant tumour on her olfactory nerve.

She says it has affected many aspects of her life, particularly when she travels to new places.

She says: ‘Everywhere I go smells the same – travelling feels like being on a film set with shifting backdrops. Shanghai, NYC, Manchester…all smell the same.

‘Life seems more two-dimensional, somehow lacking depth – sometimes it can feel like living in a bubble as everyone, everything and everywhere smells the same.’

One of the things she finds most difficult is a lack of understanding from other people.

‘It’s an invisible handicap – nobody ever remembers, even close friends and family,’ she says.

‘It’s very difficult for other people to imagine what it’s like. You can simulate being blind or deaf but it’s very difficult to simulate the lack of smell as blocking your nostrils doesn’t stop smells from reaching your brain retronasally – via the back of your mouth.

‘The closest other people seem to get is when they have a really bad cold.

‘People telling me that if they had to lose one of their senses, they would choose smell…because they only think about conscious smells and usually tell me how great it must be not to smell the bad smells.

‘They don’t think about how important tastes are -“Flavours” such as cinnamon, lemongrass, garlic, lemon are no longer part of my world.

‘Imagine coffee without the aroma. Imagine frying bacon without the smell. Imagine not knowing that your friend has spent hours baking bread for you when you go and stay. Imagine not being able to tell what kind of cake you’re eating e.g. lemon/almond etc. Imagine eating strawberries that always taste like the wateriest strawberry you’ve ever eaten.  Imagine not being able to tell what kind of tea you’re drinking. Imagine not being able to tell the difference between a glass of tonic water and a G&T.

‘Anosmia is about so much more than not being able to smell and taste.’

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A warning for anyone who hates all human contact: People on public transport might be chattier than usual today.

That’s because today, 14 June, there’s a massive day-long experiment taking place called Crossing Divides On The Move Day, all about encouraging travellers to talk to strangers.

So if someone strikes up a conversation, don’t react in the usual London way of being deeply alarmed – have a natter.

If you’re on a Virgin train today you’ll find that ever C coach is now a ‘chat carriage’, whereas those taking the Tube or Greater Anglia trains might spot posters encouraging people to talk to Transport for London staff. At some Tube stations you might hear some announcements designed to get you chatting as well.

Arriva will place ‘conversation starter’ cards on buses, and if you’re in Birmingham and hopping on the National Express’s number 11 route, you’ll even be invited to take part in some ‘stimulating activities’. Sounds mysterious.

It’s all been organised by the BBC in an effort to combat loneliness.

They say that for many of us, commuting absolutely sucks, and we mostly spend the long time travelling staring at our phones, reading a book, and generally doing anything to help us avoid making eye contact with other humans.

But our journeys on public transport can also be the only time we’re actually exposed to people who aren’t family, friends, or our coworkers. What if we used that opportunity to form a connection?

Of course, it’s not as easy as just sitting down on the Central line and spilling your life story. Talking to strangers can be tough.

It’s important to respect people’s boundaries, and know that if someone seems uncomfortable it’s okay to back off.

Try breaking the ice with a compliment (stick to things they’re wearing or doing, rather than physical attributes which can feel like a romantic advance) or finding common ground; it’s raining, the trains are packed, it’s summer and this is the weather, that sort of thing.

Trigger Conversations recommends acknowledging that chatting to strangers isn’t the norm to make everyone more comfortable. You could say something like ‘I know Londoners don’t usually chat and if you’d like quiet time just let me know, but…’ Mention the initiative, if you like.

Don’t let your confidence get knocked if your first conversation with a stranger doesn’t go anywhere or you just get a confused look. Try again with another stranger, and you could be the person to break through that loneliness bubble and make their day ten times better.

Rest assured that the day is voluntary and no one will ban you from public transport if you don’t take part.

But if you do think loneliness is a problem and wish the world was a bit more connected, take the first step by chatting with a stranger. It might actually be fun.

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A special exhibition showcasing the wedding outfits of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex goes on display in Edinburgh from today.

The exhibition – A Royal Wedding: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex – is set to open at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, and the central focus will be Meghan’s stunning bridal gown.

The iconic dress, created by British designer Clare Waight Keller, artistic director at Givenchy, was previously on display at Windsor Castle last year – but now the people of Scotland will get the chance to have a close-up glimpse.

The £20,000 dress will be presented alongside the silk five-metre-long veil, which was held in place by a diamond and platinum bandeau tiara, gifted to Meghan by the Queen.

The exhibition will also include a replica of the bridal bouquet made from artificial flowers.

Visitors will want to dedicate some time to studying the fine details of the veil as it was hand-crafted and embroidered with the flowers of all 53 countries of the Commonwealth.

Harry’s wedding outfit was a frock coat uniform of the Household Cavalry, which was made by tailors at Dege and Skinner on Savile Row.

He has loaned an identical uniform to the exhibition, and it includes a single-breasted blue doeskin jacket and the trousers are made from a blue and black barathea.

‘I chose the frock coat as a uniform, with permission from my grandmother, because I think it’s one of the smartest Household Cavalry uniforms,’ said Harry in a recording of the couple that forms part of the exhibition.

It’s one of my favourites, and I was very fortunate to be able to wear that on the day.’

And the exhibition doesn’t stop with the bride and groom. Royal enthusiasts will be happy to know that the outfits of Prince George and Princess Charlotte will also be on display.

George’s page outfit was a miniature version of the Dege and Skinner frock coat while Charlotte, one of six bridesmaids, wore a high-waisted ivory silk dress designed by Waight Keller.

‘A great level of detail went into the planning of our wedding day,’ adds Meghan on the recorded message.

‘We knew how large the scale of the event would be, so in making choices that were really personal and meaningful, it could make the whole experience feel intimate..

The exhibition runs until the 6th October.

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The world’s first ever 100% compostable, organic trainers have just been released by a Canadian shoe company.

Native Shoes have launched the aptly named Plant Shoe, which is entirely made from plants. So you can literally have a greener footprint.

The trainer is completely biodegradable, which means you can simply dump it on your compost pile with your food waste and eventually it will rot away to nothing. One less thing in the landfill.

So what are they made of?

The outsole is made of natural lactae hevea, it has a pineapple husk and organic cotton upper, a eucalyptus lasting board, a natural linen sock liner and it is all held together with natural, latex-based glue.

The pineapple used in the shoes are sourced in the Philippines, where the pineapple husks are saved from being discarded waste and transformed into an ultra-sustainable textile.

Linen comes from flax, which is a plant made of long fibres that are really strong when they are spun into yarn.

To make the upper of the shoe, eucalyptus pulp is compressed and then formed into a pliable material.

‘It’s funny, none of our materials are particularly ground-breaking, and in some guise (maybe with a bit of tweaking), they’ve been around for a long time,’ explains creative director Mike Belgue on the company website.

‘No one previously has looked to the past to solve for the future. ​We used very old techniques, using old materials (jute, kenaf, linen, hevea), and figured out a way to make them all work for a modern sneaker.

‘We try to transcend trend at Native Shoes, in an effort to make something timeless and classic.

‘We wanted a shoe that was seasonless, genderless and adaptable to any situation, while being elevated and the right shape and canvas for our material palette and construction techniques.’

The gum-sole and neutral colour scheme of the trainers make them the perfect shoe for all your summer styles – and with a price tag of £150, you’re going to want to get as much wear out of them as possible.

As we all strive to find ways to make more eco-conscious, sustainable choices about the clothes we buy, the food we eat and the way we travel – the Plant Shoes could definitely be a step in the right direction.

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When Gabrielle Schlegel, 22, first got her period, she was deeply embarrassed and saw her monthly menstruation as a burden.

That’s definitely not the case now.

These days Gabrielle is an artist who paints with her menstrual blood and even applies it to her face as a face mask.

She says that using her period blood for art and self-care is a way to fully connect with her body and appreciate this ‘sacred fluid’.

The artist now shares photos of her work online to encourage others to embrace their monthly cycle.

She looks forward to her period rather than dreading it.

That’s a big change from a few years ago, when painful PMS made Gabrielle dread that time of the month.

When she started her period at 13, Gabrielle was scared to tell her mum. In her late teens she experienced incredible pain in the run-up to menstruation.

Things began to change in October 2014, when Gabrielle found yoga and felt more in tune with spirituality. After seeing a woman on Instagram using her menstrual blood to paint, Gabrielle decided to give it a go, too.

Each month she collects her fluids using a menstrual cup, then uses it to paint something beautiful. Gabrielle uses this time as a chance to celebrate her body and all its wonders.

Gabrielle says: ‘Many feel ashamed and embarrassed, simply because they were taught to feel that way. We are so casually encouraged to enshroud and be discreet about our most innate, human life-giving processes. That does not come naturally.

‘For thousands of years, societies have been ruled by males and more masculine ideals, in which menstruation was not the most embraced or of critical importance in accepting. Thus resulting in generations of shameful mothers inadvertently teaching their daughters to feel that same shame their mother taught them to feel in regards to their monthly bleed.

‘I once felt utter disgust when my blood would accidentally get on my hands while changing my tampons as a teenager. Physical feelings of nausea would literally come over me.

‘Once I overcame the shameful feelings of disgust I was conditioned to feel in regards to these acts, feelings of freedom, empowerment, and a love for my body gracefully replaced them. Something that had such negative feelings associated with it, suddenly felt so good.’

Gabrielle hopes that by sharing her rituals, she’ll help other people embrace their periods too.

‘Seeing myself in the mirror, with my blood smeared all over my face, really allowed me to realise that there is absolutely nothing disgusting or wrong about menstrual blood,’ she explains. ‘In fact, it is completely harmless, manifesting without a wound to the body of any kind.

‘If anything, it is the most sacred fluid the human body is capable of secreting. The literal shedding of the uterine lining that was preparing to grow a human body, should a fertilised egg have been implanted.’

Plus, she claims that a period blood facial does wonders for her skin.

‘Not only does it leave my skin absolutely glowing, in my experience, it actively works in treating breakouts, as there are stem cells and many nutrients that are meant to help grow a baby if pregnant and the uterine lining were not to shed,’ says Gabrielle.

‘It has helped me understand why I bleed, what processes the blood is actually a result of assisting me in understanding the entirety of my monthly cycle, as well as the multitude of effects and changes my body endures while not bleeding, throughout the rest of the month.

‘It has also helped me understand and relate to the cycles of nature, such as the Earth’s seasons and phases of the moon, and how that correlates and impacts my own body.’

There’s currently no scientific evidence to suggest that menstrual fluids could pose any skincare benefit.

But if it makes Gabrielle feel good, why shouldn’t she go ahead? There’s no suggestion that putting period blood on your skin could be harmful either.

Despite this, Gabrielle gets some backlash online.

‘People have commented many things from claiming I am a disgusting ‘feminazi’, to accusing me of practicing witchcraft and trying to start a cult as well as all and everything in between,’ she said.

‘I was fully aware of the backlash that would ensue as a result of sharing such sensitive and atypical content, as it is the internet and people are free to say whatever they wish to behind their screen.

‘All that they say has merit, for I probably would have had the same things to say at one point in my life. The reality, however, is that another can only meet you as far as where they have met themselves, no matter what words they have to share.

‘I know that there are many people that will not accept this as truth or find any inspiration in this whatsoever, and that is totally okay with me.’

The painter is motivated by the people who do find her photos helpful, and by anyone who says she’s working to break down the shame around periods.

She says: ‘I have received many positive comments from those who bleed all over the world, letting me know that they have tried using their menstrual blood as paint or as a face mask, inspired by my posts.

‘There is nothing that makes me happier than to know that something I share has encouraged someone to accept and love themselves and their body more, especially in regard to something so taboo within our society.

‘No amount of negativity will ever surmount the feelings that follow another human being’s empowerment as a result of sharing my truth.

‘I know that you have been led to believe that your blood is everything but beautiful, magical, and holy but I would like to emphasise how truly sacred and special it is to bleed this blood every month.

‘This blood acts as a web, connecting us to every mother that bled before us. Not only within our own ancestry, but within all of us humans, as we all are born from wombs of ‘womben’ that bled each and every month to be able to grow the next generation.

‘It is what unites us all, so it’s no wonder the trouble we have in accepting equality within one another possibly equates to the lack acceptance we have in regards to menstruation. Without our periods, humankind would not exist.

‘I am well aware that sometimes it is not the most enjoyable, beautiful, and magical experience, but it totally can be.

‘And I, as much as anyone, do not have to grant you permission for it to be so, but I will say this: What are you waiting for? Why aren’t you embracing your period as something you are gifted with experiencing every single month?’

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Loads of us don’t get enough sleep.

Whether it’s because we’re working early, partying late or simply can’t stop clicking ‘next episode’ on Netflix, burning the candle at both ends is a common condition of modern life.

Studies suggest that getting at least seven hours sleep is the best thing for your health – but what are the health implications if you’re regularly missing that target?

Even if you feel fresh as a daisy on six hours or less, a new study has found that without enough sleep you might be lacking in some key vitamins and nutrients.

A new report presented at the annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition found that there is a potential link between nutrition and the amount and quality of sleep a person gets.

Put simply – people who get less than seven hours sleep on average also get less vitamin A, D, and B1, as well as magnesium, niacin, calcium, zinc, and phosphorus.

‘This work adds to the body of growing evidence associating specific nutrient intakes with sleep outcomes,’ said lead researcher Chioma Ikonte.

‘Our findings suggest that individuals with short sleep duration might benefit from improving their intake of these nutrients through diet and supplementation.’

But the scientists did admit that their findings aren’t entirely conclusive – they can’t be certain if it is the lack of sleep that definitely causes the deficiencies.

‘Whether chronic short sleep causes nutrient insufficiency or the nutrient insufficiency causes short sleep still needs to be determined,’ says Ikonte.

‘A clinical study that investigates (impacts of) supplementation with these nutrients on sleep outcomes is needed to demonstrate cause and effect.

A recent study has also found that a lack of sleep can ’cause obesity’ in children, because they are more likely to make poor dietary choices.

So what these studies do appear to show is that the amount of sleep we are getting does have an effect on our nutritional health. Time to set an earlier bed time.

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No matter how handy AirPods may be, it’s a truth known to most that they look really bloody silly.

It’s a tricky feat to look cool when you have expensive bits of white plastic in your ears – especially if you’re one of those annoying people who keeps them in at all times, even when not listening to any audio.

With this knowledge, we are horrified to discover that there are people in the world having sex while wearing AirPods (yes, in their ears. Get your minds out of the gutter).

TickPick surveyed 1,010 people about their musical and sexual preferences. They found out some interesting stuff, such as lovers of country music preferring to be on bottom, while reggae fans get on top.

But in the midst of all those fun tidbits, something awful: 17% of AirPod owners who responded have had sex with their AirPods remaining in their ears.

We don’t know how many of those surveyed owned AirPods, but this implies that at least one person said they’ve done this. Awful.

Unfortunately for curious minds, the survey didn’t ask any follow-up questions to those admitting this terrible act.

We don’t know if these people play music through their AirPods, whether they just forget to take them out, and if their partners are okay.

We have many questions and concerns, and invite anyone who has been sexual with another person while wearing AirPods to please get in touch and answer us, lest we spend the rest of the weekend thinking about this.

First off, do both parties wear AirPods during this stange sex act? If so, do they listen to their own music, sort of like a silent disco? If so, how do they make their rhythms match? That’s quite important for decent sex, we reckon.

Next, how do these people’s partners maintain sexual arousal while looking at someone wearing AirPods?

As we’ve explained earlier, they are not a cool accessory. They’re definitely not sexy, surely. How would you prevent yourself from tearing out the person’s AirPods and explaining that you simply cannot have sex with someone wearing something so ridiculous?

On the note of tearing out AirPods, it’s also worth considering the very high risk of an AirPod falling out of one’s ear and causing a very unsexy interruption to the sesh. Those things are expensive. If you’re getting especially vigorous and an AirPod flies out, landing somewhere in the depths behind the bed, would you really be able to continue sexing with the worry that your precious listening devices could be lost forever? We doubt it.

And finally, a gentle request: Please don’t have sex with your AirPods in if your partner isn’t also keen on the idea.

Blocking out someone’s audible responses to sex is just plain rude. It’s the ultimate disconnection, using your own personal music to shut yourself into a private world when you should be experiencing intimacy with another human being.

Plus, noticing someone pumping to a beat that you can’t hear would be unbelievably offputting.

We’ve approached Apple to see what they think of AirPods being used in this way, and will of course update this article if we hear back.

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It’s that time of the year where fathers are going to need a bit of loving too.

But if you are as tired as they probably are of ties, socks and tools that will go unused and left in the shed, then we have some great gift ideas that range from the active dad to the more refined.

There are several types of dad. Let’s have a look:

For the active Dad…

Theragun G3 Device:

Does your dad have aches and pains after training? The Theragun G3 massage device could be a great option. It supplies the user with deep muscle and pain relief, that not only warms up muscles but fast tracks recovery.

It is also said to help increase mobility and improve posture which, let’s face it, can be an issue for a lot of active dads.

You can get the Theragun online and they start from £275.

SIXPAD’s Abs Fit 2 Training Device

Does your dad want the abs he used to have twenty years ago? This might be a fun and interesting device to get him into.

Having identified 20Hz as the optimum frequency to train muscles through over 40 years of research, the Abs Fit 2 delivers a targeted 23-minute workout of the abdominal muscles through six wings sculpted to scale the region perfectly.

You can get them for £230 RRP.

Bushwell Excel GPS Watch 

If dad is a golfer, could there be a better way to get him tech’d up rather than layering him with golf balls and clubs?

The watch has auto-course recognition as well as distance and range updates.

They start from £179..

Always Agile Hoodie, LuluLemon

Is your dad an fitness junkie? He might be able to continue looking trendy post workout with the Always Agile Hoodie from LuluLemon. It is apparently made with high-performance fabric, is anti-stink and can be put on after intense workouts.

Try in a LuluLemon store for around £88.

More Miles Backback, LuluLemon

Does your dad spend ages trying to get all his things into one bag? For work, gym and travel? This could be the best option for a minimalist father. The backpack is an organised attempt that helps with the commute, overnight trips and weekend adventure walks.

The bag costs £138.

For the sports fan…

Barbarians vs Fiji Tickets

The iconic Barbarians are back in November, and if your dad is a fan of Rugby Union this could be the place to be. It’s taking place in Twickenham and tickets start from £15.

For the cultured Dad…

Ringo Starr: Another Day In the Life Collectors Edition

Who doesn’t love Ringo? Get his entire works and collectors editions here.

Ronnie Wood: Set Lists

Over the last two decades, the songs that the Rolling Stones have played in rehearsals, live shows and studio sessions have been recorded by Ronnie Wood in a series of hand-painted set lists. Try it out.

For the drinking Dad…

Honest Brew Box

Maybe a beer subscription would be a good choice? For £36 this subscription has a vast array of craft beers available for your dad. (Also includes socks)

Secret Beer Tour

Led by charismatic guides, the ‘Secret Beer Tour’ could be the libation-filled activity you’ve been looking for.

The tours navigate the London Craft Beer scene being take to some of the coolest and funkiest beer scenes in East London. On this tour, you get a rundown of the history of the scene at a secret location revealed to you on the day of the tour.

The tour operates Monday-Saturday afternoons and last around three hours costing £49pp. Book here.

Ki No Bi Kyoto Dry Gin

This Japanese gin features locally sourced ingredients such as yuzu and hinoki wood chips complement the notes of lemon and lime, along with a soft, subtle spice.

It has a graceful texture with a light sweetness to start, followed by a dash of vanilla and chamomile with a peppery leafy-ness, before a long, menthol finish.

The Whisky Exchange, £42.95.

10 YO Jura Single Highland Malt

A Scottish Highland Malt that serves with a smoky nose of apricots and nectarines with drizzled honey and a lovely latent sherry note. The palate gives rich stone fruits wrapped in smoke, backed with parma violets and some Battenberg cake with smoked ginger and plums to finish. Master of Malt – £29.95

Copalli Barrel Rested

Copalli Barrel Rested Rum offers a rich, sweet rum aged in American oak ex-bourbon barrels –  it’s for being an organic single estate rum crafted with sustainability and community at its core it would make the perfect gift for even the most eco-conscious father. Grab a bottle for £41.30 from Master of Malt.

Belgrove Rum 

This Guyanese rum is made from Demerara sugar, and could go down as rum Old Fashioned.

RRP £36.95 for 70cl and £14.95 for 20cl, from Masters of Malt.

Campari Negroni

A beautiful Italian cocktail might also be the best gift your father might get. A nice, simple cocktail with a hint of Mad Men meets Goodfellas. £16.00 from Waitrose.

SELECT Aperetivo

Select Aperitivo is the irreplaceable ingredient in the classic Venetian Spritz and has a low ABV. Ideal for summer and for the dad who doesn’t want to get too tipsy.

This can be bought from The Whiskey Exchange for £16.75

For the wellness Dad…

Aldwyn and Sons, Manicure and Pedicure

Do your dad’s feet and hands need some TLC?

Aldwyn and Sons might be a great place to get some much needed hand and foot treatment, as well as some gentlemanly conversation. Grab a gift card for dad and get him down for a coffee, or something stronger, and let Aldwyn handle those out of control cuticles.

Get a treatment starting from just £30.

K-West Spa Day

You could take dad to get on top of his skincare regime at K West hotel.

The 50-minute Men’s C+ Energy Facial (50 min) specifically meets the needs of men’s skin, targeting the appearance of wrinkles, dryness and signs of premature ageing and starts at £90.

Other treatments include Cryo-Oxygen facial and a therapeutic hot stone massage. Dads can ‘cheers’ to fatherhood with a free beer when they dine at K West.

For the stylish Dad…

Vitae Watch and Signet Ring

Starting from £169, these sleek and classy watches might be one of the best gifts for your father – especially if he loves a social event! The signet rings also start from £49. Shop here.

Doc Cotton Shirts

For the more eco-friendly dad, Dot Cotton is a sustainable fashion brand selling their clothes at 100% organic cotton. They range from around £50-£80, and it’s all ethical. Get them here.

Lululemon Commission Pant 

These ‘anti-ball crushing’ trousers are made to feel loose, free and ready for action – while still being active and flexible. Quite a happy medium between activewear and smartwear – you decide.

Billingham Hadley Small Pro ‘Man Bag’

This is a classy and chic man-bag that can be used as a day-to-day. Bit pricey, but a one-off gift for the occasion might not be too bad.

RayBans

How about these RayBans as modeled by Jamie Dornan at All Points East Festival? Get them here.

Aston and Woods, Luxury Ranges

This is an independent, community oriented optician based in Tottenham Court Road, that has a huge range of glasses for sale.

Bring dad in for a check up, style advice and you might even get a cup of tea while you wait. – Worth it.

Cornerstone 

Keep your dad looking trimmed and well groomed with this luxury set at £35 from Cornerstone. The pack includes shaving gels, post-shaving creams and razors. It’s a nice neat package.

Smith & Canova Leather Washbag 

This is a sleek and stylish brand with clean and chic leather that will see your dad be the talk of he washroom.

The Antiquated Leather Double Zip Washbag starts at £70 but you can get a range of products here.

For the ‘miscellaneous Dad’…

If you have absolutely no idea what to get your dad, how about you try one of these:

Tinggly

This is the global experience that we’ve all been waiting for. Just buy a pack and pick an experience ranging from cultural tours, skydiving, bungee jumping, gourmet experiences, fast-car and adventure driving, spa and beauty, landmark visits, extreme sports and many more. Check it out here.

Stargazing Kit

Every explorer needs a handy kit if they want to go stargazing. This one from Men Society includes a compass, hip flask and binocular lens cleaners so you can be well prepped to gaze under the stars over the summer. Get your kit, and other fun Father’s Day gifts, here.

Work Wonderland 

How about a new career as a gift? Work Wonderland packages come with and online course that allows the user to find their ideal career once it’s finished. Is your dad stuck in a rut? Might be the best package for him.

Box of Hugs

Could be one of the cutest things on the planet, but this box is filled with goodies for several kinds of dads. Ones On The Go, Just for Him (complete with dreaded socks) and a Cheers Dad box complete with a mug. Have a look.

Whatever the kind of dad you have, there might be something here that will make him smile.

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An American gym company has been slammed after a woman shared a promotional email that asked members if they were able to grab fat from certain parts of their bodies.

A franchise of Anytime Fitness, who’s headquarters is in Minnesota, sent out what appears to be a mass email to its members – with the aim to encourage them to get fit for summer.

But one recipient took to Twitter to share her outrage after reading the questionable wording of the message.

‘I need you to do me a favour,’ reads the email.

‘Think about the warm days of summer ahead.

Warm summer night breezes. Lake or beach time.’

About half way through, the email takes an unpleasant turn.

I…am horrified by this promotional email from @AnytimeFitness. I just don’t even know where to begin pic.twitter.com/6DOBq9sfiI

— Mora Reinka (@MoraReinka) June 12, 2019

‘Shorts, bathing suits, flip flops, the smell of suntan lotion.

‘And LOTS of pictures of you that will be posted online forever.

‘LOTS of sucking in, side turns, skinny arm posts, and god forbid, a side pic while sitting down.

‘Do me a second favour:

‘Take your hand, and grab the excess you have on your waist (front/back/sides).

‘Can you pinch it? Or can you grab it?

‘Well, I want to call it what it is… FAT.’

Woah.

Mora, who is a former Anytime Fitness member, tweeted that she was ‘horrified’ by the email, adding, ‘I just don’t even know where to begin.

Her tweet has been liked more then 1,000 times and hundreds have commented, with some calling the email ‘vile’.

‘The ad industry is often vile, but this is one of the more appalling and shameless ones I’ve seen,’ commented Lauren.

‘To cultivate [and] profit off of body shame, which too many of us are already made to feel.’

Loads of people also pointed out that the tagline in the email, ‘be comfortable in your skin this summer’, was completely incongruous with the rest of the message.

‘Holy Christ!!! It’s like they’re actively trying to have as detrimental effect as possible?! The irony of their tagline would be funny if it wasn’t so s***,’ said Kim.

‘Just what we need.. more body shaming. Good effort society, you’ve managed to alienate half of the population,’ added Becky.

It soon came to light that the email was sent from a specific franchise of the gym company – so not every member would have received it.

A representative from Anytime Fitness saw Mora’s tweet and responded directly: ‘This is not a message we support or encourage.

‘In fact, this language is the exact opposite of how we coach our franchisees to communicate.

‘We pride ourselves on being supportive and encouraging – never shaming. We are actively addressing this matter [and] we are deeply sorry.’

Update: Anytime Fitness corporate has called the franchisee (it was an attempt at “humor” 🤔🙄) and apologized pic.twitter.com/hezuTMraMe

— Mora Reinka (@MoraReinka) June 13, 2019

Mora then shared a screen shot of an official apology sent by the company’s media director, Mark Daly, who said that the email had been an ‘attempt at humor’.

‘Mora – I just spoke with the franchisee owner of the gym and expressed our disappointment,’ wrote Mark.

‘He apologized for his ill-advised attempt at humor and promised not to send similar messages to others. We will be re-training him to be supportive and encouraging.

‘On behalf of everyone at Anytime Fitness, please accept our apologies.’

It’s great news that action was taken, but being body-shamed by your own gym is never, ever cool.

Anytime Fitness has been approached for further comment.

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If you say ‘Stratford’ to someone, they’re probably going to think either William Shakespeare or Westfield Shopping Centre.

Both have their appeal, but if you want a relaxed weekend away from the city then you should think about heading to the Midlands, to visit Stratford-upon-Avon.

You won’t find a shopping hub, but you will find excellent cream teas, plenty of ducks to feed, a world class theatre and a sense of history.

Pack your copy of the sonnets and look out at the countryside where the bard himself took inspiration.

Shakespeare’s House

First stop may well be the house where Shakespeare is believed to have been born in 1564.

He spent his childhood years here, and it is now a museum dedicated to the Bard.

Check out the Famous Beyond Words exhibition to see how it all started, which features a copy of his First Folio.

Warwick Castle

Warwick Castle is nearby, and always a brilliant day out. If you have children with you, check out the programme for what reenactments are taking place or if there’s a bowman’s show or tour.

The RSC

If you’re staying in Stratford, you have to book tickets to a show on one evening you visit. The whole town is steeped in theatre, so it’s not something to miss.

Actors from the Royal Shakespeare Company put on plenty of his plays each year, but they don’t only perform Shakespeare. Check out the schedule to plan your trip around something you’re excited to watch.

For children, there are also various activities aimed at simplifying Shakespeare. Kids can also dress up as medieval characters, which is always fun. 

Stratford Butterfly Farm

Stand among hundreds of dazzling butterflies in a rainforest environment, with waterfalls and exotic flowers. They are indoors, so it’s possible to visit here whatever the weather. Some might even land on you – make sure to pack your camera. 

Go shopping

If you get there and wish you’d gone for the Stratford with a Westfield instead (no judgment), fear not: There are still shopping opportunities here. Bicester Village has more than 160 outlets of major brands, where you can pick up a great bargain. 

Find luxury brands at a discount, like Gucci, Alexander McQueen, and Valentino.

Take a boat out

Enjoy the Avon from the water, with one of England’s oldest traditional boating companies that has operated for over 100 years.You can hire a rowing boat, a punt or a self-drive motor boat, or join a larger cruise down the driver to relax as someone else sails you around. 

If you want to really get romantic, you can even hire someone to take you on a gondola ride. Just like Renaissance Venice. 

Where to stay

We booked a room at the Arden Hotel on Waterside. It is conveniently situated, directly opposite the RSC Theatre. 

Their restaurant, The Waterside Brasserie, is ideal for a pre-theatre dinner. 

Where to eat

Salt, Stratford-upon-Avon’s first Michelin starred restaurant, offers relaxed fine dining restaurant with a pub-feel. Its brightly painted walls and exposed beams seem rustic, but the food is anything but.

They were recently voted one of the best in the UK by The Times, and owner Paul Foster has achieved three AA rosettes.

Its menu includes things like tartare of red deer, artichoke, pickled mushrooms and chocolate, or roasted cod, St Austel mussels, kohlrabi and sea vegetables.

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Affording a degree is tough work – so much so that it’s generally assumed you’ll get a significant helping hand from the bank of mum and dad… or a hefty loan from, well, an actual bank.

Sam Hurst had a different approach.

When he realised he wanted to study for a masters degree in Public Policy at UCL, Sam, 24, knew he would need to source quite a wodge of money to afford the tuition fees.

He had a job in PR and marketing, but had to leave to commit to his studies.

So he came up with an unexpected way to save up money: running a pub quiz themed entirely around the Simpsons.

So far, he’s managed to save £7,500 just from doing the quiz – all of which is going straight to pay his £13,000 tuition fees.

All the money raised from the quiz, which Sam started doing in the year before he began his masters, goes straight on tuition fees, while Sam pays his rent and living costs by working part-time.

But why a pub quiz? And how did he go about getting one started?

Sam tells Metro.co.uk: ‘I liked quizzes and I always thought I’d be a good quiz person.

‘It’s just a nice, fun environment, but sometimes it gets a bit intense like Finchy in the The Office. I remember doing one quiz with mates and thinking “This is great fun, but I wish it was a bit less aggy”

‘I had a vague connection to the Vice-run pubs of East London because everyone who wrote for the music magazine I did bits of work for seemed also to work in one of their pubs.

‘One day, London In Stereo editor and general wonderwoman Jess Partidge mentioned a pub quiz event and I said “ah I could do that!” in a kinda jovial way, but she took it seriously and CC’d me in with a booker. I went from there.’

As for the choice of the Simpsons, that decision was pretty easy.

‘Everyone loves the Simpsons,’ Sam explains. ‘It’s got that nostalgic, 6pm on BBC 2 feel to it.

‘I remember seeing a poster in about 2015 advertising a Peep Show quiz with Super Hans as the quizmaster. People were very excited about it. I thought “ah a TV show quiz — that’s a hook!”

Thanks to its topic, the quiz quickly found a dedicated audience.

Sam says: ‘Originally I thought I’d do one Simpsons quiz then move on to another show, but the sheer devotion and general friendliness of the fans made me decide to make it a dedicated Simpsons quiz.

‘The quiz night is almost like a very niche sub culture event now, with the quiz as just one focal point.

‘On Halloween quizzes, people come dressed up as Treehouse of Horror characters, or even dressed as Simpsons memes. Many people come dressed in bootleg Simpsons merch.

‘It’s a friendly place for people to enjoy their relationship with the TV show with fellow fans. I couldn’t have accidentally chosen a better group to quiz-master for.’

The pub quiz started out making money by Sam asking for £1 for each person taking part.

At first he just promoted the events on social media, but the Simpsons pub quiz got a massive boost thanks to a feature in Time Out, packing the pub with 140 quizzers the night the edition came out.

Seeing the buzz, Sam knew he had to take things up a notch. He started doing tickets in advance so the pub wouldn’t be absolutely rammed, put more research into the questions, and created his own brand, called Love Tester Quizzes.

Since that evening, the pub quiz has sold out every month.

Tickets go for £20 a team (up to six people), with cash prizes and Simpsons merch for the winners.

‘A really key part of the quiz success has been discovering the hidden community of hardcore Simpsons fans in London,’ says Sam. ‘This was all happening at the height of (can’t believe I’m saying this) the 2017 Simpsons Wave craze, the rise of cult Facebook groups like UK Simpsons II and the emergence of wildly popular Simpsons Instagram accounts like Scenic Simpsons (over 400k followers) – the owner of which has attended and won the quiz!’

What started as a sort of happy accident is now a fully-fledged side gig requiring proper commitment.

Sam is still studying for his masters and has to balance doing the quiz with his university work and part-time job, usually running the quiz once a month around any exams.

It’s all worth it. Sam isn’t able to save anything while he’s studying, but knowing he’s paying off his fees as he goes, by doing something he enjoys, takes a real load off his mind.

‘You can pay fees in installments over the terms, so earning as I go is really taking the financial pressure off,’ he tells us.

‘I’m doing other work as well to pay for my living costs, but the quiz money I saved up before the course began, plus the money it continues to bring in, will cover all of my tuition fees.’

In case you’re nosy about Sam’s general finances and budgeting (we are. Getting through a masters without racking up any debt is pretty impressive), he also did some other minor things to sort his spending.

‘I began using Monzo to limit and keep detailed track of my spending,’ he says. ‘I did one trial month where I didn’t try and be particularly frugal, just to get a measure of my usual habits, and then I tried to work with them in a realistic way to save in areas I wouldn’t notice, while keeping on spending on things I loved.

‘I always put my savings target for each month into my savings account as soon as I’m paid.

‘I switched to the best savings account I could find. Always check on Money Saving Expert before making any large financial commitment!

‘I also began cycling to work. That was huge. You pay £200 for a bike, but it saves you £5 a day plus you can skip your weekly £15 spin class, meaning you save loads very quickly.’

Of course, doing The Simpsons pub quiz isn’t just about making money. Sam’s found something he really loves doing, and he has no plans to stop.

‘When I graduate, I’d like to reinvest the quiz money into the events to put on some really fun evenings for the lovely people who come along,’ he tells us. ‘I love them all and want to do a great job for them.’

If you fancy heading along to the Simpsons pub quiz, the next one’s happening on 23 July. You can book your team’s ticket online now. 

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Sophie Trew was just 23 when she was diagnosed with blood cancer after discovering a lump on her neck.

After her devastating diagnosis, she realised that cancer treatment in this country is lacking the holistic approach that she wanted, so she decided to forge her own path.

She founded the UK’s first cancer awareness festival – Trew Fields – to create a space for people with cancer to break taboos, connect with members of the community, rejuvinate and learn about the latest holistic treatment options.

‘Being told that I had cancer was a whirlwind,’ Sophie tells Metro.co.uk.

‘Life was so non-stop that I didn’t really get a chance to pause or to notice what was going on with me.

‘I had a lump on my neck and I was getting night sweats.

‘Doctors initially told me that I was too young for it to be cancer, and because I had been in Colombia they thought I had tuberculosis.

‘I was told they were 99% sure it wasn’t cancer.

‘The grump grew to the size of an orange, but I didn’t think too much of it – I gave it a nickname and just kept going. Adulthood was just beginning.

‘Then I got a call one morning telling me I had to come into hospital and I had to bring my parents. That’s where they told me that I had blood cancer, and very quickly I had my bone marrow taken out and they started me on chemotherapy.

‘At that point I had no idea what cancer was. They told me that I was going to get through it, but a nurse did say to me that if I didn’t start chemotherapy I could only have about six months.

‘From that moment, my life was put on hold. Everyone was cracking on with their dreams, finishing uni, finding a job. But I did have a focus. I wanted to know everything I could possibly do to help myself.

‘After the initial shock, I sat down with my doctor and asked what I could do. He told me that there was nothing I could do, that cancer’s a lottery – he told me to keep doing what I was doing.’

But this seemed like strange advise to Sophie. At that point in her life, like lots of 23-year-olds, Sophie wasn’t great at looking after herself and didn’t really prioritise her health.

‘I was eating cheesy chips most night, lots of energy drinks,’ says Sophie.

‘Cancer woke me up to a body that needed help. Which I see as a gift really – to realise that I had a body because of a disease.

‘Doctors telling me that there was nothing I could do to help myself was so disempowering. But I knew I needed to take an active role and really take charge of my own health.

‘It was partially also a self-protection thing. A need to regain some control when everything was so out of my control.

‘I really began looking at what I was putting into my body, how I was moving, how I was thinking. I discovered that 90-95% of cancers are to do with lifestyle and environment – so it just clicked with me that there is so much more that we need to talk about when it comes to cancer prevention and treatment.’

Sophie strongly believes that treatment for cancer should never be ‘one size fits all’. She thinks that the important thing is to empower people with the knowledge and resources to everything they can to help themselves.

‘So many cancers have really high rates of recurrence. I jut knew I wanted to do everything in my power to be here for as long as I possibly could be.

‘When we know we have options, it gives us hope and inspiration. We are all living in such a polluted world, but there are ways to protect ourselves once we get to know that.’

The latest figures suggest that one in two people in the UK will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lives. And yet it is still a taboo subject.

If someone tells us they have cancer, it’s hard to know how to react – and Sophie thinks that’s because we don’t really have the language to talk about it. She hopes that her festival will provide a safe space to normalise talking about cancer and everything that comes with it.

‘People have asked me how I can put on a festival about something so serious, but the more we can talk about and confront these things – the better everyone’s outcomes will be.

‘At the festival we talk about things like conscious dying – last year we had a lady who spent her final weekend of life at the festival. Lots of people come for their own healing paths.

‘It’s a weekend of expert talks, holistic workshops, music, play and different activities on a beautiful farm. There are more than 80 speakers this year – and we have experts in the field from all over the world.’

When Sophie was diagnosed with cancer, she built her own integrative recovery plan alongside six months of chemotherapy, which included gut healing, meditation, juicing, exercise, nutrition and lifestyle medicine.

She thinks it’s really vital for medical professionals to bridge the gap between traditional and holistic forms of medicine and think about how they can work together.

‘I really want to be part of changing the cancer narrative into one that gives people more empowerment,’ explains Sophie.

‘The “battle”, the “fight”, all of that needs to change. For me, cancer was not a battle. I was not at war with my body, I wanted to nurture it back to health.

‘It also portrays people who die as though they have “lost”. But there are no winners or losers with disease, everyone has their own path.’

The festival takes place on a farm, just outside of Dunsfold in Surrey, from Friday 5^th – Sunday 7^th July.

Tickets are currently available from £75 per person for the full weekend including camping.

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The old cliche about sex and headaches is that one partner feigns one in order to get out of sex.

(We all know that no one should need to fake anything to get out of sex, but that’s by the by).

But actually the relationship between sex and headaches is more complicated than that – with sex sometimes even causing headaches.

According to the NHS, if having sex (or having an orgasm) gives you a headache, it’s probably related to tension.

It’s listed as one of the top 10 causes of headaches by the NHS, who explain:

‘Doctors think sex headaches are due to pressure building up in the head and neck muscles. The headaches can happen during foreplay or just before orgasm, and can last for a few minutes or up to an hour.

The good news is that a sex headache probably doesn’t suggest any horrific underlying issues.

According to the NHS: ‘Sex headaches are inconvenient, but these headaches are usually harmless and don’t mean you have to avoid sex. Take a painkiller a few hours beforehand to block the headache.’

A paper written on the subject of headaches associated with sexual activity (HSA) says that the topic needs to be taken more seriously and given more exploration, as they ‘can cause an ongoing negative affect on a person’s sex life.’

The paper also found that HSA affects around 1% of the population and is 3-4 times more common in men – though it also acknowledges that the problem may be underreported due to embarassment and therefore could affect a larger number of people.

On the upside, orgasms can also have a positive effect on pain. Many women find that having an orgasm helps to alleviate menstrual cramps. So that’s nice.

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Sometimes people fake their orgasms.

This is an essential thing to know, otherwise you’ll grow a massive head from the strokes to your ego, fully believing that every person you’ve ever had sex with has had roaring orgasms that have left them writhing.

People fake orgasms for all sorts of reasons – they’re tired and want to speed things up, they’re having fun but know they won’t be able to come, they don’t want to make you feel bad, and so on.

But if you suspect that’s happening… what can you do?

Is there a way to bring up the issue as a way to make sex better, without coming off accusatory or grumpy?

Good news: yes. We chatted to some experts to bring you a guide for a smooth conversation about faking orgasms.

Do bring it up

Don’t just simmer away resenting your partner for faking orgasms. If you reckon they might be faking, have a proper chat when you’re not having sex to work out what’s going on.

Someone faking an orgasm during sex isn’t a personal failing on either part, but it does indicate a struggle to be honest. Why does the faker feel they have to fake? That’s what you need to discuss – not just why they aren’t having an orgasm.

Annabelle Knight, sex and relationship expert with Lovehoney, tells Metro.co.uk: ‘The key to maintaining a healthy relationship is good communication.

‘If your partner is faking it, whether male or female (though it is much more common with women), then that does indicate a breakdown in communication, because one of you isn’t being honest.’

Learn the signs

A fake orgasm isn’t always easy to spot, especially if the person in question is a good actor.

It’s worth noting that an orgasm that’s loud or seems over the top isn’t necessarily fake. Everyone experiences pleasure in a different way.

You can usually tell if the ‘orgasm’ seems to come out of nowhere, manifests differently to normal, they don’t seem to be that excited before or afterwards, or you just get the feeling it’s a bit… off. It’s not an exact science, unfortunately.

You don’t need to closely analyse every single orgasm. The issue at hand isn’t whether you can catch someone out, but what’s going on behind the faked orgasm.

Timing is everything

That’s the case with orgasms and conversations about fake orgasms.

Jessica Leoni, relationship expert at IllicitEncounters, advises: ‘The time to raise it is after your partner has had a real orgasm.

‘You can then say, “That was great – why wasn’t it like that last week?” And then look at the reasons why your sex together is sometimes mediocre and your partner feels the need to fake.’

Bringing up the conversation seemingly out of the blue can make your partner feel ambushed, while doing it immediately after a fake orgasm risks an argument coming out of the tension.

We-Vibe’s relationship expert, psychologist Dr Becky Spelman, adds: ‘Make sure that you’re both in a quiet environment and that it’s just the two of you.’

Valid point – please don’t chat about your sexual issues at a social gathering.

Veer away from criticism

Okay, so you may have spotted that they were faking because their sounds were a tad pantomime, but don’t bring that up. The same goes for the specifics of their facial expressions. You’ll only make someone self-conscious, which could stop real orgasms from happening next time.

It’s key that you don’t bring up the topic with anger or blame.

It would be pretty strange for someone to fake an orgasm to hurt your feelings – they’re likely doing it with the best of intentions – so it’s not wise to express annoyance or anger that they’ve faked.

Dr Spelman tells us: ‘As with so many things, how you approach this matter is what makes all the difference.

‘You could start with, “It’s so much fun being in bed with you, and I was wondering if we could spice things up a bit by making it even better…” or, “Wouldn’t it be fun to try something new that might make sex even more fun for us both?”

‘It might be a good idea to start with an incremental approach, rather than out of the blue and make sure that your approaches to your partner are always done with love and respect.’

Ask and listen without judgement

Like we said, people fake for all sorts of reasons, and if you want your partner to quit the faux-gasms it’s crucial they feel comfortable being totally honest.

Ask why they’ve been faking and listen to the answer without jumping in too quickly with solutions.

A faked orgasm is very often a one-off thanks to tiredness or a night out, and that isn’t something that points to larger problems. You need to be certain of what’s happened and why before you know how to adapt.

Make it okay to not have an orgasm

This is a big one.

To put an end to fake orgasms, you need to reassure your partner that it’s perfectly fine if they don’t climax every time.

Sure, an orgasm is the aim, but sex should be about the entirety of the pleasurable experience – not the soulless pursuit of one goal.

A lot of faked orgasms happen because people feel their partner will be upset if an orgasm just doesn’t happen.

Remember that it’s not always personal or a reflection of your abilities, and reassure your other half that your priority is their pleasure and enjoyment.

Make them feel good

It’s tough to have a real orgasm when you feel rubbish about yourself.

Dr Spelman says: ‘Make sure your partner feels cared for always. For both sexes, feeling less than comfortable in the bedroom can lead to performance anxiety and, respectively, difficulty in sustaining an erection or achieving orgasm.

‘Equality is important in any relationship, and it is most important when it comes to sex.

‘Nobody likes to feel pressured into doing something they don’t want, while everyone needs to feel that they are cared for and are at the centre of their partner’s attention.’

Use this as a chance to try new things

If your partner is faking because they’re struggling to orgasm for real, don’t panic. Use this as a time to try new things and have some fun.

‘It is a good way to tackle wider issues in the relationship, not just sexual,’ says Annabelle. ‘And it maybe a way for you to change the way you make love for the better.

‘Only around a third of women can climax through intercourse alone so it could be a route for you to try new techniques – possibly introducing sex toys or at least upping the foreplay, particularly oral sex.

‘If you handle the situation sensitively, there is no reason why you cannot both take your sex life to new heights and ensure that faking becomes a thing of the past.’

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If you’re stuck over what you should write in a Father’s Day card, let the best dad jokes around come to your rescue.

Because dads can’t have all the fun, and the internet is relentless.

Dads are notoriously funny in their unfunny-ness, and when is a better time to get back at them than on a day dedicated to thanking them for all they do?

Father’s Day falls Sunday 16 June, and while many might be obsessing over what gifts to get him, a card might just suffice for the easy-going and easy-to-please father.

Why not add a funny joke inside to get back at him for all the times he embarrassed you in front of your friends?

Or even to set the mood for the day before having to take them out for a meal and spend dreaded quality time with him?

The best dad jokes for Father’s Day

Warning: corniness follows.

1. An invisible man married an invisible women. The kids were nothing to look at.

2. When a dad drives past a graveyard: Did you know that’s a popular cemetery? Yep, people are just dying to get in there!

3. Mum: ‘How do I look?’ Dad: ‘With your eyes.’

4. If you see a robbery at an Apple Store does that make you an iWitness?

5. What did the mountain climber name his son? Cliff.

My dads been feeding the neighbor cat.. and this morning I get this
🤣🤣🤣💀💀💀💀 pic.twitter.com/tHXweW15kr

— RawBeautyKristi (@RawBeautyKristi) June 12, 2019

Why do dad's always watch the news like this 😂 pic.twitter.com/1Zf9HQphOz

— MVPJ (@MVPJunkie) June 12, 2019

6. What’s the advantage of living in Switzerland? Well, the flag is a big plus!

7. Child: ‘Dad, make me a sandwich!’ Dad: ‘Poof, you’re a sandwich!’

8. Why did the invisible man turn down the job offer? He couldn’t see himself doing it.

9. What has two butts and kills people? An assassin.

Why do dads always grunt when they sit down

— Keifer McCaw (@keifermccaw) July 8, 2018

10. Where did Napoleon keep his armies? Up his sleevies!

11. If Snoop Dogg dies before pot becomes legal in the US, he will be rolling in his grave.

12. I gave away all my used batteries today. Free of charge.

13. What did the police officer say to the belly button? You’re under a vest!

14. What do you call a dog that can do magic? A Labracadabrador.

15. What’s Forrest Gump’s computer password? 1forrest1.

16. What is the difference between an angry circus owner and a Roman barber? One is a raving showman, the other is a shaving roman.

17. Why couldn’t the bike stand-up by itself? It was two tired.

Hopefully that should be enough to get you through your Father’s Day anxiety.

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Inflatable flamingos are so 2017.

Now you’ll need to impress anyone with a pool by getting a full-on inflatable speedboat that’s big enough for all your friends (well, you plus five of them).

Handily you can get exactly that through Amazon, which is indeed selling an inflatable boat that fits six guests.

To be clear, this isn’t an actual speedboat, in that it doesn’t have a motor and thus cannot be used to sail the fine seas.

Instead it’s a massive inflatable that looks like a boat.

Wait ’til the Sail Club sees you now.

The Inflatable Bay Breeze Boat Party Island has two seating areas on the front and in the back, so you can do the whole ‘dancing on a speedboat popping champagne’ thing, if you so wish.

It also has eight cup holders and a built-in drinks cooler.

So clearly it’s designed to party, even if you do end up inflating it in your mum’s back garden (the product description states it’s the ‘perfect lounge for land or water use’, so clearly a garden boat party is acceptable).

And as you’ve likely guessed, it is quite large. You can’t just pop this in your pond, if you have your heart set on floating on water you’ll need to look for, well, a big pool or the actual sea.

The boat measures in at 20 feet long and 10 feet wide, so yes, it’s a big lad and not exactly subtle. This isn’t your average low-key inflatable, it’s a statement.

And with a large inflatable statement comes great responsibility, by which we mean the arduous task of blowing it up.

You will indeed need a proper pump, no matter how much you boast about your lung capacity. A human cannot inflate an entire boat by willpower alone. Do not attempt it, for you risk both embarrassment and fainting.

You’ll need some spare cash, too, as getting your paws on your own inflatable boat will cost you around $279.99 (£222).

Be warned that the moment you look at said speedboat on Amazon your recommended products will be entirely made up of boating equipment and hot tubs. Learn from my mistakes.

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Wannabe the ultimate Spice Girl fan?

Remember when you used to curl up on the sofa reading the latest Smash Hits, with your Spice Girls CD playing loud and scrunchies in your hair?

Well now all you debt riddled 20-somethings can relive the Spice Girls magic with a stay on the actual Spice Bus.

The iconic bus has been listed by Airbnb to celebrate the reunion of the Spice Girls and their nationwide concerts.

The Union Jack emblazoned bus is parked in Market Square, Wembley – a stone’s throw and within listening distance of the arena where the band will be playing all this weekend.

The bus has been renovated by huge Spice Girls fan Suzanne Godley after her boss mentioned the bus was for sale and she encouraged him to buy it.

With a design team she led the project and transformed it into the ultimate double-decker sleepover Airbnb.

The bus wasn’t just a movie prop, it is a 1978 British Leyland Bristol VRTSL3 double-decker, formerly used for public transport, but the new interior is a long way from the 70s.

The wooden panelled walls give a cabin-style feel to the cosy lounge including cinema chairs and all the 90s DVDs and CDs your pre-teen self could dream of.

There is also a mini fridge and a collection of Top of the Pops and Smash Hits magazines that give you all the feels.

https://www.instagram.com/p/ByqKYnWhcQ2/

Up the animal print stairs, the bedroom includes a double bed and day bed, suitable for sleeping three people – the perfect slumber party number.

The blankets and cushions around the bus give it a comfy feel and keep you warm at night, making you feel like you’re glamping on four large wheels.

The bus itself doesn’t have any bathroom facilities but a porta-bathroom is provided  plus showers – my 7am dash in a bathrobe outside the Wembley arena was quite something.

Wembley’s Box Park is just a two minute walk from the bus and offers a food hall and bar plus often hosts events and club nights.

The Greek wraps and pizza went down nicely before a round of drinking games back on the bus.

The bus is what you want, what you really really want for the ultimate 90s throwback night to relive the girlie sleepovers of your preteen weekends.

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