Sock relief

SOCKS worn to prevent blood clots during long­haul flights might banish snoring.

Twenty­four heavy snorers are currently cooperating with a trial at the PitieSalpetriere University Hospital in Paris, trying out the €16 socks. Investigators believe they could help by reducing the amount of fluid that builds up in the lower legs during the day.

Small­scale studies have found that, owing to the force of gravity, some of this fluid moves to the neck area, leading to sleep apnoea and snoring.

Cheaper alternatives

WE have no trouble locating tomatoes, peppers or cucumber here although prices have certainly shot up.

So those on tight budgets might nevertheless want to take nutrition guru Dr Megan Rossi’s advice to UK consumers, and substitute fresh tomatoes with canned plum tomatoes, which are consistently cheap in Spain.

Swapping cucumber for celery in a salad might be worth trying while those of us blanching at the price of red peppers could, as Dr Rossi suggests, use grated beetroot instead.