Yours Magazine issue 85

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‘The youthful mistake I still regret’

SLEEP YOURSELF YOUNGER TONIGHT!

5 ways to wake refreshed

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Stephanie Beacham

‘My real reason for going on Big Brother’

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The

View Yours this fortnight

from

new suPer tomato Goes on sale

D It’s official – tomatoes really are a super food! The Moruno is being touted as a ‘super superfood’ for its ability to reduce the risk of cancer. It has twice the normal levels of a natural cancerfighting substance called lycopene which scientists have linked to a reduced risk of prostate cancer.

The super toms are available from Tesco’s Finest range priced £1.50 for a 280g pack.

And they call it piggy love...

D You might have thought the idea of a pig thinking it’s a dog is the stuff of films, but Prudence the porker is the exception. Born a runt, she was due to be shot by her owners but was rescued just in time by staff at an animal shelter. Prudence, then just five weeks old, went on to strike up an unlikely friendship with a pack of six puppies at the centre. Now she’s become one of the gang, chasing sticks and curling up to doze with them.

Rosie Catford, owner of Wildlives animal rescue centre, said: “Prudence loves to play with the dogs when she’s not foraging. She jumps around and chases sticks like they do. It looks quite ridiculous, but it seems so natural to her.

And when they all sleep in the meadow, it’s lovely to see.”

The unlikely friendship echoes Dick King Smith’s novel The Sheep-Pig which became the hit movie in 1995.

Get your own stick! Prudence with one of her pup pals

Happy birthday… Liza Minnelli March 12, 1946 D If ever there was a star born to be in showbiz, it’s Liza Minnelli. She was practically raised at MGM studios while her parents – Hollywood legend Judy Garland and director Vincente Minnelli – worked long hours there. Liza made her film debut aged just 14 months,

but it wasn’t until 1972 that she hit the big time in Chicago. A glittering career ensued, seeing her win numerous awards, including an Oscar. Sadly, the fame came at a cost leading to alcohol and drug addiction, but Liza battled back and today is still holding sell-out concerts. Here’s to you Liza, a born survivor.

Also celebrating this fortnight…

D Barbie, that perfect doll with the boyfriend, Ken, and not a single wrinkle, is 51 on March 9.

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D Glenn Close, of Fatal Attraction, who is back on the small screen in Damages, is 63 on March 19.

D Patrick Duffy, whose dreamy looks had us glued to our TV screens in Dallas, is 61 on March 17.

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not a result of her years of rigorous exercise, but due to the problem running in her family. When asked what the secret is to her good looks, she has reportedly said: “I owe 30 per cent to genes, 30 per cent to good sex, 30 per cent because of sports and healthy lifestyle and for the remaining 10 per cent, I have to thank my plastic surgeon.”

D exercise guru Jane fonda hasn’t let her recent hip and knee replacement slow her down. at the age of 72 she’s launching an exercise DVD. Her latest release is targeted at people just like us. The former workout queen and actress says her new DVD “will target an audience that has been left out… I want to get people who have stopped working out.”

Although she suffers from osteoarthritis, she says her condition is

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looking fabulous, it’s 28 years since Jane released her first fitness video

“You know why you’re still on earth when you come to be a grandmother,” Vanessa Redgrave

a taste for nostalGIa

old favourites, such as flying saucers, have seen a big rise in popularity

D Here’s some good news to get your mouth watering. Sales of many of the sweet treats from our youth have been soaring of late. The traditional tuck shopstyle confectionery we used to chomp, suck and chew our way through is back in vogue. It seems that recessionhit Britain is turning to the sweets of its childhood as we all long for a taste of happier times.

In the last two years, favourites

such as Sherbet Fountains, Flying Saucers, Black Jacks and Mint Imperials have doubled in demand. Sales so far this year are up by 100 per cent compared with 2008, when the credit crunch first began.

Could you forgive

THE VIEW your partner if they from had an affair?

YOU

Yes 17%

no 83%

troubled times for Cheryl and ashley Cole

Thumbs up D to BBC bosses for at last tuning into some commonsense.

Trustees have told Radio 2 that it must do more to appeal to older listeners.

Quite right too! Why not expand Alan Titchmarsh’s current weekend slot to a daily show – and axe Chris Evans. Now that would grow their older audience figures!

D to Yorkshire rhubarb for earning the same status as Champagne.

Yorkshire Forced Rhubarb, a specially developed type harvested by candlelight, has joined Europe’s food elite by being granted a Designation of Origin Status. Let’s raise a glass of bubbly to a very British success.

And of course there’s nowt like giving the French some stick!

Thumbs down D to Prince andrew, for allegedly hitting a police officer with his car while speeding through a side entrance at Buckingham Palace. The Pc is understood to have jumped to move two tourists out of the path of the Prince’s Range Rover.

Perhaps the police need to install a speed camera in the Palace forecourt, that would slow the Prince down! Then again, would all the tourists be blinded by the camera continually flashing?

D to researchers who say grandparents may not know what children need to eat for a healthy diet. The study, published in the International Journal of Obesity, suggested Gran and Granddad can be too generous with the biscuit tin.

Now that may sometimes be the case, but to suggest we don’t know what foods are good for our grandchildren?

What a load of rubbish.

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PICS: PETER LAWSON; REx FEATURES; GETTY IMAGES; ALAMY; SCOPE FEATURES; SOLENT NEWS; PRESS ASSOCIATION

fonDa BaCk on the fItness traIl

A few topics th at got us talking this fortnight…

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❤❤H eart ❤ ❤ to H eart

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Stephanie Beacham talks exclusively to Yours about globetrotting with her man, her love for her family – and why she went into that Celebrity Big Brother house

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y star chat y

by Alison James ho wasn’t surprised when it was announced back in early January that actress Stephanie Beacham would be entering the Celebrity Big Brother house?

Unlike most of her fellow housemates, Stephanie was and is a household name – a successful actress of many years standing.

Why on earth would she subject herself to such an ordeal on a much-maligned TV show known for unknowns and wannabes?

“I know what you mean,” laughs Stephanie (63). “It’s what’s known as ‘car crash’ television, isn’t it? When I was first approached by Celebrity Big Brother, I dismissed it immediately. ‘Why would I want to do that?’ was my instant reaction. But then I started to think about it and I was intrigued.

What would it be like living in a houseful of in-your-face strangers with absolutely nothing to do except ‘be’? That’s the real reason I decided to do it. I wanted to find out how I would react to it.”

There have been tabloid reports that Stephanie only took the job, with its alleged £100,000 fee, in order to help her older daughter Phoebe (35) battle depression and drug addiction.

“Absolutely not!” says Stephanie firmly. “Phoebe, her sister Chloe, and my grandson Jude are everything to me and I have them constantly in mind, but

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that story was nonsense. I’m in a position to pick and choose which work I do. I went into the house because I was interested to see how it would change me.”

Did it change her? “Without a doubt,” she says. “When I first went in I was rather crusty and aloof, but that melted away and the real me emerged. Once I’d dropped all the surface rubbish, I discovered I was quite a nice person. I laughed more than I had in years, and I became the person I was before I got a bit crusty. That feeling has stayed with me.

“I have no regrets. I’m thrilled I was there until the last day.

I was the last woman standing.

The oldest, too – although no one’s quite sure how old my fellow housemate Ivana Trump is!

“I came out of there with an immense feeling of achievement.

‘You know what, babe?’ I said

Stephanie at home with her daughters, Chloe (right) and Phoebe (left) and grandson Jude

‘When I first went in I was rather crusty and aloof, but after a while that melted away and the real me emerged’

to myself. ‘You’ve done it!’ I also made some very good friends in the house. I’ve just been on the phone to Heidi Fleiss and I just love Vinnie Jones. I feel there’s quite a strong bond between us because we all went through such an extraordinary experience.”

Having completed an episode of Casualty, to be broadcast this month, Stephanie’s back home in Los Angeles. “I’m just trying to catch up with myself,” she says.

“My life is a bit crazy because it’s split between so many places.

There’s here in California, my

shares a secret Psst… “IStephanie can never remember my passwords on the computer and it really is maddening.

I try not to print off loads of letters and documents as it’s hardly ecologically sound, but it’s the only way I can sort out what I’m doing.

As we speak, I’m knee deep in paper work. I’m going to have to get myself a better system.”

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❝Why I really did Big Brother❞

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By Maureen Paton hen it comes to life experience, agony aunt Denise Robertson (75) has been there, done that and got the MBE to prove it.

Three times married and twice widowed, this energetic broadcaster and columnist has eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, has written 23 novels and is patron of more than 30 charities.

Her three granddaughters, university student Jennifer (19), sixth-former Sarah (17) and Laura (12) are particularly precious because, as Denise explains: “My first five grandchildren were boys, so I was desperate for granddaughters.”

The girls are the children of two of Denise’s four stepsons, but she says she couldn’t love them more than if they were her own h hfl sdesh esd oh.nd aon oo dl blood. blood. and ia hiesi D nenise h as Denise has aci gol oi b eone one biological biological aa hachild, crhM aidM ldM, Mark, Ma,rk, r emhmmo from from her her iie h otiregrai rmarriage m r arriage to to her her dntat bstushst sfi r rst rst husband, husband, x x exh w e, xel Alex, Alex, who who ordfdddied deied from from r egc nagc gnlung lung cancer. cancer. e si ne D ne h When When Denise Denise

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❝I couldn’t love my girls more❞

eti r uovaf s’ noi t an e The T he n nation’s ationt’snffavourite uaa voyunroitgeaa aa agony gony a aunt, unt, Denise robertson, nostr ebor esi ne D enise r obertson, tells us about her very special relationship with her three granddaughters Jennifer, sarah and laura 16

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Denise with her granddaughters, laura (seated), sarah (top left) and Jennifer

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y wise talk y

Denise answers viewers’ questions on This Morning

‘Gran has so much life experience on every topic that she’s like a human Google!’

“I would advise them to enjoy life and not hurry through it, thinking they must cram everything in at once. Stick out for your ambitions if you want a career, because there are an awful lot of gorgeous boys out there. You will know when the time is right to have a family.

“I am not going to sit them down in future and say to them, ‘Now tell me about your sex life’, but I think sex is a glorious gift that you shouldn’t treat lightly.

I could paper every room in the house with letters from readers and viewers who have regretted one-night stands.”

Denise says that the main advice she would give them is not to want to look like someone else – such as Posh or Paris Hilton – before adding: “But luckily my granddaughters are all individuals.”

The advice she would have given herself when she was the same age as her granddaughters is that the most important quality to strive for is individuality.

“If I have one regret, it’s that I did consciously try to please other people for years until I was well into middle age,” explains Denise.

“I spent far too much of my life wanting to be what I thought people wanted me to be.”

So what do the girls think of the advice from their very own in-house agony aunt?

“My Gran is really helpful and not at all judgemental,” says Laura. Sarah says she values her gran for the way that she “always tells me the truth, and doesn’t just say something to make me feel good. She’ll be sympathetic but honest with me.”

The eldest, Jennifer, says: “There are things I could go to Gran about first because my mum is a worrier – so I would get advice from Gran about how to tackle the issue with Mum. “Gran has so much life experience on every topic that she’s like a human Google!”

The advice clearly works both ways as Denise tells me that it was Jennifer who taught her to use a computer and go online ten years ago.

“I was afraid of new technology, but Jen was so competent that it led to me starting my website, which is a great source of pleasure,” she says.

And could there be a greater compliment to the wisdom of an agony aunt than to be called a human Google? No wonder Denise can’t stop smiling…

D Denise appears on ITV1’s This Morning every weekday from 10.30am to 12.30pm.

DenIse’s worDs of worlDly aDVIce…

D when I was 12, like laura, I would have advised myself that I shouldn’t bottle things up but tell my mother, because my mum was also once at the same stage as I was then and would know exactly what it felt like.

D when I was 17, like sarah, I would tell myself to go out into the world but always know there is that bond with home – and family love does not vanish when you give them bad news.

D when I was 19, like Jennifer, I would have told myself that I didn’t have to conform to what others think all the time: you can be proud of what you do.

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married her second husband, Jack, she became a mum to his four boys, John, David, Philip and Peter, who had lost their mother at a young age. When John – Laura and Sarah’s dad – contracted cancer and died tragically early in 2006, Denise was heartbroken at losing the stepson she had lovingly mothered for 32 years.

She says: “I wouldn’t have chosen to have so much loss in my life, but if I hadn’t had the loss, I wouldn’t have had the joy.

I wouldn’t have had these girls if I hadn’t married for a second time after being widowed. Although we don’t share genes, they are very much my grandchildren.”

Denise prefers to be a ‘subtle’ influence in the girls’ lives by offering them a sympathetic ear rather than being a finger-wagging granny who lays down the law.

“It has been instilled in me that you do not force advice on people,” explains Denise when I meet her at her pretty Georgian lodge house outside Newcastle where she lives with her third husband, Bryan Thubron.

“I think young women should be independent these days – and that family should be there for them, rather than hanging round their necks. And that extends to grandparenting. They have lovely mothers to go to so, in a sense, I’m a bit of an extra. But I would like to think they could knock on my door at any time and say, ‘Gran, I’m in a pickle’.

“I think my role is to show that I approve of them, so I don’t ever say, ‘You mustn’t do that’,” adds Denise, a self-confessed former teenage rebel who now gives viewers the benefit of her hard-learned experience every weekday on ITV1’s This Morning.

“But when my granddaughters tell me they are going to do something terribly daring, I do have a look of alarm that seems to be effective,” she laughs, as she poses with the girls for a family portrait after taking them out for lunch.

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dazzle how to

like

Turning on the style... dame helen shows off her timeless look

You’ll need…

D No7 Mini Brush Set, £8 D Vie at home Prime Time Primer, £12/30ml D Tesco All About Face Liquid Foundation, £1.49/20ml D 17 Hide and Chic Eye Brightening Concealer, £4.49 D Tesco All About Face Translucent Powder, £1.49/8g D Maybelline Diamond Glow Quad in Bronze Drama, £6.99 D Tesco All About Face Eyeliner with sharpener in black, £1.49 D Bourjois 1001 Lashes Mascara, £8.50/ 8ml D Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge for Lips and Cheeks in Cabo Coral, £16.50/11ml D No7 Skin Illuminator in Peach, £10.50/30ml D No7 Sheer Temptation Lipstick, £10/3g

helen

at home on the red carpet, dame Helen mirren always looks fabulous. But if you thought it’s a look you could never mirror then think again. Here’s everything you need to steal the mirren look…

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Four STePS To hollYWood glaMour

1Base

Stockists: Bobbi Brown 0870 034 2566; Bourjois 0800 269 836; Maybelline 0845 399 0304; No7 and 17 at Boots 0845 0708 090 www.boots.com; Tesco 0800 50 55 55 www.tesco.com; Vie at home 0845 300 8022 www.vieathome.com 36

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Start by applying a primer to even out your skin tone and fill in fine lines.

Use a brush to apply a liquid foundation to areas where you need coverage. To stop creases, avoid applying foundation over your eye area. Instead, apply concealer under your eyes and a little to your eyelids, too. a light covering here will ensure you get the true colour of your eye shadow. Helen has glowing skin, so finish with a light dusting of powder over your T-section.

2eyes

For Helen’s sultry gaze, apply a golden eye shadow over your eyelid. Use a brush to apply a rich brown in the crease of the socket, blending towards the outer corner.

Use the same shadow and a fine brush to line just below your lower lashes. line the inner rim of your eye and above your upper lashes with a black eye pencil. Finish with a coat of lash-lengthening mascara. Fill in sparse brows with a brow pencil and apply highlighter below your brow arch to frame your eyes.

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8-week Beauty Challenge D We know it can take time to really see the benefit of some anti-ageing products.

So we’ve asked real women to put the beauty companies’ claims to the test for a rigorous eight weeks.

3Cheeks

Helen knows how to get her glow just right. If you’re 50+ avoid bluebased pink blusher shades.

Stick to coral and rose colours, which help to warm paler skin tones. a cream blush will give you a more natural glow and is more forgiving on mature skin than powder. Smile, and apply using your ring finger to the apple of your cheeks, blending outwards. For that red- carpet finesse, blend bronze or golden toned skin illuminator over your blusher to enhance your cheekbones.

4lips

lip colour is a must for a polished finish and Helen always makes the most of hers. Fine feathery lines around your lips can make keeping lipstick in place a bit tricky. lip liner is the key to preventing lipstick bleed. If you’re not used to applying lip liner, then a nude coloured liner is a good start.

Follow your natural lip line and then apply your lip colour over the top.

Choose warm, natural shades and finish with a little clear gloss over the top for plumper, youthful lips.

Stockists: Garnier is available nationwide YOURS

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PICS: GETTY ImaGES/RUTH jENkINSON; makE-UP:OlIVIa FERRER/ SaRaH jaNE GREEN; wORdS: mICHEllE NIGHTINGalE

our Yours model shows off the helen look

Product: Garnier Ultralift Pro-X double action Eye Care £11.99/2 x 5ml Tester: joan murray (79) from leeds The beauty claim: Contains Pro-Xylane from beech tree extract, which helps to plump the skin and reduce the appearance of even deep wrinkles. The double action treatment also smooths skin and targets under eye bags, too.

Joan said: The doubleended tube made this product easy to apply.

Only a little was needed and it sank in quickly. Straight after application, my skin felt smooth and didn’t feel sticky or greasy.

I didn’t see any instant improvement. However, using it every morning and night, I began to notice changes to my skin texture. after a week of use, the skin on my eyelids did seem firmer and the wrinkles under my eyes appeared less noticeable. Further into the test I would definitely say my eyes looked fresher and more youthful. I think this product is great value as only a small amount was needed and the clever packaging meant there was little waste. The results were better than expected, considering my age, so I will definitely be buying it in the future.

My daughter said: Carole thought my eyes looked better and noticed an improvement by the end of the test.

Yours says: a great product that 4 5 actually does what it claims.

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Recharge your

health

Sleep

Are your nocturnal habits making you old? Find out how to turn back the clock as you sleep

By Rebecca Speechley f you thought retirement was going to be all about long lies-ins and afternoon naps you’d be wrong – half of over 65s spend their nights unable to drop off.

This lack of sleep could mean you’re getting old before your time. Studies have linked insufficient sleep with an increased risk of diabetes or Alzheimer’s, and if your nights are disturbed by sleep apnoea your risk of dying jumps up by 17 per cent.

A study at Harvard University found that although older people need less sleep than their younger counterparts, we still need an average of 7.5 hours every night.

“Sleeping patterns change as you age,” says Dr Jonty Heaversedge. “You may feel more tired in the evening, go to bed earlier than you used to and wake up earlier, too.

More of an issue is that the quality of sleep you get when you are older is not as good.

You’re likely to sleep more lightly, resulting in greater tiredness during the day.”

To ensure you’re getting the anti-ageing benefits of a good night’s sleep, complete our quiz and try our simple self-help tips.

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How badly do you sleep?

Score a point for every ‘Yes’ answer 1) I have difficulty falling asleep at night Yes No 2) I wake up several times during the night Yes No 3) I wake up in the early hours and then can’t get back to sleep Yes No 4) I find it hard to switch off at night Yes No 5) I don’t feel refreshed when I wake up Yes No 6) I regularly feel tired and irritable during the day and find it hard to function Yes No 46

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yourself rflseflf younger

If you’ve answered yes to two or more of these statements you could be experiencing insomnia. Insomnia can be caused by stress, emotional or psychological problems, a physical condition such as restless leg syndrome or heart problems, or it could be a side effect of a medicine that you’re currently taking. It might be worth seeing your GP for advice – there are medications available, but many of these have side effects and can become addictive. So try these simple tricks first.

Fix your routine Go to bed and get up at the same time each day, if possible. Send sleep signals to your body with a warm aromatherapy bath – add a few drops of lavender or geranium oils to the water. And have a hot milky drink before bed; it stimulates the production of serotonin, a natural hormone that can make you sleepy.

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25/2/10 17:35:27

❙ health matters ❙ Burn energy “Do some physical activity during the day to help tire you out,” says Dr Jonty. Try taking a brisk 30-minute walk in the fresh air – but not too close to bedtime because exercise has an energising effect on your body. Head outside – studies show that people who get adequate natural daylight tend to sleep better at night. Indulging in regular exercise could also help to combat specific problems such as snoring and joint pain by helping you to lose weight.

‘Half of over65s spend their nights unable to drop off’ Eat early Eating too close to bedtime ups the risk you’ll be kept awake by indigestion or heartburn.

But don’t go to bed hungry – a rumbling stomach will keep you awake. Avoid caffeine in the afternoon and limit your alcohol intake because it can disrupt your sleep patterns.

Ask Dr Jonty The Yours doctor is here to answer your questions every fortnight

Q

I struggle to keep myself warm, especially my hands and feet. It makes me very tired too – is this an illness or just old age?

DR JONTY SAYS: With age, it gets more difficult to regulate your body temperature. However, it sounds as though you are suffering more than most and you should see your doctor for a check up. Given the tiredness you are experiencing, I’d suggest some simple blood tests to check for anaemia or thyroid problems.

If these are normal, it is most likely that you’re suffering from a condition called Raynaud’s. This causes your blood vessels to become more sensitive to the cold, so that even holding a cold drink could cause your blood vessels to constrict to keep up your core body temperature. Your fingers may turn white

Raynaud’s causes your blood vessels to become more sensitive to the cold

Studies have shown that a daytime nap helps to improve your memory but take care when you snooze. “Avoid napping after 3pm and keep it short,” recommends Dr Jonty.

Lengthy naps could interfere with your night’s sleep. German scientists have found that even a six-minute nap helps to boost your brain power.

The perfect environment It goes without saying that a decent mattress plays a big part in your ability to sleep.

According to The Sleep Council, the average mattress should not be expected to last for more than ten years so if yours is any older it might be time to think about buying an update. Remember to keep your room cool and dark to make it easier to drop off.

Dr Jonty Heaversedge is a GP and star of BBC1’s Street Doctor. He answers your health questions every fortnight.

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Cat nap with care

and then slightly blue and become stiff and numb. There is no cure but there are a number of things that may help. Reduce your caffeine intake and stop smoking.

Review your medications with your GP because some drugs, such as b-blockers, may make the condition worse.

Your GP may be able to prescribe a medication to dilate the blood vessels and improve your circulation. Omega-3 fatty acids present in oily fish such as sardines and mackerel can help some people with Raynaud’s – so try to include two portions a week or speak to your pharmacist about supplements. For information, call 0800 917 2494 or visit www.raynauds.org.uk

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echarge your

The checklist…

ARTHRITIS

Keeping an eye out for arthritis is worth it – one in five adults aged 50-59 and almost half of adults over 80 have painful arthritis in one or both knees. The earlier you pick it up, the better the chance of managing it. Tick the statements that apply to you:  My joints are often hard to move and flex  They are often stiff  They are often painful  They get swollen and tender  The skin over my joints is sometimes warm and red If you’ve ticked any of these statements see your GP for a check-up. Maintaining a healthy weight and getting regular gentle exercise could also help.

For more information or advice, contact the Arthritis Research Campaign on 0870 850 5000 or visit www.arc.org.uk

SLASH YOUR STROKE RISK Eating one less teaspoonful of salt per day could cut your risk of a stroke by almost 25 per cent, say scientists from Warwick University.

The sodium in salt causes your blood to retain water, which makes it harder for your heart to pump around your body; so your blood pressure goes up, along with the risk of stroke and heart disease. Cut your quota with low-salt options.

THIS FORTNIGHT… 44 Coeliac disease diet advice 46 Sleep yourself younger 47 Help for Raynaud’s sufferers 49 Reclaim your waist

health Blueberry boost Eating antioxidant-rich blueberries is thought to reduce your risk of various cancers – but did you know that drinking their juice could also enhance your memory? Sipping just two cups of blueberry juice a day helped a group of 70-somethings to improve their memories and their recall abilities.

SUPPLEMENT SIDE EFFECTS You might not think twice about popping a garlic pill to help your heart or taking ginkgo biloba to boost your energy – but you should. US scientists have found that such supplements can reduce the effectiveness of some drugs prescribed for heart disease and increase the side effects associated with them.

Treating yourself to the odd pint could be good for your bones, according to US researchers.

Beer contains silicon, which is a key ingredient for increasing bone mineral density. Lighter beers give the most benefits.

GOING DOWN… Fizzy drinks US researchers claim that two sugary fizzy drinks each week could almost double your risk of pancreatic cancer, although they haven’t yet established the link.

Instant

HEALTH BOOST

See your GP before taking supplements or herbal remedies, particularly ✤ if you take prescribed medicines. Always speak to your GP before stopping any medication or before starting any diet or exercise regime.

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GOING UP… Beer

Eating an ounce and a half (40g) of dark chocolate every day could help you to reduce your stress levels.

PICS: GETTY IMAGES; MASTERFILE

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Your essential guide to 50+ wellbeing

25/2/10 12:40:23

Recharge your

❙ health matters ❙

health

Yours exclusive

If you’d like to lose a few pounds this easy-to-follow meal plan is for you. We’ve done the calorie counting for you so all you need do is follow the recipes and watch the weight come off.

Yoursdietclub Nutritionist Laura McLoughlin says: “The plan is designed to help 50-plus women reclaim their waists and stay healthy.”

diet plan

Follow this fabulously simple eating plan for a fortnight and you could lose up to 4lbs

Maximise your

weight loss uoy k ee whc✤aEach Each week week you you should lose between 1-2lbs. Because this is a nutritionally balanced plan, it is safe to follow it for as long as you need to in order to achieve your desired weight.

✤ Drink approximately two litres of water a day. Steer clear of fizzy drinks, which can severely up your calorie intake. Use skimmed or semiskimmed milk in tea or coffee.

✤ Weigh out ingredients carefully to ensure you’re getting the right amount of calories.

Each recipe serves one but you can double the quantities if cooking for two.

✤ Join the Yours Diet Club today and get a personalised healthy diet plan, your own mentor, access to a team of nutritionists, ongoing support and 50 per cent off when you join in March!

These recipes are: ✤ Low-fat and caloriecontrolled ✤ Nutritionally balanced to keep you fuller for longer ✤ Fibre rich to aid digestive health and help lower cholesterol ✤ High in calcium to keep bones healthy ✤ Full of beneficial fats for a healthy heart ✤ Low in salt to keep In association with your blood pressure in check

T&Cs 12 weeks for the price of six at a cost of £2.99 per week.

YOURS

YOUR084-49-53 Recipes.indd 49

EVERY FORTNIGHT

25/2/10 17:05:58

Recharge your

health

Day1

rB Breakfast r Cereal with mixed eC e nuts un u

fl 5( l

g 4 0g1((1 11⁄2oz) of bran flakes with 40g 051 50 l ((5fl 5fl oz) of semi-skimmed 150ml milk. Top with 20g (3⁄4oz) of mixed nuts and raisins and 1 orange.

Lunch Warm turkey salad Cut 100g (31⁄2oz) turkey into thin strips and place in a dish with 1⁄2 teaspoon of sesame oil, 1 ⁄2 teaspoon of rice or balsamic vinegar, I clove of garlic crushed, a 1cm piece of ginger, chopped, and 1⁄2 teaspoon fresh chilli, chopped. Marinade for 30 minutes. Prepare the salad by combining some salad leaves with 50g (2oz) of spinach, 50g (2oz) of sliced mange tout, 75g (3oz) of baby sweetcorn and 4 roughly chopped water chestnuts.

Cook the turkey strips over a medium high heat in a non-stick frying pan. Toss the turkey into the salad along with 1 teaspoon of sweet chilli sauce and a teaspoon

Day2

r Breakfast Br h Cheese Ch nand an tomato momelette om

t t t Heat H a eat11 teaspoon of olive oil in small non-stick frying pan over a moderate heat. Gently beat together 2 eggs and 1 tablespoon of semi-skimmed milk and add to the pan.

Cook, stirring occasionally, until the egg mixture is almost set.

Sprinkle over 1 tablespoon finely chopped onion and 25g (1oz) of grated low fat cheese.

Continue cooking until the cheese has melted and the omelette is just set.

Fold in half and serve with a grilled tomato.

Follow with an apple.

50

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YOUR084-49-53 Recipes.indd 50

of sesame seeds before serving.

Dinner Quick beef and bean enchiladas Heat a non-stick frying pan and cook 75g (3oz) of lean minced beef over a medium heat until browned. Drain off any excess fat and stir in a 227g (10oz) tin of chopped tomatoes, 3 tablespoons of tomato-based salsa and a pinch of chilli powder.

Lunch Beef salad sandwich Fill 2 slices of wholegrain bread with 100g (31⁄2oz) of sliced lean beef (such as sirloin or rump steak), 1 chopped tomato, some mixed salad leaves and 1 tsp of reduced fat mayonnaise.

Dinner Redcurrant and rosemary chicken Heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a non-stick pan over a mediumhigh heat. Add 100g (31⁄2oz) of chicken fillet and brown on both sides over a high heat. Once browned, turn the heat down slightly and continue cooking until the chicken is cooked through – this will take 10-15 minutes.

Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Spread one flour tortilla with 75g (3oz) re-fried beans, then spoon the beef down the centre.

Roll up and cook for 3-4 minutes on medium heat in the microwave.

Snack Yogurt with dried cranberries Top a125ml (41⁄2fl oz) pot of low fat yogurt with 15g (3⁄4oz) of dried cranberries.

Remove from the pan and set aside. Add half an onion, sliced, to the pan, along with a sprig of rosemary. Once softened, add 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon each of redcurrant jelly and soy sauce. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Return the chicken to pan to heat through.

Serve with boiled potatoes and steamed mange tout.

Follow with 125ml (41⁄2oz) of low fat yogurt.

Snack Crispbread with hummus 1 rye crisbread spread with 1 tablespoon of lower fat hummus, served with a 125ml (41⁄2fl oz) glass of semi-skimmed milk.

EVERY FORTNIGHT

25/2/10 17:06:08

❙ health matters ❙

Day3 e mas

rB Breakfast r Porridge P iorr with essesame esame seeds and jam Prepare 50g (2oz) of porridge oats with 200ml (7fl oz) of semi-skimmed milk. Top with 2 teaspoons of reduced sugar jam and 11⁄2 teaspoons of sesame seeds. Plus a banana.

Lunch Lentil and carrot soup Rinse 35g (11⁄4 oz) dried red lentils under cold running water. Drain.

Heat 1⁄2 teaspoon olive oil in a nonstick saucepan and gently cook half a chopped onion and one clove of crushed garlic until softened.

Add one small carrot, finely diced or grated, and 110g (4oz) potato, diced. Cover, and allow to sweat over a gentle heat for 5-10 minutes.

Stir in the lentils, 275ml (1⁄2 pint) of vegetable stock and a pinch of dried mixed herbs, bring to a boil and simmer for 20-30 minutes, until

the vegetables are tender. If you wish, liquidise the soup, and serve with a small wholegrain roll.

Dinner Lemony pasta and salmon salad Cook 50g (11⁄2 oz) of pasta and steam 75g (3oz) broccoli using a microwave or steamer.

Drain 110g (4oz) of tinned salmon

Breakfast Yogurt and nut muesli

Day4

Mix 55g (21⁄4 oz) of sugar-free muesli with 100ml (4fl oz) low fat yogurt, top with 25g (1oz) mixed nuts and fruit.

Lunch Hummus and cheese pitta 1 wholegrain pitta bread, halved and filled with 35g (11⁄4 oz) of low fat cheese, 1 tablespoon of low fat hummus, some chopped cucumber and mixed salad leaves.

Dinner Chicken and herb casserole Preheat the oven to 200C°/Gas Mark 6. Parboil two small new potatoes for 10 minutes.

and mix with 1⁄2 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice.

Toss together the salmon, broccoli and pasta.

Snack Cheese on crackers with grapes 1 wholegrain cracker topped with 25g (1oz) of low fat cheese and 50g (2oz) of grapes.

Fry half a chopped onion in 11⁄2 teaspoons olive oil until transparent. Add 50g (2oz) chopped mushrooms, 25g (1oz) diced carrot and 200g (7oz) chopped tinned tomatoes.

Transfer to a warmed casserole dish and place 100g (4oz) chicken fillet in the centre. Slice the potatoes and use them to cover the casserole. Sprinkle with some fresh rosemary and bake for about an hour. Serve with 50g (2oz) of cooked green beans.

Follow with an orange.

Snack Granola bar with apricots 1 small granola bar and 3 dried apricots.

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EVERY FORTNIGHT

51

25/2/10 17:06:26

Ask anything… saving money

us

How to

Make your m

at 50, 60 & 7

✤ Drop a brand level on everything you buy to cut your supermarket shopping bill by around a third. ✤ If you often stray from your shopping list, ordering online may save you money. ✤ Keep a spending diary for a month. You’ll quickly spot the trivial purchases you can ditch.

IN YOUR

50s

Lowering your heating by just one degree can make a difference

✤ Turn your heating down by one degree, make sure you turn off lights in empty rooms and avoid leaving electrical items on standby to cut energy costs. ✤ Youth hostels (www. hihostels.com) aren’t just for the young. Visit major European cities and save on hotel prices for this year’s holiday.

✤ Find a better value mobile phone tariff or network, or try to use your mobile less at peak rate times – and learn to text. ✤ Quit smoking. Smoking 20 a day costs around £176 a month – use this money to clear debts or boost savings. ✤ Start washing your clothes at 30 degrees instead of higher temperatures. This uses 40 per cent less electricity and could shave around £10 off your monthly bill. ✤ Swap all the remaining traditional light bulbs in your house for energy efficient ones and save around £37 a year. ✤ If you live alone, apply to have your Council Tax bill reduced by a quarter. Contact your local authority for details. ✤ If you’re online, www.oscaruk. co.uk and www.discount-age. co.uk list discounts available for the over-50s on everything from eating out and holidays to shopping. ✤ Financial products aimed at the over50s can be tempting, but it’s worth looking around to make sure A cooler they really are the wash will save money best deals for you.

66

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26/2/10 11:53:39

Did you

KNOW?

If you haven’t done so already there’s still time to use up this year’s ISA allowance, but the deadline is April 5

r money go further IN YOUR

IN YOUR

60s

70s & BEYOND

Ditch high-interest store cards

✤ At 60 you qualify for free NHS eye tests and free NHS prescriptions. ✤ If you’re 60 or over and live in England, Wales or Scotland, you’re entitled to free local bus journeys. ✤ Many coach companies offer discounted fares on national routes to travellers who are 60-plus. ✤ If you enjoy train travel buy a Senior Railcard (for £26), which entitles you to a third off most rail fares. ✤ B&Q and Focus offer money saving cards for the over-60s, while free membership gives a ten per cent discount. Ask in store for details.

✤ Become a member of Wyevale Garden Centres Gardening Club and get double points on Tuesdays.

Points are then converted into money-off vouchers.

For more details call 0844 335 1735. ✤ Cut back on prepared foods and make your own. ✤ Ditch store cards, as the interest rates are so high. ✤ English Heritage (0870 333 1182) gives discounts to the over-60s for annual and life membership, while The National Trust (0844 800 1895) gives discounts on its life membership.

Rent CDs from your local library

✤ Discover charityeligible and have applied shop chic or get a new for a new or replacement wardrobe by holding a passport since May 19, swap party where you 2004, ask for a refund. exchange clothes and ✤ Ask your home accessories with friends. phone provider for its ✤ Hold a ‘pot luck’ party cheapest tariff. where everyone brings a ✤ Play one insurer off dish to the dinner party, against another to see rather than eating out. whether they can match ✤ Buy in bulk with friends or beat your renewal. to get a discount at the ✤ Check restaurant menus for special rates for market or cash-and-carry. ✤ Rent a DVD, rather than senior citizens, have a Sky package. nn eat a n aearly e r naarly and and ✤ If you use oil to heat oorder or rorrf from from atcrestricted your house, buy it in bulk t e c citric ted menu. with neighbours and save . u. on the cost.

Bring a dish to a ✤ Get free books and dinner party cut-price DVD and CD rentals from your library. ✤ If you were born on or before September 2, 1929, you don’t have to pay for a passport (saving £77.50). If you’re

Turn to page 70 for more advice YOURS FR YREEEVERY VERN YI FORTNIGHT FNO T RTNIGHT

YOUR084-66-67 AUA50_60_70..indd 67

WORDS: SARAH JAGGER; PICS: GETTY AND MASTERFILE

& 70+

Whatever your age there are ways to trim the budget and make every penny count

76 67 7

26/2/10 11:56:10

Your SServing up the memories

Sunday roast S Mary Grant, 73, of Saltburn-by-the-Sea in Cleveland, fondly remembers her family preparing the week’s most important meal he aroma of Yorkshire puddings, a joint of beef, crispy roast potatoes and lashings of gravy is enough to make my heart sing with happy memories and the simplicity of Fifties life.

Every Sunday would see the nation preparing for the weekly feast. Families always ate together – a rarity nowadays – and, on any given street, the familiar scent of roast dinner would drift through the open windows.

No northern Sunday dinner was complete without the garnish of wet salad. Depending on what was in season, lettuce, mint, spring onions, tomatoes and

T

cucumber were all finely chopped and covered with vinegar and sugar. This was placed on the table and added to the plate alongside the roast spuds. Joe, my dad, usually made the salad before he went off to enjoy a pint.

No roast was complete without Yorkshire puddings.

Some families enjoyed theirs as a starter, topped with hot gravy made from the meat juices mixed with Comptons Gravy Salt and a few spoonfuls of batter mixture left in the bowl for thickening. My granddad Bill enjoyed his puds as a dessert with evaporated milk and golden syrup.

Parsnips were placed in hot dripping alongside the roast potatoes. We had mashed potatoes, too. I loved mashing the potatoes, stirring in the butter and milk until it was light and creamy. Our potatoes came fresh from the garden, so no amount of butter or milk could mask the wholesome flavour from the rich earth.

Then there was the essential addition of ‘steepy’, or mushy, peas.

‘Lunch was timed for Dad’s return at one o’clock – woe betide him if he was late!’

These had been soaked overnight in bicarbonate of soda and allowed to swell before being boiled slowly for an hour. They had to be watched carefully as they easily boiled over and made a mess on the cooker.

Sometimes the chosen joint was lamb, but it was most probably mutton, renamed to make it sound more appealing.

It was accompanied by freshlypicked garden mint, chopped and mixed with vinegar and sugar.

I can smell it now. That Sunday morning smell as housewives everywhere prepared and cooked the most amazing meal of the week. Nothing could compare with it and my mouth would water in anticipation.

Some men prepared for lunch by pottering around in the allotment or garden, some went to the pub to enhance their appetites, others prepared the veg. Next to washday Monday, Sunday was the hardest-working

‘Some families enjoyed their Yorkshire puddings with gravy as a starter before the main meal’

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1/3/10 12:51:29

Do you remember...

day of the week. I have no memories of car washing, as no one owned one. The odd football match may have been played on a local playing field.

My earliest memory is of sitting in a blue pushchair, propelled up the lane towards home after church by my dad. He always heaped a few spoonfuls of steepy peas on a teaplate and added his wet salad as an appetiser before departing for his pint.

My mum, Jennie, was in charge of the Yorkshire puddings, timing them for Dad’s return at one o’clock – woe betide him if he was late! The rice pudding cooked slowly on the bottom shelf of the oven, its dark brown skin forming.

Many families attended church or chapel while the joint sizzled in a slow oven. All the children would have an outfit for best, with shoes that pinched their little toes.

I can still visualise my family seated in the front row of the church. Dad in his best suit with

his braces showing, hair clogged down with Brylcreem.

Granddad, smart in his RAF uniform with his new stripes stitched neatly on his sleeve. Gran wearing her best hat – the same as our Queen wore – its large plumage sticking out of the side and tickling granddad’s face.

Finally, poor, over-sized mum, who had waddled there with my brother Bruce in her tummy.

As I grew up, Sundays changed.

My shoes didn’t pinch any more and I’d sing proudly in the church choir. Afterwards, I’d meet friends down the local park to show off our best clobber, relax and exchange gossip. A morning of singing and idle chitchat doubled my hearty appetite and quickened my pace home.

Can any aroma be more wholly British and reminiscent of golden childhoods? This day of relaxation and simple pleasures was a busy one for mums, but they thrived on having their families gathered around the table, sloshing the gravy and wet salad on their Yorkshires. It wasn’t just the smell or the taste that were important, but the happy memories that came with belonging.

Yours Have you got an amazing story to tell? We’ll pay up to £100 for

Winifred Atwell The first black artist to sell a million records, her dazzling smile could light up any stage.

Did you know?

✤ The ‘Queen of the Keyboard’, Winifred was born in Trinidad and came to Britain in 1946 to study at the Royal Academy of Music. She had her own TV series and played at three Royal Variety Performances as well as at private parties for the Queen. ✤ Although she longed to become a concert pianist, her career was set when she played piano rags in London clubs to fund her training.

Impresario Bernard Delfont offered her a contract and by the mid-Fifties she was earning more than £6,000 – a small fortune for the time. Her hands were insured by Lloyds of London for £40,000 (the policy stated she must never wash up). ✤ Her Black And White Rag was the theme to the snooker programme Pot Black. A concert grand was de-tuned to create the honky-tonk sound. ✤ Her trademark was to play classics on a grand piano, then switch to a beaten-up old upright piano for her honkytonk tunes.

PICS: GETTY, ALAMY AND TOPFOTO

‘The hot gravy was made from the juices of the meat mixed with Comptons Gravy Salt’

Britain’s favourite honky-tonk woman

info

every story we print. Send your story (no more than 1,000 words) and pictures to: ‘When I Was Young’, Yours magazine, Media House, Peterborough Business Park, Peterborough PE2 6EA. Or you can email your stories and pictures to sheena.correa@bauermedia.co.uk

YOUR084-74-75 WHEN I WAS YOUNG.indd 75

1/3/10 12:52:03

❙ star chat ❙

look at life…

M

y dear old dad, God bless him, was a pilot with BOAC (now BA) for 30-odd years.

He always said air travel was ruined by the onset of the charter flight. He didn’t mean this in any snobby way, but purely because all the magic went out of flying.

Anyone who has braved a packed holiday charter flight will know the feeling of despair. The words ‘cattle’ and ‘herd’ spring to mind.

It would be an interesting experiment to treat people today to a flight as taken in the Sixties and see if they behaved differently.

My father flew the sort of plane

that had an upstairs cocktail lounge. Dinner was served on trays with real linen and knives and forks. The stewardesses were dressed like mannequins and had to wear full make-up at all times.

The airport lounge was a haven of peace in which to read and relax. Luggage was whisked away by porters and, wherever you looked, there was a person immaculately dressed in uniform to direct you on your journey.

You had already bought your ticket, so it would seem logical to assume you’d been assigned a seat. Not like today, where you line up like racehorses behind the wire, jostling, snorting and stamping while waiting for a control freak to give the signal for off. Why can’t airlines understand this is probably the single most annoying factor about charter flights? What is the problem with seat assignment? It would be one less queue to worry about.

Airports used to be places of wonder and glamour but cut backs and global economies have put paid to luxury. I’m not talking about first class

travel here – that is another thing altogether. No, I’m suggesting air travel should be regarded as something a bit special.

I remember going on holiday with my parents and my dad was piloting the plane. Mum dressed us up for the trip. I wore my best dress, can you believe? I can remember the smell of the leather seats as the stewardess helped fasten my seat belt. She then

‘The stewardesses were dressed like mannequins and had to wear full make-up’ brought me a colouring book and crayons, and I was quite happy.

At one point I kept kicking the back of the seat in front of me as a game. Swiftly, my mother told me to stop and explained that the lady in front was suffering because of my thoughtlessness. I stopped immediately and the lady smiled and said thank you.

Life is stressed and crowded and nowhere more so than in the confined space of an aeroplane.

Thinking about other people and the space around you is a good lesson for life, really.

MY FORTNIGHT… This week I received an email from two Birmingham women Brigida Varley and Angela Moore who started Star Counselling For Victims of Domestic Violence, from a flat, asking me to be their patron. I wrote saying I was already committed to so many charities. But they persisted, met me at the stage door after Calendar Girls,

YOUR084-130 lynda.indd Sec1:138

and of course I’ve ended up saying yes. How could I not? Where would Britain be without women like these?

Days later I met Jan, a Stourbridge gran, who runs a Barnardo’s project to train young men as mechanics.

Jan’s amazing and all these young men respect her. As a mother of two boys I’d love to know how she does it!

PICS: ROBIN BECKHAM; GETTY IMAGES; BRITISH AIRWAYS HERITAGE CENTRE

Lynda’s

Yours columnist Lynda Bellingham remembers an era when flying was the height of glamour

3/3/10 12:46:43