I get the worst hay fever and I am always looking for solutions. It is not fun being allergic to summer. Always looking for drug-free solutions, I came across the following. Great help for my poor eyes.
Soothing & Natural Gel for Sore Hay Fever Eyes
Dry, inflamed skin around the eyes is a common side effect of hay fever. The constant tears coupled with frequent eye rubbing causes the skin around the eye to become dry, itchy and inflamed. Anti-histamine eye drops also have a drying effect on the skin around the eye, which can add to the problem.
While plenty of products help with hay fever symptoms, very little is offered to treat the skin around the eye.
Hydrosil’s Dry Eye Gel is a light natural gel that contains a plant extract of Cardiospermum.
Two UK trials and more than 12 published research trials have been carried out on cardiospermum due to its anti-inflammatory effects on skin.
The gel delivers the anti-inflammatory anti-itching benefits of the cardiospermum extract without irritating the delicate skin around the eye.
Dry Eye Gel has been tested on dry skin sufferers and is an extremely gentle and light and non-greasy formulation suitable for very sensitive, itchy, inflamed and dry skin around the eye.
For maximum effect, leave gel in the fridge and apply to eyes when cold. This product can also be worn under make -up.
Dry Eye Gel is vegan and FREE from SLS, MI, paraben and perfumes. £10.95 (15ml). Visit www.hydrosil.co.uk
Affected by hay fever? Apply some pressure. The principles of ancient Chinese acupressure have been used for centuries to help treat the symptoms of allergy, including hay fever.
hay-band, a family favourite, works by applying pressure to the acupressure point on either arm, called the LI-11 point.
Acupressure is believed to increase the flow of natural energy through the stimulation of various pressure points and in doing so, help unblock energy pathways to the nose and throat, and promote wellbeing.
The LI-11 point can be found at the end of the crease at the elbow. Once located, simply slide a hay-band into position so that the button faces inwards over the pressure point, with the bands passing either side of the elbow.
The band is fast-acting and may be worn on either arm or if symptoms are acute, one can be worn on both arms. Drug-free, natural and discreet, hay-band can also be worn as a preventative.
There is no drowsiness or other unwanted side-effects and the band is suitable for adults and children over the age of three, but not suitable for use during pregnancy.
hay-band costs £13.09 per (washable) band and is available online from hay-band.co.uk.
Stay one step ahead of your pollen-shaped foe with A.Vogel
If you’re one of the 20% of people in the UK affected by hayfever, you’ll be aware that the season is just around the corner.
An allergic reaction such as hayfever can be explained as an excessive reaction to a normally harmless substance. The immune system identifies the harmless substance, in this instance pollen, as dangerous, and produces an antibody called IgE, which triggers the production of histamine. Histamine is an inflammatory chemical that causes an array of unpleasant symptoms, including running nose and eyes, itching and burning in localised areas such as in the throat, nose and eyes, puffiness, swelling and mucus formation.
Eye problems can be the most irritating symptom of hayfever. When pollen comes into contact with your eyes, they can become inflamed, itchy and watery. This can obscure your vision and cause an enormous amount of discomfort. Pollinosan Hayfever Eye Drops combine hyaluronic acid and chamomile for quick relief of red and itchy eyes due to hayfever. Suitable for vegans and preservative-free, they can be used with contact lenses and glasses, and by children from the age of seven (after consulting an optician or healthcare professional).
£13.99 for 10ml, from local health shops nationwide and www.avogel.co.uk.
The Pollinosan range is available from health shops nationwide, and online from www.avogel.co.uk. Stay up to date with the latest pollen information in your local area by checking your 5-day pollen forecast.
Every organisation reaches a critical moment when its current technology fails to meet increasing demands. Servers hit their limits, collaboration tools lag, and IT teams devote more time to hardware upkeep than to advancing goals. For companies operating in 2026, cloud technology is no longer an optional upgrade. Cloud technology has become the essential backbone of daily operations, supporting everything from customer-facing applications that serve end users to the internal data management systems that keep organisations running smoothly behind the scenes. This article guides your cloud migration decisions and provider choice. Whether you run a mid-sized e-commerce brand or lead the IT department of a multinational firm, the insights presented below will help you make sharper, better-informed decisions that align with your organisation’s specific needs and long-term goals.
What Makes Cloud Technology Non-Negotiable for Today’s Enterprises
Real-Time Collaboration and Global Reach
Teams working in different time zones rely on tools that update in real time and stay accessible at all hours. Cloud platforms enable global teams to collaborate without version conflicts. This connectivity leads directly to faster project completion times. Marketing teams can finish campaign assets in hours when all files share a cloud workspace. Businesses still using emailed attachments and local files fall behind competitors who adopted cloud systems years ago.
On-Demand Resource Allocation
One of the strongest arguments for cloud adoption is the ability to scale computing resources on demand. During a seasonal sales spike, an online retailer can temporarily increase server capacity and then dial it back once traffic normalises. This elastic model removes the need to purchase and maintain expensive hardware for peak-load scenarios that occur only a few weeks per year. For companies dealing with large volumes of unstructured data such as images, video files, and log records, object storage provides a reliable, S3-compatible architecture that grows alongside business needs without complex migration efforts. The financial advantage is clear: you pay for what you actually use instead of investing in idle infrastructure.
Hidden Costs of Relying on Legacy IT Infrastructure
Maintenance Drain on IT Teams
Older systems demand constant attention. Patching, firmware updates, and hardware replacements consume time that skilled engineers could spend on revenue-generating projects. A 2025 survey by Flexera showed that organisations with predominantly on-premises infrastructure allocated up to 40 percent of their IT budget to maintenance alone. That figure does not include the indirect costs of downtime. When a physical server fails at two in the morning, someone has to respond. Those unplanned emergencies erode team morale and inflate overtime expenses. Cloud providers absorb most of this operational burden, freeing your staff to focus on application development, security improvements, and user experience. As we have explored in our coverage of innovations in 3D technology and design, digital progress depends on redirecting human talent toward creative problem-solving rather than routine upkeep.
Security Vulnerabilities in Ageing Systems
Legacy servers frequently operate on outdated software versions that, because they have reached end-of-life status, no longer receive critical security patches or updates from their original vendors. Every unpatched vulnerability serves as a possible gateway for attackers to exploit. Cloud platforms, in contrast, automatically deploy security updates and uphold strict compliance certifications like ISO 27001 and SOC 2 Type II. Built-in compliance lowers breach and fine risks. Moving sensitive workloads to a managed cloud can strengthen your security rather than weaken it.
How Scalable Object Storage Supports Rapid Business Growth
As organisations generate more data every quarter, traditional file-based storage systems reach their limits. Object storage architectures handle billions of files without the folder hierarchies and naming conventions that slow down legacy setups. Each piece of data receives a unique identifier, making retrieval fast and straightforward regardless of scale. Media companies that manage terabytes of video content, research institutions archiving sensor data, and SaaS providers storing user-generated content all benefit from this approach. A thorough explanation of fundamental cloud computing concepts helps clarify why these storage models outperform older alternatives. The flat namespace of object storage also simplifies disaster recovery, because data replication across geographically distributed nodes happens behind the scenes. For businesses planning international expansion, this architecture removes many of the headaches associated with multi-region data availability.
Five Critical Factors When Evaluating Cloud Providers
Choosing the right provider involves much more than simply comparing monthly subscription costs. Before you commit to signing any contract with a provider, you should carefully evaluate the following key criteria, which will help you make a well-informed decision.
1. Data residency and sovereignty: Verify data storage locations, especially for European businesses requiring GDPR-compliant jurisdictions.
2. Uptime guarantees: Seek SLAs promising at least 99.95 percent availability and ask about compensation for failures.
3. Interoperability and open standards: Choose providers supporting open APIs to avoid costly vendor lock-in during migrations.
4. Transparent pricing: Request detailed cost breakdowns before committing, as hidden fees can dramatically inflate bills.
5. Support quality: Prioritize providers offering 24/7 live support and dedicated account managers over slow ticketing systems.
Conducting a small pilot project with your top two candidates often exposes critical differences in real-world performance that polished sales presentations, no matter how convincing they may appear, simply cannot capture. Pay close attention to how smoothly data transfers work during the trial period, how intuitive and user-friendly the management console feels when you interact with it daily, and how quickly the support team resolves any test issues that arise.
Building a Future-Proof Digital Strategy With Cloud-Native Tools
A forward-looking IT plan goes beyond merely migrating current workloads to the cloud. It reconsiders how applications are designed, deployed, and maintained over their lifecycle. Cloud-native development depends on microservices, containerised environments, and automated deployment pipelines, which together enable teams to release updates at speed without introducing instability into the production systems that end users rely on. Adopting these patterns in 2026 prepares your organisation to react swiftly to market changes, from launching features rapidly to scaling for sudden demand.
Digital publishing offers a useful parallel. Just as spring releases from digital publishers remind us to embrace fresh content, technology leaders should adopt a mindset of continuous renewal. Clinging to monolithic application architectures slows down every team that depends on the software. Containerisation tools like Kubernetes orchestrate workloads across clusters, ensuring high availability and resource-smart distribution. Coupled with infrastructure-as-code practices, these tools let engineers replicate environments in minutes, reducing the gap between development and production to near zero.
Turning Cloud Adoption Into a Competitive Edge
Cloud technology has evolved well beyond its early roots in basic file sharing and email hosting, since it now supports a wide range of advanced and demanding enterprise workloads. Cloud now powers AI workloads, real-time analytics, and personalisation tools that boost revenue. Organisations that approach cloud migration as a strategic priority rather than merely a cost-saving exercise are able to unlock powerful capabilities that their competitors simply cannot match or replicate. Assess your infrastructure, set milestones, and pick aligned providers. The businesses that truly thrive over the next decade will be those that commit to investing in flexible, cloud-native foundations today, because such early preparation creates a lasting competitive advantage that is difficult to replicate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is on-demand resource allocation important for modern businesses?
On-demand resource scaling allows businesses to adjust computing capacity based on actual needs rather than peak requirements. Online retailers can temporarily increase server capacity during seasonal sales spikes and reduce it when traffic normalizes. This elastic model eliminates the need to purchase and maintain expensive hardware for peak periods that may only occur a few times per year.
How can cloud technology improve collaboration for distributed teams?
Cloud-based platforms enable teams across different time zones to work on the same documents and datasets simultaneously without version-control issues. This real-time collaboration capability allows employees in London, Singapore, and New York to complete projects in hours rather than days. Marketing teams can finalize campaign assets much faster when design files, copy drafts, and approval workflows all exist in a shared cloud environment.
How does cloud technology give companies a competitive advantage in 2026?
Companies using cloud technology can respond faster to market changes and customer demands through instant scalability and global accessibility. While competitors relying on emailed attachments and locally saved files experience delays, cloud-enabled businesses complete projects more efficiently. This speed advantage directly translates into better customer service and faster time-to-market for new products or services.
What are the best storage solutions for businesses implementing cloud infrastructure?
When implementing cloud infrastructure, choosing the right storage architecture is crucial for long-term scalability and cost efficiency. For organizations handling diverse file types and unpredictable growth patterns, object storage provides the flexibility that traditional block storage cannot match. cloud.ionos.co.uk offers scalable storage solutions that adapt to your business needs without requiring upfront hardware investments.
What are the main signs that a company needs to migrate to cloud technology?
Key indicators include servers reaching capacity limits, collaboration tools slowing down significantly, and IT teams spending more time maintaining hardware than driving business progress. When existing technology cannot keep pace with growing demands and teams struggle with file sharing and real-time updates, it’s time to consider cloud migration.
At the end of a long day I love to massage my feet with a good cream. There is nothing quite like it to relax. Lotil nourishing foot cream smells gorgeous and has a great, cooling, sensation. It sinks in beautifully and leaves feet feeling great.
Tried and trusted for over 100 years, Lotil Cream is a true household hero and they now have a new cream especially for your feet… The new Lotil Nourishing Foot Cream will really give your feet an invigorating treat! The rich cream seals in moisture and helps to maintain a healthy skin barrier for up to 12 hours*, leaving your skin feeling nourished and soft.
Specially formulated with Aloe Vera extract to moisturise, soothe and protect. Suitable for all dry skin conditions, easily absorbed and fragrance-free. *Independently tested
I love gentle skincare. Especially as I have sensitive skin. As lots of us reassess our skincare routines for 2026, one big trend shift is standing out. The move away from overloaded, multi-active regimes towards a ‘skin diet’ reset. Think fewer products, better formulas and healthier skin long-term.
After years of exfoliation-heavy products and 10-step routines, lots of us are suffering from compromised skin barriers, sensitivity and breakouts. Now it’s time to scale back and focus on skin comfort, hydration and balance rather than over correction.
Embryolisseperfectly embodies this approach. Rooted in French pharmacy expertise, it champions streamlined skincare that prioritises nourishment and skin health over actives overload. Its multi-tasking formulas are designed to support the skin barrier, restore hydration and keep skin calm and resilient, making them ideal for a reset.
Why Embryolisse is the perfect ‘Skin Diet’ • A minimalist, French pharmacy approach to skincare • Focus on hydration, nourishment and comfort • Supports long-term skin health rather than short-term fixes • Loved by dermatologists and trusted by makeup artists for healthy, balanced skin and makeup prep
Rather than stripping skin back with harsh treatments, Embryolisse encourages a gentler reset that allows skin to recover, rebalance and perform better on its own. The result is skin that looks healthier, feels comfortable and requires less intervention.
People, my bedroom is tidy. Why? Because this excellent book told me so. It had a positive impact, and was one of many little nuggets in this book that will enhance your life. Written by Neuroscientist TJ Power, who really knows his stuff, this book will make your 2026 the best year so far. Because it focuses on everyday habits, the advice in it all seems achievable. It is as easy to read as it is to implicate. Brilliant stuff. Get your copy now.
SMALL HABITS TO BOOST YOUR BRAIN CHEMISTRY
‘This is the book all parents need in their lives.’ – This Morning
‘If you want to buy just one book this year to make your life better…Get this one. And live by it.’ – Chris Evans, as heard on The Chris Evans Breakfast Show, Virgin Radio
‘This book will help you find more motivation, create deeper connections, energise your body and destress your mind.’ – Jay Shetty, author of Think Like a Monk
‘The best book I’ve read on this subject.’ – Dr. Julie Smith, author of Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before?
***
Life can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be.
Today’s fast-paced world leaves many of us struggling with extreme emotional highs and lows caused by chemical imbalances in our brains, brought on by the pressures of modern life and constant digital connectivity.
In The DOSE Effect, Neuroscientist TJ Power shares how you can reset and balance your brain chemistry with simple, everyday habits to lead a happier, healthier, and more productive life.
Unlock your brain’s four key chemicals and discover the powers of:
DOPAMINE to get motivated and stay driven
OXYTOCIN to build deeper connections with others
SEROTONIN to boost your energy and mood
ENDORPHINS to destress and find calm
TJ’s practical approach and straightforward solutions will guide you on an exciting, action-based journey to optimise your brain chemistry and transform your mental health.
TJ Power’s book ‘The DOSE Effect’ was a Sunday Times bestseller w/c 2026-01-26.
Luff Sleep’s ultimate indulgence for couples, or for those who want to maintain hair and skin even while they sleep.
I am obsessed with sleeping on silk pillowcases. They are an essential step for good skincare. These ones from Luff Sleep are great and look gorgeous. Perfect for a bit of luxury in your life. Great as a gift, for yourself or someone else. Frost loves.
The parents story: Our one-year-old daughter Melody should be learning to play and laugh, not fighting for her life. Instead, she is battling a devastating cancer, with the only drug that could save her costing more than £20,000 per month and not funded by the NHS.
Melody was diagnosed with a very rare and aggressive form of acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) when she was just four months old. She endured two rounds of intensive chemotherapy, requiring countless blood and platelet transfusions, a prolonged stay in Intensive Care, and several weeks on a ventilator. Doctors then told us that a bone marrow transplant was her only chance of survival. Melody underwent her transplant at Great Ormond Street Hospital, and for a brief moment, we dared to hope.
But that hope was soon shattered. Melody suffered every conceivable complication, including severe acute Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), and despite everything she fought through, devastatingly, within just 30 days she relapsed. The leukaemia remained.
We have now been told that there are no other treatment options available in the UK, as all have been exhausted, and that our only remaining path is palliative care. We have been encouraged to spend time at home and cherish the remaining weeks we have left together, but as parents, we cannot accept that this is the end of the road while there is still a chance to help our little girl.
Right now, there is one final glimmer of hope: a specialised drug available only in America that could give Melody a chance to reach remission. Time is absolutely critical. Our incredible oncology team at University Hospital Southampton (UHS) made an emergency specialist request to the MHRA to approve the use of this drug for Melody, and we are profoundly grateful that approval was granted.
However, approval alone does not save Melody.
The drug costs £20,500 per month, and without the funds in place, it cannot be ordered or started. Crucially, we are able to order the drug as early as this week, but only if the money is raised in time. Every day we lose, risks the leukaemia progressing beyond the point where this treatment can help her.
Melody needs this treatment to have any chance of achieving long-term remission and becoming eligible for a second bone marrow transplant, something that cannot be considered for at least two years after her first transplant. Without this drug, there is no bridge to that future at all, making this medication her lifeline in the meantime.
This means that without this fundraiser, Melody cannot receive the treatment.
Melody will be the first person in England ever to receive this drug. While that is daunting, it also represents a vital opportunity, not only for her, but for what this treatment could mean for other children facing the same diagnosis in the future.
Asking for help as parents is incredibly hard, but we are running out of time. This treatment represents hope where there is otherwise none. Every donation, no matter the size, brings us closer to ordering the drug and starting treatment before it’s too late.
Thank you for reading, for caring, and for standing with Melody when she needs it most.
In my novel, Where The Light is Hottest, Natasha Jones makes it as an actor. Going from small-town Scotland to big-time Hollywood. I was an actor for over fifteen years. I acted opposite Eddie Marsan in Junkhearts and performed on the West End in And Then They Came For Me. A play based on the life of holocaust survivor, Eva Schloss, who sadly passed away recently.
My own journey as an actor is similar to Natasha’s journey as we were both born in small towns in Scotland and moved to London to ‘make it.’ The difference is that I did not become a Hollywood superstar! You can read about why I put acting on the back burner here. I also worked as a director, casting director and producer. I still have a toe in the industry in general. Here are the essential things actors can learn from my true-to-life novel. If you want to know the truth about the film industry and acting then I recommend that you read it. It is available from Kindle Unlimited, paperback, ebook and from your local library.
Natasha’s persistence.
Natasha does not give up. That is what makes her successful. Most people who fail at acting do so because they quit. Especially as people get older and get sick of the erratic lifestyle. You lose 100% of the chances you do not take. The best way to become successful is not to quit. You can take time out, but get back to it.
Keeping her goal in mind.
Natasha focuses on the win. She knows what she wants and what she needs to do to get there. When you focus on a goal it stays in your mind. You work towards it without even knowing sometimes. Read the trades like The Stage, know what is being cast. Network.
Perfecting her RP accent.
You need to be able to do a good RP (received pronunciation) accent. You should also be able to do a good American accent. I was once at an audition and they saw I put that I was good at an Australian accent on my CV. I had never done one before, but I had to do it on the spot. Thankfully, I passed, but it is better to be prepared.
Putting herself out there.
You should be proud at your courage. To choose a creative life is brave. It can be a hard life and a lot of people would never put themselves out there. It is hard to be on stage and make yourself vulnerable. To go to auditions and face rejection again and again. Do it, and be proud. Putting yourself out there is the only way to become successful.
Making her own work.
Natasha starts a production company and starts making films with her friends. Even the best, and most successful, actors can be out of work for years. We live in a new world and making your own work on TikTok and Instagram can get you seen and make you money. YouTube is another great option. I made a comedy web series which a casting director saw and then they cast me in a few things. Acting has never been more democratic than it is now. It is not easy to make successful social media accounts, but it is possible. My socials are below if you want to follow me. I will follow you back.
Not forgetting to actually live.
Being an actor is all-consuming. It feels like if you step off the treadmill then you might miss an audition or a job. I certainly thought that and I put my life on hold too much. I remember I went skiing once and my agent called me when I was up a mountain. I seriously considered jumping on a plane home, after skiing down the mountain, of course. I am glad I saw sense and turned the job down. Life is for living. Life experience also makes you a better actor.
