Tag Archives: Advice

Hair loss and thinning – the common condition that women don’t talk about

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hair lossIt will happen to half of all women at some point in their lives, but now a new poll of more than 4,000 people in the UK* suggests hair loss and thinning is the ultimate taboo.

The research by Viviscal hair supplements, reveals the lengths men and women will go to in disguising their hair loss. Tricks include colouring in their scalp with a pen and rubbing coffee into their scalp to hide the tell-tale signs.

The main causes of hair loss are thought to be lifestyle factors, such as stress, crash diets, hair extensions and also pregnancy.

The research also reveals the impact that our hair has on our lives with four fifths (80%) saying a good hair day would affect their mood, while a third (34%) say a bad hair day would make them feel self-conscious.

Despite more than half of those questioned saying they feel their hair loss makes them more self-conscious, more than two thirds (69%) have never used any treatment to help them with their thinning hair.

A new statistically significant clinical study in to Viviscal’s drug and hormone free marine supplements has shown promising results for people who experience hair loss or hair thinning, with the trial showing that a two-a-day supplement reduces hair shedding and increases hair thickness, and that women on the trial saw improvement in overall hair volume.**

*Stress is the most common cause of female hair loss, accounting for 34% cases, followed by the hormonal changes after pregnancy, accounting for 22% cases.

**25% of women say they spend 15 minutes on their hair every day, while one in ten (12%) take 30 minutes and 3% even admit to taking an hour.

Write Your Own Dating Rules by Jenni Trent-Hughes, the relationship expert

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relationshipsJenni Trent-Hughes, the relationship expert from eHarmony tells Frost Magazine readers to rip up the rule book.

Eighteen years ago the dating world was introduced to a book called ‘The Rules’ that we were meant to follow in order to guarantee a perfect love life. In those days, before online dating there were rules like: Don’t ask a man on a date! Don’t ask him to dance first! Don’t call him first! Don’t accept a date for Saturday if he asks you after Wednesday!

If you’ve found that ‘’not accepting a date for Saturday if they asked you after Wednesday’ worked for you, then I’m not going to tell you any different.  However as you’re here reading this in 2013, I suspect that you have realised that there is no magic secret; but I’m glad to say there is one tip that will help to bring you success or at the very least, remove some of the obstacles you may have stumbled over in the past.

Rules are like walls and sometimes walls need to be demolished to let the light in. Step outside your comfort zone and see what happens – be the dater you want to be not the one you’ve been told to be.

My one tip is this: Write your own rules! No one knows you better than you know yourself. You know what you’re capable of. You know what your parameters are. What you will be brave enough to do and what is going to be totally against your character, and you know what feels right.

I’m not going to tell you what not to do! You can figure that out yourself. I’ll just remind you of some things to do to help increase your chances of success when dating online.

1.    Reach out: If you see a profile that you like the look or sound of then make contact. There is no point spending weeks peeking at each other through cyberspace – say hello.

2.    Step outside your regular boundaries: Online dating is a golden opportunity to interact with people you might not originally have considered. Remember the first time against your better judgement you chose coconut ice cream and now it’s your favourite? That person who is a little older, a bit younger, that you’re attracted to but doesn’t match up to your usual ‘type’. That might just be The One.

3.    If you want to ask them out – just do it: Man or woman, we are in the 21st Century and we can do things that are new without the roof caving in. Traditionally men might have been the first to initiate a date, however things have evolved and it’s flattering to be asked out whatever your sex.

4. Be honest: Be yourself. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Forget mind games, just be yourself and eventually you will find someone who is exactly the person you are looking for and you to them.

5. Learn to let go: We all have baggage, but when it comes to dating try and leave any hang ups at the door. Negative experiences in the past can affect the way you approach a new relationship, and although it’s good to be cautious, it’s also good to go in with a fresh new slate. Have fun and let your true self be at the forefront.

The Set Table: The Art of Small Gatherings

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the set table the art of small gatherings.

Some books are just beautiful and deserve to be endlessly browsed. The Set Table is such a book. It is a beautifully designed and full of endless domestic pleasures.

For those of us who are not domestic (me!) a guide on linen, cutlery and the art of small gatherings is a much needed and much appreciated thing. If you ever wanted to know how to buy or make linen this book tells you how. It also tells you how to get stains out and the different types of linen. Buying second hand crockery and types of crockery are also covered. Along with shapes and sizes. It also goes through different materials and tells you how to clean silver.

Hannah Shuckburgh is features editor of Conde Nast’s Easy Living magazine and you can tell. This is a classy book which will surely turn it’s readers into dinner party gods and goddesses. I loved the illustrations. The one on cutlery shapes will never have you confused about the difference between your bouillon and salt spoon again.

I also love the chapter on food. You can add lots to a meal with bread, water and sauces and this book really lets you know how.

An adorable, educational book. Brilliant illustrations and lots of useful information.

Simple and beautiful ideas for laying the table is the subject of The Set Table. From supper for two on a candlelit urban roof terrace to a picnic lunch for friends on the sitting-room carpet, the look is effortlessly artistic and uncomplicated, celebrating the intimate and unique experience of eating well. With ideas for every aspect of a well-set
table – from napkins to glassware, cutlery to lighting – Hannah Shuckburgh inspires you to make even the smallest of gatherings very special with modest resources.

Genius tips on how to unearth good crockery in junk shops; easy guides for simple but special things to make at home; ideas for styling supermarket flowers and recipes for delicious homemade condiments are accompanied by soulful photography by Charlotte Bland and illustrations by Lydia Starkey. The Set Table is about clearing away the clutter and complications of daily life creating a warm, welcoming setting for unforgettable meals with the people you love.

Hannah Shuckburgh is features editor of Conde Nast’s Easy Living magazine. She also has written for Vogue, The Times, The Independent and The Huffington Post.

The Set Table: The Art of Small Gatherings

Financial matters upon divorce or dissolution of civil partnerships

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Hill Dickinson gives Frost Readers the low down on separating.

When the majority of married couples divorce it is likely that there will also be financial matters to deal with. This may include the family home, businesses, pensions or maintenance. The same circumstances will also apply to the dissolution of civil partnerships.

 

It is important that financial matters following a divorce or dissolution are finalised to ensure that you are protected against any future claims from your former husband or wife or civil partner.

 

Financial matters will be resolved when the parties receive a final order from the court. This does not mean that the parties will need to attend court; but legal advice should be sought to ensure that you are protected for the future.

 

If a final financial order is not received then there is a risk that your former husband, wife or civil partner could make a claim in the future.

 

It is important to note that the court will consider financial circumstances at the time they are resolved. Although in some cases the parties’ circumstances at the time of separation may be relevant.

 

The outcome of any court hearing or negotiation will depend massively upon the circumstances of the case. The court in England and Wales has very wide discretion to deal with matrimonial matters as they see fit.

 

There are circumstances where assets acquired during a marriage or civil partnership could be excluded from financial matters upon divorce. So it is imperative to seek advice upon separation.

 

In 2011 the High Court heard a case where they were asked to resolve financial matters following a divorce. The wife had won the lottery during the marriage. Part of the lottery winnings had been used to purchase the matrimonial home.

 

The court found that there is a sharp distinction between “matrimonial” and “non-matrimonial” property. As the lottery ticket had been purchased following separation, with the wife’s sole earnings and without her husband’s knowledge the court found that the lottery winnings were “non-matrimonial”.

 

However, the wife had used some of the lottery winnings to purchase the matrimonial home. The court held that the money spent on the house was converted into “matrimonial” property. The High Court ruled that matrimonial property is more likely to be shared, and consequently the husband was entitled to receive a proportion of the matrimonial home.
These sorts of cases are fact specific and it is for that reason that it is essential that separated couples seek advice as to the legal consequences of their separation.

 

If financial matters are resolved at the time of divorce, the majority of orders will include a clean break. This means that the agreement is in full and final settlement of any claims either party will have against the other in the future. A clean break may not be appropriate for example if monthly maintenance is being paid to a former spouse.

 

Weddings – do and don’t: Creating magical weddings

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Julia Dowling of Snapdragon Parties, the leading luxury wedding and event planners, shares some trade secrets on creating an amazing wedding.

The idea of planning your own wedding sounds like fun to the uninitiated.  But unless you feel confidently creative, are commercially savvy and know how to find the best suppliers out there, it can be daunting.   As professional wedding planners we are most often asked for our top wedding planning tips.

Wedding bride and groom

  1. Do set a realistic budget and stick to it

Even a modest wedding costs a great deal.  Build a budget based on some Internet research and your judgement of how much you are prepared to spend.  As a guide, your budget should be split about forty per cent to catering, ten per cent each to venue or marquee hire, clothes, entertainment, photography and flowers with everything else coming from the remainder.  Don’t assume that hosting your wedding at home will be cheaper, because the entire infrastructure needs to be brought in.  Have honest conversations with all concerned about who will contribute and how much, and do get wedding insurance. Use your budget to guide your choices.  We always start wedding planning with a budget and then help to choose a venue and style of wedding.  Once you have set a budget, stick to it by negotiating hard with suppliers, especially if they were recommended by your venue; they will often be paying commission on your booking.

  1. Don’t pick a venue until you have a clear idea of the type of wedding you want

Many historic buildings impose restrictions on their use; a grade 1 listed castle full of ancient treasures is likely to prohibit use of candles, so if your vision is a candlelit wedding ceremony pick an appropriate venue.  Depending on when you plan to marry think about the likely weather (always have a wet weather plan) and the availability of local accommodation.

  1. Do find ways to weave in your own personality and style

There is much more to styling a wedding than copying an idea from a glossy magazine or adhering to conventional traditions. I often start by asking couples what impression they want to leave their guests with and how we can incorporate elements of their personality into the design scheme.  Other considerations include the season, the exact location, the size of the guest list, favourite colours, the level of formality which is desired and the budget.

In terms of dressing a venue, think macro and micro.  Macro styling means lighting the outside of a building, transforming the interior space and fusing the venue’s character with the nature of your event.  Micro styling means the way you dress the tables, the folding of napkins and your choice of china, glassware, place cards and favours.

Really talented florists will happily interpret your concepts with flowers, candles, feathers, wood, glass or foliage.

  1. Don’t settle for the same old wedding fare

Most caterers’ and venues’ standard menus are pretty boring.  Britain exports some of the finest food all over the world.  While no one goes to a wedding primarily for a gourmet experience, serve your guests some food that they will really appreciate.

  1. Do plan the day from a guest’s perspective

On your wedding day you may be the centre of attention but you are also the host, and so you need to think about the whole day from your guests’ perspective.  This means making sure that it flows naturally, that people aren’t left standing around without a drink while you have pictures taken and that everyone gets to spend at least a little time with you both.

  1. Don’t be afraid to save money where guests won’t notice

Wine needs to be good, but not necessarily a First Growth Bordeaux and you would be amazed at how good a wedding cake from M&S can be (yes, I’m being serious).  Once your florist has constructed something colourful between the tiers, your guests will think you spent a fortune on it!

  1. Do make your wedding stationery stand out

The invitation offers the first indication your guests receive about the character of the event.  While the skilfully engraved traditional invitation undoubtedly retains its timeless appeal, an intricate laser cut creation can be equally impressive.  When picking a stationery style and colour, remember that you have to carry it through for orders of service and table stationery.  Anything too outlandish may make it hard for guests to read the hymns or placecards.

  1. Don’t cut corners on photography

Apart from the marriage, the photographs are the only part of your wedding that will last a lifetime.   There are four basic styles of wedding photography and the best photographers can generally achieve a seamless mix of them all.  The traditional style is ideal for the posed family portraits, contemporary photography tends to be more informal and capture the spirit of the occasion.  Reportage is the fly-on-the-wall approach that captures the detail and flow of your day and the artistic approach, as the name suggests, aims to create the poster shots.    Even if you aren’t particularly traditional you should be cautious about too contemporary a style as you won’t want the photographs to look out of date in a few years.

  1. Do hire a professional to coordinate things on the day

Appoint someone as the coordinator on the day.  This could be a friend, or ideally, a professional.  Without a coordinator, you will spend the whole day worrying about the details yourself, which will significantly reduce your enjoyment.   They need to reconfirm all the details with suppliers, create a detailed running order and oversee the day.  Many wedding venues will offer you an event coordinator but remember that they won’t coordinate anything other than at the wedding venue itself.

  1. Don’t forget why you are doing this!

If you haven’t employed a wedding planner, there will be times during the planning process when you will wonder why you’re doing all this; it will inevitably get pretty stressful at times.  When the bills are flying in and you are worrying about all sorts of seemingly inconsequential details, remember that it will all be worth it in the end – and, after all, you will remember your wedding day forever!

www.snapdragonparties.com

Birth Made Easy Book Review

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birth made easyI have previously interviewed Paola Bagnall. She had a lot of great things to say about giving birth. Now, let’s get down to the book.

The book has a great overview of pregnancy, both Pre and Post. It also comes with a free self hypnosis CD. For those interested in hypnobirthing (and there are rumours that Kate Middleton has joined them) this book is great. Paola believes that pregnancy is not a medical thing but a natural thing that the body is supposed to do. Although I don’t agree that pregnancy is not a medical thing, her ideas are interesting and certainly have merit. She is a qualified hypnotherapist and healed her own shoulder using the power of her mind.

This book has a lot of great information in it for any mother-to-be. Chapter one is about hypnosis and other chapters are about breathing, the biology of the female body, and the biology of birth. They are all very informative and fascinating.

There is also a chapter on how to use the CD. In the getting ready for birth chapter there are a lot of great tips, followed by an entire chapter or problem solving in, ‘What To Do if You Have….’ Nausa and vomiting are covered. As are C-sections and having a large baby.

The books tells you how to use the three stages of hynothearapy for the birth in an easy to understand way and has an entire chapter on how to disassociate yourself from the feelings of the contractions.

The last two chapters are what to do after the birth, a great chapter with some exercises on how to get back into shape, health tips, and enjoying your time as a mother.

This is a very good book for women who want a natural birth, and even has great tips for those who don’t. I can’t say it has convinced me to have a natural birth when I decide to have children, but the information is there for those who do.

Birth Made Easy – The positive and enjoyable way to have a baby easily and naturally using self-hypnosis

Make It Happen! Get Healthy and Join Us On Pinterest

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January is full of promises of better health habits, but as the year goes on, resolve weakens and more help is usually needed. So I have made a Pinterest board full of inspiration. Join me on Pinterest and make your own #bootsmakeithappen board. Boots will be choosing the best one and will put it on their Facebook page.

bootsmakeithappenbootsmakeithappen2bootsmakeithappen3

According to new research, more than three quarters (84%) of us are feeling positive about achieving our health and beauty goals throughout 2013. That’s why Boots has launched Let’s Make It Happen – to encourage people to take action on their health and beauty goals. The initiative basically looks at what can we change in our lives this year – whether that’s stopping smoking, going to the gym more regularly, having more body confidence etc.  Boots’ Let’s Make it Happen tells you what you need to achieve these health and beauty goals, including products and service support. All the information is available in The Feel Good Forum on Mumsnet.

I have been walking, eating less meat and drinking lots of water. I have also been taking a multivitamin. What have you been doing?

Get pinning and have fun.

 

Sponsored Post

 

Interview with Birth Made Easy Author Paola Bagnall

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birth made easyFor our readers who are mothers-to-be we interviewed Paola Bagnall, author of Birth Made Easy. The book review is here. In the meantime enjoy the interview and please comment your thoughts below. Thank you.

I really liked how the book had advice on every aspect of pregnancy and birth. What is the biggest gem you can give to mothers-to-be?

 

To look forward to the birth with excitement and to work with your intuition and trust that your body is designed to give birth, which it is.

 

The book is big on relaxation, is this the most important thing when giving birth? How does one achieve this?

 

Yes relaxation is very important. The late Dr Grantley Dick-Read (1890 – 1959) visited a woman giving birth at her home in Whitechapel in London.  She declined his offer of chloroform, and gave birth without undue problem.  After the delivery, he asked her why she did not want chloroform and she replied, “It didn’t hurt.  It wasn’t meant to, was it?”.  Dr Dick-Reid actually said then that relaxation is the key to a good birth and in his book, Childbirth without Fear, he returned to women their rightful gift of a truly natural birth.

 

Today we are told that giving birth is painful and so many people believe this.  TV programmes like One Born Every Minute also reinforce this.  When you are relaxed you cannot feel fear and this is what hypnobirthing is all about.

 

Relaxation is achieved by visualisation of a favourite place, the use of colours, focusing on the breath and self-hypnosis – all of which are described in the book.  When you are relaxed your body opens up easily and so the baby flows out.

 

What was your own experience of pregnancy and giving birth like?

 

I have two sons and I gave birth to both naturally and relatively easily. The first one took six hours and the second eleven hours.  I am a biologist as well as a hypnotherapist and so I knew that my body could do this and also I was very excited about the process and looking forward to the experience.

 

When I gave birth 39 years ago we were given Pethidine automatically to help with the contractions.  I hated this as it caused me to hallucinate!  I wish I knew then what I know now about self-hypnosis as I would have been much more in control than I was.  Even so both my births were empowering experiences!

 

The book is about giving birth naturally. Do you think a natural birth is better?

 

If you can give birth naturally, I personally feel this is best because it should be a magical, empowering experience, where you are in control.  A natural birth also prevents the side effects of intervention and chemical drugs.

 

When someone has a headache or a medical procedure they generally use painkiller, why not do so when giving birth? It is the only medical thing that some people do without the help of painkillers. How is it different?

 

I’d just like to say that birth is not a medical thing!  It is a natural process and as such is not meant to hurt.  It is the medics in fact who have made it painful.

 

All pain is subjective and different for different people. If you think ‘pain’ then you get ‘pain’.  I feel contractions are different from ‘pain’.  They are intense pressure, good pressure, as they result in the birth of your baby.  I have suffered pain far worse than my contractions.  So think ‘good contractions’ and this alters your mind-set.

 

Of course using painkillers (epidural) may be what some people want and that is OK.

My book does not suggest that you have to have a natural birth.  This is a choice that the mum-to-be must make.  I simply suggest ways to achieve that goal.

 

Do you think the power of the mind can control the body?

 

Most definitely! We have the expression “mind over matter”.  We have the most amazing resource in our unconscious minds that most of us do not tap into.  By using positive affirmations and self-hypnosis we can use this innate ability we all have to make changes in ourselves for the better.

 

I got into hypnotherapy as I had a very painful shoulder injury that the medical profession could not help me with.  I learned to tap into this inner power and heal my shoulder using self-hypnosis. This is what showed me how useful self-hypnosis could be in giving birth. And why I created my own Inner Power Hypnobirthing.

 

Will everyone be able to achieve a natural birth?

 

A natural birth may not happen for everyone, as things just do happen which make it not possible.  If the baby is breach, or with complete placenta previa, where the placenta covers the exit for the baby, or if the baby is distressed in any way, then a C-Section has to be done in the best interests of the mother and baby.  However, hypnobirthing helps you to remain calm and in control in such situations.

 

Do you think you can get back into shape easily after giving birth as long as you work hard?

 

Yes, I do, though this is easier for some people than others.  Part of my hypnobirthing package is to help mums get back to their pre-pregnancy weight, shape and dimensions.  Simple exercises as shown in my book and a sensible diet help to achieve this.

 

Tell us about the self-hypnosis CD.

 

The self-hypnosis CD is to be listened to on a daily basis prior to the birth.  It uses visualisation, colour and positive affirmations to programme the unconscious mind to have a natural childbirth.  It is a bit like putting a program into a computer.  When you hit ‘play’ the program starts.  So the trigger for my CD is the first contraction, or the waters breaking, and then the entire program goes into effect almost automatically.  The CD takes you through pregnancy, the three stages of birth, healing up after the birth, bonding with the baby, breast-feeding easily (if you choose to do this) and getting your figure back.

 

What is the best advice you have for women giving birth?

 

Getting yourself into a positive frame of mind using hypnobirthing and start this as early as you can in your pregnancy so you have a beneficial expectation and you look forward to the birth with joyful anticipation.

Thank you Paola.

Birth Made Easy – The positive and enjoyable way to have a baby easily and naturally using self-hypnosis