thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-23--Guilty Possum Trashes Woman's Office And Becomes A Meme

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An Australian woman has had to deal with an extraordinary confrontation in her workplace.
Bree Blakeman, a senior research fellow at the Australian National University in Canberra, thought at first her office had been trashed when she arrived at work this week. Well, it had, but the offender, a common brushtail possum, was cute enough to get away with it:
Walked into my office and thought someone must have broken in because it looks trashed... and then I saw this little sweetie covering behind my computer. ❣ pic.twitter.com/B4tuj0kYpT — Bree (@FF_notes) January 19, 2020
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The sheepish-faced possum quickly found internet stardom, with Blakeman’s tweet raking in hundreds of thousands of likes.
She explained in an update that the critter had fallen in through the ceiling, and she’d called campus officials to catch and relocate it ― but its departure would ultimately be on its own terms.
Update: three lovey people came to assess the situation. They are going to come back with a little possum box and some fresh fruit and then we must all wait until it decides to go into the box. Possibly 24hrs. Not even mad. 😆 — Bree (@FF_notes) January 20, 2020
Come nightfall, the possum had still not expressed any interest in giving up his new lodgings.
“Looks like Possum will be spending another night in my office,” Blakeman wrote. “It showed no interest in alternate accommodation provided (+ fresh fruit). The wildlife people will check again in the morning.”
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Looks like Possum will be spending another night in my office. It showed no interest in alternate accommodation provided (+ fresh fruit). The wildlife people will check again in the morning. pic.twitter.com/alyyXZ5Wf5 — Bree (@FF_notes) January 20, 2020
On Tuesday, Blakeman provided a “world exclusive possum update”: It was still occupying her office.
World exclusive possum update lol: as of 3:50pm today (Tues Jan 21) the discombobulated possum is still occupying my office. They are going to check the box trap again in the morning. — Bree (@FF_notes) January 21, 2020
Finally, on the third day, the possum saga drew to a close. Still refusing to enter the box placed in the office to relocate him, the little guy exited the same way he came in.
Final (happy) update: possum catcher checked my office again this morning & the possum wasn’t in the cage but it seems to have found it’s own way out of the room. After a bit of rest, some water and carrot it must have climbed back through the hole in the ceiling. 😌 🌿 👏🏼 — Bree (@FF_notes) January 22, 2020
Of course, three days could not go by without the new online sensation becoming the star of a few memes.
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me most mondays pic.twitter.com/eqIPVxWo6a — Tiger Webb (@tfswebb) January 21, 2020
when you've missed the last bus & you're waiting for your mum to collect you pic.twitter.com/NNYGgbzNmc — 💀 Spikings 💀 (@HSpikings) January 20, 2020
Defendant, you've been charged with breaking and entering, how do you plead?
Not guilty, your honour pic.twitter.com/47wiKH6Wl6 — Baamofin Lu'Jesha (@O_Nifesq) January 20, 2020
maybe if i am not moving they can't see me pic.twitter.com/07IdBdvvBE — penn badgley's left nut (@itisgoose) January 20, 2020
*record scratch* yep that's me. you're probably wondering how i ended up in this situation. pic.twitter.com/SnIxsObCZ4 — heidi heilig (@heidiheilig) January 21, 2020
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-23--The Best Foods To Make In An Instant Pot, According To Chefs

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The all-in-one multicooker isn’t going away anytime soon. So whether you’re already deep in the Instant Pot game, you were just gifted one over the holidays or you have yet to hop on the bandwagon, we’re serving up some cooking inspiration from the pros.
It turns out that despite having loads of expertise and equipment at their disposal, even chefs can’t resist the speedy, low-maintenance cooking experience of the Instant Pot. Below, we’ve detailed some of their favourite dishes to make in it.
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Chicken Noodle Soup
It doesn’t get any more classic than a comforting bowl of chicken noodle soup, and whether you’re feeling under the weather or craving something warm on a cold winter day, using an Instant Pot will get it done that much sooner.
“A rustic chicken noodle soup is one of my favorite recipes to cook in an Instant Pot,” Carsten Johannsen, executive chef of Harold’s, told HuffPost. “You can achieve a great depth of flavour in a very short period of time and cook a large batch that will feed plenty of hungry mouths with very little effort. My soup recipe reminds me of an elevated version of a childhood classic.”
To make chicken noodle soup in an Instant Pot, Johannsen first uses the sauté function to soften the vegetables. Then he adds the chicken and water and cooks the soup using the pressure cooker function for 20 to 30 minutes. Bowls of the finished soup are garnished with chopped cilantro and lime zest.
Emily Chen / EyeEm via Getty Images
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Yogurt
It may come as a surprise to some, but select Instant Pot models have a yogurt function. While the process can be time-consuming, it’s more straightforward than making yogurt on a stove, as Dinesh Jayawardena, executive chef of FireLake Grill House & Cocktail Bar, can attest.
“When I was a young prep cook starting out in Sri Lanka, one of my daily duties was to make yogurt and poached fruit,” Jayawardena said. “It was a tedious process to get it just right and I would have to manage the heat and timing. Back then, it culminated in having to put the yogurt on a rack that was rigged up above one of the ovens to catch the perfect temperature for hours. The overnight cook would then refrigerate it and it would set beautifully.”
But an Instant Pot with the yogurt feature “makes it a whole lot easier to enjoy the creamy morning dish,” said Jayawardena, adding, “I can enjoy the yogurt I used to labor over to get right and simply blend in mango, pineapple, cherries, blueberries, or whatever seasonal fruit I can get my hands on.”
Vegan Wild Rice And Mushroom Soup
This soup is a typical weeknight meal that Kristen Thibeault, co-founder and executive chef of corporate catering company Nybll, prepares for her family with the help of an Instant Pot.
“Preparing food with the Instant Pot is incredibly helpful because these days we all (myself included) struggle to balance having a million places to be at once with longing for beautiful, healthy food that’s cooked at home,” Thibeault told HuffPost. “There’s no reason to feel like you’re cheating or taking shortcuts because the flavours and textures you can build speak for themselves. Especially as a mother of four, I can put food on the table that I’m proud of while saving precious family time and using less energy than other methods.”
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To make the soup, Thibeault puts carrots, onions, celery, butternut squash, garlic, mushrooms, wild rice and vegetable stock in an Instant Pot and cooks them on high pressure for 40 minutes. In a separate pot, she heats pea milk to a simmer and adds nutritional yeast and mushroom seasoning, stirring until dissolved. She whisks in cornstarch to thicken the mixture and then combines it with the Instant Pot soup. To finish, Thibeault stirs in chopped kale and seasons to taste with fresh herbs, salt and pepper.
Braised Pork
Gavin Tseng, co-founder of New York-based sushi restaurant Rolln, uses this modern appliance to recreate a classic family recipe.
“One of my favourite things to make in an Instant Pot is an iteration of my grandma’s braised pork,” Tseng said. “It’s really straightforward to make and using pork cuts like belly or butt ensures that after a good braising, you will end up with delicious, meltingly tender pork that is hearty and satisfying –– perfect for winter.”
Tseng combines the pork with soy sauce and water and seasons it to taste with five-spice powder, sesame oil, pepper, palm sugar and chilli flakes. Then he cooks it on high pressure for about 40 minutes until the meat is “meltingly tender.” It’s delicious served on rice and topped with cut scallions.
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Maiko Kyogoku, the owner of Bessou, was skeptical of the Instant Pot when she first saw it on her boyfriend’s kitchen counter.
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“A pot that does everything sounds too easy!” Kyogoku told HuffPost. “And it diminishes the fun (at least for me) in owning all the different gadgets and tools that one can potentially use in a kitchen.”
“But for my boyfriend, who isn’t as comfortable in the kitchen, whipping up meals has become quick and easy with the Instant Pot,” Kyogoku said. “And as a father, it’s great for him on a busy weeknight.”
Plus, she acknowledged, “Since Instant Pots are like the modern versions of pressure cookers (my favourite tool in the kitchen), you cut the cooking time in half for those dishes that usually require more love, care and time.”
Chilli is Kyogoku’s suggestion for a “hearty, easy comfort food” that you can make in an Instant Pot “without much fuss after a late night at work.”
Beans
Tracy Wilk, the recreational program lead chef at the Institute of Culinary Education, likes to cook beans in an Instant Pot as the device provides consistent heat and cuts down on cooking time. While most Instant Pot recipes don’t require dried beans to be soaked beforehand, she prefers to soak them for about 24 hours to ease digestion.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-23--Goofy-Eyed Husky Finds Love, New Home And Internet Fame Along The Way

A sweet Siberian husky with remarkable eyes, who was described by a breeder as “weird,” has rocketed to internet fame and found a new home.
Jubilee, 4, was dropped off at the Husky House shelter in Matawan, New Jersey, two years ago after her breeder complained he couldn’t sell such an odd-looking dog. In an effort to seduce a future owner, the shelter wrote a heartbreaking appeal on Facebook.
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“Huskies are majestic looking dogs and I don’t know why I don’t look like them,” Jubilee “wrote” last week (with the help of her humans). “I wish I was beautiful so someone would want me to be their dog.”
The message went viral and Jubilee soon found a new home:
The shelter even arranged a bit of a make-over for Jubilee, thanks to a nearby grooming center that volunteered its services.
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Thousands of people responded to the Facebook posts about Jubilee and said things like: “She’s right. She’s not pretty — she’s beautiful!”
Jubilee’s condition, which created her unusual look, is congenital, but isn’t a health problem, according to the shelter.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-23--Duchess of Cambridge Felt 'So Isolated, So Cut Off' After Having George

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The Duchess of Cambridge has admitted she would have welcomed extra support after giving birth to Prince George while she lived in rural North Wales.
Kate was speaking at an integrated children’s centre which offers support to parents during her visit to Wales, where she and Prince William lived for three years until 2015 while he worked as an RAF search and rescue pilot.
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Her visit to Ely and Caerau Children’s Centre in Cardiff on Wednesday was part of the launch of her landmark national survey about the early years development of children, titled “five big questions on the under fives”.
After hearing about the support parents receive from the centre, Kate said: “It’s nice to be back in Wales. I was chatting to some of the mums, I had just had George and William was still working with search and rescue, so we came up here when George was a tiny, tiny little baby, in the middle of Anglesey.
“It was so isolated, so cut off, I didn’t have my family around me, he was doing night shifts, so if only I’d had a centre like this at a certain time.”
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Head of the centre, Carolyn Asante, told Kate: “That’s the thing, we all need it (support). It’s not about social status. When you’re a parent, you take home this little baby and I don’t know about you but I didn’t know which way was up or down.”
After the visit, Mrs Asante praised Kate for being “so genuine and down to earth”, and said she was happy that there would be a focus on the development of younger children thanks to the Duchess’s survey.
Mrs Asante said: “She was genuinely interested in what the children had to say, and you can’t fake that.
“It’s great to have the spotlight shone on the early years because everyone here recognises its importance and that it’s such a crucial stage of development, so if we can get it right at this stage we’ve given children the best possible start.
“I think it’s brilliant she’s chosen this to be her focus.”
Samir Hussein via Getty Images
Mrs Asante said there should be more access to centres like hers for parents who could benefit from support, saying: “It doesn’t matter where you come from, as a parent you will benefit from this kind of approach.
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“This non-judgmental group you can go to when you’ve had a rubbish morning at home and you’re not feeling as though anything’s going right or you’re doing a good job. The plan was to roll out this kind of model more widely, but there has never been the money.”
Kate met children and parents at the centre, which offers support in both Welsh and English, and was seen playing with toddlers before being marched to a guinea pig house by one young girl.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-23--Oprah On Meghan Markle, Prince Harry's Royal Exit: Nobody Has 'Any Right To Say Anything'

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The media mogul, who attended their royal wedding, is friends with the couple and currently working on a mental health TV series with Harry.
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Speaking about the Duke and Duchess’s decision, she said that the prince “did what he needed to do for his family” and “thought about it for months” in the candid clip, which also featured her best friend and TV host Gayle King.
Gayle is also very friendly with the royal couple, as she attended Meghan’s baby shower last year (and also was present at the royal wedding, though she covered it as a reporter).
Oprah Winfrey at the wedding ceremony of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle IAN WEST via Getty Images
“I support them 1000%. I support them because I believe that when you have thought about this as long as they have, and even in the queen’s statement ― everyone take note ― where the queen says, this has been going on for months,” Oprah told TMZ.
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“What Harry said in that charity statement [for the charity Sentebale] the other day ... the last line of his statement where he said that had to make the decision to back away from his family in order to move forward in peace with his new family, I don’t know how they came up with those words, but who doesn’t feel that?” she added.
“Who doesn’t feel what that takes to make that decision, to give up everything you’ve known in your whole life, to say, ‘I am going to choose this new life and what I believe to be the truest vision for myself?’” she continued.
Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex Daniel Leal-Olivas/Pool via REUTERS
“I don’t think anybody else has any right to say anything, when a person has sat and thought about what is the best decision I’m gonna make for my family ― and then he makes that decision ― none of us have any right to say anything about that.”
Both Oprah and Gayle denied that Harry made the decision without speaking to the royal family of some time.
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“But they didn’t make the decision in a vacuum. There were a lot of conversations,” King said, adding that it “wasn’t fair” to say that the royal family was “blindsided” when they’ve known this was a possibility for several months.
Oprah chimed in, adding that “Everybody’s known for months that this was happening.”
Gayle King Carlo Allegri / Reuters
After Meghan and Harry announced two weeks ago that they were stepping back, early reports suggested that Oprah and the Obamas were advising the royal couple, which the media mogul that later denied.
“Meghan and Harry do not need my help figuring out what’s best for them,” Oprah told People. “I care about them both and support whatever decisions they make for their family.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-23--Australian Bushfires: Three US Firefighters Killed In Plane Crash

A water tanker plane fighting wildfires in Australia has crashed killing three American crew members, officials have said.
The C-130 Hercules plane went down in the Snowy Monaro region in the state of New South Wales (NSW).
The state’s premier Gladys Berejiklian expressed her condolences to the families of the three crew members, who were flown in as part of an international assistance effort to fight the devastating wildfires.
“Our thoughts & heartfelt condolences are with their families & the tight knit firefighting community,” Berejiklian tweeted.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-23--‘Mic Drop Moment’: House Impeachment Manager Breaks Out Notorious B.I.G. In Viral Trump Takedown

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Republican Hakeem Jeffries, one of the House impeachment managers, went viral on Tuesday night for quoting rap legend Notorious B.I.G., aka Biggie Smalls, in response to a comment made by President Donald Trump’s attorney.
During his opening statement, Trump attorney Jay Sekulow asked: “Why are we here?”
That prompted Jeffries to deliver a concise point-by-point explanation of the allegations against Trump.
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“We are here, Sir, because President Trump pressured a foreign government to target an American citizen for political and personal gain,” Jeffries said. “We are here, Sir, because President Trump solicited foreign interference in the 2020 election and corrupted our democracy.”
Watch:
"If you don't know, now you know."
Impeachment manager Rep. Jeffries quotes The Notorious B.I.G. in concluding his answer to a Trump lawyer's question about why the US Senate is gathered for the trial. https://t.co/qDB70fNNbp pic.twitter.com/Q7Jqe5Hukl — MSNBC (@MSNBC) January 22, 2020
At the end of his speech, Jeffries vowed to “follow the facts, apply the law, be guided by the Constitution and present the truth to the American people.”
“That is why we are here, Mr Sekulow,” Jeffries added, then he broke out a line from Biggie’s “Juicy” for his finishing touch. “And if you don’t know, now you know.”
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The line was also used in the Broadway hit “Hamilton.”
Jeffries represents the congressional district where the rapper was raised. In 2017, the 20th anniversary of Biggie’s slaying, Jeffries paid tribute to him with a speech that included a few lines from “Juicy.”
On Twitter, Trump critics praised how Jeffries summed up the case against the president, right down to the “mic drop moment” at the end:
Hakeem Jeffries - “If you don’t know, now you know.” Biggie (Juicy) breaks into the trial. Brooklyn in the house (Senate). — Eric Holder (@EricHolder) January 22, 2020
Brilliant rebuttal by Brooklyn (and Queens) US Congressman Hakeem Jeffies who at the end of his presentation dropped a #Biggie line,
“If you don’t know, now you know.” — Karine Jean-Pierre (@K_JeanPierre) January 22, 2020
I'm here for Rep Hakeem Jeffries's oratory and the inclusion of #biggiesmalls for the mic drop. #ImpeachmentTrial https://t.co/eJOMrugV57 — Pat Brown (@PatBrownShow) January 22, 2020
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Just a great rebuttal right now by Hakeem Jeffries. — David Jolly (@DavidJollyFL) January 22, 2020
Rep. Hakeem Jeffries just clapped back at that doofus Jay Sekulow with "and if you don't know, now you know."
And I am here, Sir, for it.
That speech was BRILLIANT. pic.twitter.com/PFdIN4azKd — BrooklynDad_Defiant! (@mmpadellan) January 22, 2020
To close @RepJeffries quoted Notorious B.I.G.'s Juicy ("And if you don't know, now you know"), and honestly I wouldn't mind 2 more hours of this if it required Jeffries explaining who the Notorious B.I.G. was to the United States Senate. — Susan Davis (@DaviSusan) January 22, 2020
My man @RepJeffries offered a rousing, pithy summary of the case against @POTUS with a fact-based roll call of his grievous errors and impeccable offenses. He eloquently indicted those complicit with Trump, & hit em with the Biggie finish: “And if you don’t know, now you know!” — Michael Eric Dyson (@MichaelEDyson) January 22, 2020
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-23--Family Judges Could Get Training After Complaint About 'Outdated' Rape Comment

Family court judges could get new training on the “appropriate” way to deal with sexual assault and rape allegations.
A High Court judge has made a recommendation after a woman complained about one family court judge’s “outdated” views.
Ms Justice Russell, who is based in the Family Division of the High Court in London, says family court judges regularly have to make decisions about cases where allegations of serious sexual assault are made – but are not required to undergo training on the appropriate approach.
She has recommended training in a ruling on a woman’s appeal against a decision by Judge Robin Tolson.
The woman had argued that Tolson’s approach led to her losing a fight with a former partner centred on their son.
She said Tolson’s “outdated views” on sex assault had influenced his findings.
The woman and her partner had separated more than three years ago. Their son remained in her care.
Family court litigation began after the man asked to be allowed to spend time with the boy, but the woman objected and said the man had been controlling and had raped her.
Tolson, who was asked to make findings relating to the woman’s domestic violence allegations, ruled against her after a private hearing at the Central Family Court in London in August.
The woman appealed and said Tolson had concluded that “because” she had “taken no physical steps” to stop the man, “this did not constitute rape”.
Russell allowed the woman’s appeal, and said the woman’s allegations should be reconsidered at a fresh hearing before a different judge.
Russell, who oversaw an appeal hearing in London in December, said, in a ruling delivered on Wednesday that Tolson had “apparently concluded” it was “necessary” for victims of sexual assault to report the assault or make a contemporaneous report.
She said it was now “explicitly accepted” that many victims would not do so out of “fear or embarrassment”.
“The logical conclusion of this judge’s approach is that it is both lawful and acceptable for a man to have sex with his partner regardless of their enjoyment or willingness to participate,” Russell added.
“The judgment was so flawed as to require a retrial.”
Russell had analysed the woman’s appeal at a public hearing in the Family Division of the High Court but said the family at the centre of the case could not be identified in media reports.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-23--Trump Impeachment Lawyer Utters 'Biggest Lie Ever' Told On Senate Floor

Cipollone just said "President Trump is a man of his word" but I have to think, because it's so early in the morning, I was actually dreaming that he said that and that a grown-ass man with self-respect did not just say that about a guy who just told his 16,000th lie as president


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-23--Why You Sometimes Twitch Awake Right Before You Fall Asleep

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Your thoughts begin to gently drift off the plane of reality and you’re about to transition from that dreamy state to complete sleep. Then — suddenly — a part of your body twitches and you’re dramatically jerked awake. Sound familiar?
What you’re most likely experiencing is something called a “hypnic jerk,” according to Ellen Wermter, a family nurse practitioner and Better Sleep Council spokesperson.
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A hypnic jerk is a form of myoclonus, which is essentially just “a fancy way of saying ‘muscle twitch,’” Wermter told HuffPost. (Another form of myoclonus is the hiccups.)
“These twitches are not voluntary, and are very short and sudden, often occurring in stage 1 sleep ― a very light transitory stage between wake and deeper sleep,” she added.
During this drowsy phase of sleep, your muscles relax. Your brain sometimes interprets this sensation as “falling,” so it then triggers a muscle contraction. Hypnic jerks, also called “sleep starts,” can happen for no reason and sometimes stem from an underlying issue.
tommaso79 via Getty Images Hypnic jerks right before sleep are a version of a muscle twitch.
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There are certain factors that increase the probability of experiencing a hypnic jerk. These include stress, heavy workouts and certain medications like serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).
Sleep starts are common in healthy people, but can be exacerbated by fatigue, sleep deprivation or stimulant use (caffeine and beyond), added Alex Dimitriu, a double board-certified expert in psychiatry and sleep medicine and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine.
For the most part, hypnic jerks are benign and nothing to worry about. But if they’re happening regularly and preventing you from falling asleep easily, it’s worth talking to your doctor, Dimitriu told HuffPost.
DrAfter123 via Getty Images
In rare cases, sleep starts may be a sign of an underlying medical disorder, according to Wermter, which is why it’s always a good idea to check on something that’s abnormal and persistent. For example, sleep apnea ― a disorder where your breathing repeatedly stops during sleep ― can sometimes cause muscle contractions.
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“When the airway is blocked and blood oxygen levels dip, the brain sends an arousal signal, sometimes in the form of a muscle twitch,” Wermter said.
There’s no tried and true way to prevent these nighttime muscle twitches, but you can decrease their likelihood by keeping a regular sleep schedule and keeping yourself in a quiet and comfortable environment, Wermter said.
Controlling your stress levels and being mindful of your caffeine consumption can also be helpful. If you are an afternoon coffee sipper, try to cut back on your midday drink. You might find it helps reduce your hypnic jerks, Dimitriu added.
Try altering your habits or checking in with a professional and see if you sleep tight ― without twitches.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-23--Oh Lord! My 4-Year-Old Wants To Know If Jesus Is Real

HuffPost UK
There are several questions I just don’t want to field when I’m elbow-deep in a particularly odious toddler nappy-change. “Could you get the door?” is one of them. “Wait, did I just see a worm in there?” is another. Last week, care of my four-year-old son, I added a new question to the list. “Mummy, was Jesus a real person who was born a long time ago, and then died, and then came back, and then went on a cloud up into the sky, and is he alive now and walking around?”
Well. Still occupied with digging out a fresh nappy for a toddler intent on rummaging through his old, soiled one, I shoot a look at my husband that said: “A little help here?”
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“Ah no,” my husband’s amused glance seemed to twinkle in reply. “I will have no part in this, but I am very interested to hear your response, so please don’t say anything until I have returned with some popcorn.” Awful man. I hereby reverse my position on his attitude to vasectomies.
Before asking his question, our son had been sitting on his own for a little while, uncharacteristically quiet, his little forehead furrowed in contemplation.
“What’s made you think about whether Jesus was real?” I ask him. He’d been learning about “Jesus stories” in class, he tells me, “Like when he turned dirty water into yucky wine at that wedding.” Right. I wasn’t quite expecting this, especially as his last “Is this real?” question concerned The Avengers (“Well,” I hedged, “Maybe, but I haven’t met any of them.”)
jemastock via Getty Images
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My son goes to a Church of England primary school, but not the sort where parents have to start pretending their house is called ‘The Nunnery’ on postal addresses or anything. It teaches religious values, accepts children from all religious backgrounds and, honestly, my son seems to be having a blast there.
“Bit Jesusy, though, isn’t it?” whispered my husband during our first open day. He was raised in a church-adjacent family (no contact with religion save for weddings and Christingle services), and said he was “creeped out by all the crosses”. Whereas I was brought up in a a family of almost excessively various ethnicities. Largely, we were Roman Catholic (of the cultural Italian variety) with a small but influential pocket of Brahmin/Buddhist Eastern mysticism. Also, everyone seemed to be way into homeopathy.
Perhaps it’s this clash of confused philosophies that’s driven me, as an adult, straight into the arms of atheism (shot through with nerdy, half-baked interests in quantum theory and multiverses and if I’m spooked by a movie about demonic possession, all bets are off).
“I look my son in the eye, suddenly aware of all the lies I may have told him...”
I want my children to make up their own minds. I’ve always assumed that, at some point, we’d all have a big, reasonable chat about what faith is, and how that differs from organised religion; and that there are loads of different organised religions, because there are so many different people in the world.
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If you’re being taught about faith or religion and deep down – as I did – you feel a little tickle of doubt, that’s fine, I want to say. It’s okay to question religion or faith, just not to be mean about what someone else believes. Equally, if it all makes sense to you, and you develop a personal relationship with god through Christianity or another philosophy – that’s absolutely fine, too.
Ultimately, I want my sons to know that they have a choice whether or not to believe what they’re taught about faith or religion at school, or anywhere else. In fact, it’s what I want them to grasp above all: the concept of choice – before they’re presented with one of the options. Listen to the Jesus stories, I want to say, but know that other people have other stories.
Admittedly, when I imagined this scenario, my sons were eight or nine. One of them wasn’t four with a finger up his nose, and I wasn’t physically trying to prevent the other one from digging about in his own poo
Impossibly, my older son – who normally has the attention span of, at most, half a goldfish – is still waiting for my response. “Look,” I sigh, attempting to sound cogent. “Some people…” I hear my husband suppress a snigger. “I mean, Jesus was…”
″... Was?” my four-year-old echoes, looking frightened. “What I mean is,” I rally, “the world is a big place, full of all sorts of different things, and… and… and…”
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I look my son in the eye, suddenly aware of all the lies I may have told him – Father Christmas only gets you the toy you ask for first; sorry, Paw Patrol is closed today; if you keep shouting, that man over there will get very angry with you – and take a deep breath.
“Jesus?” I say brightly. “Well, I mean maybe. But I’ve never met him.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-23--This Is What Binge-Watching TV Does To Your Brain And Body

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We’re here to guide you through the coronavirus pandemic. Sign up to the Life newsletter for daily tips, advice, how-tos and escapism.
Were you glued to Schitt’s Creek last year? How about Normal People, Strictly Come Dancing and Tiger King? Join the club.
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The average UK adult spent almost six hours watching television and video content per day in 2020, according to new research.
The data, released by Ofcom, shows we relied on our screens for five hours and 40 minutes of entertainment each day when the advice was to stay at home. The total was a rise of 47 minutes compared to 2019.
We love a good marathon TV session, but the desire to watch “just one more episode” before bed can spiral. In January, the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy confirmed it knew of three patients in the UK being treated for “binge-watching addiction”.
So when does binge-watching go from harmless entertainment to addiction, and what impact is it having on our brains and bodies?
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GP Dr Paul Stillman explains that binge-watching can have a very real effect on our hormones, which can in turn impact our mental health and wellbeing.
“Binge-watching TV can create a ‘high’ then a significant emotional downturn when we’ve finished watching,” he says. The high is caused by the production of chemicals such as dopamine which are released during any pleasurable activity – and that includes watching your favourite TV show.
“When binge-watching TV your brain is continually producing dopamine. You experience something like an addiction as your brain starts to create it. Simply getting immersed in the lives of characters, story lines and caring what happens in a TV show can become addictive.”
If you’re ditching friends and family or cancelling social engagements to watch a boxset, it can be a sign you’re becoming too reliant on that “high”, he adds. Other signs to be aware of included snacking rather than cooking meals and not sleeping as well.
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Dr Roger Henderson, a GP and UK medical director of Liva Healthcare, says there’s “mounting evidence that heavy binge-watching may have an impact on our health” – particularly when it comes to sleep. “Electronic screens emit blue light which can impact on our production of melatonin – a key hormone involved in getting a good night’s sleep,” he tells HuffPost UK.
Sleep can also be impacted by the fact that binge-watching is a sedentary activity, adds Dr Stillman, who is working with the MindYourBack campaign.
“First if you sit in one position for a long time it may cause back pain which can prevent you from getting a good night’s sleep, second it can tempt you to sit every longer as you want to find out what happens next, third, violence and suspense before going to bed can leave you anxious and wide awake so that you can’t get to sleep,” he says.
Short-term, sleep deprivation can lead to fatigue, lack of concentration and a short temper, while research suggests longterm deprivation can increase the risk of serious health problems such as heart disease, heart attacks, stroke and high blood pressure. Sitting in one position for too puts an unhealthy strain on certain ligaments and muscles, says Dr Henderson, which can impact your posture.
“Certain positions are worse than others for this. So to prevent bad posture, avoid sitting slumped to one side, keep your feet supported, do not strain your neck for long periods while looking at a screen and avoid sitting for an extended period without taking a break,” he advises.
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Long periods of focusing on one screen – or multi-screening – may also be detrimental to our eyes, adds Dr Henderson. “This can cause eye strain, particularly if you are on your phone switching between screens,” he says. “Eye strain can cause increased headaches, blurred vision and difficulty focusing. Be sure to visit your optometrist if you are suffering from any of these symptoms.”
You needn’t cancel that Netflix subscription altogether, but having an awareness of your behaviour and staying tuned to impact on your body is key to keeping healthy. “The best way to binge-watch is for an hour or two in the day rather than at bedtime or late in the evening, and ideally to avoid screen use for an hour before going to bed,” says Dr Henderson. “Try to take a break from watching after an hour or so even if you are engrossed in a show.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-23--Thinking About Getting Veneers? Here's What You Need To Know

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Many talking points have emerged from Love Island since the winter series began, from Nas’s height to Rebecca’s contraception patch. But one that’s been the basis of many memes is Connor’s teeth – specifically the large, white veneers he had done in Thailand by a “random dentist”.
Connor’s pearly whites have already got in the way of romantic liaisons on the island – as he put it: “My teeth hit her teeth.”
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So what are veneers? How much do they cost? And does it hurt to have your gnashers filed within an inch of their life? Here’s what you need to know.
What are veneers?
A veneer is a thin layer of material placed over a tooth or teeth, usually ceramic or porcelain, to tidy them up – a bit like false nails.
You might get a veneer to cover up a chipped or discoloured tooth, or perhaps you want to get a whole set of them for aesthetic reasons, such as reducing small gaps between your teeth or to give the illusion of straighter teeth.
How much do they cost?
They’re very expensive and, in the UK, can cost anywhere from £600-£900 per tooth, depending on the type of veneer you choose. If you go for a full set, you could be looking at parting with up to £15,000.
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Porcelain veneers are more realistic looking and long-lasting, but also much more expensive than composite veneers. Gum tissue tolerates porcelain “very well”, though, says Dimitri Mantazis, principal dentist at Hove Dental Clinic.
Veneers are only available on the NHS if they’re needed to improve the health of your mouth, rather than just to improve the appearance of your teeth.
What does the process involve?
“The treatment is fairly straightforward,” says Mantazis. “First we prep the patient’s teeth, which involves trimming an incredibly thin layer off [the front] of the tooth to ensure there’s enough room for the veneer to be placed. Temporary veneers are then created using a 3D model to show the patient what their veneers will look like.”
This gives people an opportunity to trial their new “teeth”, before the permanent veneers are made. At this stage, any changes or adjustments can be made to the temporaries, then reproduced in the actual veneers.
Once they’re made, the final stage involves attaching the permanent veneers to the teeth. This is done using a dental cement-like paste, then UV light is used to harden it.
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From first consultation to final placement, the overall process usually takes around three to four weeks, says Mantazis.
Will it hurt?
The prospect of having your teeth shaved down might leave you with the chills, but Mantazis insists it won’t hurt.
“The treatment area is always numbed before the veneers are fitted,” he adds, “so the procedure should be comfortable and pain-free.”
You might feel a small tugging sensation, he says, “but that is a normal part of the treatment and again, is painless.”
Are veneers permanent?
Veneers are stain-resistant and long-lasting if you follow a sensible hygiene routine – brushing twice a day, flossing and visiting the dentist regularly.
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But while being very durable, they’re not permanent. “Properly looked after veneers can last up to 15-20 years,” says Mantazis.
When veneers come near to the end of their life cycle, they’ll need to be replaced. The veneers are removed carefully, and new ones are created.
What are the downsides of getting veneers?
The veneer process is irreversible so if you decide you don’t like them, there’s no going back. You could opt for smaller veneers, or a different material, but this would set you back thousands of pounds.
“If you chip or damage your veneers, they cannot [always] be repaired,” adds Mantazis. You could get a new veneer to replace the damaged one, but you can never return to the state of your original teeth.
For people who grind or clench their teeth, veneers are also risky, as they can become damaged, chipped or cracked, according to The Harley Street Smile Clinic. People with this problem should speak to their dentist before the procedure as they’ll likely need to have a mouth guard fitted to protect their new teeth.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-23--I’m Tired Of People Not Making An Effort To Get My ‘Difficult’ Name Right

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I’ve always envied those who have names that people pronounce with ease and confidence; a name that doesn’t cause people to ask for repeats or to say “sorry, I didn’t quite catch that”. Instead, I have what is deemed (by Western society) a ‘difficult’ name, one that’s brought me great difficulty in simply getting people to pronounce it correctly.
My name is of Arabic origin, though it’s not a common one. On top of that, it’s not pronounced (in English) how it is spelled. And if there is something I have found when it comes to names, it’s that if a name isn’t pronounced how it is literally spelled, people struggle with the pronunciation. So no, I haven’t exactly been set up with an easy task.
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My issue is not with those who mispronounce my name – I’ve come to expect that now and it isn’t like I don’t also mispronounce names. No, my issue is with people who don’t even make the effort to get my name right after being told the correct way to say it. Or worse, those who go one step further and decide that instead of learning to pronounce my name properly, they will instead rename me to something easier – usually an ‘English’ name.
I have had to battle to get my name pronounced properly all my life, with some luck but a lot more defeats along the way. Some of the major defeats came in my teenage years, where life is awkward enough as it is without being publicly embarrassed by teachers and students butchering your name daily. I heard pretty much every kind of variation of my name, and with some people (especially teachers), no matter how hard I tried, they would never get my name right. Even those that knew or taught me for years. I will never know if it was ignorance, maliciousness, or simply teachers having to remember a lot of students and their names.
“It got to the point where I used to wish I had an English name. Maybe then I wouldn’t feel so different...”
A name being mispronounced may seem like a small thing, but when that mispronunciation is extended to a large number of people on a regular basis, it is exhausting. It also exacerbated my already-present feelings of difference and ‘otherness’ – not an easy thing to deal with when you’re a teenager. Teenage life is already riddled with enough angst and awkwardness, and my teenage life was made that much more difficult having to also navigate two opposing cultures. On the one hand I had my traditional Arab culture that didn’t always allow me to do the same things as my friends. And on the other hand, I had a British culture that encourages young people to go out there and ‘live life!’ and make mistakes.
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I felt pretty different to everyone else; the ‘other’ of my friends. And my friends did try to sympathise with me not being at the parties or whatever social occasion I had missed out on, but to me their sympathy came across as pity. And this pity made me feel even more like the ‘other’, because they were unknowingly treating me differently. So, it got to the point where I used to wish I had an English name. Any other name that was easier than mine. Maybe then I wouldn’t feel so different and could have one thing that was similar to my friends and peers.
I tried at the start to correct people, but at some point I decided it would probably just be easier to go along with whatever variation I was being called that day. So I gave up. And it takes a lot for a person to give up on something so key and vital to their identity. It makes you feel disheartened, lost, and as if you are somewhat less of a person than others. But that’s what years of relentless mispronunciation, and a lack of effort from people to learn or correct themselves, will do to a person.
The working world is no different. I dread starting new jobs or meeting new people at work purely because I know that I will have to go through the process of getting people to pronounce my name properly. This process can sometimes take weeks. And in a multicultural and diverse society, where ‘difficult’ names are more prevalent, this low bar for people learning how to say our names is even more inexcusable. It’s unchecked privilege. But I’ll come on to that. Of course, I’m not talking about everyone – some really make the effort to learn how to say my name and will even correct others, something I have come to appreciate more than they can know.
“A name is a central part of a person’s identity, and to consistently mispronounce their name simply shows ignorance and carelessness”
By far the worst though is when a person decides to give me a new ‘easier’ (read: English or Western) name. I’m not talking about nicknames amongst friends or family, but people who do not know you well enough to be giving you a new name. I’ve experienced this a couple of times, both times in a place of work. It’s an experience that leaves you deflated and utterly bewildered at the sheer audacity of it all. That a person would decide that a name is too ‘difficult’ for them and will literally give you a new name to make their interaction with you easier? The privilege is startling.
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Both instances where I experienced this were by a white person, and it’s quite frankly problematic. To rename another person takes away an integral part of their identity and reinforces the inequality and power dynamic between the two of you. It reinforces the feelings of difference and otherness. It reinforces the ‘us’ and ‘them’ divide. It lets that person know that you are not even willing to learn how to say their name because it’s just easier to give them a name you know. Would your life be so difficult if you learned how to pronounce someone’s name properly?
Unfortunately, I didn’t call out this behaviour at the time. Mostly out of embarrassment and just to avoid the whole awkwardness of it all. But I can’t imagine how common these feelings are for not calling out this unchecked behaviour. If it’s a regular occurrence for me, then it must happen to so many of us across the UK, and around the world. But now I’m making more of an effort now to make sure people do pronounce my name properly – and when they don’t, I correct them. I sincerely hope nobody else gives me a new name, but if they do, I will now call it out and explain to that person why it is not okay.
In the diverse and multicultural society that we live in, we all need to make more of an effort to learn how to say each other’s names. A name is a central part of a person’s identity, and to consistently mispronounce their name simply shows ignorance and carelessness on your part, and a lack of awareness for your own privilege. So, if you’re unsure on how to say someone’s name, then politely ask them and really listen, so you don’t have to keep on asking. It is basic human decency, and that person will appreciate it more than you know.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-22--Blue Wednesday For Labour MPs As Boris Johnson Rams Home His Majority

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Tyranny-saurus Rex
The reality of Boris Johnson’s 80-seat advantage over the Opposition was brutally evident today. Not only did he barely bother answering any real PMQs, he then staged a ‘People’s PMQs’ which as light and trite as anything he’s ever done in politics (and that’s a high bar).
To cap it all, his blue wall of MPs easily overturned the Lords’ last ditch attempt to include child refugee protections in the Brexit bill. For Labour MPs looking on with despair, the tyranny of the majority suddenly looked like a very apt phrase. Johnson sounded like the ‘world king’ he always wanted to be.
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At least Greggs the bakers got some publicity out of the day’s events. Rebecca Long-Bailey had started it with a Mirror interview in which she confessed their vegan sausage rolls were her ‘guilty pleasure’. Jeremy Corbyn expanded the theme in PMQs, telling Johnson he would give him a free roll himself if the PM could explain why it was fair for Greggs workers on Universal Credit to be deprived of 75% of their annual bonus.
Corbyn was making a serious point, of course, about the way the Tories’ flagship welfare policy was actually harming the working poor. Thanks to the Guardian, we have learned that Greggs staff on UC have to give the government a whopping £225 of their £300 bonus, courtesy of the fiendish ‘taper’ rate. The Resolution Foundation had also laid bare the serious distress of many claimants generally.
Johnson’s answers were a mix of arrogant disdain and complacent soundbitery. At first he didn’t even engage, but even when the penny dropped he could only blurt out that “Greggs is producing record figures—£7 million extra”. Just one person had complained about the bonus system, he added. He sounded completely tone deaf to the plight of low paid staff, many of whom, wait for it, work in the north that his party is now meant to represent and care about.
When Corbyn widened the issue to cover the government’s two-child policy and its well-established (by countless think tanks) impact on child poverty, Johnson ploughed on with a robotic stat attack (40 new hospitals, 50,000 more nurses and 20,000 more police officers, all promised and not yet real) that would make Gordon Brown blush.
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He got away with it thanks to the cheers of his backbenches and to Labour MPs’ own muted approach to their leader. It’s easy to imagine a less defeated-looking leader of the Opposition really making Johnson squirm at the Greggs story. In fact, Lisa Nandy had only that day previewed PMQs in her own speech focusing on the bonus, though with a neat line that in Tory Britain “baker’s bonuses are taxed more than bankers’ bonuses”.
Perhaps the most depressing answer in PMQs came when Johnson actually gave Corbyn what sounds like his new catch-all response that will last until his replacement is elected: “I refer the Right Hon. Gentleman to the answer that the British people gave to him four weeks ago.” Cue huge guffaws on Conservative benches (it was an insider’s gag about referring MPs to previous answers in the chamber, keep up British public).
A more worried PM would have realised this Greggs bonus issue was about the state effectively imposing a huge marginal tax rate on those barely making ends meet on a £13,000 salary. A leader who talks about helping the less well off with tax cuts ought to at least be consistent. And Greggs is a great northern success story, one of the country’s most socially responsible employers.
The ‘People’s PMQs’ on Facebook was even less edifying. Johnson came out with such revelations he liked to drink tea, but had nothing against coffee. He claimed (wrongly) his cut in national insurance would “disproportionately” benefit those on lower incomes. Oh, and he told us about which shampoo he used. Or didn’t. “I don’t know. It’s the same stuff I use for all cleaning purposes - and it’s blue.”
That’s at least an apt colour. Forget Blue Monday, this was Blue Wednesday: the day in the new year when Labour MPs’ depression hits a new low, as they realise a Conservative PM is totally in charge - and doesn’t care how that looks. Whether it becomes an annual event for the next four years is down to whoever succeeds Corbyn. But it’s also down to Johnson.
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Quote Of The Day
“I don’t know what they expect me to do, start, like, paragliding on a Friday night or something”
Rebecca Long-Bailey on why she’s proud of her Netflix-takeaway-and-pyjamas habit.
Cheat Sheet
Lisa Nandy secured her place on the Labour leadership final ballot, having won the endorsement of the GMB and NUM unions, and today clinching affiliate group Chinese for Labour. Earlier, Nandy passed the Today programme test, as well as burning Piers Morgan over racism and Meghan Markle.
Jeremy Corbyn’s chief of staff Karie Murphy went on a European city break just days before the general election, HuffPost UK revealed.
Brexit secretary Steve Barclay urged Europeans concerned about how to prove their rights in the UK after Brexit to print off emails - which state “this letter is not proof of your status”.
The Times revealed that Boris Johnson would scrap the £30,000 minimum salary threshold for migrants, in a major softening of the policy under Theresa May.
What I’m Reading
What We Know About CoronaVirus - Scientific American
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-22--Love Island's New Bombshell Luke T Has A Surprising Claim To Fame

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While the Love Island villa has only just welcomed Rebecca into the fold, those bombshells just keep on coming, as bosses have confirmed two new arrivals.
A fresh pair of lads will be descending on the Island on Thursday night, after their identities were revealed at the end of Wednesday’s episode.
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And confusingly, they’re both called Luke.
First up is Luke Trotman, who is a 22-year-old student and semi-pro footballer from Luton.
Luke Trotman ITV
He describes himself as “energetic, positive and smiley” and rates himself a “strong eight” out of 10.
He has his eye on Leanne Amaning, Siânnise Fudge, Sophie Piper and Rebecca Gormley and has a surprising claim to fame.
“My mum was on The X Factor in 2007,” he reveals. “She’s called Beverley Trotman and came sixth so I appeared on TV cheering her on in the audience.
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“She’s done a few musicals and she’s in the Kingdom Choir now... but she didn’t perform at Meghan and Harry’s wedding.”
Luke's mum Beverly was on X Factor in 2007 Dave M. Benett via Getty Images
Entering the villa with him is Luke Mabbott – a 24-year-old heating engineer from Redcar.
He reckons he’s been “mistaken for Justin Bieber a few times” and has his eye firmly on Paige Turley, who is currently coupled up with Finley Tapp.
Luke Mabbott ITV
We have only just seen the arrival of the first female bombshell Rebecca, who has been causing somewhat of a stir.
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She found herself on the wrong side of Shaughna Phillips after declaring her interest in Callum Jones.
Wednesday’s episode saw her make a move on both Finley and Connagh, but what will the Lukes’ arrival mean for the group?
Love Island continues on Thursday at 9pm on ITV2.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-22--EU Warns Boris Johnson He Must Impose Irish Sea Checks After Brexit

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Boris Johnson has been warned he must break his promise not to impose trade checks in the Irish Sea after Brexit or face legal action from the EU.
The prime minister was warned by a senior aide to Brussels chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier that the EU “will not tolerate any backsliding or half measures”.
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Johnson has repeatedly claimed there will be no checks on trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland as a result of his Brexit deal, insisting on Wednesday that the province would “emphatically” still have “unfettered” access to the rest of the UK after Brexit.
But Barnier’s adviser, Stefaan De Rynck, stressed that the Brexit deal negotiated by the PM includes a commitment from the UK to impose “checks” on goods, including food and agri-food, heading to Northern Ireland to ensure they comply with EU customs and single market rules.
He made clear that Johnson must implement what he agreed, including checks, by the end of the year or face enforcement action under the terms of the deal.
“Certainly we will not tolerate any backsliding or half measures”
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He told an event at University College London: “We will have to be extremely disciplined to get it up and running in 11 months, to have the UK authorities apply the checks that the UK has agreed to apply. The union’s customs code (and) the union’s single market standards continue to apply in Northern Ireland as of 2021.”
He went on: “That creates quite a bit of preparatory measures that are needed and ... certainly we will not tolerate any backsliding or half measures.
“The protocol is clear on what needs to be done by both sides and we will want to stick to that.”
Johnson alienated the Democratic Unionist Party by striking a deal which leaves Northern Ireland effectively in the EU single market, but also the UK customs area, to ensure Great Britain could enjoy a looser relationship with Brussels after Brexit while maintaining a soft Irish border.
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De Rynck refused to respond to Johnson’s comments at prime minister’s questions on Wednesday when he was asked by the DUP’s Jefferey Donaldston whether his promise of no checks meant there would “continue to be unfettered access for Northern Ireland businesses to the UK single market” and vice versa.
Johnson replied: “Emphatically it does.”
De Rynck said: “I won’t dwell on comments I haven’t seen.
“The situation is clear - as of January 2021 the withdrawal agreement contains legally binding commitments, and the protocol is very clear that UK authorities will be in charge, if you are talking about goods flows from Great Britain into Northern Ireland, for the application of the customs codes of the European Union and to ensure that products that enter comply with single market standards of the EU, be it food, agri-food, industrial products and what have you.
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“That’s a very clear commitment and the challenge for 2020 will be to work with the UK authorities.”
He added: “There are clear commitments on the UK which are legally binding.”
De Rynck pointed towards mechanisms in the Brexit deal for resolving disputes when asked what sanctions the EU could take, including the so-called “joint committee”.
He also suggested the UK could lose international standing if it breached the withdrawal agreement, the legislation for which passed through parliament on Wednesday.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-22--The Victoria Derbyshire Show 'Axed By BBC To Save Money'

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The award-winning Victoria Derbyshire Show is to be axed by the BBC as part of a round of cuts to save £80m at the corporation
The current affairs weekday series, hosted by journalist Victoria Derbyshire, 51, first began in 2015, and is reportedly ending because costs are too high.
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BBC media editor Amol Rajan reported the news via Twitter.
LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 19: Victoria Derbyshire attends the Royal Television Society Programme Awards at Grosvenor House on March 19, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Karwai Tang/WireImage) Karwai Tang via Getty Images
Rajan wrote: “The Victoria Derbyshire Show is coming off air. I understand @BBCNews is committed to Victoria + the (award-winning) journalism of the show.
“Cost of doing it on linear channel when savings are needed deemed too high. BBC declined to comment ahead of an announcement next week.”
An organisation that values original journalism and underserved audiences should not be doing this.
It’s madness.#VictoriaLIVE consistently breaks huge stories, has won countless awards including a BAFTA and has broken new ground.
Plus it has an outstanding team and presenter. https://t.co/N3vkLpYBzg — Louisa Compton (@louisa_compton) January 22, 2020
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He continued: “The show won awards at the RTS and from Bafta. Victoria nominated for Best Presenter four years in a row – and won once. Digital impact was huge. Show was designed to reach audiences the BBC struggles to connect with, and it did – online.”
Derbyshire herself addressed the news on air on Thursday morning, telling viewers: “We are still here telling your stories and covering the issues that are important to you in your life.
“And do you know what? We don’t give up.”
Louisa Compton, who edited the show when it was first launched, said the decision was “madness”.
MP Tracy Brabin was among those to comment, tweeting that she would be “looking into why @VictoriaLIVE is being taken off air”.
She said: “Rigorous campaigning & commitment to public having their say made it pretty unique in daytime TV.
“Victoria herself was sharp & approachable with a personal journey that made her relatable.”
Piers Morgan said: “Very strange decision. It was an excellent programme & @vicderbyshire is a superb journalist.
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“Surely the BBC isn’t now finding the cash to pay for its gender pay fiasco by cancelling other women’s shows?”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-22--Wuhan: Chinese City On Lockdown To Prevent Spread Of Coronavirus Outbreak

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The Chinese city of Wuhan is on lockdown as outbound flights and trains were halted to contain a contain a mystery virus that has killed 17 people.
No-one will be allowed to leave the city from 10am local time, and train stations and the airport will shut down, as the coronavirus-hit country stepped up its efforts on Wednesday.
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Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation said it would delay until Thursday a decision on whether or not to declare the outbreak an international emergency. and the UK government announced a series of measures to mitigate exposure to the infection.
All direct flights from Wuhan to Heathrow will be subjected to enhanced monitoring, while the UK Foreign Office has advised against all but essential travel to the Chinese city.
A spokesman said: “In light of the latest medical information, including reports of some person-to-person transmission, and the Chinese authorities’ own advice, we are now advising against all but essential travel to Wuhan.
“The safety and security of British nationals is always our primary concern, and we advise British nationals travelling to China to remain vigilant and check our travel advice on gov.uk.”
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The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said precautionary measures are being put in place after cases of the virus spread to other parts of the world.
Deaths from China’s new flu-like virus rose to 17 on Wednesday with more than 540 cases confirmed, increasing fears of contagion from an infection suspected to originate from illegally traded wildlife.
The previously unknown coronavirus strain is believed to have emerged from an animal market in central city of Wuhan, with cases now detected as far away as the United States.
Passengers wear masks to prevent an outbreak of a new coronavirus in the high speed train station, in Hong Kong, Wednesday. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Contrasting with its secrecy over the 2002-03 Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) that killed nearly 800 people, China’s communist government has this time given regular updates to try to avoid panic as millions travel for the Lunar New Year.
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“The rise in the mobility of the public has objectively increased the risk of the epidemic spreading,” National Health Commission vice-minister Li Bin said.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) was meeting in a high-tech room at its Geneva headquarters to decide whether the outbreak is a global health emergency.
Many Chinese were cancelling trips, buying face masks, avoiding public places such as cinemas and shopping centres, and even turning to an online plague simulation game or watching disaster movie “The Flu” as a way to cope.
“The best way to conquer fear is to confront fear,” said one commentator on China’s Twitter-like Weibo.
The virus has spread from Wuhan to population centres including Beijing, Shanghai, Macau and Hong Kong.
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With more than 11 million people, Wuhan is central China’s main industrial and commercial centre and a transport hub, home to the country’s largest inland port and gateway to its Three Gorges hydroelectric dam.
The latest death toll in Hubei province, of which Wuhan is the capital, rose from nine to 17 by midday on Wednesday, state television quoted the provincial government as saying.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-22--The Science Behind Why Stress Turns Your Hair Grey

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In the middle of a bout of stress, you look in the mirror, only to find a strand of white lightning running through your hair. Is it a coincidence, or does stress actually make us go grey?
For the first time, Harvard University scientists have discovered that stress activates nerves that are part of the body’s fight-or-flight response, which in turn cause permanent damage to pigment-regenerating stem cells in your hair follicles. Once the greys rock up, they’re here to stay.
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The study, published in the journal Nature, advances previous knowledge of how stress impacts the body and could even pave the way for solutions to prevent the effects of stress in future.
In the meantime, it’s yet more proof (if we needed it) that we all need to stress less.
What happened in the study?
Stress affects the whole body, so researchers firstly had to narrow down what body system was responsible for connecting stress to a change in hair colour.
The team first thought stress caused an immune attack on pigment-producing cells. However, when mice lacking immune cells still showed hair greying, researchers turned their attention to the stress hormone cortisol. Again, this was a dead end.
After eliminating different possibilities, researchers honed in on the sympathetic nerve system, which is responsible for the body’s fight-or-flight response. A discovery was made.
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A nervous response
Sympathetic nerves branch out into each hair follicle on the skin. The researchers found that stress causes these nerves to release a chemical called norepinephrine.
In the hair follicle, certain stem cells act as a reservoir of pigment-producing cells. When hair regenerates, some of the stem cells convert into these pigment-producing cells that colour the hair.
Researchers found that norepinephrine causes the stem cells to activate excessively. The stem cells all convert into pigment-producing cells – but after just a few days, all these cells are lost, so there are no cells left that colour the hair.
“When we started to study this, I expected that stress was bad for the body – but the detrimental impact of stress that we discovered was beyond what I imagined,” said senior author Ya-Chieh Hsu, from Harvard. “Once they’re gone, you can’t regenerate pigment anymore. The damage is permanent.”
nadia_bormotova via Getty Images
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What does it all mean?
Stress has been traditionally viewed as beneficial for survival, but more studies are showing the negative impacts – from poor heart health to grey hairs.
It’s thought the study’s findings may help illuminate the broader effects of stress on various organs and tissues. It could even pave the way for new studies that seek to modify or block the damaging effects of stress.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-22--5 Things We Learned From Donald Trump's Visit To Davos

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Donald Trump has visited, spoken at and now left the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, where he gave a bullish talk on the US economy and lashed out at his Senate impeachment trial back in Washington.
He also gently sparred back and forth with 17-year-old activist Greta Thunberg, as the pair laid out their diametrically-opposed visions of the the future of the planet.
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Here are five takeaways from the president’s trip.
Trump would like to meet Thunberg, apparently
Just before he departed the slopes of Davos, Trump had some final words for Thunberg, saying he would have loved to have seen her speak at the World Economic Forum.
And showing that he is most certainly not bitter or jealous of the teenager, he said she had “beat me out on Time Magazine”, a reference to her being Time’s Person of the Year.
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But he’s still not on the same page as her
Not one bit.
His cheery and definitely not bitter remarks on Wednesday were in stark contrast to just one day earlier when he dismissed “perennial prophets of doom” on climate change in his keynote address, while Thunberg sat in the audience.
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He also snubbed their “predictions of the apocalypse” in favour of “optimism” for the future.
Thunberg may have outshone the president by quite a bit
Thunberg, who has been treated as a star in the Swiss ski resort, addressed a packed auditorium less than an hour after Trump’s speech on Wednesday, during which he was most certainly not bitter or jealous.
She introduced a talk on “Averting a Climate Apocalypse”, in which she scolded the elites for not doing enough to deal with the climate crisis.
“Our house is still on fire,” Thunberg said, repeating her warning at the WEF meeting a year ago. “Your inaction is fuelling the flames.”
Trump is being impeached and he wants everyone to know what he thinks
Trump, who is definitely not bitter about being impeached, called a surprise news conference Wednesday to mark a “tremendous two days” at the glitzy summit of world leaders and financiers in Davos, which has served as a respite from the trial underway in Washington.
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“It’s such a hoax,” Trump said non-bitterly of the impeachment case against him (not climate change, which he has also previously said is a hoax).
“I think it’s so bad for our country.”
Greta and Charles get along just fine
Prince Charles also made an appearance at Davos and even had some time for a little photo op with Thunberg.
The pair are absolutely on the same page, with Charles even echoing the teenage activist during a speech he gave on Wednesday.
He said global warming and climate change are the greatest threats humanity has faced, calling on business leaders to act now to create a sustainable economic future, adding it was time for everyone in a leadership role to take action “at revolutionary levels and pace”.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-22--Minister Tells EU Citizens To Print Settled Status Email Even Though It Is 'Not Proof'

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A senior minister has urged Europeans concerned about how to prove their rights in the UK after Brexit to print off emails which state “this letter is not proof of your status”.
Steve Barclay was accused of “confusing” EU citizens as MPs rejected a Lords amendment which would have ensured they have physical proof of their “settled status” after the UK leaves the bloc.
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The Brexit secretary heard that after the Windrush scandal, European citizens do not trust the Home Office not to lose, delete or change their digital records and that they also want physical proof of their status.
The Residential Landlords Association (RLA), the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants and EU nationals group the3million have also issued a joint call on the government to issue physical cards to European citizens.
But Barclay insisted the digitally recorded “settled status” currently being offered by the government was more secure than a physical document.
“All successful applicants receive a confirmation letter and can download secure share codes which can be printed or sent to anybody an EU citizen might need to show their status to in the future,” he told MPs.
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“So the key is that the number that is there, the digital status, is the most secure but of course people can print off the email that they receive.”
SNP Brexit spokesperson Philippa Whitford said physical proof was “really important” for EU citizens to prove their status to landlords and employers because the “internet is not always accessible”.
She went on: “The secretary of state said they can download the email that explains their status.”
“It explicitly says this email is not proof of status. It does not provide status even if you print it.
“And I’m sorry, after Windrush EEA citizens and indeed others don’t trust the Home Office not to lose, delete or change their records.”
EU nationals criticised Barclay online.
Dear @SteveBarclay et al,
Please stop mentioning printing the letter. You will confuse people who will then show up to prove their right to work or rent with a printed copy which states "this is not proof of your status". Neither is the PDF that the applicant can print online. https://t.co/8yhrC0D4Qa pic.twitter.com/6LKxw0VKGh — Alexandra Bulat #UnskilledEUMigrant (@alexandrabulat) January 22, 2020
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So if we do not have a physical document and we cannot 'print' our status, we'll need to have our phone and data available to download our credentials every-time we are at the boarder? What about people who have broken their phones or have a dead battery? https://t.co/FlDGlLnTbf — Anastasia Zawierucha (@AnastasiaZaw) January 22, 2020
Alexandra Bulat, a volunteer for the Settled charity which helps vulnerable EU nationals get status, said: “Dear Steve Barclay et al,
“Please stop mentioning printing the letter.
“You will confuse people who will then show up to prove their right to work or rent with a printed copy which states ‘this is not proof of your status’.
“Neither is the pdf that the applicant can print online.”
Anastasia Zawierucha, who has a French passport, said: “So if we do not have a physical document and we cannot ‘print’ our status, we’ll need to have our phone and data available to download our credentials every-time we are at the boarder? What about people who have broken their phones or have a dead battery?”
MPs voted to disagree with a Lords amendment to the withdrawal agreement bill, which was linked to giving EU citizens physical proof of their status, by 338 votes to 252 - majority 86.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-22--Here’s How To Give Yourself A New Year’s Health MOT

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After the excesses of the festive season, the new year is the perfect time to make some simple, positive changes for the good of your physical and mental health. From checking your blood pressure and appraising your diet to ditching bad habits and starting a gentle exercise programme, here are our suggestions for putting your best foot forward for the coming year.
Check in with your health centre
When you’re planning to make some health changes, it’s worth speaking to a professional – your GP, practice nurse or healthcare assistant – to make sure you are up-to-date with routine checks such as cervical screening and vaccinations such as tetanus. They can also check your blood pressure (everyone should know their normal readings) and body mass index (BMI), and offer advice on diet, exercise, smoking and alcohol consumption. It’s also an opportunity to mention any health worries you may have, and your doctor can organise further tests if necessary. If you’re over 40, you are eligible for an NHS Health Check, designed to spot early signs of serious conditions.
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Get outside and embrace nature
There’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes, goes the saying. Before you hit the sweaty gym, consider wrapping up warmly and visiting a green space, whether it’s a park, common, field or woodland, for some gentle exercise. Research suggests that proximity to green spaces has a positive effect on cardiovascular health and stress and may even lower the risk of type 2 diabetes. And it’s been suggested that the more flora and fauna you encounter during your outdoor exercise, the better your psychological health too.
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Upgrade your diet
Winter is a great time to take a closer look at your nutrition. Because our gloomy British autumn and winter makes it difficult to get enough Vitamin D (the body makes vitamin D from sunlight on skin and it’s hard to get enough from foods), The Department of Health recommends we take a 10mcg daily vitamin D supplement. You may wish to kick-start your nutritional MOT by taking a multivitamin that contains 10 mcg of Vitamin D – one Centrum Men or Centrum Women tablet each day will supply your recommended 10mcg of Vitamin D.
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The role of microbes in your gut is a hot topic in medicine right now. Study after study shows that dietary fibre consumption can help to nourish your gut microbiota, and this in turn has positive health implications, affecting immunity, appetite, energy and metabolism. Stepping up your intake of dietary fibre is easy and delicious: the lovely fruit and vegetables of your five-a-day are rich in fibre anyway, choose wholegrain bread, pasta, rice and cereals over processed white ones, make salads and soups using peas, beans, lentils and nuts, and serve potatoes in their skins. There are encouraging, although not as yet conclusive studies into the benefits of live yogurt and kefir and fermented foods such as sauerkraut and kimchi for supporting gut health; enjoy these anyway as part of a healthy balanced diet – they’re delicious. And as you increase your fibre intake, make sure you drink the recommended 6 to 8 glasses of fluids daily.
Katarína Mittáková / EyeEm via Getty Images
Refresh your mind
Good mental health is as important as good physical health for your New Year’s health MOT. Studies show that learning a language may be a good way to sharpen thinking skills and help to stave off cognitive decline. Music training, such as learning to play the piano, has similar cognitive benefits to language learning. Volunteering—rattling a tin for guide dogs, helping out in a charity shop, clearing litter in the park or picking up some shopping for an elderly neighbour—can reduce stress, improve emotional wellbeing and gives a fulfilling sense of social connection. While it’s great to be busy, it’s also important to give your brain and body some downtime. Schedule some ‘you time’ into your New Year’s health MOT: reading, listening to audio books or music, catching up with some box sets, and maybe some quiet meditation or mindfulness practice to calm your busy brain.
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Micronutrients made easy
To help support your health and well-being outside and in, Centrum has partnered with HuffPost to help you make small but yet effective changes.*
Centrum wants to motivate you to boost your health in a simple, enjoyable and sustainable way. Working with leading experts, nutritionists, exercise and wellness brands, we have curated a wealth of tip-packed, easy-to-follow content from healthy eating ideas, to on-trend activities and ways to de-stress and relax. Centrum’s range of multivitamins is specially tailored to help support your nutritional needs every day based on your age, gender and lifestyle.
To find out more, and discover which Centrum is right for you, visit centrum.co.uk


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-22--The 8 Free Health Tracking Apps That Everyone Should Try

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You want to take care of your body and mind, maybe tone up your tummy or learn to meditate your way out of work rage. But it can be hard to carve out time, especially when the reality is racing from the office to bump elbows in a sweaty gym class or queueing up to use a machine, while paying out for that problematic privilege.
But when you download a free app, getting healthy fits more easily into your lifestyle. That daily bus journey becomes time to listen to a mindfulness or quit smoking app, your evening sofa slump becomes the perfect time for some wind-down yoga stretches, and your speed walk to work becomes a gentle tracked jog. And instead of filling your supermarket basket with the same-old-same-old, you can quickly use an app to check calorie, sugar and fat content and make some healthier eating swaps.
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Apps allow you to manage and improve your health in your own time but you also don’t have to feel lonely; you can share your goals, get inspirational advice and support, or celebrate personal bests.
Here’s our pick of the best health tracking apps for iPhone and Android, all of them free.
Exercise
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Best for beginner runners: One You Couch to 5K
There are tons of apps designed to coach you from slothfulness to running 5K, but Public Health England’s one gets our vote for three reasons: it’s completely free, the plan and individual training sessions mixing running and walking are easy to follow and, as it’s in association with BBC Get Inspired, you have a choice of five ‘trainers’ to switch between, including Olympic sprinter and athletics pundit Michael Johnson and comedian Sarah Millican. Follow the app and you’ll be up off your couch and running 5K without stopping in just nine weeks.
Download from App Store or Google Play.
Best for personalised workouts: Nike Training Club
Nike describes its app as the ‘Ultimate Personal Trainer’. The free app has over 185 workouts from strength and endurance to mobility and yoga. The more you use the app, the more it can be personalised with flexible training plans to suit your lifestyle consisting of 15-20 minute workouts concentrating on different muscle groups.
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Like One You Couch to 5K, Nike Training Club has a host of celebrity trainers on board to help you keep up the pace, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Serena Williams and Ellie Goulding.
Download from App Store or Google Play.
Best for people too busy to work out: Sworkit
Free for the first 30 days, this app is the workout programme for people who are too busy to work out (about 25 million have downloaded it so far worldwide). Sound familiar? Choose the type of workout you want and how much time you have and Sworkit will deliver a workout for you to try, from a five-minute stretch in the office to 60 minutes in the gym.
Download from App Store or Google Play.
Healthy lifestyle
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Best for informed eating: MyFitnessPal
The world’s most popular health and fitness tracking app allows you to log your meals and snacks, and track your eating habits and calorie intake with over 11 million different foods logged and a barcode scanner. This free nutrition coach on your phone can set weight goals and help you maintain healthy eating.
Download from App Store or Google Play.
Best for tracking and cutting down booze: One You Drink Free Days
This free app from Public Health England helps you check how much alcohol you’re really drinking and the number of calories you’re totting up too. The health recommendation is to have at least three drink-free days, and this app keeps you motivated to save money, lose weight and feel happier, healthier and in control.
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Download from App Store or Google Play.
Best for quitting smoking: Smokefree
Another Public Health England one, this app is designed to help you quit smoking in four weeks, putting practical support, encouragement and tailored advice in the palm of your hand. The free app sends daily support messages to help to motivate you, plus there are tips to help with cravings, a savings calculator so you can see how much money you’re saving, and a motivational picture space to remind you why you’re giving up
Download from App Store or Google Play.
Relaxation
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Best for meditation and mindfulness: Headspace
Download this free meditation and mindfulness app, then just sit back, relax, and breathe. If you’ve never meditated before or find it difficult to get into a calm zone, the Headspace app is an easy entry guide to help you train and calm your mind. The app focuses on several different areas including stress, sleep and anxiety.
Download from App Store or Google Play.
Best for beginner’s yoga: Simply Yoga
Choose from 20, 40 or 60-minute yoga routines that take you through each one of over 30 poses with video and audio tutorials. This is an embarrassment-free way to find out whether yoga is for you in the comfort of your own home, no need to sit in a draughty hall chanting ohmmmmmmm.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-22--Most Of Us LOVE Sleeping – So Why Aren’t We Good At It Anymore?

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It’s ironic that in a world where we need our minds and bodies to be rested and fresh to keep up with the many demands on our time, we’re more sleep-deprived than ever. Whether it’s young children, worrying about money or information overload that’s keeping us up at night, as a nation we’re chronically under-slept, with recent research from The Sleep Council finding that nearly half of us (47 per cent) are too anxious to sleep. In fact, a third of Brits now sleep for just five-to-six hours per night which is way less than the seven-to-eight hours that we should get.
“There are very real consequences to being constantly sleep-deprived,” says Lisa Artis, sleep advisor to The Sleep Council, an impartial organisation that focuses on raising awareness of the health benefits of getting enough sleep. “We can cope with one or two nights of broken sleep but in the longer term, our concentration levels diminish and we are more liable to experience mood swings and low mood. More worryingly, chronic sleep deprivation has been linked to a number of serious health issues such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity and depression.”
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Sleep is for the weak
It’s easy to feel, in our ‘always on’, 24/7 culture, that sleep is for the weak. However, the reality is that most of us need around eight hours a night – some more, some less. If you spend your day longing to crawl into the nearest available cosy space and curl up, you probably need more than you’re getting. And according to the NHS, getting enough sleep has so many health benefits you might never want to change out of your PJs again. In no particular order, it can help us stay slim (under-slept bods have reduced levels of leptin, the chemical that makes us feel full, which is why our heads are in the biscuit tin – again), it boosts immunity and mental wellbeing, wards off heart disease and reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes, and even increases sex drive and fertility. It appears the humble shut-eye is quite the elixir of life – so how do we get more of it?
The good news is that small tweaks to our everyday routines can help put an end to the agony of insomnia and early-hours waking common to many ‘problem sleepers’. Follow these expert tips and restful and restorative nights will be yours again…
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How to get a better night’s sleep


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-22--8 Beginner-Friendly Fitness Challenges To Try This Year

Run a 5K? You’ve got to be joking. Swim 10K? Hell no. Sound familiar? Back in 2015, I had never run for more than 30 minutes. When a friend challenged me to complete a half marathon with her, I thought she was crazy. Six months later, I successfully dragged myself over the 13.1 mile finish line.
Moral of the story? Fitness challenges are a great way to kick-start your new active lifestyle. Don’t panic, signing up for a half marathon is not compulsory. Make your fitness challenge realistic and achievable. Set yourself a goal and strive to reach your own personal best. From weekly Parkruns to 30-day yoga challenges, this list is bound to inspire you.
The Great British Dog Walk
The Great British Dog Walk
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If you hate running but love walking, make a date in your diary to join the Great British Dog Walk in the summer. Thousands gather to walk their dogs through some truly stunning countryside to raise money for charity Hearing Dogs for Deaf People. Routes range from 3K to 8K and every four-legged friend will get their own little doggy bandana to wear.
Yoga with Adriene
Yoga With Adriene
With over four million subscribers on YouTube, Yoga with Adriene has inspired many to get off the sofa and increase their flexibility through free online yoga videos. Designed for total beginners, her 30-day challenges involve one video per day. Don’t sweat, it’s not all about twisting into pretzel poses. You’ll gradually build core strength, muscle definition and maybe even touch your toes by the end of it. As Adriene says, ‘find what feels good’. Namaste!
Pretty Muddy 5K
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Mud races may sound like torture, but not all of them involve wading through 10 miles of sludge and crawling under electric fences. Cancer Research’s Pretty Muddy is a fun and manageable 5K mudstacle race that is perfect for fitness newbies. You don’t even have to run. Gather your best mates to scramble, crawl and walk your way round the action-packed obstacle course.
Couch 2 5K
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Totally new to running? Couch 2 5K is exactly what is says on the tin, a running plan app from the NHS aimed at absolute beginners. Most people are put off running because they don’t know how to get started. Couch to 5K works because it is a mixture of running and walking, aiming to gradually build your stamina. Start eating a balanced diet alongside your training, you’ll feel lighter and more energised in no time.
Parkrun
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Just started jogging? Parkrun is a great beginner-friendly fitness challenge to try this year. Every Saturday, rain or shine, hundreds of thousands of people take part in this easy 5K race in 607 parks across the UK. The best part? It is completely free! Sign up online and bring your personal barcode with you to the event. Over 4 million people have beat their personal best by taking part, so why not give it a go?
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The Big Swim
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Swimming in open water might seem a little daunting, especially when Jaws theme music starts running through your head. However, there’s nothing intimidating about The Big Swim that takes place in Port Isaac, Cornwall every August. Choose from The Little Swim (roughly 11 lengths of the pool, but in the sea), the mile-long Not So Serious Swim (64 lengths) or 3-mile Big Swim for a real challenge.
30 miles in 30 days
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Walking 30 miles sounds like a long way, but not if you break it down into bite-sized chunks. All you have to do is move your body one mile every day. This could be running, jogging, walking, cycling or swimming. That’s just a twenty minute daily walk—easy! Instead of taking the bus to work, crack out those new trainers and get strolling. They say it takes 30 days to create a new habit…
Create your own steps challenge
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-22--8 Simple Rules To Ensure You’re Eating A Balanced Diet

From getting our five-a-day to drinking more water, most of us already know the basics of a balanced diet. We’re just not that great at putting it into practice! Our eight practical tips will help you make healthy eating an easy part of every day.
1 Make breakfast something to look forward to Alexander Spatari via Getty Images If you’re not thrilled by another bowl of sawdust-like muesli, it may be that you need to get more imaginative with breakfast. It’s a meal that, done properly, can be a real nutritional powerhouse, taking you effortlessly through your morning’s activities. Think porridge with a dash of vanilla, a handful of mixed nuts and seeds and some chopped fresh fruit. Or eggs – scrambled or poached, on a slice of wholegrain toast, perhaps with some smoked salmon, spinach, avocado and tomatoes. 2 Eat Mediterranean jeffbergen via Getty Images When a diet is both delicious and healthy it must be worth following. Take the Mediterranean diet , for example. It includes lots of fresh vegetables, fruit, fish, nuts, cereals, beans, peas and other legumes, and unsaturated fat in the form of olive oil. Think of the vast, colourful salads, grilled vegetables, fresh fruit and nuts you order on Mediterranean holidays and replicate those as often as you can at home. 3 Choose healthier snacks Westend61 via Getty Images Often, all we’re really craving when we fancy a snack is just a sweet or salty hit. It’s better to deliver those hits with fresh fruit, olives, pickles or a mug of homemade vegetable soup instead of reaching for packets of crisps or chocolate biscuits. Healthy snacks such as dried fruit contribute to a balanced diet and can be part of your five-a-day. Keep the fruit bowl visible and within easy reach, and rice cakes, hummus, carrot sticks and cucumber in the fridge. Advertisement 4 Consider grocery shopping online 10'000 Hours via Getty Images Unless you have an iron will, aren’t hungry and can stick rigidly to your healthy eating list when you go food shopping, think about online delivery. It’s all too easy to be tempted to go off-list in the supermarket and succumb to less-than-healthy processed foods, ‘treats’ and fizzy drinks. When you order online, you’ll be less inclined to impulse buy. You can think about what you’re ordering, away from the supermarkets’ psychological tricks to make you buy things. 5 Don’t skip meals if you can help it worldofstock via Getty Images When you miss a meal, you’re likely get hangry , tired and tempted to grab a fat-and-sugar-laden takeaway on the way home rather than cook a nutritious meal. Carrying some fruit or nuts with you means at least you have something healthy to nibble. With the best will in the world, we’re all busy and sometimes we simply don’t have time to eat properly. If your lifestyle is regularly hectic and you find you don’t always eat a balanced diet, you may like to consider taking a daily multivitamin. 6 Make your freezer work for you hutchyb via Getty Images Frozen foods are as good as fresh, and frozen veg count towards your five-a-day. Fish, vegetables, and many healthy prepared foods can be cooked quickly from frozen. You can also batch-cook your favourite healthy meals (a slow cooker is great for this) and freeze them in individual portions. When you have leftovers, freeze those in single-portions too – there’s a certain delight in remembering there’s a portion of a full roast dinner in the freezer when you arrive home ravenous. Talking of roasts, freeze your chicken carcasses and when you’ve time, simmer a nutritious bone broth – perfect for homemade soups, risottos and stews. Advertisement 7 Choose wholegrain Laura Leyshon via Getty Images There’s loads in the medical press right now about gut microbes and general health. Eating plenty of dietary fibre may help keep the composition of our intestinal microbiota varied and well-nourished, which can have a positive effect on our health. Wholegrains are an excellent source of that dietary fibre; and vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, phytochemicals and other good things that are otherwise stripped away when the grains are processed. We also digest wholegrains more slowly so we feel fuller for longer. Choose brown rice, wholewheat pasta and bread and wholegrain cereals over their highly-processed white alternatives. 8 Enjoy your food! skynesher via Getty Images On a healthy, balanced diet, no foods are completely off-limits. When you have a gourmet burger with triple-cooked fries one day, enjoy every last mouthful, then have something lighter such as grilled fish with extra veggies the next. It’s a question of balance – aim to eat healthily most of the time and the occasional indulgence won’t make any difference.
Micronutrients made easy
To help support your health and well-being outside and in, Centrum has partnered with HuffPost to help you make small but yet effective changes.*
Centrum wants to motivate you to boost your health in a simple, enjoyable and sustainable way. Working with leading experts, nutritionists, exercise and wellness brands, we have curated a wealth of tip-packed, easy-to-follow content from healthy eating ideas, to on-trend activities and ways to de-stress and relax. Centrum’s range of multivitamins is specially tailored to help support your nutritional needs every day based on your age, gender and lifestyle.
To find out more, and discover which Centrum is right for you, visit centrum.co.uk


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-22--Monty Python Star Terry Jones Dies Aged 77

Monty Python Star Terry Jones Dies Aged 77
Terry Jones, founder member, and director of three of Monty Python’s films, has died aged 77. The celebrated actor, director and children’s author revealed in 2016 that he had been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia.