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Brushing twice a day keeps your heart healthy

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Scientists have discovered that failing to brush your teeth properly could lead to potentially fatal heart problems.

The Daily Mail reports that the streptococcus gordonii bacteria, which is found in the mouth, can enter the bloodstream through bleeding gums. Once in the blood, the bacteria can encourage the blood to clot. The bacteria then hide inside the clots, which means that they are shielded from the immune system and antibiotics.

If these clots grow on heart valves they can cause infective endocarditis, which can cause serious - sometimes fatal - damage.

The Express reports that you can reduce the risk of infection by regularly brushing and flossing, as the bacteria contributes to plaque that forms on the surface of teeth.

Previous studies have already shown that poor dental hygiene and bleeding gums can allow up to 700 different types of bacteria to enter the bloodstream.

This increases the risk of heart attack, even in fit and healthy people.

Researchers from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and the University of Bristol now say that further research could lead to new drugs to tackle infective heart disease.

Dr Helen Peterson, who is presenting their work at the Society for General Microbiology's spring conference in Dublin this week, said: "We are now looking at the mechanism behind this sequence of events in the hope that we can develop new drugs that are needed to prevent blood clots and also infective endocarditis.

"About 30 per cent of people with infective endocarditis die and most will require surgery for the replacement of the infected heart valve with a metal or animal value."

June Davison, senior cardiac nurse a the British Heart Foundation, said: "Good oral hygiene can help to protect you against endocarditis so it's really important to clean your teeth every day and visit your dentist regularly."

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Restaurant pizza is 'saltier than sea water'

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A new study has found that some takeaway pizzas are so salty that they contain an adult's entire maximum daily recommendation for salt - if not more.

The Independent reports that Consensus Action on Salt and Health (CASH) and the Association of London Environmental Health Managers analysed 199 margherita and pepperoni pizzas from takeaways, pizza chains and supermarkets across the country.

The survey, which was done to mark Salt Awareness Week, found that one London restaurant, Adam & Eve in Mill Hill, London, was selling a pepperoni pizza that contained 2.73g of salt per 100g, making it saltier than Atlantic seawater, which contains 2.5g per 100g.

Researchers found that half of the takeaway pizzas contained an adult's entire daily maximum amount of salt (6g), with a few containing more than 10g.

Supermarket pizzas generally performed better, although the study named the Tesco Full-on-Flavour Simply Pepperoni (1.8g of salt per 100g), Iceland's Stonebaked Spicy Double Pepperoni (1.7g per 100g) and Morrison's Triple Pepperoni (1.7g) as the three saltiest supermarket pizzas.

The Daily Mail reports that these high levels of salt are putting consumers at risk of high blood pressure and an increased risk of stroke and early death.

Supermarkets have reduced salt levels in their pizzas under pressure from campaigners and customers who can see salt levels in the nutrition information on packaging.

However there are no such labels on takeaway pizza and CASH is now calling on the Government to take action to regulate the salt content of takeaway food.

The Department of Health has already called on food companies to have a salt level of no more than 1.25g per 100g by the end of this year.

However only 16 per cent of takeaway pizzas currently meet this target, compared with three-quarters of supermarket pizzas.

Professor Graham MacGregor, chairman of CASH, said: It's a national disgrace that our health is put at risk.

"The Government is not taking enough action to reduce the amount of salt in the takeaway sector. The supermarkets have made the same pizzas with much less salt - showing how easy it would be for the whole sector."

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IBS could increase risk of miscarriage

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Pregnant women who suffer from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are more likely to miscarry, according to a new study.

The Daily Mail reports that the new study, from University College Cork in Ireland and the University of Manchester, is the first to look at the links between IBS and miscarriage.

Researchers have concluded that pregnant women who suffer from the condition should be given extra antenatal care.

Scientists studied GP records of 100,000 British women who became pregnant between January 1990 and December 2008. Of those, more than 26,000 had suffered from IBS, which causes stomach pain, bloating, diarrhoea and constipation. There is no cure but it can be managed with diet and medication.

The researchers found that 6,500 (six per cent) of the women suffered a miscarriage, which is within the normal range. But when they looked at the women who also had IBS, they found that the proportion who lost their babies rose to 7.5 per cent, which they believe is significant.

The risk increased up to 30 per cent if the women had pre-existing problems with depression and anxiety.

Dr Ali Khashan, one of the authors of the study, said: "We think this will open the eyes of clinicians and GPs to the possibility women who have IBS should be cared for in a certain way if pregnant."

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Are chia seeds the next superfood?

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Are chia seeds the next superfood?Alamy


There's a new superfood on the block and, as usual, this one is already a hit among health-conscious New Yorkers.

The Independent reports that chia seeds, which are on sale at Holland and Barrett, are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, protein, minerals and antioxidants.

The seeds, which were once worshipped by the Aztecs as the food of the Gods, could soon be allowed into products after a review by the Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes, an expert panel which helps the Food Standards Agency.

At present, the seeds, which are on sale for £12.05 for 400g, are currently advertised as a bread ingredient.

The chia plant is a member of the mint family and the seeds turn black or white when mature.

Their soluble fibres turn gloopy when mixed with liquid, which helps dieters feel full, and benefits those with diabetes, as they help to reduce blood sugar levels.

Dr Wayne Coates, a professor at the University of Arizona who calls himself 'Mr Chia' says: "It's not like other supposed miracle foods that come out only to be dismissed as dangerous months later. You can add it to anything. My wife sprinkles it on our salad. it lowers cholesterol, it reduces joint pain."

Dr Coates has been studying the plant since 1991 and has become a supplier of chia himself. His Chia Bia brand supplies Holland and Barrett.

Fans of chia say that the seeds are flavourless, while others say they have a nutty taste. So far no one has complained that they taste bad and, in 2011, they appeared in 72 new products including baby foods, yoghurts and sweets.

The FSA's initial findings on chia, thought to be positive, have been sent to the European Commission.

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Spring makeup tips

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Spring makeup tipsEMPICS Entertainment/PA

The warmer weather and sunnier skies leave us in no doubt that it's time to say goodbye to winter - and welcome spring's pretty palette of colours.

Update your look for spring with the following makeup tips and trends, inspired by celebrities. From pastel nails to silver shadows, these simple updates will get keep you looking blooming marvelous all spring long.

 

Eating chocolate could keep you slim

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For most of us, chocolate is the first thing to go when we're trying to lose weight. But new research indicates that people who eat chocolate regularly tend to be thinner than those who only eat it occasionally.

The BBC reports that a team of researchers at the University of California looked at the diet, calorie intake and BMI of nearly 1,000 Americans.

Although chocolate is high in calories, regular chocolate consumption was linked to a lower BMI and scientists believe that this is because it contains ingredients that aid weight loss.

The research team found that it's how often you eat chocolate, rather than how much you eat that is the key - and they are now almost certain that chocolate can help us to maintain a healthy weight.

The link between regular consumption and lower BMI remained even when other factors, like how much exercise people took, were taken into account and the researchers say that there is only one chance in a hundred that their findings could be explained by chance alone.

Lead author, Dr Beatrice Golomb, said: "Our findings appear to add to a body of information suggesting that the composition of calories, not just the number of them, matters for determining their ultimate impact on weight."

Dr Golomb believes that antioxidant compounds, called catechins, that are found in chocolate, can improve lean muscle mass and reduce weight.

The Daily Mail reports that the ingredients in chocolate appear to make your metabolism work harder, burning off the fat that might otherwise have headed straight for your hips.

As a result, chocolate could be a good diet food because it is 'calorie neutral'.

The researchers didn't specify which type of chocolate is best, but other studies have shown that dark chocolate is particularly high in healthy antioxidants.

Dr Golomb said: "In the case of chocolate, this is good news, both for those who have a regular chocolate habit, and those who wish to start one."

However, it's probably best not to use the new findings as an excuse to scoff chocolate all day as it's still high in sugar and fat.

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Brainy people have more friends

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Scientists have found that people with bigger brains tend to have a larger circle of friends.

The Daily Mail reports that researchers have found that our social skills are determined by brain size and people who have a larger orbital prefrontal cortex - the part of the brain located just above the eyes - tend to have more mates.

This is because keeping up with real-life friendships - as opposed to Facebook friends who we seldom or never meet face-to-face - requires more cognitive skills so that we can understand what someone is thinking.

Tests were conducted on 40 people as part of the research, which was funded by the British Academy Centenary Research Project and the British Academy Research Professorship. Researchers took anatomical MR images of participants' brains to measure the size of their prefrontal cortex, which is used for high-level thinking.

Participants were then asked to make a list of people they had had social contact with over a seven day period. They also took a test to determine how good they were at 'mentalising', which is the capacity to understand what other people are thinking.

Professor Robin Dunbar, from the University of Oxford, said: "We found that individuals who had more friends did better on mentalising tasks and had more neural volume in the orbital frontal cortex, the part of the forebrain immediately above the eyes.

"Understanding this link between an individual's brain size and the number of friends they have helps us understand the mechanisms that have led to humans developing bigger brains than other primate species. The frontal lobes of the brain, in particular, have enlarged dramatically in humans over the last half million years."

Dr Joanne Powell, a professor at the University of Liverpool, added: "What this tells us is that the size of your brain determines your social skills, and it is these that allow you to have many friends."

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Drinking guidelines to be reviewed

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The Government has announced plans to review drinking guidelines for the first time in 15 years, and recommendations are likely to include two teetotal days each week.

The Telegraph reports that Department of Health officials will lead the review, amid concerns that the current guidelines wrongly imply that it's healthy to drink every day.

The guidelines are likely to recommend abstaining from alcohol for two days per week, advice for older people and special guidance on how to handle special occasions where people are more likely to drink heavily.

Current safe drinking limits advise that men should not exceed three to four units per day, while women should consume no more than two or three units.

These daily guidelines were introduced in 1995, following research that moderate daily drinking could lower levels of harmful cholesterol in the blood. There were also concerns that the previous weekly guidelines could encourage binge drinking.

The BBC reports that Scottish guidelines currently recommend that people should avoid alcohol for two days per week, and the chief medical officer, Dame Sally Davies, will lead the review in consultation with officials in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland with a view to establishing UK-wide recommendations.

The upcoming review forms part of the government's new alcohol strategy, which is designed to cut the number of people drinking to excess.

According to the BBC, research shows that people often don't realise how much alcohol they consume.

Over nine million people in England (22 per cent of adults) reported drinking above the guideline levels in 2009 and 19 per cent of men and 12 per cent of women are binge drinkers, who drink more than double the guideline amount for a day.

Profesor Sir Ian Gilmore, special adviser on alcohol to the Royal College of Physicians, said: "The RCP believes that in addition to quantity, safe alcohol limits must also take into account frequency.

"There is an increased risk of liver disease for those who drink daily or near daily compared with those who drink periodically or intermittently.

"We currently recommend consumption is limited to between 0-21 units a week for men and 0-14 units a week for women provided the total amount is not taken in binges and that there are two to three alcohol free days a week. At these levels, most individuals are unlikely to come to harm."

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Eating fatty foods makes the brain grow

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Eating fatty foods makes the brain growGetty


New research indicates that eating fatty foods doesn't just make your waistline expand, it makes your brain 'grow', too.

The Daily Mail reports that mice that were fed a high-fat diet also experienced growth inside the brain - and the new brain cells then triggered further weight gain.

Scientists don't yet know if the same process occurs in humans, but if it does it could offer new insight into the factors that trigger obesity.

The research at John Hopkins University, Liverpool, found that a high-fat diet caused nerve cells to grow in a tiny part of the brain called the median eminence.

Mice who ate a high-fat diet gained large numbers of cells in this area, creating up to four times as many as mice with a normal diet - and the change occurred in weeks.

The mice with more of these cells then gained more weight, which researchers believe is a result of a type of brain cell called a 'tancyte', which is also found in humans.

Lead researcher Seth Blackshaw said: "This is the very first step in trying to understand this process. We're a long way from realising whether this is relevant to human obesity."

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New electronic skin patches could monitor your health

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New electronic skin patches could monitor your healthAlamy


Electronic skin patches, which stick to the skin, could help doctors to monitor your health rate and vital signs at home without being hooked up to machines.

The Daily Mail reports that the patches, which have been in development for around 12 years, can be used by healthy people and those who suffer from existing medical conditions.

At present, electrical procedures such as ECGs and EEGs - which measure heart, brain and muscle activity - are done using bulky machines that are connected via wires or pins on the skin.

Professor John Rogers of Illinois University in the US says that his team have developed patches which can do the same thing, in a totally non-invasive way, while the patient is in the comfort of their own home.

As well as monitoring heart rate, they contain sensors which can measure dehydration, tiny fluctuations in temperature and the swelling and contraction of muscles, which is a sign that tissue is healing.

The patches can transmit the data to your computer or mobile phone, and it can then be sent on to a doctor for analysis.

The latest design of patch lasts for around ten days, and is resistant to soap, water and sweat. It comes off naturally as the skin exfoliates.

Professor Rogers believes that the first patches, designed for athletes, will be on the market later this year.

The skin patches, which still require more testing, will be first used in hospitals and clinics, but he hopes that they will be available in shops for around £6.

He told The Daily Mail: "The near term opportunities will be for people with conditions of the heart, or conditions such as diabetes, on a preventative basis as they need a lot of monitoring.

"But the broader and bigger area of application is health and wellness monitoring for individuals in good health, to pick up early signs of disease."

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Jessica Simpson: "I've put on 40lbs"

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Jessica Simpson: 'I've put on 40lbs'AP


It's just a few more weeks until Jessica Simpson gives birth to her first baby, and she has revealed that she's enjoyed not having to worry about what she eats throughout her pregnancy.

Jessica told Hello! magazine: "I had a great pregnancy. Eating and not having to worry too much about it has been fun."

However it seems that she's now keen to get back into shape - and admits that she has gained 40lbs (two-and-a-half stone).

She says: "I feel like I could pop at any second."

Jessica adds: "Taking a break from working out has definitely been fun. But I'm ready for it to be over. I'm ready to have my body back!"

Jessica, who is expecting a daughter, threw a Hollywood baby shower, inspired by her favourite children's book, Charlotte's Webb, by E.B. White.

Guests including her actress sister Ashlee, with her three-year-old son Bronx, and actress Jessica Alba, with her seven-month-old daughter Haven, joined Jessica and her fiancé, former NFL player Eric Johnson. They played knitting games and tried to guess the size of Jessica's bump.

The Daily Mail reports that Jessica recently appeared naked on the cover of April's Elle magazine, and says that the Demi Moore inspired cover was all her idea.

Speaking on Ryan Seacrest's KIIS-FM radio show, she said: "I'm like 170 pounds and I wanted to pose nude. I try to be like 110 pounds.

"It's funny to be at your heaviest and feel the most confident. I just take such pride in being a mom! I just love my body more than ever now."

The full story is in the this week's issue of Hello, which is on sale now.

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Woman kills herself live on Facebook

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Woman kills herself live on FacebookPA


A woman from Taiwan gave a running commentary of her suicide on Facebook, but none of her 'friends' intervened or called for help.

The Daily Mail reports that Claire Lin, 31, described her gradual asphyxiation to nine friends as she died after inhaling poisonous fumes.

Police officer Hsieh Ku-ming from Taipei said that Miss Lin took her own life on her birthday, March 18. Family members reported her suicide on the morning after her death, but were unaware that she had been online at the time.

One picture posted from her mobile phone shows a charcoal barbecue burning next to two stuffed animals. Another shows the room filled with fumes.

One friend, identified as Chung Hsin, told her: "Be calm, open the window, put out the charcoal fire, please, I beg you."

Miss Lin replied: "The fumes are suffocating. They fill my eyes with tears, Don't write me any more."

Her last words, written in Chinese, were: "Too late. My room is filled with fumes. I just posted another pictures. Even while I'm dying, I still want FB [Facebook]. Must be FB poison. Haha."

Her earlier messages indicated that she was unhappy because her boyfriend was ignoring her and had failed to return home to spend time with her on her birthday.

He found her body the following morning.

Officer Hsieh Ku-ming said that he regretted that none of Miss Lin's friends had called the police during the time that she was online.

He said: "It could be true that it would be hard to track down a Facebook friend without her address or phone contact."

Chai Ben-rei, a sociologist at Taiwan's Feng Chia University, said: "People may have doubts about what they see on the internet because of its virtual nature, and fail to take action on it."

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Decorating Dilemmas: Quick and easy updates for the Bank Holiday Weekend

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Decorating Dilemmas: Quick and easy updates for the Bank Holiday WeekendThe Homemade Home by Sania Pell, CICO Books, £16.99, hardback/Photography by Penny Winc

Fancy a little home update for spring but not sure where to start?

This week we're asking how to best prepare for a successful (and stress-free) weekend of DIY. Whether it's inspiration on how to revive old furniture or advice on starting a new interior look, senior paint buyer Richard Johnson of Homebase and stylist-author Sania Pell share their DIY do's for the Easter weekend.

DECORATING - FIRST STEPS
You should always paint your ceiling first followed by walls and then your woodwork. By painting the skirting last it will enable you to create a much cleaner-looking finish. However if the room is being wallpapered it is standard practice to paint woodwork prior to hanging your new wallpaper.

Filling the gaps
The best way to hide the holes in the paint is to fill the area with Polycell fine surface filler, allow it to dry and then sand it down. Once this is done repaint the area with the same paint if you have some left; if not, you may need to repaint the wall.

How to paint skirting boards
Use extra-wide masking tape. This has three benefits: any paint drips will be caught before they damage the carpet, the carpet pile will be pressed down, allowing paint to be applied further down the skirting board for a perfect finish, and when painting, there is less chance of your brush catching the carpet.

Revive old furniture and cupboard doors
Use a multi-surface primer and undercoat that can be brush-applied to these surfaces, which then allows you to apply a decorative coat on top, such as non-drip satin or eggshell paint. This is a great tip for refreshing and changing to a look that is unique to you, and also keeps to a budget.

FEELING INSPIRED?
Stylist, author and makeover magician Sania Pell is a woman with ideas by the paintload. The antithesis to high-end design magazines, Sania's DIY craft and customisation projects - as featured on her blog and book The Homemade Home (£16.99, www.cicobooks.co.uk) - provide useful, quick and cool updates for transforming all corners in the home - and all on a next-to-nothing budget. With finances tight and DIY more popular than ever, it's time to turn your hands to creating what you need, rather than buying it. Step-by-step, Sania shows you how...

Decorated cupboard
This old cupboard (see above right) looked very tired when it was first given to me, but I transformed it using a few creative techniques. I wanted to give it a magical feel, and so the key element is the fairytale tree that looks like it's growing over the cupboard. It consists of a stenciled branch and leaves, with more leaves cut from wallpaper and from craft metal and then stuck on. A few mirror disks and two doorknobs covered in glitter complete the fantasy effect.

Your design does not have to stop at the furniture - it can extend onto the wall. Here the mirror disks that I used on the cupboard are also on the wall, but you could continue motifs cut from the wallpaper onto the wall.

Decorating Dilemmas: Quick and easy updates for the Bank Holiday WeekendThe Homemade Home by Sania Pell

Pots and pebbles
An easy and chic way to update your plant pots is to paint them with blackboard paint. You can then write messages or play games such as Tic-Tac-Toe on the sides with chalk - the pots become a sketchbook that the rain cleans for you to begin afresh.

You could also paint some of the pots to contrast with the blackboard paint - perhaps a bright shade or a sophisticated stone shade, which looks great with pebbles placed on top of the soil. If you come across any stones with holes in them, you could string them together, as I did here.

Clean the outside of the pots and the inside rims thoroughly. Give the paint a really good stir, as it can go a little patchy if you don't. Apply two or three coats of paint to the outside and the inside rim, allowing it to dry between coats. Put some pebbles in the pots, add some soil, and then pot your plants. Decorate with pebbles or thick string.

Quirky chair
The inspiration behind revamping this old chair (see above left) came from a roll of wallpaper patterned with exotic birds, which a friend had leftover from decorating her bedroom. It was perfect for creating a statement chair. I used one of the bird motifs on the top rail of the chair back (with feathers stuck on to make it even more fun) and covered the other back rail with the wallpaper.

I also covered the seat with wallpaper, positioning it so there was another bird in the center (without extra feathers!). Before adding the motifs I painted the chair in bright, contrasting colors, and in addition I taped strips of patterned fabric around parts of the legs. You can get a similar effect by simply wrapping strips of fabric around the legs and tying knots to secure. With a chair like this, the more whimsical the decoration, the better.

Don't miss our gallery of top breakfast accessories:
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Average Brit has five worries

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Average Brit has five worriesGetty


A new survey has found that we are a nation of worriers, with more than half of Britons fretting over several concerns at any one time.

The new research from Age UK has found that money is biggest worry for Britons (49 per cent), followed by concerns about health, getting older, work stress and weight-related worries.

People aged over 55 are most likely to worry about their health, followed by getting older and finances, while 18-24 year-olds are more concerned about money, work and job prospects.

The research was commissioned to mark the launch of a new Age UK TV advertising campaign - 'A problem shared is a problem halved' - which is narrated by actor Larry Lamb.

The advert, which highlights the benefits of seeking advice about getting older, is designed to discourage people from bottling up their problems.

Age UK's research found that more than half of Britons (57 per cent) keep their worries to themselves and, of these, 44 per cent believe that they can cope without help or advice. Others worry about burdening others with their problems or don't feel comfortable talking about their personal issues.

This is a concern, as the survey also found that 18% of UK adults always have something playing on their mind and 17 per cent admit to carrying around more than ten worries at any one time.

Age UK's research found that sharing worries really can help to ease the burden: a quarter of respondents said that they felt relived when they confided in someone about a problem and eight per cent felt that the problem had gone away once they had shared it. Over a third of people who shared their worries said that they felt brighter as a result.

When they need help and advice, most people turn to their partners (51 per cent), followed by a friend (23 per cent) and their mother (22 per cent). Just six per cent choose to go online to seek help.

Lucy Hamer, Head of Information and Advice at Age UK, said: "We know from the research that a vast proportion of us worry about financial, health and work issues, and getting older plays a lot on adults' minds.

"We want to show older people and their friends, families and carers that there is someone to turn to with your worries and no one has to feel like a burden.

"From advice on money and benefits or health and wellbeing, through to information on care options, help at home and working in later life - experts at Age UK are on hand to ensure that older people, and those who care for them, can get the advice needed to resolve worries."

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Frankie Sandford talks about "losing herself" to depression

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Frankie Sandford talks about 'losing herself' to depressionPA


The Saturdays' singer Frankie Sandford has opened up about her battle with depression, which she has struggled with since the age of 15.

The Mirror reports that, last October, Frankie was hospitalised in an attempt to treat the condition and she is now feeling better after receiving counselling and taking medication.

She is now fronting the 'It's OK' campaign for mental health charity Mind, to raise awareness about depression and encourage people to talk about their experience of it.

Speaking to Glamour magazine, Frankie said: "It all started when I was about 15 or 16.

"I used to stay in bed a lot and had no motivation; I thought I was just being lazy.

"Since childhood I've been an over-thinker. I used to make myself sick with worry. I'd always have stomach aches and breathing problems.

"I didn't do anything about it until it got to the stage when I was just coming home and going straight to bed. I wouldn't have any dinner, I couldn't talk to anyone."

She told Glamour that she reached breaking point when her boyfriend, Sunderland footballer Wayne Bridge, bought the wrong type of yoghurt.

She said: "Suddenly my illness had control over me.

"I got upset because Wayne hadn't bought the right yoghurts; I managed to convince myself he didn't know me at all.

"It set off this spiral of negative thinking - if I disappeared, it wouldn't matter to anyone.

"In fact, it would make everybody's life easier. I felt that I was worthless, that I was ugly, that I didn't deserve anything."

She was finally admitted to hospital after suffering a series of panic attacks and says: "There was part of me thinking I was putting it on, that I wasn't properly sick, and only sick people should be in hospital.

"I thought that since mine was only a mind thing, I should snap out of it. I got so good at covering it up, I didn't confide in anyone.

"I thought I was selfish, miserable and ungrateful. I'd been given this amazing life, but I wasn't happy.

"I did lose myself, but I feel like me again now. But I try not to put pressure on myself - it's unrealistic, no one is happy 100 per cent of the time."

Read the full interview with Frankie in this month's Glamour, on sale now.

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Choking dog saves its own life by dialling 999

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Choking dog saves its own life by dialling 999Getty


A Basset Hound called George saved his own life by accidentally dialling 999 while strangling himself with the telephone wire.

The Sun reports that two-year-old George had knocked the phone to the floor and got the wire wrapped tightly around his neck.

He pawed at the phone as he struggled to get free - managing to call 999 in the process.

When the emergency operator heard heavy breathing and gasping they alerted police, who rushed round to the house.

A neighbour, Paul Walker, unlocked the front door and found George, in the living room, fighting for breath.

Mr Walker said: "The police split up and ran through the house thinking someone had either been attacked or was desperately ill.

"I went to look round as well and walked into this room and saw George choking. He was absolutely terrified and could not free himself.

"I knew I had to get him free quickly so I just ripped the wire out.

"Incredibly you could see where his paw print was on the phone to ring 999 - he literally saved his own life.

"When the police came into the room and realised what had happened they burst out laughing.

"They told me they had been sent out because of a 999 call in which the operator could only hear heavy breathing and gasping."

George, who belongs to driving instructor Steve Brown and his daughter Lydia, 18, had been left alone on Saturday night while Lydia went to work as a waitress. She had left the key with a Mr Walker so that he could come in and feed George later in the evening.

She said: "By the time I got back the police had gone and George was looking a little sorry for himself.

"It is just so lucky that his paw managed to ring 999 otherwise he would have died.

"We still don't know how he managed it.

"It's one of those old-fashioned phones with the dialling ring.

"He's not usually very smart.

"He's really dopey and just likes to chew socks."

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Best juices for your health

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From the news that beetroot juice can help reduce blood pressure to evidence that pomegranate juice has been found to slow the ageing process, fruit and vegetable juices are packed with health benefits.

Check out which of your favourite drinks are the best juices for your health, from helping prevent muscle damage to protecting skin from the sun. Be sure to watch out for added sugars, which can diminish the health-boosting properties of these tasty drinks. Start sipping!


 

Starbucks Strawberry Frappuccino contains crushed bugs

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If these warm, sunny days are making you crave a cool and refreshing Strawberry Frappuccino, new information from Starbucks might make you think twice before you indulge.

The Daily Mail reports that a new statement from the coffee chain reveals that cochineal extract is used to give the drink its vibrant pink colour - and it comes from the ground-up bodies of insects.

Cochineal extract has been used as a colouring agent in food and drink for centuries, and is commonly used in jam, baked goods, meat, these and wine.

It is made from bugs, mainly from Mexico and South America, which are dried out and crushed.

In a statement, Starbucks said that it had decided to use cochineal extract as an alternative to artificial colourings.

It reads: "At Starbucks, we strive to carry products that meet a variety of dietary lifestyles and needs. While the strawberry base isn't a vegan product, it helps us move away from artificial dyes."

Although cochineal extract has been deemed safe by the US Food and Drug Administration, the World Health Organisation has found that it can cause allergic reactions or asthma in some people.

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It takes two decades longer than we expect for our dreams to come true

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If you grew up thinking that you'd be married with children and a home of your own before you hit thirty, new research suggests that the average Briton is now around 20 years behind schedule.

The Express reports that a new survey from Skipton Building Society suggests that it's lack of cash that's behind the delay in achieving our goals in life.

Although most adults expect to leave home by the age of 22, 13 per cent of adults are still living with their parents at the age of 40.

While many people hope to marry at the age of 28, almost half (48 per cent) third are still single twelve years later.

And although most people hope to buy their own home at the age 27, 32 per cent continue to rent into their 40s.

The survey also revelled that 13 per cent of those polled hadn't managed to secure a full-time job, 47 per cent have no pension plan and 77 per cent haven't written a will.

Tracy Fletcher, spokeswoman for Skipton Building Society, said: "Money is a key factor for many of these milestones. Everyone's feeling the squeeze.

"But you can make a conscious choice to organise your finances, to ensure that whatever opportunities life throws your way, you're in the best possible position to grasp them."

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Green coffee bean extract could help you lose weight

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Green coffee bean extract could help you lose weightPA


We've heard that green tea can help dieters to shed the pounds, and now it seems that green coffee beans can have a similar effect.

The Daily Mail reports that green coffee beans are sold as a supplement in the US, where experts claim that it is an effective weight-loss food.

Joe Vinson, who is a chemist at the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania, said: "Taking multiple capsules of green coffee extract a day, while eating a low fat, healthful diet and exercising regularly, appears to be a safe, effective, inexpensive way to lose weight."

He has already conducted research on 16 obese adults in their 20s. Participants were given 1,050 milligrams of the extract over 22 weeks, and lost an average of 17 pounds each.

Mr Vinson admits that he doesn't yet know how or why green coffee bean extract works and whether it's the caffeine or chlorogenic acid found in the beans that aids weight loss.

For this reason, experts have urged people to be cautious about relying on the supplement and have stressed that a healthy diet and regular exercise are the best way to lose weight.

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