Mobile Phone Serial Number

Mobile phones are oftern stolen, so here's a tip

To check your mobile phone's serial number, key in the following sequence into your phone:  * # 0 6 #

A 15 digit code will appear on your screen. This number is unique to your handset. Write it down and keep it safe. Should your phone get stolen, you can phone your service provider and give them this code. They will then be able to block your handset so even if the thief changes the Sim card your phone will be totally useless. If you don't get your phone back, at least you know the thief won't be able to sell or use it either.

It is also worthwhile registering it (and other electronic items like tablets) on the Immobilise website (https://www.immobilise.com/).

Natural Childbirth

Alisa B. Donner,  Top 5 walk away facts from a morning with Dr. Michel Odent (2015):

1. To be born is to enter the age of the microbe - a newborn baby’s immune systems need the microbe of their mother’s bodies. Modern hospital births are afraid of the microbes of the mother, why?  A birthing mother does not need to be sterilized before holding her newborn baby who just came out of her womb!
2. A woman and her body instinctively know how to give birth – as long as modern medicine doesn’t interfere, she should be able to complete this quite naturally and skillfully – all she needs is some support or partnering
3. The mother’s brain activity can inhibit natural birth, to mimic mammals her neocortex shuts down during birth – stimulation of bright light, talking, intrusive monitoring or tests, nurses coming in and out of the labor room – this actually stimulate the brain at the exact time that it needs to be going into more of a meditative zone in order to perform the task of labor.
4. TRUST:  the female body, nature, the birthing baby – we are all here because we were born, and because before the age of modern medicine generations and generations before us were quite capable at that task.
   
5. Women have the strength and determination to give birth, we are not helpless and incompetent when it comes to birthing and nursing – why is the message in modern culture consistently reinforcing that erroneous belief?

http://pregnancyawareness.com/2014/05/glow-pregancy-birthing-wisdom-dr-michel-odent/

Michel Odent, a leading obstetrician and childbirth specialist, claims that men should stay away from childbirth as while for many men, attending the birth of a child is a momentous and emotional occasion, the father's presence can lead to his partner needing a caesarean delivery, and even to marriage break-ups and mental illness. Odent also believes the mother-to-be's labour can be longer, more painful and more complicated because she senses his anxiety and becomes nervous. Babies' arrival in the world would be more straightforward if women were left alone with only a midwife to help them, as they used to be.

 "The ideal birth environment involves no men in general. Having been involved for more than 50 years in childbirths in homes and hospitals in France, England and Africa, the best environment I know for an easy birth is when there is nobody around the woman in labour apart from a silent, low-profile and experienced midwife – and no doctor and no husband, nobody else," Odent told the Observer. "In this situation, more often than not, the birth is easier and faster than what happens when there are other people around, especially male figures – husbands and doctors."

He links it to the "industrialisation of childbirth", when women began giving birth in hospital rather than at home and wanted someone to support them during the process. Studies show that men now attend for some or all of more than 90% of births in the UK.

The presence of men during their partner's labour produces adrenaline, which makes the woman tense and slows her production of the hormone oxytocin, which is vital for birth, says Odent. "If she can't release oxytocin she can't have effective contractions, and everything becomes more difficult. Labour becomes longer, more painful and more difficult because the hormonal balance in the woman is disturbed by the environment that's not appropriate because of the presence of the man."

Duncan Fisher, chief executive of the website Dad Info, said: "I think Odent is wrong and is not basing his argument on evidence either that it damages men or their relationships with mothers. Of course, not all men are nervous and a lot of women would be even more nervous without their partner there. Mothers want them there because it is not home."

But Mary Newburn, of the National ChildbirthTrust, said that although men being present was now considered normal, some felt under pressure to attend their child's birth because of cultural expectations. She wouldn't go as far as saying that men are always unhelpful in labour, "but it's not men's right to be there. The most important thing is that the woman feels safe, secure and supported, so if she wants to have a woman around instead, that's fine."

Odent said that men witnessing childbirth can ruin the sexual attraction between a couple and lead to them becoming just good friends and then getting divorced. Some men end up suffering from a widely-unrecognised male equivalent of postnatal depression, he added. Others end up playing golf or computer games – or even walking out and never returning – as they try to avoid their new reality. A few end up with schizophrenia or other mental disorders, he said.

Grace Thomas, a consultant midwife with the Aneurin Bevan health board in Wales, has studied expectant fathers' attitudes towards pregnancy. Her research has found that new fathers may undergo emotional turmoil before and after their child's birth as they adjust. "Perhaps the midwifery profession has contributed to encouraging men to attend their child's birth without understanding the impact of the birth both on them and on the mother. It's important that we understand the psychology of the family unit and how to best help and prepare the father to attend his child's birth," she said Thomas.

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2009/oct/18/men-birth-labour-baby

 

Energy Facts 2015

Most of us are not aware of how much energy we use everyday. Here are some facts that may make you think about how and how much energy you use.

• The UK produces 30 biullion tonnes of emmissions per year. With a population of around 6 billion, this works out at about 5 tonnes per person per year.
• Add in international travel and importing goods from abroad, makes a total of 11 tonnes of CO2 per person per year.
• UN statistics put UK emissions at 9.4 tonnes per person per year.

Where does it all go? The average person's daily energy usage breaks down as:

• 3 to 4 tonnes is used in the house for heating, washing, cooking, refrigeration and lighting.
• Energy is also used in the growing, processing and packaging of food.
• Private transport - the typical UK car carrying the typical 1 or 2 people emits 0.18kg of CO2 per km travelled. So a daily commute of 20 miles produces 1.4 tonnes of CO2 over a year.
• Public transport - a daily commute by train, coach or bus produces 0.04 tonnes over a year.
• Flying - the emission levels are very high.

http://www.goodenergy.co.uk/ (June 2015)

A survey of British householders released on November 10 2015 via the Energy Saving Trust revealed just how much energy is wasted by Christmas lighting. Of those surveyed 52% of respondents intended to display decorative Christmas lighting outside the house. With this in mind GoCompare calculated that a display of 100 five-watt bulbs switched on for six hours a day over the festive period will consume 207 Kwh, the equivalent of 22.8 days of the average British household's electricity consumption. If you are lighting up outside, LED lighting is the most efficient.




As reported in The Independent 12 Nov. 2015

Conception to Birth

Your father's sperm determines your gender. If it contained an X chromosome, you are female (XX); if it contained a Y chromosome, you are male (XY). Occasionally people are born with other combinations (XXY, XXYY, XYY, XXX and X) which give rise to specific medical conditions.

Month 1: In the very first few days human embryos hatch out of the fertilised egg, and a new theory is that not hatching properly probably leads to the creation of identical twins, triplets and quadruplets.

At six days old, you are just a clump of cells already transferred to your mother’s womb, needing to implant yourself into its lining. Only healthy embryos are worth nourishing for nine months; they release a chemical signal showing they are developing properly. Around two-thirds of embryos fail at this stage or soon after and are lost.

At four weeks the shape of body and limbs emerges. At eight weeks an embryo becomes a foetus. A foetus’ age is the duration of its gestation – two weeks more than time since conception.

Month 2: Fingers and toes start to develop under the direction of the 'Sonic Hedgehog' gene. If there are mutations in this gene, you can end up with more than 10 fingers or toes.

Over the next few weeks, 14 different structures come together to make a scaffold for intricate layers of tissue to form the face. No two faces are exactly the same; your face is the result of your genes, and the precise timing of when they were switched on and off during this critical process. Failure to align correctly produces conditions such as hare lip and cleft palate.

Month 3: Foetuses show a handedness preference at 11 weeks, long before the brain shows any right-left differences, perhaps due to how the left and right arms are built. Nine out of ten foetuses become right-handed, one out of ten choose the left, and fewer than 1% are ambidextrous – equally comfortable using both sides. Left-handers do tend to be a bit shorter and more prone to dyslexia, migraines and autism, but have the same life expectancy as right-handers. The proportion of left and right handedness seems to be stable at 10%; archeologists find 10% of left handed tools in excavations.

At 12 weeks the layers of skin around the fingers begins to wrinkle, pushing against the amniotic fluid surrounding them. This interaction helps mould a unique combination of arches, loops and whorls in the fingertips. Even identical twins experience slightly different pressures from the amniotic fluid and develop subtly different patterns. By 17 weeks, your 10 fingerprints were complete.

Month 4: Skin is initially transparent, but now develops a fine fur-like hair called "laguno", sweat glands develop and melanocytes (that give the skin its colour) colonise the skin from the tissue beneath. An albino is someone who has no melanin; they are prone to skin cancer.

By 14 weeks you were making human leukocyte antigen (HLA) proteins, which help your immune system recognise bacteria and viruses. There are thousands of possible combinations of HLAs – you inherited your set from your parents. One theory suggests that HLA proteins change our aroma to other adults, and that we choose a sexual partner with a very different HLA makeup, and therefore smell, to our own.

Month 5: From 15 weeks, male foetuses receive a big surge in testosterone, created in their testicles. Female foetuses receive a much lower dose from their mother and their adrenal gland. Around this time, aspects of personality are being connected in the brain. Exposure to high levels of testosterone is thought to contribute to more ‘male-type’ behaviours like risk-taking. People exposed to higher testosterone in the womb also have a longer ring-finger relative to their index finger.

It is thought that the surges of testosterone affect the brain with feelings of being male or female (gender). Humans can therefore have disparate 'settings' for (a) brain sex, (b) body sex and (c) attraction. The transgender ratio is estimated to be 1 in 10,000.

If the 'wrong' testosterone (dihydro-) is produced, males do not develop a penis. They are usually brought up as girls, but puberty surges of ordinary testosterone stimulates the growth of the penis. The condition is unusual but can be common in some populations.

Month 6: Bones are initially formed as cartilage that slowly hardens to bone as pregnancy progresses. Bone cells create hard bone, laying it down like cement. At this stage most of the bones have calcified but all still have soft parts that allow you to keep growing.

The fat used by muscles starts to be laid down at 23 weeks. Carnitine transports fatty acids so they can be broken down to generate energy for the muscles; supplied in the womb by the mother, after birth is produced by your kidneys and liver and derived from meat and dairy products. Carnitine transporter disease affects parts of the process; it is 100 times more common in the isolated population of the Faroe Islands than the 1 in 40,000 times in populations elsewhere.

Month 7: Most of the brain's growth is now about wiring; fatty sheaths are wrapped around the brain cells, insulating them so they can send signals around your head. Around 100 billion new connections are made every day and the brain starts to lay the foundation for memory. Hearing is the first of the senses to develop.

By 28 weeks brain and body are well developed. Two eyes lined with colour-sensing cone cells have developed. Pigments that could detect short (blue), medium (green) or long (red) wavelengths of light arre being produced. Most people can detect 10 million different colours once born. But 8% of males and 0.5% of females are born colour-blind, without all the necessary pigments. Some people are born with a fourth type of pigment that senses wavelengths between red and green, so they see colours even more vividly.

Month 8: The foetus gains weight rapidly, building up a big fat reserve. Size at birth depends on many things, including race, gender and genes. But external factors like mother’s diet, stress levels and smoking status also play a role. Evidence suggests that the environment in your mother’s womb might have changed chemical markers within your DNA that control how your genes were switched on and off as you grew, and that this might impact aspects of your health later in life, such as body mass index, risk of diabetes and cognitive performance. It seems that when a mother's diet is low in calories (fat & sugar), the foetus becomes very efficient in extracting nourishment, setting the body to do the same life long.

Month 9: Your lungs are the last organs to form, as they are not needed in the womb. They grow while still encased in liquid but need to function in air as soon as you are born. Unborn babies practise breathing, inhaling and exhaling the amniotic fluid that surrounds them and must get rid of that fluid to draw the first breath.

Michael Mosley in Radio Times 12-18 Sep. 2015. This is based on Mosley's Countdown to Life: the Extraordinary Making of You programme broadcast on BBC2 14, 21 and 28 Sep. 2015.
and
BBC website: Nine things that shape your identity before birth

How Good are Superfoods

The media constantly tell us about the latest wonder foods but do they really work? Well some do and others don't.

Yes they do

Kale: a member of the cabbage family, with high levels of vitamins and minerals. ## It lowers blood cholesterol and its good for blood clotting. ## It also contains two pigments we need but cannot produce ourselves - lutein and zeaxanthin. These pigments help protect the macula at the back of the eye. Roughly one in ten of us will suffer from macular degeneration.

Kefir: a fermented milk drink containing probiotics, minerals, vitamins and essential amino acids. ## Good for a healthy gut. Most probiotics contain just one type of bacteria, whereas kefir can have up to 20 different types. Despite having to survive stomach acid, kefir is effective.

Xylitol: a sugar alcohol derived from fruit and vegetables. ## Xylitol helps prevent tooth decay by starving bacteria in your mouth and promoting saliva production. In Finland, most people use it every day and children at nursery school are given it after every meal. Dental records show it has made an impact. You can find it in brands of chewing gums and peppermint sweets.

Blackcurrants: summer fruit high in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. ## Blackcurrants have 6 to 8 times more antioxidants than blueberries. Blackcurrants work on the cardiovascular system, so good if you are exercising.

Broccoli: member of the brassica family, rich in phytonutrients, flavonoids, vitamins and minerals. ## Some evidence that a particular type, containing high levels of glucoraphanin, helps treat cancer.  As glucoraphanin is extremely bitter, a new variety has been bred to get rid of the taste and boost the glucorphanin. It's called Beneforte and available in supermarkets.

Quinoa: gluten-free South American grain containing nine essential amino acids, B vitamins, vitamin E, calcium, magnesium and manganese. ## Very nutritious, it contains protein and a lot of iron and magnesium. Good at regulating blood sugar as it is a slow release carbohydrate. White rice will make your blood sugar go into overdrive, followed by a sugar crash. Quinoa produces a tiny rise in blood sugar level and then returns to normal.

Kippers: smoked herring, a protein rich fish high in Omega 3 fatty acid, calcium and vitamin D. ## We should be eating two portions of oily fish a week and kippers are one of the best sources (after mackerel). The fattest herring are used to make kippers, so you get a good portion of these nutrients.

Spirulina: a nutrient rich algae containing minerals, vitamins and esssential amino acids, and a complete protein. It is a pond algae (not a seaweed). ## It's so nutri-dense that just one spoonful a day gives you enough iron for the day, lots of protein and your daily requirement of B vitamins. It also has anti-inflammatory properties so can alleviate chronic hay-fever.

Sweet potato: a root vegetable high in nutrients including vitamins B, C and D, iron, magnesium, potassium, beta carotene and other carotenoids. ## One sweet potato gives you your daily vitamin A requirement - much more than in carrots. To help your eyesight, eat sweet potatoes twice a week instead of ordinary potatoes as they have 2,000 times as much vitamin A and twice as much vitamin C.

Not effective in normal amounts

Grapefruit: citrus fruit high in vitamin C and the antioxidant lycopene. ## Grapefruit contains naringenin, a compound which flicks a switch in our metabolism to start fat-burning. But to get enough naringenin to do that, you'd have to eat 40 grapefruit in a single sitting.

No they don't

Wheatgrass: young grass of the wheat plant, a natural source of vitamins and minerals. ## Marketed as good for blood oxygenation and energy, it is no better than other vegetables and you are better eating broccoli and kale.

Activated charcoal: specially processed carbon. ## Sometimes found as an ingredient in juice bars, sold as a hangover cure on the basis it is supposed to absorb toxins which are then excreted in your poo. In A&E departments, it is part of conventional treatment for overdoses if administered within an hour of the overdose. The amount given as medical treatment is huge; what you get in a juice bar is negligible.

Feature in Radio Times, 27 June - 3 July 2015 (accompanied a documentary)

Heart Attacks

Heart disease in women is under-diagnosed and under-treated.

Cut your risk in the following ways:

• Limit your TV watching to seven hours a week. Sitting down for long periods is bad for you even if you exercise regularly. Sitting affects blood sugar and fat levels an dincreases levels of inflammatory chemicals linked to diabetes and heart disease.
• Stay lean. Being overweight means more strain on the heart and blood vessels; you are more likely to develop diabetes, hgih blood pressure and high cholesterol.
• Just one glass of alcohol. because women have more fat and less water in their bodies, alcohol is absorbed more quickly and they are more susceptible to its toxic effects.
• Keep moving. Try for half an hour a day (split into shorter bursts if you like). Walking is low risk, easy to fit in and gentle on the joints.
• Give up smoking; it doubles the risk of heart disease and women may be especially vulnerable.
• Eat a Mediterranean diet: rich in fruit and vegetables, oily fish, beans, pulses and grains, plus small amounts of red meat, dairy and very little sugar and salt.

Women having a heart attack may not show the classic symptoms we expect (crushing-type chest pain that spreads down the left arm). Women may experience:

• Unusual fatigue and weakness.
• Nausea  and/or vomiting.
• A dull pain, ache or heavy feeling in the chest or mild discomfort that makes you feel unwell.
• Chest pain that spreads to your back or stomach.
• Chest pain that feels like indegestion.
• Feeling light-headed or dizzy and having chest pains.
• Shortness of breath without chest pain.
• Some of these symptoms may even appear in the weeks before an actual heart attack.

Myths

• No family history of heart disease. While it does increase your risk, it's only one factor.
• Too young. Lifestyle factors mean that women can have heart attacks before the menopause.
• Don't have angina. US research indicates that 64% of women who died suddenly of coronary heart disease had no previous symptoms.

Feature in Good Housekeeping June 2015

Cut Flower Tips

Here are some tips on keeping cut flowers looking good for longer.

• Brass pots are better than china or glass as brass acts as a fungicide.
• Wash your vase thoroughly before use to get rid of bacteria, which can block flower stems and prevent water being taken up. Put them in water as soon as you get home.

• Cut the ends off flowers and dip into boiling water to make them last longer. 
• Cut stems at an angle (giving a wider surface for water to travel up the stem) with a clean pair of sharp scissors.
• Woody stems - do not hammer. Cut stems at an angle with a sharp knife.
• The vase should be two-thirds the height of the arrangement, so cut stems accordingly.
• Remove any leaves beneath the water line. As these decay they will prevent water travelling up the stem.

• Avoid putting your flowers in direct sunlight, or near a radiator or air-conditioning vent.
• Keep away from fruit - the gases they give off will wilt your blooms faster.
• Recut stems and change water every two days for the longest lasting arrangement.

• Add sugar or lemonade to the water if no food crystals came with the flowers. 
• Aspirins will keep leafy flowers fresh, but not those without leaves.
• Bleach - one teaspoon per vase - stops blooms giving off ethylene gas.

Tips for specific flowers

Alstromeria: They start flowering in June and tend to be still flowering in October. Stake all the taller forms to stop them collapsing in the wind. Pick regularly to get successional waves of flowers.

Daffodil: Their stems excrete a sticky substance which  speeds up the decay process. So cut the stem at a very sharp angle 2 inches below the end, then pass it through the fire or leave it for a while in warm water, for the substance to be eliminated. You can use a combination of vinegar and salt to clean the daffodil’s vase.

Larkspur: The annual delphinium. The stems are really thick so they last for a long time as they can hold more water. Take out the main stem and you will get several flowering stems.

Peonies: Wait for three years before picking flowers. Pick at the 'marshmallow' stage, when the coloured buds are soft to the touch. That way you know they will open properly and have a good 10 days life in the vase.

Roses: gently removing the outer 'guard' petals from roses will allow them to open more fully. Place your index finger on the inside of a petal, press down softly and peel it away from the flower.

Sweet Peas: when picked may have lots of little black flies on them. So pick one day, leave overnight in a dark/shady place with door or window open. The flies will seek the light and will be gone the next morning.

Tulips: Stick pin through  stem to prevent airlock; this helps them take up water for longer.

Other Tips

• Use a potato as the base for a kissing ring.

Various sources.

10 Social Media Statistics

Here are some statistics on social media in 2013

1. The fastest growing demographic on Twitter is the 55-64 year age bracket. For both Facebook and Google+ it is the 45-54 year age bracket. Keep older users in mind when using social media, particularly on these three platforms.

2. 189 million of Facebook's users are 'mobile only'. It's worth considering how your content displays on mobile devices and smaller screens before posting it, particularly if your target market is full of mobile users.

3. YouTube reaches more U.S. adults aged 18-34 than any cable network. If you've been putting off adding video to your strategy, now's the time to give it a go. You could start small with simple five minutes videos explaining what your company does or introducing your team.

4. Every second 2 new members join LinkedIn. This is a place where you may want to focus more on new users. Making your group or community a great source of information and a newbie-friendly space can help you to make the most out of the growing userbase.

5. Social Media is the #1 activity on the web (overtaking porn). Putting time and effort into your social media strategy clearly makes sense in light of these stats.

6. LinkedIn has a lower percentage of active users than Pinterest, Google+, Twitter and Facebook. Although LinkedIn is gathering new users at a fast rate, the number of active users is lower than most of the biggest social networks around. So more people are signing up, but they're not participating. This means you're probably not going to have as good a response with participatory content on LinkedIn, like contests or polls, as you might on Facebook or Twitter.

7. 93% of marketers use social media for business.

8. 25% of smartphone owners ages 18-44 say they can't recall the last time their smartphone wasn't next to them.

9. Even though 62% of marketers blog or plan to blog in 2013, only 9% of US marketing companies employ a full-time blogger.

10. 25% of Facebook users don't bother with privacy settings.

Belle Beth Cooper, Huffington Post 22 Nov. 2013

Oats

Oats are important in our diet as they are a good source of both soluble and insoluble fibre.

• Insoluble fibre's main role is that it makes stools heavier and speeds their passage through the gut, relieving constipation.
• Soluble fibre breaks down as it passes through the digestive tract, forming a gel that traps some substances related to high cholesterol, thus reducing the absorption of cholesterol into the bloodstream.

Oats contain a substance called beta-glucan which significantly reduces LDL (bad) cholesterol. In people with high cholesterol levels, the intake of the equivalent of three grams of oat fibre (1 bowl of oats) daily generally reduces total cholesterol by 8 to 23 percent.

Eating whole grains lessens the risk of type 2 diabetes. The beta-glucan in oats improves insulin sensitivity, and because the soluble fibre slows down the digestion of starch, oats lessen the rise in blood sugar levels after eating compared to bread or rice.

Oats are naturally gluten free and are not related to gluten-containing grains like wheat, rye and barley. They are however sometimes contaminated with wheat when grown or processed. Look for products that state they are gluten free.

Studies show a 10% reduced risk of colorectal cancer for every additional 10g of fibre in whole grains such as oats. 

Adding oats to your diet can significantly reduce blood pressure (and therefore the need for antihypertensive medicine).

Higher intakes of dietary fibre and whole-grains such as oats have been associated with reduced progression of coronary atherosclerosis in individuals with established coronary artery disease.

Oats are a good source of vitamin E, zinc, selenium, copper, iron, selenium, manganese and magnesium.

• The beta glucans found in oats boost the immune system against viruses, bacteria, parasites and fungi.
• Oats feed beneficial bacteria in our gut.   
• Research shows that children introduced to oats at an early age were less likely to develop persistent asthma.

Oats can help with maintaining a healthy weight, as they keep you feeling full for longer than other breakfast meals. 

Various sources

Sexism

Despite the progress in women's rights, girls growing up in the UK still face sexism at school, university, online.

A GirlGuiding UK survey in 2014 found that more than a third of girls over seven had been made to feel stupid because of their gender, nearly two thirds of young women reported having been sexually harassed, and almost all felt they were judged on their looks rather than their ability. Tachers write online about trends in the classroom where girls are ridiculed by boys for speaking. A recent National Union of Students survey about the 'lad culture' now pervading universities found that more than a third of women had faced unwanted remarks about their appearance, just under a third reported gender-based verbal harassment and 37% siad they'd had ynwanted sexual advances.Online harassment is overwhelmingly directed at women, with death and rape threats.

Why is this happening and why does it seem to be getting worse? It may be that the accessibility of pornography, viewed for the first time by boys at an average age of 11, is changing the way they see their female peers. Studies show that such films can increase misogyny and sexism in the men who watch them. Images that once would have been 'top shelf' now surround us in advertising and the music industry.

The HeforShe campaign, fronted by Emma Watson, is a 'solidarity movement for gender equality'. It is important to support girls in the family but it is equally important to bring boys up well too. Talk about the issue and help them understand sexism  and ways to fight back.

Author: Zoe Williams

• Share stories of great women in history and in your family. Talk about how their bravery, imagination and resilience changed their lives and others.
• Avoid labels and limiting language that say all boys or girls behave in a certain way, whether negative or positive. (e.g. 'girls don't do maths' or 'girls are tidier than boys'.)
• Encourage and support them to question and challenge sexist language among their friends or in the media - show them the brilliant viral video #LikeAGirl on YouTube.
• Avoid commenting on looks and clothes, as people often do with little girls. Focus instead on appreciating their inner qualities, such as kindness, creativity or knowing their own mind.
• Build a community of strong role models around them of women, and men, who boost their self-esteem by seeing them as capable, lovable people they want to spend time with.

Author: Judy Reith, author and parenting expert

Feature in Good Housekeeping March 2015

Blood Pressure Control

While there are many medications to help control blood pressure probems, there are also some drug-free ideas which may help.

• Take up Tai Chi. In a review of 26 studies, 85% found it helped reduce blood pressure.
• Eat bananas, vegetables, nuts and seeds to boost your potassium and magnesium intake, and cut back on salt.
• Eat beetroot - several studies have shown that it promotes levels of nitric oxide in the blood and lowers blood pressure.

A Fairer Britain

Our social welfare, health services, benefits system, etc., are facing increasing problems. Here are some of the solutions being suggested. [I am not specifically recommending these policies, but they are points to consider when re-thinking how the welfare state could or should be revised.]

A new book (A Time For Choosing: Free Enterprise in Twenty-First Century Britain by Kwasi Kwarteng, Palgrave Macmillan 2015) sets out a "radical" free market agenda, pulling together policy ideas from the Free Enterprise Group of Conservative MPs and backed by the Institute for Economic Affairs think tank. It argues for a more radical shrinking of the welfare state to return it to the contributory principle envisioned by its founder Sir William Beveridge - that you only get out what you have paid in. Here are some of the points and proposals made in the book.

• Welfare is expensive - over £90bn for working-age benefits alone - because too many people are eligible. The main out-of-work benefit (JobSeekers Allowance) is "fairly stingy for those who have contributed to the tax system for years and find themselves out of work for the first time".
• Pay benefits as a loan to give "an additional incentive to find work rather than allow the debt to build up". Young people who have not yet paid national insurance contributions for a certain period (say five years) could receive their unemployment benefit in the form of a repayable loan, receiving the same amount of cash as now, but paying back the loan once in work. Someone out of work for all seven years between the ages of 18 and 25 would build up a loan debt of £20,475 - less than many tuition fees loans.
• Scrap maternity and paternity pay to ease the burden on business. Instead, new parents would get a flat rate "baby bonus" paid directly by central government.
• Scrap some government departments.
• Tax raising powers for local authorities.
• A regional minimum wage.
• Allowing free schools to generate a profit.
• Encourage banks to use a common IT system allowing "portable" bank accounts.
• Scrap the BBC licence fee.

END

Truth About Fat

Some basic facts:

• Fats in the mouth hold on to flavour molecules and release flavours slowly (more pleasant to eat).
• When you eat fat, within 1/2 second of fat on tongue, the brain detects fat in the mouth, and there is increased activity in the brain's pleasure centres. We have an inbuilt urge to seek out fat.
• Normal amount of fat is c. 23% body fat. Abdominal fat is the most dangerous.
• In a healthy diet around one third of calories should come from fats.
• 95% of fat eaten goes into the blood - our bodies are built to do this.
• Body fat cushions internal organs from injury, cushions the buttocks,  and is a fat store in the event of lack of food.
• Bodies make fat from sugar and carbohydrates.
• The more we eat, the bigger each of our fat cells get - no other cell type in the body does this.
• Hard fats are more saturated, which leads to higher levels of blood cholesterol.
• Not all saturated fats are the same - each food has different combinations. Some may increase risk of diabetes, while others lower it. Dairy foods seem to be beneficial and processed meats (pies, bacon, suasages) bad for health.
• Unsaturated fats (e.g. olive and rapeseed oils) can lower blood cholesterol and protect against heart disease.
• Omega 3 oil helps build the cells of the body and is needed by the brain. The best sources are oily fish as they store the oil in their flesh: try to eat at least one portion of salmon, sardines or mackerel a week. Other fish (like cod) store the oil in their liver - which is why it is sold as cod liver oil.
• Tiny algae in seawater contain omega 3 oil, but several tons are needed for a few tablespoons of oil. It may be possible to grow and harvest this in the future, not just for humans but also to farm animals to give meat and milk higher in omega 3 oil.
• Frying in fat gives a crispy outside and fluffy inside, as water comes off the surface it crisps up, while the inside stays moist.

When walking, 64% of energy comes from fat, the rest from carbohydrates. Fat burn stops as soon as you stop walking. You can help the body to continue burning fat for longer after exercise if you exercise very hard for 2 mins, then rest for 1 min, repeat 7 times in total.

Four volunteers took part in a controlled study for the programme.

•  Beforehand a blood sample was taken after a meal (a different meal for each volunteer), which was after a 12 hour fast. The meals were: (a) burger and chips, (b) salmon and avocado, (c) a pizza and (d) a bowl of nuts. When the plasma was separated from the rest of the blood it was cloudy, indicating the presence of fat - the same level for all 4 volunteers. 95% of fat eaten goes into the blood - our bodies are built to do this.
• For 7 days all 4 volunteers then ate no fats (no food containing more than 1% fat).
• They ate more carbohydrates, experienced problems with digestion, bloating and wind, felt hungry and found food uninteresting.
• At the end of the 7 days everyone was more fatigued, tired, had less energy. They were also more attracted to fatty food (measured by an eye-tracker experiment).

BBC1 documentary on 2 April 2015

Clingfilm Tips

Clingfilm is useful but is not the easiest product to handle; it does not roll out properly, is hard to tear or won't even unroll at all and just starts to tear.

1.  Store plastic wrap in the fridge and it will handle far better.
2.  If you have crumpled piece you cannot unstick, put in the the freezer for just ten minutes and it will come undone

From Classic Household Hints by Susan Waggoner via Ruby's Musings blog.

Mobile Phone Tips

A few things will make life easier.

Assign different ringtones to different contacts, such as your partner, boss, children or school, so you'll know if it's someone important calling before you've even got your phone out of your bag.

When you go on holiday, turn off your voicemail so callers can't leave a message, which you'll be charged for listening to if you're abroad.

To conserve a phone battery, turn the screen brightness down, cloase any apps running in the background that you don't need, and turn off 3G/4G, as these all sap power.

Various sources

Christmas Fun on the Internet

There are various sites to look at for Christmas fun.

The North Pole site includes ideas for fun activities, easy recipes, ideas for parents, and a section for teachers: www.northpole.com/

The Elf Yourself site offers a download in which you can add face photos of people to the dancing elves. The site is only available in the holiday season; when the site is inactive, OfficeMax provides the website with a placeholder image informing viewers that "the elves have left the building".

The Norad Santa tracking site allows you to follow Santa as he makes deliveries on Christmas Eve. The site is only active from 1st December: www.noradsanta.org

***

Burglar Proof Your Home

Burglaries are never pleasant experiences and you may lose valuables and items of senitmental value. Here are some tips.

• Install an alarm approved by your insurer.
• Have the right locks on your doors (mortice type).
• Lock your windows.
• Look after your keys and valuables. Put away things like laptops and tablets.
• Be clever with lighting and fit outdoor security lights or motion sensitive lights but don't be a nuisance to your neighbours.
• Join your local Neighbourhood Watch scheme.
• Insure your possessions.
• Avoid sharing on social media the news that you'll be away. But do let your neighbours know so they can keep an eye out for unexpected visitors.
• Put away electric power tools and lawnmowers.
• Some plants (the prickly ones) are good burglar deterrents.
• Trellis panels on top of fences are too flimsy to support a person's weight.

Write It Down, Read From Paper

Keep writing by hand - e.g. thank you letters - as hand-writing can improve thinking skills. In one trial, students who took notes on their laptops understood less about their subjects than those who jotted things down. The act of writing seems to make us think harder and remember more.

Recent research also shows we are less likely to (literally) lose the plot when reading a real book rather than the same text on an e-reader. This might be because we use mapping skills to read and remember, which is easier when we turn a real page. That gives us more brain space to concentrate on the meaning, so improving comprehension.

Good Housekeeping, January 2015

Frost and Ice Removal Products

Snow and ice on doorsteps, paths and pavements are traditionally tackled using rock salt, but salt can attack surfaces and surrounding vegetation.

Crystal Clear "is a non-corrosive and biodegradable product. It is a tiny frost and ice removing pellet made from urea, which continues working considerably longer than other alternatives and is non-flammable, low in toxicity and easy to use. To achieve maximum protection, should be applied before snow has fallen or surface water has begun to freeze."

(Note: I've not tried this out, but it looks worth investigating.)

http://chemaide.co.uk/product/Crystal_Clear_non_corrosive_de-icer.html

Turkey Sizes for Christmas

Many people will be buying turkey for their Christmas meal, but how big a bird do you need? A rough guide is:

• Small (4 kg) for 6 to 8 people
• Medium (5 to 6 kg) for 10 to 12 people
• Large (8 kg) for 12 to 16 people

Good Housekeeping, December 2014

Deep Vein Thrombosis

How do I recognise a Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)?

One in nine people will develop a DVT in their lifetime. If it travels to the lungs it can cause a pulmonary embolism, which can be fatal. The three main risk factors are: sticky blood (e.g. caused by illness, old age, pregnancy and medication), vein damage (including surgery) and immobility.

Red flag indicators, combined with one or more of the above factors:

• Discomfort, which can often masquerade as something else such as muscle strain.
• Swelling – measure your calves, and if one is 3cm or more wider than the other, then that is a very important red flag.
• Redness and tenderness

To significantly reduce our chance of developing one in the first place:

• Sitting for 90 minutes can reduce blood flow in the legs by half, so get up from your chair every 30 to 60 minutes.
• Stay hydrated, make sure your seat is comfortable and appropriate for your height.

BBC2 Trust Me, I'm a Doctor, July 2015 How do I recognise a Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)?

UK Pension Regulation Changes 2015

New regulations about access to your pension funds are aimed to give people more flexibility but be careful about what you choose to do. From 6 April 2015, anyone over 55 can take their entire pension as cash, with 25% tax-free. Get professional financial advice before doing anything.

Example:

• Someone born on 1st May 1953 so just turned 62.
• There is £30,000 in your pension pot.
• You are not yet retired and are on an average income of £27,000 per year.

Option A: Take out the entire £30,000 - but you'll only get £21,428 as only £7,500 is tax free and an emergency tax of £8,572 has been deducted from the rest by HMRC. You can claim back £2,651 of that (using form P53) as you are still working (different forms if you are not), leaving a net charge of £5,921. Around £2,845 of that tax will be paid at 40%. Although you have never earned enough to pay higher-rate tax, the taxable part of the pension pot is added to you income, taking you over the £42,385 threshold for higher-rate tax. So you could have around £24,000 in your pocket but no pension to come.

Option B: Take the tax-free £7,500 and buy something. Either use the remaining £22,500 to buy an annuity income (taxable) of £92 per month fixed for life or £57 a month rising with inflation. Or put the £22,500 into a drawdown scheme and take out amounts on occasion for a holiday or treat; the sums would be taxable when taken out but as long they are modest would only be taxed at basic rate. There would also be charges but hopefully not more than the amount the money earned.

State pension: If you do either of these, you'll be relying on the state pension for your retirement income. When you reach pension age for someone born on 1st May 1953 (6 July 2016 for a woman and 1 May 2018 for a man - ages are still changing till the goal of a single pensionable age is reached) you would get a state pension of around £8,000 a year to live on, assuming you qualify for the full state pension.

[My note: The state pension age is presently 65 for men, while the age for women is in the process of being increased from 60 to 65 (parity at the end of 2018). The age for both will then be raised in stages to 67 years by 6 April 2028 and to 68 years by 2044-2046.]

Paul Lewis in Radio Times, 16-22 May 2015

Bio-gas Powered Bus in Bristol

Wessex Water produces bio-gas at its sewage treatment works at Avonmouth in Bristol, where around 75 million cubic metres of sewage waste is treated and 35,000 tonnes of food waste, collected from households, supermarkets and food manufacturers, is recycled.

Through a process known as anaerobic digestion, 17million cubic metres of biomethane a year are generated. Some of the gas is injected into the national gas grid network to power homes, but a new venture is to use it to power a bus in Bristol (the no. 2 service from Cribbs Causeway to Stockwood).

The 40-seater Bio-Bus is produces fewer emissions than traditional diesel engines. On a full tank of gas the bus can travel 300 km - which takes the annual waste of 5 people to produce. The tank is filled at a specialist gas refuelling plant at Bristol sewage treatment works.

As well as producing bio-gas for national grid and bus fuel, the treatment plant also produces nutrient-rich fertiliser offering farmers a safe and sustainable alternative to inorganic chemicals.

Feature in Wessex Water Magazine, spring/summer 2015

Hearing and Deafness

Some ways to look after your hearing.

• Turn it down. Loud music accelerates hearing loss that starts as early ad 40. Wear sound-filtering earplugs at festivals and concerts, where noise can reach danger levels in 15 minutes.
• Detox your ears. Wax can muffle sound but prodding it can drive it deeper into the ear. Swap cotton buds for bicarb-based ear drops to soften it, so it clears on its own or is easier for GPs to remove by irrigation or micro-suction.
• Check your medications. Diuretics and anti-inflammatory painkillers can damage hearing. Though it usually recovers, sometimes the problem is permanent. Tinnitis is a warnign sign, so it your ears start ringing, see your GP.

Item in Good Housekeeping March 2015

Rose Hip

Rosehips are a common sight in hedgerows in autumn and winter.

• Rose hips work in a similar way to aspirin. They hinder an important group of enzymes (known as COX-1 and COX-2) involved in the pain and inflammation process.
• A substance found in rose hips has also been shown to inhibit the activity of inflammatory white blood cells, while lowering levels of inflammatory markers in blood.
• In addition, rose hips are a rich source of antioxidants, including vitamins C and E, plus carotenoids such as lutein, beta carotene and lycopene.

Osteoarthritis: several studies have investigated the anti-inflammatory effects of rose hip extracts, showing that it not only improves overall pain levels but can also increase the range of hip movement.

• More than 80% of people taking rose hip extract report noticeable benefits after just three weeks, with reductions in discomfort scores. For ongoing benefit it can be taken long term.
• No significant side effects have been reported, but always check with your GP before taking if you are on any prescribed medication.

There is no official recommended dosage for rose hip, but experts suggest between 250mg and 62mg of the extract daily.

Healthspan magazine, Spring 2015

Note: 

• It is possible to make rose hip jam, jelly and syrup at home. Look on the internet for recipes. Remember it is important to remove not only the seeds, but also the tiny hairs inside the hip, as these can irritate the throat.
• Do not use aluminium utensils when preparing rose hips as they destroy the natural vitamin C.
• Don't use rose hips for consumption if the plant has been treated with pesticides not labeled as being safe for food crops.

UK General Election 2015 Facts

Figures given are for 2015 with 2010 figures, where found, in brackets for comparison.

• Overall turnout:  66.1% (65.1%). Around 30% of MPs are now women.
• Percentages of votes cast nationally: Conservative 36.9% (36.1%); Labour 30.4% (29%); Liberal Democrat 7.9% (12.9%); UKIP 12.9% (3.1%); SNP 4.7% (1.7%). [Could not find figures for all parties.]

• First past post voting: Con 331; Lab 232; SNP 56; Lib Dem 8; Plaid Cymru 3; UKIP 1; Green 1.
• If a form of Proportional Representation (alternative voting) was in place it is estimated this would have resulted in: Con 256; unspecified number for Lab; UKIP 83; Lib Dem 50; SNP 25; Green 20.

If votes cast for each party are divided by the number of seats won, then it takes c. 300,000 to elect an SNP member, 1.2 million to elect a Green member, 3.9 million to elect a UKIP member. Numbers not found for Con, Lab and Lib Dem seats but thought to be less than 300,000.

Key factors in the Conservative victory were (a) incumbent governments usually have an advantage, (b) the economy is ok even if not brilliant, (c) their strategy relied on the fears of a formal or informal Labour/SNP alliance and (d) that a Labour government would threaten continued economic recovery.

In a study of 599 of the 650 newly elected MPs:

• 32% went to private schools (48% of Conservatives, 17% of Labour, 14% of Lib Dems and just 5% of SNP); of these almost one in ten went to Eton. By contrast, only 7% of the general population went to private schools.
• Female MPs were less likely to have attended private schools at 24% (men 35%).
• 49% of MPs were educated at comprehensive schools (up 43% in 2010). The study shows that almost 66% of Labour MPs and 33% of Conservatives, 57% of Liberal Democrats and 90% of Scottish Nationalist MPs went to comprehensives.
• Some 19% of the new House of Commons went to state grammar schools (from 24% in 2010).
• 9 out of 10 MPs are graduates; 26% hold degrees from Oxford or Cambridge; a further 28% hold degrees from the highly ranked Russell Group of universities.

BBC News website (1 June 2015): The 2015 general election was the "most disproportionate in British history", the Electoral Reform Society has said. In a new analysis the society - which campaigns to change the voting system - has assessed how the make up of Parliament would have differed had other voting systems been used. Read article.

More on the 2015 election.

• Before the 2015 election, 27 of the 59 richest hedge fund managers sponsored the Conservatives. Once in power, they then gave special exemption on stamp duty on stock market transactions by hedge funds resulting in lost tax income of £145 million.
• Government plans to build 200,000 new homes for first time buyers resulted in no new homes being built. Announced in 2014, the legislation was never passed. While £175 million was spent on acquiring sites, all are now being used for housing more generally.

Various sources

Look After Your Teeth

A two-part documentary on BBC1 in 2015 focused on oral hygiene and tooth care. So here are the latest tips on what we should be doing.

Brush your teeth before eating. If you clean your teeth within an hour of eating, you will brush off your enamel. So brush your teeth before breakfast, and drink a glass of water or chew sugar-free gum afterwards to remove sugar, acid and debris and to restore your dental pH levels.

How to brush properly. If you do this, a manual toothbrush and basic fluoride toothpaste are as effective as an electric toothbrush.

• Spend two minutes twice a day on the task.
• Brush systematically, working from one corner of the mouth to the other, making sure you brush all surfaces.
• Use just a smear of toothpaste and don't brush too hard. Tickle the teeth and gums - that's all the pressure you need.
• Don't rinse with water - just spit out what's left in your mouth. That way the fluoride stays in your mouth longer doing its job.

Live longer. Clinical trials show gum disease affects overall health. Tooth and gum infections cause inflammation that spreads through the body - bad for our hearts, brains and blood vessels. Non-smokers are ten times less likely to suffer gum disease.

Avoid snacks and acid attacks.After you eat, your mouth becomes acidic for roughly 40 minutes. Snacking regularly (food and drink) means your mouth is 60% more acidic - menaing more chance of tooth decay and gum disease. So cut down on drinks and snacks between meals.

Cucumber mouthwash. Bacteria cause bad breath when our mouths dry out. Drinking water, or eating fibrous vegetables with a high water content (e.g. cucumber, celery and carrots) are just as effecive as shop-bought remedies.

Don't fear the dentist. Phobias and fears can be tackled at any age. Try not to arrive too early for your apppintment. Ask for your first visit to be pain-free. Let the dentist know in advance you are nervous. Many dentists have special training in treating patients with fear and phobias, so ask if your practice offers this.

Win new friends. people with good dental health are perceived to be better educated and more friendly, to have a successful careers and relationship, and winning personalities.

Treat sugar as the enemy. Watch out for hidden sugars and acids and try and alter your diet to reduce them. Substitute porridge for sugary cereals, or eat an orange instead of drinking a glass of orange juice. Drink peppermint tea instead of red berry tea, which is high in acid. And avoid lemon alcopops, which have the same acidity levels as stomach acid.

Look after baby teeth. Almost 25,000 five to nine year olds were admitted to hospital in 2014 for dental cavities. One third of children in the UK have rotten teeth. It is important to retain 'baby' teeth until the adult teeth are ready to come through. Teach your children to brush teeth properly. Get a timer as children can't judge two minutes.

How to save a tooth. If you knock out a tooth, don't rinse it in water or wrap it in a tissue - you'll kill the fragile cells that can help it survive. Instead, lick it, then stick it back in the cavity - and get to the dentist as fast as you can. If you can't replace the tooth, submerge it in milk, which will buy you a few hours.

Dr Chris van Tullekan and Daniela Soave, Radio Times 30 May - June 2015

Kidults

Kidults = adult children still sleeping in their childhood bedrooms because they can't afford a place of their own. Some parents refuse to accept rent and do all their chores. But this is not healthy for them or their parents so here are some tips to get things back on track.

1. Redefine your boundaries. Have an adult conversation on neutral territory - go out for a meal or a drink. Don't just outline what you want - ask them what they expect from you. Cover all subjects, including having a partner to stay.

2. Agree house rules. Have a clear list of things you won't be doing for them any more. You may not mind doing their laundry, but it is not helping them to be independent. It is up to them to take responsibility for having clean underwear or an ironed shirt to wear. Accept that the kitchen is not your sole domain any more - if they have been living away form home, presumably they have had a taste of shopping and cooking for themselves and keeping their personal space tidy. If you start doing all these things, they are going to lose their skills. So allocate household chores and ask them to cook a meal or two a week, including getting the food. They will probably enjoy it - and so may you.

3. Ask them to pay rent. They should pay you at least a modest amount if they are earning. It's not just to protect your finances, but also to teach them about the costs of living. Depending on individual circumstances, either a percentage of their income (e.g. 30%) or what you agree between you they can afford. After all, they are using lighting, heating and water as well as living space.

• You can earn up to £4,250 a year in rent (2015 figures) under the Government's rent a Room Scheme. If they pay more than that, to claim your tax-free allowance, keep a record of payments and opt into the scheme when you complete a tax return.

[My tip: You could choose to save the money for something specific. For example, I was an adult living at home for just over a year, and my parents saved the rent I paid them and used it for their contribution to my wedding reception.]

4. Be a financial advisor, not a fixer. Many 20-somethings see their parents as an unlimited source of funds. Research shows that of young adults who made financial mistakes, 42% had borrowed from parents or friends, and 11% had moved back home.

• If they are in a fix, sit down with them and look at their budgeting skills.
• They need to make their own financial mistakes so they can learn from them. While you can support and advise, make it clear you won't bail them out or subsidise indefinitely.
• Remind them that in order to get a good mortgage deal in the future they need to be building a financial profile and a credit history. Are they on the electoral roll, is their mobile contract in their own name, do they have a credit card?
• There's plenty of money advice around: Moneysavingexpert.co.uk/family/young-adults-moneysaving/ and Moneyadviceservice.org.uk and for free debt counselling try citizensadvice.org uk and nationaldebtline.org and stepchange.org.

5. Help them look for work, but don't find it for them. Children are twice as likely to be living at home because they don't have a job. Offer to read over their CV, but don't go looking for jobs for them. Don't nag - their self-esteem will drop and they'll be less likely to keep looking for work. Useful websites are: Gov.uk/jobsearch and How2gethired.co.uk (advice on writing CVs and preparing for job interviews) and Bigdog.co.uk (careers advice) and goodhousekeeping.co.uk/money/work-experience-scheme (applying and securing valuable work experience).

6. Encourage them to find their own place. The high cost of buying and renting is often cited as the ley reason for young adults living in the parental home. Before you hand them a large sum for a deposit, think about the provision you need to make for your own old age. You can use your experience with calculations and suggest ways they can achieve their financial goals. Try to avoid getting tied up in their mortgage arrangements as guarantor, if at all possible, as you become the lender's insurance policy - making you liable if your kids default.

Feature in Good Housekeeping, February 2015

Sales Tips

Sales can be a good place to get a bargain but get prepared beforehand.

Clothing sales tips

• Check favourite shops a couple of weeks before the sales begin to check the items you have your eyes on. Try them on and get a feel for the fabric, so when the sale starts you won't be wondering about sizes and can buy straightaway.
• Don't go to the opening day of a sale. Most stores implement price cuts in four stages, with further reductions each week.
• Most retailers start their sales earlier online, so keep an eye on websites.
• While you may be able to return a sales item, you will usually only be refunded the sale price.

Good Housekeeping January 2015

Other tips

• Don't forget to write a shopping list beforehand. A bargain item is money wasted if you do not use it or wear it when you get it home.

Various sources

Beat 118 Service Costs

There 118 prefix is used by directory enquiry services. While these can be useful, be aware that some people are getting big phone bills along with the phone number for their local Chinese takeaway. In 2014, service 118118 received a £80,000 fine from regulator Phonepay Plus for not fully informing customers of the cost of its service.

But no directory enquiry numbers are cheap - especially from your mobile phone. Charges can be up to £5 per minute - and on top of that, connection charges can cost up to another £5. So try the following instead.

• Google it - search online quickly for free or minimal cost (using some of your smartphone's data allowance).
• Use the free 0800buster free directory enquiries service 0800 118 3733 - calls are converted to local call rates, which will be covered under your contract's minutes. NB. It's automated so you'll have to listen to ads.
• Select your mobile provider's own directory enquiry service.  2014 costs. Orange charges £1.29 in total to use its 118000 service (£2.25 initial call charge plus £2.25 per minute to call 118118 from an Orange phone). Vodafone charges 85p per minute to use its 118881 service (up to £3.75 per minute to dial other 118 numbers from a Vodafone phone). O2 charges £1 per minute for its 118042 service (£5 per minute to other 118 services from an O2 phone). Three charges £1 per minute for its 118333 service (up to £5 to call other 118 services from a Three phone).
• Do not ask to be connected. After receiving your number, hang up and dial yourself - or you'll be charged the premium rate for the rest of the call.

Feature in Good Housekeeping September 2014

Declutter Solutions

Make this the year you reclaim your space by following these decluttering tips.

• Turn challenging spaces into storage spots: the space under the stairs where nothing else fits, the weird corner where the radiator juts out.
• Share the tidying and cleaning jobs between everyone in the house.
• Having multiple washing baskets can be helpful in a busy household. Use one for 'white and light', one for colours and and one for darks.
• Multi-blouse/shirt and trouser/skirt hangers save up to 10cm of hanging space.
• Don't keep out-of-date medicines clogging up your available bathroom space.
• Storage and organisation geeks use the acronym SPACE. Sort out - what are the most important things you want to keep? Purge - throw away or donate everything you don't want or have not used in the last 18 months. Assign a home -when things have a place it's easy to declutter and organise the next time they are out of place. Containerise - choose storage boxes and containers that are transparent so you can see exactly what is inside. Enjoy - sit back, relax and enjoy your orderly space and  uncluttered mind.
• Have an organised 'occasional area' (e.g. understairs cupboard or garage) where you can keep items that you only use once or twice a year, such as dinner party ware or BBQ equipment.
• Don't buy storage before you declutter - wait till you know what your needs are.
• Don't leave a room untidy at the end of the day, or leave your bed unmade in the mornng. The messiness will only spread.
• Don't let a pile build up. Tackle it while it is small and get it done.
• Don't get distracted.If you come across an old photo album or pile of letters, put them to one side to leaf through when you have finished the task in hand.
• Keep a memory box for those things you know you want to keep but don't know where to put - but only put in things you will remember in 10 years time - don't overcrowd this box. Have one box for every member of the family.

Vanessa Holden, Anthea Turner, Suzanne Baker, Simon Glanville and Vicky Silverthorn in Good Housekeeping, February 2015

Facts about Strokes

A recent report by the Stroke Association has given a misleading impression about the rates of strokes (especially to those of working age) due to the report writers not having checked all recent statistics.

The published report only counted the number of people turning up at hospital with a stroke, which is indeed rising. But this is happening because we are getting better at spotting strokes, not because more people are having strokes. Ten years ago, you might have put your father's face going droopy as having a 'funny turn' whereas today many more people recognise it as a stroke. More people are also being admitted with 'mini strokes'. Treatment has also changed from the advice to take an aspirin and some bed rest, to more appropriate medication.

The UK's two major stroke registers (in London and Oxford) have been showing a drop in strokes. Yes, we are as a nation getting fatter and more sedentary, but we are also smoking less, eating less salt, and taking blood pressure and cholesterol lowering pills.

Think F.A.S.T. and Act F.A.S.T. If you see any of these signs, call 999.

• Face: Ask the person to smile. Does the face look uneven?
• Arms: Ask them to raise both arms. Does one arm drift down?
• Speech: Does their speech sound strange? Ask them to repeat a phrase.
• Telephone: Brain cells die every second. Call 999

Strokes are caused by a sudden lack of oxygen to the brain. They are a serious and potentially life-threatening condition, and frequently cause paralysis, slurred speech and confusion.

Dr Stuart Farrimond, Wiltshire Times 29 May 2015

Driving & Cycling in Winter

Many motorists feel nervous about driving in snow and icy conditions. Here's what you need to know.

• Check your vehicle is safe - many garages offer a free or inexpensive Winter check that covers the battery, lights, fluids and tyres.
• The legal minimum tyre tread is 1.6mm but for optimum safety consider a replacement if the depth is below 3mm. 
• Winter tyres improve safety in all types of hazardous weather - snow, ice and rain. However it does mean paying for a spare set of tyres and you'll need to find storage  for your regular tyres.
• Snow socks and snow chains should only be used on snowy or icy roads and removed once you are on a cleared road. Snow chains in particular can be cumbersome to fit and remove. (Halfords.com has a useful tool - you input your car reg and it displays the suitable chains/socks and prices.)
• Always drive smoothly over ice and avoid sudden braking and accleration. 
• Stick to main roads that are likely to have been cleared and gritted.
• Join a breakdown service and always keep an emergency kit in the car - including a coat, boots, a high-visibility jacket, food and water, a de-icer and scraper, a torch, a spade and a charged mobile phone with your breakdown provider's details.

Cyclists need to take care too. (Some of the motoring tips also apply to cyclists - checking your bike, going smoothly, sticking to bigger roads.)

• Brainy Bike Lights (brainybikelights.com) - attach to the front and rear of your bike. An illuminated bike symbol alerts drivers to your two-wheeled status. Research suggests that seeing the bike symbol helps drivers' brains to quickly recognise a cyclist. A great alternative to standard bike lights. Battery operated.

Feature in Good Housekeeping November 2014

Best Diet Advice Tips

 Here are some simple tips to help you move to healthy eating habits.

• Stick to the rule of three. When faced with a large choice - say at a buffet - opt for just 2 or 3 foods.
• Dim lighting and soft music leads diners to eat less (175 calories less) and enjoy their meal more. You eat more slowly in a relaxed environment so recognise when you are full.
• Recalling a previous meal or keeping a food diary could help reduce the amount you eat, especially if people rememebred their last meal as filling and satisfying. Being distracted while eating - e.g. while watching TV or reading - leads to overeating.
• Eat three fewer bites of your meal - that's one less biscuit, or one less glass of orange juice - can save around 100 calories a day or the 2 pounds weight most people put on in a year.
• Choose full-fat instead of fat-free dairy. Full-fat dairy satisfies hunger better and means fewer calories in the long run.
• Ditch fruit juices and smoothies as they can contain as much sugar as fizzy drinks. Juicing removes tge fibre - the filling part of the fruit that helps reduce its impact on blood sugar. Studies show consuming one or more daily servings of fruit juice raised the risk of type 2 diabetes by 21%. Eat whole fruit and opt for water, sugar-free drinks or tea instead.
• Start your meal with a 100 calorie salad, a broth-based soup or an apple; this reduces the amount you eat in the next course.
• Don't cut out treats entirely. 
• Out of sight, out of mouth. Hide the biscuit tin and put treats or trigger foods on the highest shelf to make it easier to resist temptation.
• A 20 minute walk before dinner reduces appetite and increases sensations of fullness as effectively as simply having a light meal.
• Whole grain foods prolong the digestion process, so sugar is released over a longer period of time. If you can't eat gluten, alternatives are brown rice, amaranth, buckwheat and quinoa.

Feature in Good Housekeeping October 2014

Immobilise: The National UK Property Register

Immobilise (https://www.immobilise.com/) is the world's largest FREE register of possession ownership details and together with its sister sites the Police's NMPR and CheckMEND, forms a very effective tool in helping to reduce crime and repatriate recovered personal property to its rightful owners.

Immobilise can be used by members of the public and businesses to register their valued possessions or company assets, and exclusive to Immobilise all account holders registered items and ownership details are viewable on the Police national property database the NMPR.

This online checking service is used thousands of times each day by UK Police forces to trace owners of lost and stolen property.

As a direct result of Immobilise there are hundreds of cases a week where property is returned or information collected that assists the Police in investigating criminal activity involving stolen goods.
Immobilise is also the only ownership registration service supported by all UK Police forces, the Greater London Authority, and the Mobile Phone Industry.

Details above from Immobilise website.


Original source was a feature on the Mobile Equipment National Database (for mobile phones) on the BBC News website 5 Nov. 2004 which noted: To register a mobile phone, you'll need the unique IMEI number (a 15-digit number which can be found by keying in  *#06#  into the phone.

Microsoft Support for Internet Explorer

In 2015 Microsoft announced it is ending support for its browser, Internet Explorer apart from the following versions:

• Windows 8.1 -- Internet Explorer 11
• Windows 7 SP1 -- Internet Explorer 11
• Windows Vista SP2 -- Internet Explorer 9

This is because Microsoft are working on a new browser (provisionally named  MS Edge) for Windows 10.

Nail Care

Nails protect our fintertips and toes, and deserve regular attention.

• Keep nails neatly trimmed.
• Nails can get soft due to being in water a lot, so consider wearing rubber gloves.
• Avoid excess exposure to strong chemicals.
• Try not to dig, poke at or lift nails.
• While filing nails, move file in one direction only, outwards from the middle.
• Ensure you have enough calcium, vitamin D, iodine, copper, zinc, and B vitamins, especially biotin, in your diet.
• Rubbing almond oil into the nails every day may help keep them strong.

Split nails: Brittle or split nails may occur in many diseases (including an under or over active thyroid gland) but are also just more common in later life. Solution: Rule out fungal infections. Avoid excessive uses of detergents and other harsh chemicals and moisturise regularly. Biotin or vitamin B7 supplements can help stregthen nails. Talk to your doctor if you have other symptoms.

White spots: These are common and usually a sign of disruption to the nail structure caused by minor trauma. They may be a symptom of low calcium, or anaemia, and chronic diseases such as diabetes. Constant use of nail polish can also leave white marks on the nail surface. Solution: Make sure you get enough calcium and iron in your diet. Moisturise nails regularly to keep them supple. Try changing to a milder nail-polish remover.

Vertical ridges: Thicker ridges running along the length of the nail out to the fingertip often develop as we get older. Solution: You can smooth out these ridges by filing them down with a double-sided polishing nail file.

Horizontal ridges: Ridges or indentations going across the nail from side to side are a sign that the formation of the new nail has been disrupted. This can be caused by injuries to the nail fold (under the skin just above the visible nail) and infections; also by skin diseases such as psoriasis, severe heart disease, malnutrition, low calcium intake and some drug treatments, especially chemotherapy. Solution: Check your general health and diet. By the time the ridges appear, any health threat may have passed. If ridges persist, see your GP.

Discoloured nails: The most common cause is chronic fungal infection. In people with diabetes, fungal infections increase the risk of bacterial infection, leading to foot ulcers and gangrene, so keep an eye on them. Other conditions that can discolour nails are: chronic bacterial infections elsewhere in the body, jaundice and some drug treatments. Solution: Keep feet clean and dry well after washing. Ask your pharmacist about antifungal treatments - you need to follow the instructions meticulously.

Spoon shaped nails: Nails which sink down in the centre (koilonychia) are linked to several diseases including iron-deficiency anaemia, Raynauds disease (where blood vessels to the extremities go into episodes of spasm), lupus (an autoimmune disease) and haeomatochromosis (an inherited disorder of iron storage). Solution: Talk to your GP, especially if you have other symptoms, including tiredness (which could indicate anaemia).

Pale nails: Can indicate the nail has come away from the nail bed below and will soon fall off. Can also be a sign of more serious disease (e.g. liver cirrhosis, heart disease, diabetes, overactive thyroid). Solution: If you have more than one damaged white nail, see your GP to rule out more serious problems.

Black nails: Usually the result of trauma with bleeding into the nail. Psoriasis can cause nails to turn red or brown, or pitted; a chronic bacterial infection can cause a greenish-black tinge; kidney failure can leave nails brown at the tips. Vertical dark stripes are a common normal variant in people with darker skin. Solution: A damaged black nail will fall off in time. Monitor dark patches in a nail: if they grow or affect the nail fold, they could be a pigmented cancer called a subungual melanoma.

Feature by Dr Tricia Mcnair in Lifespan magazine, Spring 2015 and various other sources.

Snippy

Snippy is a quick and free download (www.bhelpuri.net/Snippy/default.htm).

It allows you to quickly highlight part of a web page and copy it to the Windows clipboard. The screenshot can then be added to a document, email or presentation, or just saved as a graphic.

Phil Bradley column in CILIP Update Jan/Feb 2007

Eco Myths

Myth #1 It's better to leave heating on low all the time than set it to come on twice a day at higher temperatures.
Fact: Leaving the heating on constantly uses more energy than turning it on and off, but this does not mean that short, sharp bursts of heat at a high temperature are more efficient. Use a thermostat to regulate temperature and concentrate on heating the rooms you use most often.

Myth #2 It's better to keep the water heater on all the time than heat from cold.
Fact: A hot water tank only needs to heat up water as it is used. Heating water continuously is like constantly re-boiling a kettle in the run up to teatime - completely unnecesary when a quick flick of a switch a minute before you want a cuppa will suffice. Check your hot water doesn't automatically turn on with the heating (you may not have an option with some older systems). If you've got a combi boiler you don't need to worry as it only heats water as you use it.

Myth #3 There is not much point in turning the thermostat by only one degree.
Fact: Based on normal use, this simple and small change can reduce bills by 10% if you have your heating on for eight hours a day.

Myth #4 Once a gadget is fully charged, it stops drawing electricity.
Fact: A small amount of electricity is still drawn whenever the device is plugged in. Instead of charging overnight, juice up smartphones and tablets for a couple of hours during the day.

Myth #5 Energy saving lightbulbs are not as powerful as older ones.
Fact: Not true. LED lighting is greener and brighter than the original energy-savers. The amount of light produced in energy-efficient bulbs is measured in lumens, not watts - and they consume so much less power that comparisons are meaningless. The higher the number of lumens, the brighter the light. As a rough guide to brightness, add a zero to the wattage - so for 60 watts look for 600 lumens.

Myth #6 Leaving appliances on stnadby can't hurt much.
Fact: You could save up to £80 per year by switching items off standby. Since 2010, appliances cannot use more than 1 watt of energy when on standby, but older products can waste much more. Watch out for older audiovisual equipment such as flatscreen tvs and digiboxes, and wireless routers and modems. Switch off appliances connected to your tv (dvd player, games consoles and Freeview boxes) easily with an intelligent mains controller. It's like a remote control that allows you to point, click and turn off devices from your sofa.

Myth #7 Electricity and gas cost the same.
Fact: Although electrical heating is more efficient (i.e. we need less), a modern gas central heating system with a condensing boiler is generally the cheapest form of heating.

Myth #8 Computer screensavers save energy.
Fact: Basic screensavers don't use much energy, but all-singing, all-dancing ones use a fair bit of energy to power the moving design. Better to swtich off your computer if leaving it for any length of time.


Feature in Good Housekeeping, February 2015

Believe You Are Gorgeous

Unflattering photos that make us look old or overweight can steal our self-esteem, especially when they are all over social media. Here are some psychological tips to change the way they make us feel.

• Stop seeing yourself - and other women - purely in terms of shape and size. Instead of greating female friends with 'You look great, have you lost weight?' try 'It's great to see you, you look really happy'.
• Start treating your body with respect and value it for the amazing piece of machinery that it is. Focus on diet and exercise as a way of maintaining your health and youthful energy.
• Limit your demands for reassurance - confidence comes when we stop looking to other people for affirmation and accept that we, and our bodies, are good enough.

Good Housekeeping, February 2015

Antibiotics - When to say No

Antibiotics are very useful when needed. But now bacteria are becoming resistant and there are almost no new antibiotics being developed. Without them, operations will no longer be routine, success rates for leukaemia and other cancer treatments would plummet and an infected scratch or chest infection could be fatal. Even more worryingly, if bacteria run out of resistance weapons, they steal from or do swaps with other bacteria. This means that if you visit a country with a high level of resistant bacteria (Greece is a good example) even exposure to a few on food or surfaces will increase the chance of swaps going on with your own bacterial populations.

Several factors contribute to resistance build-up. The routine use of antobiotics on farm animals, antibacterial products at home, multiple courses of antibiotics, not taking a full course, and the way we use them too often - especially for trivial conditions.

We associate getting better with antibiotics, even though we would have got better without them. We no longer accept that it is normal for a sore throat to last for a few days - and be very sore sometimes.

If you are elderly or vulnerable in other ways, have a condition like COPD or cardivascular disease, or are pregnant or immune suppressed, antibiotics are very important. But for the conditions lissted below, visit your pharmacist, stay at home for a few days and take simple measures like painkillers. Avoid getting an infection in the first place by washing hands often with ordinary soap and water, and protect others by using tissues if you have a cold and disposing of them properly.

Colds: Usual length: 4 days. What's normal? Feel unwell, have a bit of a temperature, green or yellow mucus. Adults can expect 2 to 4 colds a year (6 to 8 for children). Antiobiotics: Never needed. Why: Caused by viruses not bacteria, colds resolve without them. Treatment: paracetamol and other over-the-counter remedies. Tip: Don't blow you nose too hard as it blasts bacteria filled pus into your sinuses.

Sinusitis: Usual length: Up to 18 days. What's normal? Horrible blocked-up feeling, pain, bit of a temperatre, headache. Antiobiotics: rarely needed, but consider them if you have recurrent bouts of smelly nasal discharge. Why: 80% of cases resolve in 14 days without them. For every 15 people treated with them, only one has a slight benefit a week later. Treatment: painkillers and steam inhalation.

Acute sore throat: Usual length: Up to 7 days. What's normal? Scratchy pain. Antiobiotics: No, unless you have 3 out of four symptoms - raised glands, pus at the back of the throat, fever, no cough. Why: 90% of sore throats resolve within a week withoutt them. If 4,000 people were treated with them, it would prevent only one case of quinsy (abscess on the tonsils). Treatment: Warm drinks are soothing, take paracetamol and suck sweets. Tip: If you have a cough, it's almost certainly not a bacterial infection, so you won't need antibiotics.

Middle ear infection: Usual length: Up to 3 days - 60% of cases resolve in 24 hours without antibiotics. What's normal? Throbbing pain. Antiobiotics: Not usually needed, except in under-twos with both ears affected. Or at any age isyou have an ear discharge. definitely yes if you have hgih fever and vomiting. Why: For every 15 people given antibiotics, only two have reduced pain and they do not prevent deafness. Treatment: X. Painkilles and distraction (try watching your favourite feel-good film).

Urinary tract infection: Usual length: a few days. What's normal? Burning sensation and needing to pee often. Antiobiotics: No, if mild and you have clear urine with no more than two of the following symptoms- burning when peeing, frequency, smelly pee. Yes, if severe, symptoms last more than seven days, urine is cloudy, or if you have side or back pain and high fever. Why: 50% of UTIs with a bacterial cause will resolve in 3 days. Serious complications are rare. Antibiotics use may disturb natural gut / vaginal flora. Treatment: Hot water bottle and lots of fluids. Drink cranberry juice (it stops bacteria sticking to the bladder wall). if it recurs, take avoidance measures: pee after sex, drink more water, avoid soap and bubble bath.

Vivienne Parry in Good Housekeeping, February 2015

Domain Name Availability

A useful resource to see if a domain name is available for registration, which includes European country versions as well, is 123 Domain Names http://123domainnames.co.uk/

Phil Bradley column in CILIP Update Jan/Feb 2007

Evening Primrose

The seeds of the evening primrose (a US wildflower that looks like a giant buttercup) are especially rich in the essential fatty acid gamma-linolenic acid (GLA).

This has long been thought to help people with eczema who have trouble converting fats from foods into GLA. In 2014, a pilot study of people with eczema backed up this theory.

Between 500 and 1,000 mg daily is thought best for preventative health.

April 2015

25 Life Hacks

Life Hacks are just simple ways to save you time, hassle and money.

1. Rub the inside edges of new shoes with Vaseline - it stops them rubbing and prevents blisters.
2. Use the sticky part of a Post-It note to clean between the keys of your keyboard.
3. Cut the ends off flowers and dip into boiling water to make them last longer.
4. Use an empty plastic bottle to separate eggs. Crack the egg into a bowl, put an upside down empty plastic bottle over the yolk and watch it get sucked up inside.
5. A spritz of hairspray removes ink and permenent marker from hard surfaces.
6. Use toothpaste to clean hazy car headlights. It works on swimming goggles too.
7. No eggtimer? Get Google to do the job by typing 'set timer (XX) minutes/seconds' in the search bar.
8. Hang a tennis ball on a piece of string from the ceiling of your garage at the exact point you can drive without bumping into the wall.
9. Stretch a rubber band from top to bottom around an open paint tin to wipe your brush on and keep paint off the side of the tin.
10. Remove chewing gum from an item of clothing by putting it into the freezer for an hour, then pick off the gum.
11. Iron shirts from the inside to make pressing the button area easier.
12. Stack your folded clothes vertically in a drawer so you can see them all.
13. Fill a water bottle a quarter full and freeze on its side. Then fill with water and have it ice cold on the go.
14. Know the 9 times table trick? Hold out both hands, put down the digit you want to multiply 9 by, and count the total number of thumbs/fingers still up. For example, hold down 5th finger of left hand and there are 4 digits to the left and 5 to the right, so the answer is 45. (9x5 = 45).
15. To remove a cherry stone, use a straw to push it out.
16. A small dish of bicarbonate of soda in a wardrobe will absorb extra moisture and keep clothing fresh and dry.
17. If you want to conserve a phone battery, turn the screen brightness down, close any apps running in the background that you don't need, and turn off 3G/4G as these all sap power.
18. Kill weeds in paving by pouring boiling water on them.
19. Fill a bowl with water, pop in half a lemon and microwave for two to three minutes. The steam will loosen any dried food particles for easy microwave cleaning and the lemon makes the oven smell really fresh.
20. Use a clothes peg to hold a nail in place while hammering.
21. Use a strand of spaghetti as a taper for candles and avoid burned fingers.
22. Tangled jewellery? Keep thin chains knot-free by threading them through drinking straws, then fastening.
23. Use a slice of white bread to remove grimy marks from non-washable wallpaper.
24. To keep CDs from skipping, clean with car wax, dry and buff outwards from the centre.
25. Freeze grapes to chill white wine without watering it down.

Feature in Good Housekeeping September 2014