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Busy Philipps has shared that her daughter Birdie no longer uses they/them pronouns. The Mean Girls actor, 44, recently revealed that her 15-year-old daughter is once again using she/her pronouns. Speaking to Page Six at the 2023 American Museum of Natural History Gala on 30 November, Philipps said: “The truth is Birdie has decided that her pronouns are she/her.” Back in 2021, the Freaks and Geeks alum shared that her then 12-year-old child is gay and uses they/them pronouns. In an episode of her podcast, Busy Philipps Is Doing Her Best, the actor explained that Birdie first spoke about her sexuality when she was 10 years old. “For those of you who are my friends listening at home, this is the first you’re hearing that Birdie is gay and out,” Philipps said at the time. “Birdie told us at 10 years old and we immediately... I mean obviously, I knew that Birdie knew.” During the podcast, the White Chicks star admitted she had avoided publicly discussing the topic to protect Birdie’s privacy. While Birdie gave her mother permission to speak openly about her identity, Philipps acknowledged that she still struggles when it comes to using her daughter’s correct pronouns. “I said: ‘You know, Bird, I’ve been doing a bad job with the pronouns,’” Philipps recalled. “Because Birdie said that they would like their pronouns to be they/them, and I haven’t been doing it, and I said because I have this public persona and I want Birdie to be in control of their own narrative and not have to answer to anybody outside of our friends and family if they don’t want to. “Bird was like: ‘I don’t give a f***. You can talk about how I’m gay and out, you can talk about my pronouns. That would be cool with me,’” she recalled her daughter saying, before admitting about herself: “I f*** up sometimes, but I’m trying my best at that, too.” In addition to daughter Birdie Leigh, Philipps shares 10-year-old daughter Cricket Pearl with ex-husband Marc Silverstein. In May 2022, the Cougar Town star revealed that she and Silverstein have been separated since February 2021 but contemplated how they’d publicly share their decision to divorce with the rest of the world. “It’s been a really long time that Marc and I have been separated,” she explained on her podcast. “Our kids know, our families know, our friends know, and we really discussed how we handle it publicly.” She continued: “The truth is there’s a conventional idea of what a person in the public eye is supposed to do when their relationship ends. It’s been very well established, right? You make a statement, you’re committed to remaining friends, ‘please respect our privacy and our family’s privacy in this time.’ But the truth is, who made that rule up?” Philipps said the thought of releasing a statement about their separation made both her and Silverstein feel “truly ill”. She added that “you can only do what’s right for you and your family, whether or not you have a public-facing life” and “you don’t have to follow a conventional idea just because it’s been done before”. The former couple ultimately decided the best way to “ensure the privacy” of their children was by not involving the public when they first separated. “We’re not fully processed, Marc and I. But we are in a place where we’ve had many conversations, and therapy talks and all of these things where we decided that it felt like it’s an okay time for me to at least say it on this podcast,” Philipps added. “We love each other very much. We have these beautiful kids together and there are a lot of things that really work about our relationship.” Philipps and Silverstein were married in 2007. She previously revealed in her memoir, This Will Only Hurt a Little, that she had asked her husband for a divorce in 2016. In an interview with Parents, Philipps cited Silverstein’s lack of involvement in parenting their two children as the reason why they almost split. Read More Rita Moreno says she combats loneliness by making friends at grocery store Strictly’s Amy Dowden shares health update after being rushed to hospital Sam Thompson admits fears about ADHD and parenthood on I’m a Celeb Rita Moreno says she combats loneliness by making friends at grocery store Strictly’s Amy Dowden shares health update after being rushed to hospital Sam Thompson admits fears about ADHD and parenthood on I’m a Celeb

Strictly Come Dancing’s Amy Dowden has revealed that she was rushed to hospital on Monday, where she learnt that a blood clot had been found on her lung. The professional dancer, 33, who first joined the cast of Strictly in 2017, announced that she could no longer compete in the BBC show earlier this year after she was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer and started receiving chemotherapy treatment. Dowden has been sharing health updates with her fans on social media throughout her treatment and shared the happy news last month that she had completed all eight rounds of chemotherapy. However, in a new update, Dowden told her fans on Thursday (30 November) that she has had a “nightmare week” after she was unexpectedly rushed to hospital. “It seems to be never-ending,” she said in a video shared on Instagram. “I was rushed into hospital on Monday and it came to our knowledge on Tuesday that I’ve got another blood clot on my lung and they were really worried that the clot was travelling to my heart or affecting my heart… luckily enough it’s not,” she said. “This was shock and it just means now… I’m really gutted… I was on blood thinners anyway for the blood clots in my arm…. I’ve still got a blood clot on my lung and obviously, it’s quite close to my heart – there’s a risk. Dowden said she is receiving regular blood thinning rejections for the “foreseeable” and will have another scan in a few weeks. The Welsh choreographer added that she felt frustrated from experiencing another setback, just weeks after she told her fans that she had fractured her foot and would not longer be able to appear in remaining episodes of Strictly. While she was not competing, she had been heavily involved in the latest series wherever she could. Dowden said that she had been working hard to get her “life back” post-chemotherapy and had planned a busy week with voiceover work. “You just get into your head when you finish chemo that that’s it. But you learn… it really isn’t. This chemo is still in my body. It’s three weeks today since I finished chemo. “I’m home now after a few nights in hospital and I’ve for the [Christmas] tree up so at least it’s cosy.” She admitted that she’d had a “rubbish rubbish week” after her hospital scare and was also concerned about the lack of growth of her hair post-chemotherapy. “I’m really frustrated because I thought my hair was coming back way quicker. Looking at photos from a couple of weeks ago, I look like I had more hair than I do now,” she said. “I have to wait until this chemo comes out of my system. But I just sem to be losing… they’re microbladed… but my eyebrows and eyelashes are just going. That’s what’s frustrated [me] and is getting me down.” “I’m gonna rest up because I want to get back to Amy and get back to doing what I love.” Despite not being able to be involved competitively in Strictly, Dowden has delighted fans when she’s made several surprise appearances throughout the current series. In October, Dowden arrived on the show in a sparkly gown to read out the terms and conditions for voting. Dowden later revealed that she decided to “brave the bald” just moments before appearing in front of the cameras, with the professional dancer crediting her Strictly cast members for giving her the “courage” to ditch her wig. Dowden was diagnosed with breast cancer in May, and underwent a mastectomy in July. The professional dancer was later told she would have to begin a course of chemo after doctors discovered the cancer had spread. In a new interview, Dowden shared that watching Strictly was “a great help” while she was undergoing treatment, adding the BBC team has also “gone above and beyond” to include her this season. “I’m my fellow professionals’ biggest cheerleader. I know people are like, ‘Yeah, yeah...’ but we’re the best of friends,” she told Women’s Health magazine. Dowden also said that her castmates – including Dianne Buswell, Carlos Gu, and Katya Jones – “check in on me” every day, while the production team has aimed to involve her in each week. Strictly Come Dancing continues Saturday 2 December at 18.40pm on BBC One. Read More Sam Thompson admits fears about ADHD and parenthood on I’m a Celeb Paris Hilton says using surrogacy was a ‘difficult decision to make’ Megan Fox says she’s raising her sons so they are ‘not like men that I’ve been with’ Sam Thompson admits fears about ADHD and parenthood on I’m a Celeb Paris Hilton says using surrogacy was a ‘difficult decision to make’ Megan Fox says she’s raising her sons so they are ‘not like men that I’ve been with’

Sam Thompson has candidly opened up to his fellow I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! campmates about his ADHD diagnosis and his worries for the future. The Made in Chelsea star has settled into life in camp and won over his fellow contestants and viewers with his positivity and constantly high energy levels – so much so, in fact, that he was voted as the current camp leader. During Thursday (30 November) night’s episode, Sam sat down with Marvin Humes and Josie Gibson at the creek and spoke about being diagnosed with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) last year. Earlier this year, the 31-year-old presented a Channel 4 documentary titled Sam Thompson: Is This ADHD? about his quest for a diagnosis. Marvin mentioned that Sam had alluded to having ADHD a couple of times in the camp, asking him: “How old were you when you were diagnosed with it?” “Last year, mate,” Sam said. “There’s loads of people who are actually of a certain age who get diagnosed way later. When the low bits happen it goes low. But then the highs are really high.” Sam said that his girlfriend, Love Island star and recent Strictly Come Dancing contestant Zara McDermott, was a huge stabilising force in his life. “My girlfriend Zara is so steady and it’s so good for me. When she’s going steady I’m going like that,” he explained, miming a wavy line. “My time-keeping is terrible. I get quite selfish, not just with her, with everyone – my mates or whatever. My listening to Zara… I’m just finding myself staring off at something completely different. You sort of feel like you’re a bit of a k*** sometimes.” “But you would not be Sam without it,” Josie said, with Marvin adding: “I would just always say you’ve got loads of energy. Your energy is crazy bro, and it’s what makes you great.” Sam said that it was “weird no one spotted it beforehand at school”. He continued: “But if you look at all of my report cards, every single one says the same, it says: ‘Likeable enough guy, but lacks focus.’ It’s staring at you in the face. “If I’d known as a kid, not much would have changed, but how you feel about yourself probably changes. I remember crying into my textbook because I couldn’t understand the words going into my head. You want to do good. You don’t want to be mischievous or anything like that.” Speaking in the Bush Telegraph, Sam said: “I’m not ashamed of having ADHD in any way. But I know that I would have felt better about myself at school if I’d been diagnosed with it at a younger age. I really was just like, ‘I just suck at everything.’” Back with Marvin and Josie, Sam said that he hoped to have kids in the future, meaning that “we’ve got to get a handle on it” as “you’ve got to look after a child.” Marvin told Sam he would be “the most incredible dad”, insisting: “Trust me, all my kids care about is giving them attention, being with them in the moment, loving them, cuddling them. They just want to have all of you and to be as fun as possible and feel loved.” He added: “I can’t imagine doing this without you being here and you being as much fun as what we’ve had.” ADHD is a behavioural disorder that can make it difficult for those affected to concentrate. While most cases of the condition are diagnosed between the ages of six and 12 years old, differing symptom levels often mean some adults aren’t diagnosed until later in life. According to charity ADHD Action, approximately 1.5m adults in the UK have the condition, but only 120,000 are formally diagnosed. I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! airs Sunday to Friday at 9pm and Saturday at 9.30pm on ITV. Read More I’m a Celebrity live: Sam opens up about ADHD diagnosis as Josie quits trial I’m a Celebrity: All of the contestants who have quit the jungle early Grace Dent speaks out for first time after early exit from I’m a Celebrity… Ant and Dec issue Jamie Lynn Spears health update after sudden I’m a Celeb exit Jamie Lynn Spears quits I’m A Celeb ‘on medical grounds’ Nella Rose and Nigel Farage argue about cultural appropriation on I’m a Celeb

Megan Fox has opened up about some of the values that she wants to instil in her three sons. The 37-year-old actor spoke candidly about her parenting habits and hopes during an interview with Women’s Wear Daily (WWD), published on 29 November. During her 10 years of marriage with now ex-husband Brian Austin Green, Fox welcomed three sons: Noah, 11, Bodhi, nine, and Journey, seven. Speaking to WWD, she acknowledged that there will come a day when her children read her latest collection of poems, Pretty Boys Are Poisonous, in which she reflects on some of the difficult experiences she’s had throughout her previous relationships. However, according to Fox, most of what she’s written in her book are lessons that she’s tried to teach her sons. She then acknowledged that she doesn’t want her sons to be similar to the men she’s dated, before describing some of the qualities she hopes they have as they grow up. “I think because I have sons, it’s very important to me to raise boys who are not like these men that I’ve been with,” she said. “It’s very important for me to raise boys who are able to have a very deep emotional intimacy with their partner.” The Jennifer’s Body star also described the attitudes that she doesn’t want her children to have. “It’s very important to me that they are not liars, that they are able to be fully transparent and honest and respectful and experienced at some point in their life,” she added. Fox – who’s engaged to Machine Gun Kelly – then reiterated how important it is to her that her sons are respectful towards women when they develop their own relationships. She also emphasised that the way she raises her sons will impact how they treat women. “I don’t expect them when they’re 16 to have a sacred love, but I do expect them at some point to get to that place, because I am their first introduction into women and the way that I love them is going to influence the way they are allowed to love others when they go out into a relationship,” she explained. Fox concluded by detailing what she wants her children to gain from how she communicates with them, adding: “And so I hope that just through my transparency in the way that I engage with them, in the way that I am demonstrative and affectionate with them, that allows them to love in a really healthy way.” This isn’t the first time that Fox has opened up about her family. Earlier this year, she hit back at criticism about letting her son wear a dress when she fiercely rebuked a claim made by Republican politician Robby Starbuck, who alleged that she had “forced” her sons to “wear girls clothes” while playing in a park. “Hey @robbystarbuck I really don’t want to give you this attention because clearly you’re a clout chaser. But let me teach you something…” she wrote on Instagram in June. “Irregardless [sic] of how desperate you may have become at any given time to acquire wealth, power, success or fame – never use children as leverage or social currency. Especially under malevolent and erroneous pretense.” The mother-of-three continued: “Exploiting my child’s gender identity to gain attention in your political campaign has put you on the wrong side of the universe.” “I have been burned at the stake by insecure, narcissistic, impotent little men like you many times and yet I’m still here. You f***ed with the wrong witch.” Elsewhere in the WWD interview, Fox also revealed that she had an ectopic pregnancy, years before she experienced a miscarriage while pregnant with her fiancé Machine Gun Kelly’s baby. “[The miscarriage] was so much harder than I would’ve anticipated it being, and I’ve really analysed ‘Why was that? Why was that so difficult for me?’” Fox said. “Because when I was younger, I had an ectopic pregnancy, I’ve had other things that I’m not going to say because God forbid the world will be in an uproar.” “But I’ve been through other similar issues, but not with someone who I was so in love with,” she added, referring to Kelly, whose real name is Colson Baker. The Transformers star went on to describe the pain she felt due to the miscarriage, years after having an ectopic pregnancy. She also acknowledged how those feelings ultimately encouraged her poems. “And so that love element really made this miscarriage really tragic for me and left me with a lot of grief and a lot of suffering. So I put it into a lot of writing,” she said. Read More Megan Fox reveals she had an ectopic pregnancy years before experiencing miscarriage Keke Palmer opens up about ‘abusive relationships’ after Darius Jackson breakup Rosalynn Carter remembered for her mental health advocacy at poignant tribute service Keke Palmer opens up about ‘abusive relationships’ after Darius Jackson breakup Rosalynn Carter remembered for her mental health advocacy at poignant tribute service Paris Hiltons says ‘mama bear instincts’ came out after comments about son’s head

Keke Palmer has revealed what she’s learned about unhealthy relationships following her breakup from ex-boyfriend Darius Jackson. The Nope star, 30, recently admitted she had a “rude awakening” after witnessing firsthand the effects of toxic relationships in a new episode of her podcast, Baby, This Is Keke Palmer. In the podcast episode, titled: “How to Deal with Abusive Relationships, Boundaries, and Narcissism”, Palmer sat down with guest Dr Drew Pinsky for a wide-ranging conversation about narcissistic personality disorder and setting boundaries. The Nickelodeon alum began by praising her mother and father, Sharon and Larry Palmer, for providing an example of healthy relationships while she was growing up. However, the actor soon learned that not all partnerships are the same. “I’ve been really naive because my dad is great and my uncles are great, so misogyny came at me hard and quick,” Palmer said. “I grew up in a house where my mom would say: ‘This is what it needs to be.’ And Larry would be like: ‘Okay, Sharon. Go on ahead, Sharon.’” “When I entered outside of my household and I saw that everybody doesn’t really respect their wives or even women in the way that my dad respects my mom, it was a pretty rude awakening,” she continued. Earlier this month, Palmer was granted temporary sole custody of her eight-month-old son - Leodis “Leo” Andrellton - after accusing Jackson of domestic abuse. The Hustlers star alleged in a court filing on 9 November that her ex-boyfriend and father of her son exhibited violent behaviour towards her, at times in front of their child, as she detailed several instances of alleged abuse. Speaking to Pinsky, Palmer echoed a similar sentiment that many people ask themselves after ending an unhealthy relationship. “I think a lot of people have this question and the question is: ‘Am I the bad one?’” she asked. “We’re all in different dynamics with friends, family, lovers, and you find yourself saying: ‘Well, damn it. Am I playing a game on myself, and I’m actually the person that’s doing wrong?’” Palmer wondered. “How does someone know if they’re - and look, it takes two to tango, right? - but how does someone know when they did the wrong thing and they’re really the issue? How do you know when you’re the issue?” However, the TV personality assured Palmer that those who engage in self-reflection on the heels of a bad breakup are usually not the person who’s in the wrong. “Keke, the person who is re-evaluating themselves, trying to do what’s right, contemplating they could be doing what’s wrong, that is rarely the person who’s doing wrong,” he replied. In court documents filed in California Superior Court, Palmer claimed that several incidents of Jackson’s alleged abuse included “striking and grabbing me around the neck, descriptions of Darius destroying my personal property”. She also alleged that Jackson, who she split from earlier this year, “hit” her and spewed “profanities about” her in front of their son. The “Serious” singer stated that the most recent incident took place on 5 November, when Jackson allegedly “trespassed” into Palmer’s home “without my knowledge or consent, threatened me, then physically attacked me - lunging for my neck, striking me, throwing me over the couch, and stealing my phone when I told him I was going to call the police”. After news of Palmer’s legal action broke, Jackson posted a photo with their son on X, formerly known as Twitter, with the caption: “I love you, son. See you soon.” Following the court filing, a Los Angeles County judge declared that Jackson must stay 100 yards away from his ex and son. A hearing is scheduled for 5 December to determine further action about the temporary restraining order. While Palmer has yet to directly address the legal battle, she did reveal that she’s decided to choose happiness at this moment in her life. “And at that point, it was just like, I choose happiness and I choose joy, and I don’t choose to go back there,” she said. “And like you said, as time goes on, I’m like, I’m good. Whatever that was, I’m good.” The national domestic abuse helpline offers support for women on 0808 2000 247, or you can visit the Refuge website. There is a dedicated men’s advice line on 0808 8010 327. Those in the US can call the domestic violence hotline on 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) Other international helplines can be found via www.befrienders.org. Read More Rosalynn Carter remembered for her mental health advocacy at poignant tribute service Paris Hiltons says ‘mama bear instincts’ came out after comments about son’s head Smelling a mince pie could kill me, says woman allergic to Christmas Rosalynn Carter remembered for her mental health advocacy at poignant tribute service Paris Hiltons says ‘mama bear instincts’ came out after comments about son’s head Smelling a mince pie could kill me, says woman allergic to Christmas

Paris Hilton has revealed why she didn’t hesitate to defend her 10-month-old son, Phoenix, from comments about his appearance. The 42-year-old actor spoke candidly about her tactics as a mother – days after announcing the surprise birth of her second baby, London, with husband Carter Reum – during a recent interview with People. Her comments come weeks after she first hit back at fan remarks and speculation about the size of Phoenix’s head. During her interview with People, published on 28 November, Hilton said that her “mama bear instincts” came out when she first addressed commentary about her son. She continued to explain why she defended her son, before noting that she was surprised by the criticism surrounding his appearance. “Usually, I wouldn’t even dignify anything like that with a response, but I was just heartbroken that there are such cruel people in the world,” Hilton explained. “I couldn’t believe that they could be mean and vicious about a little innocent baby.” She then sent a message to critics, stating that she “feels sorry” for anyone who would bully a child online. "They’re that miserable in their lives that they would go and speak about a child in such a way,” she said. The Paris In Love star also expressed her gratitude to people on social media who defended her son amid the commentary about his appearance. "It makes me feel so grateful knowing that there’s so many people in the world that love and support me,” she said. “Sticking up for me meant the world to me, and to have people looking out for Phoenix in that way, it meant a lot.” She continued to describe how moved she was by “messages from people saying how much they love Phoenix and how beautiful he is”. She also praised the fans who encouraged her to avoid listening “to trolls”. “That just meant a lot to me, to see how much love there is for me and my son,” Hilton continued. “So anyone reading this, thank you so much. I really, really appreciate everyone looking out for us.” In October, Hilton first hit back at the criticism on TikTok, after her Instagram photos of her son’s first trip to New York City went viral. In the comments of a TikTok video, which defended Hilton and her son, she wrote: “There are some sick people in this world. My angel is perfectly healthy.” The mogul added: “And yes, of course he has been to a doctor, he just has a large brain.” Last week, Hilton took to Instagram on Thanksgiving Day to announce the arrival of her second child with Reum: a baby girl. She revealed the news by posting a photo of a pink pyjama set with the name “London” inscribed on the Peter Pan collared top. “Thankful for my baby girl,” the DJ captioned the post. She also placed a pair of hot pink heart-shaped sunglasses and a brown, knitted toy bunny alongside the pyjama set. During an interview on Today, which aired on 27 November, Hilton spoke candidly about becoming a parent of two with her husband. “She is just a little angel and my life just feels so complete with my little baby boy and my baby girl,” Hilton said. “We’re just over the moon.” When asked how her journey to motherhood compares to previous chapters of her life, the reality TV star candidly admitted: “I’m loving my mom era. I feel just so at peace, so happy, so grateful for my husband and this beautiful family and life that we’re building together.” Read More Paris Hilton opens up about welcoming ‘angel’ baby London: ‘I’m loving my mom era’ Paris Hilton announces surprise birth and name of second child Paris Hilton’s husband reveals why she wanted to keep their son’s birth secret Paris Hilton makes grand entrance into F1 party but ‘no one’ is there to watch Rosalynn Carter remembered for her mental health advocacy at poignant tribute service Smelling a mince pie could kill me, says woman allergic to Christmas

Paris Hilton has shared new details about welcoming her second child with husband Carter Reum: daughter London. The 42-year-old DJ joined Today co-hosts Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager on 27 November, where she discussed becoming a mother of two to 10 month-old son Phoenix Barron and her newborn daughter, London. “She is just a little angel and my life just feels so complete with my little baby boy and my baby girl,” Hilton said. “We’re just over the moon.” When asked how her journey to motherhood compares to previous chapters of her life, the reality TV star candidly admitted: “I’m loving my mom era.” “I feel just so at peace, so happy, so grateful for my husband and this beautiful family and life that we’re building together,” Hilton added. “I couldn’t imagine anything else. I’m just over the moon with everything.” The socialite shared how her 10-month-old son has adjusted to becoming a big brother. While Bush Hager noted that Hilton’s children “are so close in age”, the Simple Life alum maintained that Phoenix understands there’s a new baby in the family. “I’m like: ‘This is your baby sister, London,’” she explained. “He’s just so gentle and sweet, and he’ll put his hand out and rub her arm or face.” Hilton - who has previously been open about the alleged abuse she experienced as a teen at the Provo Canyon School in Utah - went on to reveal how the lessons she’s learned throughout the years will impact how she raises her children. “Now being a mom and how protective you are, I’m just always thinking about one day when my kids are teenagers - how that’s a scary thing,” she said. Hilton added that she’s “always going to be there” for her children and will teach them how to deal with unwanted feelings. “Just not holding on to shame, that shouldn’t be on you. It should be on the people who hurt you,” the Paris: The Memoir author said. “The number one rule in our house is just to have kind human beings, so that’s who we’re raising them to be.” Hilton and Reum - who have been married since November 2021 - surprised the world last week when they announced the arrival of their second child together via surrogate. For the big announcement, the model posted a photo of a pink pajama set with the name “London” inscribed on the collared top. “Thankful for my baby girl,” she captioned the post. Much like the birth of her son Phoenix, Hilton waited until her baby girl was born to share her arrival with not only the world, but also her family. “The only people who knew were obviously Carter, my mom, and my sister. But my parents didn’t know when it was happening, they just knew that it was going to happen,” Hilton said on Today. “It was the best Thanksgiving surprise ever for everybody.” When Phoenix was born in January this year, the TV personality didn’t inform her family their surrogate gave birth until one week later. “Not even my mom, my sister, my best friend knew until he was over a week old,” Hilton explained on her iHeartRadio podcast, This Is Paris. “It was really nice to have that with Carter, be our own journey together. I just feel like my life has been so public, and I’ve never really had anything be just mine.” In a preview clip for her Peacock reality TV series, Paris in Love, Hilton’s venture capitalist husband shared his thoughts on keeping the birth of their first baby a secret. “I don’t think it ever hit me we weren’t going to tell anyone, that was really Paris,” Reum said in the teaser. “My initial inclination was to tell my family and get everyone excited, hers was to hold the secret.” However, her husband admitted that he understood why Hilton was apprehensive about sharing Phoenix’s expected delivery date. “But she’s had to go through life having to protect herself, so I was gonna do everything I could to be a good teammate,” Reum added.

A woman so allergic to the scent of Christmas that even “smelling a mince pie could kill [her]” almost died after a festive trip to a garden centre sparked an asthma attack. Anne Murray, 61, an engineer who lives alone in Lanark, Scotland, was diagnosed with severe asthma as a baby and has been allergic to traditional festive staples such as citrus and cinnamon since she was a child. According to the NHS, severe asthma means the condition is uncontrolled even when sufferers are taking their medication. When they are exposed to an allergen that irritates the airways, it can trigger asthma symptoms. Murray realised the seriousness of her condition at the age of 11 when her mother, Mary, collapsed and died from an asthma attack at the age of 34. Seven years later, Murray’s childhood best friend, Julia, also died from an asthma attack. Both deaths made her “live life to the full” and she has since done a bungee jump and travelled the globe. Murray had a near-death experience herself in November 2016 when she smelt “pine cones impregnated with citrus” in a garden centre. “I had difficulty breathing,” she recalled. “I grabbed my inhaler and ran quickly out of the garden centre.” On the drive home, her condition worsened. “It felt like someone was sitting on my chest.” Once home, she used her nebuliser – a device that enables her to breathe by giving her medicine as a mist – but could not get to sleep that night as she kept coughing, and whenever she laid down, it felt like she was “choking”. Two days later, and still struggling to breathe, she visited her GP and was barely able to stand up. An ambulance was called straight away, and Murray was given oxygen and strong nebulisers, before returning home with seven days’ worth of steroids. “They all told me it was a close call so it was lucky I had my nebuliser on me.” Since that incident, Murray has finished her Christmas shopping by September to avoid being near festive smells in shopping centres, and often turns down invites to Christmas parties. “It can be quite isolating,” she says. “If friends want to go out around Christmas, I have to ask them to go to different places where I know are safe. I can’t eat or be anywhere near things that smell like Christmas, or eat anything Christmassy like mince pies and stollen cake – I don’t touch them with a 10-foot barge pole. Just smelling a mince pie could kill me. So many things have Christmassy spices that you wouldn’t normally think of, too.” Following the dual losses of her mother and best friend, Murray learnt that she would have to make day-to-day adjustments to her life in order to maintain her own safety. When travelling, she often has to call the airline in advance to request that passengers only eat or peel oranges once they get off the plane. She also has to inform all her work colleagues not to wear festive perfume in the office. “I wish shops would put up signs saying they have festive scents in store,” she adds. “It would be so helpful for me, and stop them getting complaints too.” Today, she makes sure to keep her own Christmas planning low-key. “I don’t go anywhere near supermarkets and that sort of thing – it’s not worth the risk,” she says. “It can be embarrassing a lot of the time – if I go to a restaurant and tell them about my allergies, I get turned away and we have to find somewhere else to go. Or, I get loads of staff around me and I just don’t want the attention.” This year, Murray is looking forward to spending Christmas Day alone and visiting her dad, Archie, and stepmum, Alice, in Scotland. She says: “I still like Christmas, and I’m excited to be on my own this year – I can put my feet up and watch the telly, and eat whatever I want.”

Shifting to a healthier diet – and sticking to it – can add almost a decade to life for middle-aged people, a new study finds. The research published earlier this week in the journal Nature Food, assessed the health data of nearly half a million British residents whose eating habits have been documented as part of the UK biobank study. Researchers grouped 467,354 participants based on their eating habits and observed how these changed over time. Participants were grouped as either average and unhealthy eaters, or as people with food intake matching the UK’s Eatwell Guide and those whose diet matched what the researchers called the “longevity diet”. Currently, the UK population has a life expectancy at birth of about 84 years for women and 80 years for men. Adjusting for other contributing factors like smoking, alcohol, and physical activity, the study found that 40-year-old men and women who changed from an unhealthy diet to eating healthier food, and adhered to it, gained almost 9 to 10 years in life expectancy. “Here, using a prospective population-based cohort data from the UK Biobank, we show that sustained dietary change from unhealthy dietary patterns to the Eatwell Guide dietary recommendations is associated with 8.9 and 8.6 years gain in life expectancy for 40-year-old males and females, respectively,” scientists, including those from the University of Bergen in Norway, wrote. “In the same population, sustained dietary change from unhealthy to longevity-associated dietary patterns is associated with 10.8 and 10.4 years gain in life expectancy in males and females, respectively,” they added. Researchers say the longest gains in life expectancy were made by those changing their diets to consume more whole grains, nuts and fruits and less sugar-sweetened beverages and processed meats. Those who initially followed an average diet and later changed to healthier eating habits were found to have smaller life expectancy gains. “The bigger the changes made towards healthier dietary patterns, the larger the expected gains in life expectancy are,” researchers explained. The life expectancy gains also seemed to be lower when the diet change was initiated at older ages, but even these are substantial, scientists say. For instance, they say, even 70-year-olds can manage to extend their life expectancy by 4 or 5 years if they make a sustained diet change. The latest findings point to government actions that could contribute to people’s health improvements in the UK, such as health-oriented food taxes, improving food environments in school and working places, as well as subsidies to reduce the cost of healthy foods. “Such policy measures, informed by the up-to-date estimates on potential gains in life expectancy that we provide in this paper, could guide the deployment of resources to improve healthy eating patterns across the population,” researchers added. Read More Smoking causes 150 cancer cases every single day in UK, study finds Binman shoots first Hollywood film after chat with Mark Wahlberg changed his life ‘I could have gone blind if I hadn’t been able to go private’ ‘I could have gone blind if I hadn’t been able to go private’ Paul Rudd says ‘horrible’ Marvel diet left him drinking sparkling water as ‘reward’ How to celebrate Thanksgiving when you’re not close to your family

Thanksgiving is only a day away and most Americans have solidified their family plans for the holiday. Whether you’re hosting the big meal or heading to a relative’s house, the holidays are often a chance to reconnect with loved ones. However, Thanksgiving Day isn’t always a family-oriented occasion. Over the years, several studies have found that the seemingly joyous holiday season isn’t always easy for everyone. In a survey conducted by the AARP Foundation in 2017, 31 per cent of respondents said they felt lonely during the holidays throughout the last five years. Meanwhile, 41 per cent of participants were concerned about a family member or friend feeling lonely around the holidays. In 2020, a survey conducted by ValuePenguin also found that 70 per cent of respondents struggled with different types of loneliness before Thanksgiving and Christmas, partly due to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. While socially-distanced holiday parties have mostly become a thing of the past since then, there’s still many reasons why some people spend the season by themselves. Some Americans have family members living on the opposite side of the country, or world, while others may not have a close relationship with their relatives at all. There’s no one concrete way to spend the holidays, and everyone has their own reasons why they choose not to see certain people on Thanksgiving. Speaking to The Independent, Emma Mahony, a therapist at Better Life Therapy based in Pennsylvania, acknowledged that, when we spend the holidays alone, our feelings of loneliness can be heightened. While everyone experiences loneliness in a different way, Mahony believes that the feeling could be tied to how Thanksgiving has been portrayed over the years. “I think a lot of the anxieties and concerns that come up have to do with unmet expectations of what you think a holiday is supposed to look like, and what you think your relationship with your family or your friends is supposed to look like,” she said. “I think that’s where a lot of people themselves feel a little bit of a stressful state. Just maybe feeling a little let down by the expectations they have for themselves, after watching other people experience the holidays differently than them.” The holidays are often referred to as the most wonderful time of the year, but that doesn’t ring true for everyone. In some cases, the winter months can be quite a triggering time, and potentially a reminder to people of how they’ve been hurt by those closest to them. According to Mahony, the best way to manage those feelings of animosity is by creating your own perspective about the holidays and new ways to celebrate. “I think you should allow yourself to reframe it as: ‘Okay, how do I want the holidays to look for me? Who are the people that I do want in my life? Who are the people that I don’t want in my life?’” she advised. “Don’t try to make something that shouldn’t happen happen. Instead, recreate your own memories and your own traditions, and give yourself space and permission to do so. But also, if you know that it’s going to be a hard time for you, create that support system, from reaching out to a therapist or to a close friend.” For those who do have a close support system, it can make skipping out on Thanksgiving dinner a little easier. On the other hand, your cousins may miss sitting next to you at the dinner table. Still, Mahony believes we shouldn’t try to convince our family members to attend an event in which they’ve already opted out. “If someone decides they don’t want to be with you over the holidays, respect that choice for them,” she explained. “Don’t make them feel bad for prioritising themselves and their needs. [It] will potentially, you know, make things worse long term. I just honour that everyone needs to do what’s best for them, whether that be financially, emotionally, or physically.” Even if you decide to celebrate Thanksgiving this year without your family, it doesn’t mean that you’re entirely on your own. Mahony suggested setting up a Zoom call or FaceTime with some friends, or planning a fun meal if you’re worried about eating solo. “You could really do whatever you want, so I would set up things for yourself to look forward to,” she said. For those who are spending the holiday alone, but still want to take part in Thanksgiving-related activities, spend the morning or afternoon at a local homeless centre. You can continue the day by hosting a Friendsgiving dinner or movie night with your pals who are still in town. When it comes to food, you can cook a mini turkey for one or ditch Thanksgiving dinner altogether and order take-out at a local restaurant. Then, close out the night with some early Black Friday shopping online or in person. Although this Thursday is indeed a federal holiday, who says the day can’t feel like any other? Ultimately, how you spend Thanksgiving is entirely up to you and there’s no right or wrong way to celebrate the holidays. Remember that you shouldn’t be too hard on yourself for avoiding family during the holiday season. “If Thanksgiving looks different for you year after year, that’s okay. There’s not a specific way to spend the holidays and no family looks the same,” Mahoney said. “If you’re coming to terms with the fact that being with your family for the holidays isn’t what’s best for you, give yourself a little bit of compassion there. “It will get easier over the years, as you figure out how to take care of yourself better.”

Already feel like you’ve had your fill of sore throats, coughs and stuffy heads this winter? Colds may be common and minor – but they can still leave you feeling rotten, not to mention being a major inconvenience. They aren’t really something you want to be traipsing to the GP surgery with either – but wouldn’t it be helpful to know what your doctor really thinks about managing winter ailments? We asked them… Getting ill is not always terrible Nobody enjoys having a cold, of course. But GP and TV medic Dr Hilary Jones – known for regular appearances on Good Morning Britain – says we can’t always “prevent exposure to viruses, especially in winter when people flock together for warmth indoors”. And if symptoms are mild, we probably don’t need to worry too much. “Let your own immune system deal with it,” says Jones. “That’s what your immune system is for – and looking on the positive side, the more you tickle up your immune system, the healthier it is. In a way, you’re stimulating your immune system to be healthy.” Antibiotics can be harmful if you don’t actually need them If symptoms are proving tougher to tolerate, it can be tempting to try antibiotics. But while there are certainly times when antibiotics are vital, they only work for bacterial infections, so taking them when you have a viral infection (such as a cold) is not only futile, but could cause harm. “Often, both clinicians and patients will be tempted to try antibiotics, even when there is little-to-no chance of them helping – ‘just in case’ and often accompanied with the reasoning of ‘what harm can it do?’,” says Dr Tom Jenkins, GP and developer of Centoreze Pelargonium. “We are now beginning to appreciate that there is potential harm at an individual level,” Jenkins adds. “There are more bacterial cells in the human body than human cells, and most of those bacterial cells are helpful and essential for healthy functioning. Because antibiotics are not selective and do not single out just bad bacteria, taking them upsets our bacterial microbiome, and we are now starting to learn about the subtle and sometimes lasting consequences of this.” Another major concern is bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics – which the World Health Organisation (WHO) describes as one of the biggest threats to global health today. Tackling this is complex, but on an individual level, WHO guidelines suggest people only use antibiotics when suitable. Soothing home remedies are worth it Jones, who is working with Manuka Doctor, also points out: “If you do get sick, comforting symptomatic relief is really important, starting with the simple things. I’m an advocate of manuka honey – the genuine manuka honey from New Zealand, which carries a number for the antibacterial activity, the MGO methylglyoxal.” As well as its antibacterial properties, Jones says it’s “soothing for throats” and can provide an “energy boost” – plus his 97-year-old mother is a fan. “Not only does she put it in her porridge, she put it on her skin for a few lesions that she has – perfectly well-endorsed by the district nurse who comes to visit her as well. “You can also put honey in a grog, in hot water, with a bit of lemon, a bit of cinnamon – that’s something our grandmothers used to use, and to good effect.” The herbal remedy that’s doctor-approved There are so many natural remedies out there promising to fight off symptoms, and deciding between them can be overwhelming. But did you know there’s one herbal remedy that is recommended by the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) for managing certain upper respiratory tract symptoms? Pelargonium, licenced as a Traditional Herbal Remedy, is recommended by GPs to consider as one of four self-care treatment options for adults and children aged 12 and above. It’s mentioned on the NHS website’s page for coughs, too – along with getting plenty of rest, staying hydrated, Paracetamol and Ibuprofen where suitable for pain relief, and honey and lemon. Derived from plants found in South Africa and Lesotho, Pelargonium was widely used to help treat infections before antibiotics boomed. But “over the last quarter of a century”, Jenkins says , “clinical research has begun to revisit this forgotten treatment, especially in Germany, and now more recently here in the UK too.” This has “resulted in the publication of over 70 peer reviewed pre-clinical and clinical studies supporting its effect”, says Jenkins. He explains it contains “a large number of biological molecules” that work in a number of ways to “stimulate the body’s immune system to fight infections”. Diet and lifestyle do play a part “Diet is always important,” says Jones. “A healthy lifestyle does protect us and helps our immune system. Clearly there are obvious things not to do – smoking and excess alcohol – as well as poor nutrition. “We know vitamin D is important for good immune health, and there are many people who are deficient in vitamin D, who should be taking a supplement as recommended by the WHO and NHS, particularly through winter,” Jones adds (when there isn’t enough sunlight in this part of the world for our bodies to make sufficient amounts). “So vitamin D, adequate vitamin C, zinc, and sometimes things like garlic and echinacea can be helpful in making sure your immune system is healthy.” While a balanced diet comes first, Jones believes “it’s always worth considering a multivitamin, which gives you a little bit of everything, particularly if your diet is restricted or selective in any way or if you’ve got extra needs”, he adds. “But healthy eating, plenty of fruit and vegetables, adequate protein, exercising moderately and avoiding pollutants and cigarettes – those are the main things.” Check in with your doctor if you’re constantly rundown Still feel like nothing seems to help? Then it may be time to check in with your doctor. “If you’re concerned that you have any possible underlying medical problem, I would always advise discussing matters with your GP,” says Jenkins.“Sometimes recurrent infections can be a sign of an underlying infection, but sometimes they can be because you are rundown. Your GP is ideally placed here because they have your medical record, are able to look into things in more detail, and can follow you up.”

An 18-year-old was told her constant exhaustion was likely caused by depression and the stress of her A-levels – only to eventually be diagnosed with a debilitating chronic illness. Elizabeth Hope, from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, experienced painful headaches and had begun falling asleep at 5pm every day while studying for her A-levels. “My mum would wake me for dinner and then I’d maybe do like an hour’s homework, which is absolutely not enough when you’re studying for your A-levels, and then fall asleep again,” the now-27-year-old recalls. When Hope said she needed to lie down during rehearsals for the school show and stopped going to cheerleading practice because she was too tired, her parents knew there was a serious problem. “To start off with, my parents thought ‘oh she just doesn’t want to go to school’,” she says. “But I started not being able to do the things that I enjoyed, so then we realised that something was very wrong.” She visited another doctor, who found Hope was experiencing myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome or ME, a long-term illness that affects the nervous and immune systems. People with ME can experience severe pain and fatigue, as well as a range of other symptoms, making everyday physical and mental tasks exhausting, according to the NHS. Hope was so exhausted that she struggled to leave the house without using a wheelchair. “I was literally stuck in my house,” she says. “We would maybe go out to one shop and then I would have to come home. Being able to use a wheelchair was amazing for me because I could go to two or three shops or go to the park and stuff like that.” A woman of 18 told by doctors that her constant exhaustion was likely depression and A-level exam stress, was diagnosed with a debilitating chronic illness which means she uses a wheelchair, but has overcome her adversity to become an award-winning wheelchair dancer and dancing instructor. “Struggling with loneliness,” she was “really unsure” when her mother suggested she attend a wheelchair dance class in Birmingham – but it turned out to be one of the best decisions she ever made. She learnt to manage her energy levels and “fell in love with dance”, and has since gone on to perform in her wheelchair at the 2022 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony and two cheerleading world championships. “I think for people with disabilities, it’s not like you can do whatever you want, because it’s not true, but you can do things in a different way,” she says. “But I love dancing and being able to share my passion with other people is just, yes, it’s really cool”. As a dancer, Hope was soon competing and joined another two dance groups, Sun Rae Inclusive Dance and Apt Dance Theatre. She went on to win the UK ParaDance National Championships with the group and came second in the solo contest after performing to Kylie Minogue’s 2018 song “Dancing”. She also found a cheerleading group and travelled to Florida in the US, where she went on to win the world championships in 2019, in the adaptive abilities category. In early 2022, Hope received a message from a friend suggesting that she apply for an assistant dance artist job with the national disability charity Sense. “They said you can apply with a cover letter and CV or via video,” she said. “So I basically made this video about how much I love dance.” To her surprise she was invited to attend a recruitment workshop. “I was like, that was fun, but I won’t get a job because all these people are way more qualified than me,” she said. “But then I got offered the job.” Hope was initially going to turn down the job because the working hours were more than she thought she could manage, but was told they would come up with a solution. She now teaches people with disabilities to dance, from non-verbal school groups to elderly people in care homes – including a 102-year-old. “It’s just about managing my energy and pain,” she says. “So for example, I rest a lot and only work one day a week. It’s just about pacing your activity more than anything else.” For more information on the accessible arts activities Sense offers, visit: sense.org.uk/our-services/arts-sports-activities-for-disabled-people/art-for-disabled-people/ Read More A$AP Rocky claims having a family with Rihanna is his ‘best’ collaboration Ashlyn Harris breaks silence on cheating rumours following Ali Krieger divorce I present my children on Instagram like a fairytale – I’m now rethinking A$AP Rocky claims having a family with Rihanna is his ‘best’ collaboration Ashlyn Harris breaks silence on cheating rumours following Ali Krieger divorce I present my children on Instagram like a fairytale – I’m now rethinking