List of All Articles with Tag 'health andamp families'

A grandfather is addicted to Lucozade despite having three heart attacks, and said it's harder to give up than class-A drugs. Garry Johnson, 65, began drinking coffee aged 12 and loved the caffeine buzz. The now-retired painter and decorator took cocaine and amphetamines in his teens, and after 15 years of on-off drug use went “cold turkey” when his son Sam was born in 1992. Keen to stay energised, he took up drinking 380ml bottle bottles of Lucozade Original, and now gets through eight a day. He's had the habit for 29 YEARS and it currently costs him around £150 a month. And at today's prices, his nearly three decade habit would have cost him more than £42,800. He had three heart attacks between 2012 and 2014 because of a hereditary heart condition, and doctors encouraged him to ditch caffeinated drinks. He gave up dairy and every other form of caffeine - but he still necks more than three litres of Lucozade a day. He said Lucozade is proving harder to give up than class-A drugs - because of the "after effect - like that lovely feeling in your mouth after you eat an expensive bit of chocolate." Garry, from Basildon, Essex, said: "I took cocaine every day but it was a piece of cake to give up - but I'd find it really hard to ever give up Lucozade. "I love it - not just the taste but the affect on my body makes me feel great. If I do go two or three hours without one, I fancy one... God knows how I'd be after two days.” He stopped using cocaine aged 30, when his son Sam, now 31, was born and went cold turkey because being a new dad was "stimulant enough". He started drinking Red Bull but found himself with migraines, and eventually moved onto Lucozade. He initially drank six a day, but has had eight a day for the last seven years. Now he goes to Tesco every day and buys one or two four-packs - depending how many bottles he already has stacked up in the fridge ready to drink. "I've always needed some kind of stimulant and eventually I realised Lucozade is perfect for me," he said. "After my heart attacks they told me to quit the energy drinks but I recently had new heart tests and my results are better than they've ever been. "I guess I've just found one that suits my body." But Garry said he doesn't even want to give up because it's a "part of his identity" - like a person's favourite shirt or their daily breakfast. He justifies the cost because he doesn't drink alcohol or smoke. He said: "£5 a day - that's less than a pint of beer today in some places." If you or someone you know is suffering from alcohol addiction, you can confidentially call the national alcohol helpline Drinkline on 0300 123 1110 or visit the NHS website here for information about the programmes available to you. If you or someone you know is suffering from drug addiction, you can seek confidential help and support 24-7 from Frank, by calling 0300 123 6600, texting 82111, sending an email or visiting their website here. SWNS Read More What I gained (and lost) by walking 10,000 steps each day for 5 months Husband ‘ruins’ dinner because of his wife’s typo: ‘The worst kind of control freak’ John Whaite says he ‘spent time apart’ from fiancé after ‘falling in love’ with Strictly pro

Amy Dowden has shared an update after announcing she has breast cancer. The dancer told fans that she underwent a single mastectomy to treat stage three breast cancer after she was first diagnosed in May. But last month, she was told she needed chemotherapy after further tumours were discovered following the surgery. Since receiving her diagnosis, Dowden, who is best known for working as a professional dancer on BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing since 2017, has been raising awareness of breast cancer and updating her followers throughout her treatment. In her latest update, Dowden shared a series of posts to her Instagram Stories showing her followers the bespoke wig she had made as undergoes chemotherapy. Both Dowden and the owner of Be Unique Wigs by Charlotte shared a screenshot of their messages, as Dowden thanked her for making the wig. Charlotte, the wigmaker, wrote: “I’ve been working on a wig for the beautiful @amy_dowden and just received this lovely message from her! “I love her,” wrote Dowden in the messages, asking if she could order another one. “Thank you so so so very much.” The wigmaker said in an Instagram post that it was an ‘honour” to make the wig for the Strictly professional. “I’m hoping it will give you some comfort in a difficult time, I’ve said many times on here... it’s not just hair!” said the wigmaker. “Losing your hair can make such a difference to your confidence it’s almost like losing part of your identity,” Charlotte added. Last month, in an Instagram Live conversation for the charity CoppaFeel!, Dowden spoke about being told she’d need chemotherapy after more tumours were discovered following her mastectomy. “For me my journey everything changed,” she explained. “I was originally going to have a lumpectomy, radiotherapy and hormone treatment. But then, after my MRI, they found another tumour so then it changed into a mastectomy and then, after my mastectomy, unfortunately, they found even more tumours. “They found another type of cancer and then they told me I needed chemo – for me that was a massive blow,” she continued. “It wasn’t in the plan, originally – and I know the plan you can’t get fixated on.” Dowden also added that would not be able to dance in a competitive capacity on this year’s Strictly. “This year, it means I’m not going to be able to dance with a celebrity on Strictly, but I’m in such regular contact with the team – the BBC have just been utterly incredible,” she said. “The rest of the year looked very different to what was planned but hopefully I’ll enter 2024 cancer free and I’ll never take anything for granted and promise to live life to the full,” she wrote in a post last month. Dowden joined Strictly in 2017, and has competed in every series since, reaching the final in 2019 with kids’ TV presenter Karim Zeroual. Find the full Strictly Come Dancing 2023 lineup here. Read More What I gained (and lost) by walking 10,000 steps each day for 5 months Pink fan who went into labour during concert names newborn son after pop star Woman behind viral ‘not real’ plane tirade says her life has been ‘blown up’ Strictly’s Amy Dowden shares health update following second cancer diagnosis How to sleep during hot weather, according to experts What is rheumatoid arthritis?

Actor Adam Thomas has revealed he has been diagnosed with a long-term health condition just days after being announced as the eighth celebrity contestant who will compete in the forthcoming series of Strictly Come Dancing. Sharing a post to Instagram on Friday (11 August) to celebrate his 35 birthday, the Waterloo Road actor told his followers that he has been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. “As much as I act like a kid, my body is telling another story…” he wrote. “I’ve been in a lot of pain since January,” he continued. “It started with my knees and then travelled to my wrists, fingers and now ankles and toes.” Thomas explained: “I never knew what was happening and finally after several blood tests and back and forth to doctors and hospitals, I’ve been diagnosed with rheumatoid Arthritis!” The actor, who is best known for playing Donte Charles in BBC school-based drama, said that he originally thought arthritis was something that people are diagnosed with “later on in life”. Last week, Thomas was announced as the eighth celebrity contestant to appear on Strictly Come Dancing, but has said that he is “up for the challenge”. “The reason I signed up to Strictly is because I just want to be able to move again, get fit and do it, all with a smile on my face!” he wrote. “It really couldn’t have come at a better time I’m a firm believer of everything happening for a reason, and I know the journey I’ve been on was meant to happen, to never take small things in life for granted! …Like going for a run, playing with my kids and just being able to walk with no pain!” “I know it’s going to be tough and I’ve definitely got my work cut out but am up for the challenge and can not wait to get on that dance floor!!” Thomas, who marked his birthday by sharing a picture with his wife, Caroline Daly and their two children, told his followers to “stay positive” and “get the right help where and when you can”. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease and long-term condition that causes pain, swelling and stiffness in the joints. The condition usually affects the hands, feet and wrists and can cause flare-up periods, where symptoms become worse for a period of time. According to the NHS, the condition often stars when a person is between 30 and 50 years old, and women are more likely to be affected than men. Thomas played Adam Barton in ITV soap Emmerdale and also appeared in I’m a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here in 2016, and went on to co-host the spin-off I’m a Celebrity: Extra Camp. Speaking in a statement ahead of his Strictly debut, Thomas said he has been a fan of the dance competition “for years”. “I can’t believe I’m actually doing it!” he said. “I can’t dance to save my life but I’m buzzing to learn and have a good laugh with my pro. Get me on that dance floor... I can’t wait!" Former Strictly contestants have been sharing their words of encouragement for Thomas as he embarks on the challenging training schedule. “You’re so strong and with your family behind you, you can conquer anything. Can’t wait to see you smash it on Strictly ,” wrote singer and presenter Fleur East, who competed in last year’s competition. TV presenter Angela Scanlon, who will be competing alongside Thomas this year, wrote: “You’ve got this.” Find the full Strictly Come Dancing 2023 lineup here. Read More Husband ‘ruins’ dinner because of his wife’s typo: ‘The worst kind of control freak’ Fan who went into labour at Pink concert names newborn son after her From Angela Scanlon to Zara McDermott: The fashion of this year’s Strictly contestants Linda Evangelista opens up about co-parenting with son’s stepmother Salma Hayek Katharine McPhee reveals she and David Foster suffered a ‘family tragedy’

A young woman whose health “deteriorated rapidly” after being diagnosed with long Covid and suffering a liver bleed is now in a wheelchair, feeds herself through a tube in her chest and has been unable to urinate in three years. Abigail Snowball, 29, was told she suffered from a rare condition known as Fowler’s Syndrome a few months after she was diagnosed with long Covid in July 2020 and her bladder stopped working. The social worker, from Northumberland, says she was “never sick” and enjoyed long runs before testing positive for coronavirus in early 2020 and feeling a sharp pain under her ribs which scans showed was a bleed on her liver. Abigail had not fully recovered from the virus and since the diagnosis, her health has gone from bad to worse, to the point where she has not been able to urinate in three years. She now depends on her husband Mark, 34, to carry her to the bathroom so she can empty her bladder, which can take up to four hours, and has not been able to enjoy a mouthful of food for nearly a year. “I had never really been ill before,” Abigail told PA Real Life. “As a child, I was always really lucky and never poorly. I look back at pictures from before Covid and I don’t even recognise myself.” Abigail had completed a 20-mile race, the Run Northumberland BIG 20, just a week before testing positive for Covid and having to quarantine away from Mark, who works in maintenance for Nissan. “It was very much at the start of the pandemic, back at the time when there weren’t any vaccines or much testing,” she said. “It was just tiredness like I’ve never felt before in my entire life. I remember having a cup of tea and struggling to lift the mug up.” Like many other people’s experience of catching Covid, Abigail’s health improved over the next 10 days. “I did get better, but I never fully recovered,” she said. But a couple of months later, while visiting her parents, Jane and Ray Cresswell, in Cornwall on holiday, she suddenly began feeling a sharp pain under her ribs. “It was a really strange location to have pain,” she added. She visited the GP a week later and was admitted to Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital (NSECH) in July 2020, where scans revealed Abigail had suffered a bleed on her liver. “That’s when they diagnosed me with long Covid,” she said. “There was no other explanation, because they tested for blood disorders and carried out a scan. “They asked me if I had a fall or accident, but there was literally nothing.” Abigail was recovering from her liver bleed in hospital late one evening when a nurse asked when the last time she urinated was. “I actually thought, ‘god, it wasn’t since this morning’,” she said. “From that point, my bladder never regained any function. That was really the start of my health declining quickly.” Doctors hoped her bladder block was simply a result of the liver “trauma” and that she would be on the mend soon. But, sadly, this was not the case. A few months later, Abigail was diagnosed with a rare condition called Fowler’s Syndrome, which causes women to have problems passing urine. Abigail’s condition has deteriorated over the past few weeks and she is now losing weight rapidly. “I am now sleeping on the sofa downstairs and my husband Mark is having to carry me to the toilet and back again,” she said. “We can spend up to four hours at a time trying to drain my bladder, and the pain is just unbearable. “I went from running 20 miles to using a wheelchair. You don’t realise how inaccessible the world is until you are in that position.” Since the diagnosis, Abigail has spent more than 350 days in hospital and undergone 12 surgeries, including one in October 2021 to try and reconstruct her bladder. To make matters worse, she developed intestinal failure last year, which means she can no longer eat food. “I haven’t eaten anything in a year now,” she said. Instead, she is fed through TPN (total parenteral nutrition), a tube in her chest which delivers nutrients directly into the blood stream. Abigail and Mark, who married earlier this year in May, both received close to six months of training on how to perform the feeding procedure given there is a high risk of infection. “We had never even heard of that – being fed through a line into your heart,” she said. Abigail has been told by doctors that her liver bleed was “extremely likely” to have been caused by Covid. While Covid is known to harm the lungs, it has also been found to affect other organs, including the heart, liver and kidneys, but wider research is needed to better understand its long-term effects. Liver problems are common among patients with Covid-19, according to a study carried out by researchers at Oxford University and published in the peer-reviewed journal Hepatology Communications. Abigail, whose condition is considered “severe”, is hoping to receive specialist treatment in London, known as bladder Botox, which involves injecting Botox into the bladder every three to nine months, but there is no guarantee this will work. “Because of how severe and complex my case is, we’ve exhausted all our options here and the doctors are saying that I need to see the specialists in London,” she said. “Removing my bladder completely remains on the cards, but it’s incredibly high risk because of my intestinal problems. “There is no cure for Fowler’s, so it’s about managing it in the best way possible.” The combination of health conditions has left Abigail unable to perform everyday tasks. “It’s funny because the things I want to be able to do are so normal,” she said. “Just being able to wake up, take the dog for a walk and go to work. “Things that in the past, I completely took for granted.” To help cover the costs, Abigail’s friend Emma Holt has set up a GoFundMe which has received thousands of pounds in donations. “We never imagined in our wildest dreams that we would raise the amount of money that we have already,” she said. “It’s the one thing that really keeps us going, when things are really difficult. “Knowing that we have so many people behind us and supporting us is amazing.” Fowler’s Syndrome is most often caused by infection or following surgery or trauma, but a link to long Covid has yet to be established and more research is needed. Dani Coombe, CEO, Fowler’s Syndrome UK said: “It’s too early to say if long Covid is a trigger for Fowler’s syndrome; we haven’t seen an increase in Fowler’s and retention post-Covid yet, and there is no indicator that urinary retention gets worse. “Our research into what patients believe triggered their urinary retention shows that infection is the most common trigger at 57 per cent, followed by surgery in 32 per cent of patients and trauma at 19 per cent. “It would be noteworthy to see in coming years if there is an increase in women with Fowler’s because of the trauma of Covid-19.” Read More Fake meat is dying, but that shouldn’t mean the end of veganism What I gained (and lost) from walking 10,000 steps a day for five months Woman behind ‘not real’ plane tirade identified as marketing executive with $2m home Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

Grimes has opened up about raising her children with ex, Elon Musk, with the musician revealing that their three-year-old son “knows a lot about rockets”. The singer, 35, spoke candidly about co-parenting with the Tesla CEO during her cover story interview with Wired, published on 8 August. Along with their three-year-old, X Æ A-12 - who goes by “X” - the former couple shares a one-year-old daughter, Exa Dark Sideræl, who goes by “Y”. While speaking to Wired, Grimes was asked about Musk’s “weird kind of protégé thing going on” with their son, as he’s taken him to “meetings” and work events before. However, Grimes said that she’s “here for that” relationship between the father and son, before explaining that they share common interests. “X knows a lot about rockets,” she said. “It’s crazy. He knows more about rockets than me.” She then specified that she and Musk have stopped giving X toys, since he “gets upset” if “they’re not anatomically correct”. However, the singer confessed that she’s been a little worried about her son’s interest in space, as she described his reaction to the Starship rocket exploding earlier this year. “He’s a little engineer, for sure. But his obsession with space is bordering on: ‘Is this healthy?’ When X saw Starship blow up, he had, like, a three-day PTSD meltdown,” Grimes recalled. “Every hour, he was waking up and going: ‘Starship …’ and I had to rub his back.” Grimes - who announced her split from Musk in 2022- shared that her daughter is “a little engineer too,” explaining: “She likes industrial shipping. She’s very strange.” As she continued to open up about co-parenting with her ex, she said that she’s “trying to find a great peer group,” or “other parents who are sort of like us and share similar values”. She went on to speak candidly about the different boundaries she wants to set as a parent. “I really care about having a very good relationship with my kids. I think I understand how to be a good parent to them,” she said. “Both enforcing discipline and being their friend. Who knows, maybe they’ll resent me and reject family culture, but I feel like they will not.” She also confessed that she’s “a little bit” worried about her children’s privilege, as their father holds the title as the richest person in the world. “I think their life is gonna be pretty intense,” she said. “Being Elon’s kid is not the same as being anyone’s kid. In my house, at least, I want it to be more of a crazy warehouse situation and a cool art space.” Grimes and Musk first met in 2018 when he direct messaged her on social media, where they then made the same pun about artificial intelligence. In September 2021, Musk revealed to Page Six that he and Grimes have “semi-separated” due to conflicting schedules and locations. Two months later, the pair welcomed their daughter together via surrogate. After the announcement made headlines, Grimes told Vanity Fair in March 2022 that she and Musk have a fluid, inexplicable partnership. However, she later made a clarification about the comment on Twitter, noting that while she and Musk had broken up since welcoming their daughter, “he’s my best friend and the love of my life”. Elsewhere in her interview with Wired, Grimes acknowledged that she’s learned a lot from her ex, specifically when it comes to leadership skills. “I learned from him, like, the best internship ever. People don’t like talking about Elon, but it was incredible to be right there watching all that SpaceX stuff happen,” she said. “That’s a master class in leadership and engineering and makes you understand how rare it is to have a leader of that quality.” Grimes continued to praise Musk’s management skills, adding: “Elon has an old-world kind of discipline I really respect. And I think it rubs a lot of people the wrong way. They don’t want to be in that hardcore zone. If you’re not consenting to being in that hardcore zone, I get it.” She also specified that Musk has “challenged” her a lot, and taught her about running her own company and team. When asked what her ex learned from her, she said that she’s helped him “have more fun”. “I try to soften him up, to build family culture,” she said. “And he steals a lot of my memes.” Read More Elon Musk gave Grimes a ‘trivia test’ on Lord of the Rings when they first started dating Grimes criticised for remarks about Lizzo accusers Grimes weighs in on alleged cage match between Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg Elon Musk gave Grimes a ‘trivia test’ on Lord of the Rings when they started dating Grimes weighs in on alleged cage match between Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg Mark Zuckerberg reveals his 4,000 calorie diet and large McDonald’s order

Health “guru” Dr Michael Mosley has offered his advice to those seeking to reduce their risk of developing osteoporosis, a condition characterised by weak or brittle bones. The medical expert and former doctor is known for his regular appearances on The One Show, as well as his TV programmes on health and medicine. Writing in his column for MailOnline, the creator of the 5:2 and Fast800 diets said he had found his bones were not as strong as they could be while filming a series about healthy ageing in 2022. “Like many Britons, my bones are weaker than they should be,” he wrote. “While filming a series about healthy ageing last year, I had a DXA scan, which uses low-dose X-rays to see how dense (or strong) your bones are. “Although I have a sturdy spine, my hip bones aren’t in great shape, though I don’t have osteoporosis.” Dr Mosley explained that the key to avoiding osteoporis involves getting a healthy intake of both calcium and Vitamin D, as well as a short but effective burst of exercise each day. “As well as obvious good calcium sources such as dairy and leafy green veg, you may want to top up on prunes,” he suggetsed. “A study last October in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, involing 235 older women, concluded eating five to six prunes a day improved bone density. The theory is that anti-inflammatory compounds in prunes may slow bone breakdown.” He also suggested that daily exercise could also help, citing a study that showed two minutes of hopping each day can improve hip bone strength. In 2020, Dr Mosley claimed that men were “more deluded” than women when it came to their own weight and fitness, while fronting a Channel 4 series to help people who had gained weight during lockdown. He told the Press Association: “An awful lot of people are unaware of how much weight they put on, particularly around the gut.” Research shows that only 10 per cent of people who are obese know they are but that the figure is only 7 per cent for men, Dr Mosley said, while “women are more aware of it”. He also denied that the show, which offers practical advice to overhaul viewers’ lifestyles, was about fat shaming: “Body shaming is awful. It is incredibly ineffective. Telling people they’re fat never, ever works,” he said. “None of this is about fat-shaming. It is entirely about helping people who are obese and who want to do something about it. Any diet is only ever going to work if the person wants to do it.” Read More Jamie Foxx and Jennifer Aniston issue statements over ‘antisemitic’ Instagram post Why is every celebrity couple breaking up? Relationship experts think we shouldn’t be so shocked Eye masks, kombucha and ‘the full spectrum of milks’: Gwyneth Paltrow finally gave us a tour of her fridge Health expert Dr Michael Mosley shares two tips for avoiding osteoporosis Will Smith says Willow ‘mutiny’ changed his view on family success Who was controversial vegan raw food influencer Zhanna D’Art:

Will Smith says a “mutiny” by his daughter, Willow Smith, is what first caused him to change his perspective of success. The Hollywood actor has been stepping back into the spotlight following his infamous outburst at the 2022 Oscars, where he slapped Chris Rock on stage after the comedian made a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. In an interview with fellow actor and comedian Kevin Hart, on his Peacock show Hart to Hart, Smith spoke about the moment his family rose to fame in 2010. While Smith had enjoyed his own success from 1999 thanks to NBC’s sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Willow and his son Jada achieved their own fame in the early Noughties. Musician Willow, 22, released her debut single “Whip My Hair” in 2010, breaking into the UK and US charts when she was just nine years old. Meanwhile Jaden, a rapper and actor, starred opposite Jackie Chan and Taraji P Henson in The Karate Kid that same year, when he was 11. “2010 was like the greatest year as an artist, as a parent,” Smith told Hart, Metro reports. “Karate Kid came out in June and ‘Whip My Hair’ came out in October. I’m building this dream of a family I’ve had in my mind. I’m going to do it better than my father did it. We’ve talked about it, my father was abusive.” Smith seemed to imply that he was too hard on his family while trying to achieve the vision he had of a successful family. “‘No one wanted to be in a platoon,” he said. “Willow was the first one to begin the mutiny and it was my first realisation that success and money don’t mean happiness. “Up until that point, I really believed that you could succeed your way – to a house and a family – and you could win your way to happiness.” In a 2022 interview with The Independent, Willow Smith revealed that her parents struggled to understand her while she was growing up, due to their different upbringings. Meanwhile Jaden, 25, asked to become emancipated – where a child is removed from the control of their parents or legal guardians – from his parents when he was a minor, aged 15. His request came after he starred opposite his father in the box-office disaster, After Earth, which was also panned by critics. In his 2021 memoir, Smith recalled the moment his “heart shattered” when Jaden asked to become emancipated. “And what was worse was that Jaden took the hit,” the Independence Day star wrote, adding: “Jaden had faithfully done everything that I’d instructed him to do, and I had coached him into the worst public mauling he’d ever experienced.” Jaden ultimately decided against pursuing emancipation, but moved out of his family home that year. Will Smith is currently shooting a Bad Boys sequel with Martin Lawrence, with whom he has co-starred in three previous Bad Boys films, including the 1999 original. Read More Netflix leaves fans distraught as it announces end of beloved series One Tree Hill star Sophia Bush changes name after ‘filing for divorce’ from husband Grant Hughes Zhanna D’Art: Who was the controversial vegan raw food influencer who died from ‘starvation’? Who was controversial vegan raw food influencer Zhanna D’Art: Eva Mendes reveals she doesn’t let her daughters use the internet What is Stiff Person Syndrome?

Eva Mendes has revealed that she doesn’t let her and Ryan Gosling’s daughters use the internet. The actor, 49, took to Instagram on 3 August to share one of the rules that she has for her and Gosling’s daughters - Esmeralda, eight, and Amada, seven. Mendes shared a video of herself shaking her head no and wagging her finger, as she pointed out that’s how she responds to her children when they ask to use the internet. “When my kids ask me if they’re old enough to go on the internet, social media or anything requiring wifi,” she wrote in the caption. When a fan in the comments asked when she will allow her children use the internet, Mendes candidly confessed that she’s still figuring that out. She also specified that she’s been doing research on how social media can impact children as they continue to get older. “I honestly don’t know. I have to see where it goes,” the Hitch star responded. “For now, I’m observing them and keeping up with research about how social media can impact a child’s brain.” She responded to another fan who praised her parenting decision, with Mendes noting that while she’s “just sharing what [she] feels now”, she thinks it’ll be harder to keep her children away from the internet as they get older. Mendes clarified that her children are still given screentime, adding: “I let my kids use the iPad to make movies and watch films I’ve downloaded, but I don’t have internet access on the iPad.” The actress was also hit with some criticism for her parenting rule, with one Instagram user writing: “We are in the internet century so eventually everyone will need or want to access the internet sorry.” While it appears the comment has since been deleted, Mendes responded to the remark by explaining why she doesn’t feel like the internet is a safe space for her children. “In my house, children do not have access to the internet,” she responded to the remark, as reported by E! News. “It’s too dangerous. Just like drinking or voting or getting a driver’s license (etc..) isn’t allowed for children, the internet falls under that category for me. Especially social media.” While Mendes and Gosling - who’ve been together since 2011 - are notoriously private about their family life, the couple have shared a few details about raising children together. During an interview with Byrdie in July 2022, Mendes explained that she and her partner want to make sure that their children feel confident in themselves throughout everything they do in life. “Hopefully Ryan and I are doing the work by just loving them, completely loving them, and doing most of that work for them so that they grow up feeling like they’re enough,” she said. “That’s the one thing that’s really important to me. Because once they feel like they’re enough, no matter what they do, no matter what they end up doing, that will feed into every area of your life. Especially into how attractive you feel, or any of that stuff.” In a cover story interview with GQ in June, Gosling also shared some candid thoughts about fatherhood. He revealed that prior to his relationship with Mendes, he didn’t think much about becoming a father. However, that all changed when Mendes told him she was pregnant. “Eva said she was pregnant,” he recalled. “I would never want to go back, you know? I’m glad I didn’t have control over my destiny in that way, because it was so much better than I ever had dreamed for myself.” Elsewhere in the interview, the Barbie star clarified previous comments he made about the moment Mendes learned she was pregnant. While he maintained that he “wasn’t thinking about kids” before they met, Gosling said: “After I met Eva, I realised that I just didn’t want to have kids without her.” Read More Eva Mendes shows off dress made out of sponges as she jokes it’ll be her Oscars outfit Ryan Gosling’s daughters hilariously prove ‘nobody plays with Ken’ Ryan Gosling’s subtle tribute to Eva Mendes at the Barbie premiere Eva Mendes reveals she doesn’t let her daughters use the internet What is Stiff Person Syndrome? Nearly half of US adults are interested in taking weight loss prescription drugs

Consuming foods with added sugars – such as soft drinks, ice-cream and cakes – may increase the risk of developing kidney stones, according to scientists. Researchers have found that those in the US with the highest intake of added sugars had nearly 40% greater odds of developing kidney stones. They said this association was more prevalent among Asians as well as Native Americans. But the researchers pointed out that their study, published in the journal Frontiers, does not show how exactly added sugars increases the risk of kidney stones. Lead author Dr Shan Yin, a researcher at the Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, China, said: “Ours is the first study to report an association between added sugar consumption and kidney stones. “It suggests that limiting added sugar intake may help to prevent the formation of kidney stones.” One in 11 people will get stone symptoms during their lifetime, according to The British Association of Urological Surgeons. Ours is the first study to report an association between added sugar consumption and kidney stones. Dr Shan Yin Known risk factors include obesity, inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes, and being an adult male. For the study, the Dr Yin and colleagues analysed data from more than 28,000 people who were part of the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) survey. Each person’s daily intake of added sugars was estimated from their self reported food and drink consumption. They also received a healthy eating index score (HEI-2015), based on the food they ate, whether it was beneficial foods such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, or less healthy options such as refined grains or saturated fat. The researchers adjusted for factors such as gender, age, race or ethnicity, income, body mass index, HEI-2015 score, smoking status, and whether the people taking part in the study had a history of diabetes. The researchers said people who received more than 25% of their total energy from added sugars had a 88% greater odds than those who had less than 5% of their total energy from added sugars. Results also showed people below poverty levels had greater odds of developing kidney stones when exposed to more added sugars than those at or slightly above poverty levels. Dr Yin said: “Further studies are needed to explore the association between added sugar and various diseases or pathological conditions in detail. “For example, what types of kidney stones are most associated with added sugar intake? “How much should we reduce our consumption of added sugars to lower the risk of kidney stone formation? “Nevertheless, our findings already offer valuable insights for decision-makers.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Why TikTok is going wild for lip oil 5 late summer blooms to plant now Why have the birds disappeared from my garden?

Charlotte Dawson has welcomed her second child with fiancée Matt Sarsfield, several days after a “false alarm” that saw her rushing to the hospital. The reality star, 30, shared a photo of her cradling her newborn son while laying in a hospital bed on her Instagram Stories early on Sunday morning (30 July). She wrote in the caption: “Guys he’s here!!! I can’t believe it!!! I came in at 1am I had him by 2.13am.” Dawson, whose father was the late comedian Les Dawson, told her 1.3 million followers: “Can’t wait to update you all as soon as but Matthew has nipped to get me a Maccies [McDonald’s] and I’m having cuddles.” Dawson and Sarsfield, who have been engaged since 2020, are also parents to two-year-old son Noah. In another post, showing Sarsfield holding the baby, Dawson wrote: “He’s turned up with no Maccies ffs [sic]. But look at my beautiful baby daddy with our boyo [sic]. All happened so fast but thank you for being amazing Matt.” Several days earlier, Dawson revealed that she was rushed to hospital after her water had broken. However, it was a “false alarm” and she was sent home to wait until she went into labour. The Ex On The Beach and Celebs On The Farm star wrote in a post at the time: “Oh guys it’s been a bloody weird 24 hours… My waters broke last night but no pain, managed to sleep through it. Just getting checked now as movement’s been slow, happier I can hear his little heartbeat now.” Last year, Dawson revealed that she had suffered a miscarriage at 10 weeks that left her “heartbroken beyond words”. Her second baby has been dubbed her “rainbow baby”, a term that refers to a child born after the previous loss of a baby due to miscarriage, stillbirth, or death during infancy. She opened up about how she and Sarsfield were “over the moon” when they first discovered she was pregnant, but later it turned out it was “just not meant to be”. “Miscarriages are so common and not spoken about enough. We are so heartbroken right now, have no words and just don’t feel up to posting being my happy silly self right now,” she said. After learning that she was pregnant again, Dawson said she felt “very blessed and very happy”. “We were absolutely heartbroken about the miscarriage last year,” she added. “It came as a shock when I found out last April. It was like we’d just come to the realisation that we were having a baby and I lost it at 10 weeks.” Read More Blood, guts and cheap cuts: We need an alternative to eating animals – and ‘ethical meat’ isn’t the answer Strictly Come Dancing’s Janette Manrara gives birth to first child with fellow dancer Aljaz Skorjanec Jamie Lee Curtis says it is her ‘job’ to ‘fight’ against transphobia on behalf of daughter How to sleep during hot weather, according to experts How to keep your pet safe and healthy during a heatwave This is why you keep waking up at 4am – and what you can do about it

Exercises such as “wall sits” could be the best form of activity to help people reduce blood pressure, a new study suggests. Other physical activity including cardio, resistance training and HIIT workouts are also good for bringing down resting blood pressure levels, researchers found. But isometric exercises – those that involve engaging muscles without movement, such as wall sits and planks – provide the best results, they said. The study, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, saw researchers conduct analysis on previous studies looking at exercise and blood pressure. Some 270 studies were included in the final analysis which contained data on almost 16,000 people. They examined the impact different exercises had on systolic blood pressure, which notes the force at which the heart pumps blood around the body; and diastolic blood pressure, the resistance to the blood flow in the blood vessels between heartbeats when blood is pumped around the heart. The researchers, led by academics at Canterbury Christ Church University in Kent, found that there were significant reductions in resting blood pressure following cardio (aerobic exercise); dynamic resistance training, such as squats, press-ups and weights; high intensity interval training (HIIT); and combined training and HIIT. But the largest reductions were seen after isometric exercise training. A secondary analysis on specific types of exercises found the most benefit was seen among those who performed “isometric wall squats” and among runners. The academics said that current exercise recommendations for the prevention and treatment of high blood pressure are based on “older data” and suggest that it may be time to review the current guidelines. “Aerobic exercise training, dynamic resistance training, combined training, high-intensity interval training and isometric exercise training are all significantly effective in reducing resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure,” they wrote. “Overall, isometric exercise training is the most effective mode in reducing both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. “These findings provide a comprehensive data driven framework to support the development of new exercise guideline recommendations for the prevention and treatment of arterial hypertension.” For the average adult high blood pressure is considered to be from 140/90mmHg. When a person’s blood pressure is too high it puts extra strain on blood vessels, heart and other organs, such as the brain, kidneys and eyes. Persistent high blood pressure can lead to a number of serious health problems including heart attacks, strokes and vascular dementia. While there are medications which can help, people can make a number of life-style changes to help bring their blood pressure down including regular exercise, losing weight, cutting back on caffeine, alcohol and salt. Read More Dating app screenshot culture is out of control Husband fired from family business after wife roleplayed with reborn dolls The bowel cancer symptom George Alagiah wished he’d caught earlier Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

It’s likely there are countless things in your kitchen which look clean, but actually, they’re filthy. Could your dishcloths be making you sick? When was the last time you washed your tea towels? And do we really need to bleach the sink more than once a month? We asked an expert to find out. Knobs, door handles, and buttons The buttons and dials on your kitchen appliances could be a germ-fest. “People often neglect to clean these areas of the kitchen,” says Danielle Mason, a cleaning content creator – or ‘cleanfluencer’ – who creates tutorials and videos on TikTok and Instagram. “Most of the time, they don’t think it is important, but as you’re commonly handling raw meat and food, it’s extremely important to keep these areas clean, due to cross-contamination. “Always sanitise with a cloth – I like to do this with Zoflora, as it leaves a great smell afterwards, and kills bacteria from dirty fingers.” Cloths If what you clean with isn’t clean, chances are, your kitchen isn’t either. “I always leave my cloth to soak in bleach before going to bed every night,” says Mason. “This enables a new start in the morning with no bacteria. Also, make sure you’re replacing the cloths – I would suggest a new one every two weeks, whilst still bleaching every night. And make sure you’re not using this cloth on anything other than the kitchen, as you do not want to cross-contaminate.” Sponges Mason stresses sponges are unhygienic, as they’re constantly damp and can carry E. coli. “People tend not to use sponges, as they carry so many more germs, and even putting them in the microwave will not kill all of them. Avoid a sponge where possible.” Dish towels Dish towels and tea towels may not be changed anywhere near often enough. “You should have one for every day of the week, as they carry so many bacteria and germs, which get spread across the kitchen. If you’re drying pots and pans, and then wiping down your surfaces, it’s not good,” she says. Chopping boards Chopping boards – particularly wooden ones – could be a haven for bacteria. “You should have a different colour for different types of food, one for meat, fruit, and other foods,” advises Mason. “The best way to clean them is in a dishwasher, as it’s good to get rid of all the germs due to the very high heat. If you don’t like the dishwasher, then boil the kettle water and leave the chopping boards to soak in it. I use a steam cleaner on mine, as it kills 99.9% bacteria and there are no chemicals.” It is best to avoid wooden chopping boards altogether, as these cleaning methods may damage them. Kitchen sink “This is a massive breeder of bacteria and grime; a distinct microbiome is found in sinks. “The plumbing area found beneath sinks revealed microbial communities dominated by a group of bacteria called Proteobacteria. This phylum includes pathogens such as Salmonella and E. coli, which can cause serious disease,” Mason shares. “I’ve always been taught never to wash my hands in the sink, and to never throw dirty water down the sink. You wash your cups and plates in the sink and prepare food, so it should always be kept clean, and nothing from outside the kitchen should cross-contaminate that. For example, never wash your floors and put dirty water in your kitchen sink, always throw it down the toilet.” How do you possibly clean the inside of your sink and drains? “Baking soda and vinegar is the best way to clean your sink out, or bleach, but you must be careful with bleach, as it can stay in the bottom of your sink, depending on the material it’s made of. I clean my sink out every day.” Pipes and cupboards around your sink could be leading you to have a rodent problem. “You can prevent mice and rodents from entering the kitchen by covering any small crevices or cracks. It is also important to repair leaks as soon as they happen, as they can come through the pipes,” she says. Fridges “Deep clean [your fridge] every two months. A normal cleaning – the wiping of shelves – should be done every other day with soapy water. For any bad smells, use baking soda, which will absorb the smell from the fridge,” Mason continues. “The fridge is a breeding ground for salmonella, E. Coli and other bacteria.” Bins Where you throw your waste away could be a breeding ground for germs. “Make sure you keep [outdoor] rubbish bins away from your house, and make sure you empty your bin as soon as it’s full,” advises Mason. “I personally do not keep a bin in the kitchen, I use a bag and I take that out by the end of the day, but if you are using a bin, make sure you bleach it with hot kettle water, to keep it smelling fresh.” Read More This is why you keep waking up at 4am – and what you can do about it TV chef James Martin reveals cancer diagnosis in apology over ‘bullying’ allegations Bursts of activity that make you huff and puff ‘linked to reduced cancer risk’ Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live