Innehållsförteckning för June 2024 från Platinum

We’re well into spring now, and with it being National Walking Month in May (when this issue is on sale), who better to talk about the joys of walking than our cover star Julia Bradbury. The television presenter shares her journey from breast cancer treatment back to health, with the healing power of nature helping her and her family battle cancer together. Julia is now launching Walk Yourself Happy Walking Retreats to share the transformative benefits of nature for those looking for a life-changing experience (p16). Also in this month’s issue, we’ve got a wonderful book extract from Lyn Slater, the Accidental Icon (p40). Lyn is blazing a trail for older women in fashion with her blog and huge Instagram following – I absolutely love her bold style! And get…

My book Walk Yourself Happy isn’t just about walking. It’s a health book, about how to reset yourself using walking as one of the most accessible forms of exercise and how to live a healthier life including being outside, exposure to daylight, creating your own vitamin D and movement in the outdoors. All of that is massively important for your physical health, longevity and health span. The Walk Yourself Happy community seems to be growing every day on social media. People send me pictures saying, ‘I’ve gone for my daily walk, I’m walking myself happy’ or ‘I’m stepping away from the desk and taking my nature snack, getting my morning light’. It’s so lovely to see people engaged in doing the stuff that’s mentioned in the book. Now I’m so…

As a traditionalist and creature of habit, I rarely stray far from my limited colour palette of navy, grey, ivory and the newest addition to the group, khaki. Simply put, they suit my lifestyle and my minimal style ethos. But when I dream of my favourite outfits – those of my style heroes – the images that come to mind are all in one very different shade: sky blue. There’s the exquisite Grace Kelly in the floaty sky-blue chiffon gown in To Catch A Thief, and Diana, Princess of Wales, in her many powder-blue dresses by Catherine Walker, Jacques Azagury and Versace. Each one of them encapsulates an effortless, elegant, fresh and polished approach. Then the most recent flurry of awards ceremonies were awash with myriad shades of this glorious…

‘I now make a difference to women in a different way. It’s about empowering women in midlife and beyond ‘ Tracy began her nursing career in her early 30s as a single mum with two small boys. She’d previously had many part-time jobs that fitted around the children but she didn’t find them fulfilling in any way. Nursing, however, was different, although it proved a little difficult to begin with. ‘Unbelievably, there was a waiting list to start but when I got a place I really began to flourish,’ says Tracy. ‘Of course, the NHS is understaffed and so stretched now, but I loved my job back then and once I qualified we all relocated to Dorset. In fact, I’d got married on the Saturday and we all moved on…

My practice has been hit by the sickness bug. Families are, once again, paying close attention to handwashing and personal hygiene. Sometimes whole households are struck down with a bug and other times, just a few members succumb. So I thought it might be a good opportunity to think about what we can do as individuals to promote a healthy immune system and protect ourselves from the viruses circulating at this time of year. The immune system is complex and can be adversely affected by stress, poor sleep and lack of exercise, so taking some time to address these issues will help promote a healthy immune system. However, few people realise that 70% of our immune function resides in the gut, meaning our diet can play a pivotal role in…

LOUISE MINCHIN The TV presenter and author gets a buzz from cold-water swimming in the wild. SUZY GLASKIE Health coach Suzy suggests a new supplement to boost your health: vitamin N! JULIA BRADBURY The author and TV star talks breast cancer and how she stays well now. ADELE PARKS MBE Bestselling author Adele rounds up her six favourite new reads for us this month. DOTTIE MONAGHAN Platinum’s resident make-up guru says blue is the new beauty hue you should try in 2024. GAIL ROLFE Fashion expert Gail shares her favourite new pieces in shades of blue. JANE MOORE The Loose Women presenter reveals what’s keeping her awake in the middle of the night. DR DAWN HARPER The author and GP shares six nutrition tips to help strengthen your immunity. ELIZABETH…

Sleep has never been an issue for me. All my life, I have been able to drop off any time, any place, anywhere and get the recommended eight hours. But not anymore. Getting to sleep is still relatively easy, but staying asleep is trickier and I now find myself wide awake at 3am most mornings, my brain whirring with all manner of petty problems that rarely trouble me during the day but, infuriatingly, become magnified in the dark. The other night, I spent from 2.30am to 3.30am fretting about whether I should have metal railings or a wooden fence for a garden project. I know... hardly a matter of world importance. Sometimes, I just give in to the insomnia and get up to do some work. As a writer, it’s…

Sue Webb, 69, from East Yorkshire WORK AND LIFE I loved being a Platinum Ambassador in previous editions! I will be 70 this year and still working in education as a learning mentor in an outstanding college in the Hull area. I would be interested in how others spend their time – I get some really mixed reactions when I say I am still working! I live in a beautiful village in East Yorkshire and am lucky to have stunning walks on my doorstep. I also love creating recipes from Platinum. My favourite is Tilde’s Magic Wrap [above, from April issue]. It’s so quick and easy – I ate mine before I had time to photo it! FAVOURITE WALK The image (top left) is from my walk in Welton Dale,…

Today is the first day of the fall 2013 semester. As the subway rumbles downtown and I head toward the first day of class, this time I am not a professor in a social work school (my former profession). My photo ID shows that today I am a continuing education student in a fashion school. It is twilight. I have taken classes at this fashion school before, most recently jewellery fabrication and tailoring. Since entering this space, I have come into contact with fashion in a different way than what they show in glossy magazines under the control of editors. I become more and more excited by the potential of finding a way to do something involving fashion. I am anxious because I can’t imagine how I might be part…

You will pay £540* per couple for three nights’ deluxe accommodation in a luxury suite, with full Welsh breakfast each morning and use of the excellent lakeside spa facilities.** The fabulous bedrooms, richly furnished lounges, fine antiques and paintings, and sumptuous sofas beside log fires combine to make visitors feel like guests in a beautiful Welsh country home, with discreet, pleasant service providing an individual welcome. The purpose-built spa on the banks of the lake offers luxurious facilities, with a 15-metre swimming pool, an outdoor hot-tub set on the balcony overlooking the lake, sauna, steam room, massage and beauty treatment rooms, and a fully equipped gym. In the evening you may choose to dine in the restaurant, where the expert team of chefs blend unique flavours from around the world…

Whether it’s your first parkrun, a triathlon or even a jog around the block, everyone can reap the fitness benefits of running, says Dr Louise Dumas, 77, who proves that age is no barrier when it comes to experiencing the feel-good factor from running. Ever noticed how health, fashion and beauty advice often stops at late 60s? What happens next? Once upon a time, we took up knitting, joined the WI and looked after the grandchildren. There’s nothing wrong with that, but today mature women have plenty of other options. Many of us can still run, compete and stay fit, strong and healthy into our 70s and beyond. I’m 77 and I have been a runner since 1968, but I’m not an athlete. Strangely, what started me off was reading…

Take a moment to close your eyes and imagine yourself walking through a dappled wood filled with bluebells, or trailing your hand in a babbling brook, touched by the warm sun and a fresh breeze. Lovely, isn’t it? We instinctively know that being in contact with nature brings us feelings of happiness and peace. Spring is a magical time to be immersed in nature as it blossoms and blooms around us. When our lives are overtaken by stress, it’s the healing power of nature that we crave to rebalance and restore. A growing body of research shows that spending time outdoors, especially in green spaces, is one of the fastest ways to improve your health and happiness. Being out in nature makes you feel energised, encourages you to move your…

There is so much written and talked about cold-water immersion and its huge benefits for both physical and mental wellbeing, but even though I love the idea of it, having Raynaud’s makes me averse to getting in freezing water. My hands can go white and numb even when walking down the freezer aisle in the supermarket, so swimming in cold water is a big challenge for me. But, there is always a but... I know how exhilarating a swim in cold water can be, so when Cath Pendleton, otherwise known as The Merthyr Mermaid, came to visit me recently, I couldn’t say no when she suggested a dip in the river. Cath, unlike me, is a cold-water specialist; she holds a Guinness World Record for Most Southerly Ice Swim (female).…

Adele Parks MBE is the author of 23 bestselling novels including her latest release Just Between Us, which is now out in paperback. She writes propulsive, twisty, psychological thrillers that are popular all over the world, with five million English language editions sold. She is dedicated to spreading the joy of reading and is a proud ambassador of the National Literacy Trust. She loves hearing from readers so keep in touch with her via X @adeleparks or at instagram.com/adele_parks. DARLING GIRLS by Sally Hepworth (£9.99, Macmillan) A disturbing and convincing novel that delves into the traumatic past of Alicia, Jessica and Norah, who grew up with a foster mother, Miss Fairchild. These girls were deemed “lucky” to have been placed in an apparently loving foster home, but Miss Fairchild was…

Blue is back and in a big way. For some of us it never left, forming a staple in our everyday make-up and beauty routines, inspired by Elizabeth Taylor as Cleopatra or Andy Warhol’s image of Marilyn Monroe. 2024 has seen blue return with a more modern feel. Instead of the hit-you-from-a-distance turquoise of the 70s or the shiny baby blue of the 80s, think modern inky blues and French-girl navy. Keep the look current by adjusting the techniques you use to apply the colour on the eye; it’s not so much a solid wash of colour over the entire eye area, more a clean line defining the eye or a vibrant pop on the outer eye area. Blue will work on all eye colours and all skin tones, and…

Beauty awards Hello! Since we launched the new Platinum Beauty Awards in our April issue, we’ve been receiving lots of fabulous products to test out. While testing is underway, I feel it’s important to tell you a little more about why we’re doing this, what our aims and objectives are, and what our schedule looks like. To give the panel time to investigate and gather the products we want to focus on, it won’t be until August that we’re able to share all the winners with you, but we’re excited to say that we might just be featuring some of the products we’re impressed by on these pages over the coming months. Did you know, as consumers we’re an enormously important group to the myriad brands in the beauty sector?…

Have you noticed that your hair is getting thinner? Drier? More brittle? Your scalp getting itchier? Is constantly dyeing your hair taking its toll or have you embraced the grey only to feel you are fighting the frizz? Oestrogen is a hair-friendly hormone, helping to promote hair growth, scalp health and natural oils to keep your hair shiny and lustrous. As it starts to wane we can often see a difference. It’s certainly been a while since my hair was lustrous! So how can we help ourselves? I use a silk pillowcase to keep my hair’s natural oils where they should be, and not absorbed by a porous cotton or linen pillowcase. Its smooth surface also produces less friction as I toss and turn in the night, helping to prevent…

SOLUTIONS ON PAGE 126 CODEWORD Each letter of the alphabet has been replaced by the same number throughout this grid. Use the decoded letters given to work out the identity of other letters and fill in the grid. The alphabet list and reference grid will help you to keep track of the letters you’ve decoded. CELL BLOCK Fill the grid by drawing blocks along the gridlines. Each block must contain the number of squares indicated by the digit inside it. Each block must contain only one digit. WORDWHEEL You have ten minutes to find as many words as possible using the letters in the wheel. Each word must be three letters or more and contain the central letter. Use each letter once, and no plurals, foreign words or proper nouns…