Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2025 i Platinum

February is a cold, dark month but we’ve reason to be bright and cheerful with this fabulous, uplifting and somewhat love-themed issue (it is Valentine’s Day in February, after all!). We’ve an article on how three little words can do wonders for your relationship – and no, it’s not “I love you” (page 56). There’s the moving tale of Terri Pease who fell in love with a man with Parkinson’s and why she’s now dedicated to helping other carers (page 62). We’ve also got advice for firing up your libido (page 50), and our finance section looks at how to better connect with your partner around money (page 102), plus advice on pre-nups if you are getting hitched (page 110). But love needn’t only be romantic; in our homes section,…

Now that I have been divorced for more than a year, a recurring theme keeps popping up when I see friends. Firstly, they’ll do the usual niceties of ‘how are you’, ‘how are the kids’ etc. Then their expression changes to one of awkward expectation, their head tilts slightly and I know what’s coming: ‘Are you dating again?’ When I say no, the follow-up line of enquiry is always, ‘do you want to date again,’ as though I’m considering getting back on a horse after a nasty fall. But my divorce wasn’t nasty, we’re still good friends and, quite frankly, after 26 years of living with someone, I’m still recalibrating to single life and in no hurry to dive back into a relationship just for the sake of it. It’s…

Looking for inspiration for that date night? Perhaps a first date after a long time or planning a romantic night in with a partner, a great place to start is with a confident mindset and a great beauty routine. A little self-care preparation, lighting a candle, soaking in relaxing bath salts, applying an uplifting body oil, or spritzing your favourite perfume, will all help boost the mood and remove tension caused by the daily grind. Beauty trends will come and go but red is timeless, versatile, chic, glamorous, very sexy and can really boost your confidence. A face with practically zero make-up on will come to life when a sweep of red lipstick is applied. The closer the red is to orange/yellow, the warmer it is; the nearer to blue/purple,…

Let me just say upfront that mindful eating doesn’t come naturally to me. Like many midlife women, I’d developed the habit of doing several things at once, like eating and reading. I’ve been guilty of eating a really healthy diet – while barely noticing it. As someone who generally juggles a lot, training myself not to grab something to read when eating my lunch has been a challenge. It felt like dead time not to use the opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. I worked in PR for over two decades and that requires reading reams of newspapers every day of the week. It took an 11-year-old to truly show me what eating mindfully looks like. When my daughter came home after her first day at secondary school…

Still mentally sharp into her 90s, Grace* had been left chair-bound after a botched hip replacement. But when she was homeshare-matched with a young charity worker, she regained her sense of independence. As a former psychologist, Grace helped the young sharer with online dating profiles, offering professional wisdom on prospective matches. In another homeshare, Peter*, a former university professor was living with dementia and struggling with practical tasks, such as cooking – although his long-term memory was strong. The academic, who’d been a leading tuberculosis researcher, desperately needed a sense of purpose. He was matched with a mature medical student, with whom he could discuss latest medical research every evening over a nourishing home-cooked dinner. These heartwarming intergenerational friendships are just some of the homeshare matchmaking success stories from Caroline…

When you think of Italy, you might think tiramisu, Aperol spritz, long lazy lunches and just an abundance of beauty. And whilst this is totally correct, Italy is also a dream destination for staying fit and active, as I found out on a recent weekend spent there with my partner. We wanted a nice balance of sightseeing, activities, exercise, healthy food and R&R. And luckily, this is exactly what we got. After a short two-hour flight from London Stansted to Marco Polo Venice airport and a 30-minute water taxi in a very lavish speed boat, we arrived at Hilton Molino Stucky Venice, a beautiful five-star hotel on Giudecca Island. In its past life, the building was a flour mill and, despite the fact it’s been totally transformed, it still retains…

Adele Parks MBE is the author of 24 bestselling novels, including number one Sunday Times Bestsellers Just My Luck and Lies Lies Lies. Her latest novel, First Wife’s Shadow, is a twisty psychological thriller about love, obsession, jealousy and greed. Her novels are popular all over the world and have been translated into more than 30 different languages. She is dedicated to spreading the love of reading and is proud ambassador of The National Literacy Trust and The Reading Agency. She loves hearing from readers so keep in touch with her via Twitter @adeleparks or instagram.com/adele_parks. THE PLAYERS by Minette Walters (£20, Atlantic Books) Award winning novelist Minette Walters has sold over 25 million copies of her books worldwide; she is a wonderful combination of commercial success and literary prowess.…

LOUISE MINCHIN The TV presenter and author shares what running with her daughter means to both of them. SUZY GLASKIE Health coach Suzy suggests a more mindful approach to eating with her top tips. VALENTINA HARRIS Love is on the menu with the cook and author’s special three-course meal. ADELE PARKS MBE Bestselling author Adele rounds up her favourite new reads, plus her latest novel. NICK HAMILTON Gardening guru Nick sets out his checklist of outdoor jobs for the month of February. GAIL ROLFE Our fashion expert shows you how to wrap up without hiding your style. JANE MOORE The Loose Women presenter on why being single is not the same as being lonely. DR DAWN HARPER The author and GP marks World Cancer Day with a look at how…

Ever heard of Centella asiatica? It pops up on many a beauty product but also goes by numerous names, including cica, tiger grass, Indian pennywort, gotu kola and Brahmi. A member of the parsley family, it’s been used in both Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for thousands of years where they call it a “miracle elixir of life” and a “herb of longevity”. It grows wild in tropical regions of Africa and Asia and is also found on many Pacific islands. The plant is edible and as well as being used in cooking, is often taken by mouth to treat a range of medical conditions. But while Centella asiatica has been a common ingredient in skincare for a long time, it’s only recently come into the spotlight, in part…

February 4 is World Cancer Day, and we have come a long way over recent decades in advancing cancer treatment and finding cures. We often hear the term “a cure for cancer”, but, of course, that is being a bit simplistic. Cancer is not one disease and therefore we will never find one cure. Cancer behaves differently in different parts of the body, and we can see different types of cancer in the same part of the body. I have discussed breast cancer, cervical cancer and ovarian cancer in this column, but the one female cancer that I haven’t yet covered is endometrial cancer. Given that it is the fourth most common cancer in British women and that over 8,500 of us will face this diagnosis in the UK this…

Valentine’s Day always stirs a particular excitement in me. It gives something of the thrill akin to a Jilly Cooper novel (I loved Rivals on TV last autumn!) – mysterious admirers, loving gifts and the promise of wine from my husband, or perhaps even a secret admirer! However, I do find that a lot of British men don’t share in the excitement that us women have for Valentine’s Day. Some British men, particularly those of a certain vintage, view Valentine’s Day as more of a chore than a celebration. My husband prefers us to celebrate at home rather than in a restaurant. He argues that V-Day set menus are overpriced and that restaurants turn the tables too fast to maximise their profits on one of the busiest nights of the…

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 are allowed. There is…

‘Made me feel all festive!’ ‘Dear Platinum magazine, I just wanted to write in to say thank you for your December issue, which really helped get me in the festive spirit! I loved the home advice on how to have a less plastic-filled Christmas by making your own recycled decorations. I love that more understated, rustic look over the trashy, shiny decorations we used to have in the 80s! ‘I also love seeing Valentina Harris back in the magazine with her tasty Italian recipes as she always gives an interesting spin on things. I really enjoyed the article entitled Craving Connection about the lady who set up a community support group to bring people together and improve everyone’s mental health. Christmas can be a lonely time for many and it…

‘There’s no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing’, wrote fell walker and author Alfred Wainwright in 1973, and that wonderful quote always brings a smile to my face every time I leave the house and discover yet again just how often his words ring true. The ideal cold-weather outfit may play lip service to fashion, but at heart it is based on heritage clothing that has proved a match for our inclement climate for hundreds of years. I admit that I have taken some of my inspiration from The Traitors and the wonderfully quirky combinations worn by Claudia Winkleman. It was the clever blend of traditional, with a sprinkling of punk and current trends that had me hooked. Revolving around a carefully curated blend of Fair Isle jumpers…

Explore an underground wonderland WHAT Poole’s CavernWHERE Buxton, DerbyshireWHEN Open daily, 10am-3pm during winter monthsPRICE Adult entry £18.50, book in advance onlineWEBSITE poolescavern.co.uk Escape the rain by venturing beneath the earth to explore a vast world of limestone caverns, all spectacularly lined with crystal stalactites formed over millions of years. Led by an expert guide, the all-weather, accessible, and dog-friendly tour lasts around 45 minutes and journeys through magnificent underground passages rich in stalactite and stalagmite formations and history. Once you return to the surface, you can enjoy a range of refreshments at the on-site café, or head to the cavern exhibition at the visitor centre to learn more about the cavern’s history and shop for fossils. If the weather allows, there’s also an outdoor picnic area and beautiful woodland…

WATERFALL WALKS AND STARGAZING SUPPERS AT RABY ESTATES SELECTED DATES IN FEBRUARY AND MARCH, COUNTY DURHAM (RABY.CO.UK) One of the UK’s best dark sky locations, Raby Estates’ High Force Waterfall is offering visitors the chance to enjoy supper under the stars in a series of magical evening experiences. Enjoy a three-course meal at High Force Hotel, then embark on a guided nighttime walk to one of the North’s highest waterfalls (pictured). Accompanied by a stargazing expert, you’ll also be able to identify constellations, planets, and the Milky Way galaxy amid the naturally dark skies. STARGAZING GALORE! From February 14-March 2, the Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors National Parks are running a joint Dark Skies Festival, with activities including night runs, canoeing and night navigation, astrophotography workshops, and stargazing safaris.…

‘Becoming a tech master in my 60s’ Nancy Ralston, 65, Lanarkshire ‘Several years ago when I took early retirement from a busy career in the insurance industry I wondered what I could do to fill my time, thinking nothing too onerous: gardening, swimming, book club? A friend suggested I join the women’s voluntary organisation she belonged to (Inner Wheel) so I did. ‘The club didn’t have its own Facebook page, so I suggested it and started one for them. A few years later the organisation suggested we have a website. I volunteered and we had some basic training. I must admit I felt totally out of my depth and was beginning to think “I can’t do this”. Fast forward three years, and quite a bit of self-training, updating old skills…

My eldest daughter Mia and I first started running together in lockdown, as a way to get out of the house in those strange and worrying times. I had tried to encourage her to run with me for years before then and had lost count of the dozens of times I had asked her to come with me, but it was the pandemic that finally persuaded her to join me. I think she eventually gave in, as saying yes was easier than refusing my constant invitations. We started slowly by doing the NHS Couch To 5k programme together, which is a brilliant way of introducing running into your life. She hadn’t run consistently before then, and I was recovering from an ankle operation, so it was perfect because in the…