Shortly after returning home following a fun family day out in August last year, Emma Rowley decided to make a cup of tea. But as soon as she walked into the kitchen, she developed an excruciating headache.
“It felt as if someone had hit me on the back of the head,” explains Emma, now 42, who lives in Manchester with her husband Andrew, 46, their daughter Amie, 14, and son Jack, 24.
How to be more grateful for daily life in five easy steps
The world feels like a difficult place at the moment, and it can feel very hard sometimes to find things to be thankful for; when we are overwhelmed, we have less capacity to notice and reflect on the good things. Yet, ironically, proactively cultivating gratitude is one of the things that can actually help us feel less stressed.
NHS GP dR RADHA
The science
Research has shown that feeling or expressing thanks can actually alter our brain.
- The balance of neurotransmitters change; more serotonin and dopamine (feel good chemicals) are produced.
- This can be long lasting if we make gratitude a regular habit.
- We also get a decrease in our cortisol (stress hormone) levels which helps lower anxiety.
- Being grateful can strengthen the nerve pathways which triggers positive emotion.
How can we build gratitude?
Change your words
Instead of seeing something as a problem, try to see the opportunities within it.
Our brains are very receptive and what we read or write can alter our emotional system.
Express it
This will not only make you feel good, but you will also get a positive response from others.
How can we build gratitude?
Notice more
Throughout your day, try to notice all the things that are going well; has someone opened a door for you, or smiled?
The basics
By being thankful for the small things every day, we are far more likely to be and stay healthy so that we can enjoy them.
What to do
Gratitude can lead to feelings of optimism, lower our blood pressure, and improve sleep quality.
- Write down what potential good aspects there are to the things you don’t feel like doing, or even what could be worse about it.
- Spend a few minutes writing down three things that you are looking forward to that day, or the good things that have happened to you that day.
- Say thank you to yourself for the things you have achieved, or managed to get through and changed that day.
Sales of battery
electric vehicles hit a record high last year.
Starts at £22,995 for the smaller battery
Available with either a 40kWh battery or a larger 52kWh pack, that offers almost 255 miles, the latest, retro-inspired Renault 5 is both a joy to behold and a hoot to drive.
The interior has been lavished with a level of detail that’s typically reserved for more expensive cars.
4 min read
A champion of EV efficiency
It offers a remarkable 491 mile range on a single charge from the 85kWh battery.
It is a technological masterclass inside with the ability to option screens that span the entire width of the dashboard, including an optional display for the front passenger.
Priced from £37,400
2 min read
It’s a lot of money to part with, but this is arguably all the car you will ever need.
The £89,000 Macan is a premium SUV that somehow manages to blend Porsche’s reputation for dynamics and sporty driving with everyday practicality.
The 95kWh batteries can go from 10 to 80 per cent in as little as 21 minutes from the fastest public charging outlets.
With the business class-style six seat configuration costing a staggering £76,995, it is by far the most expensive Kia ever made, but it backs up its financial demands with a suite of genuinely useful and impressive onboard technology.
It’s fast, goes a long way between stops and charges relatively quickly but the interior is bland, the onboard technology is infuriating and the experience is devoid of emotion.
All of its gadgetry can’t disguise the fact that performance is weak, even for a typically zippy EV, the ride is fussy at slower speeds and it’s not in the least bit enjoyable to drive on a country road.
- While good value (prices start at £17,935) for the 200-mile max range, there are more interesting options from Hyundai, Citroen and Renault for similar money.
- It attempts to wow with tech, much of which hinders, rather than helps.
- There’s no tangible benefit over mounting your phone to the dash.
- Simply an average driving experience, adequate range and slow charging speeds.
2 min read
The kitchen gadgets under £25
Victorinox paring knife
It’s comfortable to hold, with a point sharp enough for scoring pastry.
ProCook cast iron pan
For unbeatable searing and heat-retention, cast iron is the top choice.
Tesco chopping board
Priced at just £22, I’ve yet to find another board that matches it for sheer value and quality.
The kitchen gadgets under £25
Pyrex jug
It is the perfect vessel for blending smooth sauces, melting butter, or warming stock. It won’t stain like plastic and the red measurements never fade.
Salter scales
“I’ve had my slim little set of Salter Disc Scales for over a decade, and I’m delighted to see they are still made to exactly the same reliable design today.”
Microplane grater
It uses photo-etched stainless steel teeth that stay razor-sharp for a decade, something the lookalike copycats simply can’t match.
Braun hand-held blender
It’s an essential for everything from making velvety soup to getting the lumps out of white sauce.
Bodum cafetiere
As well as delivering great results, cafetieres are easy to clean and there’s no ongoing filter paper costs or pod recycling to deal with.
5 min read
The kitchen gadgets under £25
Oxo peeler
What truly sets it apart is the chunky, rubberised handle that absorbs pressure and stays completely non-slip, even if your hands are wet. It is inexpensive and incredibly durable.
Falcon pie dish
Made by fusing porcelain onto heavy-gauge steel for smooth durability, it is dishwasher, freezer, hob, air-fryer and oven-safe.
The golden rules for a happy, secure relationship
Psychiatrist and neuroscientist Dr Amir Levine, author of bestselling book , explains why we behave the way we do in love.
Golden rules for happy relationships
Start with your own behaviours
The foundation of a secure, connected life is being what I call CARRP: that means being consistent, available, responsive, reliable and predictable. All of these qualities can be enacted in small gestures every day.
Express your needs
People need consistency and connection to feel safe. This is not, ‘You hurt my feelings by never replying to me’, it’s more ‘this is the kind of contact that helps me feel secure’.
Golden rules for happy relationships
The appendix ‘inflammation’ rule
If a relationship repeatedly inflames your nervous system, you need to disengage and deprioritise it.
Lean on community
You don’t need hundreds of friends. You need people and places that regularly remind you that you belong.
Stop blaming childhood
Humans are much more complicated than: ‘this happened to you, therefore you are doomed to be anxious’.
Reach for a
secure script
When something unsettles you in a relationship, your first reaction is not always the most accurate one.
If you’re anxious, your brain may jump very quickly to: ‘this is the beginning of the end’. If you’re avoidant, your brain may say: ‘this person wants too much from me, I need to get away’. So one very practical thing you can always do is pause and ask: ‘What would a secure person do here?’
Loneliness elsewhere
When people talk about loneliness, they often assume it means you don’t have enough people in your life. But you can be surrounded by people and still feel lonely if those relationships leave you feeling excluded, ignored or disconnected.
What to do
- Build a community that works for your temperament and gives you regular, reliable moments of connection.
- You can still be kind to people while not treating them as someone who belongs in your inner circle.
- Explain what you need. Sometimes people simply don’t realise how you are experiencing them.
- Check in with people: does this person actually feel that I’m reliable? Do they experience me as predictable? That’s the only way that you can start to become more secure.
Do some foods leave
you feeling hungry rather than satiated? Experts say there are…
Foods that leave you hungrier
A bowl of cereal and glass of orange juice
More refined cereals are digested quickly, and fruit juice, whilst one of your five-a-day, contains less fibre than whole fruit. This might mean you find yourself hungry again within 1-2 hours of eating this breakfast.
Swap the orange juice for a whole orange, the cereal for oats and milk or serve it with Greek yoghurt or a boiled egg. This would increase the fibre and protein content; two nutrients strongly linked with fullness.
Foods that leave you hungrier
These pastries are made primarily from refined flour and butter, and are relatively low in protein and fibre.
Toast and jam
Shop-bought packs can contain a lot of white rice, which is digested quickly, and the protein content is often modest.
Foods that leave you hungrier
Vegetable soup
On its own, it is often very low in protein and calories, so hunger can return quickly.
Unless it’s loaded with veggies, it’s probably pretty low in fibre.
Liquids are generally less filling as they require little chewing which may not trigger satiety signals.
Foods that leave you hungrier
Snack bars
They are ideal for a quick pick-me-up, but if reducing hunger is what you’re after, it’d be better to swap it out.
Low-fat yoghurt
A full-fat plain Greek yoghurt with berries and seeds tends to be much more filling due to the protein, fat and fibre.
On an empty stomach, it can actually increase your appetite.
What to eat instead
Instead of thinking about avoiding foods, think about what you can add to them.
- Add beans, lentils or shredded chicken to your vegetable soup and pasta.
- Thicken your smoothies with Greek yoghurt, chia seeds and oats.
- Apple slices with peanut butter, yogurt with berries and hummus with oat biscuits are better snack options than a pre-made snack bar.
- Have alcohol alongside a balanced meal containing protein and fibre.
How to age well
without pain
Will Harlow, a physiotherapist
for the over-50s and author of Independence for Life, shares
the key signs you’re ageing
badly – and what to do about it.
How to know
Ageing well is maintaining the ability to do what you want you want for as long as you want without needing help. Everyone is talking about longevity but what’s the point in living longer if the last decade is painful and you’re [totally] reliant on people?”
The signs to look out for
- The most obvious early warning sign of bad ageing is pain says Harlow.
- Another is losing confidence in doing daily tasks, which can quickly lead to a lack of independence.
- One call Harlow often receives is people calling after having a fall and struggling to get up.
4 min read
How to age without pain
Not just stopping
When people retire, they often put their feet up and stop. Your body really is use it or lose it.
Throughout our entire lives, Harlow says we need between seven and nine hours of sleep.
Social isolation
The lack of connection can increase the risk of premature death by
as much as 29 per cent.
Strength training
It really is the proxy for
overall independence.
The more muscle mass you have, the less chance of heart disease, diabetes, falls and even anxiety, depression and dementia.
The brain can be linked to muscle mass too, Harlow says. It’s not just about being able to lift things. It gives you more energy, better sleep and you’ll look and feel better.
How to age without pain
Daily habits
Do short bursts of exercise, between 30 and 60 seconds, in otherwise dead time during the day.
Stretch in bed
Take joints through a full range of motion for five minutes to loosen it before getting up.
Don’t crash diet
How to age without pain
Harlow advises 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight to stop muscle loss alongside resistance training.
Don’t wait
Harlow finds that many patients put off making a change to their lifestyle until their lives are consumed by pain.
For most people, it’s about reducing the number of times per week you’re exercising, not reducing intensity.
The three ageing tests to do
- Lie completely flat on the floor and get back up to a standing position using any technique. This should take less than 10 seconds.
See how many times you can sit on the chair and stand back up again in 30 seconds. Men should be aiming for more than 14 times and women 12.
The single-leg stand, which involves standing on one leg and balancing for 10 seconds. Everyone should be able to do that and for those under 65, Harlow asks them to do it with their eyes closed.
Despite the job market hiring fewer entry-level roles, employers are still looking for grads…
But you should be prepared to keep an open mind.
We’ve compiled the sectors hiring graduate roles, what degree is required, and what they pay.
The degrees to choose for a career
Hiring in the UK could
finally be on the up
47%
of employers offered entry-level
positions from July.
That is up nearly 15 per cent from the same period last year.
700,000
But graduate unemployment rose to six per cent in 2025 and 700,000 jobless graduates were claiming benefits.
Finance and insurance
- Around 42 per cent of UK finance and insurance employers say they will be open to graduate roles this summer.
- Business loan company Portman Finance Group has taken on 50 graduates over the past four years.
Portman graduates start on £36,000 for the two-year programme and the education you need to apply is a minimum “ABB” of A-levels, and a 2:1 or above university degree. But not in a specific subject.
Trade and logistics
What makes it particularly rewarding is that there’s always something to learn.
Nearly half (47 per cent) of trade and logistics companies will be giving graduates a go this year.
Salaries start at £30,000 with an uncapped bonus, rising to £50,000 plus a company car as a senior account partner.
Technology and IT
More than half (52 per cent) of UK tech and IT firms are actively looking for graduates.
Successful entry-level candidates can earn a basic salary of up to £35,000, with the opportunity to triple that within their first three years of working.
4 min read
Public sector, health
and social services
46 per cent of public sector, health and social services organisations are also ready to take graduates, according to a survey by Manpower.
- For example, Police Now runs a graduate programme into policing. They recruit graduates from any degree field, as long as they achieve a 2:2 or above. Starting salaries range from £31,164 to £42,210 depending on location and rising each year.
Can we treat guests without blowing our budget?
According to Waitrose, a dinner party revival is underway led by younger people trying to reduce the cost of getting together.
Always have bread
People will feast on the
ELLA RISBRIDGER, AUTHOR OF THE KITCHEN BOOK – GOOD FOOD FOR EVERY DAY
bread, and then need less fish/steak/expensive whatever. All small plates restaurants know this: this is why the first thing on the menu is always artisan bread and butter.
Use vegetables as centrepieces
Add pantry items
Graham’s recipes include a braised cabbage with a preserved lemon sauce, a roast cauliflower with saffron, and harrisa roast carrots with mango labneh.
How to host on a budget
Improve the everyday
Guests will always appreciate a stellar interpretation of the ordinary. Think lasagna or curry.
Cooking dinner for your guests is spoiling them – you’re being generous with your time, your effort, and your home. So don’t feel the need to go overboard elsewhere.
Ask for help
Ask friends to bring a contribution, be it a nibble or a pudding.
Big platter energy
[Presentation] can be the key to elevating something . Spaghetti and tomato sauce suddenly looks like a feast when tumbled on a lovely big plate, dressed with olive oil and parmesan and placed in the middle of the table.
Food writer and editor Eleanor Steafel
How to host on a budget
Taco party
Have one expensive filling, like shredded chicken, and two cheaper options, like refried beans, says Ella Risbridger.
Shop-bought ice cream is so easily zhuzhed up with the help of handy toppings, says Eleanor Steafel.
“The pain made me jolt forward, and when I tried to speak, my speech was slow and slurred. My mouth dropped completely on the left side of my face, and the left side of my body felt numb. I knew I was having a stroke and was terrified.”
Emma is one of an increasing number of under-50s affected by stroke – a condition typically thought to impact older people, which affects around 100,000 people a year in the UK.
A recent study published in the journal found that stroke rates among adults aged 20 to 54 nearly doubled between the early 90s and 2020, particularly ischemic stroke, the type of stroke Emma had, when a clot stops the flow of blood to the brain. This makes up 85 per cent of stroke cases.
“We’ve seen a stark increase in the number of young people having strokes, particularly in the last five to 10 years,” says Professor Deb Lowe, medical director at the Stroke Association. “Recent studies have looked into what the causes of this might be, and for some young people, no obvious cause is identified (known as cryptogenic stroke), so we need more research and funding to understand why more under-55s are having strokes.”
“When I was a trainee, it would be unusual to see patients in their twenties and thirties with high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, obesity and atrial fibrillation (irregular heart rhythm) but now it’s reasonably common,” adds Dr Joseph Mills, a consultant cardiologist at Spire Chester and Manchester hospitals. “If you have these risk factors in your twenties and early thirties then you’re more likely to have vascular events, such as stroke and heart attack, in your thirties and forties, which is what we’re seeing now.
“People of that age won’t tend to think that they’re going to have vascular disease, but if they’re making poor lifestyle choices, they’ll be more susceptible to these risk factors. However, they won’t know they have them without having health checks, which most young people won’t think to get, and which can be hard for them to access through a GP.”
The most common cause of all types of stroke is high blood pressure. Others include irregular heartbeat, high cholesterol, using recreational drugs and smoking, but some young people affected by stroke have a more unusual cause, explains Lowe. These include a tear in the wall of an artery supplying the brain, a condition called patent foramen ovale, when the hole in the heart we’re born with doesn’t close; clotting problems; genetic and autoimmune conditions; and pregnancy.
Symptoms of stroke vary, depending on which part of the brain is affected, and include loss of movement, sensation, speech, balance and vision, as well as facial drooping, arm weakness, severe headache and confusion. They usually come on without warning, although up to 20 per cent of people experience a transient ischemic attack, also known as a mini stroke, before an ischemic stroke.
Thankfully for Emma, Amie was nearby when her stroke started and quickly called an ambulance. “Mum had a stroke at 33 and my brother had one at 29, so I always worried I’d be affected too and taught the kids to look out for the signs,” says Emma, a critical care technician. By the time the ambulance arrived, 55 minutes later, she’d collapsed on her bed.
She was given clot-busting medicine (thrombolysis) in hospital and then a thrombectomy (surgical removal of the blood clot). Due to the delay in getting to hospital, she was about 10 minutes away from the cut-off point of being able to have it.
“Before I got wheeled into theatre, I heard doctors shouting that I’d lost all function on my left side – it was really scary,” she says. “When I woke up, I could talk, but I’d mix up my words and had to think carefully about what to say otherwise random words came out. I could use my left arm and hand again, but it was very wobbly, and I could only stand for short times.”
Emma worked hard with the hospital’s rehabilitation team to regain strength and started a phased return to work six months later.
“I still get very tired and suffer from bad headaches (thought to be due to a combination of the thrombectomy and the stroke itself), which I’m trying to get on top with medication, but so far nothing has worked well. I’ll have a headache most days and need to work from home when they’re bad.
“The pain makes it feel like my head will explode and I get pressure in my right ear, which affects my hearing and balance.”
She also feels traumatised by the event, and is constantly reminded of it because it happened at home.
The exact cause of Emma’s stroke was never determined – she has low blood pressure and no usual risk factors – but doctors believe there is a familial link. Her children will now have full health screening checks from an earlier age.
It’s not yet known if there are specific genes associated with risk of stroke. “There’s currently a lot of work being done on this subject and there are huge gaps in our knowledge,” explains Lowe.
Emma will now take antiplatelet medicine to prevent blood clots, and statins, to keep her cholesterol low, for life.
“I always knew I’d have a stroke because of my mum and brother, but I didn’t think it would come out of the blue from nowhere at my age,” says Emma. “As a patient, I was shocked to see so many young people, even in their twenties, on the stroke ward.
“People presume you’ll bounce back from something like that when you’re young, but you can’t without access to the right support.”
This is something that Dec, 21, knows only too well. Last November he was hit by a devastating haemorrhagic stroke – a stroke caused by bleeding in the brain from a blood vessel, which makes up 15 per cent of all strokes.
“I was talking to my girlfriend on the phone after finishing a shift and suddenly had a big headache, so I took paracetamol,” recalls Dec, who lives in Warrington with his mum and sister, and works for a fast-food chain. “I remember calling out to my mum and the next thing I know, I’d collapsed to the floor and was vomiting and foaming at the mouth.” Dec lost consciousness and had six seizures; his mother and sister could only watch on in horror while they waited for an ambulance to arrive.
He was rushed to hospital, where after an examination and CT scan, doctors explained that he’d had a cerebral haemorrhage caused by a collection of abnormal blood vessels in the brain. He needed emergency surgery to remove the abnormal vessels and as much of the bleed that they could reach. Dec was put into an induced coma, and his family were told it wouldn’t be clear if he had any lasting disabilities or if he’d speak again until he woke up.
After an agonising three-week wait, Dec woke up. When he started obeying commands, the surgeon examined him and said he was expected to make a good recovery. But initially he couldn’t speak, walk, eat or drink.
“I was very confused every day,” explains Dec.
It took four and a half months after waking up until he could talk fully again, following intensive rehabilitation in hospital, where he stayed until July this year. By the time he was discharged he could do most things again, but he still faces many challenges, including vision problems in both eyes and a loss of sensation in his right leg.
“My main other issue is getting overstimulated about everything – I get frustrated easily and I can’t read or write,” adds Dec, who is still waiting to go back to work. “My brain feels different now – it’s hard to explain because it’s still me, but at the same time it doesn’t feel like me. It’s a weird feeling.
“I didn’t think a stroke could happen to a young person,” says Dec, who is one of three young people featuring in the Channel 4 documentary, , at 10pm on Monday 26 October.
While haemorrhagic strokes have always occurred more in younger people, the numbers are increasing in the same way as ischemic stroke, explains Lowe. While the most common cause is high blood pressure, a small proportion of cases are caused by a ruptured brain aneurysm, known as a subarachnoid haemorrhage.
Lifestyle choices seem to be the main driver of the risk factors which contribute to increased cases of stroke in young people. “Since the pandemic, people are less active, there’s a higher proportion of people drinking more alcohol than the recommended limits and obesity is on the rise,” says Lowe.
If someone is showing signs of stroke – no matter how young they are – it’s vital to seek help quickly, he says. “The sooner someone can be assessed by specialists in hospital and given brain scans, the sooner they can access effective treatment and the better the outcome.”