New research shows women with autoimmune conditions are 74 per cent more likely than men to be told their symptoms are psychological or psychosomatic. The study by the University of Cambridge and University of East Anglia found they face much longer waits for diagnosis and treatment as a result. Almost a quarter of the women surveyed in the recent research had an autoimmune thyroid disease.
49, is a GP and founder of the Thyroid Clinic, who herself has the autoimmune condition Hashimoto’s disease, the main cause of an underactive thyroid. Despite being a GP herself, she faced a long uphill battle to access diagnosis and treatment. In her clinic, she says she sees women every day who have been dismissed and written off while seeking answers.
I was always going to end up with Hashimoto’s. My gran had it, my mum has it, and I was waiting for it to happen.
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.
In the NHS, if you have a family history your GP may test your thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels every year. High levels can be a sign of trouble with the thyroid, but it’s only one piece of the puzzle.
Every year, my tests would say my TSH levels were fine. But after my third child, I hit a point where I was simply not okay. It wasn’t just tiredness: it was a bone deep fatigue – I could not move another inch. My periods went crazy, I had terrible low mood, I gained weight and my skin and hair were just awful.
I was 36, I had three kids under five, I was a doctor, and my husband was retraining to be a teacher, so nobody can deny that I had a lot of stress. But I’d always been relatively superhuman and able to cope with these pressures. For me to not cope meant there was something more going on.
I was really struggling, but because my TSH levels weren’t considered high enough to warrant treatment, I wasn’t getting NHS help. I was told I was stressed and had three children, so it was no wonder I was tired. At the time, my TSH was around six, which was above the normal reference range, but below the level of 10 at which treatment was recommended. We now recognise that treatment can also be considered at lower levels in people with persistent symptoms.
I was seeing an acupuncturist to try and get some relief and she persuaded me to do some private blood testing. Hashimoto’s disease is an autoimmune condition in which the immune system mistakenly targets the thyroid gland. Two types of antibodies are commonly associated with Hashimoto’s: thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPOAb) and thyroglobulin antibodies (TgAb). Not everyone with Hashimoto’s has raised levels of both, and some people have neither. So I did private blood tests and lo and behold, my levels of both antibodies were sky high, proving that I had Hashimoto’s disease.
I then did an awful lot of research for myself and went into the GP armed with stacks of it. I said “look, I have Hashimoto’s, and research shows that some treatment can help. So can you start me on levothyroxine”. Around nine to 12 months later they did give me some treatment for it, but I had to fight for it. And that’s me as a peer – a very educated doctor.
My experience is not unique. Our clinic was set up in 2020 to serve people, primarily women, who are not getting the help they need. Hashimoto’s affects women versus men at 10 to one, and those women are either being told they’re normal, or nobody has tested their antibodies, or they’re told to come back in a year. I see so many women who are struggling massively but feel they have been dismissed and told that they are, for want of a better word, mental. Pretty much every woman we see has been offered antidepressants.
Part of the problem is that the symptoms of autoimmune thyroid conditions like Hashimoto’s are so vague. Increased weight: it’s very easy to say you’re eating too much or not exercising enough. Low mood: you’re stressed, so what do you expect? Hair loss: that’s stress again. Dry skin: are you actually drinking enough water? There are so many potential reasons for all these symptoms that include joint pains, aches, carpal tunnel, gut issues, constipation. The thyroid hormone affects every single cell of the body and so it’s very easy to attribute symptoms to something else.
But the other part of the problem is that the NHS is designed to keep the masses safe, but it does not have the resources to offer individualised attention some need. Doctors work within specific guidelines, and while there is room for individual clinical judgement, deviating from those guidelines requires clear justification.
They don’t routinely test for the antibodies associated with Hashimoto’s at the outset, even though it is a much better diagnostic than TSH levels. That’s partly because high levels of the TgAb antibodies can be a cancer marker, and they’d end up with lots of women down a thyroid cancer route who don’t actually have it. The NHS does not always have time to look at the full picture.
The reality is that hypothyroidism is very unlikely to be fatal unless it becomes extremely severe. GPs are trying to manage enormous workloads in 10-minute appointments and the system is largely geared towards fighting fires rather than preventing them in the first place. Unfortunately, that means women who are struggling with persistent symptoms, but aren’t considered seriously unwell, can all too easily fall through the cracks.
Thyroid conditions stop women’s lives in all respects. They are tired, they are fat, they are spotty, their hair is falling out, and they have no energy. Fertility problems are very common, and we often have women who cannot get pregnant until after they start treatment. I see women who have given up work, have struggled to look after their kids, and have entirely shaped their lives around their disease. And these are very empowered, intelligent women who are not getting the help they need.
With appropriate diagnosis and treatment, their lives are a lot better. Women we treat are delighted but some are desperately sad, saying they’ve lost the last few decades of their life.
Ironically, the treatment is very accessible and minimally invasive: it’s a bit like HRT. The only downside is that it needs to be monitored. Lifestyle measures can certainly help, although they cannot replace thyroid hormone treatment if you are hypothyroid. Nutrition, sleep and physical activity are important, as are checking for nutritional deficiencies like iron, vitamin B12 and vitamin D, which can contribute to fatigue and other symptoms. But I think it’s important that we don’t make women feel their symptoms are the result of poor lifestyle choices. You cannot exercise or eat your way out of an underactive thyroid.
If you are struggling and think you have an autoimmune condition, particularly Hashimoto’s, it’s important to know that the GP is not trying to be deliberately obtrusive, and they’ve got to work within the guidelines that they have. Rather than being combative and frustrated, you can work together.
Only you know what it’s like to live in your body day-to-day so make a timeline of your symptoms, gather information, evidence and research and do some private bloods if you can afford it. If you are at the point of testing, ask specifically to test your blood not just for TSH levels but for T3 and T4 and for thyroid antibodies. This can be more achievable because it’s specific.
This is not ideal, but having someone accompany you to an appointment can also be incredibly helpful. There is evidence that women’s symptoms are sometimes taken less seriously, and some women find that bringing a male partner or relative helps them feel heard. It was my dad who pushed me to get my bloods done. Having someone who can corroborate what you’re experiencing can make a real difference, although of course we should be taken seriously on our own.