Elixir of mental stability

Stacey Collins    
There always seem to be new studies telling us women what we should and shouldn’t eat in order gain blemish free skin or to avoid gaining cellulite - but the most recent study offers an ingredient that could provide us with an elixir of life/ mental stability.

Ok, elixir of life may be a little melodramatic and Harry Potter-esque but scientists have found that by eating high amounts of blueberries and strawberries in later life, female mental decline could be delayed by up to two and a half years. It is thought that these effects which could help in delaying the onset of dementia symptoms, derive from the berry fruit’s high content of flavonoids and antioxidant compounds which can protect against a wide range of diseases.

The study by a US research team has been on-going since 1976 and has involved 121,700 female nurses between the age of 30 and 55. Of course, the study’s statement that the increase in the consumption of berries in order to help stave off cognitive decline is simply too good to be completely clause free. Authors of the study could not rule out the possibility that the women who ate more berries did not also have other healthy habits, such as exercising, which may have had some factor to play in the overall findings.

As the participants in the study were all women, we have no idea if men can gain anything from this luscious diet.

Regardless of any other considerations, if anything, this study offers women everywhere the excuse to melt that Dairy Milk, spear the strawberries on a fork and get dipping.


More on this story here

Is Beyonce the world's most beautiful woman?

Stacey Collins   
When awards such as Most Beautiful Woman are awarded to a select few of the rich and famous, you have to question who it is that ultimately chooses who the prestigious award should go to and for what reason. Is it just  a Glen Quagmire type sitting in his 4x11 feet IKEA-type office sweating gleefully at the premise of choosing between several of his childhood celebrity crushes for the title of the World’s Most Beautiful Woman?

Celebrities such as Nicole Kidman and Elle Macpherson have previously been donned with this title but then if we all had a flock of our own make-up artists, hair and wardrobe stylists and of course fame, then surely a few more of us could be in with a chance. Let’s remind ourselves of Susan Boyle. She may not be in with a chance of stealing the award from People Magazine but her classic ugly duckling to beautiful swan transformation probably increased make-up sales across England and America and emphasised that celebrities such as Kim Kardashian or Cameron Diaz may actually look like us underneath the inch layer of make-up, litre of hair spray and lit up, walk-in-wardrobes.

Perhaps the title should be changed to the Most Pleasing award because the definition of beauty varies from person to person. Is beauty something aesthetic? Is it having a kind heart? Is it about having a symmetrical face? Or having good values?

Some could argue that this year’s winner, Beyonce has all of these qualities as not only is she beautiful but she has also worked hard to advocate self-acceptance, curves and ‘real women’. The recent birth of Blue Ivy Carter between Jay-Z and herself served to further reinforce the image of her as a ‘real woman’, not only as a daughter, sister and wife but now also as a mother. Stretch marks and all.

I can think of a few people who are beautiful for the struggles they have got through, both famous and not so. Be prepared for a letter with recommendations for Most Pleasing award 2013, People Magazine.

Are you a hoarder?

Stacey Collins    
You know you’re getting old when the new generation thinks that you’re talking about some far away planet when you mention the words pogs, Friends or Sony Walkman.

Are you feeling sleepy?

Stacey Collins   
I expect that even the deepest of sleepers have been affected by sleep problems at some point in their life and it usually happens the night before that really important work meeting, driving test or college exam. In fact, one third of the British population and 40 million men and women in America have some sort of sleep disorder.

Battle of the sexes

Stacey Collins  
Four weeks in - and already the eighth series of The Apprentice doesn’t seem to be in the girls' favour as Wednesday’s firing saw Lord Sugar show Jane from Ireland the door.

Parenting manuals for the anxious

By Baby Blogger Kate Richards
Having recently bought a new parenting book, Taming Toddlers, I noticed some recent research by a British historian on parent's manuals over the last 70 years. Dr Angela Davis of Warwick University asked 160 women their opinion on six popular childcare books, from the 1940s to 2000.

"I was struck by the cyclical nature of these childcare bibles," she said. "We start out with quite strict rules laid down by Frederick Truby King.

Living with your parents?

Stacey Collins 
By the tender age of 8, had you planned out your whole life including the features of your husband-to-be, the age you got married and the sexes of your 2.4 children? Here’s another question, how many of you achieved your scheduled life plan within the age limits you set yourself? I know I haven’t.

Dirty little secret

Stacey Collins 
As journalists, activists and celebrity Twitterers spread the message that it was World Water Day on Thursday 22nd March, it was easy to dismiss the message as irrelevant. Surely, the day would have only been significant for the 1 billion people worldwide that live in chronic hunger partly because of the lack of clean water for themselves, their crops, livestock and livelihood.

The Apprentice - what hope for women?

Laura Johnson
Never has the female contribution to The Apprentice looked so weak.

"Pack of baying hyenas" was one of the kindest phrases applied by Sir Alan to the women's team. What a contrast with last time round when the girls stormed into an early lead led by the redoubtable Melody Hossaini.

Clock change could result in a change in health

Stacey Collins  
It is when you begin to see the ice cream vans trundling along with their enticing ‘you know you want a Mr Whippy with raspberry sauce and Cadbury’s flake’ music tinkling away that the weather must be warm enough to warrant the ice cream sellers the excuse to go out selling. The sunny days, lighter nights and longer days are already beginning to grace us with their presence and after the clock change on Sunday, we can certainly hope that it continues up until the end of the summer. I can’t promise anything though.