Woman awarded £27,000 after being given Caesarean without enough pain relief

A woman has been awarded £27,000 after a hospital began a Caesarean without giving her adequate pain relief.
Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust paid the sum after admitting the woman was not given enough anaesthetic when surgeons at Queen Elizabeth Hospital cut her open to deliver her first child.
The patient had been admitted to hospital in labour in January 2013 and had been given an epidural.
After nearly two hours of active pushing and two attempts at assisted delivery, a decision was taken to carry out a Caesarean. Continue Reading...

Why the '50 first dates' rule is meaningless, according to a couple happily married after almost 100

Molly Wilkinson was once told that you need to go on at least 50 first dates to know exactly what you want out of a relationship.
So Molly began going on dates — and compiling a list. She would jot down the names of memorable ones. For others, a quick note of a distinctive feature, such as “the one with the weird hair,” would suffice. Some were identified simply by location or clothing, such as the gentleman from the bar or “the guy with the Members Only jacket.” Continue Reading...

American Eagle is taking the world by storm with unretouched photos and unconventional models

American Eagle is revolutionising the high-street with a fashion campaign that features completely unretouched photos and unconventional models.

The US brand, aimed for teenagers, is taking the current wave of body positive image and diversity into its #AerieReal campaign, which features size 12 model Barbie Ferreira and "too big", "not big enough" Iskra Lawrence. Continue Reading...

Why your lip balm may not be good for you after all

Whether the sun is scorching down, the temperature has dropped below zero or the central heating is on full whack, the delicate skin on your lips is in a constant battle against the elements.
Slathering your lips with balm is supposed to protect them – but is the need for constant top-ups a sign that products aren't quite as moisturising as you're led to think? Continue Reading...

The truth about McDonald's kale salad: It has more calories than a Double Big Mac

McDonald's has introduced kale salad to its US menu - but the fast food giant's health kick may not be quite as virtuous as you think it is.
For rather than offering a low-calorie, low-fat and low-sodium alternative, the leafy green combo actually contains more salt, fat and calories than a Double Big Mac.
Health experts say that while kale - which is full of useful vitamins - is in itself a good ingredient, once it appears alongside crispy chicken and an Asiago Caesar dressing, as it does in the "Keep Calm, Caesar On" chicken salad, it rockets up the cholesterol charts. Continue Reading...

Debora Robertson recipes: The bundt cake is fashionable and foolproof

Debora sprinkles her Kugelhopf with icing sugar Joe Woodhouse

If you have children or friends with whom you're on reasonable terms, or you work in an office, belong to a book group, or owe anyone a debt of gratitude that can't be assuaged with a text, chances are that sooner or later you'll be required to bake a cake. Continue Reading...

How to Buy an Engagement Ring, According to Hollywood Jeweler Neil Lane

We're in the midst of awards season and engagement season, which means we're going to be seeing a lot of Neil Lane. Like, a lot. Brilliant, retina-searing Neil Lane diamonds have already been spotted on the red carpet (on the lobes and wrists of Lady Gaga, Kate Winslet, and Amy Adams at the 2016 Globes) and on the ring fingers of celebrity brides-to-be (ahem, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley). Suffice it to say, the man behind the brilliance knows a thing or two about jewelry. So, we went to the jeweler himself for insight into purchasing the most important piece of jewelry of all—the engagement ring. Continue Reading...