How To Keep Rats Out Of The Garden Without Killing Them This Spring

Posted on 13/03/2024 by Boris Clair

No offence to the little critters but for many gardeners, rats are really quite unwelcome visitors. Setting up little homes beneath decking, in sheds, greenhouses or even compost heaps means that they infiltrate the nooks and crannies of our gardens.

As they’re nocturnal, and quite skittish anyway, you’re unlikely to see a rat in the garden but signs such as rat tunnels, runs, droppings and even teeth marks can sprinkle throughout your treasured green space, letting you know that rats are living there.

The problem is, for many outdoorsy folk, killing them or poisoning them isn’t an option. I mean, of course. They’re just existing. But then, how do you get rid of them without harming them?

Thankfully, the experts at Gardeners’ World have some ideas to keep the rats at bay.

How to get rid of rats in my garden humanely

Instead of opting for rat traps, put the bird feeders away

If you have bird feeders hanging for local birds, you may be inadvertently attracting rats. This is because bird food being as small and light as it is, often falls to the ground and this attracts rats. For a while, stop filling bird feeders and if you have chickens, secure the run to deter rats.

One of the best rat repellents is simply… keeping your garden tidy

Messy gardens filled with clutter and overgrown areas are more likely to appeal to rats because of how much cover they provide. Give your garden a good tidy, especially near fences, and keep it today to deter rats.

Protect your compost heap and keep it moist

Avoid adding food scraps to your compost heap for a while and, if you can, keep it moist by including lots of greenery and mud. Gardeners’ World added: “Fixing chicken wire around the base of the bin can also help, as it prevents rats from being able to dig beneath the bin to climb inside.”

Block access to sheds and greenhouses

Rats can make their way into many small cracks, so make sure that your buildings are secured and block any gaps.

Move things around the garden to put them off coming back

Rats hate change and specifically change to their own territory. Move furniture, potted plants and anything else around your garden to encourage rats to find somewhere else to call home.

Finally, if you have any water sources such as a dripping tap that can be shut off, turn them off for a short while if you’ve exhausted all other options.

4 Symptoms You May Not Realise Are Actually Signs Of Early Menopause

Posted on 13/03/2024 by Boris Clair

Half of the population will experience menopause at some point in their life but for younger people, it can be difficult to identify the symptoms, especially for early menopause.

Early menopause is when an individual’s periods stop before the age of 45, and it affects 5% of women.

Isla Telfer, co-founder of GLORIAH, a menopause focussed personal care brand that creates luxury products to help people manage the first signs of the menopause, said: “More and more people are entering menopause early. Whether it’s through surgical menopause, Primary Ovarian Insufficiency, Endometriosis, they share one thing in common – a lack of recognition by professionals, friends, family, and society.”

This is sadly unsurprising. Even for standard menopause, a massive 90% of workplaces have no formal support for women experiencing menopause, according to a recent report.

However, the earlier you can identify early menopause symptoms, the sooner you can get the treatment that you need.

What are the signs of early menopause?

Telfer and her business partner Jessica Watson shared the four crucial symptoms of early menopause.

Hot flashes

A sudden feeling of heat in the face, chest and neck, accompanied by chills and sweating profusely could be a hot flash — one of the most common symptoms of menopause.

This can also present as suddenly feeling cold in those same areas as well as feeling anxious and having an elevated heart rate.

Sleep problems

The founders say that insomnia, night sweats from hot flashes, and sleep apnoea can all play their part in causing sleep issues during menopause.

However, rest is essential for menopause, as it helps to alleviate other symptoms. The NHS recommends wearing light clothing and keeping your bedroom cool to help tackle sleep issues.

Mood and cognition changes

The founders urge that mood changes and increased anxiety can be symptoms of menopause. Additionally, if you’re having problems concentrating or remembering things, you may be entering early menopause. This is because the hormonal changes that come with menopause can affect both your physical and mental health.

A recent study from the University College London found that talking therapy, such as mindfulness, group and cognitive behaviour therapy, could help tackle mood changes caused by menopause.

Vaginal dryness

Experiencing vaginal dryness could be a symptom of menopause.

This is caused by a drop in oestrogen thinning the lining of the vagina and vulva tissue. Using a lubricant during sex and a good vaginal moisturiser day-to-day can help alleviate this painful symptom.

If you feel you may be entering early menopause, speak with your GP to discuss the treatment and support available to you.

The 3 Major Reasons Why Women Get Much Worse Healthcare Than Men

Posted on 09/03/2024 by Boris Clair

Following a TikTok user pointing out that her partner received more aftercare following his vasectomy than she did after giving birth, Dr Karan Raj stepped in to explain why women are still getting the short straw when it comes to healthcare, and specifically pain relief.

Dr Raj said that this is down to a combination of systemic unconscious bias, a lack of research, as well as a failure to acknowledge biological differences in how women process pain.

All of that has led to pain being dismissed, misdiagnosed or undertreated which can have lethal consequences.

Love. That. For. Us.

Why women’s healthcare still falls behind

The surgeon added that despite advances in healthcare, women are diagnosed ‘significantly’ later across over 700 diseases and in some cases, such as endometriosis, waiting up to 10 years for diagnosis.

Frustratingly, he also revealed that sometimes, women’s pain is wrongly attributed to psycological causes and the word ‘hysteria’ was only removed from the American Psychiatric Association’s DSM classification.

Additionally, women’s health and specifically pain-focused research is less likely to be studied in clinical trials which makes effective treatment difficult to find.

He admitted that to this day, we don’t know how women metabolise and react to various pain medications or how women experience or manifest pain.

Finally, he said that because there are so many knowledge and gender gaps when it comes to women’s pain, “It’s imperative that we treat the pain the patient has, not the pain we think the patient should have.”

How to advocate for yourself at the doctors

According to the period health experts at Clue, these are the best ways to advocate for yourself at a doctor’s appointment:

Be prepared and assertive. Write a list of symptoms to discuss with your doctor and on the day, , give the doctor the facts about your symptoms and don’t downplay your symptoms
Ask questions. For example, if you don’t feel that your doctor has considered alternatives, simply say, “is there anything else it could be?”
Try to not be pressured into treatment that you don’t want to do. It’s normal to need a second opinion and listening to your own thoughts and feelings matters, too
Take notes at your appointment to ensure that you remember everything that’s said and can refer back to them in future appointments

This Is What Your Bedtime Procrastination Is Doing To Your Sleep Quality

Posted on 09/03/2024 by Boris Clair

Do you ever find yourself putting off going to bed? It’s so strange, we complain about how tired we are all day, how much we’d love just a couple more hours in bed but when the time actually comes, suddenly there’s another episode we need to watch, another chapter to read, just one more scroll of social media.

We’re our own worst enemies.

According to Max Kirsten, Resident Sleep Expert for Panda London, this is actually something called ‘bedtime procrastination’ or ‘bedtime delay’ and it is the act of unnecessarily delaying going to bed despite having the intention to sleep.

What is bedtime procrastination and how do we overcome it?

According to Kirsten, there are several factors that contribute to bedtime procrastination:

Psychological factors

Kirsten warns that stress, anxiety, and mood disorders can contribute to bedtime procrastination. Even just the thought of facing another day, unresolved issues at work or home, can make bedtime seem daunting, prompting sleep delaying as a temporary distraction.

Poor time management

If you’re prone to procrastination throughout the day, that is likely to seep into your evening, warns Kirsten. This can lead to people postponing bedtime in favour of completing tasks or indulging in leisure activities.

Spending too much time with screens and technology

The convenience of phones and tablets means that it’s easier than ever to engage in stimulating activities late into the night. The blue light emitted from these screens can interfere with our sleep-wake cycle, making it harder to fall asleep, even once the devices have been put away.

How bedtime procrastination impacts our sleep

Disrupts the circadian rhythm

Kirsten warns that consistently delaying bedtime can disrupt the body’s internal clock, making it harder to fall asleep and wake up at the same time each day. This inconsistency can then lead to sleep disturbances and contribute to insomnia and sleep deprivation.

Poor sleep quality

Even if you do fall asleep after procrastinating, the quality of your sleep may be compromised. According to Kirsten, sleep that is fragmented or interrupted by frequent awakenings is less restorative and can leave individuals feeling groggy and unrefreshed upon waking.

Impact moods and mental health

Sleeping poorly can impact your mental health and emotional well-being, leading to irritability, mood swings, difficulty concentrating and heightened stress levels. Kirsten urges that over time, chronic sleep deprivation may contribute to the development or exacerbation of anxiety and depression.

How to stop procrastinating before bed

Make sure you have a consistent routine

Kirsten recommends that you establish a regular bedtime and wake-up time and ensure that you stick to it even on weekends as consistency helps to regulate the body’s internal clock and promotes better sleep quality.

Create a relaxing bedtime routine

Developing a calming bedtime routine signals to your body that it’s time to wind down. Kirsten recommends reading, taking a warm bath or trying some relaxation techniques such as deep breathing or meditation.

Limit screen time before bed

Avoid using electric devices for at least an hour before bed, as the blue light emitted from them can interfere with melatonin production and disrupt sleep.

Address any underlying issues

If you feel that stress, anxiety, or mood disorders are the underlying cause of your procrastination, seek support from a mental health professional.

Help and support:

Mind, open Monday to Friday, 9am-6pm on 0300 123 3393.
Samaritans offers a listening service which is open 24 hours a day, on 116 123 (UK and ROI – this number is FREE to call and will not appear on your phone bill).
CALM (the Campaign Against Living Miserably) offer a helpline open 5pm-midnight, 365 days a year, on 0800 58 58 58, and a webchat service.
The Mix is a free support service for people under 25. Call 0808 808 4994 or email help@themix.org.uk
Rethink Mental Illness offers practical help through its advice line which can be reached on 0808 801 0525 (Monday to Friday 10am-4pm). More info can be found on rethink.org.

I Can’t Un-Read Mary Berry’s Tomato-Less Tomato Soup Recipe From The 70s, So I’m Sharing It

Posted on 08/03/2024 by Boris Clair

Now, I am a Mary Berry STAN. I love her. I love her recipes, I love seeing her on TV and I stopped watching Bake Off when she left because, truly, what’s the point?

That being said, my vintage Mary Berry cookbook from the 70s is not always… perfect, shall we say.

Take, for example, the tomato soup that I found in there today. It’s a ‘summer’ tomato soup which means it’s eaten cold and not cooked but also… there are… no actual tomatoes that need to be chopped for this recipe?

I swear, I had to keep re-reading because I thought I’d missed a step but apparently I didn’t and neither did Mary herself because this is still an entire soup.

I can only put it down to the 70s being a little weird.

Mary Berry’s Tomato-Less Tomato Soup Recipe

So. If you’re feeling like a yoghurty gazpacho is on your bucket list, you may want to try this vintage recipe. It’s not for me personally but as Mary says in the recipe itself, “it’s very much a sophisticated taste” and what can I say? I’m an uncultured buffoon.

So, for this alternative tomato soup recipe, you’ll need:

500ml of natural yoghurt
500ml of tomato juice
The juice and grated rind of a lemon
1/2 cucumber, cut into 5cm cubes
Salt
Ground black pepper
Worcester sauce
Cucumber slices for garnish

… Told you! No tomatoes! Juice tomato juice!

Then you simply:

Whisk together yoghurt and tomato juice
Stir in lemon juice, grated lemon rind and cucumber
Season well and add Worcester sauce
Serve chilled and garnished with thin slices of cucumber

This comes from a vintage cookbook of Mary’s from 1975: Beating The Cost Of Cooking and while I likely wouldn’t choose this meal, I’ll cherish this throwback cookbook forever.

So THAT’s Why We Say ‘Night Night, Sleep Tight’

Posted on 05/03/2024 by Boris Clair

Though last year’s mass bed bug invasion may have led most of us to understand the second half of the phrase, I’m willing to bet you’re not 100% certain on why we say “Night night, sleep tight.”

I, for one, had a sort of half-formed idea that it had something to do with trussing yourself up in tourniquet-like hotel duvets; I wondered whether maybe it had something to do with keeping your eyes shut tight, too.

But recently, TikToker @notmrspock suggested we were all wrong. In a recent video, the creator responded to a commenter’s question as to where the phrase came from.

“That’s an easy one,” he replied in the clip.

Why do people think we say it?

“In Medieval times, beds used to ― instead of having springs, they would have ropes underneath them to put a mattress or sack on,” the TikToker said.

“If the ropes were slack, the bed would really sag. So what would you do? You’d tighten up all the ropes so you have a nice, firm base to lay on,” the creator added; hence the expression, he suggested.

It’s a common story, appearing in Quora responses and BBC shows alike.

Is that true?

Rebecca Karstensen, Wylie House Museum Assistant and Docent for Indiana University, Bloomington, seemed to only partly agree with this assessment.

While it’s true that beds in the 16th century did use ropes, which did need to be tightened, the first recorded use of the phrase didn’t come until 1866 ― a while after the invention of the coil mattress, which took over rope beds rapidly.

“Goodbye little Diary. ‘Sleep tight and wake bright,’ for I will need you when I return,” the text reads, suggesting the term may have come about long after mos people used rope bedding.

So, the researcher looked into the origin of the word.

“According to the Oxford dictionary, the closely related adverb ‘tightly’ can also mean ‘safely’ or ‘soundly’,” the researcher found.

This would not only explain the phrase’s use to this day, but also seems to align more closely with what most people instinctively think of when we hear it.

“Since it sounds a bit catchier and poetic to say two one-syllable words as ‘sleep tight’ instead of the awkward 3-syllable ‘sleep tightly,’ that might explain why the suffix –ly was dropped from the word,” she added.

Writing for Cambridge’s Varsity publication, Georgie Thorpe points out that “The other issue is that it doesn’t quite make sense to tell someone to sleep tight when it’s their bed that needs to be tight, not them.”

So, though the rope beds are fascinating, “sleep tight” likely stuck around because it sounds pretty cosy ― and also rhymes with “night.”

Hey, not every fact can be as mind-blowing as the realisation that you cannot physically melt a Flake bar…

The Five Foods You Need To Keep Your Vitamin D Levels Topped Up

Posted on 25/02/2024 by Boris Clair

The UK government advises that during the autumn and winter months everyone in the UK is advised to take a supplement of vitamin D every day to support general health and in particular for bone and muscle health.

This is because, as most residents are all TOO aware, during colder months in the UK, we don’t get much sunlight and sunlight is the essential factor in soaking in vitamin D.

UK Registered Nutritionist and Head Chef, Anna Tebbs from recipe box delivery service Green Chef said: “Vitamin D is a key nutrient for maintaining healthy teeth, bones and muscles because it helps your body to regulate and absorb calcium more effectively.”

They added that those with a vitamin D deficiency may experience negative side effects such as muscle and bone aches, and fatigue.

The essential foods for boosting vitamin D

While Tebbs recommends checking the nutrient level of any food on the packaging and ingredients list, she suggests some of the highest vitamin D rich foods are:

Types of oily fish, such as mackerel and salmon
Egg yolks
Mushrooms
Milk replacements, including soy and almond
Some breakfast cereals

The nutritionist added: “The simplest way to increase your vitamin D levels through your diet, is by increasing your mushroom intake.

“Particularly paying close attention to portobello, button and chestnut mushrooms that have been grown in the sunlight or under a UV lamp. You can usually find this information on the packaging.”

They also pointed out that this is an easy, simple swap out for meat. “Plant Based News recommends that a portion of mushrooms between 80g-100g can provide you with all your daily vitamin D needs. This amounts to one large portobello mushroom, 11-14 button mushrooms, or just 4-5 chestnut mushrooms.

Finally, Tebbs said that if you’re looking to make a swap from cow’s milk to a plant-based one, this can also boost your vitamin D levels: “you can also increase your intake by carefully choosing milk alternatives that have been fortified with vitamin D and calcium.

“Typically, in the UK cow’s milk is not fortified, so making this swap can help to increase your vitamin D levels with very little impact on your daily diet.”

Your Social Media Habit Could Be Causing This Common Health Complaint

Posted on 25/02/2024 by Boris Clair

If we’re honest with ourselves, most of us know that we spend too much time on our phones and on social media. The allure of endless information, memes, TikToks is incredibly hard to ignore, especially when everyone you love seems to be on there, too.

Yes, we should cut down and honestly, yes, we would be happier for it but the habit is a tough one to break.

According to a new study, though, we might be doing more than just creating endless cycles of dopamine. We may actually be causing and increasing inflammation in our bodies.

How social media causes inflammation

Almost a fifth of Brits (18%) already experience inflammation and, according to a new study published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research, our social media habits can contribute to it.

“The results showed that the amount of social media use—assessed objectively by a screen-time app—was not only associated with higher inflammation at a single time point, but also increased levels of inflammation five weeks later,” says David Lee, an assistant professor of communication at the University at Buffalo and the paper’s lead author.

Studies have long shown the detrimental impacts that social media can have on our mental health with researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology finding that college-wide access to Facebook led to an increase in severe depression by 7% and anxiety disorder by 20% and this new research highlights just how harmful it can be to the entire body.

While this is an interesting advancement, Lee says there’s still more that needs to be assessed: “Given the prevalence of social media use in our daily lives, more research is needed to investigate these potential health effects using diverse methodologies.

“The next crucial step is to move beyond measures of screen time to really understand how and why social media use can have these effects.”

The Funniest Tweets From Women This Week (Feb. 17-23)

Posted on 24/02/2024 by Boris Clair

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This Is How Mary Berry Levelled Up Her Scrambled Eggs In The 70s

Posted on 23/02/2024 by Boris Clair

The words ‘national treasure’ are thrown around far too lightly for my liking but when it comes to Mary Berry, they absolutely apply. First appearing on our screens in the 70′s, Mary has been teaching the nation to cook and bake for longer than I’ve been alive.

My first real exposure to her was obviously Great British Bake Off where her cheeky little smiles were a perfect sidekick to co-host Paul Hollywood’s gentle snark. Racing over to my friend’s after work, we’d tuck into some pasta, share a bottle of wine and talk about whether it was too late for Mary to adopt us as her granddaughters.

With all of this fangirling in mind, it’s probably not a surprise to learn that I forked out for a vintage cookbook of Mary’s from 1975: “Beating The Cost Of Cooking”. It’s yellowed, bent a little in the middle and perfect.

Mary Berry’s vintage scrambled eggs recipe

I bought this book mostly to learn how much not only Mary’s cooking has changed over almost 50 years but how much food trends have changed in general. It’s a great read but there are some that I’m glad stayed right where they belong. In the 70s.

Take for example, the ‘sweet corn scramble’. I don’t know if it’s because I hate sweetcorn or because the illustration is… vile, but this one really got my stomach turning.

Anyway, if sweetcorn isn’t an issue for you, you can try this vintage scrambled eggs recipe from Mary herself.

You’ll need:

6 eggs
6 tbsp milk
salt and pepper
15g of butter
175g of drained sweetcorn
toast

Then, simply beat your eggs in a bowl with milk, salt and pepper. Melt the butter in a pan and make scrambled eggs in your usual way. Just before the eggs are ready, stir in drained sweetcorn and cook until hot. Pile on toast and serve at once.

Despite this cursed illustration haunting my nightmares, I still love you Mary.