Tabla de contenidos para January 2024 en Platinum

A new year is almost upon us! It takes me a while to adapt and I spend the first few months writing the previous year’s digits on things; for example I’ve been putting ‘23 onto the end of January and February copy and spreadsheets. I’ll no doubt do it when filling in forms until at least April! And I don’t know about you, but for me time feels like it’s speeding up. One way to slow it down though is to go away – mid-winter is a popular time to book a break, whether it be one to look forward to in summer or a winter sun escape. Being away often makes time slow down, as being in a new place and doing new things keeps your brain engaged and…

Over five decades, Kate Humble has journeyed to all seven continents, visited more than 100 countries and undertaken feats, including crossing the Sahara Desert with salt traders over a five-week expedition in 1999 – not for the benefit of television but purely for personal reward. ‘It was just a journey I wanted to do and one of the hardest things physically and mentally I’ve ever done, but it was an absolutely extraordinary journey,’ says the TV presenter who, 25 years on, is preparing for another mind-boggling challenge: attempting to become one of the first people to fly across the Serengeti National Park by hot air balloon. ‘I’m a little bit nervous!’ laughs Kate, 54, who, three days after our interview, will travel to Tanzania where she will fly for four…

It is all too easy to become stuck in a rut with your hairstyle, skincare routine and style of makeup. Things that have served you well and looked great in the past perhaps could benefit from small (or large) tweaks. Reinvention or change may be an exciting prospect to some but to others, myself included, it may be very daunting. Never feel you need to justify a change, but perhaps try to understand why. Visualise how you would like to look; find inspiration from others while setting realistic goals. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t get it right the first time, just enjoy the process. It isn’t so much about changing who you are, more about embracing what you feel the best version of yourself looks like at this stage…

Conveniently located just 5 minutes from Alnmouth station, The Whittling House in Northumberland features 10 beautiful, characterful bedrooms. The charming hotel has been thoughtfully designed to provide a special kind of laid-back luxury for couples, friends and families. Even your four-legged companions are welcome, with a designated bed provided in your room. Complete with an elegant country restaurant serving locally sourced, seasonal dishes, and comfortable interiors adorned with crackling fires, The Whittling House provides a haven of relaxation just a stone’s throw away from the stunning Alnmouth beach. With direct trains from London King’s Cross to Alnmouth taking just over 3 hours, and being a mere 45-minute journey from Newcastle, Alnmouth offers a conveniently accessible location for travellers in search of an authentic coastal experience, along with comfort and charm.…

I was on a sailing holiday in a remote part of Asia six years ago when I first noticed I had a real problem with alcohol. There wasn’t a lot of alcohol available where we were, and when drinks were being passed around one night, all I could think was, “hurry up!”. The next day, hidden away in my cabin on an amazing boat with a massive hangover, I kept thinking about how I’d wasted a whole day of my five-day trip. Later, I decided to never let that happen again, and so began my journey to sobriety. Until that moment, I’d always thought my drinking habits were normal. As a chartered accountant, I had moved from Scotland to London in my early 20s to work in investment banking and…

GAIL ROLFE Fashion expert Gail invites us to get dressed up for maximum glamour. TANMEET SETHI Author and TEDx speaker Tanmeet invites you to find your inner joy. HEATHER JACKSON Menopause champ Heather on living your best years at midlife and beyond. ADELE PARKS MBE Prolific author Adele rounds up her favourite new reads this month. JANE MOORE The Loose Women presenter grieves over the loss of her beloved family pet. LOUISE MINCHIN The TV presenter and author shares her London 2022 marathon story. DOTTIE MONAGHAN Platinum’s make-up artist Dottie’s tips to transform your beauty routine. SUZY GLASKIE Health coach Suzy shows you how to make lasting lifestyle changes. ELIZABETH JOSEPH Our ‘Menopause Guineapig’ tries out all sorts to manage midlife mood swings. .…

Every Christmas for the past 16 years, our home video has featured a shot of our Tibetan terrier Jasper sniffing disdainfully at his canine Christmas stocking, which always went untouched in the hope of a cocktail sausage instead. But sadly, not this year. He died just before the festive season kicked in. We knew it was coming. He was partially blind and deaf, covered in strange growths, and eye-wateringly smelly, but for a while he seemed happy enough and lumbered along. Every time I took him to the vet for a check-up, she said that as long as he was still interested in food and walks and didn’t seem in any pain, he could go on for a bit longer. So we clung on to the hope that he might…

Fresh beginnings and resolutions are all the rage, and it’s time for a new start. But for some of us, with the dawning of a new year comes a little niggling feeling that we’re only getting older. Sometimes those New Year’s Eve fireworks can serve as little more than a reminder that we’re 365 days older than the last time we saw them. To that little voice in our heads I say, “Yes, you’re right! I’m one year older, but I’m getting far too wise to let the number of years I’ve spent on earth hold me back”. After all, it doesn’t matter how old you are. How old do you feeI? At this time of year, many of us are trying to start new routines – resolutions to exercise…

‘I was so inspired by designers I’d see in magazines and wanted to be one of them... now, it’s me!’ This December, my glassware brand celebrates 13 years in business. I trained in printed textiles at Loughborough University and experimented with glass in my second year. After graduating, working and finding a niche in splashbacks and glassware, I started my own business, founded with a grant for East Midlands graduates. I always knew I wanted to do my own thing. While studying, I was so inspired by the designers I’d see in magazines, and I really wanted to be one of them. Now, it’s me in the magazines, hopefully inspiring others that, if you put your mind to it, you can do what you want in life. I love running…

Scan the QR code to enter online! 1. How often do you normally read Platinum? ■ I subscribe to either the print or digital edition■ Every issue (once a month)■ 3 issues out of 4 (9 issues per year)■ Every second issue (every second month)■ Every fourth issue (every four months, three times a year)■ Less often than that■ Once a year■ Only ever bought one copy■ This is my first issue 2. If it’s your first issue, what was the reason you decided to buy it? 3. How do you usually get your copy of Platinum? ■ I subscribe to either the print or digital edition■ From a newsstand / retailer■ From a friend / colleague■ Digital edition via Apple News+■ Digital edition via Readly■ Digital edition via another…

Have you noticed a change in your moods recently? Do you not quite feel like yourself anymore? Are you constantly anxious? Do you wake with a sense of impending doom? Welcome to perimenopause. Such fun! Oestrogen (yes this again) regulates the production of cortisol. As oestrogen levels drop cortisol levels rise. As cortisol levels rise we get anxious. These changes, coupled with disrupted sleep, hot flushes, aching joints and all the other possible symptoms of perimenopause can lead to feelings of futility, anxiety and erratic mood swings. I like to view my mood swings in a soft-focus montage showing the passing of the last few years with gentle background music playing as we see different shots of me grunting “don’t mention it” after opening the door and receiving no thanks;…

Sometimes it can feel like we’re drowning in advice on healthy living. There are so many healthy habits that we know we would benefit from. We can feel pressurised to attempt all of them at once. But that’s a recipe for sticking to none of them! Far better to select just one thing: the one that appeals to you most and that you’re most ready to try. The key is to start tiny – too tiny to fail. If you gamely commit yourself to a 30-minute yoga practice every morning in your bedroom, you may find yourself doing zero minutes yoga practice. And that will make you feel bad for not sticking to what you promised yourself. If, on the other hand, you commit to one single stretch, you’re more…

Adele Parks MBE is the author of twenty-three bestselling novels, including her latest release Just Between Us. She writes compelling, twisty psychological thrillers that are popular all over the world. Adele has sold 4.75 million books in the UK and is translated into over 30 languages. She is dedicated to spreading the love of reading and is a proud ambassador of The National Literacy Trust and The Reading Agency. Keep in touch with her via Twitter @adeleparks and at instagram.com/adele_parks. THE LIBRARY OF HEARTBEATS by Laura Imai Messina (£16.99, Manilla Press) On the peaceful Japanese island of Teshima there is an unusual library, a place where the heartbeats of visitors from all around the world are collected. In this small, isolated building, the heartbeats of people who are still alive…

If you are currently debating what to wear to a rather glamorous party, there is always one very easy choice that will hopefully banish all your sartorial doubts and fears. The answer is the new generation of midi or maxi dresses. Forget ditsy florals, faded cotton prints and anything that resembles a Victorian milkmaid. The latest edition of midi and maxi dresses offers a grown-up level of gravitas and elegant sophistication that is the polar opposite of floaty boho. A rediscovered sophistication has swept across the whole milieu of fashion. It’s one of those significant seismic shifts that happens every so often. And this one certainly benefits those of us who have passed those significant milestone birthdays. Clothes provide an indefinable magic that allows us to assume a limitless variety…

Tick-tock, you’re getting older – and so what? Ageing is a natural process that happens to everyone who is lucky enough to live a long life. It used to be that the first streak of grey hair or a wrinkle or two sparked a feeling of panic over lost youth. Ageing was something to conceal – or risk becoming the invisible woman. Today, the idea of women becoming irrelevant post-fifty is laughably old fashioned, with even women in the public eye no longer trying to hide the natural ageing process. Just look at the luscious silver-streaked locks of Andie MacDowell, Salma Hayek, Meryl Streep, Sarah Jessica Parker or the fabulously make-up-free Pamela Anderson at Paris Fashion Week. Now, businesswomen, social media influencers and even us ordinary folk recognise ageing is…

This urban oasis in Hertfordshire may only be a stone’s throw away from the M25, but it offers the most tranquil environment if you are looking for a perfect UK staycation. A bread-making class, pottery workshop, Pilates lesson and HIIT circuit, I really did pack it all in at my visit to the Birch Community. In the 24 hours I spent at the Cheshunt site (there is also a new one in the South London area of Selsdon), I managed to fit in so much, yet returned home more rejuvenated than ever. And that is because this new hotel concept has found the right balance between offering its guests a programme of activities that will ensure one can never get bored, alongside a wellness space where you can dip into…

As the season comes to a close, there may also be the closing of another major season for you: your career. Whether it’s the conclusion of your cherished professional chapter or the unexpected loss of employment, there are difficult challenges and emotional nuances tied to late-career job loss and retirement for women. Losing a job later in your career or choosing to retire can trigger a cascade of emotions akin to grief. The routine, the identity, and the sense of purpose that a career provides become integral parts of one’s life. Whether this transition is a chosen step towards retirement or an unexpected detour, the emotional journey that ensues can include strong feelings of loss. It’s okay to mourn the end of an era. Your career is not just a…

Last year, I was privileged to be invited to a special service in Westminster Abbey celebrating the 75th birthday of the National Health Service. It was a service applauding all the achievements of our NHS over three quarters of a century and it was a very upbeat affair, but I’m sure I wasn’t the only one standing in the Abbey that day who also spent that time reflecting on where, or even if, our beloved NHS would be in the next 75 years. GPs are currently delivering a million appointments a day, which is half a million more appointments a week than before lockdown, but we have an ageing population. Since 2010 the number of over-75s in the UK has increased by a third, and over-75s, on average, require five…

Happy New Year everyone! I write this having just come back from a tough run. It wasn’t particularly fast nor particularly far, but the wind was so fierce it nearly blew me off my feet. I am tired but exhilarated and I know it will be one of those runs I will remember for a long time because it was in one of my favourite places, the North Cornish coast, and it was with one of my favourite people, my daughter Mia. We hadn’t been planning such a gruelling excursion, but when we are together somehow hard things don’t seem so insurmountable, the sand pulling at our feet not quite so draining, and the summit of the headland not so unreachable. We have been running together since 2020, during the…