Upload
amjad-hussain
View
109
Download
2
Tags:
Embed Size (px)
DESCRIPTION
magazine
Citation preview
RE
AD
ER
S
D
IG
ES
T | S
MA
LL
A
ND
P
ER
FE
CT
LY
IN
FO
RM
ED
| S
EP
TE
MB
ER
2
014
SEPTEMBER 2014
SEPTEMBER 2014 3.79
readersdigest.co.uk
WHO WANTS TO BE STUCK IN THE CORNER?
SU POLLARD EXPLAINS WHY SHE
NEVER HOLDS BACK PAGE 22
BRINGING BACK
EXTINCT ANIMALS
PAGE 52
THE TREE THAT
SURVIVED 9/11
PAGE 68
VITAMINS: WHAT
DOCTORS THINK PAGE 34
BEST OF BRITISH:
ROOFTOP RESTAURANTSPAGE 60
BOOKS THAT
CHANGED MY LIFE:
DAVID MITCHELL
PAGE 127
LAUGH! .................................................................. 140
WORD POWER ....................................................... 131
TRAVEL ................................................................. 82
IF I RULED THE WORLD ......................................... 72
BEAT THE CARTOONIST ...................................... 144
p52
COVER PHOTO: OLIVER DIXON/ALAMY
092014 | |1
ContentsSEPTEMBER 2014
FEATURES
14 REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL
James Brown is boosted
by a coincidental meeting
Entertainment
22 SU POLLARD: I REMEMBER
The actress reminisces about
Hi-de-Hi, hitting the charts
and coming second to a dog
Health 28 THE GIRL WHO
WOULDNT BREAK
Young Jessica Bernstein was
determined that her rare
condition wouldnt stop her
pursuing her dreams
34 WHAT DOCTORS TELL THEIR FRIENDS
ABOUT VITAMINS
Find out what professionals
really think about our most
popular supplements
Inspire 52 THE LONG FLIGHT
TO REVIVAL
How scientists are working to
resurrect the extinct passenger
pigeonamong other animals
60 BEST OF BRITISH: ROOFTOP
RESTAURANTS
From urban car parks to
country forts, we explore
the finest al-fresco dining
68 THE TREE THAT SURVIVED 9/11
Pulled from the wreckage of
the attacks, a solitary tree now
stands as a beacon of hope
Travel & Adventure 76 THE SHARK WRESTLER
When his guide was attacked
by a great white, Trevor Burns
didnt think twice
86 DRINK IT INMeet the winemakers putting
the tastes of Beaujolais back
on the map
| 0920142
IN EVERY ISSUE
4 See the World Differently
12 Over to You
Entertainment
19 Whats On in September
Health
42 Advice: Susannah Hickling
48 Column: Dr Max Pemberton
Inspire
72 If I Ruled the World:
Philip Mould
Travel & Adventure
82 Column: Catherine Cole
Money
96 Column: Jasmine Birtles
Food & Drink
102 30-minute recipe and
ideas from Rachel Walker
Home & Garden
108 Tips for your outside space
Technology
110 Olly Manns gadgets
Personal Care
112 Advice from Georgina Yates
Fashion & Jewellery
114 How to look your best
Hearing & Vision
116 Action on Hearing Loss,
the RNIB and Sightsavers
Books
122 September Fiction: James
Waltons recommended reads
127 Books That Changed My Life:
David Mitchell
Fun & Games
128 You Couldnt Make It Up
131 Word Power
134 Brain Teasers
140 Laugh!
144 Beat the Cartoonist
EDITORS LETTER
IN MY EXPERIENCE,
pigeons tend to divide opinion. Indeed, many would be horrified to learn that a particular species of this bird was
once the most abundant in the world. But within a remarkably short period of time, the passenger pigeon was driven to extinction, with the final one dying in captivity 100 years ago this month. Their fascinating storyand rumours of a possible resurrectioncan be found on p52.
Fans of supplements, meanwhile, may be surprised by What Doctors Tell Their Friends About Vitamins on p34 (hint: they dont always justify the hype). And if you fancy some al-fresco dining while the weather is still fine, Id draw your attention to the return of our Best of British feature on p60, which highlights our most appealing rooftop restaurants.
Speaking of new additions, a warm welcome to Catherine Cole, who takes over from Kate Pettifer as our Travel columnist. Check out her suggestions for this month on p82.
facebook.com/readersdigestuk
twitter.com/readersdigestuk
pinterest.com/rdigestuk
google.com/+ReadersDigestUK1
Readers Digest is published in 29 editions in 17 languages
4
5SEE THE WORLDTurn the page
6
You need a good excuse to travel to Naples? So what about visiting its subway? The tube station Toledo, at 165 feet deep, offers visitors an outstanding view. Curved walls, elaborate mosaics and ingenious illumination make travellers believe theyve descended to a fantastic underwater world. Thats why no ones bothered at all if the train is a few minutes late.
...DIFFERENTLY
PHOTOS: MARIO LAPORTA/AFP/GETTY IMAGES
| 0920148
Write to Us SEND US YOUR STORIES, JOKES AND LETTERS
50 for the star letter and 30 for regular letters.
Email [email protected] or go to readersdigest.co.uk/contact-us
50 for the true stories, anecdotes, jokes in
Laugh! and You Couldnt Make It Up, and
contributions to end-of-article fillers, Travel and
Gardening. Email [email protected] or go to
readersdigest.co.uk/contact-us
SUBSCRIBE
We Pay...
Customer Services Talking Magazines
Sorry!
Small Print
...and we pay
Visit readersdigest.co.uk or write to: Readers Digest, PO Box 7853, Ringwood BH24 9FH. UK: 45.48 a year. Republic of Ireland: 61.20 a year. Prices
include delivery. For Gift Subscriptions contact Customer Services below
Contact Customer Services for renewals, gifts, address changes, payments, account information
and all other enquiries. Phone: 0330 333 2220*
Email: [email protected]
Readers Digest is available in a talking edition for blind and partially sighted people for 16. For details, phone: 01435 866 102; email: [email protected], website: tnauk.org.uk.
We cannot acknowledge or return unpublished items or
unsolicited article-length manuscripts. Do not send SAEs.
Article-length stories, poetry and cartoons are not requested.
Ensure submissions are not previously
published. Include your name, email,
address and daytime phone number
with all correspondence. We may edit
letters and use them in all print and
electronic media. Contributions used
become world copyright of Vivat Direct
Ltd (t/a Readers Digest).
for regulEma
reaor
con
Visit readersdiges
- and
pts@
y
facebook.com/readersdigestuk
pinterest.com/rdigestuk
google.com/+ReadersDigestUK1
twitter.com/readersdigestuk
*See p
10 f
or
deta
ils
of
call r
ate
s
| 09201410
@readersdigest.co.uk
facebook.com/readersdigestuk pinterest.com/rdigestuktwitter.com/readersdigestuk
2014 Vivat Direct Ltd (t/a Readers Digest). British Readers Digest is published by Vivat Direct Ltd, 57 Margaret Street, London W1W 8SJ. All rights reserved throughout the world. Reproduction in any manner, in whole or part, in English or other languages, is prohibited. Readers Digest is a trademark owned and under license from The Readers Digest Association, Inc, and is registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Offi ce. All rights reserved. Classifi ed advertising by Madison Bell. Printed by Polestar Chantry, Polestar UK Print Ltd. Newstrade distribution by Seymour Distribution Limited.
PAPER FROM SUSTAINABLE FORESTS. PLEASE RECYCLE
VINTAGE VIBES ONLINE WITH READERS DIGEST
Last month, we
got carried away
with our magazine
archive and
featured excerpts
and photos from
the July 1960
edition on our
website and
social channels.
You loved it so
much that were
doing it again! This
time, were taking a look back to 1957.
Also online this
month, find out
which animals
wed revive
from extinction,
check out our
top ten sizzling
summer reads,
and watch the
trailers for this months recommended films.
VISIT OUR WEBSITE!
CEOGARY HOPKINS
EDITORIALEditor-in-ChiefTOM BROWNE
Sub-EditorLAURA DEAN-OSGOOD
Digital Content EditorMANDI GOODIER
Art DirectorYVEY BAILEY
Graphic DesignerKATIE JOHNSON
ADVERTISING Advertising DirectorSIMON [email protected] 701 5936
Account DirectorPEVIN [email protected] 701 5935
MARKETING Operations DirectorJULIE LEACH
Head of DigitalSEAN CHAPMAN
Marketing & Content ExecutiveKYLIE PETITT
THE READERS DIGEST ASSOCIATION INC (USA)President and Chief Executive Offi cerBONNIE KINTZER
Vice President, Chief Operating Offi cer, International BRIAN KENNEDY
Editor-in-Chief, International MagazinesRAIMO MOYSA
CUSTOMER SERVICES 0330 333 2220* *C
all
s t
o 0
3 n
um
be
rs c
ost
no
mo
re t
ha
n a
na
tio
na
l ra
te c
all t
o a
n 0
1 o
r 0
2 n
um
be
r a
nd
wil
l b
e f
ree
if y
ou
have
in
clu
siv
e m
inu
tes f
rom
an
y t
yp
e o
f lin
e i
nc
lud
ing
mo
bile
, B
T o
r o
the
r fi
xe
d l
ine
For fans of military history,
its the greatest escapeJersey is packed full of places to get you closer to the Second World War than anywhere else in the
British Isles. Thought-provoking places like the ever-present remains of the ve-year German
Occupation, including the staggering coastal forti cations built by Hitler as part of his Atlantic Wall.
Award-winning places, like the Jersey War Tunnels, where youll be led through evacuation,
deportation, captivity, siege and liberation. And stirring places like Liberation Square in St Helier,
with its striking statue of islanders holding aloI the Union Jack, celebrating their liberation from
German Occupation. Add a mild climate, easy travel by air or sea from the UK and great-value oL ers,
and youve discovered Jersey.
jersey.com
*Return price per person, including taxes, with easyJet from Gatwick. Price correct at time of print.
Flights
from
53rtn
| 0920141212
2 LETTER OF THE MONTH...
James Brown tells us to
look up to the skies. As a
teenager in 1940, I often
looked up into the summer
sky, gripped by the vapour
trails of aircraft during the
Battle of Britain.
The rattle of machine-gun
fire could be heard faintly,
and occasionally a plane would be on its way down, smoking and
on fire. Sometimes a parachute would appear as someone bailed out
to fight again or be taken prisoner. My school lessons were hard to
bear as I looked though the window near my deskthe cane was the
punishment for not paying attention!
I still get pleasure when I see a Spitfire, Hurricane or Lancaster. The
familiar sound of the Rolls Royce Merlin engines fills me with pride
and the pleasure of a memory that will never diminish.
ALAN ANDREWS, D e v on
A NEW ERA
James Brown asks why someone
doesnt start building old warbirds
again. Well, the Spitfire is actually
enjoying a resurrection, with the
introduction of the 90 per cent scale
reproduction known as the Spitfire
Mk26B, which you can buy in kit
form from Supermarine Aircraft in
Australia. All thats needed is the
time and hangar space to build it
and also a modest 210,000!
The engine is a modern V8 rather
than the old Merlin, but the end
result looks excellent. I believe there
are quite a few around the globe,
including several in Britain.
ARTHUR BUSH, Dartford, Kent
Over to YouLETTERS ON THE JULY ISSUE
092014 | |13
NOT SO SWEET
Tame Your Blood Sugar Forever served as a real wake-up call to me. Ive always thought of myself as healthy, and Im proud of the fact that I dont smoke or drink. If I have a vice, its chocolateI can devour family-sized bars in a single sitting! My weight has remained within the normal range, however, so Ive seen no harm in this indulgence.
I now realise that what I took to be harmless has been endangering my health, so Ive decided to cut right back. We all need to start taking responsibility for our own health, and eating less sugar seems like a good starting point.
SHAUN GARDNER, Bristol
TECHNO-ISOLATION
I loved Esther Rantzens If I Ruled the World, but her plea that families sit and eat together is a common one among the pre-laptop and smart-phone generation, who often sat and chatted with their loved ones.
Despite families sitting in the same room, were now further apart from one another than ever before. And its by choiceafter all, its humans whove created and choose to use these technologies.
ROBBIE BURTON SANIGAR, Faversham, Kent
PHOTOGRAPHY FAN
My favourite section of Julys issue was the Family Photo Competition: The Winners! Each photo oozed warmth and family bonds, and I couldnt help but smile at each one. The photography itself was simply stunning and made me want to reach for my camera.
So will I be entering next year? No, I wont. Sadly, my 18-year-old arthritic cat can take better photos than me! ESTHER NEWTON, Berkshire
A SHARED INSPIRATION
Like Tony Parsons in Books That Changed My Life, My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell had a profound influence on me.
I grew up in Tanganyika (now Tanzania) and we studied this book as part of our syllabus. It introduced me to flights of imagination and adventure, but most importantly laughter! I was the only one in a class of 11 students who used to giggle all the way through reading it, and my teacher loved me for that. I pursued biology, then pharmacy, and I also sketch African wildlife, donating any sales to the Amboseli Elephant Project. Thank you for the trip down memory lane! SUBHASH SUTHAR, Sittingbourne, Kent
Send letters to [email protected] We pay 50 for Letter of the Month and 30 for every other published letter
Please include your full name, address, email and daytime phone number.
We may edit letters and use them in all print and electronic media.
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!
| 09201414
REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL
James, founder
of Loaded
magazine, now
edits Sabotage
Timesan
online magazine
with the motto:
We cant
concentrate,
why should
you?
In the depths of tragedy, a positive encounter
gives James Brown a much-needed boost
A COINCIDENCE, NO MATTER HOW SMALL, CAN
GIVE AN UNEXPECTED LIFT TO THE SPIRITS. Ive started
most of these columns from a level emotional playing field.
But sometimes lifes not like that, and youre dealt one of
those blows that knocks you right downand then a minor
irritation makes it even worse. After that, a small but positive
link can be strangely uplifting.
Last week, my much-loved father-in-law Alan died, less
than 12 weeks after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
He was everything to his wife and two daughters, hugely
popular with his lifelong friends, and remains a very good
role model. He never had a bad word to say about anyone,
but had an endless fund of interesting stories. And he was
delighted to have spent his last nine months with his new
grandson. Married for over 40 years, his daughters spoke to
him every day of their lives.
His illness and death has obviously proved devastating,
and the intensity isnt lessened by knowing that similar
things happen to so many tight-knit families. I know there
are people who will identify with our situation, and theyll
be feeling sad while reading this.
Why Small Things Have A Big Impact
092014 | |15
ILL
US
TR
AT
ION
BY
JA
ME
S S
MIT
H
DURING THIS TERRIBLE TIME,
however, we had to deal with a minor
but particularly irritating situation.
My girlfriend helped nurse her dad
through his illness, and as a result
some curtains for a bedroom in a
holiday cottage she rents out didnt
get made. When it became apparent
that her dads condition was terminal,
she wanted to cancel the summer
bookings at the house, but instead I
encouraged her to carry on as normal
REASONS TO B E CHEERFUL
| 09201416
Little acts of kindness can be magnified under such stressful
circumstances, just as petty ones can
the sooner we measured up, the
sooner we could make the curtains
and we could also help immediately
by putting some black-out material
in the window frame.
As I drove away dumbstruck, my
13-year-old son said, When you
told her Alan had just died of cancer,
she said, I dont care.
We were shocked.
After I sent them
an email reiterating
the circumstances and
apologising for the
light, I took the guests
up on a compromise
Mel the seamstress
agreed to come out on
a Saturday lunchtime
and measure up then.
WHEN I MET MEL,
I was exceptionally
thankful that shed given up her day
off to help. Little acts of kindness
can be magnified under such stressful
circumstancesjust as petty ones
can. She told me shed spent most
of the last 20 years working in London
until landlords turfed her out of her
workspace and turned it into luxury
flats. I smiled in disbelief.
It turned out shed been based in
the same building to which Id taken
my eldest son to nursery for five years.
She knew the friendly photographer
with the big black dog we chatted
to each morning, and the French lady
that ran the nursery. In a weird way,
and let people have their holidays
there. We would try to do our best
in the circumstances.
After the first guests of the summer
mentioned the excessive light in the
bedroom, we immediately set about
trying to find a local lady wed been
told about who makes curtains. Then
Alan passed away and
the week just exploded
emotionally. Curtains
simply didnt matter
to us any morebut
they mattered to the
second guests.
When I managed,
a day into their stay, to
make it out of London,
get to the coast, visit
a knitting shop, get
the seamstresss phone
number and arrange
to meet her at the
property, giving the guests a days
notice, they didnt want to let us in
because they were annoyed theyd
had one night of light. Well be
slopping round in our pyjamas at
9.30 on a Saturday morning, and
anyway weve got our things here,
they complained.
When I tried to explain the terrible
circumstances, and that our five-
minute visit would make it better for
them, the woman interrupted and
told me it didnt matter that someone
had died because, You shouldnt
rent out a house where the room has
no curtains. She didnt realise that
READER S D I G E ST
092014 | |17
the connection was really uplifting.
Her general outlook to lifedespite
not having a car, shed worked at
the three local village ftes in one
dayand the shared minor history
managed to erase the frustration
Id felt about the guests.
Knowing we must have passed
in the street many times wasnt that
big a deal, but it was a positive where
previously there had been a surface-
level negative. After the five minutes
it took her to measure up, I drove
her through the local nature reserve
to her first tombola and cake stall
of the day, while her friend Richard
made us all laugh talking about a
gig hed been to during which a fire-
eater in the audience had singed
the guitarists hair.
When I said I might write about this
in Readers Digest, she said, Oh good,
my mums just passed away this year
and weve kept her subscription.
BUDDING AUTHORS, TAKE A BOW!
This chilling tale was one of thousands submitted to our 100-Word-Story Competition. Well be publishing a commended story every month.
UNTIL THEY FALL
Half an hour after dawn, the two prisoners stood against the wall, motionless in the cold. They held their bodies erect, staring glassily ahead. Boots crashing, the firing squad marched into the courtyard, swung right and snapped to attention. The blindfolds were applied.
On command, the squad drew back their rifle bolts, raised their weapons and fired. The bullets smashed into the wall. For a second the prisoners remained rigid and then, gasping audibly, they dropped their shoulders, their daily ordeal over. This was the colonels cruellest trick of all to blindfold the firing squad. One morning someone would hit. Graeme Robertson, Newcastle upon Tyne
Graeme says: Im a retired civil servant, born in Glasgow, and Ive been writing for my own amusement on and off for many years. I got the idea for the story after watching the Russian roulette scene in The Deer Hunter. I began to think about other cruel ways in which an execution could be delayed. Graeme will receive a cheque for 50
The UKs most
rangeadvanced multivitamin
READERS DIGEST DISCOUNT
NUTRITION FOR A HEALTHY LIFESPAN
MULTIVITALITY RANGE:
DELIVERED DIRECT TO YOUR DOOR
Healthspan are proud to lead the way in product quality
and innovation with over 150 gold standard supplements
all developed by nutrition experts using the finest ingredients.
Our MultiVitality range provides tailored nutrition for the
whole family, through every stage of life in one-a-day solutions.
ChildrenTasty
chewable bears
120 tablets
9.95
GoldComplete
A-Z nutrition
180 tablets
8.95
ProImmunity
support
90 tablets
9.95
50 PlusFor the
over 50s
180 tablets
10.95
70 PlusFor the
over 70s
120 tablets
12.95
3 off Quote code:DIG-XSE
Prices valid until 31.12.14
FREEPHONE 0800 73 123 77
EXCLUSIVELY DIRECT www.healthspan.co.uk
your order
Why go another day without room-fi lling sound?
30 day RISK-FREE
home audition and
INTEREST-FREE
instalment plan*
Wave
music system IIIBuilding on over 30 years of innovation and research, the Bose
Wave
music system III delivers award-winning, room-filling quality sound, yet this compact, all-in-one system takes up less space than
a single conventional speaker. The Wave
music system III reproduces music with the most accuracy weve ever produced in a system this small. Youll hear details youve never noticed in songs you know
by heart, delivering room-filling sound with depth and definition.
The systems front-loading CD player and digital DAB/FM/AM tuner offer you two ways to experience your favourite music, while the digital display shows track information as you listen. Touch-top controls
turn the system on, off and snooze the alarm, and the slim, credit-card sized remote offers one touch control of all the systems functions. The Wave
music system III also features dual alarms for two different wake-up times making it one of the most convenient devices you can own.
Music from your iPod, iPhone*, computer or tablet.
Available accessories bring music from your iPhone or iPod*, or wirelessly from your tablet, computer or other Bluetooth
device. And being compact, the Wave
music system III fits neatly just about anywhere so you can enjoy all kinds of music in all kinds of places.
Hear it for yourself, risk-free.
We believe the best way for you to appreciate the Wave
music system III is to experience it in your own home. So call now and listen for 30 days without risk or obligation.
*Dock not compatible with iPhone 5 and iPod shuf e.**Payment plan is available on credit/debit cards only and is subject to status. An initial deposit is due at the
time of order and all payments will be charged to your credit/debit card. If the product is returned, the deposit is fully refundable. S ere will be no interest charges
from Bose. In the event of late payment, credit/debit card company interest charges may apply. Deliveryis subject to product availability, clearance of payment and
security checks and can be up to 10 days from when Bose receives the order. Price/Payment plan / Offer subject to change without notice. Free shipping offer applies
to UK standard delivery only. Risk free refers to 30-day home trial only. Bose Corporation 2014. All rights reserved. S e Wave
music systems distinctive design is a
registered trademark of the Bose Corporation in the U.S. and other countries. S e Bluetooth word mark is a registered trademark
owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc., and any such use by Bose Corporation is under license. iPod and iPhone are registered trademarks
of Apple Inc. Registered DAB Digital Radio used with permission of Digital One Ltd. Registered in England no 1187672.
Registered Office: Bose Ltd., Bose House, Quayside, Chatham Maritime, Chatham, Kent, ME4 4QZ.
Find out more about our:
30 day risk-free home trial, with no obligation Easy payment options - 0% interest charges from Bose**
FREE shipping to your home Not delighted? FREE return shipping*
To order or to learn more
call free 0800 081 3394 today quoting reference 40132
Mon-Fri: 9.00am 6.30pm Sat & Sun 10.00am - 5.00pm
Or for a free information pack
Text Bose40132 to 84118Visit: www.bose.co.uk/wms
Shown in Titanium Silver.
Also available in Graphite Grey
and Platinum White.
22 | 092014
ENTERTAINMENT
PERSONAL PHOTOS COURTESY OF SU POLLARD
Su Pollard I Remember A LWAY S H AV I N G A
F L A M B OYA N T D R E S S
SENSE. When I was five,
my mum Hilda took me to
C&A in Nottingham. I said,
I want that blue dress with
the yellow polka dots and I
want one blue tight and one
yellow one. My mums dress sense was
more twin set and pearls.
MY HANDSOME DAD. I remember
him at a family party, all suited and
booted, singing My Way like Frank Sinatra and everyone cheering him on
and shouting, More, Don, more! I
was so proud of him. He always said to
me, Youve got to follow your dreams.
MAKING AN AUDIENCE LAUGH
FOR THE FIRST TIME. I didnt mean
to. I was the angel Gabriels assistant in
the school nativity, aged six,
and was standing on a card-
board box to deliver my line to
Mary, Fear Not! Angel Gabriel
will at which point I fell right
through the boxthe teacher
hadnt made it strong enough.
It wasnt an auspicious start to
my acting career, but I loved how the
audience laughed at the situation, so I
clambered out of the box and finished
my line be coming to give you a
sign. Everyone loved it.
GETTING INTO TROUBLE. One
day in our cookery class, Miss Poole
said to us, Clean out your drawers,
girls, and I laughed because it made
me think of old-fashioned underwear.
She sent me to the headmistress to say,
Miss Poole says Im daft. Another
time, the headmistress called me into
092014 | |2323
I Remember
her office and said, Susan, youre
wearing the school cloak like a
Dracula cape. Thats not allowed.
I think your theatrical tendencies
need an outlet. You should join the
local amateur-dramatic society. To
this day I thank her for those words of
wisdom. I couldnt have got a better
grounding if Id gone to drama school,
and I was an enthusiastic participant
at the Co-Operative Arts Theatre until
I left Nottingham.
GETTING MY FIRST PAIR OF
GLASSES WHEN I WAS 14. They
were round, John Lennon ones. My
dad bought them because they were
on offer, but I thought they were hate-
ful and cried my eyes out at having
to wear them. I said to my dad, Boys
wont want to make passes at me.
MY MUM WAS PAINFULLY SHY.
She and my dad both worked at the
Players Factorythey were one of the
biggest employers in Nottingham. One
day I went to surprise her with a visit
wearing a big Afghan coat and a bowler
hat with a feather. She was horrified
and said, Quick, walk behind me! She
was a great tap dancer and had a lovely
soprano voice. I remember dancing in
the kitchen with her and ruining the
lino on the floor. Shes very happy that
Ive been able to do a job I love.
I WAS A GOOD TYPIST. I left
school at 16 and got a job with The
Tennant Rubber Company. I could do
200 words a minute shorthand and
A ten-year-old Su on holiday at the local
caravan park in Mablethorpe, Lincolnshire;
(below) with parents Don and Hilda at a
Buckingham Palace garden party
I R E M E M B E R
| 09201424
80 words on a typewriter. But one time
I sent out a letter to loads of people
that said, The couple who suffered
flooding in their home have kindly
been put up in a hovel. My boss wasnt
pleased with my muddling up the v
and t in their accommodation details.
SINGING AVE MARIA IN HOT
PANTS. I started singing in pubs and
working mens clubs when I was 15.
The clubs were a rather better place to
learn your trade because they had
proper secretaries that booked your
act. I got paid 10 a gig, which was
marvellous. One time my friend John
and I did an evening together. He was
a drag act and I helped get his wigs on
and then sang Ave Maria.
SEEING LONDON FOR THE FIRST
TIME. Id answered an ad in The Stage
magazine for a part in the musical The
Desert Song. Ill never forget arriving
at St Pancras station aged 19 for the
audition; it looked like a Disneyland
castle and I was so excited. Four days
later I got a call saying Id got the job
and that they wanted me straight away.
But I hadnt done my fortnights notice!
My boss was lovely and said, Just go.
I never looked back.
COMING SECOND TO A SINGING
DOG IN OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS
IN 1974. It was a Jack Russell owned
by a headmaster who got all his pupils
to vote for him. I sang Im Just a Girl
Who Cant Say No, but I didnt have
my glasses on and couldnt see the
camera, so I sang at the speaker by
mistake. That Jack Russells got a rela-
tion somewherelets hope I never get
to meet it.
TRYING NOT TO LAUGH WHEN
WE WERE FILMING EPISODES OF
HI-DE-HI. One time we were sup-
posed to be looking for treasure under
the floorboards, but all we could see
was the water main. The disparity in
what we were supposed to be looking
for and the reality of what we were
An early
publicity
shot aged
16, when
Su was
playing
working
mens clubs
I R E M E M B E R
| 09201426
documentary at that time. We had to
film a video on a snowy Hampstead
Heath, with me in a pink floppy hat
getting snowballs chucked at me.
MEETING THE QUEEN. I did three
Royal Variety Performances, and when
I met her I said, Can we swap skins,
Maam? because she had the most
fantastic skin. She beamed at me.
TAP DANCING WITH THE PRIN-
CESS OF WALES. We were at a charity
event at 10 Downing Street. I was in Me
and My Girl at the time and told her
I was finding the tap dancing hard. She
said shed done it at school, and before
I knew it we were tapping together. I
couldnt wait to tell my mum!
DOING TV AND THEATRE AT
THE SAME TIME. I was filming You
Rang, MLord? during the day and star-
ring in a farce Dont Dress for Dinner in
the West End every evening. I used to
find myself shouting for the filming
and then too quiet on the stage. It was
a marvellous thrill to be doing what I
loved with such tremendous people.
PAUL SHANE. Id worked with him
on Hi-de-Hi! and You Rang, MLord?,
so it was no wonder when we were
together again shooting a scene for Oh,
Doctor Beeching! that I got confused
and shouted Ted! Ted! at him. Only
his name wasnt Ted in that show. We
filmed Oh, Doctor Beeching! on a real
station and every time it rained 16
RE
X/J
EN
NY
GO
OD
AL
L/
DA
ILY
MA
IL
Reunited with Paul
Shane (centre) and
Jeffrey Holland for
Oh, Doctor Beeching!
READER S D I G E ST
092014 | |27
bedraggled actors would shout Hit
the huts! and wed take shelter in the
little huts used for storing the props.
DANCING WITH ANTON DU
BEKE ON STRICTLY COME DANC-
ING. Hes ever so good. When we first
met, he looked at me like I was from
Planet Zod. We got on very well, even
though he knew I was never going to
be a spectacular partner.
MY BEST STYLE MOMENT. It was
for An Audience With Ken Dodd. I wore
a red silk dress and huge feather boa,
a silver 1960s cap and necklaceand
black-and-red trainers. Most high heels
you cant walk in, and who wants to be
stuck in the corner of a room when you
could be out there having fun?
As told to Caroline Hutton
Su Pollard will be starring with Cannon
and Ball in the comedy farce Ha Ha Hood!
And the Prince of Leaves, which is in
theatres around the UK from this month.
Visit hahahood.com for details.
BIZARRE CLASSIFIED ADS
Full-size mattress. Royal Tonic, 20-year warranty. Like new.
Slight urine smell. 40
For sale: one pair hardly worn dentures, only two teeth missing.
100 O.N.O.
Outdoor nativity scene for sale. No Mary, Joseph or Jesus. 100
Pony for sale. Looks like small horse. 900
AS SEEN ON THE INTERNET
In panto as
Mimi the Magic
Mermaid from
Peter Pan
| 0920142828
PHOTOS BY ERIN PATRICE O
BRIEN
The
Who
Wouldnt
Girl
Break
BY ANITA BARTHOLOMEW
Jessicas bones might be fragile
but her spirit was fighting fit
and her body responded
HEALTH
J
| 0920143030
THE G I R L WHO WOULDN T B R EAK
ESSICA BERNSTEINS PARENTS LIFTED HER FROM
HER WHEELCHAIR and hustled her into her mums
car for the trip to the hospital. Distraught, the elfin
15-year-old begged them: Dont take me. Please,
I dont want to go!
Shed had more surgeries than birthdays; spent
more time wracked with pain, recovering from
fractures and operations, than shed spent just being
a child. She couldnt do it any more. Yet, even as she pleaded to be
left alone, she knew she had no choice.
In her second year of primary school, Jessica was fitted with leg braces that extended from her hips to her ankles. Thrilled to be walking on her own for the first time in her young life, she wore them 24 hours a day. But the following year, as she walked through a doorway at school, Jessicas foot caught on the threshold. That slight misstepshe didnt fallwas enough to break both her legs.
Three surgeries and 18 months later, something had changed in the sparky little girl. Until then, Jessica had always been determined to push herself beyond expectations. But now she sat in her wheelchair, reluctant to do the gruelling post-surgery physical therapy that could help her get onto her crutches and back to school. She loved that her friends often came over to hang out with her, but she envied them too. They were free to play out-side and do all the things that everyone else could do. She wanted to be just a normal child, but even more than that,
A few months earlier, in the winter of 2009, her surgeon Dr Jenny Frances had given her a reprieve. One of the supporting metal rods inside Jessicas leg bones had shifted position. But when she begged to put off getting it corrected, Dr Frances agreed to wait until the girl felt ready.
Now sharp pains in her right leg told her something was very wrong. Treatment could wait no longer.
Jessica had been born with osteo-genesis imperfecta (OI), a rare genetic disorder also known as brittle bone disease. So fragile was her skeleton that her legs had broken and healed again before she was even born. Many more fractures followed, almost always to her legs. As a tot, Jessica wanted to do everything her older sister Marisa did. When other kids were toddling, she pulled herself along on her bottom. Fearing the pressure would fracture her arms, her grandfather built a scooter to place under her tummy so she could zip around the house.
READER S D I G E ST
092014 | |31
she wanted to be safe from more pain.
By the time she returned to school in
the fourth year, she cautiously got back
to using two crutches, but decided not
to even try to get around on just one, as
shed done in the past. She didnt want
to fall. As a little girl, shed braved the
frequent blood tests her condition re-
quired. Now she cried and begged the
nurses to leave her be. No more surger-
ies, no more blood tests. Shed had
enough of it all for a lifetime.
When Jessica was 14, shed reached
what doctors expected to be close to
her full height: just four-foot-two. But
without much physical activity, her
weight had ballooned. So she chal-
lenged herself to lose weight and
started to exercise more. The excess
weight dropped away and she felt bet-
ter about herself than she had in years.
Then came the pain in her right leg.
Something was seriously wrong.
BACK IN HOSPITAL, the 15-year old
imagined her efforts had been for
nothing. From experience, she knew
post-surgical recovery would be long
six months or moreand painful.
But she had a pleasant surprise. This
current operation would be somewhat
simpler than earlier ones, Dr Frances
at the Childrens Centre at Manhattans
Hospital for Joint Diseases, explained,
as they reviewed her X-rays. Because
the bone had broken at the top only,
they could use a smaller incision to
pull out the old rod and insert a new
one, instead of making the usual long
incision from the top to the bottom of
the leg.
A few days after the surgery, Jessica
was surprised to find herself able to sit
up in a wheelchair. By the end of her
nine-day hospital stay, she tentatively
hefted herself onto her crutches
an even bigger undertakingbeing
careful to keep the wounded leg from
touching the floor. Thrilled at how
much better she felt than shed antici-
pated, she started getting back some
of her old determination.
Early stage physical therapy usually
involved very little movement. But
I realised I could do a lot more, says
Jessica. Experimenting with new exer-
cises, relying on her own sense of how
far her body could go, I kind of just
made it up on my own.
Using her walker for support, she
practiced lifting her body up with her
arms and swinging her legs back and
THRILLED AT HOW MUCH BETTER SHE FELT AFTER SURGERY, SHE STARTED TO GET BACK SOME OF HER OLD DETERMINATION
| 0920143232
forth. Within six weeks, she could bend
her knee. That, too, was the soonest
ever. To ensure she didnt lose muscle
in the leg, with Dr Francess blessing
she wrapped a small weight around
her ankle and did leg lifts. She taught
herself yoga poses. It helpedI
wouldnt get so stiff. She cycled on an
indoor exercise bike, each day getting
stronger and more confident. Dr Fran-
ces was stunned, but pleased, that a
teenager with OI could become an
exercise fanatic.
Her 15-year-old body co-operated,
up to a point. But soon it was clear
that her calf wasnt healing properly.
Doctors would have to go back in to
do another repair. And Jessica would
start from the beginning again.
But now, she knew something she
hadnt before. Her bones might be
fragile, but her body was capable of
more. And her spirit was fighting fit as
well. It was getting easier every time to
get back to where she was before the
operation. Shed healed well enough to
join her friends as they began their first
year of secondary school together.
But Jessica had a dream.
Her family lived just four houses
from an idyllic beach on Long Island,
New York. Jessica longed to stroll the
boardwalk like her neighbours, but had
never been nimble enough on her
crutches, or sticks as she called them,
to navigate the wooden slats. She
decided it was time to try. Trekking to
the end of the street, she took the ramp
up to the wooden walkway, delighting
in the scent of the sea and the call of
the gulls. The clack of her sticks was
the sound of independence.
Life suddenly felt richer and more
complete. The boardwalk stroll be-
came part of her daily routine.
Then in late October 2012, the mas-
sive waves caused by Hurricane Sandy
ripped the boardwalk from its moor-
ings. With the boardwalk gone, Jessica
couldnt stroll along the beach. Her
crutches would be useless on the soft
sand. The thought saddened her until
she realised this setback didnt have to
stop her. She had an idea: What if I
could walk without sticks?
With renewed resolve, hanging onto
furniture for balance, Jessica practised
getting around the house with a single
crutch. It was less difficult than shed
When Jessica first
walked on the
sand, it was an
amazing feeling
of freedom
READER S D I G E ST
imagined. So then I started to do it
quicker. Soon, single stick under her
arm, she was walking around the yard.
After a few weeks, she was able to walk
around the house with no crutch at
all, holding onto anything that could
stabilise her.
One February afternoon, when the
sun was low in the sky and the winds
calm, Jessica dressed in her exercise
gear and left the house, single crutch
under her arm. Neighbours ambled
along the beach, some walking their
dogs. She headed in their direction,
stepping for the first time beyond
where the pavement ended. Her stick,
more impediment than help, sank in
the sand. Stopping a moment, she
lifted the crutch until it rested across
her arms. She took another step. The
sand didnt feel the way shed imag-
ined, but it was wonderful: soft and
yielding, yet demanding. She adjusted
her stance to find her balance, then
coaxed herself along, watching all the
other people who took this simple act
for granted. To walk freelythey had
no idea how amazing it all was.
I felt so proud, she says. It was like
Id given birth to the sand.
Jessica loves to bake, and although it
means long hours of standingsomething
she might not have dreamed she could do
a few years beforeshes decided to follow
her heart and study the culinary arts.
HEALTH
PHOTOGRAPHS BY GREGORY REID
When health professionals have heart-to-
heart chats with their pals, their advice often
differs from the medical standard
What Doctors Tell Their Friends About Vitamins
BY RICHARD LALIBERTE
35
D
| 0920143636
WHAT DOCTORS T E L L T H E I R F R I ENDS ABOUT V I TAM I N S
DR CLIFFORD ROSEN KNOWS VITAMIN D: he was part of an Institute
of Medicine committee that recently set recommendations for the
sunshine vitamin. So hes astounded when he learns that friends are
taking as much as 5,000 IU of the vitamin each dayfar higher than
the 4,000 IU established as the safe upper limit. Probably 80 per cent
of the people I know take vitamin D, says Dr Rosen, from the Maine
Medical Centre Research Institute in the US. When I ask them why,
they say, Its not harmful. But thats not necessarily true.
In fact, the latest research suggests that
many previously lauded supplements
may be riskier than once thought. And
dangers may be greater for those who
are savviest about nutrition. People
who take supplements tend to eat
better and have higher nutrient intakes
than people who dont, says Paul R
Thomas, scientific consultant at the
National Institutes of Healths Office of
Dietary Supplements. Adding supple-
ments on top increases the risk of
getting more than you need.
Yet its tough to judge the value of
supplements when headlines seesaw
between recommendations and warn-
ings. So we asked some experts a ques-
tion: what advice do you give your
friends and family about vitamins?
Their answers may make you rethink
whats in your medicine cabinet.
Vitamin C? It just gives you expensive urineDr Mark Levine laughs when asked if
he takes a vitamin C supplement. A
researcher at the National Institute of
Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney
Diseases, Dr Levine has studied how
the body uses vitamin C. Although
some research indicates that it may
protect against cancer, cardiovascular
disease, macular degeneration and
famouslythe common cold, studies
that isolate vitamin C from the diet
generally dont find that taking it alone
protects against disease.
The best evidence for vitamin C
comes from studies where people get it
from fruits and vegetables, Dr Levine
says. The benefits likely come from the
interaction of a range of nutrients in C-
rich foods such as citrus fruits, red and
green peppers, broccoli, strawberries
and Brussels sprouts.
While some evidence suggests that
taking 200mg or more of vitamin C a
day might shorten a cold by a few
hours12 hours at the most, says
Dr Levinetaking a supplement after
symptoms start does no good.
Whats more, Dr Levines research
shows that the body tightly regulates
vitamin C levels, so its futile to load up
on the mega doses found in popular
supplements. The body works very
READER S D I G E ST
092014 | |37
hard to absorb low amounts of vitamin C, Dr Levine says. But as the dose goes up, you absorb much less and you excrete the extra vitamin C through your urine in a matter of hours.
Should you take a supplement? Probably not. Even amounts higher than the RDA of 90mg for men and 75mg for women are easy to get from your diet. In fact, only six per cent of the population is deficient in vitamin C, according to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.
If you eat fish twice a week, you dont need omega-3 supplementsPeople often ask me about omega-3s, says Dr Dariush Mozaffarian, associate professor of medicine at Harvard Med-ical School, who studies these unsatu-rated fatty acids found in many types of fish. I tell them that decades of studies show that eating two servings of fish a week lowers the risk of death from heart disease, but getting more than that doesnt make a big difference.
Omega-3s reduce inflammation and make plaques in arteries more stable, so theyre less prone to trigger a heart attack or stroke. They may also allevi-ate depression and protect skin from ultraviolet radiation.
Should you take a supplement? If you dont eat much fish, its reason-able to take a 1g fish-oil capsule a day, especially if youre over 40 or have
heart disease, Dr Mozaffarian says. But avoid taking more; some studies suggest that doses upwards of 2g to 3g may raise levels of LDL cholesterol.
Skip calcium pills, unless you have osteoporosisWomen have been told for years to take calcium for strong bones, so Dr Rosen isnt surprised when people pop cal-cium pills three or four times a day. But many are shocked by the advice he shares now: If your bones are healthy, I dont think theres any need for sup-plements, because they might not help and may be harmful.
Calcium keeps bones strong and helps muscles, nerves, blood and hor-mones do their jobs. You especially need it when youre young and build-ing bone or when youre older (over 50 for women and over 70 for men) and your body absorbs less of the mineral. But its easy to get enough from foods such as milk, yogurt, broccoli and forti-fied orange juice and cereal. You need only about 1,000mg of calcium a day, and the typical dietary intake is about 850mg, Dr Rosen says.
Hed rather see friends make up this deficit by ditching processed foods for healthier, calcium-rich ones than take supplements, which can push people dangerously close to the upper limit of 2,000 to 2,500mgbeyond which calcium may start to harm health. Too much calcium can cause constipation and increase the risk of kidney stones.
Newer, though still controversial,
research shows that people who take calcium supplements suffer heart at-tacks at a greater frequency than those who dont. Dr Rosen also says that many people assume that calcium sup-plements prevent osteoporosis, but the latest independent review of research found theres not enough proof to show that pills help people who dont have the bone-weakening condition. Its a bit damned if you do, damned if you dont: for post-menopausal women, doses below 1,000mg dont help, but doses above that may increase risks.
Should you take a supplement? Theres no reason unless you have osteoporosis, and even then take only one 500mg pill a day, Dr Rosen says.
Got achy, arthritic knees? Glucosamine/chondroitin is worth a tryAlthough his research concluded that glucosamine/chondroitinrenowned for its purported ability to relieve os-teoarthritis symptomshad no effect on joint pain or function, Dr Allen D Sawitzke recommends it to friends with moderate pain anyway. The reason: Some people do really well on it, even though others dont, says Dr Sawitzke, an investigator for the national Glucosamine/Chondroitin Arthritis Intervention Trial (GAIT).
Experts think these chemicals, which occur naturally in joints, help build cartilage and supporting tissue and work best as a duo. The trialwhich
WHAT DOCTORS T E L L T H E I R F R I ENDS ABOUT V I TAM I N S
READER S D I G E ST
compared the supplement with an
anti-inflammatory pain reliever and a
placeboshowed that, on average,
people experienced no benefit from
either treatment after two years. But
Dr Sawitzke points out the small print:
glucosamine/chondroitin didnt help
all, but some people who took it lost
ten times less cartilage. And the com-
pounds significantly eased pain for
79 per cent of participants during the
first two months.
Should you take a supplement? If you have moderate arthritis pain, try
glucosamine/chondroitin for two to
three months. If you dont see a benefit
by then, youre probably not going to,
Dr Sawitzke says.
The benefits of vitamin D have been oversoldYouve probably heard about studies
linking low levels of vitamin D with
higher risks of such wide-ranging
problems as cancer, heart attacks, in-
fections, Alzheimers disease, auto-
immune conditions, depression and
obesity. When his friends cite these,
Dr Rosen points out that the studies
dont show cause and effect.
These associations can be really
misleading, he says. Without more
trials, we dont have a good sense of
how vitamin D supplements help.
The one exception: vitamin D has
conclusively been shown to promote
strong bones. You need vitamin D to
absorb calciumthats why the two
| 0920144040
WHAT DOCTORS T E L L T H E I R F R I ENDS ABOUT V I TAM I N S
are often packaged together. But too much vitamin D (above the safe upper limit of 4,000 IU for adults) can lead to nausea, vomiting, constipation and weakness. And because vitamin D boosts calcium absorption, amounts above the upper limit can increase risks from both nutrients.
While blood levels of vitamin D are widely reported to be abysmally low, the latest research shows that most people have enough for healthy bones (above 20ng/ml). Since intake from foods such as fortified milk, fatty fish, eggs and mushrooms is sub-par, most of us get surprisingly meaningful amounts from the sun, which triggers D production in the skin.
Even ten minutes of casual expo-sure on the hands and feet seems to make a difference, Dr Rosen says.
Should you take a supplement? Most adults probably dont need one. But after the age of 70, when your bones need more vitamin D, your body begins to make less of it from the sun, so Dr Rosen recommends taking an extra 400 IU a day. Supplements may also be worthwhile for teens (who are in their prime bone-building years), people with disorders such as Crohns or celiac disease (which can affect D absorption) and obese people (whose excess body fat may stockpile the nutrient, so less circulates in blood).
TWO VITAMINS TO THINK TWICE ABOUT
VITAMIN A: Some research suggests that taking vitamin A supplements in amounts slightly higher than the RDA of 900mcg for men and 700mcg for women may reduce bone-mineral density and increase the risk of fractures. In addition, two clinical trials have found increased risks of lung cancer and cardiovascular disease in smokers who took high doses of beta-carotene (which converts to vitamin A in the body).
VITAMIN E: Researchers studying whether vitamin E helps prevent prostate cancer found that taking 400 IU a daymore than the recommended 22.4 IU but the amount typically found in pillsincreased the risks by 17 per cent. An earlier review of 19 clinical trials found that 400 IU a day may boost death rates. Other research suggests that vitamin E supplements may increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. Despite these findings, a 2012 study reports that 20 per cent of men who visit urologists take vitamin E to prevent prostate cancer.
PROP STYLIST: SARAH GUIDO FOR HALLEY RESOURCES
092014 | |41
Fibre supplements may help, but theyre not a licence to skip vegetablesIn an ideal world, everyone would get their share of fibre from huge, crunchy salads and snacks of fresh fruit. But Joanne Slavin, whos studied fibre, knows thats not going to happen.
Most people get only about half the recommended intake of at least 25g of fibre a day, a bigger shortfall than with most nutrients, says Slavin, from the University of Minnesotas Department of Food Science and Nutrition. Thats why she favours supplements to make up the difference. You still need to eat fibre-rich foods such as fruits, vegeta-bles, wholegrains and legumes, Slavin says. But if you cant swap these for what you normally eat, a supplement can help you get what you need.
Fibreplant substances that the body doesnt easily digestlingers in the GI tract, where it nourishes good bacteria and slows digestion. It may lower the risk of heart disease and stroke, hypertension, obesity and some
cancers. Although much of whats known about fibres health impact comes from studies of overall dietary patterns, clinical studies based on isolated fibre like that found in supple-ments also reported important bene-fits, like lowering cholesterol.
Not all dietary fibres are alike, Slavin says. For example, studies sug-gest that psyllium (used in liquid sup-plements like Metamucil) and wheat bran are good at promoting regularity; inulin can increase healthy bacteria in the gut; and oat bran and barley bran have been shown to lower cholesterol.
Should you take a supplement? First try to boost fibre intake by tweak-ing your diet. If you still fall short, take 3g of fibre once a day to start (to avoid gas and bloating). If you tolerate the change after three days, increase to 3g three times a day. Check with your doctor if you have diabetes or take certain drugs, since fibre can lower blood sugar and reduce absorption of some medication.
READER S D I G E ST
STARTING A NEW JOB IS NEVER EASY
I accidentally pressed the panic button and summoned an armed response
police team while in my first week of training in a new job.
First day of working as a cashier, I put the wrong code in for a voucher,
giving the customer 3,000,000,000 credit.
First job, first week, I refused to let a strange man into the shop before
opening time. He was the regional manager.
FROM @RHODRI ON TWITTER
| 09201442
HEALTH
Susannah is
twice winner
of the Guild of
Health Writers
Best Consumer
Magazine
Health Feature
Are you feeling a bit physically inactive after the
summer? Follow our easy tips to get movingyou wont
even need a pair of trainers.
Take the stairs. Making several trips up and down a few flights every day makes your heart beat faster, improving
cardiovascular fitness. Plus, youll strengthen the gluteal
muscles in your bottom.
Stay upright. Dont automatically head for a seat on the bus or train, or sit down at a party. Studies are showing that
being too sedentary is bad for long-term healthit may up
your risk of some cancers and diabetes. Stand when you can.
Play with the kids. Hide and seek, football and Wii Fit games will benefit both older and younger generations.
QDo the special filters you can buy for vacuum cleaners actually relieve allergies?
AUnfortunately not. Vacuum cleaners, however high-quality, will usually stir up dander, pollen
and dust. In a test of various vacuum
cleaners, researchers put particle-
trapping devices on their noses; they
QUACK QUESTIONfound all the machines sent cat
dander and dust mites flying into
the air. To keep allergy-causing
particles down in your home,
vacuum daily in high-traffic areas,
and once or twice a week everywhere
else. If that sounds too much like
hard work, remember it will keep
you fit as well as easing the sneezing!
Getting Fit The Easy Way
BY SUSANNAH HICKLING
Active computer games have even
been shown to lower blood glucose in
people with diabetes.
Be mobile on the phone. Use a phone call as an excuse to get up and
chat while youre on the go.
Go shopping. Walking around the shops can burn about 200 calories
an hour, much more than youll shed
surfing for bargains on the net.
Have an activity break every hour. If you spend hours at a time
sitting down, get up regularly and
walk around for one to three minutes.
Buy a pedometer. Its easy to overestimate how much activity you
engage in, but this will show you how
close you are to 10,000 steps a daythe
number recommended for good health.
092014 | |43
J
UIC
E I
MA
GE
S/A
LA
MY
/ B
LU
ES
CR
EE
N/
MO
RG
UE
FIL
E
FOODIE FACTS
The truth about olive oilRumour has it that using olive oil to cook is bad for your health. The internet is rife with claims such as, The smoke is full of toxins, and, It gives off harmful free radicals. Sounds scary, right?
Well, when we dug deeper, we discovered that you can cook with olive oiljust avoid using high temperatures. Thats quite simply because olive oil has a lower smoke point (the temperature at which oil breaks down and can catch fire) than many other oils.
But far from being bad for you, a diet that includes olive oil may lower the risk of breast cancer and heart disease.
Nutrition attritionSome foods lose some of their goodness when theyre cooked, but to varying degrees. In general, foods retain the most nutrients when they are steamed, stir-fried or microwaved.
Water-soluble vitamins, which include C (found in fresh fruit and veg) and the eight B vitamins, leach into water and are damaged by exposure to air, light and heat. This means theyre more easily destroyed during cooking than the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. Fibre content, on the other hand, changes little during cooking.
HEALTH
WESTEND61 GMBH/ALAMY
| 09201444
DID YOU KNOW?
Optimists are better at handling stress than pessimists, according to research published in the journal Health Psychology. It seems that gloomy types had trouble regulating the stress hormone cortisol and tended to have a higher baseline stress level than those people who looked on the bright side.
Mens Health
How To Let
Off Steam
hitting something only serves to
increase your hostility.
Remember, whoever loses it, loses. Losing your temper makes you
look like the bad guy, no matter whos
at fault. Visualise a scene in which
you got angry and replay the tape
several times, each time imagining
yourself responding in a different way.
That will give you new options for
dealing with tricky situations.
Picture a red stop sign in your mind. Alternatively, wear a rubber
band on your wrist and snap it when
you find your anger beginning to boil.
Then take a few minutes to put the
issue into perspective.
Dont get mad, get active. Jump on your bike and go for a ride or attack
the weeds in your garden. Vigorous
activity helps dissipate anger.
Invest in an iPod. Then, when you feel yourself getting riled, switch
on your portable music player, pop
your headphones on and tune out
the aggro.
Men tend to show their rage more
than women, but anger can increase
cholesterol levels and suppress your
immune systemit may even give
you a heart attack. So what can you
do to defuse it?
Take three deep breaths. Breathing deeply helps you release
tension and lower your feelings of
internal anger.
Dont punch a pillow. Studies have found that, far from helping,
HEALTH
BSIP SA/ALAMY
| 09201446 FOR MORE, GO TO READERSDIGEST.CO.UK/HEALTH
I Had Botox For My Migraines
I started getting migraines
about ten years ago, at the
age of 23just once or twice
a month to begin with. By
2011 they were coming more
frequently. In my worst month I had
22. I was working in Canada at the
timeIm a scientist studying pain,
ironicallybut I had to move home
and in with my parents.
The migraines caused me to sleep
during the day, and then I couldnt
sleep at night. I had no energy. My
head was often so heavy I couldnt
lift it. None of the drugs worked
except an anti-epileptic medication,
but that had such severe side effects
that I came off it.
At the National Migraine Centre
in London, my neurologist suggested
botox. It helps about 70 per cent of
people with chronic migraine, so I
was hopeful. I was approved on the
NHSyou have to have headaches
for more than 15 days a month and
three failed medicationsbut I ended
up paying to get it done quicker.
Having 31 injections in my temples,
forehead, shoulders and the back of
my neck was painful, but it only took
five minutes. Afterwards, I managed
OTHER SURPRISING
USES FOR BOTOX
Famed for smoothing out wrinkles, botulinum toxin (AKA botox) can also be used to treat:
QHyperhydrosis (excessive sweating)
QOveractive bladderQSpasticity as a result of MS or stroke
QTennis elbowQSquintQNeck spasms.
to go ten days without a migraine,
the longest in years. After two
sessionsit takes at least three
my migraines are down by more
than half and less severe.
Now I say yes to more invitations
and dont worry so much about
having migraines. I feel freer.
FIONA RUSSELL
SUCCESS AS A HOSPITAL DOCTOR is based not on
what you know, but who you know. Theres a group of people
that make or break you, and its all based on bribery and
corruption. Theyre not the heads of the hospitals, the trust
managers or consultants. Theyre a handful of middle-aged
women who sit in a ramshackle room crammed with filing
cabinets. Theyre the radiology secretaries.
These women hold the key to what every young doctor
wants, the holy grail were all in search of after a ward round,
the one thing that can please our consultants: a scan. Be it
X-rays, ultrasound or CTs, its these ladies who are in charge
of the waiting lists.
EACH MORNING AFTER THE WARD ROUND, Im left with
a list of scans that need to be booked. My consultant then
swans off to theatre, blissfully unaware of the Herculean task
hes left me with. I have to overcome the fact that theres a
waiting list of at least a week, as he insists that the scans are
performed that day. This is no easy task, but Im not alone
every junior doctor faces the same problem, which is why I
run. When you see a doctor running down the corridor in a
BY MAX PEMBERTON
| 09201448
HEALTH
Max is a
hospital doctor
and author.
Hes also the
resident doctor
on ITVs This
Morning
The Path To Success Is Paved With Wrappers
NESTL
hospital, theyre not running to the
scene of some medical emergency;
theyre running to radiology to be
first in the queue.
Ive only got one patient, Mrs
Arberry, who needs a scan this
morning. Shes in her 80s and its of
her abdomen, to find out why she
has stomach pains. But our ward
round over-ran, which means theres
no way Ill be first in the queue to
get it done today. Panic.
If Im honest, most of the scans Im
asked to book arent at all necessary.
But I never admit this to the radiology
secretaries. Instead, every scan I
need booked must become a matter
of life or death. Success, though, is
purely down to whether or not the
secretaries like you. And how many
Quality Street you bring them from
the ward.
Mrs Arberry needs her scan,
but the radiologists list is
full. Theres no hope.
Dont worry love,
says Nora, one of the
secretaries. Ill tell
him shes a
private patient, then hell do her.
Hell never know shes not.
She winks at me as I hand over
some coffee creams. This is how
the secretaries manage to achieve
the seemingly impossible task of
fitting people on to already over-
full lists without anyone batting
an eyelid.
BACK ON THE WARD, my pager
goes off. Its the consultant.
I think we should also get a scan
done on Mr Ashleigh. Can you get
that for this afternoon? he barks.
I cant guarantee itll be done
today, I reply, but I know some
women who can.
I run off to radiology, my pockets
bulging with Quality Street.
ILLUSTRATION BY DANIEL HASKETT
| 09201450
HEALTH
the food lands by a colony of E. coli,
it will be instantly contaminated.
WHERE DID THE MYTH COME FROM?
You often hear people shout
Five-second rule! as they scoop
some food off the floor theyve
just dropped, before popping it in
their mouths. Its not entirely clear
where the rule comes from, but its
firmly entrenched in folklore to the
extent that many believe its a fact.
SO, THERES NOTHING TO
WORRY ABOUT?
The moisture levels and surface
shape of the food have been
found to affect how much bacteria
attaches to it, as well as where its
droppedareas of high traffic have
more bacteria than others. In general
though, its a judgment call whether
you want to eat something after its
been on the floorjust dont assume
that if you rush to pick it up in under
five seconds, itll be safe.
WHATS THE TRUTH?
Studies have shown that bacteria
can contaminate food more or less
instantaneously when its dropped.
There was no difference in rates of
contamination between food left for
one or six seconds. However, after
one minute, contamination rates are
about ten times higher. Most bacteria
cause no harm, but bugs that cause
food poisoning, such as E. coli, can
live for over a month on the floor. If
MEDICAL MYTHSBUSTED!
You Can Eat Food Five Seconds After It Falls On The Floor
Vitabiotics Visionace 7.45 for 30 tablets (a months supply). Available from Boots and online at www.visionace.com
Focus onVision
Its easy to take your eyes for granted; but, like every vital organ, they need looking after to ensure they stay healthy.
As you get older, natural changes occur; for example, from your 40s, as the lenses lose some fl exibility, youll probably fi nd it harder to focus. Even more important, then, to be alert to such changes, and take steps to keep your eyes in maximum health.
TOP TIPS FOR HEALTHY EYES: Have regular eye checks. The health of your eyes can tell your optician a lot about the health of the rest of your body too. Rest your eyes. If youre doing prolonged close work such as sitting at a computer, reading, needlework or model-making, be sure to glance up regularly and look into the far distance; blink a lot to keep the eyes moist.
Choose an eye-friendly diet. Go for dark-green leafy vegetables such as kale, which has high concentrations of lutein; oily fi sh, rich in omega-3 fatty acids and citrus fruits fi lled with vitamin C. Eggs, nuts and beans are also great for eyes. Add a supplement. Vitabiotics Visionace is a unique research-based formula used by leading UK optometrists and eye specialists. It contains a complete spectrum of nutrients such as vitamin A, B2 and zinc which contribute tothe maintenance of normal vision. Plus natural mixed caretonoids and Bilberry extract. Theres no need for an additional multivitamin supplement.
ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE
A close look at e) ective ways to help safeguard your eyes
52
INSPIRE
It went from the most abundant bird
in the world to extinction within
decades. But could modern technology
resurrect the passenger pigeon?
BY CRISPIN ANDREWS
The LongFlight
to Revival
THE LONG F L I GHT TO R EV I VA L
them. This would include not only
passenger pigeons but also thylacines,
dodos, Stellers sea cows, moas and
woolly mammoths.
At the conference, several scientists,
revealed that theyd been trying inde-
pendently to revive extinct species
for a whilesuch as the Australian
gastric-brooding frog, which gave birth
through its mouth, and the auroch,
an extinct cow that used to roam the
plains of Europe and Central Asia. It
was also announced that scientists had
been sequencing passenger-pigeon
DNA since 2001.
Ben Novak, a geneticist working for
Revive and Restore on the passenger-
pigeon project, explains that DNA from
a stuffed specimen is required to bring
back an extinct animal. This isnt a
problem with the passenger pigeon;
there are 1,532 stuffed specimens in
museums and private collections
around the world. Joel Greenburg,
author of A Feathered River Across the
Sky: The Passenger Pigeons Flight to
Extinction, has a bird called Heinrich
named after German-American com-
poser Anthony Phillip Heinrich, who
wrote a whole symphony in 1858 about
passenger-pigeon migrationwhile
When the first Europeans arrived,
North America had five billion pas-
senger pigeons. In 1866, the Ontario
flock alone was said to contain three
and a half billion birds. Yet on Sep-
tember 1, 1914, the last passenger
pigeon, called Martha in honour of
President George Washingtons wife,
died in Cincinnati Zoothousands
of years of evolution destroyed in a
few decades.
FAST FORWARD 100 YEARS, however,
and we find that scientists are making
serious attempts to bring back the
doomed bird.
On March 15 last year, a group of
leading scientists, conservationists
and researchers came to a conference
in Washingtonchristened Revive and
Restore after the
organising non-
profit group who
set it upto discuss
whether humans, re-
sponsible for wiping
out so many animals,
should take advan-
tage of modern tech-
nology and make
efforts to revive
There were so many birds that they blotted out the midday sun.
A mile wide and 300 miles long, the flock took 14 hours to pass
overhead. Some roosting sites went on for 40 miles. There were
sometimes 100 nests per tree. Writers of the time called them a living
torrent, a feathered tempest, and a biological storm. Only the Rocky
Mountain locust gathered in greater numbers.
092014 | |55092014 | |55
You have to put together
enough fragments from a
specimens damaged cells
to get as much of the ge-
nome as you can. Its like
tearing up ten copies of a book and
then trying to make one book from all
the fragments.
Scientists also need a living animals
genome to map their copy against
something similar with a high propor-
tion of identical DNA, so they have a
picture in front of them of the sort of
thing theyre trying to build. Novak is
Martha herself was frozen
in a 300-pound ice cube
when she died.
Unfortunately, DNA from
an animal that died over
a 100 years ago isnt well-preserved
enough to get the intact genomejust
tiny fragments. Its not like cloning
Dolly the sheep from a live animal;
DNA starts decaying as soon as an
organism dies.
Even if you had a two-year-old
taxidermy piece, you wouldnt get
whole strands of DNA, says Novak.
R E A D E R S D I G E S TRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR E AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE A DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD E RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE R SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS D ID ID ID ID ID ID ID ID ID ID ID ID ID ID ID ID ID ID ID ID ID ID ID ID ID ID ID ID ID ID ID ID ID ID ID ID ID ID ID ID ID ID ID ID ID ID ID ID ID ID ID ID ID ID ID ID ID ID ID ID ID ID ID ID I GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG E SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE S TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT
Hunters open fire on
a flock of passenger
pigeons. A single shot
could bring down
a hundred birds
ILLUSTRATION: NORTH W
IND PICTURE ARCHIVES/ALAMY
THE LONG F L I GHT TO R EV I VA L
using the passenger pigeons closest
living relative, the band-tailed pigeon.
Its virtually the same bird, except
passengers had a longer tail, a peach-
coloured breast and a stronger flocking
mentality, he says.
Novak thinks it will be at least ten
to 15 years before the first passenger
pigeon hatchesmaybe less, depend-
ing on how much funding Revive and
Restore can attract. To get there will
require further breakthroughs in ge-
nome sequencing, and someone also
needs to come up with a way of cultur-
ing a band-tailed pigeons germ cells.
Then Novak can start thinking about
altering the pigeons genetic code and
eventually introducing living cells into
a band-tailed pigeon embryo.
After that, itll be another ten to 15
years to build up a captive flock ready
for release, and another 75 years before
we see large flocks of pigeons in the
skies again.
IF ANYONE MANAGES TO RECREATE
a passenger pigeon, youll see what
looks like a slightly larger, more colour-
ful American turtle dovegreyish
blue above and reddish tan feathers
below. Alone, the passenger pigeon
was unremarkable; in flocks, it was
like no bird we know today. Gigantic
hordes of these birds travelled across
North America, east of the Rocky
Mountains, roosting and nesting in
the vast deciduous forests.
For tens of thousands of years, the
sheer size of these flocks
protected the species
from predators. Every-
thing from mink, mar-
tens and weasels to
hawks, eagles, wolves
and bobcats would turn
up at passenger-pigeon
nesting grounds. Native
Americans killed adult
birds for food and baby
birds for their oil, which
they used like butter.
But despite all the un-
wanted attention, nest-
ing colonies were so big
they still had a 90 per
cent success rate and
the species continued to
thrive. Unfortunately,
Ben Novak
examines
some pigeon
specimens at
the California
Academy of
Sciences, San
Francisco
| 09201456
PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF ANDREW CRISPIN
READER S D I G E ST
092014 | |57
against European settlers
with their guns and nets, a
large flock simply meant
a bigger target.
Early settlers caught
passenger pigeons for food
and feathers, and shot them as vermin.
Their descendants shot the birds for
sport and cleared forests, the pigeons
habitat, for farming and wood. But it
wasnt until the mid-19th century,
when railroads connected the east-
coast cities with the inland settlements,
that passenger pigeons became really
big business.
The cheapest protein around, locals
called it, says Greenburg. Hunters
shot them out of the sky daily in their
thousandsthe birds flew so closely
together that a single shot could kill
a hundred. They were also shot from
their nests or shaken out of the trees
like leaves. Sometimes
the trees were set on fire,
or sulphur was burned
underneath. Other hunters
placed bait on the ground
and threw huge nets, some
large enough to trap 3,500 birds at a
time, over those that landed.
Railroads transported the meat, pre-
served in ice, to big city markets. Some
people even used new telecommuni-
cations technology to locate and track
the pigeons. Every day, hundreds of
hunters harvested thousands of birds.
Its no surprise that, before long, there
were no birds left to harvest.
Greenburg says that the Americans
started their environmental movement
in the 1890s as a direct result of this
catastrophe, and the same sense of
collective guilt is behind the drive to
bring the pigeon back.
The thylacine, a wolf-
like marsupial from
Tasmania, was killed
off by settlers around
the same time as
the passenger pigeon
ILLUSTRATION: MARKKU MURTO/ART/ALAMY
| 09201458
THE LONG F L I GHT TO R EV I VA L
DESPITE ALL THIS, MANY OF TODAYS
conservationists have concerns about
the resources devoted to resurrecting
extinct animals. Why should we bother,
they argue, when there are so many
living animals that desperately need
our help to prevent them going the
same way? And wouldnt reintroduced
animals face the same problemssuch
as habitat destruction, poaching and
climate changethat wiped them out
in the first place?
Even if scientists manage to produce
some pigeonsor thylacines or mam-
moths, for that matterwould there be
enough genetic diversity in the captive
population to main-
tain a wild popula-
tion? Would the
c l o n e d a n i m a l s
survive? A Pyrenean
ibex, cloned in 2009
from an animal that
had died nine years
earlier, lived only
a few moments.
And if a genetically
engineered animal
does survive, will it
be able to function,
never mind func-
tion like the extinct
animal? Will we
have a passenger
pigeon, or just a
band-tailed pigeon that looks a bit
like a passenger pigeon?
Ben Novak insists that itll be as if
the last remaining passenger pigeon
hybridised with band-tailed pigeons
and the resulting offspring never
again bred with band-tailed pigeons.
By our intent, theyll look like pas-
senger pigeons, flock like passenger
pigeons, live as passenger pigeons,
and their DNA will have passenger-
pigeon genes, he says.
Novak adds that its not mankinds
collective guilt that drives him to do
this. Its simply that theres an eco-
logical niche for an arboreal pigeon
in the Eastern US, and reinstalling
the passenger pigeon would benefit
the ecosystem. Neither band-tailed
pigeons nor rock pigeons have filled
Ben Novak (left) and Stewart Brand, co-
founder of Revive and Restore, show off
pigeons from the Smithsonian collection
READER S D I G E ST
092014 | |59
the ecological niche left by the pas-
sengers demise, he says.
Joel Greenburg sees another long-
term problem. People
in the US and Canada
today wont tolerate
gigantic flocks of birds,
he says. But Novak is
unyielding. If we cant
have mil l ion-strong
flocks, lets have tens
of thousands.
OF COURSE, THERE ARE
deeper lessons to be
learned from the pas-
senger pigeons demise, such as what
it tells us about human capacity for
greed and denial.
There were so many pigeons
people back then thought it was an
endless resource, says Greenburg.
When, at the height of the slaughter,
pigeon numbers started getting lower,
people just made up stories to con-
vince themselves that everything was
fine, rather than accept
the truth.
Some claimed, for in-
stance, that pigeons
nested 11 times a year,
when in fact it was only
once. Others speculated
the birds had flown off to
the Arizona Desert, the
South American rain-
forest, even through the
Bermuda triangle.
Greenburg adds that
the passenger pigeon is a cautionary
tale for those who focus only on what
they want today.
If were not good stewards, then
even the most abundant resource
fish stocks, oil, waterwill eventually
run out, he warns.
If were not good stewards, then even the most abundant
resource will eventually
run out
UNDELIVERED LETTERS FROM HISTORY
Dear Leonardo da Vinci,
Scrub the sittingIve got to go to the dentist.
Yours, Mona Lisa
Dear Michelangelo,
His Holiness wants the ceiling plain magnolia emulsion.
Dear King Harold,
Good news! Your new spectacles have arrived
and are ready for collection.
Sincerely, Specsavers, The High Street, Hastings
FROM IM SORRY, I HAVENT A CLUE
RooftopBest of
Restaurants
60
British
INSPIRE
There are no shortage of beautiful views in
this country, so why not combine them with
good-quality dining? Weve selected a few
