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Does very hot weather leave you feeling more exhausted and lethargic than usual? There might be an initial surge of joy when the sun finally comes out – but once temperatures really creep up, we can end up feeling physically drained, wondering whether we should follow the Mediterranean’s lead and start introducing daily siestas. So, why does hot weather make us so tired? We asked a doctor to explain… Bodies have to work harder in the heat“When the weather is hot, our bodies have to work harder to cool themselves down,” says Dr Zulqarnain Shah, medical director at SSP Health and GP at SSP Health practice Colne Road Surgery. “The body’s natural cooling mechanism involves increasing blood circulation near the skin’s surface and promoting sweat production. These physiological changes can lead to fatigue and a feeling of lethargy. It is essential to recognise that this fatigue is a normal response to heat and is typically temporary.” Dehydration Low energy and tiredness are also common when you’re lacking hydration. “Hot weather increases the rate of fluid loss through sweating, leading to dehydration. Dehydration can contribute to fatigue and make you feel even more lethargic,” adds Dr Shah. “To avoid this, it’s important to stay adequately hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids, especially water. Aim to drink even when you’re not feeling thirsty, as thirst is not always an accurate indicator of dehydration.” Heat exhaustion “Prolonged exposure to heat can result in heat exhaustion, a condition characterised by symptoms such as heavy sweating, weakness, dizziness, nausea, headache, and muscle cramps. If you experience these warning signs, it’s crucial to move to a cooler environment, drink fluids, and rest. If symptoms persist or worsen, seek medical attention promptly,” says Shah. It’s important to pay attention to warning signs, as if heat stroke develops, this is a medical emergency. Shah stresses: “Heat stroke is a severe and potentially life-threatening condition that requires immediate medical intervention. It occurs when the body’s temperature regulation fails, and the core temperature rises dangerously high. “Symptoms may include a high body temperature (above 39.4°C), altered mental state, confusion, rapid breathing, rapid heartbeat, and even loss of consciousness. If you suspect heat stroke, call emergency services immediately.” Sleep deprivation The extra tiredness could also be linked to poor sleep, as this can really suffer in the heat. “Hot temperatures can disrupt sleep and lead to poor sleep quality. The body needs to cool down to initiate sleep, and excessive heat can make it difficult to reach the optimal sleep temperature,” explains Shah. “To improve sleep in hot weather, consider using fans or air conditioning, wearing lightweight and breathable sleepwear, keeping your bedroom well-ventilated, and using lighter bedding.” Pre-existing conditions could get worse Many people living with chronic or long-term health conditions deal with fatigue – which may flare up during heatwaves. “Hot weather can exacerbate symptoms and increase fatigue in individuals with certain chronic health conditions. Conditions such as heart disease, kidney problems, and respiratory issues can be particularly sensitive to heat,” notes Shah. “It’s vital to be aware of your specific health condition and consult with your healthcare provider for personalised advice on managing your symptoms during hot weather. They may recommend staying in cooler environments, adjusting medications, or monitoring your fluid intake more closely.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live 8 tips for surviving Glastonbury with kids David Beckham designs new car collection with Maserati The dos and don’ts of looking after your garden in a heatwave

So you’re planning to go to Glastonbury, but childcare is expensive and you’re wondering if it could be fun to do it as a family. This isn’t something to take lightly however, so what do you need to know before setting off to the festival, kids in tow? First and foremost, children’s tickets are free if kids are aged 12 and under, and there are two family camping fields at Worthy Farm – so bringing them along is feasible if you already have your adult tickets sorted. But, with weather, camping and crowds of the general public to contend with, there is a lot to consider. Here are some parents who’ve done it, and their tips for making it amazing… 1. Sort buggies and bikes Eden Simpson lives near Glastonbury and is excited to head back with her three children this year – who are 12, six and two. In her extensive experience, how you transport kids around the festival is the most important thing. “One of my favourite festivals was 2017 when my now six-year-old was four months old – he was as content as could be in his carrier and I have such fond memories,” says Simpson. “Obviously this is dependent on age, but a decent baby or toddler carrier is great for keeping little ones safe, close and comfortable. If you’d instead prefer to take a buggy, then make sure it’s suitable for off-roading, with decent wheels. Mountain buggies or bicycle trailers are the go-to and we’ve taken the same converted bicycle trailer for several years now. “Add an air horn to ensure people know to move out of the way. Throw in some blankets and fairy lights and voilà, the perfect cosy haven for kids to travel and chill as they get sleepy of an evening by the Pyramid Stage.” 2. Protect their ears Children’s ears are very sensitive and it’s important to protect their hearing from festival noise. “Ear defenders are a must for obvious reasons, so don’t forget to pack them,” says Simpson. 3. Prepare for rain or shine “Be prepared for all weather – the sun can be just as bad as the rain, so bring waterproofs, rain covers, sunscreen and sun shades,” says Simpson of the unpredictable British weather. “I find a couple of cheap shower curtains can be super-handy to use as an extra layer when keeping dry and clean if you’re sitting on the floor, or for covering bags from the rain and dirt.” 4. Tire the kids out early on “Head up to the Kidzfield first thing in the morning and wear the kids out before the music starts in the afternoon, then hopefully you’ll stand a chance of watching what you want, whilst they have a snooze or play with something they’ve crafted there earlier in the day,” says Simpson. 5. Head to the family-friendly camping fields “Opt for family camping. We would make sure we set up shop in Cockmill Meadow or near the Wicket Ground for family-friendly camping,” Simpson says. “We also found Kidney Mead to be a nice family-friendly spot. Even though it’s not a specific family field, it’s centrally located and has easy access to the Pyramid Stage and the Kidzfield. Plus as it’s up the hill, it doesn’t flood,” she explains. When it comes to ensuring youngsters get enough sleep, Martin Wells, 47, dad to 11-year-old Poppy, says: “If they will use an eye mask or ear plugs, use them.” 6. Pack easy-to-spot bright clothes Simpson says: “Make sure your kids are dressed vibrantly and stand out. Not only because it’s Glastonbury Festival so it’s a must, but also because it makes it easier to spot them if they try and wander off.” 7. Don’t over-plan Ashley Thorne, who has been to the iconic festival 15 times – including with his two-year-old, Evan, says: “We decided not to plan to see any bands, we just went with the flow and allowed our little one to decide when he wanted to eat and sleep – it just stopped the stress of having to be at a certain stage at a certain time,” he explains. “Don’t get bogged down with times and eating or sleeping patterns – he was just coming up to two years old, so sitting down and watching the thousands of people walk past him was a game in itself.” 8. Be aware of adult themes Drinking, drugs, nudity and all manner of other not-so-PG things go on at a festival, and you may be worried about your kids encountering some of that. “They’re going to see or smell something,” says Wells. “Try and avoid the obvious areas – Arcadia and the Dance Village [now called Silver Hayes] – but people could be doing balloons at any point, so be aware.” And if they do happen to catch glimpse of something, what’s Wells advice? “I’d just say don’t make a big thing about it. Sure, it’s going to happen and you’re going to see it, but don’t make a big deal out of it. I’m not saying you need to normalise it, but the worse thing you can do is try and hide from it – that won’t happen.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live David Beckham designs new car collection with Maserati The dos and don’ts of looking after your garden in a heatwave Why are we all sleeping so badly at the moment?

Father’s Day (18 June) is just around the corner, which is a great opportunity to get together as a family and show the dad figures in your life some love, and if the saying “the way to a man's heart is through his stomach” is true, there’s no better way to celebrate than by cooking up a seriously scrumptious meal. Luckily, we’ve sat down with professional chef and host of foodie favourite the Desert Island Dishes podcast Margie Nomura, who has shared her ultimate Father’s Day Menu, including a seriously delicious cauliflower starter, TikTok favourite burrata pasta and oozy double chocolate muffins. All these recipes are family-friendly and simple to make. Whole roasted cauliflower with tahini and chimichurri This dish is a perfect substantial starter to kick off any Father’s Day feast. It’s a great substitute for a cut of meat and is easy to make when you’re feeling lazy. When you roast a cauliflower whole it takes on this buttery, sweet but salty crust in the oven so make sure you roast it until it is soft enough for a knife to cut through. For the chimichurri, you won’t use all of this for the cauliflower but it keeps beautifully in the fridge for up to 2 weeks and is amazing served as a salad dressing or on vegetable kebabs. Serves: 4 as a starter and 2 as a main Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 60 minutes Ingredients: 1 medium-sized cauliflower (remove thick ugly outer leaves but leave any smaller more delicate ones) 2 tbsp olive oil 1 tsp Maldon sea salt For the chimichurri, mix together: 1 finely diced shallot 1 diced red chilli pepper 3-4 diced garlic cloves ½ cup red wine vinegar 1 tsp salt 1 tsp red pepper flakes ½ cup finely chopped coriander 2 cups finely parsley 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (more oil as needed to get the right consistency – it should be runnier than a pesto, more like a heavily flavoured chunky oil) For the garlic yoghurt: 4 heaped tbsp Greek yoghurt 1 clove garlic crushed Juice of ¼ lemon 2 tbsp tahini to serve Method: Pre-heat the oven to 200C. Fill a large pot of water and season well with salt and bring to a boil. Place the cauliflower in, cover and let cook for 6-8 minutes, depending on the size. Check to see if ready by poking the stem with a knife, and then remove the cauliflower and place it on a sheet tray to steam dry for around 10 minutes. Cover with extra virgin olive oil and season well with sea salt. Return to the oven and let roast for 45 minutes until charred and golden all over. Remove from the oven Spoon some garlicky yoghurt onto a serving plate and pop the cauliflower on top. Drizzle with tahini and chimichurri. Cut into wedges and enjoy! Spaghetti with garlic tomatoes and burrata This pasta dish is one of my favourite go-to recipes, especially in the summer when you want something light and no fuss but still seriously delicious. This is a recipe that anyone at home can make, which means it’s a perfect dish for Father’s Day as everyone can pitch in and present a beautiful dish be proud of. Serves: 2 Prep time: 5 minutes | Cook time: 20 minutes Ingredients: 2 tbsp olive oil 4 garlic cloves, minced ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 300g cherry tomatoes ½ tsp caster sugar Maldon salt and pepper 250g spaghetti or linguine Handful of chopped fresh basil, plus more for sprinkling 1 large ball of burrata cheese, torn Parmesan cheese, for topping Method: Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium-low heat. Add in the garlic, and red pepper flakes, cooking for 1 to 2 minutes. Add in the tomatoes with a big pinch of salt and pepper and toss them in the oil. Let the tomatoes cook until they begin to burst. Add the sugar. Smoosh the tomatoes with the back of a wooden spoon gently to encourage them to burst. While the tomatoes do their thing, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta. Once the pasta is done, drain it (save a cup of cooking water) and add it directly to the tomatoes. Toss the mixture a few times so all the pasta is coated. Add a splash of pasta water as needed. Turn off the heat and toss in the fresh basil. Taste and check for seasoning. Top with burrata cheese. Serve immediately, top with parmesan cheese, more fresh basil and red pepper flakes and a drizzle of olive oil. Double chocolate muffins These muffins are soft, pillowy and rich. Complete with chopped dark chocolate, they are the best sweet treat to end a Father’s Day feast. Plus, if you eat them whilst warm you can expect melty chocolate in the middle. This recipe has only 4 steps, and can be made earlier in the day so they work well when you’re doing a three course meal. If your dad has a sweet tooth, I would recommend serving with some vanilla ice cream on the side! Makes: 6 muffins Prep time: 20 minutes | Cook time: 20 minutes Ingredients: 250ml buttermilk 120ml vegetable oil 2 eggs splash of vanilla 300g plain flour 180g sugar 65g cocoa powder 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 1 tsp instant coffee (even if you don’t like coffee, you should add it as you can’t taste the coffee taste but it enhances everything else!) Pinch of salt 200g dark chocolate, chopped into chunks Method: In a bowl combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt And then in a separate bowl mix the wet ingredients together Pour the two together and then add the chopped chocolate Scoop into a lined muffin tray and bake at 180 c for 20 mins. Enjoy! Read More Schoolboy almost dies from swallowing magnets for TikTok challenge Woman shares honest review of New York City apartment TikTok mom slammed after making 5-year-old son run in 104 degree heat Eddie Huang: ‘I’ll never eat at BAO London – I know mine’s better’ BBQ salad recipes without a soggy lettuce leaf in sight Grace Dent’s quick and easy recipes that only require the microwave

Among the most prominent of blooming plants that are seemingly everywhere in California this year following an unusually wet winter is the highly flammable wild mustard that threatens to fuel wildfires

A mother has gone viral after she sent out some hilariously blunt birthday invitations for her twins’ fifth birthday party. In a recent video posted to her TikTok, the parent, Natalie LeClaire, shared a picture of the now-viral invitation that her son received. As she described the note as “hilarious,” she shared a picture of the invite and recited what the beginning of it said. “This event is brought to you by Pinterest fails and the dollar store, so please set your expectations appropriately,” the note read. “As requested, the theme will be unicorns but with rainbows and maybe bats. But there should be princesses, also Minnie. But we need dancing lights, so dress accordingly.” The invitation went on to hilariously describe what parents should pack for their children, before attending the party. “Please pack a bathing suit, puddle jumpers, etc, in case your sweet baby angels decide our original plan sucks, and the pool would be a better time,” the note continued. The mother also invited fellow parents to the party, before noting that she’d understand if the adults say no to attending. “If you would like to drop off and run, we support that entirely,” the parent quipped in the letter. “If you would like to stay, we will provide adult juice and deny any offers to help, to be polite. But deep down, we want to support you. You do you.” Ms LeClaire, who’s based in Ontario, Canada, concluded her video by noting that she and her son are going to the party. “Needless to say, we will absolutely be attending because these are my people,” she said. “This is the kind of mom that I can be friends with.” Along with Ms LeClaire’s son’s name, the invite also had Minnie ears, bats, unicorns, princesses, and a rainbow drawn on it. As of 15 June, the video has more than 5.1m views, with many TikTok users in the comments applauding the honest thoughts that were put in the invitation. “This is incredible. It’s what we’re all thinking when hosting kids parties,” one wrote, while another added: “Do they realise how many people will now be emotionally attending this party?” A third wrote: “I’m glad a parent is finally lowering the standards/expectations because I’m done with these Pinterest/IG inspired kid parties.” Other people also poked fun at the seemingly open-ended dress code at the child’s party. “I think you should go all in and make sure you wear an outfit that hits every theme point. And from a dollar store,” one wrote. @not.just.nat #greenscreen These are my people. #birthdayparty #partyinvitations #parenting #funny #hilarious #adultjuice ♬ Comedy Music - Nissa “Can’t wait to see how everyone interprets ‘dress accordingly.’ Someone better be dressed like a bat princess,” another added. During an interview with Today, the mother who created the invitation, Carys Roberts, noted that the party will be held next month, for her twin daughters, Edie and Elle. She also shared that she came up with the invites pretty quickly, in hopes of amusing some of her fellow parents and making sure that they weren’t too worried about what gifts to get. “Ultimately, I just didn’t want anyone to stress about gifts. The last thing we want is for people to be spending a lot of money. We’re really low-key,” she said. “I’ve received a lot of great feedback and I’m truly thrilled that people thought the invitation was so relatable and funny.” Speaking to Today, Ms LeClaire went on to emphasise that she loved the invitation when she first noticed it. “I started reading it and my jaw dropped. It was so honest and straight up. I was like, ‘I need to be friends with this person.’” The Independent has contacted Ms LeClaire for comment. Read More Mother sparks viral debate for ‘shaming’ parent who refused to give her daughter a slice of cake Woman, 50, to become a surrogate mother for same-sex couple Father sparks debate over his ‘petty’ feud with an 8-year-old about her pool Mom reveals one regret after parent refused to give her child cake amid viral debate Mother sparks debate over parent who wouldn’t give daughter cake Drew Barrymore slams tabloids that claimed she ‘wished’ her mother was dead

JUNEAU, Alaska--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jun 15, 2023--

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