List of All Articles with Tag 'lies'

Chris Pratt has shared why he believes people shouldn’t wait to start a family. The Guardians of the Galaxy star, 43, recently spoke to Men’s Journal about how becoming a father has made him a better actor. Pratt shares son Jack, 10, with ex-wife Anna Faris and daughters Lyla Maria, two, and Eloise Christina, one, with wife Katherine Schwarzenegger. Pratt explained that fatherhood has made him a more versatile actor because he sees being a parent as a “tool” to tap into his “emotional potential” during a scene. “That instinct you have to protect them – those are all things you can try to fake, but it doesn’t really come close to what you have access to when you’ve lived it,” he told the outlet on 8 June. “For me, having kids is what it’s all about, and how it’s benefitted me as an actor is a pleasant byproduct.” The Parks and Recreation alum went on to encourage others to have children as soon as possible because of the joy that it brought to his own life. “People say all the time, ‘Don’t rush to have kids,’” Pratt said. “I personally disagree. Rush. Have them. Of course, make sure you find a great partner, but don’t wait.” He then recalled a conversation he had with actor Adam Sandler, who told him: “Every day you wait is a day they don’t get to have you in their life.” “The younger you have kids, the more time they get to have with you,” Pratt continued. “It’s wild. Having kids is incredible. The things you normally take for granted in life are new.” Chris Pratt has often shared glimpses into his life as a father of three on social media. The Jurassic World star was married to Anna Faris in 2009. They welcomed their son Jack in 2012, but announced their split in August 2017. Pratt and Faris finalised their divorce in October 2018, four months after he began dating his current wife, Katherine Schwarzenegger. He proposed to the 33-year-old author in January 2019 and they were married in June that year. They went on to welcome daughter Lyla Maria in August 2020 and daughter Eloise Christina in May 2022. Chris Pratt previously sparked backlash on social media when he praised his wife for giving him a “gorgeous healthy daughter,” as many people noted that his son Jack was born prematurely. He shared an Instagram post of himself and Schwarzenegger in 2021, encouraging his followers to “find someone” who looks at them the way his wife does. “We met in church. She’s given me an amazing life, a gorgeous healthy daughter, she chews so loudly that sometimes I put in my earbuds to drown it out, but that’s love!” the actor wrote in the Instagram caption. “She helps me with everything. In return, periodically, I open a jar of pickles. That’s the trade. Her heart is pure and it belongs to me.” However, many fans accused the actor of being “passive aggressive” towards Faris, who has been open about their son’s health issues in the past. In June 2022, he addressed the backlash towards his social media post by calling out critics. “I said something like, ‘Find someone who looks at you the way my wife looks at me.’ And then I gave her some sh*t in the thing and said, ‘But I love you. I’m so thankful for my wife – she gave me a beautiful, healthy daughter,’” he told Men’s Health at the time. “And then a bunch of articles came out and said, ‘That’s so cringeworthy. I can’t believe Chris Pratt would thank her for a healthy daughter when his first child was born premature. That’s such a dig at his ex-wife,’” he recalled. “And I’m like, That is f**ked up. My son’s gonna read that one day. He’s nine. And it’s etched in digital stone. It really f**king bothered me, dude. I cried about it,” he said. “I was like, I hate that these blessings in my life are – to the people close to me – a real burden.” His wife – Katherine Schwarzenegger – has since revealed that she tries to ignore online criticism, though she’s aware of the negative comments often centred around her husband. “Growing up, hearing people say certain things about my parents, my siblings, my extended family was difficult,” Schwarzenegger told the New York Times, referencing her famous parents Maria Shriver and Arnold Schwarzenegger. “I see what people say,” she said. “But I just know that it’s so far from the reality.” Most recently, Chris Pratt sparked a debate by posting a Mother’s Day tribute in May that didn’t include mention of his ex Anna Faris. Read More Chris Pratt posts Mother’s Day tribute with no mention of co-parent Anna Faris Katherine Schwarzenegger addresses public backlash to Chris Pratt relationship Anna Faris says she’s ‘getting closer’ to ex-husband Chris Pratt and his new wife Katherine Schwarzenegger Chris Pratt says people should ‘rush’ to have children: ‘Don’t wait’ Jamie Foxx’s rep addresses conspiracy Covid vaccine left actor ‘paralyzed and blind’ Mother sparks debate over parent who wouldn’t give daughter cake

Jennifer Garner has spoken candidly about the “mess of parenting” her children with ex-husband Ben Affleck, and why it is a “gift”. The 51-year-old actor opened up about raising children while in the public eye during a recent conversation with Sheryl Lee Ralph for Variety’s Actors on Actors series. During the discussion, Ralph said that she had “many things in common” with Garner, as a fellow actor and mother. “With all the celebrity and all of that, I feel like I have a very normal life, and I think you have that similar sort of vibe. And we love our kids,” she said. The 13 Going on 30 star agreed with the statement by sharing her own experience, adding: “And all the mess of parenting. It’s a gift.” Both actors share children with previous partners, as Ralph has a 31-year-old son, Etienne, and 28-year-old daughter, Ivy, with ex-husband, Eric Maurice. In 2005, the Abbott Elementary star married Vincent Hughes. Before getting divorced in 2018, Garner and her ex Affleck welcomed three children, Violet, 17, Seraphina, 14, Samuel, 11. In 2022, Affleck married Jennifer Lopez, who shares 15-year-old twins, Maximilian and Emme, with her ex-husband, Marc Anthony. During their conversation for Variety, Ralph said that she has a good relationship with her ex, while she also praising Garner for her bond with Affleck. “And both of us having gone through divorce,” she said. “You did something that I did as well - maintain a healthy relationship with my ex for the health and well-being of my children. With the spotlight on us all the time, sometimes that can be difficult.” After Garner agreed with the sentiment, Ralph added: “When I look at my kids, when I see you and your kids, I was like: ‘Girl, we did that.’” In response, the Elektra star exchanged a fist bump with Ralph and said: “We’re doing it!” Amid her and Affleck’s co-parenting journey, Garner has often shared her candid thoughts about her ex and the current status of their relationship. During an interview with Stellar Magazine in April, she confessed that she tries not to read any media coverage about Affleck. “I really work hard not to see either of us in the press,” she said. “It doesn’t make me feel good, even if it’s something nice about one of us. I just try to forget that I’m out there in any way, and the same with anyone I love. I don’t need to see anyone in my family made into a meme.” Last year, Lopez also spoke out about blending families with Garner. While appearing on the cover of Vogue in November, Lopez called the Alias star “an amazing co-parent” and shared that Garner and Affleck “work really well together” when it comes to taking care of their three children. Read More Jennifer Garner recalls learning about vaginal collapse from her OB-GYN: ‘What is happening?’ Jennifer Garner reveals her children aren’t on social media and says eldest daughter is ‘grateful’ for it Jennifer Garner says she ‘works really hard’ to avoid seeing stories about ex-husband Ben Affleck in the press Jennifer Garner opens up about ‘mess of parenting’ with ex-husband Ben Affleck Colin McFarlane diagnosed with prostate cancer Chris Pratt says people should ‘rush’ to have children: ‘Don’t wait’

Sharon Horgan has opened up about having post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after her eldest daughter was diagnosed with meningitis as a baby. The Irish actor, who will star in the forthcoming BBC One drama Best Interests with Michael Sheen, said she drew on the experience in order to play her character in the new series. Horgan’s daughter survived the life-threatening illness, but it left an “aftershock” on her mother. “We were so unbelievably lucky and we know that,” the Bad Sisters star told The Times in a new interview, published today (Sunday 11 June). “But the aftershock – there’s definitely PTSD and I dealt with any of my second daughter’s illnesses with blind panic because you always think, ‘If it can happen, why couldn’t it happen again?’” Both of Horgan’s daughters, Sadhbh and Amer, are now teenagers. She shares them with her ex-husband, Jeremy Rainbird. Best Interests tells the story of Nicci (Horgan), a mother who sues the NHS after doctors decide her Marnie (Niamh Moriarty) should be taken off life support after her condition, muscular dystrophy, deteriorates. Horgan stars opposite Sheen, who plays Nicci’s husband Andrew. In the show, Andrew is torn between his love for Marnie and his unwillingness to support his wife’s case. The friction between Nicci and Andrew shows that they “had a real relationship that has difficulties”, Horgan said. “When things get really, really bad, the accusations are there, a certain amount of finger-pointing, which happens anyway, just even in normal parenting,” she explained. After her divorce from Rainbird in 2019, Horgan said the adjustment to co-parenting made her doubt if she was a good mother. During an appearance on Desert Island Discs in 2020, she told host Lauren Laverne: “I was fun mum for years. I entirely thought that was my role but that changes when you co-parent. “Everything changes and you take on a lot more roles and I am much more practical than I was, and I think that is a positive thing.” She continued: “It had some dips in the middle where I thought, ‘Oh, that thing I thought I was, which was a good mother, I am not entirely sure about’. “When you bring anything like that into your kid’s life it’s tricky, when you turn the roles upside down, but it balances out and everything eased back.” Read More Shapewear is booming, and body image experts are worried: ‘It’s really dangerous’ Chris Hemsworth thanks wife Elsa Pataky for her ‘forgiveness’ Kelis addresses Bill Murray dating rumours for the first time Sharon Horgan opens up about ‘aftershock’ after daughter’s meningitis Jamie Foxx’s rep addresses conspiracy Covid vaccine left actor ‘paralyzed and blind’ Debate sparker over parent who wouldn’t give her daughter any birthday cake

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Wes Anderson has reflected on being a father to his seven-year-old daughter Freya at the age of 54. The filmmaker lamented that he is an “old father” to his child, whom he shares with his partner, designer and author Juman Malouf. In a new interview published on Saturday (10 June), the Asteroid City director said he did not give his own mortality any thought until he became a parent. “I never used to think about having not much time left for this or that, or noticing how the time had disappeared so fast,” he told The Times. “It didn’t have an emotional effect on me whatsoever.” However, parenting a young child has made him think about it more often. “But now my daughter will be, well, I will be very old when my daughter is still very young,” he continued. “I am an old father. And maybe with modern medicine it’s better than it used to be, but you know…” Anderson, whose family home is in Kent, was reminded that he had once said he hoped to die at the age of 90 on a film set. He said: “Yes. That’s good. But I do feel a different thing now, which is somehow my family is more part of it now. And the only thing about [dying on] the film set is that they won’t be there. “But, you know, they don’t need to see me die. They have enough to worry about. They can just take my ashes.” Elsewhere in the interview, Anderson shared his thoughts about a popular TikTok trend that sees users creating short clips about their everyday lives in a film style similar to his. He revealed that he does not watch the TikTok videos and erases them “immediately” if someone sends one to him. Anderson and Malouf have been together for more than two decades, and she has collaborated with him on a number of his projects. The couple curated an exhibition at Vienna’s Kunsthistorisches Museum in 2018, comprising of 537 objects from the museum’s collection. It was titled Spitzmaus Mummy in a Coffin and Other Treasures, and also exhibited at the Prada Foundation in Milan the following year. Read More Wes Anderson tells friends not to send him TikToks of people impersonating his style: ‘I’ll immediately erase it’ Asteroid City, Cannes review: Wes Anderson’s enrapturing cosmic comedy is an offbeat Close Encounters Wes Anderson on his new '50s-set film 'Asteroid City,' AI and all those Tik Tok videos Fans react to rumours that Kelis, 43, is dating Bill Murray, 72 Amy Schumer reveals the reason she stopped taking Ozempic Debate sparker over parent who wouldn’t give her daughter any birthday cake

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Oregon has the country's highest percentage of unsheltered families with children -- living in tents, cars or on the streets. Brandi Tuck has dedicated her life to helping thousands of homeless families in Portland heal from that trauma and get into housing -- permanently.

A man who died of brain cancer was misdiagnosed with anxiety and told to “breathe into a paper bag”. Keith Evans was 21 when he collapsed during a suspected panic attack in February 2010. He later developed painful headaches and was given tools to manage his anxiety. Weeks later during a visit to his GP, he was referred for an MRI scan where he was diagnosed with a glioblastoma, a fast-growing and aggressive brain tumour. Despite being given six months to live, Keith survived five-and-half years. He died aged 27 in October 2015. Keith’s mum, Lorraine, from Bulkington, Warwickshire, said: “We felt like paranoid parents. “Although at the time he was interviewing for a new job, we thought this could have caused some unrest but being told he was having panic attacks seemed odd. “After multiple occasions where we called 999 we were told the same thing and Keith was given ways to manage his anxiety; including breathing into a paper bag.” Throughout his cancer battle, he raised tens of thousands of pounds for charity whilst undergoing radiotherapy and life-long chemotherapy treatment. Lorraine added: “Keith wanted to be one of the 5% of GBM patients who survive more than five years. “He made dramatic changes to his lifestyle and took up cycling as he was no longer allowed to drive. “He made a name for himself within the cycling community. A favourite event which came about inspired by his journey was called Ride on Keith. “He got to take part in the event before coming off his bike due to a seizure in 2015. Soon his mobility deteriorated, and a scan showed the tumour had returned.” This weekend, dozens of cyclists are expected to take part in the final bike ride in memory of the father-of-one from Bulkington who died of brain cancer in October 2015, raising funds for Brain Tumour Research. The final ‘Ride on Keith’ event will take place this Saturday (10 June). Since its inception the event has raised more than £7,500 for Brain Tumour Research. Amongst the riders will be Keith’s widow, Harriet Evans and their son, 10-year-old Joel, who was just one when Keith died. The 25, 55 and five-mile children’s friendly cycle ride will set off from Makins Fishery on Bazzard Road at 8:30am. Lorraine said: “For over a decade, we’ve helped to raise the profile of brain tumours and worked towards driving more funding to find a cure for the disease, with Keith at the helm of the events when he was alive. “He achieved so much in the five-and-half-years he survived including cycling 275 miles from London to Paris and covering the 1,000 mile route from Land’s End to John O’Groats over a ten-day period - all during treatment. “Since his death, the event has been a fantastic way to remember him and this year we hope to create lasting memories whilst raising money for Brain Tumour Research. “Although this is the last event of its kind, we will continue to work with the charity to raise awareness for more research into the disease.” One in three people know someone affected by a brain tumour. They kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer, yet just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to brain tumours since records began in 2002. Mel Tiley, community development manager at Brain Tumour Research, said: “We’re grateful to Keith’s family for sharing his story. “It’s wonderful to hear of everything Keith achieved after receiving a shocking diagnosis. “His story reminds us that brain tumours are indiscriminate, and they can affect anyone and any age. “If we are to understand the complexity of each diagnosis, we need more funding to research the disease.” Read More ‘Fearful’ Shannen Doherty shares devastating cancer update Cancer patients face worsening treatment delays due to lack of staff, finds report Origins of masturbation traced to primates 40 million years ago ‘Fearful’ Shannen Doherty shares devastating cancer update Fitness fanatic, 26, diagnosed with stage 4 cancer after feeling dizzy Do yoga to cut cancer risk, say scientists

A mother has sparked a debate after criticising a parent who wouldn’t give her child a piece of birthday cake. Kat Stickler shared a recent video on TikTok about her experience with a fellow mother. She confessed that she was going to “mom shame” someone, before noting that the only other people she’s “mom shamed” before were herself and her own mother. Before adding another parent to her list, she asked viewers if she was “entitled” or if what happened was “messed up”. In the video, she explained how she and her daughter noticed a group of children at a birthday party in a park. “Two hours ago, literally right now, MK and I were at the park in our neighbourhood,” she said, referring to her daughter. “And it was us and this birthday group…These kids are having their birthday party. MK’s playing with them for half an hour. They’re making friends, it was nice. It was actually very cute.” Stickler then explained that when it was time to sing happy birthday, her three-year-old joined the rest of the children at the party. “She’s one of the group right now. They’re welcoming her with open arms,” she said. “Or, so I thought.” When she noticed her daughter’s “intention of grabbing a piece of cake,” she decided to follow her child “to make sure it’s OK, as a formality.” “Honestly, I was like, obviously it’s OK. It’s cake. It’s a massive cake. There’s lots of leftover pieces,” she explained. However, Stickler said that the party host then stepped in and stopped MK from getting a slice of cake: “The mother takes the plate away from MK, and gets down to her level, says: ‘You cannot eat this cake, OK. This is not your birthday party. These are not your friends. Where’s your mother?’” She concluded her video by placing her hands over her mouth, to show her shocked reaction to the parent’s comments. As of 7 June, Stickler’s video has more than 10.1m views, with many people in the comments sympathising with MK. They also criticised the birthday host for how she spoke to the three-year-old. @katstickler No cake for me thanks, I’m full…of rage? ♬ original sound - Kat “That’s so sad,” one wrote, while another added: “My jaw dropped.” “The part that gets me is the ‘these are not your friends,’” a third wrote. “They’ve been playing for a half an hour. To kids, that’s friendship.” Other people shared how they would have handled the situation if a child they didn’t know wanted a piece of cake at a party. “I may have said, ‘Let’s check with your mom if it’s okay for you to have a piece?’ Allergies ya know. Then a new friend would have been given cake,” one wrote. Another agreed: “The only appropriate response is, ‘Run and ask your mom if you’re allowed to have cake.’ Reengages the parent and gives you a second to count the slices.” However, some people said that they wouldn’t have let their children hang out with the children at this birthday party in the first place. “This is a hard spot. I wouldn’t have let my kids walk over personally. We weren’t invited and playing together at the park isn’t a invite to a private moment,” one wrote. “But also I would never take cake from a child and say that. I would’ve asked for mom first.” “Personally I’d avoid the situation and move my kids,” another added. “I’m normally the one to encourage connections but not at a party my kid wasn’t invited to. Speaking to Today, Stickler noted that after this incident happened, she took her child to get a dessert of her own. She also said that MK was “totally fine” after hearing the parent’s remark. “People have been asking me, ‘What did you say to the mom?’ The mom was literally the least of my concerns,” Stickler explained. “I was worried about MK.” The Independent has contacted a representative for Stickler for comment. Read More Mother reveals the sweet meaning behind viral graduation gift for her daughter Daughter reveals stark contrast between her parents’ homes: ‘Complete opposites’ Mother hit with deluge of abuse for taking toddler’s packed lunch to a restaurant I tried anti-bloating pills for two weeks, and now I know the gassy truth How to protect pets from wildfire smoke amid air quality alert Gamer finds indent in head from prolonged headset use after shaving his hair

New York City and much of the tri-state area has been blanketed by smoke caused by raging wildfires in Canada. The poor air conditions have continued to spread throughout the northeastern United States. On Wednesday (7 June), New York City was ranked number one for the worst air quality in the world, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) at 342 and air pollution levels described as “hazardous”. Many officials have since advised people to limit their time outdoors and wear masks to protect themselves from the smoke. Public schools have also cancelled outdoor activities, including recess and gym classes. Follow for live air quality alert updates. Experts estimate that each hour of exposure to wildfire smoke is equivalent to smoking cigarettes continuously for the same amount of time, but that’s just for humans. Imagine how wildfire smoke affects our beloved pets? In fact, poor air quality may pose an even greater risk to animals because of their much smaller size. Here’s how to protect your pets from wildfire smoke as air quality alerts continue throughout New York. The biggest danger to pets comes from the fine particles found in air pollutants, which can get into the lungs and cause a variety of health issues – like eye irritation or respiratory problems. Some of the most vulnerable pets are older animals suffering from heart or lung disease. Certain breeds, such as pugs and bulldogs, may be especially at risk of inhaling too much smoke, according to the American Kennel Club. There are several signs that indicate a pet may be having problems from poor air quality. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), some of the symptoms include coughing or gagging (particularly in cats), red or watery eyes, inflammation of the throat or mouth, trouble breathing, fatigue or weakness, and reduced appetite or thirst. The first thing pet owners should do at the sign of wildfire smoke exposure is to call their veterinarian. In the meantime, saturating a cotton ball with lukewarm water and squeezing it over an animal’s eyes can help with irritation and flush them out. In order to protect pets from wildfire smoke, try to reduce their exposure as much as possible. For outdoor pets like horses or livestock, bring these animals into a room with good ventilation, such as a utility room or garage. The EPA also states that smoke is especially tough on pet birds because of the construction of their respiratory systems. Birds that are exposed to too much smoke may act lethargic or struggle to breathe, and may sit in the bottom of their cages. Keeping the indoor air clean can also help protect animals against wildfire smoke. Pet owners should keep their windows closed and their pets in a room with an air purifier. Activities such as frying foods, burning candles, or using a fireplace can also be bad for pets because it adds air pollutants to your home. If necessary, pet owners take short potty breaks with their dog or cat before returning inside. It’s probably not best to go on a long run with an animal when air quality alerts are in effect, either. Read More Air quality – live: New York hits record pollution as Canada wildfire smoke shuts airports and risks millions From masks to AC units: All the dos and don’ts to keep safe from wildfire smoke New York air pollution spikes to hazardous ratings as wildfire smoke plagues East Coast How to protect pets from wildfire smoke amid air quality alert From masks to AC units: All the dos and don’ts to keep safe from wildfire smoke I tried anti-bloating pills for two weeks, and now I know the gassy truth

Our bellies have always been the target of derision and ire. Long have they been poked and prodded. Sighed at and sucked in. Reprimanded and insulted. But ever since social media became the new WebMD for chronic self-diagnosers, it’s been open season on every little bodily function. Every involuntary twitch, skin bump and mood shift has been analysed to death – but none more so than the dreaded bloat. Stomach bloating can happen for all sorts of reasons. Often the main culprit is a big meal. It’s that feeling of being uncomfortably full and needing to undo the top button of your jeans, as if you’ve just had a particularly heavy Sunday roast. Unless you have real food intolerances or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), or the symptom is caused by hormonal changes, bloating is the body’s normal reaction to eating a little too much. It usually subsides after a few hours. But this is 2023. A bit of bloating is no longer something you can just wait a few hours to get rid of – social media dictates that it needs to be gone immediately, and if it doesn’t then there must be something wrong with you. And not to stop there, either. You should also be cutting 10 different types of foods out of your life, doing five simple exercises 200 times a day and taking an assortment of supplements and pills because God forbid your stomach be round for the next two hours. According to Dr Tamara Alireza, a functional medicine specialist at Skinfluencer London, bloating should be taken seriously if it doesn’t come and go with food. If it becomes a chronic problem, or is accompanied by other symptoms such as persistent stomach and pelvic pain, changes to bowel habits, unexpected weight loss, fatigue and fever, vomiting, or bleeding, it may be something different entirely. “Excess bloating can be linked to IBS, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and coeliac disease, but also to more serious conditions,” she says. But we are a society obsessed with quick fixes, and anti-bloating pills have become a popular “cure” for the woes of a distended belly. Last month, fitness influencer Sam Cutler took it to new heights when she provided the pills for her wedding guests during the meal. Some viewers of her TikTok video – which sparked so much horror that it rapidly went viral – claimed that the pills were essentially “laxatives”. The glut of brands that have emerged in recent years would disagree, though. Many claim to use all-natural ingredients to “speed up digestion” and reduce gas without a laxative effect. Admittedly, curiosity got the better of me. I am lucky enough not to suffer from any particularly gut-churning conditions, but I do have eyes bigger than my stomach. It means I regularly end up regretting wearing trousers to a meal, cursing myself as my belly strains against the waistband. Could these pills really make me feel more comfortable after a big dinner, or would they just lead to some unfortunate toilet habits? I am kindly sent a couple of packs by Wild Dose, which lists extracts of ginger, liquorice, fennel seed, turmeric, peppermint leaf and dandelion root alongside a “proprietary enzyme complex” and a probiotic blend in each brown pill. They smell very herbal and are a rather unappealing greenish-brown colour – it initially makes me wonder if it’s an omen for what my guts are about to experience. After two weeks of taking them daily, I found that they did make a slight difference in my post-meal stupor and I feel comfortable quicker than before. However, the change has been marginal and, if anything, they made me more gassy, to the chagrin of my significant other. The medical community is reluctant to support the efficacy of similar supplements, as there remains little clinical research to back up their claims. Dr Alireza describes anti-bloat pills as a “Band-Aid on a fire hydrant” for people who have genuine problems with their gut. “I generally would not recommend taking any pills to counteract the bloating,” she says, “rather I would be keen to first determine the source of the issue.” She points to her practice, which aims to determine the root cause of symptoms and treat it – instead of providing temporary fixes. But I think the real reason behind social media’s obsession with bloating has nothing to do with #guthealth. Instead, it is our inherent fatphobia and fear of fatness that fuel this battle against the bloat. Are we so afraid of looking fat for even a couple of hours that we flock to pills and exercises with such abandon? Given the way people have fallen over themselves to get their hands on Ozempic, a drug intended to help diabetes patients but which has made a name for itself as a weight-loss miracle, it appears the answer is yes. It’s no mistake, either, that women are the primary targets for anti-bloating content online. Studies show that women are twice as likely to experience it as men, particularly during menstruation and menopause because of hormonal fluctuations. But the expectation for women to maintain at least the illusion of thinness at all times is also much higher. Many of us learned at an early age how to suck in our stomachs and – even as adults – keep them sucked in pretty much all day. As I write this, I realise that I’ve been subconsciously engaging my core muscles despite sitting behind a desk. No wonder the promise of no more bloating is so appealing, if it makes looking mildly smaller less of a chore. Joanna Dase, fitness expert and operations director of female-focused health clubs Curves, says that any medical conditions should be diagnosed by qualified professionals rather than social media. She acknowledges that while bloating can affect body image, no one should worry about your normal, natural responses to digestion. “If you have a professional opinion and there is no health problem related to it, then you just need to have an actual understanding of your body and its natural functions, and being OK with yourself. It’s just how your body breaks down food.” Read More Wellness gurus claim your hormones are out to get you – but is it just another scam? ‘Thanks Pfizer’: The weird world of shakes, health anxiety and illness online A One Direction fan claimed she had a brain tumour. Five years after her death, we still need answers How to protect pets from wildfire smoke amid air quality alert Gamer finds indent in head from prolonged headset use after shaving his hair From masks to AC units: All the dos and don’ts to keep safe from wildfire smoke