Lifestyle

There is a certain sort of person who likes to talk a great deal about the importance of etiquette. There is also a lot of discussion about the decline of modern manners. At the same time we live in a time of the decline of ritual – if you want an emblem, my former employer, the House of Commons, has decided that the clerks should no longer wear wigs and court dress (the House of Lords has not followed suit,...

Everyone knows the feeling of 'the honeymoon' period in a new relationship. It is a time where bettering yourself for the love of another feels like a simple task. Vices are expunged, flab is exercised/exorcised away, and rowdy nights out with the boys are replaced by long evenings of conversation, getting to know your other half. Unfortunately the honeymoon period is as its name suggests - lovely, but fleeting. Still, that doesn't mean it's not prime time to get impressing...

Body image improving cosmetic surgery was a taboo subject among men for a long time but, as more men seek out cosmetic treatments, this awkwardness could soon be a thing of the past. A recent report from the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) has indicated a dramatic rise in the number of men taking up cosmetic surgery treatments. They found the number of men taking up cosmetic treatments has exploded by 110% since the year 2000, rising to...

I hope you've got your lucky pants on and gave your good-luck bear a squeeze this morning. A new study  has revealed the top ways we Brits stop our luck from running out, from luck-boosting rituals before a big football game to donning your charmed undies before an important meeting. If you’re approaching your thirtieth birthday then chances are you’re about to start the luckiest year of your life, according to research. The first year of your thirties has been...

If you want to make the most of your first five decades, you better get busy travelling, learning and loving, say Brits. A new study has revealed that, while many expect to have fallen in love, got married, bought a house and had children by the time they reach the big 5-0, Brits aged over 50 also think the Northern Lights are a must-see, while quitting your job and skinny dipping are essential experiences. Other things everyone should have done before...

Falling off the wagon is a frustrating but often inevitable part of New Year’s resolutions. The good news is that you’re not alone: 80% of people fail their New Year's resolutions by February. However, this shouldn’t mean you’re confined to a month of depressing failure, it can also be the month you start again. You’ve learnt from your mistakes and can use this to perfect your goals second time round. Whether it’s swapping the gym for corporate wellness programmes, or...

Along with heart disease and diabetes, prostate cancer could become one of the most important health issues for men within the next 20 years so it’s important that all men are aware of the risk factors and possible symptoms which they should always discuss with their GP. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK – it kills one man every hour and currently there are over a quarter of a million men living with the...

Finding the perfect significant other is extremely difficult especially when taking into account that UK online dating has taken a huge surge in terms of popularity. Online dating apps which are based on swipe right to right are ruining our dating lives and are turning them into opportunities for people to be selfish and shallow when it comes to finding the perfect match. Thanks to mobile devices as well as location sensing apps, people are becoming connected extremely easy and...

Denise is 49-years-old and is struggling in the benefits system. She’s currently living in Bristol, but is from Leicestershire. Denise’s diagnosis is Bipolar type II. She was diagnosed in 1991 when she was around 24 or 25. But she’d experienced mental health problems since age 16. She was misdiagnosed with depression and PTSD before getting the right diagnosis and the right treatment. Denise also has physical health problems - fibromyalgia, mobility issues and inflammatory bowel disease. Her energy levels vary...