Blood & Beauty By Sarah Dunant, Virago $29.99. With a new pope charged in part with cleaning up the image of the Catholic Church, Sarah Dunant’s delicious epic delving into Renaissance Italy and the lives and lusts of Rodrigo Borgia and his extended family couldn’t come at a more pertinent time. While we are most […]

Australian music icon Chrissy Amphlett has died following a two-year cancer battle. Best known as lead singer of rock band The Divinyls, the 53-year-old had been living in New York, where she underwent a double mastectomy in late 2010. She was unable to receive radiation or chemotherapy because she also suffers from multiple sclerosis (MS). […]

The Voice singer tells SHARI NEMENTZIK why her unusual looks are a blessing in disguise. Lauren Dawes hasn’t always been comfortable with the shade of her skin, but these days, the singer celebrates her striking features. “Being an albino has really worked in my favour in the entertainment industry, because I have that edge that […]

Throughout the cold and flu season it’s important to consider the immune system. While many people elect to have cold and flu shots, you can take a healthier, more natural approach and eat immune-building and rejuvenating foods. Foods rich in antioxidants and zinc combined into hearty casseroles and soups will nurture and protect you against […]

Just like today, weight loss regimes were big business in the 1960s. From downing all the booze you could drink to guzzling shots of oil before every meal, here are some of the craziest retro dieting tips. All the alcohol you can drink: One of the best-selling diet books of all time was the The […]

A devastating killer influenza outbreak is heading to Australia where it will claim lives, doctors have warned. The deadly H3N2 “super flu” wrought havoc in the US in December and January, killing 20 children and causing vaccine shortages across the country. The virus is expected to arrive in Australia within weeks and Australian Medical Association […]

A new study suggests that fainting may run in the family and, for some, just one gene may be the cause of this phenomenon. Researchers from the University of Melbourne and Austin Health reviewed medical records of 44 families with a history of fainting. This included six families who have a large number of affected […]

Jessica Simpson’s second child is due in a matter of weeks… and she’s proud to say she hasn’t gained nearly as much weight this time around. The singer stacked on 27kgs last year while pregnant with her first child, daughter Maxwell, but this time she’s managed to keep her cravings in check – with amazing […]

The pressures of success prove too much for last year’s winning pair. The close bond between My Kitchen Rules stars Leigh Sexton and Jennifer “Princess” Evans helped them win the series. But 12 months on, it’s a very different story. “I don’t often talk about the hurt I felt after the show,” Leigh tells Woman’s […]