Road test: Shizen Jasmine Face Oil
With her family’s support, Judith Mawson is now able to move on from a nightmare that began when two detectives pulled into her drive. In this week’s Woman’s Day she tells her horrifying story …
After my first marriage came apart, I wanted to meet a straight, normal man who was kind and loving and focused on me all the time.
Gary and I dated for three months and he was everything I dreamt he’d be. Then, his roommate decided he was going to move out.
“Judy, I’d love it if you moved in with me. Will you?” Gary asked me one night when we were out for a beer. “Oh Gary, I’d be thrilled. I love you so much.”
At the time, I was so involved in my own life I wasn’t watching the news or reading the papers. A few people had mentioned the Green River Killer, a maniac who’d murdered scores of women, but I tried to keep negative things out of my mind.
Gary and I lived the life of a normal couple. We’d go to dinner and for the odd beer. He even taught me how to do the two-step. We’d also go camping — alone and with his boy.
What I didn’t know at the time was that there was another person lurking inside of Gary.
Our lives took a dramatic turn for the worse in 2001. Our poodle Oscar died, then my mother-in-law, who I adored, died on September 11. But the worst was yet to come.
On November 30, 2001, my husband was taken away from me, but I should have known something terrible was going to happen. A couple of weeks before, Gary had been arrested for talking to a hooker.
“There’s no-one but you,” he reassured me. “The police think my truck looks like another guy’s who was talking to the hookers. It’s a case of mistaken identity.”
Gary always had the right explanation, and it made sense to me. He’d never given me any cause to doubt him.
But those illusions were quickly shattered on November 30. Around 3pm I heard someone pull into our driveway. It was two men in suits. “We want to talk to you about Gary Ridgway. He’s a suspect in something we’re looking into,” one of them said, unsmiling. I was hoping it was that silly prostitution thing. But they started bombarding me with questions about Gary.
“What’s he like?” one said. “Does he ever get angry?” “No,” I replied. “Gary is the kindest, most gentle man on the planet.”
My life and world ended that day. Finally, the detectives told me: “Gary Ridgway – your husband – is a suspect in the murders of 50 women. We believe Gary is the Green River Killer…”
For the full article, see this week’s Woman’s Day (on-sale September 22, 2008)
The chat show queen’s beauty secrets are finally out as her make-up guru reveals how she looks so fresh at 54.
For more than 20 years he’s been the man making Oprah look great, and next month, make-up artist Reggie Wells is coming to Australia with his Beauty 101 classes to teach everyone the art of looking good.
In an exclusive chat in this week’s Woman’s Day he reveals how he convinced Oprah to change her look for the better.
WD: You once said Oprah has puffy upper eyelids and no bridge on her nose, not to mention poor foundation-blending abilities.
Reggie: Well, you know, I gave her a make-up lesson and she got much better then! She is much better now.
WD: How did you convince her to change her look?
Reggie: She just took one look at her skin, the way I made it lightweight and smooth. She could see the difference.
WD: What’s your relationship with Oprah like after years as her closest confidant?
Reggie: Oprah is like a sister to me. We always talk about being the total woman, so that’s very important. I did 90 covers for her O magazine. When I first started with her I didn’t know her, but I think she appreciated, really, the make-up. But she is the kind of person who will help you in any endeavour, and if you show her something new, she’s really willing to learn, and you don’t have to force anything…
For more of this interview, see this week’s Woman’s Day (on-sale September 22, 2008)
Reggie Wells will conduct his first ever masterclass outside of the US, Beauty 101, in late October. For bookings and info call Hissyfit on (03) 9676 1878 or go to www.hissyfit.com
The superstar actor makes a dash to his wife’s side in New York amid concerns about their marriage.
Tom Cruise has made a cross-country dash to hold crisis talks with his wife Katie Holmes in a desperate attempt to save their marriage.
Insiders say Tom ignored Katie’s pleas to be left alone as she prepares for the opening night of her Broadway play, All My Sons, and made the 4,500km trip from Los Angeles to convince Katie that their marriage is worth saving.
“Katie wasn’t keen for Tom to come to New York,” a source tells Woman’s Day. “But Tom insisted, saying that they need time together for the sake of their marriage.”
But the visit may backfire on the Mission: Impossible star. Despite the fact the couple haven’t been seen together for more than three weeks, Katie, 29, appeared distant and unhappy as Tom, 46, walked with her and their two-year-old daughter Suri to Katie’s rehearsals at New York’s Minetta Lane Theatre…
For the full story, see this week’s Woman’s Day (on-sale September 22, 2008)
The prince won’t be marrying his girlfriend any time soon. Royal correspondent Judy Wade reveals why …
Kate Middleton has been left broken-hearted after Prince William called off their planned wedding, announcing the shock news that he’s set to spend the next two years in Scotland with the Royal Air Force (RAF).
In a decision that has devastated Kate — nicknamed “Waity Katie” by the British press — William’s announced he will spend 18 months training as a Sea King helicopter pilot at the RAF base near Kinross in Scotland. He will then devote the following three years to hazardous rescue missions around the British coastline and in mountainous terrain.
It is a cruel blow for Kate, who has put her own life and aspirations on hold in anticipation of a proposal from Wills. The former fashion buyer, who broke up with William last year amid suggestions he wasn’t ready to commit to their relationship, is fuming that she will be left alone in London once again while he pursues his career…
Read the full story in this week’s Woman’s Day (on-sale September 22, 2008)
With partner Mel and daughters Esme, 17, and Edie, 15, Ian “Dicko” Dickson put aside his judge’s hat for the day to step into the wobbly shoes of English rocker Ozzy Osbourne.
A red wig transforms Mel into an Aussie Sharon Osbourne.
Esme piles on the eyeliner to look like Ozzy’s goth daughter Kelly Osbourne.
Edie dons an afro to look like Jack.
“I really love Sharon and Ozzy. I worked with both of them,” says Dicko.
Edie wants to be an actress when she grows up, and she reckons she’ll handle the fame “better than Dad”!
The girls say their dad is a big softie, despite his image on TV.
Dicko’s family reveals he has a habit of staring at himself in the mirror. “Any mirror or reflective surface, he’s there,” says Esme.
Although both girls would love to work in entertainment, neither is keen to try out for Idol.
“Edie’s a really good dancer and she’s great with kids,” says proud dad Dicko.
The girls reckon their dad is “young at heart”, but they’re too embarrassed to let him pick them up from school!
I’m like Sharon,” says Mel. “I’m the matriarch, the person that tells everyone what to do, where to go.”.
Esme and Edie say a reality show about their family would mean a lot of “fights and door-slamming”.
“Ozzy has often admitted he’d be nothing without Sharon and I’m the same, I’d be nothing without Mel,” says Dicko.
“(The Osbournes) argue and shout, but there’s a lot of love and communication,” says Dicko. “I think that reflects the way we are, really.”
See more photos plus an interview with Dicko and his family in this week’s Woman’s Day (on-sale September 22, 2008)
Tough times for the golden sporting couple see Grant Kenny striving to keep their family strong.
Lisa Curry-Kenny is facing an uphill fight to regain the perfect life she once had, amid an ongoing health crisis and a deadly chopper crash that has rocked her famous family.
This time last year Aussie sporting icon Lisa seemed to have it all. The former Olympic swimmer enjoyed excellent health, wealth and a blissful home life on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast with her husband of 22 years, ironman legend and Olympic kayaking bronze medallist Grant Kenny, and their three children.
Then, five months ago, the 46-year-old mum discovered she was suffering from myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle which was causing an irregular heartbeat, and underwent surgery to implant a defibrillator.
But despite the success of the surgery, last month Lisa was readmitted to Brisbane’s Wesley Private Hospital. At the time of going to press she was still in seclusion, on a drip to fight a stubborn infection linked to the implanted device…
See this week’s Woman’s Day for the full story (on-sale September 22, 2008)
According to data issued by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, women aged between 40 and 44 had less than 5 per cent chance of delivering a baby in 2004, but by 2006 were twice as likely — with a 9.9 per cent success rate. The rising success within this age bracket is increasing faster than any other and amounts to “a realistic chance” for older women to start families, according to Professor Peter Illingworth, president of the Fertility Society of Australia.
Illingworth has attributed the surprising results to improved techniques within the field of IVF (in vitro fertilisation) and better media for culturing embryos, which he claims are beneficial to this older age group who generally produce eggs of more variable quality.
Women in their 40s have also reaped greater benefits from a developing trend that transfers embryos at the blastocyst stage, five or six days after fertilisation, rather than the two-to-three-day cleavage stage, Professor Illingworth said. This too provides a stronger chance of selecting the best-quality embryos.
However, clinics remain mindful of managing their clients’ expectations as realistically the vast majority of older women continue to go home without a successful pregnancy. Professor Michael Chapman, medical director of private clinic group IVF Australia, warns that older women should ultimately try to become pregnant while their natural fertility is still high and should not use the procedure as an “insurance policy”, despite the dramatic improvements in IVF birth rates.
There are also other factors that may have affected these findings, such as rising numbers of older woman leaving the program sooner after unsuccessful attempts, and a growth in older women joining IVF programs in general.
This said, there remains little doubt that such promising results will be welcomed by the thousands of would-be mothers trying for a baby in the later stages of their fertility cycle.
For centuries, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has prescribed certain mushrooms — shiitake, maitake, reishi and turkey tail — for their health-promoting effects. Along with other common mushrooms, like button and Portobello, they are rich in vitamin D, B-group vitamins and the minerals iron, potassium and selenium.
However, Asian mushrooms have additional effects, including boosting immunity, fighting infection, lowering cholesterol and acting as an anticoagulant, thanks to three substances. These are beta-glucan, a fibre with cardiovascular benefits; terpenoids, which are antiviral, antibiotic and anti-inflammatory; and polysaccharides, sugars which bolster the immune system by increasing the number and effectiveness of natural killer (NK) cells, and so support the body’s fight against infection and cancer.
In some cases, this improved immune response appears to slow and suppress the growth of breast and prostate cancer cells.
For general health and immune support, you can add these mushrooms to soups, stews, stir-fries and pasta dishes. Or, ask your local TCM practitioner for a blend that may be boiled in water and drunk as a tea. For a more concentrated dose, take them as supplements, in liquid extract, powder or capsule form.
SHIITAKE (Lentinus edodes)This mushroom contains a polysaccharide called lentinan, which promotes production of NK cells that destroy cancerous cells. Lentinan’s potential in helping people with AIDS and HIV, who have weakened immune systems, is currently being studied. Shiitake also contains interferon, an antiviral substance, and eritadenine, which reduces cholesterol. Extracts are even starting to appear in skincare products, because shiitake contains a lightening agent called kojic acid, which counters pigmentation.
MAITAKE (Grifola frondosa)Traditionally prescribed as an overall immune booster, maitake also has cholesterol-lowering, anti-diabetes and cancer-fighting effects. It was traditionally used as an adaptogen, which is a substance that helps the body adapt to stress. Studies show that maitake mushrooms fight heart disease by lowering blood pressure and cholesterol, and slowing the blood’s tendency to clot. In Japan, they are used to strengthen the immune systems of cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy and protect healthy cells from damage.
REISHI (Ganoderma lucidum)Nicknames like ‘immortality elixir’ and ‘the king of herbs’ hint at this mushroom’s many benefits; in Japan it is also used to protect against the effects of radiation treatment. It is a potent anti-inflammatory and is used in TCM to relieve bronchitis and coughs as well as arthritis.
TURKEY TAIL (Coriolus versicolor)This mushroom has been used in China and Japan for centuries to boost immunity and fight disease. Modern studies have found that two polysaccharides it contains – polysaccharide-K (PSK) and polysaccharopeptide – help restore immunity in people undergoing conventional cancer treatments and may possibly improve survival rates in cancer patients.Note: Consult your doctor before using mushrooms for any condition, especially if you are pregnant or breast-feeding. Don’t forage for wild mushrooms: it’s easy to mistake a deadly fungus for an edible one.
SHIITAKE (Lentinus edodes)
MAITAKE (Grifola frondosa)
REISHI (Ganoderma lucidum)
TURKEY TAIL (Coriolus versicolor)
Note: Consult your doctor before using mushrooms for any condition, especially if you are pregnant or breast-feeding. Don’t forage for wild mushrooms: it’s easy to mistake a deadly fungus for an edible one.
**Dear Judy,
I’ve heard that trans fats have been banned in the US in restaurants. What are trans fats and why do we not hear much about them in Australia?
— Mae**
Trans-fats are created through a process called hydrogenation. It was adopted by food manufacturers and used to convert liquid vegetable oils into solid fats such as margarine.
The need arose after nutritional scientists discovered that animal fat, a saturated fat, increased the risk of heart disease. With the best intentions food manufacturers started to play around with vegetable oils, solidifying them to extend their shelf life and make them perform like butter and other solid fats used in baked and fried goods.
What the food manufacturers were unaware of, however, was that the process converted unsaturated fats into trans fats — a worse kind of saturated fat. Trans fats, like saturated fat, are known to raise the levels of bad cholesterol in the bloodstream, but unlike saturated fat, they also decrease levels of the good cholesterol in the bloodstream. Worse still, new research from the Untied States has linked an increased risk of colon cancer to the consumption of trans fats.
While food manufactures are well aware of the issue of trans fats and work to reduce them in consumer goods, particularly non-dairy spreads, there is no legislation around labeling their presence in the foods most likely to contain them.
Food Standards Australia believe that the average Australian’s consumption of trans fats is around 0.6 per cent, less than the World Health Organisation’s recommended upper limit of 1 per cent per day.
The problem however is, as with all statistics, there are people with very healthy diets who skew the data results down. If your diet is full of commercial baked goods such as cheap biscuits and cakes, and you eat a lot of fried fast food, then chances are you are also consuming a lot of trans fats.
While FSANZ continue to sit on the fence with this one, you won’t find information on trans fats on nutritional panels on packaged foods so it’s best to avoid the food they may be found in. At the end of the day, if you want to lose weight and be healthy they are the types of food you should avoid anyway.
A diet of fresh vegetables and fruit, wholegrains, lean meat and fish, legumes and pulses and good fats from unsaturated oil, avocado, nuts and seeds is the one way you can lose weight, avoid trans fats and stay healthy.
