The popular big brother star says ‘I do’ in a beautiful sunset ceremony.
With one hand holding her veil in place and the other clutching a bottle of Corona beer, Regina “Reggie” Bird was finally on the way to her long-awaited wedding to her beau of 18 months, Dale Sorensen. And the relief on her face was clear.
In the lead-up to the big event, what was meant to be the happiest day of Reggie’s life kept threatening to become a disaster, with one thing after another going wrong, including the event hire company pulling out just 72 hours before the wedding.
But the 2003 Big Brother winner’s famous happy-go-lucky nature saved her from a Bridezilla-style meltdown as her carefully made plans began to unravel. Luckily, her sister and bridesmaid Anita Bingham was by her side and their sisterly humour left Reggie, 33, all smiles as her bridal boat sped her up the Gold Coast’s Coomera River to her nuptials at a luxury canal-front home on Sovereign Island.
With his bride more than an hour late, Dale, 35, and their seven-month-old daughter Mia were getting anxious. As the boat pulled into its berth, Reggie’s father Steven helped her off the vessel and walked her to the wedding venue to the strains of Joe Cocker’s You Are So Beautiful…
For the full story and gorgeous wedding photos, see this week’s Woman’s Day (on-sale October 29).
Rove McManus has a new woman in his life — former Blue Heelers star Tasma Walton. The talk-show host’s manager Kevin Whyte has confirmed to Woman’s Day that the pair are seeing each other. “Yes, they’re more than just friends,” Kevin revealed to Woman’s Day last Tuesday, days before the news broke nationally.
A friend of the new couple has hinted to the Herald Sun newspaper that they’ve been together for up to four months.
Tasma, who returned to the small screen some time back to appear alongside Sigrid Thornton in the hit miniseries Little Oberon, has known Rove for years. “They’ve been friends for a long time. Only recently has it developed into more — since she moved to Melbourne,” Kevin said.
Rove’s closest confidants are thrilled the much-loved comedian is finding happiness, after the immense heartbreak he has endured over the past year.
Removalists seen at Rove’s home last week led some to believe that Tasma was moving her belongings into the comedian’s inner-Melbourne pad. However Kevin has denied this is the case, saying the pair are not living together at this stage.
“She’s storing her furniture at Rove’s house,” he said. “She’s living with a girlfriend in Melbourne…”
Read the full story in this week’s Woman’s Day (on-sale October 29)
The parents of missing British toddler Madeleine McCann have given their first major TV interview since being named as suspects in their daughter’s disappearance.
Appearing on the Spanish network Antena 3, Kate McCann broke down in tears and told the interviewer, “I feel sad and I feel lonely and our life is not as happy without Madeleine. I feel anxious she is not with us”.
At one stage Kate became so distressed that the interview had to be stopped to give her time to regain her composure.
“I think she is possibly being held by someone in their house but I don’t know,” the 39-year-old speculated, “As Madeleine’s mummy I feel in my heart that she is there.”
Asked how her two-year-old twins Sean and Amelie were coping, Kate said, “They do ask about Madeleine. Madeleine was very much a big part of their life. They are not upset and they are not distressed but they are very much aware she is not there.”
Kate’s husband Gerry added, “The hardest thing for me is when they say, ‘When is Madeleine coming back home?’ and we have to say, ‘We don’t know but everyone is looking for her’.”
During the interview the couple defended themselves against accusations that they had appeared “too cool” and emotionless when talking about their daughter’s disappearance in the past. Kate said, “We know we are innocent, totally innocent. That is why we are calm”.
Gerry added, “We are certainly not scared. There is no evidence DNA tests will show anything other than us being completely innocent”.
But the couple say despite the anguish of being named as suspects in their daughter’s disappearance, finding Maddie is their number one priority. “Nothing that has happened to us has come close to upsetting us as the way Madeleine going missing did,” said Gerry. “We have our own heartache and grief but we are absolutely determined to help in the search.”
It all started when I was in my third year studying education at university. It was exam time and I was stressed, as were most of my classmates. I started getting headaches and feeling sick all the time. After putting up with it for a while, I went to see a doctor. To my surprise, it was all due to stress and I was assured that I was healthy.
All of my friends were aware that I was going to see the doctor and that I hadn’t been feeling quite right and, naturally, they were slightly worried. After returning from the doctor I was questioned by a friend about what was wrong and how I was feeling. As someone who normally comes across as a strong person, I was embarrassed that I was sick from simple stress … and so the lies began.
It began with me subtly avoiding telling people what was wrong with me. The more I avoided, the more my friends questioned as they began to worry that something serious was wrong. I felt bad that my friends were worrying, but it made me realise that they cared about me.
Then I started receiving calls from friends in other cities, asking if I was okay. The message that I was sick began to warp as it was passed from friend to friend until I received a call asking if it was true that I had cancer. I was shocked; I couldn’t believe that all this had come from a simple case of stress. I could hear the concern in her voice and I went quiet as she waited anxiously for me to answer. It was the silence that did it — she burst into tears and that is the moment that I got “cancer”.
I kept telling myself that I hadn’t actually admitted to having cancer and that everything would be okay — I would tell everyone the truth about what was wrong with me and they would forget about it. Things didn’t pan out the way I had hoped and the situation started to escalate. Before I could tell anyone what was really wrong with me, everyone had heard about my “cancer”. A Ferris Bueller effect started as all my friends found out the news and started to contact me with tears, gifts and hugs.
The more people who found out, the more I realised that I couldn’t tell them the truth. I started to panic and decided that all I could do was go along with it until my friends forgot. Maybe I could be lucky and get through it; after all, none of my friends actually knew what kind of cancer I had. I started to research my disease so that I wouldn’t be caught up in the lie. As the initial madness died down, the situation got better and it seemed that everyone had forgotten about my “condition”, until I spoke about it with my closest friend.
What seemed to me like my best friend forgetting that I had cancer was actually her going into denial, not wanting to accept that I was possibly going to die. She seemed really shaken up by it all and told me what a good friend I had been and that she wouldn’t know what to do without me. I hadn’t thought about what a huge impact it would have on my friends and it made me realise that they thought they were going to lose me.
I felt so guilty, but if I told my friend the truth now, I would lose her as she would never forgive me for telling such an awful lie. All I could say to her was, “I am going to be okay.” She still doesn’t realise how true that is.
X-FACTOR: Old-fashioned tropical charm on the edge of Eden.
STAY: Villa San Michele (tel: 1800 994 088; www.villasanmichele.com.au). Mediterranean-style hotel apartments built around lush gardens and pools.
EAT: Zinc (tel: 07 4099 6260 www.zincportdouglas.com) is the new hip restaurant in town. Nautilus (tel: 07 4099 5330; www.nautilusrestaurant.com.au), an old favourite that serves fine food under the stars in a palm grove.
X-FACTOR: Life’s little luxuries on the edge of the desert.
STAY: McAlpine House (tel: 08 9192 3886; www.mcalpinehouse.com). An 1890s old pearling master’s house converted into a stylish B&B.
EAT: The Old Zoo Café (tel: 08 9193 6200) – some of the best food in town.
DON’T MISS: Scenic flights into the West Kimberley (tel: 08 9193 7155; www.kingleopoldair.com.au). A cruise around the Kimberley coast (tel: 08 9193 6131; www.kimberleyquest.com).
New kid – Esperance, Western Australia
X-FACTOR: Startling natural beauty at the “end of the earth”.
STAY: Esperance Seaside Apartments (tel: 08 9072 0044). Designer apartments with balconies overlooking the bay.
EAT: Bonapartes (tel: 08 9071 7727). Best seafood in town, plus sea views.
DON’T MISS: Day boat trips to Woody Island with Mackenzies Island Cruises (www.woodyisland.com.au). Eco-tour to Cape Le Grand (www.kepakurl.com.au).
Byron Bay, New South Wales
X-FACTOR: Everyone knows that anything goes.
STAY: Victoria’s at Wategos (tel: 02 6685 5388; www.victorias.net.au), Tuscan-style beachside villa with fabulous breakfasts. The Byron at Byron (tel: 1300 554 362; www.byronatbyron.com.au), is a stylish resort in a magnificent rainforest.
EAT: Rae’s at Wategos (tel: 02 6685 5366; www.raes.com.au), a beachfront terrace serving fine Australian food with Asian twists. Dish (tel: 02 6685 7320) – don’t miss the superb, innovative cuisine in Spanish villa-style surrounds.
DON’T MISS: The heritage town of Bangalow in the hills behind Byron; whale-watching on Cape Byron.
EAT: Sails (tel: 07 5447 4235). Watch the waves break and tuck into an award-winning modern Australian menu. Berardo’s on the Beach (tel: 07 5448 0868). Great for breakfast after an early morning swim. Gusto (tel: 07 5449 7144). Popular riverside venue at Noosaville.
DON’T MISS: Boat and 4WD tour of the Everglades and Great Sandy National Park (tel: 1800 657 666; www.beyondnoosa.com.au).
EAT: The Deck restaurant and bar (tel: 07 4974 9157; www.1770holidayvillage.com). Fresh seafood and delicious desserts from a talented Belgian chef. Saltwater Café has the best seafood salads and irresistible thin-crust seafood pizzas on the 1770 beach.
DON’T MISS: Snorkelling and diving on Fitzroy Reef with Fitzroy Reef Jet (tel: 1800 177 011; www.1770holidays.com). Fishing, forest and creek tours with Hooked on 1770 (tel: 07 4974 9794; www.1770tours.com).
Regular self-examination reduces your risk of many diseases. These 10 safe and painless health checks could save your life.
1.Know your breasts.Look at your breasts in the mirror and feel them with soapy hands while you’re in the shower. Check for changes at least once a month. For further information, visit The Cancer Council at www.cancer.org.au, or call 13 11 20.
2.Look in the loo.Constipation means dehydration or an inadequate fibre intake. Check for blood– it can signal bowel disease – and your urine colour: the darker it is, the more dehydrated you are. Drink at least 2 litres of water daily.
3.Bone up.A bone density test can assess your status, and taking calcium can help prevent or at least slow the progression of osteoporosis. For more information, visit Osteoporosis Australia at www.osteoporosis.org.au, or call 02 9518 8140.
4.Calculate your body mass index(BMI) by dividing your weight by your height in square metres. For example, if you’re 1.63m tall, multiply 1.63 by 1.63 to find the square of your height (it’s 2.66). Then – say you weigh 73 kg – divide 73 by 2.66, which gives you 27. If you score between 25 and 30, you need to lose weight.
5.Open your mouth.Inspect your mouth regularly: White or red patches or painless ulcers could mean oral cancer, and swollen, bleeding, or inflamed gums can be an early warning sign of gingivitis. Regular checks are best done by a dentist.
6.Take an eye testevery two years It isn’t just a sight check, it can also detect diabetes, thyroid disorders, glaucoma, and high blood pressure. For more information, contact Eye Health Australia at www.v2020australia.org, or call 03 9656 2020.
7.Fight smear fear.Women between 20 and 64 should have a Pap smear done every two years. If you’re overdue, make an appointment today. To find out more, visit www.cervicalscreen.health.gov.au, or call 02 6289 1555.
8.Check your pressure.High blood pressure increases your risk of heart disease and stroke. However, it can be controlled with medication and lifestyle changes, such as reducing salt and alcohol. Ask your GP to check your blood pressure regularly.
9.Look for unusual changes in your skin’s texture or colour, and see your GP immediately if a mole bleeds, itches, or becomes ragged at the edges, or any sore fails to heal. Wear a sunblock of SPF15+, and choose make-up that contains sunscreen.
10.Stay informed.Some research indicates there may be a link between high blood levels of homocysteine (an amino acid) and heart disease. Homocysteine levels are routinely tested in the US, though not here yet – ask your GP for an opinion.
Tell us what you think of this advice and post a comment below
While it’s unlikely that most families still sit down to a regular Sunday roast, Australians as a whole enjoy their lamb, beef and other red meat.
From beef strips in a stir fry to grilled veal fillet, there are so many lean ways to benefit from the essential nutrients in red meat.
Sensible serves
With a refocus in recent times on portion control it’s good to know that you can reap the benefits of the essential nutrients in red meat without the need for a massive steak on the plate. Many people are surprised to hear that a serve is only around 65-100g of cooked meat. For good health the Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend 3-4 serves of lean red meat a week. However, research shows that up to a third of Australians are eating red meat less often than recommended.
Tip: It only takes ½ cupful of lean mince to count as a serve.
Friendly fats
Contrary to popular belief red meat is not a significant source of saturated fat or cholesterol in the diet. Lean red meat is relatively low in total fat, with a higher ratio of polyunsaturated to saturated fatty acids than previously thought. In fact the researchers have concluded that moderate amounts of red meat, provided it is lean, may be included in diets to lower blood cholesterol or heart healthy eating plans. And it seems that as a nation we have shifted our practices with recent analyses confirming that there has been a significant trend to leaner cuts of meat over the past two decades. While fish is a much higher source of omega 3 fatty acids it’s also a surprise for many to hear that the range in red meat is from 11% to 29% of total fat present. And this makes lean red meat our second major source of omega 3 fats in the diet.
Tip: Go for pasture fed beef which is a better source of omega-3 fats than grain feed beef. This explains the better fatty acid ratio in Australian red meat compared with that in the USA.
What’s your point of view on eating red meat? Tell us your thoughts below …
Chances are you’ve already budged a few kilos for summer as you get your body in shape for the beach and Christmas holidays.
With sensational summer fruits and salads and long summer days, there are so many ways to eat healthy and stay active. So, stick to a healthy lifestyle plan for long term success and forget about some of the popular fads that are around this silly season. Here’s a look at why to pass on two newer fads, and an oldy that’s still hanging around…
The 3 hour diet by Jorge Cruise
Even though most of this book is based on sensible eating practices there is no proof that going three hours between meals is ideal or that you’ll lose more weight by following such a plan. The basic rules for following this diet include: eat within one hour of waking up in the morning; eat every three hours; and do not eat within three hours of going to bed. While some studies suggest that eating more frequently throughout the day can help you lose weight, the jury is still out on whether this is physiologically true.
The liver cleansing diet by Sandra Cabot
The Liver Cleansing Diet is an eight-week, low-fat diet which claims to improve liver function. Sandra Cabot also has an online weight management program. There’s a lot of emphasis in The Liver Cleansing Diet on increasing plant food, like vegetables and fruit and juicing. Dr Cabot advises that you have lots of water as well — eight to 12 glasses of filtered water a day. While overall these diet principles are good, there are unnecessary rules and regulations to follow. Even though followers will eat lots of healthy fruit and vegies as well as lowering their fat intake, the premise of cleaning your liver through dietary means is not scientifically based.
The lemon detox diet This diet has similar unsubstantiated claims about the need to cleanse the body as appear in the Liver Cleansing Diet. Even though there are “once a week versions” and the “relaxed version” which may work for some people, dieters are encouraged to consume the lemon drink for the optimum period of 10 days. Basically, this a fasting and starvation approach where all you’ re giving your body for 10 days is fluids and a little carbohydrate fuel in the drink made up of lemon juice, herbs and syrup. So no wonder you lose weight! This plan is far too extreme and will not result in long-term weight loss. It certainly does not fit a healthy lifestyle and will leave you with unwanted side effects like ravenous hunger, fatigue and headaches.
Have you had any experiences with these or any other popular diets? Tell us about it below …
Women of child-bearing age aren’t the only ones who should take folic acid, a B vitamin which helps protect unborn babies from developing neural tube defects.
The latest research shows that it also has powerful antioxidant properties, and may even slow the development of particular cancers. The findings, published in the June 2006 issue of Cancer, showed that patients with precancerous lesions on the larynx who took a folic acid supplement for six months had a 50 per cent or greater reduction in the size of the lesions.
Folic acid is found naturally in a variety of foods, notably green leafy vegetables like spinach; broccoli, bananas and legumes are also good sources. If you think your diet is inadequate, take out some nutritional insurance with a supplement containing folic acid along with the other B-group vitamins, as they work best when taken synergistically.
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