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I like my alcohol, and can hold it pretty well. But I automatically turn bright red after one mug of beer! I’m still perfectly sober but red as a lobster, and my friends never fail to make fun of me. Why do I turn red and is there any way to reduce or delay the reaction?

answer:
You probably have an inherited problem where the blood vessels underneath your skin dilate very quickly when alcohol runs in your system. This is usually more obvious when you consume aerated alcoholic drinks like beer and champagne. Aerated alcohol tends to be absorbed faster and makes your body saturate with alcohol faster. To prevent too quick a reaction, you can try drinking alcohol like wine. Before that, you could start by eating buttered crackers, a prawn cocktail with mayonnaise or other small tidbits. All the butter and creamy stuff will line your stomach and prevent too quick an absorption of alcohol. Maybe you could try putting on lots of makeup so nobody can see what is underneath!

ROAST POTATOES are deliriously different if peeled potato sections are placed in a plastic bag into which you have emptied a packet of your favorite “soup in a cup” mix. Shake the bag for a few seconds until potatoes are well covered in the soup mix, then put them on a lightly oiled oven tray and roast until the coating becomes crisp.

WHEN FRUIT on your trees is just beginning to ripen, toss a few strips of silver Christmas tinsel over the branches. This not only deters all birds, it looks pretty as well.

SEW A MAGNET into a potholder so it always can be attached to the stove where you need it.

TO RESTORE a discolored wooden chopping board, soak it overnight in water to which has been added half a cup of bleach. Next day, rinse well in very hot water, allow to dry completely, then give it a good sandpapering all over, including the edges. Rinse again in cold water.

IT IS EASY to make damp collectors, to reduce mould and odor caused by moisture in drawers and wardrobes. Put four tablespoons of bicarbonate of soda in a paper bag, fold one end to close it, then seal with adhesive tape. Place the filled bags where needed and replace every six months or so.

CORRUGATED CARDBOARD makes a great keeper for knitting needles. Thread them in graduated sizes into the “tubes” in the cardboard, write the size next to each pair, roll and secure with a rubber band.

SOFT STALE BISCUITS, not iced or cream-filled, can be restored quickly to their former crispness. Spread them out on a scone tray and heat in a 135-140C oven for about 10 minutes.

RENEW ELASTIC quickly in waistbands, ankles or cuffs. Just attach the new elastic to the old in the garment, then pull out the old elastic.The new will follow through as you pull.

IF YOUR DOG loves retrieving a ball but you find it hard to throw it far enough because of age, stiff shoulders or whatever, use an old tennis racket and hit the ball. It goes much further than you could throw it and your dog gets plenty of exercise.

STAINLESS STEEL cutlery that has dulled can be brightened again. Using a soft cloth dipped in lemon juice, rub each piece well. Then wash in hot, soapy water with a tablespoon of bicarbonate of soda added. Dry well.

SHOE POLISH, when dried-out or broken, can be warmed gently until it melts and reforms. If very dry, mix in a little cooking oil while it’s still hot.

VEAL CUTLETS can be given a lift and a distinctive flavor if coated with crushed cheese biscuit crumbs instead of breadcrumbs.

My best friend is having an affair and wants me to be his alibi. Am I wrong to ask him to leave me out of it?

answer:
Not at all. In fact, you’d only be abetting his downfall if you were to help him cheat. A recent study from the University of Florida shows that infidelity plays a role in up to 90 percent of divorces. “Eventually the situation will come to light, and it will be completely destructive for his family and your relationship with them,” says Scott Haltzman, M.D., author of The Secrets of Happily Married Men. “He might be upset with you in the short term, but eventually he’ll understand that you’re looking out for his best interests.” The hallmark of a good friend is the strength to guide someone through difficult situations. Break the ice at a gym or a bar so it doesn’t seem like an “intervention,” and explain that you can’t help him lie to his wife. If he asks why, mention the above statistic and tell him that you don’t want to aid in the destruction of his marriage. “He may very well tell you to blow it out your ear,” says Haltzman, “but eventually his fantasy will crumble and he’ll need you more than ever.”

Flexibility and suppleness are vital for daily life, especially as you become older.Test how supple you are by lying on your back with one knee bent. Lift the other leg, keeping knee straight. You should be able to raise your leg by at least 50 degrees; or stand and bend forwards - you should be able to bend forward comfortably 25 degrees.

Flexibility and suppleness in your 20s
Youth is no guarantee of flexibility. However supple you were as a child or teenager, flexibility will start to decline now unless you do regular muscle stretching exercises.

Flexibility and suppleness in your 30s
Without regular use, joints and muscles inevitably become less supple - and the less supple you are, the more difficult exercise becomes. It’s a vicious circle. Don’t get into it. Do some stretching exercises every day - you will notice the difference almost immediately.

Flexibility and suppleness in your 40s
As muscle cell shrinkage accelerates, the muscles pull tighter and start to restrict movement, if you’ve neglected your exercise. If you have been active, you’ll be only slightly less flexible than you were in your 20s.

Flexibility and suppleness in your 50s and beyond
Women, on average, lose 20 per cent of the flexibility they had in their 20s by their 60s. But very gentle activity that takes the joints through their full range of movements is all it takes to improve suppleness.

What you can do now
Stretch every day: stand with feet apart and arms stretched up, then lean back, arching your back. Do the same movement forwards, bending as far as you can.Then stand at arms’ length from the wall, feet apart, place both hands on the wall and, putting one foot behind the other, stretch each back leg in turn.

About 40 per cent of women are overweight and at risk of heart disease, stroke and high blood pressure. Your Body Mass Index (BMI) can be calculated by dividing your weight in kilos by the square of your height in metres. If you weigh 65kg and are 1.7m tall, your BMI will be 22.4. A BMI of 20-25 is normal.

Body fat in your 20s
The eating patterns you establish now are likely to last through life. So, if you start piling on weight now, it probably
will be difficult to lose.

Body fat in your 30s
Although your basal metabolic rate -the amount of energy needed to keep your body ticking over - declines very gradually as the decades pass, keeping physically active can offset this decline. If you are less active and need fewer kilojoules, but still eat the same amount, you’ll put on weight. Try to avoid eating more and exercising less.

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Strong muscles help maintain strong bones and make it easier to do everything from climbing stairs to carrying groceries. A simple test of upper body strength is how easily you can carry heavy things.Test your leg strength by seeing how fast you can walk 2km - you should be able to manage it in 20 minutes.

Muscle Strength in your 20s
We are all born with a finite number of muscle cells which shrink as we age. Exercise won’t generate new cells, but it does enlarge the existing ones. Muscle is a dynamic tissue - at any one time around 25 per cent of muscle protein is being broken down and built up. Exercise stimulates muscle buildup and increases your strength.

Muscle Strength in your 30s
Keep any decline in muscle strength at bay with regular exercise. You won’t really feel the effects if you don’t exercise, but the greater the decline now, the harder it will be to regain that strength 10 or 20 years down the line.

Muscle Strength in your 40s
Use it or lose it - it’s up to you. By their 40s women have, on average, one-third less muscle strength than in their 20s. You have only to look at a leg that has been in a plaster cast to see how rapidly muscle declines. Unused muscles become shorter, which means that joints can’t move through their full range of motion and may become stiff.

Muscle Strength in your 50s and beyond
Without exercise, muscle strength plummets with age.The average 50- to 60-year-old woman is up to 70 per cent weaker than she was in her 20s. Researchers at University College, London, have found that the effects of menopause, too, can cause muscle strength to decline by up to 40 per cent - so take steps to check the loss.

What you can do now
Regular weight-bearing exercise is a must - brisk walking, jogging or cycling will maintain muscle strength and keep bones strong, too. After menopause, HRT can help - University College, London, researchers have found that HRT seems to protect women against the usual post-menopausal decline in muscle strength.

Test your aerobic fitness - how efficiently your lungs and heart get oxygen to your muscles - by climbing a flight of stairs quickly. At any age, you should be able to climb 20 stairs without stopping or becoming breathless. Or try skipping; you should manage at least one minute without having to rest.

Aerobic fitness in your 20s
You are at your peak aerobic capacity now - even without exercise. If you do exercise, you’ll be noticeably fitter and have more stamina than people who don’t.

Aerobic fitness in your 30s
Aerobic capacity declines slowly, but without exercise the decline is far more rapid. Regular exercise should enable you to maintain the levels of aerobic fitness you had in your 20s.

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