eating

‘We can talk about culture, churches, monasteries, whatever, but the main thing here is eating and drinking.” My guide, Loreto Esteban Guijarro, is keen to ensure I have my priorities straight. I’m with Loreto to discover the food and wine culture of Spain’s Burgos province, a high-altitude area ringed by distant mountains. In summer the days are hot, and at night temperatures plummet. To thrive in these extremes, the food, the wine, and even perhaps the people, are robust and straight-talking.

I’m staying deep in wine country at the rural Posada de Pradoray, built as a hunting lodge for the Duke of Lerma in 1601. The thick stone walls, dark polished wood and heavy doors leading to simple rooms with vineyard views suggest little has changed in this landscape for centuries. Burgos is part of the Ribera del Duero wine region which stretches for 71 miles following the Duero River through the provinces of Burgos, Segovia, Soria and Valladolid.

Since the appellation was recognised in 1982 the region has seen huge changes, with the number of wineries increasing from nine to more than 300. Now, there’s a wine route to help explore villages, wineries, restaurants and visitor experiences across the region, with plenty of sampling. My hotel is just outside Aranda de Duero, the main town in the region (population 33,000), 62 miles east of Valladolid and 102 miles north of Madrid. From here I’m following the river on day trips to get a taste of what’s on offer.

Bodegas Portia is built on the edge of the tiny town of Gumiel de Izán, eight miles (13km) north of Aranda. Designed by Norman Foster, it’s one of the new wave of wineries in the region, with a futuristic trefoil shape, like a spaceship that’s landed in these sun-scorched fields. It’s built partly underground to meld into the landscape but also in recognition of the area’s unique winemaking traditions.

Later, I meet the mayor of Gumiel de Izán, Jesús Briones, at his home – a tour with Loreto opens many doors, she knows everyone. “You’ve seen the wine cathedral [as local people refer to Portia], now see the caves,” he says. Jesús invites us into his garage from which, between tins of paint and boxes of faded Christmas decorations, stone steps twist underground. A single bulb illuminates a rough hewn cave full of barrels, dating back hundreds of years. Traditionally, wine in this region was made and stored in deep, hand-dug caves where the temperatures are stable.

Jesús’s basement isn’t unusual: underneath these streets is a warren of caves, some used, some forgotten. Down here glasses are eschewed in favour of a porrón, a glass jug with a long, narrow spout designed for sharing wine. To drink from it is a leap of faith, pouring wine above your mouth, avoiding speckling your face and clothes with crimson Tempranillo and without the porrón touching your lips. I manage it (mostly).

Gumiel de Izán has seen a recent uptick in visitors thanks to a National Geographic article that noted visual similarities between the baroque facade of the town’s Iglesia de Santa Maria, and “the treasury” rock-cut tomb in Petra, Jordan. Gazing up at the intricate sandstone carvings from the village square, I’d say here’s definitely a resemblance, and it’s helped to put the town on the map. “Anything that brings visitors,” says Jesús. “We need reasons for young people to stay.”

At Nabal winery a few miles along the road I meet one young person who’s done just that: Luz Briones studied translation but became fascinated by wine in her early 20s. She leads us through vineyards ranging from 30 years old to more than a century. “We believe in the power of time,” Luz says. “Time in vineyards, time in barrels, time in bottles.” Grapes have to work hard here, developing thick skins to cope with temperature fluctuations and creating rich, tannic wines. In the storeroom, Benedictine chanting is played to the maturing barrels, an acknowledgment of centuries of wine-making by monks. Luz says security guards report lights and music turning on when the building is empty and shows us a large stain that has appeared on the wall resembling, if you squint, a monk drinking wine. The angels’ share perhaps?

We travel downstream, the Duero snaking just out of sight, its presence marked by rippling valleys covered in vines, all benefiting from the river’s proximity. Early in the year the land looks barren, with spiky bare vines and cracked red earth, but in summer fields of lavender and sunflowers create a colourful patchwork with the green of the grapes. In the village of Moradillo de Roa, south of Aranda, we meet Paola González Ortiz carrying a porrón. She’s part of a young team offering tours of a tiny winery museum, demonstrating the heavy labour and huge weights once needed to crush grapes. The village is famed for its grassy hillocks full of wine cellar entrances, often compared to Tolkien’s The Shire. Ducking low, I follow Paola down winding steps into the hillside (being Hobbit height would help). As we share wine from the porrón, a little light filtering through the air vents, Paola says she hopes increased tourism, whether for food and wine or scenic lookalikes, will help create more year-round jobs here. Moradillo de Roa has 157 wine cellars, and a population of 162. To attract young people, the village has started hosting porrón singles nights in the town square.

I end my tour back in Aranda, with a final wine cellar, this one beneath Don Carlos wine shop. Through a dynamic tasting, Cristina López Nuñez tells stories of wine and winemakers, and why the region needs both traditions and youthful innovation. “It’s like wine. Younger grapes have more energy but fewer stories like children,” she says. “The older grapes have less energy but much better stories, like older people. The old vines with deep roots give complexity, the younger vines with shallow roots are juicy. We need both.”

When I emerge back above ground, the sleepy town has transformed. Before I saw only old men sipping coffee and smoking at wine-barrel tables, and a gaggle of children chasing a football past the imposing gothic churches. At dusk, everything changes as the bars switch from coffee to wine. “We never entertain at home,” says Loreto. “Why would we?”

At El Lagar de Isilla, the bar fills with people of all ages in office attire, hi-vis jackets, or dressed for a night out. We feast on bechamel-topped salt cod, gildas with fat olives and anchovies, and octopus cooked with potatoes and sweet paprika. The wine is cheap and delicious, straight from the restaurant’s own vineyard, and the atmosphere is lively. Loreto is satisfied: “I told you, it’s about eating and drinking – and who you share it with.” I can drink to that.

The trip was provided by the Ribera del Duero Wine Route. Double rooms at La Posada de Pradoray from €80 B&B, including wine on arrival

Indonesian President Prabowo’s free meals programme hit by more mass illness as protests against government rock country.

An investigation has been launched after some 400 children became ill after eating free school meals in Indonesia’s western Bengkulu province, in the worst case of mass food poisoning linked to President Prabowo Subianto’s flagship food programme to help pregnant women and children.

The reports of mass illness on Wednesday came as President Prabowo arrived in Beijing, China, for events commemorating the end of World War II, and days after widespread antigovernment protests rocked cities and towns across Indonesia.

Authorities will launch an investigation into the cause of the illness, Bengkulu Province ‘s Vice Governor Mian said.

“We will temporarily suspend operations at this kitchen while we investigate where the weaknesses lie,” said Mian, who goes by a single name.

“This is the domain of the BGN [National Nutrition Agency] investigation team and the authorities,” he said.

Dadan Hindayana, chief of the National Nutrition Agency, which runs the programme, told the Reuters news agency the kitchen in question had only recently started operating, asking staff to evaluate services while waiting for results of tests on the food.

Since its launch, Prabowo’s free school meals programme has been rapidly expanded to reach more than 20 million recipients, and authorities plan to reach 83 million recipients by year-end, budgeting a total cost of 171 trillion rupiah ($10.52bn) for the programme this year.

The president launched the programme in January, but the initiative had already been marred by food poisoning that affected hundreds of people.

Last month, 365 people fell ill from free school meals in Central Java. According to local media reports, laboratory results indicated that the outbreak was a result of poor sanitation.

In the latest mass illness in Bengkulu, children aged from about 4 to 12 were rushed to a local hospital complaining of stomach pain beginning last Thursday, according to a video handout from the local government.

On Wednesday, Prabowo was seen attending a military parade hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, to mark 80 years since Japan’s defeat at the end of World War II, according to China’s CCTV.

Despite the ongoing street protests at home over his government’s handling of the economy, Prabowo decided he would travel to China, after briefly reconsidering his trip amid the mass unrest.

The Jakarta Post reported on Wednesday that some 10 people are now thought to have died in protests over the weekend, with 20 people missing and 500 injured, according to reports from civic organisations and officials.

In Geneva on Monday, the United Nations called for investigations into the alleged use of disproportionate force by Indonesia’s security forces against demonstrators.

“We are following closely the spate of violence in Indonesia in the context of nationwide protests over parliamentary allowances, austerity measures, and alleged use of unnecessary or disproportionate force by security forces,” UN human rights office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said.

“We stress the importance of dialogue to address the public’s concerns,” she said in a statement.

The falls guy – Harry Leach is moved by a humbling adventure in an unforgettable African land when he experiences the intoxicating, chaotic charm of Ghana

Thousands of fruit bats whirled in a tornado, spiralling 300ft above as Ghana’s tallest waterfall crashed in a thunderous beat beside me – its mist cooling the heat on my skin.

We had hiked through a sweaty tropical forest to get here – ducking under vines, stepping over startled reptiles, brushing off bold insects, crossing nine clanging bridges. Each footstep sank into rich, red earth as the path narrowed underfoot and the sound of falling water grew louder.

Then, suddenly, the trees parted and there it was – Ghana’s famous Wli Waterfalls, the tallest in West Africa. Wild and beautiful. The bats squeaked as the 262ft-high fall poured down a jagged cliff into a pool over which butterflies scattered, their wings glowing in flecks of sunlight.

The noise was deafening, and yet the moment seemed utterly still.

If this were Europe, a sea of phones would block the view. But here, deep in Ghana’s Volta Region, it was just us and nature – raw and unspoilt. The fall’s soft waves didn’t just cool my body, they stripped back life’s pressures. This wasn’t just a trip; it was unfiltered adventure.

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I was travelling to West Africa with Intrepid Travel, a firm that threads you into the fabric of Ghana as well as taking you way off the beaten track. That was evident that very morning when we broke bread with a family living in Liati Wote – a beautiful, remote village hugging the Ghana-Togo border. Our hosts welcomed us with open arms in the way I quickly learned all Ghanaians do: with a warmth and effortless generosity that is rare to find wherever you go in the world.

As goats wandered past, and the sun beat down, we chatted about sport, family, our passions, as mighty Mount Afadjato leaned over us. “Everything is focused on each other,” said 16-year-old Elizabeth, while her sister Precious served omelettes fresh from the pan.

She spoke of her yearning to explore Accra, Ghana’s capital, but her love for her village was deep, palpable. I understood why. In this community of just 600, everyone plays a part. Later we met Charles, tending his farm. Together we planted corn and watched him work his charcoal ovens – delicate, smoky earth mounds that collapse if oxygen sneaks in.

Elsewhere, Emmanuel, the village’s chief farmer and palm wine-maker since 1991, tapped sap from a fallen palm tree. I drank it sharp and fresh, then again later when it was fermented, sweet and dizzying. That night, we rejoined our hosts to dine in their home. We shared plates of jollof (rice, vegetables and/or meat), akple (fermented dough balls), watermelon, and grilled drumsticks.

It was the kind of hospitality that makes you feel like you have slipped into someone else’s life… just for a moment.

As we laughed and sang together, including a slightly off-key rendition of Wonderwall, conversation paused when the beat of drums began to creep through an open window.

We broke away from the table, unable to ignore it any longer. Outside, a group of 30 was rehearsing an Ewe drumming performance. The ensemble had packed up to leave for a funeral, but then graciously unpacked to play once more, just for us.

We jived under stars to their captivating tempo because, in Ghana, when the beat calls, you don’t just listen – you follow it. The next morning, I danced again, this time with a machete in my hand at the village of Tafi Atome. I was taught the “hunter’s dance” by the Akpi performers, as they pounded drums behind a statue with a lit cigarette hanging from its stone lips.

“They’re showing their strength in the forest with this performance,” said Isaac, our endlessly insightful guide and native Ghanaian who knows his country inside out. Behind us, monkeys stirred. “They live together with the people,” he explained.

After spicy snails and grilled fish at Afrikiko River Front Resort, we cruised down the shimmering Volta River – part of Lake Volta, the largest artificial reservoir in the world at 3,283 square miles – completely relaxed. Then we moved on to the lively town of Elmina, where we checked into charming hilltop cabins at Golden Hill Parker Hotel, above Ghana’s largest fish market.

After sunrise, we ventured through its heart. Women balancing bowls of fish on their heads encouraged us to dance with them, smiling ear-to-ear, as traders in every direction shouted prices over crates of squid and the bleeding sharks on the wet concrete.

It was loud, chaotic, intoxicating: Ghana at its most tactile and authentic. But nothing felt more real than our visit to Cape Coast Castle. Inside the silent dungeons, history closed in from every side. No light or airflow. Just thick stone walls and the memory of thousands of slaves held captive before being trafficked as human cargo.

Our guide Kojo spoke with the gravity of someone who had told this story too many times, yet aware it must never stop being told. “It cannot be repeated,” he said simply, standing by the plaque that now marks the “Door of No Return” –once the last threshold before Africans were forced onto ships in the dark days of the transatlantic slave trade.

My final days in Ghana unfolded in the busy and electric capital Accra. One minute you’re weaving through the packed Osu night market, eating smoked fish and waakye (rice and beans), next you’re standing in a workshop staring at a coffin shaped like a Nokia mobile phone. That was Eric’s creation – a master craftsman of fantasy coffins. From sneakers to Club beer bottles, he carves caskets that reflect lives once lived.

In Ghana, death isn’t feared, it is a “celebration”, said Eric. Funerals honour those lost with colour, music and flair. What struck me most about this country wasn’t any one place. It wasn’t even the food – although I’d fly back in a heartbeat for palm nut soup or “red red”.

It was the way people let us in; their smiles; how they embraced us into their world and homes. It was truly humbling.

On my final day, I stood in the impoverished Jamestown, watching children play basketball near a beautiful lighthouse. A battered speaker played Afrobeats as we moved through tiny streets, when a barefoot girl spun and waved with a grin so infectious, it made me smile too.

This is why you travel. Not for the Instagram pictures, but for the people who turn the unfamiliar into something unforgettable. “Kwame is your Ghanaian name,” Isaac said after finding out I was born on a Saturday. “Take this with you.”

I will.

Book the holiday

WHEN Michelle Dell booked a summer holiday to Gran Canaria, she expected two weeks of fun in the sun.

But just days after arriving, the Sheffield mum fell gravely ill – and before long, she knew she was dying.

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The terrifying ordeal left an even deeper scar on her daughter Lizzie, then 11, who developed a devastating phobia that ruled her life for the next 12 years.

Michelle tells The Sun: “I feel lucky every day of my life to still be here but, also, I have felt terrible guilt for what happened to Lizzie – wondering if we could have done anything differently.

“It took me four years to recover and I now have lots of long-term health problems.

“None of that matters though, because I’m still here.” 

The family’s nightmare began in the summer of 2012 after jetting to Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands with friends.

The group upgraded to a new four-star hotel in the popular seaside resort Playa del Ingles after two nights, because the first one they had booked was disappointing. 

Michelle, along with husband Wayne, 52, and daughters Lizzie and Rosie, then 10, were in an apartment, with six other pals on the trip located next door.

On the third night of the holiday, the group went for a buffet dinner in the hotel’s restaurant. 

Michelle says: “As all-inclusives go, this one felt good quality and the choice of food was good.

“I’m a bit of a clean freak and it seemed very clean.

“I and five others in the group went for the Spanish omelette, which tasted perfectly good.” 

The group headed out for a few rosés, gin and tonics and Spanish lagers at a nearby bar.

But the next day, things took a dramatic turn.

Michelle says: “In the morning, I went onto my balcony and our friends next door said one of the group had been up all night sick with a bug.

“We had a bit of a giggle and made light of it because we thought it was very minor but as I was talking, I thought, ‘Oh goodness, I need the toilet.’”

Michelle suffered sudden diarrhoea, but assumed it was a minor travel bug.

Within hours, four others were sick. Michelle was getting worse with every passing minute.

It was like the worst horror film I’d ever seen. There was blood all over the floor, sick everywhere and she was screaming in agony

LizzieDaughter

She says: “I was doubled over in agony. I’m not really one to make a fuss but it was absolutely the worst pain I’ve ever felt in my life.

“It was as though somebody’s hands were inside my tummy twisting it and the pain wouldn’t stop.”

The hotel doctor was called and tried multiple times to put a cannula in her arm to get fluids in, but Michelle was too poorly and couldn’t be rehydrated. 

Michelle says: “By this time I felt like I’d been drugged and was drifting in and out of consciousness.”

Wayne and Michelle had tried to shield the girls from the events unfolding by asking them to stay in their beds – which were separated from their bed by a small partition wall.

But for Lizzie, hearing her mum’s screams was distressing.

Lizzie says: “When I did see her it was like the worst horror film I’d ever seen. 

“There was blood all over the floor from the cannula being taken in and out. 

“There was sick everywhere because mum was vomiting so much. She was screaming in agony.”

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Taken to a local hospital in Maspalomas, she was given fluids and sent back to the hotel hours later – still with no diagnosis.

The next day, on day five of the holiday, she collapsed again and was rushed to a larger hospital.

Doctors soon discovered she had contracted an extreme case of salmonella – a bacterial infection linked to food poisoning.

Michelle says: “My body was swollen and huge with the fluids. My eyelids couldn’t even open properly.

“I remember phoning my mum in England from my bed and saying, ‘I think I’m going to die.’

“There was something telling my brain: ‘It doesn’t matter what you do now, your body’s taken over.’ I thought my internal organs were shutting down.”

As the rest of the group began to recover, Wayne stayed with the kids, trying to keep things as normal as possible. 

In despair, Michelle called him.

She says: “I told him, ‘You need to come back to the hospital because something’s happening. I’m falling really ill again’.

“He was having pizza with the girls, but I insisted, ‘You need to come now. This is really serious’.

“The staff kept saying, ‘You are fine’. I’m not a melodramatic person but when he came in, I sobbed.

“I told him, ‘I am not fine. I’m going to die. You need to tell them to get me a doctor now to do more tests. Please make them understand I’m just not a hysterical woman. I am ill’.”

The worrying rise in salmonella cases

By Isabel Shaw, Health Reporter

SALMONELLA cases are at a record high in Britain – and there are some key signs you can look out for.

In the most recent outbreak, over 100 people were sickened and 14 rushed to hospital after eating tomatoes.

Health officials urged Brits to be on high alert for the symptoms of salmonella infection, which can last anywhere from four to seven days.

Cases hit a record decade high in 2024, soaring by almost a fifth in a single year to over 10,000 cases, UKHSA data shows.

Separate statistics reveal cases in the first quarter of 2025 were even higher than 2024, with some 1,588 cases logged between January and March 2025, up on the 1,541 reported over the same period in 2024.

By comparison, there were 1,328 reports between January and March 2023.  

Children under 10 were particularly affected, accounting for 21.5 per cent of cases. 

Salmonella, which lives in the guts of animals and humans and spreads through contaminated poo, can cause a sudden bout of fever, vomiting, explosive diarrhoea, stomach pains and headaches, often striking within hours of eating tainted food.

The bacteria, which often taints food if grown in dirty water or handled with grubby hands, attacks the gut lining, damaging cells and stopping the body from soaking up water.

This is what leads to the painful cramps and non-stop diarrhoea as the body flushes out the water it couldn’t absorb.

Most people recover without treatment, but in rare cases it can turn deadly.

Around one in 50 sufferers go on to develop a serious blood infection, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Young children, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems are most at risk of complications.

Thankfully, deaths remain rare in the UK, with fatal cases making up just 0.2 per cent of reports.

Wayne fought Michelle’s corner and doctors agreed to retest her.

They found she had sepsis, a deadly immune reaction to an infection that needs to be treated rapidly.

One of the key symptoms of sepsis is someone saying they feel like they are dying, according to the UK Sepsis Trust, as well as a high temperature, chills, a rapid heart rate, a rash that doesn’t fade when pressed and breathlessness.

The body overreacts to the infection and starts attacking itself, damaging its own tissues and organs.

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Michelle began to stabilise after her treatment was changed, with a new antibiotic.

Later, doctors told her they believed it was the hotel’s Spanish omelette that caused her illness, due to the timings of events.

Friends also told Michelle that other guests, like the five in her party, had eaten the omelettes and got sick too.

Michelle’s daughters flew home with the rest of the group after the fortnight holiday ended and went to stay with their grandparents, while Wayne stayed at Michelle’s bedside.

She gradually started to feel better, and flew home a week later, but has been left with after-effects, as 40 per cent of survivors are.

She lives with chronic fatigue (also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis, or ME), non-epileptic seizures, chronic migraines and functional neurological disorder  – a problem with how the brain receives and sends information to the rest of the body.

‘I’d give myself black eyes’

It wasn’t just her life that was changed though. Daughter Lizzie, who was traumatised by her mum’s brush with death, was also deeply affected. 

Lizzie says: “I’d seen my mum so ill in the hotel, and then we’d seen her in hospital looking grey and almost dead.

“The second I got home, the first thing that I got in my head was, ‘OK, so I’m not going to eat.’ In my head, it was a case of, ‘If you eat, you could die’.”

From a healthy 11-year-old, Lizzie grew anxious and gaunt, surviving only on bread sticks, cereal and packaged snacks.

In 2017, five years after the holiday, 16-year-old Lizzie suffered a full-blown panic attack on a train after seeing someone being sick.

She says: “I’d never had one properly like that so when I got home I Googled my symptoms and that’s the first time I read about emetophobia – a fear of vomiting. That was me.”

It spiralled into constant anxiety and self-harm, as Lizzie tried to focus on anything but the fear.

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“There were days when I had seven or eight panic attacks and wherever I was – on a plane or on a train – I’d start screaming,” she says.

“Looking back, the panic attacks were just this need to create another feeling other than sickness, so I’d create pain. 

“I’d even give myself black eyes from hitting myself.”

Though talented Lizzie had won a place at drama school in Manchester, she lived alone and didn’t socialise.

She says: “I didn’t do anything for 12 years. I went to drama school in Manchester but lived on my own because I didn’t want to be around others. 

“I didn’t go to parties. I didn’t drink.”

In 2023, Lizzie took a dream job as a Christmas elf in Lapland – but was sent home months later after her weight plummeted from nine stone to just five stone two pounds.

I cherish every day. I’ve gone from seeing my daughter’s life slipping away to seeing her embracing it

Michelle DellMum

She says: “Being abroad, I was just unable to eat anything cooked by others, so I’d be eating breakfast bars from the local shop and not a lot else.

“It got even worse when my flatmate out there got sick.

“I didn’t tell anyone about my worries with food but I was sent home from the job. 

“Not long after that I lost my acting agent because I just wasn’t well enough to get parts.

“It’s really sad because I wanted to live, but I’d completely lost all joy in life. 

“I was sick of looking at myself in the mirror covered in bruises.”

Michelle, who works as a college lecturer with inclusion students, was desperate to help her daughter. 

They saw private and NHS specialists, as well as multiple therapists. 

What is emetophobia and how can you overcome it?

By Nik and Eva Speakman

Emetophobia is an intense fear of vomiting. It is a debilitating and often misunderstood phobia. 

It can manifest in a range of obsessive-compulsive behaviours, such as excessive sanitisation, extreme food restrictions, eating disorders, health anxiety, and avoidance of travel, medical environments, and even children. 

Social withdrawal is common, with many sufferers limiting contact with others for fear of illness, vomit and vomit-causing bugs. 

While it is especially prevalent among women, emetophobia remains under-recognised within the medical community, despite being the most common phobia seen in our clinic. 

It’s estimated that up to 5.5million people in the UK may be affected, yet provision of effective treatment is still limited.

Emetophobia is not innate. It typically stems from a distressing childhood experience, such as a traumatic incident at school or mirroring an anxious parent’s behaviour. 

The key to recovery lies in positively reframing these formative experiences with an experienced therapist.

Using a simple self-help exercise can really help. Create two columns – Fears vs Facts – to challenge distorted beliefs with logic and evidence.

She says: “We were in despair because my husband and I felt like we had exhausted every option. 

“Then I saw there was an emetophobia class with The Speakmans in February 2025 in Manchester and I just booked it instantly.

“I held out no hope but I was just happy Lizzie was willing to go.”

Life change experts Nik and Eva Speakman are known for helping thousands overcome phobias. 

Lizzie says: “I went into their workshop and by the time I left they’d literally changed my life.

“I shared my story, very nervously on stage. They completely changed the way I had thought about things.

“They told me: ‘Being sick didn’t nearly kill your mum, it was the egg. Being sick had actually helped save her.’ 

“Twenty-five minutes into speaking to them, I felt completely different.

“Two weeks later, I couldn’t believe it. I got norovirus.

“I’d spent 12 years trying to avoid being sick and now I had it, full on.

“But I was absolutely fine. I was sick all night, non-stop, no issue, no panic attacks.”

Today, Lizzie is thriving – eating normally, running a performing arts school and planning a holiday to Greece.

She says: “I still have some of the thoughts but they don’t stop me from eating three meals a day, piling the food on. I just don’t worry about being sick anymore.

“I used to think I wouldn’t be here for much longer.  Now, it’s like I am living properly because I haven’t for so long’.”

Michelle remains full of gratitude having nearly lost her life and watching her daughter turn her life around.

“I cherish every day,” she says. “I’ve gone from seeing my daughter’s life slipping away to seeing her embracing it. I will forever be grateful to The Speakmans.”

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For more real-life examples, practical tips, and expert support, tune in to The Speakmans’ Hope Clinic podcast, where emetophobia – and other common issues – are treated live.

To learn more about The Speakmans’ Emetophobia Masterclasses, email: [email protected].

The hunger that has been building among Gaza’s more than two million Palestinians has passed a tipping point and is accelerating deaths, aid workers and health staff say.

Not only Palestinian children – usually the most vulnerable – are falling victim to Israel’s blockade since March, but also adults.

The United Nations’ World Food Programme says nearly 100,000 women and children urgently need treatment for malnutrition, and almost a third of people in Gaza are “not eating for days”. Medical workers say they have run out of many key treatments and medicines.

The World Health Organization reports a sharp rise in malnutrition and disease, with a large proportion of Gaza’s residents now starving.

Doctors Without Borders, known by its French initials MSF, says a quarter of all young children and pregnant or breastfeeding women screened at its clinics in Gaza last week were malnourished, blaming Israel’s “deliberate use of starvation as a weapon”.

Some restaurants in Spanish holiday hotspots like Majorca, Malaga and Zaragoza are reportedly taking on the rule

Brits jetting off to Majorca for their summer holidays need to be aware of a new rule being rolled out in some restaurants across the Spanish island, according to reports. If tourists are planning to treat themselves to a dinner as a group, a typical request is now being ‘banned’.

The Majorca Daily Bulletin reported that holidaymakers considering splitting the bill at restaurants will be in for a shock in certain spots. Juanmi Ferrer, president of the CAEB Restaurants Association in Mallorca, was quoted as explaining that some dining establishments are starting to stop customers from settling the bill separately.

Ferrer said: “There is one bill per table, and it is up to the customers to deal with the payment. Some don’t want to pay for the wine, others specifically ask to pay for their dish. This gets complicated for the staff, and there can be items that no one is charged for. It is time-consuming and even more so if the bill doesn’t add up.”

In an era where tapping your bank card is quicker and more convenient than counting cash, dividing up a dinner tab usually leads to extra hassle for the staff, as opposed to guests doing the maths with cash in hand. Ferrer noted in the report that “only 30-40%” of diners opt to pay with bank notes and coins in 2025.

Ferrer highlights that the hassle of settling bills just piles onto the already tough workloads of restaurant workers. This is made even worse by a staffing shortage, an effect from the pandemic, it is claimed, that continues to plague the hospitality sector, reports Wales Online.

The “one table, one bill” rule is gaining traction in Spain. Holiday hotspots like Zaragoza, Málaga, and parts of Barcelona are adopting the policy, as reported by Euro Weekly.

Restaurants are implementing this approach in two main ways. Either, outright banning the splitting of bills, or permitting it but imposing a surcharge for each card transaction, usually between €1 and €2.

A Zaragoza restaurateur reportedly started this practice after finding it too time-consuming to process multiple payment requests simultaneously. This became particularly problematic during peak seasons like summer, when tourist numbers swell.

Is this allowed and what can I do when eating out?

Spanish legislation doesn’t specifically mention that businesses have to accommodate split payments, so restaurateurs are at liberty to set their payment policies. So, in essence, yes. Spanish restaurants can legally decline to split bills, provided they communicate their policy upfront through menu notices, visible signage and verbal explanation.

Plan how you’ll settle the bill before sitting down to dine to avoid any hassle. Discuss with your group whether to pool cash together or nominate one person to foot the bill and sort out transferring via bank transfer later.

If possible, ask for separate bills when you order. This helps the restaurant in managing payments more efficiently from the outset. Splitting bills can put additional strain on busy staff, so your patience and understanding will be appreciated.

Is Majorca the same as Mallorca?

Majorca and Mallorca are two names for the same island. “Majorca” is how you spell it in English, whereas “Mallorca” is the spelling in Spanish and Catalan, which is the official name. Both names are used interchangeably, but Mallorca is the more widely accepted and technically accurate term.

Igbo-Ora in Nigeria has been dubbed the ‘Twin Capital of the World’, with an unusually high number of twins born there – and locals believe they’ve found the reason why

A tiny Nigerian town is known for its high rate of twins, leaving scientists scratching their heads for years. In Yoruba culture, prevalent in the area where the town of Igbo-Ora is situated, twins are seen as a gift from the supreme deity Olodumare and are thought to be protected by spirits – they are even thought to have supernatural abilities.

One local resident hinted at a “secret” that could explain the remarkable twin phenomenon.

Globetrotting YouTube star Drew Binsky made his way to the so-called ‘Twin Capital of the World’ to chat with locals about their town’s extraordinary claim to fame. Despite Nigeria being officially an English-speaking nation, Drew discovered that finding people speaking his native language was challenging.

He said: “Even though Nigeria is an English speaking country, it’s actually very difficult to find English speakers. Usually the ones that go to school that are educated can speak. But here in the villages, they usually speak native language, which is Yoruba.”

Drew eventually teamed up with a local woman named Grace, who became his guide and offered one intriguing theory for the abundance of twins.

She revealed: “There’s actually a secret behind that. There is a soup in our land here that people eat that will make them to give birth to twins and multiple [births].”

Grace attributes the town’s unique demographic pattern to a local dish made with okra leaves, although researchers have yet to establish any concrete evidence linking the local diet to the twin mystery.

The town of Igbo-Ora, renowned for its high proportion of multiple births, may have found a clue in the peel of locally-grown yams, with a University of Lagos Teaching Hospital study suggesting a chemical link to the phenomenon.

Local resident Grace expressed her pride in living in Igbo-Ora, noting the scientific interest in the town’s twin phenomenon.

She continued: “Everybody’s a twin here. There is no single house in this town that does not have a twins. Every house, no matter how small or how big the house is, they will surely have a set of twins.”

While the global average for twin births stands at about 12 per 1,000, Igbo-Ora boasts an astonishing rate of at least 50 per 1,000.

Drew sampled the okra-leaf soup known as Ilasa, jokingly hinting it might increase his chances of having twins.

The soup, a local delicacy, features okra leaf, “locust beans,” and marugbo herb.

Igbo-Ora celebrates its unique status with a twins festival, where twins, triplets, and even quadruplets don matching attire and take part in photo sessions.

Despite its fame for multiple births, Igbo-Ora faces severe economic challenges, with one inhabitant describing the town as “financially handicapped” and calling for assistance from international aid organisations.

Food poisoning and a runny tummy can ruin any trip, but by sticking to bottled water and being careful with fruit and salad, holidaymakers can keep travellers’ trots at bay

There’s a lot to think about when it comes to summer holidays – whether you’re jetting off to the Mediterranean, road-tripping across the UK, or packing for a long-haul getaway. But one of the most important things is sometimes the first to be overlooked – your health. As a pharmacist with more than 30 years’ experience, I’ve helped countless holidaymakers caught off-guard by sunburn, food poisoning or an unexpected allergic reaction.

One in eight holidaymakers get ill abroad, according to statistics. And nearly half of us fear a medical emergency abroad. But the good news is that with a few smart, proactive steps, you can avoid most common travel ailments and keep your summer trip on track. So whether you suffer from travel sickness, struggle with jet lag, or just want to avoid the classic sunburn-blister-sore-feet trifecta, here are 10 essential summer health hacks to help you feel your best, wherever you’re headed.

How to build the ultimate travel first aid kit

You don’t need to carry half a pharmacy with you, just pack the essentials. Make sure you have plasters and antiseptic wipes, as well as antihistamines (for bites, allergies or hay fever), and rehydration salts for heat or stomach bugs. Pop a pack of paracetamol or ibuprofen in your kit, as well as anti-diarrhoeal medication like loperamide.

Don’t forget travel sickness tablets, and hydrocortisone cream for rashes or bites. If you have prescribed medications, keep them in their original boxes with your name clearly labelled. Keeping these in a bag in your hand luggage ensures you’re covered if your main suitcase goes missing.

Avoid holiday tummy troubles

Food poisoning and traveller’s diarrhoea can ruin any trip. In many hot countries, bacteria multiply more quickly, especially in street food or undercooked meats. Stick to bottled or filtered water (including when brushing teeth) and avoid ice cubes unless you know the source. Peel fruits yourself and be cautious with salads washed in local water. Pack antidiarrhoeal tablets and rehydration salts. If symptoms last more than 48 hours, or there’s blood in the stool, seek medical help.

Beat travel sickness before it starts

Motion sickness happens when your inner ear and eyes send conflicting signals to your brain – often triggered in cars, boats or planes. Prevention is far more effective than waiting until you’re nauseous. Antihistamines such as cinnarizine or hyoscine patches are proven remedies and available over the counter. For natural alternatives, ginger capsules or acupressure wristbands may help some people. I also recommend facing forwards in a moving vehicle, avoiding reading or scrolling, and crack a window where possible.

Stay one step ahead of jet lag

There’s nothing worse than losing the first day or so of a long-awaited holiday due to jet lag. While you can’t avoid it altogether, there are some things you can do to minimise the effects. If possible, try to adjust your sleep schedule a few days before you fly. Drink plenty of water on the flight, and avoid alcohol. If it’s an overnight flight, avoid eating a heavy meal. Get some sunlight as soon as you arrive to help reset your internal body clock. Melatonin supplements may be useful for short-term sleep regulation but speak to a pharmacist first.

Stay hydrated – especially on your flight

Cabin air is dry, and dehydration not only leaves you feeling groggy but can worsen jet lag, headaches, and increase your risk of DVT (deep vein thrombosis). Drink a glass of water every hour during your flight and avoid caffeine or alcohol, both of which dehydrate you. Consider oral rehydration salts if you’re flying long haul or suffer from conditions that make you more prone to dehydration. Pack a refillable water bottle (you can fill it after security) and use hydrating facial mists or moisturiser to combat dry skin.

Prevent sunburn

It’s tempting to start a holiday by spending hours in the sun lying on the beach or by the pool. But a trip away can easily be ruined by sunburn, which isn’t just painful but can increase your risk of skin cancer and can lead to sunstroke. Always use broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher, reapplying every two hours and immediately after swimming. Don’t forget areas like ears, feet, scalp, and the back of the neck. Wear a wide-brimmed hat, UV-protective sunglasses, and stay in the shade between 11am and 3pm when the sun is strongest.

Protect against bites and stings

Mosquitoes, midges and other biting insects can cause allergic reactions or transmit illness depending on where you’re travelling. Use an insect repellent containing DEET, especially around sunrise and sunset. Wear loose, light-coloured clothing, and sleep under a mosquito net if needed. If you’re bitten make sure to clean the area, apply hydrocortisone cream, and take oral antihistamines to reduce swelling and itching. If the area becomes red, hot or painful – or you develop a fever – seek medical advice.

Plan ahead for pre-existing conditions

If you have a long-term condition, speak to your GP or pharmacist at least 2-4 weeks before you travel. Get any vaccinations you need and ensure you’re fit to fly, particularly for long-haul trips. Take a basic health summary or EHIC/GHIC card (for EU countries) and always declare conditions on travel insurance. If you’re flying with mobility issues, allergies or need medical equipment like oxygen or needles, inform your airline in advance. And remember – pharmacies abroad don’t always stock the same brands or doses. Being prepared gives you peace of mind.

Mind your medication in the heat

Many people don’t realise that extreme heat can reduce the effectiveness of some medications, particularly for blood pressure, thyroid conditions or diabetes. Tablets like nitroglycerin and insulin are especially sensitive and should be kept below 25°C, away from direct sunlight or car glove boxes.

For those on temperature-sensitive meds, pack a cool bag or insulated pouch, especially on day trips. Additionally, store your medication in carry-on luggage rather than checked bags, as luggage holds can get extremely hot. A travel-sized thermometer in your kit can help you keep an eye on conditions if you’re somewhere very hot.

Deborah Grayson is a pharmacist with 30 years’ experience, and a nutritional therapist. She runs Digestion With Confidence: digestionwithconfidence.co.uk

FILL YOUR FIRST AID KIT

Take steps now to make sure you have everything you need for every kind of holiday health challenge

Kwells 300mcg travel sickness tablets, £9.49, Amazon

O.R.S hydration tablets, £6.49 (orshydration.com )

Navigate Carnaby travel bloom washbag, £23, Dunelm

Sea-Band Nausea relief Ginger Capsules, £6.69 for 20 (Superdrug)

Skincalm Bite & Sting Relief 1% Cream Hydrocortisone – 10g, £4.65, Amazon

Bioré Aqua Rich UV Invisible Face Mist SPF 50, £17.99 (Superdrug) also stocked on Amazon

La Roche Posay UVMune 400 Dermo-paediatrics Invisible Spray SPF50+, £25.50, LookFantastic

Regatta x Orla Kiely water bottle, £38, regatta.com

NEW YORK — Famed competitive eater Joey “Jaws” Chestnut reclaimed his title Friday at the Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July hot-dog eating contest after after skipping last year’s gastronomic battle in New York for the coveted Mustard Belt.

Chestnut, 41, consumed 70 1/2 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes, falling short of his record of 76 wieners and buns set on July 4, 2021. It marked the 17th win in 20 appearances for the Westfield, Indiana, eater at the internationally televised competition, which he missed in 2024 over a contract dispute.

Defending champion in the women’s division, Miki Sudo of Tampa, Florida, won her 11th title, downing 33 dogs, besting a dozen competitors. Last year, she ate a record 51 links.

A large crowd, many wearing foam hot dog hats, braved high temperatures to witness the annual eat-a-thon, held outside the original Nathan’s Famous restaurant in Coney Island, Brooklyn, since 1972. Many show up to see Chestnut’s much-awaited return to an event he has called “a cherished tradition, a celebration of American culture, and a huge part of my life.”

Chestnut bested 14 fellow competitors from across the U.S. and internationally, including Australia, the Czech Republic, Ontario, England and Brazil.

Last year, Major League Eating event organizer George Shea said Chestnut would not be participating in the contest due to a contract dispute. Chestnut had struck a deal with a competing brand, the plant-based meat company Impossible Foods.

Chestnut told The Associated Press last month that he had never appeared in any commercials for the company’s vegan hot dogs and that Nathan’s is the only hot dog company he has worked with. But Chestnut acknowledged he “should have made that more clear with Nathan’s.”

Last year, Chestnut ate 57 dogs — in only five minutes — in an exhibition with soldiers, at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas. He said that event was “amazing” and he was pleased to still have a chance to eat hot dogs — a lot of them — on July Fourth.

“I’m happy I did that, but I’m really happy to be back at Coney Island,” he said.

Last year in New York, Patrick Bertoletti of Chicago gobbled up a 58 to earn the men’s title.

Haigh writes for the Associated Press.

We’ve all eaten an extra hot dog at a Fourth of July barbecue — but only the greats can stomach 50 dogs in rapid fire.

Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest brings the world’s top competitive eaters to Coney Island, N.Y., to see how many hot dogs they can eat in 10 minutes. Here’s what you need to know about this year’s competition.

Is Joey Chestnut competing?

Joey Chestnut, the competition’s most decorated eater, is returning to the Coney Island stage this year after a sponsorship conflict barred him from competing in 2024. Banned after signing a sponsorship deal with Impossible Foods, Chestnut got his fill competing at a different contest in El Paso, Texas. Major League Eating eventually ceded the sponsorship issue with Chestnut, who posted on X in June that he is “grateful we’ve been able to find common ground.”

Who are the eaters?

Chestnut — ranked No. 1 in the country — is the favorite to win again, boasting a Major League Eating record of 76 hot dogs in 10 minutes. Other eaters to watch are the 2024 winner and No. 2-ranked Patrick Bertoletti, No.-3 ranked eater Geoffrey Esper, No.-4 ranked eater James Webb and No.-6 ranked eater Nick Wehry.

Miki Sudo is the front-runner in the women’s competition. The reigning champ with a 10-year winning streak, Sudo will be aiming to top her personal record set in 2024 of 51 hot dogs.

When is the contest?

The 2025 Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest will take place July 4 outside the original Nathan’s Famous on the corner of Surf and Stillwell Avenues in Coney Island in Brooklyn, N.Y. ESPN will continue its annual broadcast of the Fourth of July contest this year, with coverage beginning at 7:45 a.m. PT/10:45 a.m. ET. The main hot dog eating contest is expected to begin at 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET.

How can I watch?

The contest will be broadcast live on ESPN2 at 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET. It will air again on ESPN at 2 p.m. PT/5 p.m. ET and 6 p.m. PT/9 p.m. ET, and at 3 p.m. PT/6 p.m. ET on ESPN2. This will give fans some timing options as they iron out their Fourth of July plans.

The women’s competition will air on ESPN3 at 7:45 a.m. PT/10:45 a.m. ET and will be recapped around 12 p.m. ET.

How did the contest come to be?

In 1916, Polish immigrant Nathan Handwerker used a $300 loan and his wife’s secret recipe to open a nickel hot dog stand — it wasn’t until 1972 that the first hot dog eating contest began.

What was initially a lighthearted challenge has become a physically taxing sport, formalized by Major League Eating and extensive media attention. Many see the contest as emblematic of America’s obsession with spectacle and excess. Nathan’s is also not shy about its original goal of self-promotion. Every Independence Day, tens of thousands of fans flock to Coney Island with millions more watching on ESPN.

So, what’s on the table?

The winner receives the highly coveted and bejeweled Mustard Belt, a $10,000 grand prize and the esteemed champion title.

Happy Fourth of July — it’s time to dig in!

Warning: this article contains discussion of eating disorders

Paul Craig says he developed an eating disorder while cutting weight for his four-fight stint at middleweight and has urged any fighter who has experienced the same to “get help and support”.

The 37-year-old Scotsman, who has spent the majority of his 11-year career at light-heavyweight, moved down to middleweight in 2023 with a submission win over Andre Muniz.

Craig, who lost his next three fights in the division, said he restricted his calorie intake for 10 weeks leading up to the bouts.

Craig weighs around 220lb (15st 7lb) normally and described the cut to the UFC’s middleweight threshold of 185lb (13st 2lb) as “horrible”.

“I set myself a goal of being middleweight champion and focussed and did it. But mentally, I ended up with an eating disorder,” said Craig.

“The best thing I did was talk to people about it because for a long time I was embarrassed of it.

“I do believe there are other fighters out there going through this so put it out there, get the help and support.”

The National Health Service (NHS) describes an eating disorder, external as a mental health condition where people use the control of food to cope with feelings and other situations.

Unhealthy eating behaviours may include eating too much, too little, disordered eating or worrying about body weight or shape.