Evening Chronicle

Post-Pregnancy Pounds a Thing of the Past

Best friends Sharon Sellers and Korinne Amour are finally shedding their excess weight and are now telling other Tyneside slimmers how to follow in their footsteps. Health reporter Jane Picken finds out how they both beat the bulge It's an unlikely connection but mums Sharon and Korinne would never have met if it were not for their "baby fat".

Two Top Slim Tips

Healthy Helpers

Public Health Minister, Caroline Flint, has launched the Healthy Living Initiative, to help families lead healthier lives. The move is based on evidence suggesting families with children under 11 need support to limit the risk of unhealthy weight gain. It is designed to give parents the support and tools they need to recognise when their children are overweight and to tackle the problem.

Online Advice

A website promoting safe slimming has been launched by doctors and health professionals offering expert diet advice. The site ( www.slimming doctor.co.uk ( has been set up by public health nutritionist Dr Jennie Cockroft, following a Government White Paper outlining proposals for regulation of nutritionists and alternative therapists.

Getting the Right Amount of Salt

Did you know the Government's maximum recommended adult salt intake is 6g per day? But despite the guidelines there are an estimated 26m people in the UK regularly consuming nearly double this, risking their health.

Avo Go and Aid Your Health

From May to September supermarkets and greengrocers will be selling some of the best avocados you can buy, which come to the UK after being ripened by the South African sun. Avocados are free from cholesterol and solid fat, the kind which leads to the hardening of the arteries, and are a great source of monounsaturated fats ( the kind which helps lower cholesterol.

Guide to Life

When I launched my firm in November 2004 I had never run my own business before. I had tried my hand at many different jobs, so on one hand I knew a lot about business from all my years of work, but running my own venture was something new.

Thousands Set to Kick Habit

Record number of smokers in the North East are expected to quit their habits in time for the public ban. Health reporter Jane Picken has the details. July 1 is the date on everyone's lips at the moment. For many smokers it's that date by which they are hoping to kick their bad habit for good and non-smokers will be looking forward to the day they can breathe easy in the North East's bars and clubs.

The Health Benefits of Stopping Smoking

After... 20 minutes: blood pressure and pulse return to normal

All Because the Lady Loves ...

With Easter approaching, the lure of chocolate eggs is sure to tempt healthy eaters. Health reporter Jane Picken finds out why so many of us are chocoholics Chocolate fans will not be surprised to know it is the easiest and most popular solution to life's stresses and strains, from being dumped to feeling hormonal.

How to Beat Chocolate Cravings

Have a banana, which will help to replenish the blood sugar levels by giving the same sugar hit that's found in chocolate. Only eating chocolate when you feel full after a meal has been found in research to cut craving.

Are You a Choccie Addict?

The average Briton eats approximately 9kg of chocolate a year, that's about three bars week. You're more likely to be female, as chocolate cravings are found in twice as many women as men. A Canadian study found 39% of women craved chocolate, compared to 14% of men.

Dr Scott's Surgery

Don't panic I've often suspected many of the tablets we prescribe for anxiety do more harm than good. We tend to look for medical solutions to problems that are actually more to do with the way we live. For those of us under the most pressure or who have a greater susceptibility to anxiety, a general feeling of worry can spill over into full-blown panic attacks. A panic attack happens when your body switches into its "fight or flight" mode and you become primed for conflict or to make a run f...

Pupils Wind Down with a Massage

It can soothe aching muscles, help relaxation and even aid concentration. Health reporter Jane Picken finds out about the mini- masseurs who are spreading the word about massage in Tyneside schools As lilting music plays in the background a hushed class of six- year-olds at Walkergate Primary School gently rub each others' shoulders.

Help for Young People

Barnardo's is a UK charity which provides a wide range of support services for children, young people and their families. To find out more or make a donation visit www.barnardos. org.uk or contact their Newcastle office on (0191) 240 4800.

Relaxing Way to Learn

Meg Robson, seven, from Walker, in Newcastle, said: "It's very relaxing and it helps me concentrate. My favourite is what we call the cat massage which is where we rub the neck. I even do it at home with my mum and she really likes it."

Perfect Place to Begin Their Lives

Newborn babies are in safe hands at one of Tyne( side's biggest hospitals, according to assessors for an NHS negligence(busting team. Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust has performed exceptionally well against the NHS Litigation Authority's Clinical Negligence Scheme for Trusts (CNST), on which they were recently audited.

National Midwifery Week

With less than two months to go until the start of Midwifery Week 2007, in May, preparations are well underway for what promises to be a remarkable event. The official support pack is now available on the Midwifery Week website and will be crammed full of useful information for running fundraising events and general campaigning during the week.

Advertisement Feature - Making Life Easy

There are lots of businesses and services in the region dedicated to making life easier for the elderly. For those who find it difficult to shop and cook hot meals for themselves, Home Farm Foods may be the answer. One of the top distributors of frozen food in the UK, the local franchise run Les Mullen offers a choice of over 230 frozen meals and desserts which can be delivered to your door.

Active Role in Lifestyle of Children

Name: Noel Hanlon Age: 32