Born August 13

August 13 always looks on the bright side of life, which is pretty astonishing since enough rotten things have happened to this indivual to make him relax his hold on sagacity. This powerful psycheology may revolutionise a way of doing something and he or she is often suspicious of other, clever people. But they have an innate empathy with others who have had a rough time, and while not wishing to discuss it, do what they can to help. Girls born on this day are good managers, preferring to run institutions such as schools and hospitals, rather than be involved on the corporate ladder. Good-looking but retiring, Ms August 13 always thinks other women are more glamorous than herself, and the slightest thing – an unacknowledged greeting – merely confirms this. She may devote herself to the welfare of others, caring for elderly relatives, maybe even running an old people’s home. She does it well. She is much loved. She avoids the silly internal power games and politics you get in such life-and-death institutions, always the trustworthy one people can appeal to. She may not marry and if she doesn’t, she doesn’t mind. Both sexes will encounter powerful love affairs in youth and much later in life. These will work out well, fitting into their chosen lifestyle. If children come, August 13 is happy, hut without them, this creature resolves to accept the situation and turn his or her attention to other things. The men born today are frequently so individualistic that they are drawn to roam over the wild wastes of the world, perhaps in an explorers’ team or climbing mountains. There’s no point in trying to convert either sex to a more conventional mind set. They’re not interested in silks and satins, their eye is on the sunset behind other horizons, or simply changing things so that vulnerable people around them are safe.

Body

People who drink milk may be less prone to strokes. A group of 3000 men has been monitored for twenty-two years. Overall calcium intake did not alter the risk of stroke, but only 3.7 per cent of the group who drank half a litre of milk every day had the most common type of stroke, compared with 7.9 per cent of those who drank less. One explanation is that extensive milk drinking arose from thirsty exercise. So the big milk drinkers were fitter. A not unimportant factor. (Perhaps the conclusions might have been more useful if they’d done the study using rice pudding?)

Mind

With a healthy body and mind, nature deals you a fine hand at cards; and with a steady will, you learn to play the hand well.