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Author Archives: Catherine Balavage
Grow Healthy Babies: The Evidence-Based Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy
Being pregnant can feel like a minefield. Knowing what to eat and what to avoid can feel overwhelming. With allergies on the rise it adds more pressure. So I was excited to see the Grow Healthy Babies book. It is an evidence-based guide to reducing your child’s risk of asthma, eczema and allergies.
I was hoping it would not be a hippy-dippy book preaching to others what to eat and do, and I am happy to report it is not. It is a fantastic, well-researched book which backs up everything it says in droves. This book shows that you can make a huge difference to the health of your child, and it all starts in pregnancy. Pregnant women have more power than they realise.
While some of the research is not helpful to everyone- eating organic food is not within everyone’s range- I found the advice in this book invaluable. I would recommend it to anyone who is having a baby, or even thinking about getting pregnant. It is a truly great book and a triumph for the authors.
When lifelong asthma, eczema, and allergy sufferers Michelle Henning, a certified Nutrition & Health Coach, and her husband Dr. Victor Henning decided to become parents, they were well aware that half of all babies born today will develop allergies and up to a third will become asthmatic or suffer from eczema. Using their combined backgrounds in nutrition and science, they began investigating a mountain of medical literature on how to prevent chronic illness so that their baby would grow up healthy.
In their honest and enlightening new book Grow Healthy Babies, the Hennings share their research by distilling the latest medical evidence into a practical, easy to read guide that provides expecting parents with clear and simple steps to lower a baby’s risk of developing a chronic condition by up to 90%. With the goal of empowering parents-to-be or those planning to get pregnant with information about simple choices that improve their health and their child’s health, they cover a multitude of topics including:
- You can make a difference: By making different choices during/after pregnancy, you have the power to shape your baby’s health for life
- How your baby’s immune system develops, and how you can strengthen it to prevent chronic illness
- How friendly bacteria, your microbiome, shape both your and your baby’s health, and how to protect and improve your microbiome
- Which food choices and supplements during and after pregnancy make a real difference to your baby’s health, according to scientific studies
- Why environmental factors and certain household products can trigger chronic disease, and how to choose healthier alternatives
- How birth choices and breastfeeding can influence your baby’s long-term health
Grow Healthy Babies: The Evidence-Based Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy and Reducing Your Child’s Risk of Asthma, Eczema, and Allergies is available for pre-order at bookstores nationwide and online retailers such as Amazon.
New Geomag Supercolor | Toy Reviews
I am as much of a fan of Geomag as my children are. I am super excited that they have brought out two new products. The brand new Geomag Supercolor, which is made from 100% recycled plastic, is fantastic for learning in so many ways. It has limitless construction and a handy booklet to give you ideas for play. It offers hours of fun.
Play with magnets and let creativity and imagination take over with the fun Geomag toy that works like pure magic. Thanks to the simple Geomag elements and the magic of magnetism, you can build endless 3D constructions with creativity and imagination. The elongated magnetic rods, steel balls and the various panel shapes make up the building system, which stimulates play and learning.
The Geomag 337 Supercolor Panels 35 Piece set costs £26 from Coolshop.co.uk
Next up is the gloriously fun Magicube. They are shapes you can make numerous animals out of. My daughter absolutely loves these. They are great for imaginative play and developing motor skills. They are also made from 100% recycled plastic. Highly recommended for your little one. Fab and fun.
Women can’t catch men’s earnings, even after any children have left home
- In 2018/19, women earned an average of £22,200 and men £27,400 (median).
- Men earned more than women at every age. At 20-24, men averaged £19,100 and women £17,700.
- On average, income before tax peaked at age 40-44 at £30,200. However, it peaked for men between the ages of 45-49, at an average of £34,100, and for women at age 40-44 at £26,000.
Now is the time for us ladies to take charge of our finances. Check your state pension entitlement and make sure there are no gaps in National Insurance contributions. Also consider taking out a LISA.
HMRC has issued a range of tax and income statistics: https://www.gov.uk/government/
Sarah Coles, personal finance analyst, Hargreaves Lansdown:
“Women are out-earned by men at every stage of their career, so if women are waiting for a better time to get started with their financial plans, they could be in for a very long wait.
Despite the fact that on average female students get better results at school, are more likely to go to university, and get more first class and upper second degrees, when they emerge from the education system, men are paid more. Between the ages of 20 and 24, women earn 7% less.
The official pay gap – which measures people doing the same work – is close to zero below the age of 40, so the difference is likely to owe much to the careers dominated by women being lower paid than those dominated by men, and how we value particular skills as a society. It’s also influenced by more women working part time from the outset, and some starting families at younger ages.
The gap between the average pay of women and men widens dramatically when people reach the age when they typically start a family. By their early 30s the gap is 13%, and by their early 40s it’s 22%. This is partly because women are overwhelmingly more likely to take career breaks in their children’s early lives, and make compromises over working hours and commutes in order to have more flexibility during their children’s school years.
There’s no time to catch up afterwards either, because not only are women paid far less later in their career, but they reach their peak earning years well before men too – at the age of 40-44 rather than 45-50. This owes something to the fact that senior management roles tend to have a later pay peak, so women continue to pay for missing out on promotions during key childcare years.
Women are also paid less later in their careers partly because once they have taken a financial hit relatively early on, they’re in the frame for any caring responsibilities that come along – including caring for elderly parents. This may mean they have to move into working part-time once again.
A solution to unequal pay requires a combination of an awful lot of things – from changing the way different skills are rewarded, to altering the balance of caring responsibilities in the home, and building workplaces that allow equality of flexibility. The pandemic may help accelerate some of this change, by revealing just how many jobs can be effectively completed with a much higher degree of flexibly, but this kind of societal change tends to be slow and incremental.
It means women can’t afford to wait for pay to equalise, they need to protect themselves now. These figures show the risk of putting off saving and investing, or building up your pension, until you’re in a better place financially. If you postpone it because you’re on a starting salary, or going on maternity leave or working part-time, then you could find yourself putting it off forever.”
Look What You Made Me Do by Nikki Smith
I love getting my teeth into a good psychological thriller and Look What You Made Me Do did not disappoint. The story is based around two sisters and what happens after their father dies and there is an inheritance up for grabs. But all is not as it seems and this books leads you through a gripping plot while your feet never touch the ground. The characters are all fabulously written. This book is outstanding and entertaining, what more could anyone want?
Two people can keep a secret . . . if one of them is dead.
Sisters Jo and Caroline are used to hiding things from each other. They’ve never been close – taking it in turns to feel on the outside of their family unit, playing an endless game of favourites.
Jo envies Caroline’s life – things have always come so easy to her. Then a family inheritance falls entirely to Jo, and suddenly now Caroline wants what Jo has. Needs it, even.
But just how far will she go to get it?
The Art of Repair by Molly Martin
This is the book we all need in lockdown. Never have we had more time on our hands, and never have we appreciated the value of things more. This book show you how to mindfully mend and breathe new life into the things that you already have. It is also beautifully illustrated. Truly wonderful.
For Molly Martin, it all started with a pair of socks. Her favourite pair. When the heels became threadbare, her mother got out her darning mushroom and showed her how to reinforce the thinning stitches and bring them back to life. She has been stitching and darning ever since.
In The Art of Repair, Molly explores the humble origins of repair and how the act of mending a cherished item carefully by hand offers not just a practical solution but nourishment for the soul. Using her own beautiful illustrations, she guides us through the basics of the craft – from piecing and patching to the ancient Japanese art of Sashiko.
This book will stay with you long after you put down your needle and thread. It offers an antidote to our increasingly disposable lifestyle, encouraging us to reconnect not just with the everyday objects in our environment but also with ourselves.
Books To Sink Your Teeth Into.
The Women Who Ran Away by Sheila O’Flanagan.
Another brilliant novel from Sheila O’Flanagan.
Deira isn’t the kind of woman to steal a car. Or drive to France alone with no plan. But then, Deira didn’t expect to be single. Or to suddenly realise that the only way she can get the one thing she wants most is to start breaking every rule she lives by.
Grace has been sent on a journey by her late husband, Ken. She doesn’t really want to be on it but she’s following his instructions, as always. She can only hope that the trip will help her to forgive him. And then – finally – she’ll be able to let him go.
Brought together by unexpected circumstances, Grace and Deira find that it’s easier to share secrets with a stranger, especially in the shimmering sunny countryside of Spain and France. But they soon find that there’s no escaping the truth, whether you’re running away from it or racing towards it . .
The Woman Who Ran Away is available here.
Without a Trace by Mari Hannah.
A gripping novel from a brilliant and imaginative crime writer.
A FATAL CRASH
A plane on route from London to New York City has disappeared out of the sky. This breaking news dominates every TV channel, every social media platform, and every waking hour of the Metropolitan Police and US Homeland Security.
A PRIVATE TRAGEDY
The love of DCI Kate Daniels’ life was on that aircraft, but she has no authority to investigate. This major disaster is outside of her jurisdiction and she’s ordered to walk away.
A SEARCH FOR THE TRUTH
But Kate can’t let it lie. She has to find out what happened to that plane – even if it means going off book. No one is safe.
And there are some very dangerous people watching her…
Without a Trace is available here.
The Shipyard Girls on the Home Front.
Another book in the popular saga. Brilliant as ever.
December 1943
As the war effort gathers steam in Europe, it’s all hands on deck on the home front.
Gloria is over the moon to be reunited with her sweetheart Jack. But her sons Bobby and Gordon are away with the Navy and still know nothing of their mother’s divorce and new half-sister.
Rosie’s squad of welders must work gruelling hours in the yard as they prepare for the Allied invasion of Normandy. All the while Rosie herself waits anxiously for news of her husband Peter, who is carrying out dangerous work as an undercover operative in France.
Meanwhile welder Dorothy has a feeling that her beau Toby is planning to pop the question when he’s next on leave. But it seems that her head is being turned by someone closer to home…
It will take great strength and friendship if the shipyard girls are to weather the storms to come.
The Shipyard Girls on the Home Front is available here.
Bessie’s War by Pam Evans.
Great for lovers of wartime fiction.
It is autumn 1940 and, as the bombs drop on London, a close-knit community struggles to survive.
Working at the local post office, Bessie Green does her best to keep her customers’ spirits up, but when she receives a telegram addressed to her parents, there’s nothing she can do to prevent the heartache that lies ahead.
Then Bessie hears that eleven-year-old Daisy Mason has been orphaned in a blast, and she’s sure that taking Daisy into their home is just what her parents need to help them overcome their grief. At first, Daisy won’t settle, then her handsome brother Josh comes back on leave and things look up for all of them. But the war brings further challenges for Bessie and her friends – with more hearts broken and loved-ones lost – before they can dare to dream of a brighter future…
Bessie’s War by Pam Evans is available here.
Blackout by Simon Scarrow.
Riveting and fast-paced. It keeps you reading.
Berlin, December 1939
As Germany goes to war, the Nazis tighten their terrifying grip. Paranoia in the capital is intensified by a rigidly enforced blackout that plunges the city into oppressive darkness every night, as the bleak winter sun sets.
When a young woman is found brutally murdered, Criminal Inspector Horst Schenke is under immense pressure to solve the case, swiftly. Treated with suspicion by his superiors for his failure to join the Nazi Party, Schenke walks a perilous line – for disloyalty is a death sentence.
The discovery of a second victim confirms Schenke’s worst fears. He must uncover the truth before evil strikes again.
As the investigation takes him closer to the sinister heart of the regime, Schenke realises there is danger everywhere – and the warring factions of the Reich can be as deadly as a killer stalking the streets . . .
Blackout by Simon Scarrow is available here.
The Operator by Gretchen Berg.
This brilliant book is out now on paperback. Read our review here.
It’s 1952. The switchboard operators in Wooster, Ohio, love nothing more than to eavesdrop on their neighbours’ conversations, and gossip about what they learn. Vivian Dalton is no different (despite her teenage daughter’s disapproval), and always longs to hear something scandalous. But on the night of December 15th, she wishes she hadn’t. The secret that’s shared by a stranger on the line threatens to rip the rug of Vivian’s life from under her.
Vivian may be mortified, but she’s not going to take this lying down. She wants the truth, no matter how painful it may be. But one secret tends to lead to another . . .
This moving, heart-felt and ultimately uplifting novel brilliantly weaves together an irresistible portrayal of a town buzzing with scandal, and an unforgettable story of marriage, motherhood and the unbreakable ties of family.
The Operator by Gretchen Berg is available here.
The Embalmer by Alison Belsham
A fantastic serial-killer story that draws you in and does not let go.
Has the ancient Egyptian cult of immortality resurfaced in Brighton?
When a freshly-mummified body is discovered at the Brighton Museum of Natural History, Detective Francis Sullivan is at a loss to identify the desiccated woman. But as Egyptian burial jars of body parts with cryptic messages attached start appearing, he realises he has a serial killer on his hands. Revenge, obsession and an ancient religion form a potent mix, unleashing a wave of terror throughout the city. Caught in a race against time while battling his own demons, Francis must fight to uncover the true identity of the Embalmer before it’s too late…
The Embalmer by Alison Belsham
Cult Writers.
I really loved this book. It features a great collection of writers to learn more about.
WHAT MAKES A CULT WRITER?
Whether pioneering in their craft, fiercely and undeniably unique or critically divisive, cult writers come in all shapes and guises. Some gain instant fame, others instant notoriety, and more still remain anonymous until a chance change in fashion sees their work propelled into the limelight.
Cult Writers introduces 50 novelists deserving of a cult status. The literary genres and subjects explored within these writers’ pages are rich and diverse – acting as mirrors of their genius minds. FromIrvine Welsh’s gritty Edinburgh streets, to Ken Kesey’s drug-fuelled madness; from feminist trailblazer Sylvia Plath to the magical realism of Angela Carter – discover little knowns with small, devout followings and superstars gracing the covers of magazines. Each writer is special in their individuality and their ability to inspire, antagonise and delight.
Cult Writers is an essential addition to any book lover’s library, as well as an entertaining introduction to our weird and wonderful world of literature.
Also in the series: Cult Artists, Cult Filmmakers + Cult Musicians
The writers:
Kathy Acker, James Baldwin, J.G. Ballard, Mikhail Bulgakov, Charles Bukowski, William S. Burroughs, Octavia E. Butler, Italo Calvino, Albert Camus, Angela Carter, Colette, Maryse Conde, Julio Cortazar, Philip K. Dick, Douglas Coupland, Marguerite Duras, Ralph Ellison, Elena Ferrante, Janet Frame, Jean Genet, Joseph Heller, Michel Houellebecq, James Joyce, Franz Kafka, Ken Kesey, Chris Kraus, Milan Kundera, Ursula K. Le Guin, Doris Lessing, Cormac McCarthy, Carson McCullers, Yukio Mishima, Haruki Murakami, Anais Nin, Sylvia Plath, Thomas Pynchon, Raymond Queneau, Ayn Rand, Pauline Reage, Jean Rhys, Juan Rulfo, Francoise Sagan, J.D. Salinger, Arkady and Boris Strugatsky, Donna Tartt, Jim Thompson, J.R.R. Tolkien, Kurt Vonnegut, Virginia Woolf, Irvine Welsh.
The Joy in You by Cat Deeley | Book Reviews.
I really loved this book. It has beautiful illustrations which are matched with lovely, inspiring words to let children know that it is okay to be themselves, and also go after their dreams. A great book from TV presenter Cat Deeley. My children loved it. Inspiring and positively affirming.
Encourage kids to live out loud and be their truest selves with this picture book from media personality, national treasure and mum, Cat Deeley.
Dream big, as big as the night sky full of stars.
When you discover the things you love, you’ll find true joy.
Journey through a magical world, filled with a colourful cast of animals, where readers have endless opportunities to be themselves and find freedom in expression. They will delight in the silly humour and undeniable spirit of this rhythmic and beautifully illustrated picture book-and take to heart the message that they are enough exactly as they are!
Cat Deeley’s debut is an ideal bedtime book that you can read to your little one over and over again and is the perfect gift for birthdays and baby showers.