As a keen amateur dancer I spend more hours than I care to admit in front of a mirror, creating my ballroom hair style, applying totally over-the-top makeup and outrageously long false eyelashes and of course attaching numerous hair crystals.

So how thrilled was I to try this fabulous Arighi Bianchi Halo Makeup Mirror with so many cool features? It’s as if the whole design team had pulled out all stops just for ballroom and latin dancers. But if you don’t spend most weekends transforming your look and driving miles to perform in front of a panel of judges, fear not, this special mirror will thrill you too.

So why is the Halo Makeup Mirror so amazing? Well firstly it looks beautiful. The mirror itself is a very good size and has a tall elegant stand. The superbright ring light is 900 lux, making it three times brighter than most other illuminated mirrors and the mirror itself has a very high colour quality of 90 CRI. These features allow a very detailed and ‘true’ view of your face – perfect for applying an accurate eyeliner flick, drawing a beautiful lip shape or getting that contouring just right. Then, when you want to see the finished effect, simply switch to the softer lighting setting, relax and just admire your handiwork.

My hair and makeup process takes rather a long time, so how clever of Arighi Bianchi to think of inserting a bluetooth speaker in the bass of the mirror stand? Perhaps a soothing rumba or a cheeky cha-cha-cha as you pluck those stray eyebrow hairs? You can even chat on the phone as it has a built in microphone too.

But there’s more. Wouldn’t it be a shame if this fabulous bit of kit were only used for applying makeup or doing your hair? But not so – you can tip the mirror with its ring light through 90 degrees, creating a desk light which is bright enough to light the whole room with a soft white/yellow colour. This is particularly great if you live in a small apartment where space is of a premium. As a minimalist I just love this dual-purpose feature. I’m using mine as a bedside light.

If you’re still looking for something really special for Mum on Mother’s Day or you just want to give yourself a Mother’s Day treat this is a fabulous product at £50.50 from ArighiBianchi.co.uk.

By Dr K Thompson, award-winning author of From Both Ends of the Stethoscope: Getting through breast cancer – by a doctor who knows
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01A7DM42Q http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A7DM42Q
http://faitobooks.co.uk

Note: These articles express personal views. No warranty is made as to the accuracy or completeness of information given and you should always consult a doctor if you need medical advice.

Frost recently featured Bartosz (Boyan) Bojanczyk – Polish dance champion and coach – who has put his career on hold to ferry evacuees and medical supplies between Ukraine and Poland. So far he has driven over 7000km and helped over a hundred people to safety.

But there are important new developments. He and his volunteer network have been adapting to use your donations most effectively. So what’s been going on?

Well, first they expanded their network throughout Ukraine. Due to high costs, danger and demand, a taxi ride from a Kyiv home to the railway station had escalated from $10 to $200 and people simply couldn’t afford to journey to safety. So Boyan and friends found and reimbursed reliable drivers to take people to Kyiv station. Once the evacuees get the train to Lviv, Boyan and team drive them to Poland.

He’s also linked in with another amazing dancer, Hanna Karttunen and others – who drove from Finland with a cargo of desperately needed pharmacy medicines and dressings which Boyan took on into Ukraine (See Video 3 below).

But all the time Boyan was observing and thinking. The photo above is a group of young Ukrainian men (I would say boys, but maybe that reflects my age). These incredibly brave guys are ready to fight for their country. However, although they each have a gun (and just three days training), they had no protective clothing, making them incredibly vulnerable to being killed. So Boyan has been using donations to source and buy military-grade protective gear such as bulletproof vests, helmets, tactical shoes, proper knee pads and tactical gloves.

Here are some of Boyan’s incredible video diaries below – absolutely riveting: VIDEO 1 VIDEO 2 VIDEO 3 VIDEO 4 plus another link to his JUST GIVING PAGE.

But Boyan isn’t alone. My Ukrainian dance class-mate, Gala Kovalyk is collecting for her Polish friend Anna Jarmosiewicz-North, who is housing refugees in an empty house on the Polish border. (see photo below) They’re also helping friends in Zhytomyr (near Kyiv).  Despite regular bombing, their friends are taking refugees from even more dire areas in Eastern Ukraine.  They need food and other essentials to survive and Anna’s charity is sending these to them. Read more details here: GO FUND ME

Frost readers are incredibly generous, and all donations to Boyan and Gala/Anna will be used directly to help desperate Ukranian evacuees. Thank you all for your crucial support.

By Dr K Thompson, award-winning author of From Both Ends of the Stethoscope: Getting through breast cancer – by a doctor who knows
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01A7DM42Q http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A7DM42Q
http://faitobooks.co.uk

Note: These articles express personal views. No warranty is made as to the accuracy or completeness of information given and you should always consult a doctor if you need medical advice.

Have a laugh, enjoy yourselves with Joffe’s  book of the week this week: MURDER ON PORT MEADOW by the crime-writing duo of Annie Dalton and Maria Dalton. Discover a classic British murder mystery filled with atmosphere, lovable characters, gentle humour, and gripping twists and turns,

Out now for just 99p | 99c, don’t miss this page-turning new murder mystery featuring three dog-walking detectives (and their canine companions) — currently available for half price, and not just for dog lovers.
I love this sort of book, and I suspect you will too.

CLICK HERE TO BUY MURDER ON PORT MEADOW BY ANNIE DALTON WITH MARIA DALTON FOR 99P | 99C.

CLOSING RANKS BY ELIZABETH GUNN OUT NOW — ONLY £1.99 | $2.99

Detective Sarah Burke is called to a shooting: a rookie cop caught a thief in the act and shot him dead.
The detectives get a shock when they discover the victim is Ed Lacey, Sarah’s former mentor.
Can they uncover the shocking truth before Ed’s family closes ranks?

“Precision-tooled procedurals” The New York Times

MURDER ON THE DAWN PRINCESS BY ROY LEWIS   OUT NOW — ONLY £1.99 | $2.99

The discovery of the headless corpse out at sea has everyone on high alert. The dead man is a notorious villain. Then a young heiress goes missing and a local historian falls to his death.

Could it all be connected? Can Arnold Landon unravel the truth in time to save the missing girl?

“An unforgettable character.” The New York Times

jOFFE tells us that they are delighted and excited to have signed THIRTEEN books from the fabulous authorJean G. Goodhind, Look out for the first book in Jean’s Honey Driver mystery series, coming later this month . . .

Go to Joffe Books to find ALL this week’s  new books

In time of such uncertainty, struggle, suffering & conflict we can often feel powerless & helpless, so what can we do to help?  We can raise our vibration.  To do that we need to be able to cultivate an inner happiness that is not dependent on outside factors. For this is where our power lies.

Ghandi, Mandela, His Holiness the Dalai Lama all cultivated deep compassion, understanding & forgiveness for their persecutors & in so doing so transformed their experience.

We are energetic beings, we resonate an energy, a vibration. When there is so much fear & doubt pervading our external environment we can absorb that energy, lowering our own vibration. You see, If we are constantly focusing on the bad news, our energy resonates on a low vibration so the energetic match is also low vibration.  By resonating at a higher vibrational energy which  comes from inner happiness, the ripple effect spreads beyond us. Thus, through our own small  steps we begin to raise the collective consciousness.

Why is this important?   The Maharishi Effect – the energy of peace, love & joy has the energy to shift the world.

Maharishi Mahesh was a spiritual teacher who believed that igniting the unified field with joy & calming energy has the capacity to bring peace & harmony to the wider community.  For example, in the ‘70’s a group of monks was sent into a crime ridden community, where they represented only  1% of the population. They did what monks do: meditated. And crime dropped by a staggering 16%.

One of the most powerful practices we can do in these uncertain times is to be mindful of where we are placing our energy,  become more heart centred & practice gratitude – all really powerful ways to raise the vibrations of the wider community. Therefore, raising the collective consciousness towards peace & harmony.

Indeed, The Dali Lama has said if we taught all children around the world to meditate we would have a peaceful world in a generation.

Did you know that gratitude is another powerful practice for raising our vibration? What we appreciate appreciates as the energy flows, creating more of the same. 

Likewise if we focus all the time on the negative we create more of the same.

It has been said that if gratitude was a wellbeing drug it would be a best seller such are the wide reaching physical, mental, emotional benefits of a regular gratitude practice.  Gratitude helps us to focus our attention & our energy on the positive. This is extremely important to help balance our negativity bias, which evolved over millennia to keep us safe from life or death threats outside our cave door. But ultimately it means that we are far more likely to remember negative events. By practicing gratitude, we are taking time to savour the moment – it takes 20 seconds to commit something for which we are grateful to memory; which  in turn starts to shift your energy.

Did you know that self-care is a vital ingredient of raising your vibration? Taking some time to nurture & nourish yourself sends a powerful message to The Universe that you care enough about yourself to invest in yourself.

Audre Lorde, author of A Burst of Light says, ‘Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self preservation’

When it has never been more important to ensure our vibration is high for the collective good, self-care is even more important, as is conscious awareness of where we are placing our attention & energy, developing an inner state of happiness through heart centred & gratitude practices.  I believe that we chose to incarnate on this earth at this time because we are being called to raise the collective consciousness of the planet to bring at end to all this chaos, fear & doubt.

This is where our power lies. This is the work we are being called to do right now.

If you would like to find out more about changing your vibration check out Alex’s FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/mindfulnessyoga4selfcare

Or on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexbannard/

Incorporate short yoga sequences & meditations as part of your self-care toolkit with guided practices on Alex’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQlKZJ7MeyYc6lqkv6seISw

For more info check out www.alexbannard.com

Alex is based on the edge of the stunning Cotswolds & has been sharing her love for all things yoga & mindfulness for almost a decade, not just in the UK but also around the world. Having used her training & knowledge to navigate her own menopausal journey & create a life in which she is thriving, Alex is devoted in supporting other’s in this life changing t

Do you remember when, if you didn’t want alcohol for whatever reason, you were doomed to a choice of orange juice, coke or a slimline tonic?

Thankfully, supermarkets and even bars have been steadily making shelf-room for interesting and tasty soft drinks. Some are full of sugar, which as a doctor I can’t recommend. However I have no problem recommending Saicho, which gives ‘Tea-total’ a whole new meaning.

Camellia sinensis leaves (tea leaves to you and me) have many attributed health benefits, including boosting immunity, reducing heart disease and obesity. They’re rich in anti-oxidants, vitamins and minerals and some studies back up the health claims. I’m particularly interested in the proposed anti-cancer properties of green tea.

The wealth of different teas rival fine wine in both quality and diversity. Tea experts will taste teas in the same way as a sommelier and one can pay just as much for a good tea as a fine Margaux.

But Saicho have shown that tea-drinking can go well beyond a hot cuppa.

Saicho was developed by Charlie and Natalie Winkworth-Smith. In Natalie’s own words: “Having been born and raised in Hong Kong, I have always been fascinated with the versatility and variety of tea. So when I met my husband Charlie during our PhDs in Food Science, we began cooking up the idea for a sparkling tea that creates a new dimension to food pairing without alcohol, whether it be eating in a fine dining restaurant, enjoying a drink at a wine bar or at home. The essence of Saicho is that we source the highest quality single origin teas from around the world and let their natural flavours shine through.”

Saicho brew the tea leaves at a low temperature for 24 hours to extract more of the delicate aromatics rather than the bitter and astringent compounds, resulting in a clean, crisp and complex flavour profile. The drinks are delicately sparkled and are best served chilled.

I’m delighted to share my thoughts after tasting three of the Saicho teas:

Hojicha from Japanese Bancha green tea – strong and complex flavours mixed with a delicate slight sweetness.

Darjeeling – a deep yellow ochre and taste reminiscent of muscadet.

Jasmine – green tea from the Chinese Fuding mountains infused with jasmine flowers and natural oak flavours – pale in colour, the oak reminded me of a chardonnay.

And there is more exciting news – last year Saicho launched a new Rare Tea Collection made with some of the most exquisite teas. The first, Eight Immortals is a Chinese oolong tea which has elegant spiced aromas and complex bittersweet notes. Each tea has been selected from specific regions and harvested at a certain time to create varying acidities, sweetness and mouthfeel that complement certain foods and flavours.

I highly recommend trying Saicho as a healthier alternative to your favourite tipple.

You can find out more and buy online from www.saichodrinks.com

By Dr K Thompson, award-winning author of From Both Ends of the Stethoscope: Getting through breast cancer – by a doctor who knows
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01A7DM42Q http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A7DM42Q
http://faitobooks.co.uk

Note: These articles express personal views. No warranty is made as to the accuracy or completeness of information given and you should always consult a doctor if you need medical advice.

MRS PARGETER’S POUND OF FLESH, the latest Joffe Book of the Week, and is a masterful cosy mystery from bestselling author Simon Brett, out now for the special launch price of just 99p | 99c.

When vivacious widow turned amateur detective Melita Pargeter’s friend suggests a few days away at a health spa, she is happy to tag along. After all, no one ever died of a little rest and relaxation. Did they?
Then Melita spots the body of a fellow guest being wheeled out of the spa. Everyone says it was the woman’s sparrow-like diet that killed her, but Melita’s not so sure. She saw the terrified expression on the victim’s face before they wheeled her away. What — or who — was she afraid of?   Can Melita catch the killer before it’s too late?

“One of the wittiest crime writers around.” Antonia Fraser    “No one delivers more pure entertainment.” San Diego Union    “A new Simon Brett novel is an event for mystery fans!” P.D. James

CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR COPY OF MRS PARGETER’S POUND OF FLESH FOR JUST 99P | 99C.

And now for a few new releases to tempt you, but go on to  Joffe’s website to find more of the little rascals.

The Judge at Saint Jane’s by Lisa Howell   OUT NOW — ONLY 99P | 99C

A COZY MURDER MYSTERY SET IN A PICTURESQUE CUMBRIAN VILLAGE.    It’s a glorious autumn evening in Tarnfield when Deborah Arbiter falls to her death. What was she doing on the roof of her old Georgian country house, St Jane’s?   Can Suzy Spencer get to the bottom of these sinister goings-on before anyone else pays the ultimate price?

Murder on the Golf Course by Roy Lewis   OUT NOW — £1.99 | $2.99

Arnold Landon’s boss, Simon Brent-Ellis, has been discovered dead in his bed with a mystery woman. Then high-flying consultant Steve O’Hara, next in line for Simon’s job, is found dead on the golf course, his head staved in with a blunt object.   Everyone wants the boss’s job, but was someone willing to kill to get it?

“An unforgettable character.”   The New York Times

Make waves with Joffe’s Arc…   Intrigued? Joffe  have launched Joffe’s Arc, an advance readers club for their most passionate fans. If you’d like to be among the very first to read brand-new titles from Joffe Books, then you can apply to join their  special Facebook group, and receive early copies of their books to read and review, vote on your favourite cover designs for forthcoming releases, and help Joffe reach even more readers.

Joffe run a tight ship aboard Joffe’s Arc, so please do make sure to answer all of the questions if you’re interested in joining.      YOU CAN APPLY TO JOIN JOFFE’S ARC HERE

Catch a Q&A with Joy Ellis.  #1 bestselling author Joy Ellis took part in a fascinating live Q&A event with Suffolk Libraries this week, and talked about her life, career, being taught creative writing by Sue Townsend, and her latest book, THE NIGHT THIEF.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A Q&A WITH BESTSELLING AUTHOR JOY ELLIS

And there we have it, a feast of delicious treats for you. Enjoy.

Nowadays we find exotic delicacies originating from the other side of the world in our local supermarket and don’t even give it a second thought. My parents could only dream of many of these foods, and yet the nutritional value of our diets appears to be getting worse, rather than better and the ubiquity and heavy marketing of processed foods is at least partially to blame. Many processed foods contain high quantities of fast-release sugars (even savoury foods), and this causes high spikes in the sugar levels in our blood which over time can lead or contribute to Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and even cancer.

It is becoming more and more important that we return to healthier diets, eating ‘proper’ food which sustains us and gives us energy in the manner that nature intended, and one aspect of this is to reduce the speed of sugar release from our food into our blood stream. Glycaemic Load (GL) is a useful indicator of how quickly a food releases sugar into your blood – a low GL is under 10, and 20 and above is classed as high.

Lizi’s range of Super Muesli is a perfect example of good natural food. Lizi and husband Mick Shaw are passionate about wholesome food and they test the GL of all their products. For a single serving of their muesli, the GL is around 5, so good and low. Contrary to popular perception in this ‘low-fat’ world, some fats are essential for our well-being, and hence Lizi makes sure their muesli’s have plenty of nuts and seeds.

I have just sampled Lizi’s Focus Super Muesli and I can confirm that it is delicious – can something so tasty be so good for you? A resounding ‘Yes’. It majors on nuts and seeds, including hazelnut and pecan, and also contains maca – a Peruvian root which is said to boost energy. It contains zinc and B6 to help brain function too. This variety has no dried fruit, but others in the range do and are also yummy.

Lizi’s mueslis really are a great way to start not only the day, but your healthy new life. There’s a fabulous selection so you certainly won’t get bored. They come in convenient resealable packs and are available from Lizi’s website where (FANTASTIC NEWS) Focus and some other mueslis are currently on sale, reduced from £3.50 to £1.75 for 400g. You can also buy them through Ocado. So go for it, chomp your way guilt-free to health.

By Dr K Thompson, award-winning author of From Both Ends of the Stethoscope: Getting through breast cancer – by a doctor who knows
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01A7DM42Q http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A7DM42Q
http://faitobooks.co.uk

Note: These articles express personal views. No warranty is made as to the accuracy or completeness of information given and you should always consult a doctor if you need medical advice.

Tracklements Special Edition Soured Plum & Black Pettern Chutney really is gorgeous with a truly multi-layered taste.

Let me walk you through those layers: it starts off sweet, yet peppery, hot and tangy and finishes with notes of ginger and garlic.  Tracklements explain that is an ode to Umeboshi (a traditional Japanese pickle made of ripe Ume plums pickled in salt and dried in the sun) and  brings a unique burst of flavour to rice, grains and tofu; works as bit on the side for multiple curries and a rather tasty dipper for parathas and pakoras; goes fabulously with a flinty vintage cheddar and is perfect to take on, and enhance, the strong flavour of venison and duck.

I wanted to show you the chutney in its full glory on the spoon, shortly before it went on my plate. Quite delicious.

Back in 1970, William Tullberg made the first British wholegrain mustard. 50 years on William’s son, Guy, carries on his legacy. However, that one mustard has matured into eight varieties and over 40 award-winning chutneys,relishes and sauces.

A store cupboard hero for both celebrity chefs and home cooks, the range is still handmade in the green heart of Wiltshire, abiding to traditional recipes, with an underpinning principle to buy the best quality ingredients sourced locally wherever possible (which is what Frost Magazine likes to hear)  to ensure the products taste as good as, if not better than, homemade.  It does, it does. Just another little taste then…

Tracklements believe in business as a force for good, protecting the environment as they go. They’re committed to make the most planet-friendly condiments you can buy minimising their environmental footprint through using recyclable packaging, their own water treatment facility, and over 10,000 square feet of solar panels, which enables the company to generate 100% renewable electricity that is also fed into the national grid at weekends through green energy company Good Energy. And they don’t shy away from wonky veg either!

All very wonderful, isn’t it.

Tracklements Special Edition Soured Plum & Black Pepper Chutney, RRP £3.50 for 220g, is available from fine food delis and farm shops nationwide and online at www.tracklements.co.uk
www.tracklements.co.uk

@tracklements #tastytracklements #LifeandSoulofthePantry