New Research Shows The Benefits of Vitamin D Supplementation And Heart Health

Posted on June 27, 2016 by Margaret Graham

As our summer lurches from cloud to cloud, this latest information from HSIs (The Health Supplements Information Service, an independent body) is interesting:

Taking a vitamin D supplement may improve heart function in people with chronic heart failure according to a paper published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology and presented at the American College of Cardiology in Chicago on April 4.

Commenting on the trial, Dr Emma Derbyshire a public health nutritionist for the Health Supplements Information Service (HSIS) noted: “This was a randomised double blind controlled trial in 223 people with chronic heart failure due to secondary left ventricular systolic dysfunction of the heart and also vitamin D deficiency.

“Trial participants were either allocated to one year of high dose vitamin D3 supplementation 4000 IU (100 micrograms daily) or a placebo. Measures made included the change in left ventricular function and the ability to do a test walk.

“Vitamin D supplementation restored normal levels of vitamin D in these people and left ventricular heart function was also better in the vitamin D supplemented group than placebo. There were no changes on the walking test with vitamin D.

“These findings are very encouraging as chronic heart failure is increasing and treatments can be expensive. Many people in the UK have very low levels of vitamin D. In fact average vitamin D intakes in the UK are between 2.3 and 5.1 micrograms daily which is not enough to protect against deficiency.
“A previous modelling exercise found that more than 8 micrograms would be needed daily to ensure a normal vitamin D status in most people^.In addition, while the best source of vitamin D is sunlight, the Northerly latitude of the UK means that we lack the right form of sunlight for more than half of the year”.
The Health Supplements Information Service (HSIS) (www.hsis.org.uk; Tel: 020 7052 8955) is an independent information body, set up to provide balanced information on vitamins and minerals. It is supported by a restricted educational grant from the Proprietary Association of Great Britain (PAGB).

Gaucho Premieres present Ab Fab

Posted on June 24, 2016 by Kesh

Yes Sweeeeety Daaaaarlings! You heard it here. Gaucho have managed to bag the hotly anticipated Absolutely Fabulous Movie and it’s set to be premiered at Gaucho O2 on Saturday 2nd July. Forget the cinema, how else could you possible enjoy Absolutely Fabulous without a cocktail in hand. Thank you Gaucho for making this one possible, expect sexy Argentine Steak and Stoli Cosmo Cocktails… no, really!!! Each guest will receive a Stoli Cosmo on arrival followed by a two-course meal before being escorted to Gaucho’s private premiere screening.

Tickets cost £55 per person

Absolutely Fabulous Movie
Saturday 2nd July
13:00
Gaucho O2

Peninsula Square
London
SE10 0DX

For more information and to book, please visit:

http://www.gauchorestaurants.com/events/event/gaucho-premieres-absolutely-fabulous/

Garmence Wine Studio SS16 Capsule Collection

Posted on June 24, 2016 by Kesh

I know what you’re thinking, A capsule collection for wine? ‘WI-NE NOT’ we say. Indeed, we are in a renaissance of wine and Garmence Wine Studio are leading the way with their capsule SS16 Collection. Garmence Wine Studio are a fresh, new wine company committed to bring you wine which is ‘crafted with love’ by people who love wine. The new concept created by the hard-working Charlotte Calvet, who’s family have been in the wine business for generations, is, in a nutshell, based on blending the highest quality wines which are the most memorable and fragrant to match the Garmence unique tasting profile. Their aim is to make it easier for you to select wines that you enjoy based on your own unique taste and aim to deliver a high quality wine to you at a fair price. Helping you to pick your wines with the help of a food pairing wheel, they want you to find exactly the wine you’re after and aim to help you pick something you’ll enjoy.

Essentially, Garmence Wine Studio work with wine growers and producers from all over Europe and have selected wines that ‘evoke a unique sensorial experience.’ Their cooperative approach means that even smaller wine producers get a look in. These guys have done all of the leg work capturing the best of the best and it’s clear that this concept can only be overseen by someone who has an immense passion for wine and after meeting and speaking with Charlotte and her Father you are safe in the knowledge that they really know and adore their wines.

The SS16 collection is created with the premise that consumers’ taste changes with the seasons, so alongside their ‘core collection’, there are a few Spring/Summer heroes that feature with a lighter, fresher taste. Lucky for you, us at Frost got to do all the hard work and attend the wine tasting and here are our top picks;

The Whites;

Pouilly-Fumé

This Sauvignon Blanc has got to be one of the sexiest wines I have ever tried. Deliciously crisp and energetic, this Pouilly-Fumé has flavours of green apples, stone fruits and lemons. This fantastic little number will go well with seafood, Italian food and poultry.

Serving suggestions; a bottle of this on a date will go a long way!
£18

http://www.garmence.com/beta/shop/16-pouilly-fume-france.html

The Reds:

Fleurie

This fruity wine is King of the Beaujolais region which makes it perfect to drink chilled. Perfect for the summer this wine is fresh and light with almost no tannins. Hints of strawberry, cherries and bramble spice this wine is well paired with all meats and of course a cheese board.

Serving suggestions; A foolproof dinner party wine.
£16

http://www.garmence.com/beta/shop/28-fleurie.html

The Heroes;

With some collective positive thinking, hopefully the Summer will be here in no time, but in the meantime Garmence are on a mission to create you the best Rosé. Exclusively to their SS16 collection they have two on offer for you to try.

Côtes De Provence

The clarity of the wine is enough to let you know it’s going to be sublime. Putting Rosé back on the map, this delicious blend of Grenache, Cinsault & Syrah make the perfect balance of citrus, exotic and white fruits. Great paired with steak, seafood and veg.

Serving suggestions; This elegant wine is a showstopper at a BBQ or picnic.
£15

http://www.garmence.com/beta/shop/26-rose-de-provence.html

Crémant De Bordeaux

Because who doesn’t love a bottle of pink fizz! This one is every bit as delicious and exquisite as it looks and just bursting with aromatic fruitiness. Fresh and fizzy, this wine is produced according to the “Champagne traditional method”.

Serving suggestions; Suitable for every occasion
£20

http://www.garmence.com/beta/shop/27-cremant-de-bordeaux-rose.html

These are just our top picks but visit their website to choose wines based on your flavour profile. The minimum order is three bottles and once you’ve selected your wines, pick a day and a time slot. Bottles are stylishly wrapped and delivered in fantastic wine storage boxes which can be doubled up as a wine rack to suit your home.

So visit Garmence for their full collection.

“Fewer, better wines – Crafted with love”

From Babies With Love: The Baby Clothes Company Which Gives Its Profits To Charity

Posted on June 24, 2016 by Catherine Balavage

At Frost we love ethical companies and great products. Combine the two and we are in heaven. One of life’s great joys is buying clothes for babies, so when I came across From Babies With Love I was intrigued. From Babies With Love lets you buy gorgeous organic baby clothes while supporting orphaned and abandoned children around the world. They are an amazing company who deserve as much support as possible as they donate 100% of their profits to helping children.

Here is their story in their words:

“We support orphaned and abandoned babies to live in SOS Children’s Villages.

The children have lost their parents through war, famine, disease or poverty.

SOS Children creates communities for children who have nobody to turn to. The children are cared for by their SOS Mother; they live in family homes in the village with their SOS brothers and sisters. SOS Mothers care for the whole family, comforting, celebrating; doing all the things that parents do.

This enables children who would otherwise be left to fend for themselves, on the streets or in slums, to have a second chance in life.

The children’s circumstances are not their fault, and by being loved, cared for and educated, they go on to lead independent lives, breaking the cycle of poverty.

As SOS Children’s Zambia Director, Florence Phiri explains, for an orphaned or abandoned child, the difference a children’s village makes is huge: “when they come to the village they are given a family – brothers, sisters and a mother to look after them. They have a home and can begin a new life.”

To find out more about SOS Children visit their website www.soschildren.org

Whether you’re buying baby clothes for newborns, first birthdays, baby showers, maternity leave or a special treat just because, every purchase enables these children to grow up in loving family homes.

A heartfelt thank you.

From Babies with Love x”

https://www.frombabieswithlove.org

Follow @frombabies on twitter

Barracuda Cafe in Amersham Review

Posted on June 23, 2016 by Margaret Graham

Barracuda Cafe in Amersham – just the place for a wet Monday, or any day or evening, quite frankly. By Margaret Graham

It seemed like a good idea to celebrate midway between my birthday and my friend Pat’s. Amersham is pretty close to both of us, but why the Barracuda Cafe?

I hadd just returned from a train journey from St. Pancras to Rome, Florence, Lucca and Venice. I have been to all the cities before and love them, but particularly love the atmosphere and food in the restaurants. Pat also loves Italy, and has relations there. So we wanted to enjoy it all again, if we could only find the right place.

Did we?

Absolutely – in the Barracuda Cafe, Amersham. We chose a special of the day Vitello milanese con spaghetti e insalata verde (veal in breadcrumbs etc.) which was lovely. But more than that, the patron, Gianncarllo, was warm and welcoming, and fun. We arrived at midday in the pouring rain, and within moments the cafe was full of people relaxing, chatting, laughing and eating.

Be aware – in the evening you can bring your own wine, and only in the evening, not at lunch time. Did it spoil it? Not a bit. It was the atmosphere and the food we loved. For those two hours, and we weren’t hurried, we were back in the warmth of Italy. Not bad for a wet Monday.

Would we recommend it? Indeed. Why not give it a go, you won’t be disappointed. Or just nip in for a coffee. You’ll return for lunch, bet ya!

Barracuda Cafe 96 Sycamore Rd, Amersham HP6 5EN
Phone:01494 434875

EU Referendum – If You Really Believe in Democracy There is Only One Way You Can Vote on Thursday

Posted on June 22, 2016 by James Yardley

A couple of months ago I began this EU campaign genuinely undecided about how I would vote. I knew we sent the EU quite a lot of money and that it was bureaucratic. But I also believed fully in the idea that we were stronger together and that free trade is usually a good thing.

After much thought and research I have decided to vote to leave the EU. The final factor was the Paxman documentary which I would encourage everyone to watch.

Much as I love Europe. I cannot vote in favour of a system which is undemocratic and unaccountable. We must all fight to defend our democracy. So many have already sacrificed so much in the past to do so.

How is the EU undemocratic? Firstly, perhaps most importantly it lacks transparency. This system is unnecessarily and seemingly deliberately complex. Understanding how laws are actually made is difficult. There are three main bodies.

The European Council – Decides priorities and directions of the EU

The European Commission – Proposes legislation, policies and programmes of action and is responsible for implementing the decisions of the European Parliament and the Council.

The European Parliament – Amends and approves legislation

There are also a myriad of other bodies involved, of which there are far too many to list. When a system is this complex it becomes impossible for ordinary people to have any input or influence on the decision making process. Power becomes held in a smaller and smaller elite.

New laws are not proposed by elected members of the EU parliament. In almost all cases they are proposed by unelected commissioners. This is crucial. What is the point of having elected representatives if they are powerless to change anything? When I vote for my MP to go to Westminster he or she stands on a manifesto of policies he or she wishes to undertake on my behalf. My MEP stands for nothing. It’s little wonder that almost no one actually knows who their MEP is. The elected European Parliament, in those policy areas in which it is allowed a say, votes on directives in vast batches with very little opportunity for debate. Detailed scrutiny is given in committees, but only a tiny proportion of MEPs are able to participate. The ability to modify directives is itself subject to many rules. There is no accountability. Any laws which are created trump our own parliament. Whatever people may say, it is not democracy.

I do not pretend that leaving the EU would not be difficult and there would not be a great deal of upheaval. I have also been very disappointed with most of the arguments and figures from both sides. It saddens me that the debate has been dominated by immigration and the economy when to me the true issue is our relationship with the EU and our democracy.

But we cannot allow this undemocratic system to continue. The EU has shown itself to be completely unwilling to reform. David Cameron had a golden opportunity to work for proper democratic reform during his re-negotiation. He didn’t even bother because he, and most other politicians, have no interest in changing a system which favours them. It is time for us all to stand up and be counted and take back control of our democracy. We may not get another chance.

The Lazy Guru’s Guide To Life by Laurence Shorter Reviewed by Frances Colville

Posted on June 22, 2016 by Margaret Graham

An amusing and at first glance lighthearted book, but one with serious undertones, The Lazy Guru’s Guide to Life by Laurence Shorter takes a fresh look at the very current subject of mindfulness and offers suggestions for de-stressing, and making life flow as it should. By using the simple techniques described in the book and learning how to embrace your inner Lazy Guru, you can improve your quality of life and understand how to achieve more by doing less.

You can read this book (and appreciate the beautifully simple and very effective line drawings) at one sitting in less than an hour, or you can take it one page, one thought, one session at a time. It’s the sort of book you can return to again and again. The way of the Lazy Guru is to make space in your life by stopping, tuning in and letting go. Learn how to beditate, or to clear out the crud or to dump your shoulds (I should be doing this or I should be liking that). I particularly enjoyed the illustrations of a thunderous herd of shoulds (aka wildebeests) first shown charging through our hectic lives and then slinking away quietly once they have been tamed.

Laurence Shorter is an author, leadership coach and stand-up comedian and this book successfully combines those diverse elements. Recommended for anyone in your life suffering from depression, or those energy-sapping, life-affecting illnesses like fibromyalgia or ME, but also one to buy for yourself if you want to improve the quality of your own life.

The Lazy Guru’s Guide to Life is published in hardback by Orion Books, priced £14.99 and available now.

Torbay Poetry Festival 2016 Competition. £700 1st Prize

Posted on June 21, 2016 by Margaret Graham

As Frost Magazine readers know, we are always supportive of writing events, and here’s one for all the poets out there.

Torbay Poetry Festival 2016 Poetry Competition is open for entries now. Poems submitted must be original, unpublished and not accepted for publication. They should be written in English and not exceed 50 lines. To give you an idea of the standard, please take a look at John Greening’s report on the Torbay Poetry Festival Competition Winners 2015 on the Torbay Poets Website website. All entries must be received by 6.00pm on 28th August 2016. Very best of luck!

Judging

Sue Boyle won The Poetry Business pamphlet competition in 2010 with Too Late for the Love Hotel and has a poem in The Forward Poems of the Decade, 2011. Her book Report from the Judenplatz was performed in full at the Torbay Festival of Poetry in 2014. Her first full collection, Safe Passage from Oversteps, came out last year.

Sue runs regular Writing Days for the Bath Poetry Cafe and organised the Cafe’s Short Poem Competition in 2015. Her wordpress site Sue Boyle features the ongoing story of last year’s Cafe Competition, with reviews of many of the successful poems and helpful insights from the twelve experienced Cafe judges for competition poets who aspire to win.

Prizes

£700 FIRST PRIZE, plus free weekend at the poetry festival, (27th – 31st Oct 2016), including accommodation and Festival Pass.

£400 second prize plus a free Festival Pass.

£200 third prize plus ticket for the Festival supper for two.

ENTRANCE FEE: £5 per poem or 5 poems for £20 for entries received by post. Online entries are £5 each because of additional admin costs in time and printing.

Closing date: August 28th 2016

Winners to be announced at the PRIZE-WINNERS’ PARTY on Saturday 29th October, at the Torbay Poetry Festival, Livermead Cliﬀ Hotel,Torquay, Devon where short-listed poets will be invited to read their poems.

For further information: http://www.torbaypoetryfestival.co.uk/competition/