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From a young age, our kids have an affinity for the ocean because it provides them with a magical saltwater paradise. Frolicking in the waves, collecting seashells, discovering crabs and other shoreline critters, and building the dreamiest sandcastles, the ocean is a special place. But the growing crisis of marine pollution, climate change and global warming is threatening this vitally important ecosystem, the health of all organisms, and economic structures worldwide.
It is our responsibility as parents to show our little ones how to protect vulnerable species and this ecosystem through ocean conservation. It’s one thing to hear that the world needs healthy oceans but understanding why is the only way to inspire young minds to make a real difference. Teaching youths about taking care of the planet so they feel personally invested is the first step to inspiring them to join ocean conservation efforts when they’re older.
Every generation has the power to change the world, but only if they get involved.
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This issue we are celebrating our oceans and focussing much need attention on saving our seas. Mermaid, mom and ocean conservationist Beth Neale graces our cover and takes us on her underwater journey. We talk about hair loss and hormones and get tongue-tied and twisted about tongue health. We sit down with Helena van der Westhuizen owner of Simply Bee Natural Beeswax Products who gives us insight into business and the world of bees and take an in-depth look at navigating your teen’s mental health and bring you the ultimate guide to navigating the tricky terrain of sex education with your kids. In keeping with our theme, we go sustainable coastal foraging and bring you delicious blue-label seafood recipes. Writer Lauren Manuel shares all the beauty she experienced on her recent travels to enchanting Kenya and we escape the ordinary and explore the extraordinary on the Wild Coast at the mesmerising Umngazi Hotel & Spa and so much more in this issue.
Grab your copy or tablet, sit back and enjoy!
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Publisher: Absolute Mama (Pty) Ltd
Managing Editor: Anje Hill
Design & Layout: Stacey Storbeck Nel - Indio Design
Contributors: Anje Hill, Barbara Stuart, Celeste Strydom, Elana Botha, Elsa Young, John Swinley, Lauren Manuel, Michelle October, Nabila Mayet-Cassim, Robyn Alexander, Sven Alberding, Wanita Nicol, Warren Heath
Images & Illustrations: Bureaux, Greg Cox, Pexels.com, Shutterstock, Supplied, Tegan Smith Photography, Unsplash.com
Cover: Model Beth Neale; Hair & Make-Up Carina Pereira, Location The Two Oceans Aquarium, PhotoTegan Smith, Styling & Wardrobe Magdel Muller
Advertising Sales: Jason Hill
Admin & Accounts: Candice Swart
Distribution: On The Dot
Printing: CTP Printers
Editorial enquiries: anje@absolutemama.co.za
Sales enquiries: jason@absolutemama.co.za
The absolute mama Magazine is published by Absolute Mama (Pty) Ltd www.absolutemama.co.za
Tel. 087 802 2035 Fax: 086 416 2977 Email: info@absolutemama.co.za
©Absolute Mama (Pty) Ltd. ISSN:2617-4502
No article or any part of any article in Absolute Mama may be reproduced without the prior written consent of the publisher. The information provided and opinions expressed in this publication are provided in good faith, but do not necessarily represent the opinions of Absolute Mama (Pty) Ltd or the editor. Neither this magazine nor the publisher can be held legally liable in any way for damages of any kind whatsoever arising directly or indirectly from any facts or information provided or omitted in these pages, or from any statements made or withheld by this publication.
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Clean beauty products, an empowering guide to teaching our kids coping strategies and important life skills and Swiss ingenuity are among our favourites this season
The Mindful Me Life Skills Journal is a one-of-a-kind activity journal which takes kids on a journey of self-discovery as they learn social-emotional skills in a child friendly way. This book is colourfully illustrated and filled with activities, stories, lessons and daily journalling pages that are designed to help children build strong interpersonal relationships, build self-esteem and boost confidence and develop a growth mindset as well as become more self-aware and build resilience. It will also guide them to practise gratitude and empathy, increase their emotional intelligence and develop healthy habits and routines to be able to reach their goals and dreams. The Mindful Me Life Skills Journal has been designed without gender bias, using characters with whom all kids can identify.
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The new Neostrata Restore PHA Renewal Pads are designed to balance, reset and prime your skin for other regimen products to follow while also helping to remove remaining traces of dirt and impurities after cleansing. These tonic pads are pre-soaked with 4% Polyhydroxy Acid (PHA), formulated without parabens, dye-free, dermatologist and allergy tested making them suitable for sensitive skin. Neostrata is committed to creating a world where all people are confident to show their skin and reveal their true tone.
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Finally, a refreshing approach to removing menstrual stains without fuss, embarrassment, or the ‘taboo’, gives you peace of mind that your favourite underwear will continue to look new, even if stains happen.
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Remover is formulated to gently remove all stubborn menstrual stains, even old, previously washed ones, restoring underwear, linen and clothing to their former glory. The certified organic formula is plant and water-based, locally, and ethically made containing zero toxins making it good for you and the environment.
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Hugo Apothecary is a luxurious, consciously crafted skincare brand on a mission to deliver clean and sustainable products that conform to the highest standards. Ethically sourced vegan ingredients contain no toxins or fillers. Each product delivers potent concentrations of plant actives that are known for their nourishing vitamins, essential fatty acids, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory properties. Every scoop, drop and slather is a sensorial, indulgent experience that can make an extraordinary difference for your skin and for the planet.
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Freediver BETH NEALE is living out her childhood dreams of being a mermaid while championing the cause for ocean conservation – with her little water baby daughter by her side.
BY WANITA NICOL LOCATION THE TWO OCEANS AQUARIUM HAIR & MAKE-UP CARINA PEREIRA @RINAPEREIRA
PHOTOGRAPHY
STYLING
TEGAN SMITH & WARDROBE MAGDEL MULLER’ve always felt more at home underwater than on land,” says freediver and ocean conservationist Beth Neale. “It feels like my home and where I belong.” She’s video calling from her house on KZN’s South Coast, but Beth didn’t always live near the sea. “I grew up in Johannesburg, so I’m a landlocked mermaid,” she jokes. Sure enough, with her long hair falling in natural, beachy waves and her serene disposition, Beth is everything one might imagine a real life mermaid to be.
Freediving essentially involves going underwater while holding your breath – something Beth had practised in swimming pools and rock pools during coastal holidays since she was a child. But it was only years later, while living in London, that she thought of trying freediving as a sport. “I was watching one of my favourite movies – freediving classic The Big Blue – and I decided to google ‘freediving London’.”
Beth’s first lesson was 14 years ago at the bottom of a swimming pool in a London gym and her first proper free dive was in a quarry just outside the
city. “Imagine, then, when I moved back to South Africa and did my first ocean-free dive!” Beth exclaims. It was at Aliwal Shoal off the coast of KZN in warm water, teeming with life. “We saw dolphins, sharks… it was just beautiful, blue water. I think my heart just burst open!” Beth had scuba dived before, but this brought a new element of wonder. “Scuba diving is incredible but it’s not being a mermaid. When you are freediving, the marine life comes a lot closer to you. You become part of the underwater world. It’s the most incredible thing that I want everyone to experience for themselves.”
Competitively, freedivers are scored on how deep they can go with or without fins and return safely to the surface. While it looks like a physically demanding sport, Beth says freediving is more of a mental challenge, which has worked in her favour. “Because I’m naturally a calm and relaxed person and because I feel so at home underwater, it came very easily to me. I haven’t had to train much,” she admits. Because South Africa’s turbulent ocean doesn’t lend itself to depth training, Beth hasn’t had the opportunity to train in that part of the
sport. Instead, she has focused on setting records, which she uses as opportunities to raise funds and awareness for ocean conservation and teaching children freediving. She’s broken 4 South African national freediving records and most recently, she and her husband, Miles Cloutier, set a Guinness World Record for the longest underwater kiss – which they achieved on Valentine’s Day this year. “People think it was my idea, but It was Miles’s idea. He saw the record and he was like, we can totally do this. We landed up with 4:06 (four minutes, six seconds). We smashed the old record!”
How long Beth can hold her breath underwater.SEQUIN TOP WITCHERY; TOP AND SKIRT INDONI FASHION HOUSE BY EDGARS
A DOLPHIN ONCE GAVE ME A PANSY SHELL. I SAW HIM DIGGING IN THE SAND WITH HIS NOSE AND HE CAME SWIMMING WITH IT BALANCED ON HIS NOSE AND DROPPED IT INTO MY HAND.”
Beth met Miles while running a programme in Bermuda, teaching children freediving and ocean conservation. He worked in finance and had never really spent time underwater. Beth, who is a master freediving instructor, taught him freediving and today he is an accomplished freediver and self-taught underwater videographer. Using his skills and Beth’s experience working for a wildlife filmmaking company, the couple started a documentary TV series Freediving Diaries.
It was on the eve of filming the first season that they discovered Beth was pregnant. “We were about to cross the border into Mozambique for eight weeks of 4x4ing, rooftop camping, driving on bumpy roads, going on bumpy boats…in the moment I was really concerned, about malaria as well.But it was absolutely fine,” says Beth – apart from ever-present nausea, that is. “To have all those experiences with my daughter Neve growing inside me was
just so special.”
Now a year and a half, Neve is a water baby. “We go swimming every
day. She absolutely loves it – which is a relief! Imagine if she didn’t,” Beth laughs. Little Neve even asks to go underwater, opening her eyes and smiling at her mommy. “The first time she did that was probably the happiest moment of my life,” Beth beams.
Beth and Miles are currently developing a family freediving series and Neve travels with them wherever they go. “It’s certainly challenging to travel with a baby and, now a toddler, but it’s so important to us for her to be a part of it. I’m very blessed that I’m in the position where my greatest passion is my life and what I do.”
Q Can you tell us about your work with children through Aqua Souls?
Aqua Souls was founded to teach children freediving and ocean conservation. I’m one of the leaders in the world in teaching children freediving. I’ve taught thousands of children. I’ve seen the positive effect that it has on them and how it changes their lives on so many levels and I really wanted to grow that.
Q What equipment do you need to start freediving?
Basic equipment – mask, snorkel, fins. There’s also no-fins freediving, which is my favourite. And then depending on where you’re going, a wetsuit. And a weight belt, depending on how deep you’re going. The primary thing is to find a good instructor who’s part of an organisation and to do a course.
Q How has freediving impacted other areas of your life?
I use the breathing to help calm me down. And my achievements have made me realise what I’m capable of and made me more confident.
Q What tips do you have for introducing babies to the water?
Start as soon as you can to familiarise your baby with the water. The earlier they start swimming, the more they can use their natural instincts to go underwater and hold their breath. Find a good instructor who understands about babies going underwater and
holding their breath. A good way to tell is to ask about the mammalian dive reflex – if they don’t know about it, take your baby somewhere else.
Q What’s your favourite underwater creature?
So tough, but I’d have to choose a dugong, the original mermaid. I’ve only ever seen one and dolphins. I swam with dolphins when I was pregnant with Neve. They use their sonar to scan our bodies and they can see when you’re pregnant. They love pregnant women because they love babies. They’re very similar to us in terms of their family structures. So, to be able to swim with dolphins and have those interactions with them while being pregnant was unbelievable.
Q What legacy would you like to leave for your daughter?
I’ve dived in oceans that are pristine and thriving, but I’ve also been to places where you can see the effects of overfishing and the many challenges facing the ocean – plastic, pollution, chemical spillage – and the legacy I’d like Neve to experience is oceans that are protected and thriving. You can see that in marine protected areas and I think South Africa is doing a good job in creating marine protected areas. If the oceans can be like those all over, that would be amazing.
We would like to thank our sponsors, the Two Oceans Aquarium and Treger Brands for their contribution in Beth’s cover shoot. Shot on location at the Two Oceans Aquarium; Treger Brands for Beth’s Citizen Promaster Ecodrive watch.
Follow Beth on her under water adventures at @onebreathbeth
We all remember “The Slap Heard Around the World.”
Although the jokes surrounding the regrettable moment that Will Smith slapped comedian, Chris Rock seem to centre on two men; the real story belongs to women. Let’s shed light on hormonal hair loss.
BY CELESTE STRYDOM
loss in both men and women. Androgens, male hormones also present in women, play a key role in hair growth and can contribute to hair loss when levels are imbalanced. For example, dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a derivative of testosterone, can cause hair follicles to shrink and eventually stop producing new hair growth. Hormonal changes can also affect the hair growth cycle, causing more hairs to enter the shedding phase at once, resulting in increased hair loss.
Dr Lubelwana explains: “In General, cyclical hormonal changes are a constant feature in women’s lives. These changes have different impacts on different people. Just like some
Hair loss is a profoundly personal experience for women. It’s not just about losing strands of hair; it’s about losing a part of their identity. For women, hair is a symbol of beauty and vitality. It’s a feature that can make or break feelings related to their appearance, and losing it can be devastating. We spoke to Dr Sibu Lubelwana, an Obstetrician and Gynaecologist practising in KwaZulu Natal, about hormones’ role in hair loss.
Unlike men, who are expected to lose their hair as they age, women’s hair loss is often stigmatized. Society has placed immense pressure on women to have thick, luscious hair. This can cause women to feel ashamed or embarrassed about their hair loss, leading to feelings of isolation and low self-esteem.
Women should be celebrated for who they are, not judged based on their hair or lack thereof. While we wait for society to catch up, we acknowledge that hair loss is not just a physical experience for women. It’s an emotional one that can significantly impact their self-esteem.
We’ve all found clumps of our tangled locks on the shower floor, and many
have wondered if the amount we pick up after each wash is “normal.” While losing between 50 to 100 hairs per day is normal, losing more than that can be a cause for concern.
Hair loss, or alopecia, is a common condition that affects both men and women. Various factors, including genetics, age, medications, and hormonal imbalances, can cause it. Hair fall is natural and part of the body’s hair growth cycle. Hair loss occurs when new hair doesn’t replace the hair we have shed.
Hormones can significantly impact hair
teenagers will experience acne and others not during puberty, the sequela of hormonal changes in menopause may differ from person to person.”
Puberty - increased reproductive hormones can stimulate oil resulting in greasy hair and increased hair growth. Pregnancy- increased progesterone and estrogen prolong the growth cycle, which causes less shedding and leads to the appearance of thicker hair. Increased Stress HormonesIncreased levels of cortisol and adrenalin disrupt the hair’s life cycle.
Stress hormones also suppress estrogen, which is needed for hair growth.
Thyroid Imbalances- Hypothyroidism can also lead to hair loss.
Menopause - During and after menopause, less estrogen is produced, and the effects of testosterone increase, which affects the hair follicles and leads to thinning. Menopausal hair loss usually leads to thinning in the front of the scalp.
If your hair loss is causing you concern, it’s time to seek professional advice. Dr Sibu urges patients to ensure that treatable causes are identified and treated but to steer clear of home remedies that may cause more harm than good.
• Is your diet rich in Iron, fatty acids and vitamin D?
• Do acute stressors play a role?
Balance those hormones
Speak to your gynaecologist or GP about your symptoms and see what they can advise or offer to correct imbalances.
Feed your follicles
• Explore ‘Traction Alopecia’. This is hair loss caused by hairstyles that pull on the hair from the follicles. Patients experiencing menopausal symptoms like hot flushes, insomnia and mood swings may benefit from Hormone Therapy. Where hair loss is an isolated symptom, Dr Lubelwana says HT is not the first treatment option. “I normally refer the patient to a Dermatologist for further investigation. Where we’ve excluded all treatable causes, the problem is mainly in the follicle; patients might benefit from a referral to a hair transplant specialist.”
Hormone-related hair changes could include:
• Brittle hair
• Dry hair
• Oily hair
• Greying hair
Good hair is grown in the kitchen. Eat a balanced diet rich in protein, biotin, vitamins A, C, D, and E, zinc, B, Iron, and essential fatty acids. Think oats, carrots, spinach, avocado, prunes, eggs, berries, salmon, and beans. Sugar, alcohol and greasy foods are the bad guys here.
Destress your Tresses
We’ve explained how stress impacts on your hormones. Find ways to manage your stress. Exercise and meditation are always gentle places to start.
Dial back on heat styling, use gentle products, don’t brush too hard, and don’t pull your hair into tight styles. Don’t give up hope to all those suffering from hormonal hair loss. Menopause is a milestone to be celebrated. Of course, it comes with many other troubling symptoms, but simplify your life and deal with them one step at a time. See your doctor so that you can be assessed. Seek professional help early to achieve the best outcomes and get back to feeling comfortable in the skin you’re in!
Forteve is the culmination of years of intensive research that have made Lamelle Pharmaceuticals a leader regarding skin barrier repair solutions. We’ve proven that effectively treating impaired barrier skin conditions, such as atopic dermatitis extends beyond simply replenishing the stratum corneum (the outermost layers of your epidermis) with lipids. These also have to be arranged in a very specific pattern – one that mimics your natural lipids – to be optimally effective.
Thus, NEW Forteve is the only skin barrier repair system using a patented pseudoceramide that, once applied to the skin, undergoes a phase transformation, arranging itself into multiple layers as well as the correct patterns that replicates the unique properties of the epidermal lipid bi-layer. The result? Healthy, hydrated skin that can hold onto its newfound moisture.
Growing up around bees, Helena van der Westhuizen has always known how valuable bees are to our planet and the amazing benefits that come from bee products, so when she discovered that she was allergic to the synthetic ingredients commonly found in commercial cosmetic products, the pieces of the puzzle came together, and Simply Bee was started in 2011.
We chatted to Helena about how her personal experiences led her to start Simply Bee, a thriving business with a range of natural beeswax products that are sustainable and environmentally friendly for both the body and the home; and the importance of educating consumers about the many benefits of
natural beeswax products and ethical and responsible beekeeping.
My father was a beekeeper and from a young age, I learned about the many benefits of bees and bee products. After discovering I was allergic to most commercial cosmetics due to the alcohol and parabens found in them, I realized I had all these amazing natural ingredients to work with instead. After much research I started Simply Bee products and what a great journey it has been! We now have over 70 products in our range and my husband, and I are very proud to be able to
continue with the hard work and the legacy my father left behind. I will be forever thankful to him.
Believe in what you are doing, set your goals and your standards for your company and stick to them.
As a woman, my biggest challenge has been to draw a line between business and family life. Family life should always come first and finding a good balance is not always easy. It took 12 years of searching for the right
person to take charge of the business so that I can spend more time with my family and concentrate on my true passion for formulating products and new ideas for the business.
I had three goals when starting Simply Bee: To provide an all-natural product, to place a product in the market that was the best quality but still affordable and to create jobs for people in our town – and I am very proud to say that we have achieved all 3 and continue to grow these goals.
I am motivated by the fact that my passion to formulate products can help people and create more jobs for women. Having the opportunity to embrace and support the talents of women in my business is very empowering and satisfying. Currently, we are a 95% female-run company!
A big goal for Simply Bee is to create ongoing awareness about bees and their conservation for the future. We as humans cannot live without bees - as Einstein said, “If the bee disappeared
Simply Bee has more than 450 stockists in South Africa and exports internationally; you can see a full list of stockists online.
off the face of the Earth, man would only have four years left to live.” This is why it is so important that we promote ethical and responsible beekeeping.
Master your mindset. Your mindset doesn’t simply influence the way you
think, it also impacts the way you act and how you present yourself. Speak up, be confident and proud! It’s important to find your voice and use it. Take a step-by-step approach. Learn to embrace rejection and how to change a negative into a positive and use it to your advantage. Learn from your team and keep the end goal in mind.
For more information about Simply Bee products and to shop online, visit www.simplybee.co.za.
the teen years can be a confusing time plagued with uncertainty, low self-esteem, bullying, and insecurity that can make a teenager feel depressed, turn to substances to cope or even think of suicide.
“One thing to realise is whether or not your teen is having challenges it is important to #checkin and offer love, support and willingness to navigate through the hurdles,” says Cassey Chambers, Head of Operations at the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG).
Anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder are some of the mental ailments plaguing teens.
“Life these days is very stressful and the added pressure on teens does not make it any easier, however being aware of your child and learning more about mental health will keep you in good stead if the situation arises,” explains Life Coach, Razia Mohamed.
Most teens feel anxious, and anxiety is a natural part of life. When it begins to affect your quality of life. The quality of life is adversely affected when a teen worries excessively that or the feeling of not being able to cope with life situations.
Depression affects teenagers far more often than we realise but isn’t a reason for panic. It is treatable - it is unfortunate when teens and their parents ignore the symptoms and never receive help.
Depression is a serious health condition. It isn’t just a phase of moodiness. “The good news is your support, love and guidance as a parent can help your teen navigate their feelings and get their lives back on track,” Chambers says.
Depression can manifest in rebellious
behaviour and you may think your teen is acting out but if they show the following signs you may want to dive deep into the problem:
Ongoing negative moods Crying, hopelessness, irritability, anger and agitation are some of the prominent mood indicators.
Difficulty Learning - Low energy and lack of concentration at school which may result in poor attendance, performance and increased frustration.
No interest in activities Hobbies/sports/cultural activities they were once interested in no longer catch their attention.
Decreased interest in family and friends or even running away - “Running away is a big sign that something is wrong and is usually a cry for help,” Chambers says
Substance Abuse - Try to manage their depression teens may try and numb their feelings through drugs and other substances. Another way to numb the pain is through increased screen time which further isolates the depressed teen.
Low self-esteem Depression may cause your teen to be insecure or inadequate. It may intensify feelings of shame, worry, or failure.
Reckless behaviour and violence - Teens suffering from depression may be self-
destructive or apathetic about their
Change in sleep and diet Sleeping more or less and eating more or less can be worrying.
Depression is a tough thing to endure and the road to dealing with it may not be easy but there are many ways to combat it and live a normal and healthy life.
“It’s interesting to note,” Mohamed says, “that adult and teen depression may not present in the same way.” For teens, anger/irritability, unexpected body pains, extreme sensitivity to criticism and withdrawal from certain (not all) people are prominent symptoms of depression.
“The important thing to remember is to create a safe space for your teen to share their feelings and fear - do this without judgement or shame and let them know with absolute certainty that you are there |for them no matter what, “ emphasises Chambers.
PTSD is a trauma experienced after being exposed to trauma like witnessing violence, disasters, accidents, sexual abuse, physical abuse or loss of family members, divorce and abandonment. Teens are
not immune to PTSD from traumas and can suffer the following symptoms:
• vivid flashbacks - as though the trauma is happening right now.
• night terrors - nightmares
• stressful thoughts and reminders of the trauma.
• physical manifestations - pain, sweating, nausea or trembling.
Whether your teen is experiencing anxiety, depression or PTSD it is important to #checkin.
A simple “How are you,” conversation will open the lines of communication. It can be done while preparing dinner, before bedtime or even in the car to and from school.
“Listen more, speak less and respond with understanding, don’t
undermine their stresses rather empathise and offer praise,” Mohamed said.
SADAG advises doing a simple Mental Health Check-in, by asking these questions:
• Rate how you’re feeling right now from 1 – 10 (1 is struggling, feeling lost & upset – 10 is feeling great, calm, & happy)
• Ask “How am I really feeling right now?”
• Have I eaten? When last did I walk around or stretch? Have I gone outside today?
• Body check – physical check-in (tense, headache, stiffness, heart rate, breathing, etc.)
• Take a deep breath
• What is taking up most of my headspace right now?
Based on the answers to the questions above, what can we do right now to make myself/yourself/ourselves feel better?
THE IMPORTANT THING TO REMEMBER IS TO CREATE A SAFE SPACE FOR YOUR TEEN TO SHARE THEIR FEELINGS AND FEAR - DO THIS WITHOUT JUDGEMENT OR SHAME AND LET THEM KNOW WITH ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY THAT YOU ARE THERE FOR THEM NO MATTER WHAT,“ EMPHASISES CHAMBERS.
Helping your teen to maintain a healthy mental and emotional mindset can be achieved. Mohamed says, “It is important to encourage sharing feelings in an encouraging manner.”
According to UNICEF, 14% of the
Half
conditions start by
world’s adolescents experience mental health problems.
Globally, among those aged 10–15, suicide is the fifth most prevalent cause of death, and for adolescents aged 15–19, it is the fourth most common cause. Half of all mental health conditions start by the age of 14.
As parents, it’s our responsibility to equip our children with the knowledge they need to make safe decisions. However, leading the conversation seems more complicated than ever with so many complex topics to cover. In this ultimate guide, we remind you that you have what it takes to support your children as they grow and develop.
BY CELESTE STRYDOMTalking openly and honestly with your kids about sex and relationships is an important part of their development and can help them make healthy, informed decisions later in life. The ultimate goal of sex education is to ensure that young people have the knowledge and skills they need to engage in healthy, safe and consensual sexual behaviours and to know when something is inappropriate. By fostering a supportive and nonjudgmental environment, you can help
your kids navigate sex education with confidence and understanding.
Casey Blake is a Registered Counsellor (HPCSA) with a passion for sex education and parenting. She has a special interest in sexual, gender, relationship, and erotic diversity, as well as parenting from self-awareness. Through her workshop series, Tools for Having “The Talks,” Casey helps parents navigate the topic of sex education with their children. Her approach emphasises
open dialogue, honest answers, and lifting the veil of secrecy surrounding sex to create a supportive and nonjudgmental environment for children to learn and ask questions. With her expertise and compassionate approach, Casey is a valuable resource for parents seeking guidance on how to talk to their children about sex and relationships. We spoke to Casey to bring you expert tips.
This article has been called a guide, and we’re not backtracking, but it’s
important to remember that no definitive list governs the rules of relationships. An ongoing discussion about sex is part of a healthy and honest relationship between you and your child. So while we will point you in the direction of the guidance you seek, it’s most important to understand that It is simply essential for parents to start the conversation about sex early with their children.
Parents who are open and honest about sex and sexuality with their children from an early age can create an environment of trust and understanding that can help to prevent intimidating conversations later on. Rather than a single “talk” that may feel overwhelming or embarrassing for everyone, discussing sex and sexuality can become a natural part of ongoing conversations throughout a child’s development. By using age-appropriate language and information, parents can provide their children with a gradual understanding of sex and relationships, helping them to feel confident and informed as they grow older. Additionally, being open and honest about these topics can help counteract the often negative and confusing messages children may receive from sources like peers or media.
Casey encourages parents to use the correct names when referring to genitals. This is a really easy place to begin in the earliest years. Using cute names makes speaking about them even harder, inadvertently oversexualising them by implying that accurate names of body parts are somehow sexy and creating shame and silence in these areas. By teaching young children the correct names for their body parts, you can help them develop a shame-free sense of body autonomy and ownership from an early age. Plus, this knowledge can help keep them safe from potential abuse. Children who can identify their private parts are better equipped to recognise inappropriate behaviour and are more
likely to talk about it because they have a regular language to describe situations. Talking openly and honestly about bodily functions like urination and bowel movements can also help develop a child’s understanding of his or her body and how it works. It also lays a good foundation to build on for explaining the functions of sex organs as children grow. If you were not raised by progressive parents, it might feel awkward or uncomfortable initially, but it can make a big difference in supporting your child’s overall health and well-being.
Casey directs us to the valuable resource of the World Health Organization’s Standards for Sexuality Education in Europe, which has guidelines for children from 0-4, and the Unesco guidelines for children aged 5-8 for guidance on sex education.
Here are the age-appropriate sex education guidelines for children according to the WHO:
Ages 0-4:
• Encourage positive attitudes towards sexuality and relationships by providing appropriate affection and responding
• Teach about gender equality, respect for diversity, and non-violent conflict resolution
• Introduce basic anatomy and correct names for body parts
• Teach about healthy relationships, including respect, communication, and boundaries
• Discuss feelings, including those related to crushes and physical attraction
Ages 5-8:
• Discuss puberty, including physical changes and emotional challenges
AS SOCIETY BECOMES MORE DIVERSE AND INCLUSIVE, PARENTS MUST TEACH THEIR CHILDREN EMPATHY AND TOLERANCE TOWARDS PEOPLE OF ALL GENDERS, REGARDLESS OF THEIR PERSONAL BELIEFS.
• Teach about sexual and reproductive health, including contraception, STIs, and pregnancy
• Discuss gender identity, sexual orientation, and the importance of consent
Ages 9-12:
• Provide more detailed information on sexual health, including safe sex practices and the risks associated with sexual activity
• Discuss healthy relationships, including communication, consent, and sexual pleasure
• Provide information on the diversity of sexual orientations and gender identities, and the importance of respecting diversity
Ages 13-18:
• Provide even more detailed information about sexual health and sexual behaviours people might engage in when they’re ready
• Communicate about consent and boundaries, feeling safe and comfortable around people who engage in consent culture outside of sexual contexts
Parents should adjust this information based on their child’s needs
and questions. Additionally, while these guides are powerful, Casey points out that they offer parents the “what” but fail to explain the “how”. How do we have meaningful conversations with our children that we don’t shy away from; and that they don’t tune out of? Well, we start small. That’s the point of remaining open and doing the work when they’re little. When they ask you questions, ask them what they have heard about it before you answer. This gives you an idea of what is really being spoken about in their social circles, both at school and online. Then, as we begin approaching ground that shakes our
confidence, we can lean on support offered by community spaces, counsellors and workshops such as Tools for Having “The Talk”.
As society becomes more diverse and inclusive, parents must teach their children empathy and tolerance towards people of all genders, regardless of their personal beliefs. Gender identity has become a highly politicised issue, and children are often exposed to conflicting views from the media, peers, and even family members. We all have a gender identity (how we identify as a man, woman, or outside of the binary). Regardless of how you feel about the conflicting view around you, teaching children to approach others with kindness and respect is crucial, even if they do not share the same beliefs or experiences. By promoting empathy and tolerance, parents can help create a more inclusive and accepting society for all individuals, regardless of their gender identity. Encouraging open-mindedness and understanding in children can also promote positive mental health and reduce the risk of discrimination and prejudice towards marginalised groups. Teaching children to embrace diversity and respect differences can lead to a more harmonious and equitable society. This might not be something we wish to dwell on, but our priority is to keep our children safe and raise them into healthy adults. We hope they grow up to enjoy happy lives, which ultimately include having a satisfying sex life.
If you would like to attend a Tools for Having “The Talk” workshop or learn more about the fascinating work of Casey Blake, you can visit: https:// whatnowcounselling.co.za
Next time you shop for stunning new eco-chic taps from Italtile to elevate your bathroom beauty, you won’t just be doing your bit to save water at home. You’ll also be helping a small but passionate band of marine biologists and zoologists to research, test and implement sustainable systems that are designed to create safer oceans. If you choose a Tivoli tap, that is.
The Sharklife Project is a collaboration between Italtile and ITD, the distributors of Tivoli taps. The project will see R2 from every Tivoli tap purchased from Italtile donated to the very special shark conservation work of marine biologist Dr Sara Andreotti, in conjunction with Stellenbosch University.
Eco-chic products and green awareness are part and parcel of the Italtile LiveGreen aesthetic. Italtile has been actively finding new ways to express its LiveGreen mandate, in the search for better, more sustainable solutions. Over the years, this has grown into several environmental and community projects, and one of the many focus points of the LiveGreen journey has been around water. This has naturally flowed into the more holistic lensing of water safety: Italtile has been following the progress of marine biologist Sara Andreotti’s SharkSafe Barrier with great interest for some time now.
Italtile, Stellenbosch University and shark conservation. Dr Sara Andreotti completed both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Trieste before relocating to South Africa, where she completed her PhD in marine biology at Stellenbosch University in 2015. Her research, which included more than 500 days at sea, provided the first estimate of the population status and movement of South Africa’s great white shark population. Her important work also revealed that the great white shark population is far more endangered than was previously believed.
Changing the shark conversation. Dr Andreotti’s holistic shark conservation
action programmes are targeted at shifting the narratives around the world’s endangered shark populations. Sharks preserve the health of marine ecosystems, and now that their numbers are declining - mostly due to the impact of human interference, with fear, shark nets and culling - those marine ecosystems are threatened and becoming ever more fragile.
Shark barriers have, in the past, only protected humans. Dr Andreotti and her passionate team of associates and post-graduate research students are changing all that. They work together to publish scientific information in peer review journals that will positively impact shark conservation; to create
tools that will assist in the monitoring of shark population numbers; and to develop alternatives to the shark-cull programmes that will help solve the shark/human conflict.
A humane shark barrier. As part of the effort of promoting a peaceful coexistence between people and sharks, Dr Andreotti, along with other three inventors, started looking at ways for man and shark to share the sea more harmoniously. They saw how sharks stayed away from naturally occurring kelp forests near the seashore. Using biomimicry they engineered a new barrier, called the SharkSafe Barrier, to be a unique,
eco-friendly and shark-specific protective system that will change the game of the shark-human conflict.
From South Africa to the world. The SharkSafe Barrier has been tested in South Africa and The Bahamas since 2012. The latest design was exported and installed in the waters around Reunion two years ago, in the hope that this will be the solution to a problem that had been seriously affecting Reunion’s tourism revenue. Australia, New Caledonia, the Bahamas, Cape Cod and Dubai are all looking with great interest at this sustainable shark-and-human-friendly barrier. The potential for the global expansion of
this unique product, which will not only help restore the ecological balance worldwide but also revitalise coastal tourism economies, is immense; and it all started here, in South Africa.
Behind it all, beautiful living. At Italtile, we believe that beautiful living begins with mindfulness. Italtile’s SharkLife Project began as a small ripple, but it is our fervent hope that it is the beginning of a powerful and positive wave of change and that sustainability becomes an integral, mindful part of everyday life. Our goal? Beautiful living for every body.
Follow the progress of shark conservation and the SharkSafe Barrier development on these platforms:
www.sharksafesolution.co.za
@sharksafebarrier
@SharksafeB
Our oceans and seas cover 70% of the surface of the planet and are an incredibly important resource for life on Earth. They are vast and complex ecosystems that support countless species of animals and plants; they feed us, regulate our climate and generate more than 50% of the oxygen we breathe; however, over the past several decades, human activity has led to a significant increase in pollution with potentially disastrous consequences for the health of the world’s oceans and the life they contain.
BY ELANA BOTHAPollution is one of the most pressing issues that humanity faces today. It is estimated that we dump up to 12 million metric tons into the oceans each year –that’s the equivalent of more than 100 000 blue whales’ worth of plastic. If things don’t start to change soon, by 2050 the plastic in the ocean will outweigh all of the fish.
There is so much plastic in the oceans that the debris has formed what are known as “giant garbage patches”. There are now five of them
around the world, with the largest – the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, now estimated to cover a surface area of 1.6 million square kilometres. To put that into perspective, South Africa covers an area of 1.2 million square kilometres. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is bigger than our entire country and only continues to grow. As astounding and terrifying as that fact is, the ocean pollution that we can see may not even be the worst of it. Scientists estimate that approximately 14 million metric tons of ocean garbage rests on the seafloor, meaning
we’re unlikely ever to be able to reach it or clean it up.
More than 90% of seabirds are estimated to have plastic in their guts.
All of this plastic pollution has devastating effects on marine life - plastic waste is known to entangle and suffocate marine animals and marine wildlife such as seabirds. Whales, fish and turtles mistake plastic waste for prey; ingesting it and then later dying of starvation as their stomachs become filled with plastic. They also suffer from lacerations, infections, reduced ability to swim and internal injuries that can all ultimately lead to a death that could have been avoided.
The longer plastic pollution stays in the Ocean the more it is broken up by sun exposure and wave action into smaller pieces known as microplastics, which are finding their way into the food chain or eventually degrading to release chemicals that further contaminate the ocean.
Reducing pollution means taking steps to minimize the amount of waste and pollutants generated in the first place. We chatted with Candice Mostert, founder and director of Waste-Ed, “By far the greatest impact you can have on the fight against plastic pollution is to simply to reduce your use of single-use plastics“, says Candice. “Avoid using plastic bags, straws, bottles and utensils and instead use reusable items made of metal, glass or cloth as a long-term solution.”
Reusing involves finding new uses for products that would otherwise be thrown away. By reusing products, especially non-recyclable products, we can reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills which helps to reduce pollution.
Over 100 000 sea mammals are killed by plastic in the oceans every year.
For more information on Ecobricks, their drop-off points and all of the other incredible waste-reducing initiatives at Waste-Ed, you can visit their website at www.waste-ed.co.za
A great example of this is the Ecobrick, a plastic bottle stuffed tightly with clean and dry non-recyclable materials that can be used as a building brick; however, as Candice points out, “The Ecobrick is a reaction to a worldwide pollution problem and should only be used as a temporary solution to deal with non-recyclables in a community. The ultimate goal is still to reduce the use of single-use plastics entirely”.
Recycle
Recycling can reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills and reduce the need for new raw materials, which can help to conserve natural resources and reduce pollution.
Do your research on local recycling companies or recycling drop-off points in your area and the items that they can recycle. Start a recycling group with friends and family and take turns doing recycling drop-offs. A little bit of effort on your part can go a long way for the future of the planet.
Rethink
Rethinking involves reconsidering our consumption habits and finding ways to live more sustainably. By rethinking our habits and helping to educate others, we can find ways to reduce the amount of waste we generate and ways to help clean up the mess we have already made.
Local initiatives like Clean C’s Beach Clean Ups are a great way to get involved and have helped to remove over 100 tons of rubbish from the beaches, rivers and communities around Cape Town in the last 4 years.
None of us wants to believe that we may be a part of the problem, but it is time to clean up our act and take action immediately. There is still time, but we have to act NOW. Together we can reverse the damage that has already been done and help to preserve a cleaner, healthier and more sustainable world for ourselves and future generations.
Did you know your tongue is a window to your health? From colour to patches and more, there’s so much your tongue could be telling you if you learnt to speak its curious language.
BY MICHELLE OCTOBER
You may think of your tongue as something that exists simply to help you speak and taste. But it can also be an indicator of your health.
A healthy tongue should be a pink colour, but variations in shade are normal, says Dr Siyamak Saleh, a medical doctor. If your tongue isn’t a healthy pink, it could be cause for concern. Here are some of the signs to look out for.
This could indicate a build-up of plaque and bacteria, which can cause bad breath. To combat this, a tongue scraper is strongly recommended. Tongue scrapers slough off dead cells that contribute to bad breath. “Tongue scraping takes off more bacteria and build-up than a regular toothbrush,” says Dr Nichole Hendricks, qualified dentist at Dentico in Cape Town.
Dr Saleh agrees, noting that poor oral health is linked to chronic conditions like diabetes and heart disease. “That’s why it’s so important to brush and floss teeth regularly, use a tongue scraper, follow a healthy diet, and visit your dentist or doctor for regular check-ups,” he says; however, he advises caution when scraping: “It is important to use gentle pressure and avoid overusing tongue scraping to prevent irritation
or damage.”.
A white tongue can also be indicative of a yeast infection, which is an overgrowth of bacteria. It’s also called candidiasis or thrush and appears as painful, creamy white spots on the tongue. If this happens, see a doctor, who can advise treatment. “The bacteria are usually overstimulated if you have a low immune system. If you’re stressed or if you’re sick, it usually activates that bacteria just to multiply,” says Dr Hendricks.
Oral thrush can also be brought on by using steroid inhalers for asthma, as well as using some medications, adds Dr Saleh. “That’s why I always advise people to rinse their mouths after using it.”
More seriously, lacy white patches on the tongue could be lichen planus, a condition where the immune system attacks the tissues in the mouth. If the white on your tongue can’t be scraped off, see your doctor: it could also be leukoplakia, which is linked to cancer.
If your tongue has smooth, red blotches on it, you could be dealing with something called geographical tongue. “This has a map-like appearance and is associated with stress, a lower immune system and smoking,” says Dr Hendricks. “The symptoms usually include a burning
sensation, as well as an inability to tolerate spicy foods.”
A scaly tongue might indicate psoriasis. “Psoriasis is an autoimmune disorder that causes skin cells to multiply rapidly, resulting in scaly patches and itching,” says Dr Saleh. “It can also affect the mouth, including the tongue.”
Dr Hendricks notes that when this shows up on the tongue, it isn’t necessarily relegated to this area, but could indicate an outbreak throughout the body. “When you see it in the mouth, you know it’s happening everywhere else. That’s the first indication,” she says.
“A glossy and red tongue can indicate several conditions, including deficiencies in iron, vitamin B12, or folic acid,” says Dr Saleh. It could also indicate geographical tongue if the redness presents as blotches.
But most commonly, red tongues are a sign of an allergic reaction, says Dr Hendricks. That could be due to a tongue piercing and an allergic reaction to the material. In other cases, a red tongue could mean anaemia, a reaction to medication or a dry mouth.
“In rare cases, it may also be a sign of more serious conditions such as scarlet fever or Kawasaki disease,” says Dr Saleh. Consult your doctor if these tongue lesions don’t go away or if you’re concerned.
“With immuno-compromised patients, we will see a little purple blotch on the palate, which is cancer or sarcoma, which you’ll see in an HIV-positive patient’s mouth,” says Dr Hendricks. “This would indicate an underlying condition in the body that’s showing up in the mouth.”
Dr Saleh also says that lesions on the tongue could indicate something serious. “If you notice persistent sores or ulcers, lumps or bumps, discolouration, or texture changes on your tongue that do not resolve, experience persistent pain or discomfort, or have difficulty moving
your tongue or speaking, then it is important to see a dentist or doctor for evaluation as they could be a sign of a serious condition,” he says.
It’s important to monitor the appearance of your tongue and watch out for abnormalities. When in doubt, consult your doctor, since what shows
up on your tongue could show up anywhere else in your body, too.
Tongue looking a little ashy? A 2019 study in the journal Nutrients found that taking probiotics had a beneficial effect on reducing oral thrush. Great news! However, not all probiotics are created equal.
Many contain a limited number of microbial species. Since different types of microbes are meant to interact with each other, this makes the supplement less effective. Additionally, freeze-dried probiotics – which come in capsule form – can be a bit frail and at risk of dying off on their way to the gut.
We rate the all-natural Rawbiotics range of fermented probiotics that come in liquid form. With 12 strains and multiple species in the bottle, they more closely mirror the interaction of microbes in nature, making them more effective. They’re also lactose-free and don’t have to be stored in the fridge.
When nature gives you probiotics, don’t let the natural enzymes, lactic acid and live bacteria escape. We don’t freeze-dry, meaning all the good stuff stays put.
While being in nature, eating well and exercising regularly is what builds the foundation of good health, we’re often in the dark about the actual vitamin mix for our unique bodies. Blindly taking any multivitamin on the shelf could mean missing out on what’s really important – and producing expensive pee!
BY MICHELLE OCTOBER
When it comes to taking vitamins, what’s key to remember is that each body’s needs vary. A vegetarian might need different supplementation from a meat eater, for example. “I strongly believe that supplementation should be personalised based on your unique biochemistry and health goals,” says Vanessa Ascencao, nutrition consultant with VDA Nutrition. “Prioritising specific health ailments, like lack of energy, brain fog, metabolic syndrome, nutrient deficiencies, gut health, heart health, diabetes, anxiety, depression, hormonal imbalances and many more should be based on each individual.”
First, look at your diet and make sure it’s full of nutrients. If you’re loading up on processed foods more than you’d like, substitute a few meals for healthy ones (prioritise as many vegetables as you can) and watch your health improve.
Ascencao notes that getting enough sunshine (at least 15 minutes of unprotected sunlight daily helps fill up your vitamin D stores) and regular exercise is also essential. From there, you can make adjustments to your supplementation. “Supplements are simply an adjunct, not a replacement,” says Ascencao. “Get the foundation right and then use supplements to build on this.”
Still, there are a few key nutrients that most of us could be lacking, like iron, Vitamin D3, B12 and magnesium. “When I admit patients to the hospital, I always do blood work for certain essential minerals: calcium, magnesium, phosphate, sodium, zinc and vitamin D,” says Dr Daniela Steyn, physician and owner of Wellness MD Health. “I am surprised at how often people are deficient in these. These
essential compounds help support healthy brain function, skin health, regulation of hormones and digestion.”
Most of the time, we’re sure about definite gaps in our nutritional needs. Diabetes, depression and a hormonal imbalance or just a lack of energy often point you in the direction of which nutrients you’re missing. If you’re
pregnant, eating with a caloric deficit or are recovering from surgery, you might need supplementation, too. But to really pinpoint your needs, consider getting a blood test done to identify what’s lacking. “I feel this is critical so that you don’t overspend on things that you may not need – with nutrition there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’; it should always be based on your lifestyle and goals,” says Ascencao.
Plus, using any supplement could unwittingly be interacting with any other medication you’re on, says Dr Steyn. “Taking too much of any supplement could be harmful. Fat-soluble vitamins, vitamins A, D, E & K, get stored in fat, so if you take too much, you won’t urinate the excess out; it can build up and cause toxicity,” she explains. Another key element not to be overlooked? Your gut. “Often your gut health plays a role in absorption and bioavailability of a product,” says Ascencao. “That is why liposomal technology (meds that come in tiny fat-like particles) and sublingual sprays are so effective as it bypasses the gut and is better utilised.” Liposomal supplements are available for vitamin C and collagen, while sublingual sprays exist for multivitamins, vitamin B12, D3 and even probiotics.
Supplements are not well-regulated in South Africa, but there are ways of finding out if the kind you’re
looking for holds up to a greater quality standard. When analysing those labels, Ascencao recommends finding ones that are free from synthetics, artificial ingredients, GMO preservatives and additives. “You can always contact the company and ask them for certification regarding efficacy,” she says. “A good example would be an Omega 3 fish oil, you want to get a clean low TOTOX score product (this measures oxidation, which could erode the quality of your supplement), free of mercury and PCB’s (polychlorinated biphenyls, a chemical associated with cancer and birth defects).”
Also, look for supplements made by companies that are members of the Health Products Association (HPA). These products are more likely to hold up to higher standards, including compliance with standard South African medical regulations, including ones for safety and overall quality.
“When picking a supplement, make sure you’re getting the right amount for your needs”, says Dr Steyn. This can be done by consulting with your healthcare practitioner on the right supplement and dosage before you hit the supplement aisle. You should also make sure the supplement you choose is free from any allergens you might suffer from. Some common allergens include peanuts and shellfish.
A good diet can elevate your energy levels and might even eliminate the need for supplementation. It’s important to make sure you’re getting a healthy mix of the essential nutrients from your plate, including omegas (from fish and seeds), iron (from dark, leafy greens) and whole grains. If this isn’t always possible, seeing a healthcare practitioner to pinpoint your individual needs is important. You’ll figure out the right amount for you, the correct nutrients and the best way to deliver that to your system.
In the middle of winter, we all find ourselves either trying to avoid flu, or we are busy fighting flu. During colder temperatures in winter, the flu virus multiplies a lot faster and flourishes in your body once breathed in. Since the air is also drier when it is cold, germs hang in the air for much longer.
Make KuraFlo Hypertonic Saline solutions part of your cold and flu prevention this year.
Kuraflo Hypertonic saline draws fluid from the lining of the nose, sinuses, larynx and bronchi to help wash out those trapped bacteria and virus particles. The salt can also help dehydrate the bacteria and virus cells and kill them before they cause a respiratory infection.
If you are fighting the flu virus, Kuraflo Hypertonic saline will help bring down the swelling in the nasal cavities and thin the mucus and phlegm so that it can be coughed or blown out easier, giving you some much needed relief.
Also try our NEW anti-inflammatory, antibacterial & antiseptic KuraFlo Skin Healing Cream now available from selected Clicks stores. Try it and see the difference.
• Skin infections
• Skin Irritations
• Insect bites
• Scar treatment
• Nappy rash
• Cuts & Abrasions
KuraFlo – Helping you Breathe Better and now Feel Better too!
Have you ever got out of bed and not quite felt yourself? Feeling lazy, like you just don’t want to do today? Yes, we all have. Well, we have the answer for you, the Full Body Morning Energiser Workout.
Who doesn’t love starting the day with an extra boost of energy? Exercise has the incredible ability to elevate your physical and mental vitality.
5 Colour Fitness Season 13 was inspired by listening to your body and moving with passion. SuperSport’s premiere fitness lifestyle show is here to help keep you active and healthy! And if that’s not enough motivation, join their 5-Week Lifestyle Reset by going following @fha_fitnesshealthactive. There are weekly prizes to be won!
Join the teams every morning and afternoon on SuperSport 207 at 7am and 5pm. If you can’t, why not try this morning energiser!
The full-body energiser engages your entire body, waking you up and energising you for the day ahead.
Do 3 sets, 30 sec for each exercise with 15 sec rest between each exercise.
• Jumping squats
• Mountain climbers
• Side lunges
• Dips
• Plank
Remember to focus on your posture and contracting your muscles while completing each exercise.
Go at you own pace, remember to breathe, and listen to your body. For more tips follow @fha_fitnesshealthactive.
Enter the Cloudsurfer from On, opening the door to a new dimension of soft cushioning with computer-optimized technology. The cutting-edge CloudTec Phase™ midsole technology delivers an incredibly smooth ride for landings like you've never felt before. Make waves in the Cloudsurfer and run towards a more sustainable future, with optimized recycled content and water-saving dope dye technology.
Gluten-free diets have become increasingly popular in recent years, especially due to the growing awareness of gluten-related disorders. Nabila Mayet-Cassim explores gluten, the foods that contain it and also medical conditions aggravated by gluten, symptoms of gluten intolerance and what to eat on a gluten-free diet.
According to Dr Elenia Kolokotronis, Clinical Nutritionist and Nutritional Psychologist(www.Elenia-K.com), “Gluten, found in the wheat plant, is a naturally found protein in some grains such as wheat, barley and rye.”
“Gluten is naturally occurring but can be extracted, concentrated and added to food and other products to add protein, texture and also acts as a binder to hold processed foods together and give them shape,” she says.
Gluten intolerance can cause major discomfort and may cause diarrhoea, constipation, fatigue, headaches, bloating, abdominal pain and nausea. While it is normal to experience these digestive issues on occasion, it is when it happens often that it can indicate an underlying gluten intolerance or even celiac disease.
Gluten intolerance may have some of
the same symptoms as celiac disease but while celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder, gluten intolerance is a sensitivity to food containing gluten in it. If you suspect celiac disease the best option is to visit your medical doctor who will carry out blood and other tests for a prognosis.
For individuals who are diagnosed with being gluten intolerant, there are some benefits to omitting gluten. It may have
a positive effect on weight, sinuses, fertility (a more stable weight leads to more hormone balance and less inflammation leads to more balanced hormone function) and inflammations in joints and muscles to name a few advantages when omitting gluten.
“As a Nutritionist, I rarely advocate for any diets unless absolutely necessary. We should also be mindful that stress plays a major part in what we eat and how we digest it. The stress response causes digestion to be suppressed so the body can divert its resources to trigger fight or flight responses. Stress can cause bloating, constipation, weight gain that may resemble a gluten or dairy intolerance when all it actually is, is the stress response on their bodies,” Dr Kolokotronis says.
Foods with gluten provide us with soluble fibre, protein, and nutrients. A slice of organic whole wheat flour
necessary for the bodies that can process it.
We can easily see that it is not so much the gluten and the natural wheat plant that is the issue but how we have moved from natural, clean eating and living, to an eating regime where food is always ready, always available and
disease if you don’t have celiac disease and can eat gluten without trouble. Of course, future research could change this. We may someday learn that at least some people without celiac disease or symptoms of the intestinal disease are better off avoiding gluten.”
He also mentions that the negatives
bread versus an industrialised processed wheat product like a cracker with a shelf life of a year has very different responses within our bodies. The refined products using wheat (gluten) have very little resemblance to the actual wheat plant and product – which can be highly nutritious and
always processed – often stripping away the natural goodness and nutrition from most foods we eat.
According to Dr Robert H. Shmerling, Senior Faculty Editor at Harvard Health Publishing “There is no compelling evidence that a gluten-free diet will improve health or prevent
of gluten have been oversold. Instead of following these fad social media diets from influencers, celebrities and sports personalities, it’s best to consult your doctor about your specific health and needs.
“Gluten-free foods tend to be more expensive than conventional foods. It reminds me of the organic food option: People are often willing to pay much higher prices for foods they think are healthier. The problem is that there is
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little or no proof that these foods are actually better for you,” writes Dr Shmerling.
So in the end, If you feel well and have no digestive symptoms, enjoy your good health and gluten in moderation. On the flip side, if omitting it helps you then work closely with your doctor, nutritionist or dietician to find a balance that works for you.
• Grains - wheat, barley, rye
• Processed oats - oats are naturally gluten-free it may be contaminated with gluten during processing.
• Bread, wraps and crackers - white bread, whole wheat bread, potato bread, rye bread, wheat crackers, whole wheat wraps, flour tortillas, flatbreads, bagels.
• Baked treats - cakes, biscuits, pastries, doughnuts, pancakes, waffles
• Condiments - sauces, salad dressings, marinades, spice blends.
• Pasta (wheat-based) - noodles, spaghetti, gnocchi
• Snacks - pretzels, cereal/granola bars, chips, cookies, snack mixes
• Drinks - instant coffee / hot chocolate, cordial mixes
• Processed foods - processed cheese/meat, canned soups, instant pudding/cake mixes, cereals, fried foods.
• Gluten-free whole grains - quinoa, brown/wild rice, buckwheat, sorghum, gluten-free oats
• Fresh fruit and vegetables
• Proteins -legumes (beans, lentils, peas), nuts and seeds, red meat, poultry, seafood
• Dairy products - milk, cheese, cream, butter/ ghee, sour cream, yoghurt
• Fats and Oils - olive/coconut/avocado oil, butter, ghee
Nursery school is the right time for your child to learn pre-skills needed for primary school. Come and see our pre-school in action. Ask us any questions you may have about your child’s milestones.
Pathways is a private nursery school for boys and girls aged 14 months to 5 years Part of the Holy Rosary family.
The Blue Transformation is a United Nations initiative to realise the potential of the oceans in supporting global food security.
Seafood is full of important nutrients, such as zinc, iron, vitamins A and B12 as well as omega-3 fatty acids all essential for human health. Oily fish such as salmon and herring contain pound-for-pound more essential nutrients than nuts, grains, meat, leafy veg or seeds. Research has shown that, when consumed in seafood, these nutrients are better absorbed and utilized by the body than nutrients from vegetables and food supplements.
Fishing has a lower environmental impact than land-based animal farming because it uses very little land or fresh water and doesn’t require feed or fertilisers.
Eating wild-caught seafood results in less than one-tenth the amount of carbon dioxide associated with red meat. It also has a lower carbon footprint than cheese or chicken. Certain kinds of seafood, including small fish such as herring, mackerel and sprat have lower carbon emissions than rice and corn, while also being some of the most nutritious fish to eat.
There are over 2,200 species of wild-caught seafood and 600 farmed, yet most of us only regularly eat a small number of different fish. In South Africa, the 3 most popular types of
seafood account for nearly three-quarters of all seafood consumption.
The earliest definitive evidence of early humans eating aquatic animals dates back to 1.95 million years ago in Kenya. It was around this time that bigger-brained humans started to evolve.
Seafood is the most highly traded commodity in the global food system, with trade doubling in both quantity and value between 1998 – 2018. The annual value of the international trade of seafood is USD$151 billion – worth more than five times the trade value of coffee and around US$30 billion more than sugar. This makes seafood essential to many national economies.
result in an increase in global annual seafood production by 16 million tonnes – enough to meet the protein needs of an additional 72 million people per year.
Global demand for seafood is expected to double by 2050. To meet this increasing demand and feed a growing global population, governments must support and recognize fisheries that are managing the ocean sustainably. We’re also likely to be eating more farmed fish.
By buying seafood with the MSC blue label, or the green ASC label on farmed fish, you will be supporting responsible fishers helping to ensure an ocean full of life and delicious seafood for future generations to enjoy. Thursday 8 June 2023 marks the UN’s 15th World Oceans Day, created as a way to celebrate our world’s shared ocean and our connection to the sea. The MSC highlights the importance of wild-caught seafood in sustaining a growing global population, to mark World Oceans Day. With a campaign tagline ‘Let’s make a deal with the ocean’, the MSC is challenging consumers to enter into a hypothetical contract with the Ocean: What would this collaboration agreement look like? What kind of commitment would we sign? The Ocean offers so much to human life on Earth. But asks us for a commitment in return. How will you be doing your part for the Ocean this World Ocean Day?
600 million people depend on seafood for employment. And it’s not just fishermen – more than half of those working in the seafood sector are women. Fishing is also engrained in the culture of many coastal communities.
By taking care of the ocean and only fishing what it can provide, we can catch more fish. Ending overfishing could
To learn more, access the MSC’s ocean sustainability educational resources, or to make your pledge this World Ocean Day, scan the QR code or visit www.msc.org/
WorldOceanDay
Article adapted from www.msc.org
Coastal foraging is the practice of collecting wild edible resources along the coast, including plants, shellfish, and other seafood. This practice has a long history in South Africa, dating back thousands of years to the earliest human inhabitants of the region.
By Elana BothaThe indigenous Khoisan people of South Africa were skilled foragers who relied on the sea and surrounding coastal areas for their livelihood. They harvested shellfish, fish, and other seafood using traditional tools such as hooks, nets, and spears. They also collected a variety of edible plants and fruits from the coastal regions, which provided them with a diverse and nutritious diet.
With the arrival of colonial powers in South Africa in the 17th century, coastal foraging became increasingly difficult for the indigenous people. The Dutch and British colonialists claimed ownership of the land and introduced
new laws and regulations that restricted access to coastal resources.
Despite these challenges, the tradition of coastal foraging has persisted among some communities in South Africa. Today, coastal foraging is practised by a small but dedicated group of people who are passionate about traditional food and sustainable harvesting practices. They use traditional tools and methods to collect a variety of wild edible resources from the coast, including seaweed, mussels, limpets, and other shellfish.
Coastal foraging in South Africa is now recognised as an important cultural practice and a valuable source
of local food. It also has the potential to promote sustainable and ethical food practices, as foragers prioritise the health of the environment and the preservation of wild resources.
Roushanna Gray was inspired by the natural world around her and the exciting and diverse wild flavours found in the local mountains, veld, forests, and gardens to start Veld and Sea, a Cape-Town based business that offers workshops where people can learn and experience the joy of foraging.
The wide range of delicious and nutritious culinary offerings from the beautiful inter-tidal rock pools and kelp forests along the South African
• Excellent source of protein and fibre
• Kelp contains more vitamins and minerals than any other food – a total of 60 trace mineral elements, 13 vitamins and 20 amino acids.
• Kelp is higher in calcium than cow’s milk
• It has antioxidant and diuretic properties
• High in iodine, which makes it great in the treatment for hyperthyroidism
• Kelp has zero calories
coastline plays a major role in her cooking and teaching and she has some advice for the best ways to maintain sustainable and responsible coastal foraging.
• Be sensitive to the coastal ecosystem when foraging and take only what you need for your own
personal use. If something seems to be in short supply, leave it alone.
• Make sure you’re doing it legally and have the correct permits to legally collect both shellfish and seaweed. These can be obtained from your local post office or online. Remember that it’s illegal to collect plants from
parks and reserves or to collect seaweed from marine-protected areas. The most common thing to forage for along the coastline is mussels! Try to collect the invasive Mediterranean mussels as they are the fastest growing and can outcompete our local species.
• Foraging for sea vegetables is a sustainable seafood choice as they form the bottom of the ocean food chain. Seaweeds are an overlooked and underutilised source of food and nutrition, and each species has its own unique set of flavours and nutrients. Once you learn when and how to pick, and how best to prepare and preserve each seaweed or sea vegetable, there are endless new recipes to enjoy!
• Invest in a local beach guidebook like Two Oceans or, even better, take a class or a course to learn about legal, responsible, sustainable and regenerative foraging practices. From
One of the greatest challenges for human wellbeing in the 21st century will be to focus on the advantage of having a healthy colon and therefore a good immune system – this is where probiotics can play a significant role.
Probiotics are critical for normal digestion and for defence against infection. Bacteria in the gut are known to:
• Stimulate the immune system
• Enhance the mucosal barrier
• Aid digestion and break down toxins
• Inhibit adherence of pathogens
A good probiotic can be beneficial in the following ailments:
• Diarrhoea or constipation
• Bad breath, gas and bloating
• Irritable bowel and lactose intolerance
• Gastroenteritis and playschool diseases in young children
wild mushrooms to seaweeds and shellfish, edible weeds and flowers, to roots, shoots and more – every season has its own incredible flavour profile on offer.
Executive Chef, Keshan Rambarun, an experienced forager who ran foraging experiences during his time at the Table Bay hotel says: “The Western Cape boasts a diversity of ecosystems and landscapes where an exciting array of native plants can be discovered to experiment with in cooking.”
“Foragers, including local people, are pleasantly surprised to learn about the choice of wild plants available to them for use in their cooking. While cooking with fynbos has gained popularity, there are countless other plants which can be picked from the wild to give character to dishes.”
For instance, edible flowers like hibiscus blooms, with their cranberrylike flavour and citrus overtones, are used as a colourful and delightful addition to salads, while nasturtium blossoms, with their sweet yet spicy flavour, are an ideal ingredient for open sandwiches and savoury appetisers.
“Our foraging expeditions appealed to the innate hunter-gatherer instinct that resides in many of us, and provide an interactive and enlightening
platform to learn more about harnessing the fruits of our natural surroundings to be creative in the kitchen. “These experiences are quintessentially South African,” says Keshan.
Coastal foraging in South Africa is a rich and longstanding tradition that has played an important role in the cultural and culinary heritage of the region. It has persisted among some communities and is now recognized as a valuable source of local food and an important cultural practice.
As awareness about sustainable
and ethical food practices continues to grow, coastal foraging has the potential to become a model for how we can gather food in a way that promotes environmental health and sustainability. By preserving and celebrating this tradition, we can honour the history and culture of South Africa and work towards a more sustainable and equitable future.
For more information or to join one of these incredible foraging experiences, contact Veld and Sea at www. veldandsea.com.
“THE WESTERN CAPE BOASTS A DIVERSITY OF ECOSYSTEMS AND LANDSCAPES WHERE AN EXCITING ARRAY OF NATIVE PLANTS CAN BE DISCOVERED TO EXPERIMENT WITH IN COOKING.”
Sustainable seafood recipes that will make you feel good
| Imagery by David LoftusServes 2
220g or 2 tins MSC tuna in olive oil
Olive oil (a good drizzle)
Pinch of salt
1 tsp tomato puree
1 red pepper, de-seeded and diced
175ml passata
1 tsp capers - rinsed in cold water
2 tbsp chopped black olives
1 bay leaf
250g dried spaghetti
50g parmesan cheese – freshly grated or shaved
salt and pepper to taste
1. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large frying pan. Then add the tomato puree and fry over medium heat for 1 minute.
2. Add the peppers and fry for a few minutes until they have softened (al dente).
3. Add the tuna and stir everything gently to blend the ingredients. Then add the passata, capers, olives and bay leaf and then stir and leave the sauce to heat through on low heat. Stir occasionally.
4. Meanwhile bring a pan of water to boil, adding a pinch of salt. Add the spaghetti and cook until al dente (not too soft) according to the instructions on the packet. Drain the spaghetti when cooked and lift it into 2 warm serving bowls.
5. Turn the heat up under the sauce, stir
Ingredients
well and season to taste with salt and pepper.
6. Spoon the sauce over the spaghetti, add a sprinkle of parmesan cheese and serve. Enjoy!
Tuna is fished across the world, and one of the consequences of widespread tuna fishing has been dolphin bycatch. Bycatch is when fishermen catch something that they were not trying to catch – it could be a seabird, a marine mammal or a fish that is too small or not supposed to be caught by those fishermen. Tuna must be fished sustainability to make sure we can continue to enjoy tuna in the future and protect other marine species.
Serves 4
Burgers
450g MSC-certified haddock
1 egg
2 tbsp fish/seafood stock
3 tbsp chopped dill
1 tbsp salt pinch black pepper
4 hamburger buns
8 lettuce leaves
1 big tomato
Optional: Potatoes to bake in the oven
Roe Sauce
200ml crème fraiche
2 tbsp mayonnaise
3 tbsp MSC-certified red lumpfish roe
1 red onion
2-3 tbsp chopped dill
1 tbsp lemon juice
Pinch salt
Pickled Fennel
1 piece fennel
100 ml vinegar
100 g powdered caster sugar
300 ml water
1. First make the pickled fennel, by mixing the ingredients for the 1-2-3 syrup in a small pan. Heat and let it boil. Stir and let cool. Cut the fennel thinly using either a knife or mandolin. Place fennel in the syrup to pickle for at least 30 min before serving.
2. Roughly dice the haddock fillets and then in a blender, mix them into a batter with eggs and spices. Shape 4 patties.
3. Roe sauce: Mince or finely dice the red onion and dill. Mix all ingredients in a small bowl and add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Cut potatoes in half. Top with rapeseed oil and salt. Then cook in the oven at 200 degrees until they are golden brown.
5. Pan-fry your haddock patties in butter for 2-3 minutes on each side. Then start to build your burger firstly with a generous layer of roe sauce on one half of the bun.
6. Then add the lettuce, tomato, haddock burger and fennel.
7. Serve (with your potatoes if you wish) and enjoy!
You can make the pickled fennel, roe sauce and the haddock patties (store them in the fridge) in advance.
Serves 4
750g MSC-certified white fish (hake/ haddock)
250-300g frozen spinach
1 cup (70g) cauliflower or broccoli
1 leek
400-500g cottage cheese
1 tsp nutmeg
70-100g concentrated tomato puree
50-100 ml water
3-4 lasagne sheets (natural or green, with spinach)
1 cup (70g) grated cheese and parmesan (mix 2 kinds of cheese for taste)
2 tbsp flour (or spelt flour)
sea salt and black pepper
oil for frying
1. First, preheat the oven to 180 °C. Then, cut the fish into pieces, generously coat them in flour and place them in a greased baking dish. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Chop the leek finely and cut the cauliflower or broccoli into bite-sized pieces. Defrost the spinach, squeeze out the water and chop finely. Put the vegetables in a pan or wok and fry them briefly.
3. Put the tomato puree and a little water in a pan on the fire and let it simmer a little. Season with salt and pepper. Then grate the nutmeg into
the cottage cheese and spread it over the fish. Then lay the lasagne leaves on top.
4. Next add a layer of the vegetable mixture and some of the tomato puree mix.
5. Put the baking dish in the oven and bake for 20 minutes covered with aluminium foil with holes. Then sprinkle with the ground cheese and place it back in the oven without the aluminium foil for 20 to 25 minutes.
6. Serve with a green salad or cooked vegetables.
If you have leftovers, remember that next - day lasagne always tastes even better than before!
For more delicious sustainable seafood recipes visit www.msc.org/ ocean-cookbook-2023
Serves 2 Ready in 20 minutes
Olive oil
1 red onion, diced
1 heaped tsp crushed garlic
1–2 Tbsp harissa paste
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 can whole peeled tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 tsp sugar or honey
2 generous handfuls of baby spinach
Salt and black pepper, to taste
1 Tbsp Greek yoghurt
1 Tbsp each chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley and basil
TO SERVE
1 cup Greek yoghurt mixed with ¼ cup hummus + 1–2 tsp extra harissa paste stirred through
Fresh lemon zest and a squeeze of juice
Couscous, flatbread, or pita bread, warmed
Add a dash of olive oil into a large frying pan over medium heat.
Fry the onion, garlic and harissa paste for about 6 minutes, until the onions have softened.
Stir in the chickpeas, tomatoes, sugar, or honey, and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the spinach and season with salt and black pepper.
Swirl through the yoghurt, scatter over the parsley and basil, and serve immediately.
Good + Simple offers a collection of wholesome and delicious recipes for the whole family, specifically designed to be easy to achieve with simple ingredients. Covering a variety of dietary preferences and needs, simple substitutions for the occasional meat-eater, and including five-ingredient and one-pot dishes, the book makes cooking and meal planning easy, enjoyable, and memorable.
Good + Simple is published by Penguin Books, an Imprint of Penguin Random House SA and is available at bookstores nationwide at the recommended selling price of R390.
Makes 10-12 Ready in 40 minutes
Olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 tsp crushed garlic
1 head broccoli, trimmed, finely chopped, and steamed
1 cup mashed sweet potato or regular mashed potato
Salt and black pepper, to taste
1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh basil
100 g feta cheese, soft goat cheese or ricotta
50 g finely grated parmesan cheese
Add a dash of olive oil into a pan over medium heat and fry the onion for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and broccoli and cook for 2–3 minutes.
Remove from the heat and mix in the mashed potato. Season well with salt and pepper, then mix through the basil and cheese.
Divide the mixture into bite-sized nuggets and refrigerate for 20 minutes, if possible, while you prepare your sides.
Wipe the pan clean, then add another dash of olive oil and fry the croquettes until golden on both sides. Alternatively, you can bake or air-fry at 200ºC until golden. Serve immediately.
Serves 4-6 Ready in 30 minutes
WHAT YOU NEED
1 sheet (250 g) puff pastry
1/3 cup onion marmalade
2 ripe pears, cored and cut into eighths
100 g Gorgonzola cheese (or soft cheese of your choice), crumbled
TO SERVE (Optional)
Green salad tossed with balsamic vinegar and olive oil + grated hard cheese, to garnish + fresh rocket and toasted pecan nuts, to garnish.
Remove the pastry from the fridge allowing it to reach to room temperature.
Preheat the oven to 190ºC and lightly grease a shallow baking tray.
Lay the pastry out on the baking tray and press down around the edges using a fork to create a 1 cm border. Spread the onion marmalade over the pastry base, followed by the pears and the crumbled cheese.
Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until golden. Serve immediately, garnished with the grated hard cheese, and fresh rocket and pecan nuts.
The texture is key to making the space seem lived-in, with whitewashed and raw wood, and a shell light fitting, contributing a seaside element too. The sheepskins and cowhides add a further layer of comfort and warmth to the large room.
Tip
The kitchen is the busy hub of every contemporary home. It’s where everything from kids’ homework to family conferences to cooking for – and with – friends happens. This is why it’s so important to get the design of this most vital of spaces right. Here are some inspiring and useful ideas.
BY ROBYN ALEXANDER PRODUCTION SVEN ALBERDING PHOTOGRAPHY GREG COX, WARREN HEATH, ELSA YOUNG, BUREAUXThe kitchen is the busy hub of every contemporary home. It’s where everything from kids’ homework to family conferences to cooking for – and with – friends happens. This is why it’s so important to get the design of this most vital of spaces right. Here are some inspiring and useful ideas
Designed to invite the outside in – and accommodate lots of small, sandy feet – this open-plan kitchen and dining space, plus an adjacent lounge area, forms the heart of a peaceful weekend coastal retreat. It was briefed to the architect to be “shed-like” by the owners, and the high windows between the exposed eye beams and roof make the sun and sky ever-present elements.
In a spacious family home owned by two contemporary jewellery designers – which they share with their two lively young sons – the kitchen combines practical considerations with their penchant for creative display. The space is open plan to the dining area so that the cook can be part of the conversation even when he’s at work behind the counter, and a range of artworks and collectables are combined with cooking essentials on the open shelves.
Capacious kitchen storage cupboards are essential to a household that entertains family and friends at least once a week, while visual interest is added by such colourful extras as a blue Le Creuset (lecreuset.com) kettle and a bright yellow bread bin by Pedersen + Lennard (pedersenlennard.co.za).
In a suburban home filled with children, it was their needs that inspired many of the interior design decisions; so, the kitchen’s recently updated breakfast nook is now the very centre of the house, featuring a bold blue pinstripe fabric for the seating upholstery that charmingly offsets the sophisticated navy colour used on the built-in cabinetry. Of course, this vibrant space is now where the family congregates multiple times a day for meals and homework.
Forming part of a family home in a heritage property dating to the late 1800s, this large kitchen is designed to facilitate both cooking and socialising. It’s a resolutely informal space, with cheap and cheerful builders’ workbenches from the hardware store used for storage and as preparation surfaces. A set of vintage Wishbone chairs surround the kitchen table, at which plenty of conversation-fuelled meals are taken with family and friends.
This kitchen, which is open-plan to the dining and living areas, combines clean lines with industrial touches such as the raw brick wall and off-shutter concrete ceiling and forms the lively central zone of a farmhouse-inspired home in a coastal village. “We wanted something really special that was a bit of a showpiece without being too over-the-top”, says the homeowner of the central island, which is made of a single piece of tempered steel, and solid oak.
The mix of variously styled pendant lights over the kitchen island adds a subtle element of visual interest to an otherwise minimalist space. They are Shadows Suspension Lamps by Czech lighting brand Brokis (brokis.cz); the bar stools are from HAY (hay.dk), and the cattle paintings by Hanneke Benade.
The enviable kitchen in this newly built home combines timber elements with black detailing and practical terrazzo floors. The fitted cupboards are crafted from elm wood and the work surfaces are bus-hammered granite. The island has been designed to include a counter space that facilitates long chats with the cook and enables everyday breakfasting or kids’ homework sessions. Being able to sit with one’s legs under the countertop can make a real difference to comfort levels.
This rustic wooden table was made using joists from a 300-year-old warehouse. Something similar could be commissioned from a specialist joiner. The industrial hanging lights are original vintage pieces, but a range of similar styles can be sourced from Schoolhouse (schoolhouse.com).
An open-plan kitchen and dining room that leads out on to a private courtyard space makes this contemporary urban home – owned by an art dealer and consultant – ideal for entertaining. Vintage and roughly hewn, obviously handmade fixtures and furniture pieces offset the use of raw concrete and the very contemporary lines of the space, while the dark blue kitchen joinery adds an element of classic elegance.
This open-plan kitchen, dining and lounge area in a family’s country home is the pivot around which the rest of the house unfolds. It includes a large preparation island and a wooden dining table and chairs, as well as a tiled splashback that adds to the contemporary farmhouse feel of the space. The industrial-style trio of hanging lamps have bronzed interiors that enhance the metallic finishes and glazes featured on the vessels on the table.
The subtle contrast between the monochromatic decor palette and the highlighting flashes of bronze and gold is a classic form of counterpoint, as decorator and designer of the space, Sumari Krige of La Grange Interiors (lagrangeinteriors.co.za), points out.
A recently updated timber-framed beach bungalow includes this light-splashed kitchen, in which the entire family tends to linger. A long, fairly narrow preparation island, topped with polished stone and clad in natural wood, doubles as a place to socialise with the cook, and the extensive glazing at the rear of the house helps bathe the entire open-plan kitchen, dining and living space in natural light, all year round.
Find similar bar stools – this square design combines structural sturdiness with elegance and comfort courtesy of the velvet-upholstered seat and built-in footrest at All Modern (allmodern.com).
With a scullery tucked away on one side and its sleek lines heightened by the use of an elegant grey wall colour that was mixed to the homeowner’s specifications –she is an interior designer by trade – this compact kitchen and dining area easily meets the needs of a young family. The white cabinet placed alongside the French doors on to veranda houses everything needed for the kids’ outdoor activities, including sunscreen and swimming goggles.
The woven cane pendant lampshades were chosen “to add texture, something softer, to contrast with the steel table,” says the homeowner. The table and chairs are by Gregor Jenkin (gregorjenkin. com). Brass fixtures – the taps are by Bongio (bongio.com) – and burst of white stand out beautifully against the grey walls.
A few of our favourites: naturals, pastels and quality homeware to add to your kitchen
COLOUR: PASTEL PINK
COLOUR: BLOSSOM
COLOUR: MERINGUE
A flickering flame and the scent of a well-crafted candle can create a relaxing and luxurious atmosphere, but without proper care and maintenance, your candles may not last as long as you’d like.
BY CELESTE STRYDOM
Candles have come to symbolise relaxation, self-care, and ambience. We spoke to Amanda from Amanda-Jayne Candles and S.A. Candle Supply Co to learn how to care for and use candles most effectively.
Amanda-Jayne Candles is a local natural luxury fragrance brand that “brings the poetry of scent to life.” Amanda started making scented soy
of which it is comprised. But what happens after you’ve brought your candle home?
The first burn is one of the most important. Amanda explains that it sets the path for the next burn. “If you only allow the candle to burn half of the diameter of the candle, then it becomes difficult for the next burn to melt the
complete melt pool is reached will result in your candle tunnelling and lots of wasted wax around the tunnel – this occurs because wax burns with burn memory.
“Placement of your candle is very important to enjoy maximum scent throw. Consider the size of the room when lighting your candle; bigger spaces will require multiple candles to fragrance the entire space. Place your candle on a sturdy surface, away from the window or a direct draft and enjoy the sensation”, says S.A Candle Supply Co.
Avoid burning candles in drafts. If the flame is not still, move the candle to another location with less air movement.
Wipe the side of the glass before relighting your candle to remove any black smoke marks or waxy residue from the previous burn.
wax candles in her garage in 2016, and today her business offers a wide range of products at boutique stores and retailers, including Woolworths, Superbalist, Takealot and Yuppiechef. Selling across South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Taiwan and Dubai, Amanda advises shoppers to lead with their noses. “Choose the candle you cannot live without, the scent that calms or uplifts and inspires you. The scent is a personal journey; bear in mind what the candle may smell like in the box; most of the time, it smells even better when it’s burning most hot, releasing the layers of scent
wax outside of that first burn. We recommend allowing the candle to melt the wax to the edges of the candle before blowing out the flame on the first burn – approximately for 3-4 hours.”
S.A Candle Supply Co further expands on the importance of that first burn and recommends allowing your candle to reach a complete melt pool before extinguishing its flame. This means letting your candle burn until the wax has melted from end to end of the jar/ container; this usually takes 2-4 hours. Extinguishing your candle before a
Proper storage can significantly increase the lifespan of your candles. It is essential to keep candles away from direct sunlight, heat sources, and humidity, as these factors can cause the candles to melt or warp. Also, storing candles in a cool and dry place will prevent the wick from absorbing moisture, which can affect how the candle burns. Keeping candles in airtight containers or resealable bags can also help to maintain their scent and prevent dust and debris from settling on the wax.
When your candle is finished, it should have burnt evenly down, and no more wax will remain on the edges of your glass or tin. Amanda warns that once
Dibber has grown to be the largest provider of early childhood education in the Nordics. We have done this through embracing our vision, “We develop lifelong learners with a heart for the world,” and providing a quality, research-based approach to childhood.
The Dibber Childhood is a playful, holistic, and interactive approach to learning and care that builds on children’s natural curiosity and budding interests. Rooted in early childhood research, our pedagogy ensures we are building competencies and skills and nurturing well-rounded people that can navigate the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century.
www.dibber.co.za
the sustainer is visible, your candle will be officially finished, and if you relight it, your glass may become too hot and burn the surface it’s on and cause the glass to go black.
The female-owned eco-luxe home fragrance product manufacturer, Cape Island produces products inspired by Africa with a strong focus on ethical manufacturing and sourcing of sustainable raw materials. The candles produced by this company are hand poured using a soy wax blend and fine perfume oils imported from the Grasse region of France.
The brand is committed to ethical manufacturing and sourcing of raw materials and its products are crueltyfree, environmentally friendly, and aquatically safe. The company donates a percentage of proceeds to local non-profit organisations that protect and advocate for the natural beauty and wildlife of Africa.
What do you do with your empty candle glass vessels after all the magical aromas have vaporised and provided you with countless relaxing moments?
There has been a growing trend of people making their own candles, from artisanal candles made with natural ingredients to DIY kits that allow anyone to try their hand at candle-
1. Organise your desk in just a few minutes by using old candle jars to store your pens, pencils, paper clips and smaller items to make way for a productive workspace.
2. Neaten your bathroom vanity area
Organising this space will help you more easily access your day-to-day essentials. Large candle containers are perfect for storing makeup brushes, pencils, sponges, cotton balls, mascara, and everyday makeup accessories.
3. Create a DIY plant pot
Empty-scented candle containers are perfect for bringing leafy additions into your home. Use them to plant succulents, herbs, vegetables, or cute little flowering plants. Keep the containers next to windows to allow plants to benefit from flowing air and natural sunlight.
4. Use them as a vase for flowers
One of the best ways to repurpose empty candle vessels is to use them to hold fresh bloom bouquets. Freshen up your home by placing little bouquets in every room to change or enhance the mood of your space.
5. Make a table centerpiece
making. You can create unique and personalized candles that reflect your personality and style by experimenting with different waxes, scents, and colours.
S.A. Candle Supply Co is the leading supplier of candle-making & soapmaking supplies in South Africa. Their product offerings include soy wax, paraffin wax, pillar & container candle wicks, fragrance oils, butter & oils, soap premixes, moulds, jars & bottles, diffuser & mist base oils, and kits and
Decorate your dinner table or create a romantic setting by adding fairy lights to empty candle containers. You can also fill vessels with marbles, seashells, beads, or pebbles to act as centerpieces for your tabletop.
various other items for candle, body applications and home fragrances.
Whether you’re lighting a pillar of your own creation or a carefully selected candle from one of the many luxury brands produced in Mzansi, taking care of your candles appropriately will ensure that you savour every inch of their ambience.
Clifton Beach Classic Candle, Cape Island R395
Delicious sun-warmed coconut combined with the opulence of tolu balsam and a zest of lime.
When purchasing this product, you are contributing towards the Clean-C Initiative, for more info visit www.cleanc.co.za
Sugared Grapefruit Scented Soy Candle, Anke Products R259
A perfect combination of fruity floral aroma with gentle bursts of grapefruit and sugarcane essence.
Ginger Cake Candle, Amanda-Jayne Candles Cape Town R410
Sweet-sticky vanilla and ginger pudding with soft citrus undertones.
Maluti Spiral Classic Candle, Heritage Africa R229,99
A combination of Citrus, florals and earthy fragrances. Base notes of sandalwood, iris, musk, and vanilla.
Stand a chance to win a reusable candle-making kit valued at over R650!
To enter send us your full name, address and telephone number withSA CANDLE SUPPLY in the subject line to win@absolutemama.co.za before 31 July 2023. T’s & C’s apply.
Terms and Conditions
The judges’ decision is final, and no correspondence will be entered into. The competition is open to South African residents only. The prize needs to be redeemed before 15 August 2023. The prize is non-transferable, resaleable or refundable for cash. By signing up for any competition, you agree to receive the Absolute Mama newsletter.
Escape the ordinary and explore the extraordinary on the Wild Coast at the mesmerising Umngazi Hotel & Spa
BY ANJE HILLThe incredible raw, untouched beauty of the Eastern Cape’s Wild Coast is truly unmatched and speaks to the heart & soul. The Wild Coast is characterised by rolling green hills topped with colourful rondavel huts, and brilliant blue seascapes with majestic rocky cliffs and forms part of the Eastern Cape coastline which stretches from East London up to the Southern border of KZN and includes popular holiday destinations.
Its wildness and unpredictability ignite adventure and the area’s natural charm brings immense peace. One place that will stay in your heart forever is the Umngazi Hotel & Spa situated alongside the Umngazi River, 20km south of Port St Johns. The area has a temperate climate and visitors can look forward to long walks on unspoilt beaches, Nguni cows lazing on the beach and grazing on the rolling hillsides, colourful Xhosa huts, abundant birdlife, and delightful, friendly locals. The breathtaking cliffs and great expanses of undeveloped wilderness are the best settings to go for walks or a memorable hike. Umngazi has plenty to keep you as busy or as lazy as you prefer to be.
The main accommodation at the hotel is made up of Garden, River and Sea-facing rooms, each with a unique outdoor shower and private deck where guests can take in the surrounding views of the indigenous gardens, the magnificent river or the beautiful blue ocean. Rooms are available in twin, double or family rooms and the subtle, stylish décor and furnishings allow you to totally immerse yourself in the natural
surroundings. The hotel also has 9 tastefully furnished suites with exclusive access to the gorgeous Emlonyeni private lounge and pool deck.
The suites are all located away from the main hotel and are ideal for honeymooners, couples or if you want to spoil a loved one. Umngazi’s rates include accommodation, 3 delicious meals, and mid-morning-and-midafternoon coffee and tea.
Guests can look forward to delicious, fresh, healthy meals each day, beautifully laid out in Umngazi’s relaxed dining space. The outside deck, which overlooks the swimming pool with serene river views beyond, is an idyllic spot for al fresco dining and if you’re looking for something extra special there are two private dining venues (The Riverside Gazebo and The Green Door Cellar) at the resort that can accommodate up to 12 people.
Enjoy a Bush Breakfast a short ferry cruise or kayak upriver in a secluded spot amidst the vibrant indigenous bush.
Pop into Basil’s Bar for a signature cocktail on the deck and fully enjoy
the allure of the idyllic location. Saturday Seafood Evenings showcasing coastal cuisine and vibrant Pondo culture are not to be missed! A succulent combination of fish, shellfish, home-baked bread, fresh salads and hearty soups are prepared to perfection and set to a rhythmic cultural performance.
If you planning to spend a day exploring away from the hotel, they will prepare a beautifully crafted picnic basket packed with tasty snacks to be enjoyed wherever the adventure takes you.
SPA BLISS
Set high on the Umngazi hillside with breathtaking views of the coast below,
Epitomising relaxed sophistication, Umngazi is a place of extraordinary energy, remarkable nature and vibrant culture.
Umngazi enjoys a comfortable sub-tropical climate all year round making it the perfect holiday destination.
SUMMER is hot, with sunny days and warm nights with occasional thunderstorms.
AUTUMN offers warm days with little rain which is ideal for travelling and sightseeing.
WINTER brings great weather with deep blue skies, mild sunny days and no wind or rain.
SPRING temperatures begin to rise in anticipation of summer.
you will find the Umngazi Spa. Guests are treated to a tranquil, peaceful experience with a full range of treatments and therapies, the dedicated and professional therapists are ready to revive the mind, body and soul. A highlight of any treatment is soaking up the outdoor sounds of the calming ocean and abundant bird life while being completely pampered. The beautiful spa bath is a real treat for honeymooners or couples looking to indulge in time with each other, where time slows down long enough for a chilled bottle of bubbles.
While visiting Umngazi there are many activities to choose from including kayaking, SUPing, a game of tennis, a workout in the gym, enjoying the mountain biking routes (available on Garmin), running and hiking trails as well as guided hikes which include visits to the local community and indigenous mangrove ecosystem.
Enjoy a sunset cruise up the Umngazi River, meandering through
rolling green hillsides and unwinding to the sound of lapping water and the call of the resident African Fish Eagle. Snacks and pre-ordered drinks are available on board.
Umngazi is a walking and hiking paradise with an extensive array of birdlife attracted to the unique ecosystem. Guided bird walks offer close encounters with forest and water birds.
The Wild Coast is known for its rugged coastline, good fishing and abundant seafood. Frequently caught fish species here include Salmon, Musselcracker, Grunter and Rock Cod (from the shore), as well as Red Steenbras, Daggeraad and Yellow Tail (deep sea). Local guides (‘Gilllies’), may be hired to assist on fishing trips. Umngazi is an eco-friendly destination
and we adhere strictly to the seasonal and licensing laws of South Africa.
Umngazi is well-equipped to look after the kiddies and keep them very busy with a daily entertainment programme, wonderful nannies, a gorgeous creative corner designed to stimulate their imaginations and an outdoor jungle gym with a trampoline.
A holiday to Umngazi is an exciting adventure and experience that will give you a chance to pause from life, reconnect and restore and leave with a happy heart and peaceful soul.
WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY LAUREN MANUEL
with golden flecks of light lapping the salt water around my paddle board, I’m lying on my belly taking it all in and allowing the water to move me. Here within Watamu’s Broadwater tidal creek, the Mida Creek, the water is shallow enough for me to hop off and sink my toes in the sand. And I’m just close enough to the shore to spot moored blue fishing boats and children
playing barefoot on the beach. Stretching all the way from the Indian Ocean into Arabuko Sokoke Forest, my eyes scan the mangroves and palms I had just paddle-boarded past. Home to healthy seagrass beds, coral and multiple species of fish, feeding sea turtles, crabs and birdlife; the creek reveals new treasures with each boat trip, snorkeling and kayaking expedition. Together with the forest, the
Mida Creek is recognized as an Important Bird Area and forms a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
Yesterday’s sunset from the boat, yielded views of Greater flamingos resting on the water before stretching their long legs to ‘run’ on the liquid surface before taking flight. These flamingos are amongst thousands of birds who traverse from their summer breeding sites before landing in this
tidal inlet in East Africa between September and April. On any given excursion between small channels and passages through the mangroves, you can spot other bird species like kingfishers, fish eagles, Secretary ibises, yellow bee storks, and threebanded plovers are residents and live and breed at the creek.
I resigned myself to the fact that there is no better place to watch a Watamu sunset than from Lichthaus restaurant and bar on the shore of the creek with its netted lounging areas suspended above the water. Gin and tonic in hand, I watched the vibrant sun drop into the ocean before it was replaced by the luminescent moon rise. By the time the moon rose above the horizon, the boat had already ferried me back across the creek where I relaxed feet deep in the sand with a dinner of grilled fish accompanied by white wine at The Mida Creek boutique hotel.
A few sunsets later, I found myself on the rooftop of Lamu House in the UNESCO World Heritage site of Lamu. With dhows docking below, the town’s loyal donkeys retiring from their day in the heat and the call of the nearby azan floats by on the sea breeze, the scent of coconut chicken curry from the Moonrise Restaurant wafts upward. Unlike other abandoned Swahili settlements along this side of the continent, Lamu has been inhabited for over 700 years and remains one of the oldest and best-preserved examples of Swahili settlements in East Africa.
No matter where on earth I found myself, as long as I was in or near the ocean; I somehow felt at home. Only yesterday, I was paddleboarding from Majilis Resort on Manda Island and earlier in the day, I enjoyed fresh fruits and coffee poolside at Banana House in Shela after a yoga class and a stroll on the empty beach.
Sometime before dusk, I followed local entrepreneur, environmental activist and assistant manager at Banana House, Fatima Abdallah,
UNLIKE OTHER ABANDONED SWAHILI SETTLEMENTS ALONG THIS SIDE OF THE CONTINENT, LAMU HAS BEEN INHABITED FOR OVER 700 YEARS AND REMAINS ONE OF THE OLDEST AND BEST-PRESERVED EXAMPLES OF SWAHILI SETTLEMENTS IN EAST AFRICA.
A visit to Cape Town isn’t complete without a family outing to the Two Oceans Aquarium.
Locals love the chance for their children to explore a world of underwater wonder and learn all about the fascinating life beneath the waves.Visitors from outside Cape Town can enjoy the chance to discover unique animals found nowhere else on earth!
Ragged-tooth sharks, African penguins, Knysna seahorses, jellies, stingrays, fishes and the ever-elusive octopus are just some of the animals you’ll meet while exploring the myriad of exhibits at the Aquarium. The iconic living Kelp Forest Exhibit, one of the Aquarium’s three large-scale exhibits, is the only one of its kind in Africa! The Two Oceans Aquarium is truly a wonderful place for families, travellers, young and old to enjoy.One that you and your family will keep coming back to, anticipating your next discovery!
Want to visit the fish as often as you wish? A Two Oceans Aquarium membership is just the thing for you – unlocking a whole year of Aquarium visits for ocean-loving families!
Two Oceans Aquarium members not only get to pop in to visit their favourite underwater animals as often as they like, they also get boatloads of extra perks that let them get even closer to the ocean world they love This includes access to exclusive family events, like sleepovers at the Aquarium, and discounts on activities such as PADI Discover Scuba Diving and the Penguin Experiences.
With special rates for au pairs, grandma and grandpa – thereis no doubt that a membership is the perfect gift for any sea-seeking family!
Children will enjoy a stop at the Touch Pool Exhibit, getting their hands wet while inspecting a variety of marine species under the guidance of a trained Aquarium team member. Then, head to the I&J Children’s Play Centre for interactive arts and crafts, as well as fun and educational puppet shows. While the kiddies have a run around and blow off some steam, mom and dad can take a moment to catch their breaths and relax, before exploring the rest of the Aquarium.
However you choose to experience the Two Oceans Aquarium, there is something for every family – and a membership will keep you coming back for more!
Learn more: www.aquarium.co.za
through the narrow winding streets of the Old Town. Winding past the town square, mosque, street cafes, bazaars, barber and clothing stores, Fatima shared about her journey as the only daughter of her family, who started her very own business designing bags, Handmade in Lamu, to further her own independence and empower the local women of Matondoni village who hand make the bags from dried palm leaves.
To see the buildings of Lamu’s Old Town is to get a snapshot of the trading exchange between the Bantu, the Arabs, Persians, Indians and Europeans who all left elements of their cultural and economic footprint on this
trading port. Well-preserved buildings constructed of coral, lime and mangrove poles comprise the architectural structure of the spaces with seafront buildings boasting archades and open verandas. Without Fatima leading me through this labyrinth street pattern, I would easily lose my way through the narrow winding streets. Still today, Lamu has retained its important status as a significant center for education in Islamic and Swahili culture and remains a conservative and close-knit society.
If there was ever a place on Kenya’s
coast that encouraged me to become a local, it was Salty’s Kitesurf village on Bofa beach. Its rustic beach bar welcomed people of all ages, races, life stages and nationalities and here in this shared space, they all sipped cocktails, ate dinner with children playing at their feet and read books in hammocks. It was here that my pure contentment found a home and where I was able to witness my final Kenya sunset. For now…
• Saturday nights at Salty’s Beach Bar on Bofo Beach, Kilifi
• SUPPing and eco-cruises from The Mida Creek, Watamu
• Sundowners at Lichthaus Bar & Restaurant, Watamu
• Dinner at Moonrise Restaurant at Lamu House, Lamu
• Dinner and massage at Majilis, Manda Island
• Yoga and Breakfast at Banana House, Lamu
• Overnight and Dinner at Holiday Inn
Nairobi Two Rivers Mall
LAMU
Lamu House
www.lamuhouse.com
Banana House | Shela
www.bananahouse-lamu.com
Majilis | Manda Island
www.themajlisresorts.com
KILIFI
Salty’s Kitesurf Village
www.saltyskitesurf.com
WATAMU
The Mida Creek
www.themidacreek.com
NAIROBI
Holiday Inn Nairobi
Two Rivers Mall
www.ihg.com/holidayinn/hotels/us/ en/nairobi/nbont/hoteldetail
Email: reservations@holidayinnnairobi. com
can't explore Lamu'sold town without bumping into a donkey. Rest and relaxation found at the Majilis Resort
Babies and toddlers can lift big flaps and find the delightful pop-up characters, playing peekaboo.
Usborne
It’s a special day in the mermaid world. Everyone’s been invited to the underwater palace for the Mermaid Queen’s birthday. Starry Belle is ready, but where are all her friends? Rainbow Raya is behind some shells, Musical Millie is behind the coral playing her golden lyre, Cupcake Cory is among the sea plants with the Queen’s birthday cake, and Dancing Dara is behind a sea cave. Finally, all the friends arrive at the palace in their seashell carriage and who do they find inside the palace, waiting to welcome them to the birthday ball? Lift the flap to find out!
Board book | R185 | DK
Zillah
BethellThere are three questions that I need to find the answers to:
1. Where am I?
2. What am I doing here?
3. Who am I?”
When a young girl wakes up in the middle of the desert, she has no idea who she is. She’s wearing one shoe, a silky black dress, and she’s carrying a strange, heavy case. She meets Tarni, who is on a mysterious quest of her own. Together, the two girls trek across the vast and ever-changing Australian Outback in search of answers; except, both are also hiding secrets...
Paperback | R205 | Usborne
Shirley Marr
If Peijing had to sum it up, everything so far was a string of small awkward experiences that she hoped would end soon. The night of the Mid-Autumn festival, making mooncakes with Ah-Ma, was the last time she remembers her life being the same. Now facing a new home, a new school and a new language, everything is different; but she hopes her new friend Joanna can show her the way. Cracks start to appear in Peijing’s family. The grown-ups are no longer themselves and Biju needs her to be the dependable big sister. She has no idea how she’s supposed to cope with the uncertainties of her own world while shouldering the burden of everyone else’s world.
Paperback | R205 | Usborne
Peter
RyanThis revised, updated and expanded edition of Guide to Seabirds of Southern Africa remains the only book to focus exclusively on the seabirds of southern Africa and includes nine new species for the region. This essential guide offers:
• Authoritative text richly supported with photographs and distribution maps.
• Clear ID pointers plus information on biology, behaviour, and conservation status.
• An expanded introduction covering seabird origins, moult, feeding, breeding, conservation, and how best to watch and photograph these iconic birds.
• A bonus feature on flying fish and flying squid.
Shelley
ReadOn a cool autumn day in 1948, Victoria Nash delivers late-season peaches from her family’s farm set amid the wild beauty of Colorado, then heads into the village. As she nears an intersection, a dishevelled stranger stops to ask her the way. How she chooses to answer will unknowingly alter the course of both of their young lives. So begins the mesmerising story of split-second choices and courageous acts that propel Victoria away from the only home she has ever known and towards a reckoning with loss, hope and her untapped strength. Gathering all the pieces of her small and extraordinary existence, spinning through the eddies of desire, heartbreak and betrayal, she will arrive at a single rocky decision that will change her life forever.
Sarah Graham
Building on the success of her previous books, in Good + Simple Sarah Graham continues to celebrate an abundance of vegetables and natural, whole foods in the same simple and accessible style her loyal army of followers have come to know and love. Good Simple offers a collection of wholesome and delicious recipes for the whole family, specifically designed to be easy to achieve. With simple ingredients covering a variety of dietary preferences and needs, simple substitutions for the occasional meat eater, and including five-ingredient and one pot dishes, the book makes cooking and meal planning easy, enjoyable and memorable.
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