“Something smells really good!” my husband Jeffrey, exclaims every Friday night when he walks in the door. Most weeks, Jeffrey has been around the world and back and when he walks in that door, I want him to feel that he’s really home. What he doesn’t realise is that what feels very casual is, in fact, quite deliberate: the music is playing, all the lights are on, there are flowers everywhere, and chicken and onions are roasting in the oven” (The Barefoot Contessa At Home, Ina Garten)

Lucky Jeffrey is all I say. I wouldn’t mind coming home to that!

The secret to making this cake so wonderfully moist surprised me, but it sure did create a sure-fire winner!

Over the years I’ve found it nigh on impossible to get into the whole Chocolate Cake Craziness. This perhaps has something to do with the disappoint of chewing dry mouthful after dry mouthful of chocolate coloured/flavoured crumbs. After a while you just give up and avoid the Cake stand altogether, unless it has Carrot Cake on display, and even then it has to have the correct icing! Sorry I digress…

DOWN TO BUSINESS…

So this was the recipe: Beatty’s Chocolate Cake, to be found on page 165 of  Barefoot Contessa at Home: Everyday Recipes You’ll Make Over and Over Again.  

Making the cake was a story in itself – a timely lesson in reading your recipe carefully before steaming ahead! As a result the recipe got ‘tweaked‘ somewhat along the way.

First off, this, as with all of Ina’s recipes, uses Cups and  Pounds… and everything else in between, but no Grams or Milliliters . I only wish I’d taken the time to find this fantastic guide of measurement conversions before I started.

So where did we diviate?

What’s a “CUP”? I have lots of cups or would that be mugs!.. What size should I be using? I got very scientific at this point and closed my eyes and picked one out of the cupboard! I only own a scale and not cup measures – a situation soon to be rectified!

All-Purpose Flour.. what’s that when it’s at home? Personally, I don’t like the taste of baking powder or ‘baking soda’ as called for in this recipe, so I grabbed the bag of self-raising.

And so to the secret of this Cake.. the ingredient that transforms it from middle of the road, to yummmmeeee! … A Cup of Hot Black Coffee. But here we go again, a cup or a Mug? I always have a mug of the vile stuff when the moment requires it.

Following on from the Cups issue, I was sure I didn’t have enough Cocoa powder, so grabbed my Lindt Dark Chocolate with Chilli, bashed it around with my rolling pin and threw that in for good measure.

Tins.. oh tins… am I alone in always buttering and dusting right at the end? That terrible moment when you suddenly realise you don’t have the right size, or in this case, the right size and quantity of baking tins. A 2 layer cake quickly became squares, and into a tray the velvety goo went.

TO FROST OR NOT TO FROST..

Frosting is not a favourite, unless it’s made using Cream Cheese. I think I would have been happy without, in this case. However, in the spirit of trying to be true (ha!) to the recipe, I ploughed on with mixing up the icing sugar etc.  Scan reading a recipe is not always the best thing, and I’m not sure how I did it, but I somehow managed to skip the part that told me to dissolve the coffee granules in hot water BEFORE adding to the icing mixture.

And so as my visitors (yes I was feeding guests an UN-tried-&-tested recipe!!) bit into the cake,  I smiled serenely as they commented on the moistness (Yes!), and the fact that the crunchy coffee granules (uh-oh!) really added to the overall taste…”The flavours hit you in layers”, I was told.

Heck, who am I to argue! They all had seconds.

p.s… For those that don’t like Coffee flavoured cakes, I think it’s worth adding I couldn’t taste coffee in the cake itself.

Who would have thought that in my search for relief for my persistent back pain, I would stumble upon the humble Vitamin D. Rickets, yes, but never back pain.

So imagine my surprise as I happened upon article upon article championing this often underrated Vit(Vital) amin(Amino Acid) in the treatment of Chronic Pain.

As my reading and research expanded, I came to learn more and more about this unsung hero, this life-saver and so began to question the role of Vitamin D in my rather hectic life.

WHAT IS VITAMIN D ?

Also known as the “Sunshine Vitamin” because of its ability to be naturally produced by the skin when exposed to sunlight (UVB), this is a fat-soluble vitamin which is found naturally in some animal products, namely fatty/oily fish and egg yolks.

This is such a rare, naturally occurring vitamin that many foods such as cereals and dairy products are fortified with it. Surprisingly, one of the few plant sources of vitamin D is the Shitake Mushroom!

HOW DOES IT WORK ?

As Vitamin D is broken down in the body, not only does it help the body to absorb calcium from food in the intestine, but a fact I found particularly fascinating, is it’s ability to function as a hormone.  Now it must be down to the fact that being of the Female variety, I hear the ‘H‘ word and my antenna instantly goes ping! For it to be used as a hormone it is first absorbed in the small intestine, then the liver then takes over and does it’s thing, followed by the kidney.

So, as well as ensuring calcium is absorbed by the body for correct bone and muscle function, it aids the body in a wide range of metabolic and physiologic functions. Research has found the presence of vitamin D ‘receptors’ in brain, spinal cord and sensory nerve tissue. This means that in its hormonal role it has proven highly beneficial in relieving depression, anxiety, chronic fatigue syndrome and seasonal affective disorder (SAD).

VITAMIN D & CHRONIC PAIN

To suffer from chronic pain means 3 months or more of hell! I have been in constant pain to varying degrees – ‘coping‘ for nearly 2 decades. I’ve been to the doctor, had scans, sessions with physiotherapists and osteopaths, had acupuncture … and nothing… no long-lasting relief! However, I feel I should add here that the one thing that does seem to ease the pain for me is exercise, in particular swimming. I’m left feeling stretched out and taller. The pain subsides for a number of hours before it returns again, with a vengeance.

 Research has looked into a wide range of  musculoskeketal pain including: muscle weakness or fatigue, fibromyalgia syndrome, myalgia,  rheumatic disorders/rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, hyperesthesia, migraine headaches, diabetic neuropathy and other chronic somatic complaints.

As far as bones go, without sufficient vitamin D, bones can become thin, brittle, or misshapen and in extreme cases break or fracture.

In a nutshell, this is one way in which bone/muscle pain may develop:-

Your body needs calcium to ensure you have nice strong healthy bones. However, to absorb that calcium, it needs Vitamin D to get it out of the food you’re eating.  So low levels of Vitamin D mean that your body starts to raid your bones for calcium supplies. Bones start to weaken, increasing the risk of fracture (you really do not want to get to this stage yet!). At the same time, the outer layer of your bones start to become soft and spongy. This spongy layer may start to expand and press against other sensitive tissues which surround your bones – this hurts! and is known as osteomalacia. Not good!

RESEARCH

One of the most notable studies carried out into the use of Vitamin D as an analgesic was done by Stewart B. Leavitt, MA, PhD and another by Michael F. Holick, M.D., Ph.D into Vitamin D deficiencies  These are well worth a read, particularly if you want to have access to the hard facts and numbers which I’ve summarised in this piece for easier consumption.

BENEFITS OF HEALTHY LEVELS OF VITAMIN D

If all was well, then I would be on the receiving end of the following…

- IMPROVED RESISTANCE TO ILLNESS & VIRUSES

High levels of  vitamin D help your white blood cells to make a protein which helps to kill infections. Hence, recovery rates are quicker and higher when you do fall ill. A study by the School of Medicine at Yale University concluded that people with low levels of this vitamin got ill about twice as often as people with high levels.

- LESS CANCER & INCREASED SURVIVAL RATES

Courtesy: The Guardian

As part of his research Holick described how Vitamin D controls some of the genes responsible for cellular growth and survival.  “It helps shut down any out-of-control growth to prevent malignancy. If that doesn’t work, it will help kill the cell. If a tumor grows anyway, it will work to cut off blood supply.”  Laboratory studies and animal evidence have suggested that vitamin D status could affect cancer risk, describing the effectiveness of Vitamin D in lowering the risk of developing colon, breast and prostate cancers. In fact, a study at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute discovered that colon cancer patients with high levels of Vitamin D had a 39 percent lower chance of dying from the disease.

This research is still ongoing and not fully conclusive.

- LOWER RISK OF PARKINSON’S DISEASE

 Vitamin D’s ability to protect the brain is one of the explanations put forward as a possible link in lowering the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease. As it regulates calcium levels, it improves the conduction of electricity through the brains neurons and also aids in detoxifying cells.

WHO’S AT RISK OF A VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY or HYPOVITAMINOSIS D?

As I delved deeper into the subject I have come to realise that my lifestyle is not really conducive to healthy levels of Vitamin D. Not only is my age against me, but my diet has suffered whilst juggling work, children, a healthy diet (not!) and a lack of consistent exercise – your average modern lifestyle in other words. Add to this the combination of high melanin levels (I’m Mixed Race, in case you haven’t noticed!) and residing in the northern hemisphere all mean that my chances of naturally ingesting adequate levels of vitamin D are greatly reduced. To top this off,  long unsocialable working hours (my life really isn’t that glamorous is it!) have meant that my energy levels and fatigue have made things rather tricky from time to time.

So are you at risk? I know I tick a few of these boxes…

- AGE

Our diet changes through our lifetime and our requirements change with age – we actually need more Vitamin D (800 UI for those 70 years and over) and yet overlook this point. Also, older generations tend to stay indoors more, hence reducing the natural absorption from sunlight and even then the ability to synthesize Vitamin D in the skin is much reduced with age.

The daily recommended amount of Vitamin D in Babies, young children and adolescents has actually increased from 400 IU to 600 IU. However, babies and young children who live 55 degrees north of latitude should actually be receiving 800 IU. Pregnant and breastfeeding women need increased levels of 2000 IU.

- POOR DIET

Because there are so few foods naturally containing this vitamin, we need to ensure that a supplement is part of our balanced diet and that we increase the intake of fatty fish, eggs and fortified foods. Mums way back when, obviously knew something, as I well remember the years of opening wide for my daily dose of cod liver oil! None of those easy to swallow capsules in my days… only the liquid form would do: 1tbsp = 1360IU.

Two of the well known and documented diseases associated with a vitamin-D deficiency are Rickets in children and Osteomalcia in adults. As far back as the  late 19th and early 20th centuries, German physicians found a daily dose of 1-3 teaspoons of cod-liver oil could reverse the terrible effects of Rickets in children.

From a medical point of view vitamin D-deficient diets tend to be associated with those who suffer from milk allergies, are lactose intolerante, ovo-vegetarians (i.e. people who do not eat meat or dairy products but do eat eggs), and vegans.

- BREAST-FED BABIES

Babies exclusively breast-fed over a long period of time are at higher risk of developing Rickets as breast milk is low in vitamin D. Darker-skinned babies:  especially those of Asian, African and Middle-Eastern descent face a double-whammy. They are particularly vulnerable to the development of  this disease –  genetic differences in vitamin D metabolism and behavioural differences lead to less sun exposure. These factors are explained below.

Who can forget one of the most upsetting stories to come to light involving a family wrongly accused of mistreating and killing their undiagnosed Ricket stricken child?; The tragedy of  Rohan Wray and Chana Al-Alas  and their daughter Jayda in April 2012. 

- DARK SKINNED

Oh the sheer brilliance of nature! Over time evolution has played its part in protecting those of us with darker skin i.e. southern climes residents. Higher Melanin levels means we are given some level of  ‘natural’ protection from the sun’s harsh rays. Becoming mobile, crossing continents to less sunny parts of the world and unfortunately nature starts working against us. Dark skin absorbs less sunshine, which in turn means less vitamin D. This would be OK if we lived in sunny parts of the world but when you live in the northern climes with less sunshine through the year… then this becomes a problem…

Speaking to my Sister-in-Law who is a nurse, she told me of patients who had come from hot and sunny countries to live and work in the UK. After a short time these patients had  started to suffer extensive bone fractures as a result of Vitamin D deficiency.

- YOU LIVE NORTH OF 34 DEGREES LATTITUDE

This is all to do with the angle of the sun. If you live south of 34 degrees then you will be getting enough UV-B rays through the year. Further north and you are restricted to the Summer months,  if you’re lucky enough to get a decent Summer that is! (see section on Depression below for numbers of sunshine hours)

This may explain why some doctors are now cautioning against the slapping on of the SPF 50 during the Summer after months and months of grey skies. The Cancer Council in Australia, for example, is actually beginning to recommend a small amount of daily exposure to the sun without the block.

- DISEASE AND ILLNESS

Those suffering from illnesses such as Cystic Fibrosis, Crohns, IBS  and liver diseases are particularly susceptible to low levels of Vitamin D and should have their Vitamin D levels checked regularly by their doctors. These conditions are associated with fat mal-absorption and as vitamin-D is fat soluble, it requires some dietary fat in the gut in order to be absorbed by the body.

- OBESE & THOSE WITH A GASTRIC BELT

Large amounts of subcutaneous fat (i.e fatty tissue that lies directly below the skin) removes valuable amounts of vitamin D affecting its release into the body. Undergoing gastric surgery which bypasses part of the upper small intestine where vitamin D is absorbed, could also lead to a deficiency over time.

SO WHAT IF MY LEVELS ARE LOW

- CHRONIC PAIN

Not only have studies shown that up to 25% of chronic pain sufferers have low vitamin D levels, but also headache and migraine patients tend to be in the same boat.

- CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME

Low levels of  vitamin D can make the symptoms of CFS worse. These include;  sore throat and swollen lymph glands, muscle and joint aches, severe fatigue after flu, headaches, poor concentration, mood swings, the chills, poor sleep – feeling tired after waking up, and poor memory.  Depression, stress and anxiety can exacerbate the condition.

 DEPRESSION

In it’s role of helping to stimulate Serotonin production, vitamin D has been successfully used to treat those with depression, anxiety and SAD.  A recent article in the Daily Mail (Tuesday March 26th, 2013) by Jo Waters, gave a very good summary of SAD, or ‘Grey-Skies Syndrome’. The UK has had a distinct lack of sunshine this winter ; January only saw 37.3 hours of sunshine compared with an average of 44.7 hours;  February had 56.7 hours compared with an average of 65.4 hours. According to figures on the Met Office website, not only has this been the coldest March since 1962, it’s also been pretty grey; only 59.3 hours of sunshine up until the 26th March. The average for the month is 101.7 hours.

- HEART DISEASE

80% greater risk of narrowing of the arteries.

- HIGHER RISK OF DEATH

Research carried out by John Hopkins found that low levels of vitamin D meant a 26% greater chance of dying from any cause.

- DIABETES

Vitamin D stimulates insulin production and the link has been made between low levels and Diabetes. I wonder if this might go some way in explaining the increase in the number of children with this disease: Research has shown that children have a 200% greater chance of developing type 1 diabetes if they have low levels of vitamin D.

RESULTS

Since my return to the UK from the wonderfully sunny  South Africa,  I have begun to notice my aches and pains even more, my nails have started to split and soften and the weekly headaches have made an unwelcome return!

So over the last 2 weeks I’ve been paying very close attention to my intake of Vitamin D. I’m eating more eggs (from having none at all), taking my fish oils and topping up with a Vitamin D supplement. I’ve also got myself back in the pool to try and gently nurse my back and muscles back into shape. I’m hoping to see some changes in 6 weeks to 3 months. Fingers crossed.

We spent a fair amount of time discussing the wonders of mascara and how so many of us can’t live without it. Then we hit on the subject of the horrors of lash extensions or falsies and the damage they can cause.

I spent a period of time wearing false lashes in my bid to reproduce that wonderful sexy image we’re bombarded with in magazines and on TV.  Yes they did the trick, but the downside came when I started to notice that my own lashes were starting to look rather sparse, patchy in places and stumpy. It might have been my method of removing them at the end of my working day, or just the result of using them 4 times a week, every week, for 6 months.

Panic set in and I started to look around for something to help. My saviour came in the form of a wonderful Make-Up Artist friend of mine at Sky News. As she was bending over me putting on my face, I remarked on the length of her lashes and asked if they were extensions. At that moment she spilled her secret…

Tinks spends a lot of time travelling around the world working and blogs about her travels (http://travelswithmyflipflops.blogspot.com/). A large chunk of that travel takes her to New York where she’d come across a product which is well known in Beauty circles as one of the best lash rescue treatments on the market.

So I hot-footed it to Harrods in London (which is currently the only place where it is available in the UK) swallowed hard and handed over my hard-earned cash. It is a fairly hefty investment, but believe me it was worth every penny and drop!

WHAT IS IT?:

 The product in question is called M2 Lashes Eyelash Activating Serum. So this is what the manufacturers say…

Here it is, the secret of ravishingly beautiful eyelashes with amazing volume: this highly potent activating serum contains the key ingredient complex MDN* (methylamido-dihydro-noralfaprostal).  It was specially adapted for cosmetic applications from ophthalmology and for several years now has been used in a comparable form in the USA with great success. This modified and carefully dosed active ingredient stimulates the roots of the lashes, bringing about a longer growth phase while also creating fuller, stronger lashes. 

Lustrous lashes without side-effects
M2LASHES is an active serum which promotes eyelash growth. With regular application, M2LASHES creates not just noticeably longer lashes, but stronger and thicker ones too – and this after only 6-8 weeks.
M2LASHES contains a modified active ingredient, adapted from ophthalmologic applications and approved for cosmetic use, blended with nourishing substances.  This perfectly concentrated combination of ingredients multiplies the lashes, prolongs their growth phase and delays their loss.  Results: longer, fuller, stronger eyelashes!

APPLICATION:

Use M2LASHES EYELASH ACTIVATING SERUM as you would a conventional liquid eyeliner.

1. Apply the serum once a day to the skin on the upper lash line – preferably at night after carefully cleansing the eye area.
2. One brush stroke is sufficient.
3. Allow the serum to absorb for a few minutes before applying your usual eye/skin care products.
4. The first visible results usually appear within 6-8 weeks and maximum results are achieved by week 16.

RESULTS:

Unfortunately, I didn’t think to take Before & After photos of my lashes but I have included some photos I found on the manufacturers website. I can confidently say I agree with the results portrayed in these images.

The one thing I do disagree with, is the length of time it took to see the first results. The manufacturer specifies 4-6 weeks, however I had significant lash growth by week 2 – a result I was astounded by, as I am a self-confessed sceptic of ‘wonder products’.

This picture shows the full return of my lashes after 6 weeks of usage (you’ll probably have to click on the picture to get a better view). One vial lasted me nearly 6 months, which was enough time for me to get my lashes back to their former glory. Once I’d stopped using the serum and following the natural cycle of loss, they regrew back to their normal length without the extended length that I had attained using the product but I was more than happy with that.

KEY INGREDIENTS:

• MDN*
  promotes the natural growth of the eyelashes
• Biotin (Vitamin B7)
  strengthens the eyelashes and delays shedding
• Hyaluronic acid
  keeps lashes moisturized, supple and healthy
• Prodew 300
  absorbs moisture and retains it
• Hydrolyzed glycosaminglycan (GAG)
  binds moisture and ensures greater elasticity, flexibility and strength

HOW DOES IT WORK?:

Marci Marrek, co-founder of M2Beauté: ‘The active ingredient, MDN(methylamido-dihydro-noralfaprostal), is a derivative of prostaglandin which is a compound used in ophthalmology to combat glaucoma.

It targets the eyelash follicle, increasing lash growth, extending each lash’s growth cycle and delaying the cycle of lash loss. Products should be physician-formulated, dermatologically tested, hypoallergenic, suitable for contact lens wearers and compliant with the EU cosmetic directives.’(SOURCE: http://www.expertbeauty.com)

WHERE TO BUY:

 If I could get my hands on this product in South Africa, this would be a guilty pleasure – I would have this in my Beauty Bag a without a shadow of a doubt.

If you need to repair and activate regrowth of damaged lashes quickly, then this is a must.

http://www.m2beaute.com €120 (Euros)

http://www.harrods.com/ £123 (GB Pounds)

NOTE: I was not paid to write this review by M2Beaute or other affiliated companies.

One of the most memorable moments was a tour around my Aunt and Uncles exciting garden, packed with a host of plants with so many stories to tell. My Uncle, who is Sri Lankan and quite a character (as you’ll see for yourself in the video below), also has a passion for plants and their medicinal and culinary uses. My Aunt is one of the best cooks I’ve ever come across, so together they are a couple filled with a wealth of knowledge and stories (often funny) to share.

So I thought I’d share with you a plant I came across which I nick-named the “Mojo-Plant”. Why I gave it this name, is about to become obvious…

It’s called Welpenela, botanical name.. Cardiospermum Halicacabum (Sapindaceae). It’s also known as the Ballon Vine, Black Liquorice, or Heart Seed.

I think this may be due to the pattern on the dried seed which resembles a heart, but also looks like a face. My Uncle informed me that the children of Sri Lanka use the seeds as eyes for dolls.

BENEFITS:

It is reportedly good for treating Back Pain, Joint Pains and General Body Aches, the Immune System, Hemorrhoids, Nervous Disorders, Chronic Bronchitis, Headaches (leaves crushed and inhaled), fever skin diseases – sores & wounds (as a poultice)… and increasing Sexual Libido. The power of the plant lies in the leaves, although the entire plant is often used in Ayurvedic medicine.

The ‘ache relief’  part of the benefits really piqued my interest as I have a host of ‘aches’ that could do with some attention. In my youth, I was very active, playing a host of sports and taking part in a selection of fitness activities. Over the years the lack of so much activity and sport in my life has left my body complaining. An unforgettable moment was when I had an epidural administered and the anaesthetist made the comment that I either swam a lot or was into horse riding in a big way, as she was having trouble getting the needle into my spinal nerve – not the most pleasant of sensations with regular labour contractions! She was correct on both! Essentially my back muscles were very developed.

Anyway, I digress… basically, over the years my body has been letting me know that my muscles are not too happy with the lack of activity in my life. They had been trained otherwise!

Leading a VERY busy life has also brought to my attention the importance of a healthy immune system. So all in all, a plant worth introducing into my diet.

Add to this, the fact that my Uncle took Welpenela when recovering from a bad injury to his leg and was able to abandon his crutches in 2 weeks instead of 6, the associated aches and pains relieved… essentially he had his Mojo back in record time, to the surprise of his GP!

TASTE:

I’ve only eaten Welpenela raw, adding it to a salad as suggested. It’s very similar to the plethora of salad leaves available today in your local supermarket. It does though have a slightly bitter and slippery feel to it on the palate.

PREPARATION:

Now, I have to admit that during my research this came up a lot to be taken as a herbal tea, which I will be trying out.

The plant can be eaten raw in a salad (watch the video below), made into a porridge with rice, soya, coconut milk, garlic and ginger or prepared using the following method:

1. Wash the entire plant (except roots perhaps!)
2. Heat in a pan with red onions and ghee (or Olive oil if you’re watching the cholesterol levels) till cooked.
3. Serve with a BIG Smile!

Oh yes… as far as the Libido benefits go… No Comment!

Watch this video…